To the editor:
With Election Day right around the corner I would like to ask for your support and your vote on Nov. 5.
As mayor for 12 years, I have continued to bring real progress to my community by hardening our infrastructure, eliminating sources of non-point source pollution, improving our recreational facilities, creating open space, ensuring access to quality acute medical care, supporting local economic vitality, reducing municipal debt, and creating an environment of inclusion for all people, bringing Westwood solidly into the 21st century.
Candidates Jodi Murphy, Lea Simone, and Iraj Hastings are the right choice to ensure that Westwood remains on the right track and have my endorsement for Mayor and Council positions.
My career as a public servant has spanned four decades as an advocate for the protection and preservation of our environment and ensuring our waterways are clean and free of sanitary and industrial sources of pollution. Throughout my professional career I have been personally responsible for bringing corporate polluters into compliance, ensuring that for-profit private operations will not not take the jobs of men and women committed to the protection of our vital natural resources, and ensuring the integrity of collective bargaining and fair employment practices for hundreds of working families.
I am running for NJ State Assembly along with Gerry Falotico, a 28-year veteran of the Mahwah Police Department. Together we have dedicated our careers to serving the public. Together Gerry and I have a record of progress and accomplishment that is both qualitative and quantitative. We are running on our records of success for the people we represent.
We are also running because of the records of our opponents. We are running to represent all residents of Legislative District 39, not just Democrats or Republicans, but all residents. Our campaign has been fact-based and hard-working. When we point out the deficiencies of our opposition, they have no response except to resort to Christie-esque and Trumpian tactics of name calling and hurling insults or personal attacks. Gerry and I won’t resort to that. We will continue to earn your respect and your vote by working for you with the same dedication we have spent our professional careers doing.
Thank you for your consideration, and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue in public service for the betterment of the great State of New Jersey.
Mayor John Birkner Jr.
Westwood
