Brick Candidate Profile: Arthur Halloran

Profiles of the candidates for the Brick Township Council are being presented for informational purposes.

Responses are unedited.

Candidate’s Name: Art Halloran

Employer/Job: I currently work as a Residential Real Estate agent for Weichert Realtors.

Have you ever held elected office or served as an appointee to any government board (where and when)?

I have never held an elected position before. I am currently on the Brick Township Planning Board. I also serve on the Brick Township Floodplain Management & Hazard Mitigation Committees.

1. Property taxes continue to be one of the biggest issues facing residents in Brick and statewide. How do you propose to manage the issue? Be specific.

Smaller government is better government. Based on my experience in business, I intend to focus my efforts on making our town government smaller. I have been pleased with the cuts that Mayor Ducey and the current Township Council have made in Town Hall, and impressed that services have been maintained at such a high level. Everyone knows that we had too many management and administrative positions in town, that simply cost us too much. Mayor Ducey eliminated 8 Patronage Jobs that were created for the friends and family of the previous administration, saving over $980,000 in salaries and benefits. And Mayor Ducey and his team on Council were the first in our State to eliminate the red light cameras, another hidden tax imposed on our residents. I hope to continue to identify areas where we can be more efficient without reducing services.

I also would like to work with the Council on the Mayor’s debt reduction plan. Our township debt simply got out of control under prior administrations. I know that Mayor Ducey has already reduced the outstanding debt by over $8 million, and has a plan to reduce it even more. Mayor Ducey’s decision to put a cap on municipal bonding is an excellent idea and I will help to maintain that cap. Brick residents want to be able to afford to live in the town they love.

2. Heroin has become a nightmare problem throughout Ocean County. What more do you feel Brick should do to address the problem?

I think the implementation of the Neighborhood Watch program is a great start. As residents we need to be more involved and mindful of the activities in our areas. Working closely with the police to communicate suspicious activities is essential to combating the spread of crime. Continue the implementation and expansion of the BMAC program that Mayor Ducey and Andrea Zapcic re-instated.

3. There are many who feel Brick Township has become very divided in recent years. How do you propose to promote unity within the community?

Many of the projects that have been introduced since Mayor Ducey and his team have been in office have created and cultivated a sense of community. The Farmers Market has been a great success and the residents I have talked to have expressed how they feel more a part of the community and have had the chance to meet other residents from other areas of the township. I believe in addition the renovation of three of our parks, Colorado Park, Angela Hibbard Park and Lake Riviera Park will add to improved quality of life opportunities for our residents.

4. We all see what the intense partisanship has done to our country as a whole. How do you propose to work together with the other party for the good of the township regardless of what happens in the election?

My career was spent in the corporate world where team building was essential to getting the job done. Utilizing the skills and knowledge of all parties regardless of your differences is the best way to accomplish the mission of delivering the highest quality services for the residents of Brick.

5. If there was one program you could institute or beef up in the township, what would it be?

We now have the Buy In Brick program that helps residents of Brick reduce their taxes while supporting our local merchants. I would like to see an effort to expand that program to a greater number of local businesses and give our people an even greater opportunity to reduce their taxes by just buying as they would normally only focused on our local businesses.

6. If there was one thing you would want the residents of Brick to know about you, what is it?

As many people have heard me say before this is my first experience running for office. I do not have a political career agenda. I come to this point in my life with many years of executive level business experience and a chance to give back to my community. I have been a highly trained businessman and demonstrated successful fiscal responsibility in a world where performance is measured regularly. I know I can get the job done for the residents of Brick Township.