Bridgewater Officials Sharply Criticize Filipe Pedroso For Election Statements

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench and Councilman Timothy Ring released sharply worded statements criticizing Filipe Pedroso's campaign announcement that targeted the Township Council.

Moench said, "After 14 years on the Township Council, Filipe should be asking residents for forgiveness, not asking for their vote."

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On Thursday, Pedroso announced his candidacy for mayor in Bridgewater on the Republican ticket.

In his campaign announcement, Pedroso took jabs at Moench, criticizing tax increases. He also cited residential sewer increases, business sewer increases, rising spending and debt, and the advancement of more than 700 high-density housing units.

• See Related: Former Bridgewater Councilman To Run For Mayor

Moench said Pedroso, "opposed against rebuilding our roads and infrastructure, voted against protecting women and fighting human trafficking, supported spending cuts which would have resulted in reductions to our police and public safety, and made our community less safe."

According to Moench's statement, Pedroso "failed to participate in the budget process and offered gimmicks, not solutions to the financial difficulties facing all municipalities during and after COVID."

Moench also said, "Instead, Filipe spent time giving vanity speeches and creating campaign propaganda as opposed to principled, thoughtful leadership."

Moench's statement went on to say, "Honesty and integrity matter and no elected office is worth selling one's soul to obtain." He added, "If Filipe wants to put his record up to the public for scrutiny, he's welcome do that. However, I have no doubt that the voters are not going to like it when they learn exactly who he is and what he really stands for."

Ring also criticized Pedroso's performance during their time serving together on the Township Council.

"In the six years I spent on the Township Council with Filipe Pedroso, he never presented a single workable policy proposal," said Ring.

He also said, "Of the council meetings that he attended, he could not even bother to come prepared."

Ring's statement described what he said would be the result of Pedroso's approach to governing.

"The reality is that Filipe Pedroso's Bridgewater would essentially be bankrupt, with crumbling roads, abandoned parks, a depleted police force, non functional sewer system and court-mandated affordable housing forced into every neighborhood in town," Ring said.

Ring also said, "His campaign for mayor is the culmination of a public 'career' based entirely on egotism and self-interest, and the voters of Bridgewater know better than to turn our town into Filipe's personal vanity project."

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