Brick Township Mayoral Election 2021: Theresa Gallagher

BRICK, NJ —The 2021 election campaign culminates when voters go to the polls Nov. 2 to choose the mayor of Brick Township, along with other political positions.

There are two candidates seeking the mayor's seat, which is a four-year term.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation.

Here are the answers from Theresa Gallagher.

Age: 61

Town of residence: Brick

Position sought: Mayor

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Husband, 2 children

Education: B.A. in Economics, Douglass College, Rutgers University, MBA in Finance, Fordham University.

Occupation:

Principal, online municipal bond trading company.

Previous elective office, if any:

None

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governments?

No

Why are you seeking office?

I think Brick is a great town but I see cracks in quality of life issues. I also think we need to make better long-term decisions with the town finances.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the community, and what do you want to do about it?

Crime is a big issue. As per the most recent statistics available in the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, violent crimes in Brick have increased from 65 in 2018 to 83 in 2019 and the FBI relies on "reported" crimes. I think we need more police officers dedicated to getting the real crime statistics down. Judging from the experience of many people we've spoken to the police are very busy. Clearly, there are not enough of them.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve?

Our population has decreased over the last decade and not only do we have to figure out why that is, we must learn to make tough decisions in this context. We can't continue to raise taxes, even a little. They are already too high. We have take a hard look at our finances and truly figure out ways to create economies of scale and efficiencies. Why is payroll increasing in a town with a decreasing population? Just digging a little deeper than the package the mayor puts forth, I don't see any evidence of fiscal restraint. I think the residents are being misled on the town's finances as well as crime. Everything seems to be packaged for the mayor to win reelection instead of making tough long-term decisions.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Transparency. I am very surprised at the lack of transparency. As a taxpayer, it is surprisingly difficult to get a real handle on the town's finances. The mayor is very proud of paying down some of the debt of the town. Given the current interest rate scenario, why is that necessarily good? What is the 5-year plan for the town?

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office?

I have excellent financial and negotiation skills. I understand how to look at a budget and know where we can create efficiencies and save money. The days of increasing budgets are not sustainable. I also know my negotiation skills will create value for the taxpayer. We seem not to get deals (Veterans Clinic) we deserve and we do deals (Foodtown) for political expediency.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I will make the tough, long-term decisions and not worry about whether these are decisions that will get me re-elected. A mayor who is trying to win a popularity contest is not necessarily making the right decisions for the town.