Primary Election Date: 06/07/2011
General Election Date: 11/08/2011

Who Am I?

I am a sitting Councilman up for my first re-election campaign.
I am an attorney, and I have chaired the Finance Committee and Public Safety Committee, served as liaison to the Climate Action Committee and founded the Complete Streets Committee.
I am husband to Robyn Leitner, and father of two children, Liam and Moira.
I am active in our local autism community, having a child with autism, and I volunteer with the American Diabetes Association.

Why Am I Running?

When I ran for the first time, three years ago, I promised to make Point Pleasant a better place. I promised to end the personal agendas on council, to have vigorous and honest debate and to make the government open and responsive to the citizens.
I am proud to say I have largely succeeded.
At the same time, I have managed to help elect three other Progressive Democrats to council, including the mayor, giving the Democrats a majority on council for the first time in over 30 years.
Our team has managed to cut $400,000 in spending over last years budget, and has a plan to reduce another $1.5 million over the next five years - all while maintaining the high-caliber services our Borough needs and expects.
A return to the past failed way of doing business is not an option. I need your help. Help me build a better Point Pleasant.

Hold Me Accountable!

In any local election, taxes are the number one issue. Simply by using common sense methods, we are able to cut spending. For instance, on garbage and recycling collection alone, we have identified that by using a shared service with a neighboring town as opposed to using a private contractor, we can save the Borough between $300,000 to $500,000 a year.

One of the things about our town that everyone loves and neighboring towns envy is our recreation program. We have already enhanced the program, bring Jazz in the Park this year, and have plans to expand the other programs, such as the summer camp and preschool programs.

Although we have a large culture of biking and walking, our town has few, if any, safe streets for biking and walking. I have created a Complete Streets Committee which is seeking State and Federal grants to put in sidewalks and bike paths, which is not only good for the health of our people, but would entirely revitalize our downtown areas.

My DFA values:

I have been and always will be a proud DFA supporter. Along with Ed Zipprich, Rosi Ethrim, Jeff Gardner and other good people like them, I was able to bring the DFA training to Ocean County, New Jersey last year - and it was awesome!

Our campaign is based on those most basic of progressive values - doing right because it is right, treating all with honesty, fairness and respect, and trying to build consensus where possible, but never backing down from what is right when consensus is not possible.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

Our entire campaign is grassroots. Just this weekend, people from all over the Borough called to volunteer to help knock on doors, put up lawn signs in their yards and call friends and family. Out of the blue, people are posting on Facebook in support of our campaign - and more so, creating "ads" and "images" in support of us - when have you ever seen that - unsolicited - in a local campaign.