Local Democrats appear in "Politically Driven" episode

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BERNARDS TOWNSHIP: This week, while cruising through quaint Bernards Township with Scott Salmon of Politically Driven, candidates for Township Committee Joan Bannon Harris and Robert (Bobby) Mascia reveal the communal effort it took to rebuild the local Democratic party, and their individual incentive to run for local office. Spurred into activism by last year’s Women’s March, Harris is driven by a desire “to prove that two parties can work together to get things done to serve the interests of the community as a whole.” Mascia, on the other hand, was inspired to run after being dissatisfied with the current Township Committee’s handling of the quarry redevelopment and the embarrassment brought upon the town as a result of their handling of the mosque zoning issues. He wants “to preserve our small town charm by limiting overdevelopment and treating each other with respect.” They also discuss what it’s like to prepare a stump speech, with both revealing a preference for speaking off the cuff. Finally, they share thoughts about their children, Mascia having three and Harris having four plus a grandson.

“Politically Driven was a fun experience and an interesting format,” enthused Mascia. “We have a big election coming up in town and in the state. What Scott is doing to shed a little more insight on us personally, beyond the issues, is great.” Harris agreed, “Scott has tapped into a unique way to present candidates and politicians. It was a fun way to speak about what inspires us most – our families and our community – and served as an easy transition into our summer campaign efforts. We look forward to meeting local residents in small group settings throughout the summer, to tell our story on how we are going to hold the current committee to higher standards, attacking the affordable housing issue so we don’t become victims of builder’s remedy, and how we’re going to approach all of the neighborhood specific issues that we have been hearing about, such as post storm power outages and clean-up, road conditions, traffic issues, and safety concerns.” Harris is looking forward to not only “listening to residents’ concerns, but hearing their ideas as how to best tackle community issues. There is always much to be gained by utilizing the collective wisdom of a community.”

The new episode airs on Facebook, Politically Driven, https://www.facebook.com/politicallydriven/

Harris and Mascia for Bernards Township Committee, P.O. Box 75, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920