Meet The Candidate: Anthony Minniti

CINNAMINSON, NJ — There’s more on the line in New Jersey in November than just the Governor’s seat. All seats in the State Senate and State Assembly are up for grabs, as well. In Cinnaminson, there are two open seats available on the Township Committee.

However, before the general elections on Nov. 7, Primary Day arrives on June 6. With no Democrats filing to run in the election, it appears the winners of the Republican Primaries will be seated in January.

Each day this week, Cinnaminson Patch will run candidate profiles for the Republicans running in this year’s primaries. Patch sent each candidate the same questions, and their responses are posted here, with minor edits for grammar and spelling. Check out each one, then head to the voting booth to make an informed decision on June 6.

Up next: Anthony Minniti

Why are you running for Cinnaminson Committee?

The biggest joy of my life is bringing up my 9-year old triplets, John, Claire, and Christian, in the same community where I was raised. I’m fighting every day to make Cinnaminson the most vibrant and desirable community in South Jersey so that someday they can raise their children here too. Since taking office I’ve been a forceful champion for economic redevelopment and created an award-winning plan that has already seen great progress. Plus there’s several exciting projects in the works – and I’m passionate about bringing them to a successful conclusion. Cinnaminson stands to gain so much if we succeed. These redevelopment projects create jobs, provide shopping opportunities, improve the face of our town, and bolster civic pride. Just recently I put together and announced a plan that removes the rundown Garden State Motel, and recruited in its place a highly sought food retailer, Lidl!

Have you ever held a public elected office? If yes, please name the governing body (school board, governing body, fire commissioner) and years of service.
As an elected member of the Township Committee since 2003, I’ve served as the township’s Director of Economic Development and member of the Planning Board, Shade Tree Commission, Burlington County Route 130 Advisory Committee, Burlington County Agriculture Development Board, Route 130 Visioning Committee, and Master Plan Update Subcommittee. My colleagues have also selected me to serve as mayor. Prior to elected office, I served for five years as a citizen member of the planning board, and volunteered on the township environmental commission and economic development task force.

Why do you feel you are qualified to serve as a member of the Cinnaminson Committee?
First, I bring to the table a successful track record in the business world. The fact is government needs to operate in a more efficient, customer service focused, and business-like fashion. Second, I’ve produced real results. On the economic redevelopment front, we’ve accomplished significant, award-winning projects to date – plus there’s so much more that’s in the works including the TriBoro site redevelopment project, Garden State Motel replacement project, and the Legacy Indoor Training & Shooting Range in our industrial park. With regard to public safety, our community policing initiatives are bearing fruit. As reported in Cinnaminson Patch on May 1, 2017, the State of New Jersey Uniform Crime Report shows a significant drop in crime across the board in our community. When we tear down the Garden State Motel it will drop even further! Third, my strong family stake in Cinnaminson and history of energetic community service and volunteerism helps to make me an effective public servant. Finally, civility is an important character trait for anyone seeking public office, and I’ll continue to take the high road even while political opponents – and the special interests they represent – engage in vitriolic attacks against me.

What is the biggest issue facing Cinnaminson? How do you feel the issue should be addressed by Council?
We must keep Cinnaminson affordable. As a strong fiscal conservative, I recently proposed a 2017 budget that actually cuts taxes for all homeowners! Under my leadership Cinnaminson has been awarded one of the top bond ratings in the State by Standard & Poor’s – yielding big cost savings for taxpayers and providing powerful evidence of our skillful financial management. Going forward, we must have Township Committee members with the guts to say “NO” to special interests. I’m not afraid to make the tough decisions on behalf of our taxpayers. I’m also passionate about making Cinnaminson the most business-friendly town in the region and boosting ratables through redevelopment.

What do you feel is Cinnaminson's biggest asset at this time? How would you exploit that asset to the township's benefit?
From an economic redevelopment standpoint, I’ve successfully marketed Cinnaminson’s desirable and convenient location near major transportation hubs and in close proximity to so much activity. That remains a strong feature to our community. However, as a lifelong resident, I’d say that Cinnaminson's greatest asset is the people who call it home. Our residents have a unique love for their hometown. This feeling of pride inspires the best. Our town is one of the most desired in South Jersey. Young people want to raise their families here because of our commitment to excellence in parks, recreation and schools. Seniors want to retire here because of our quality of life, strong sense of community, and affordability. Our town is different things to different people, but we are tied together by a common appreciation of how special Cinnaminson is.

How do you plan to balance spending and revenue in tough economic times?
The keys to long term economic success are elementary, however many politicians lack the guts to do the right thing. Financial troubles are not created overnight. They primarily arise from wasteful spending, irresponsible creation of debt, and lack of effective fiscal oversight. Reducing spending when revenue declines can be unpopular, particularly with those directly affected by spending reductions, however I’ve proven again and again that I’m able to make the tough calls about what we can and cannot afford. Public officials must be prepared to suffer the political fallout from angering the special interests and putting the town's fiscal health above personal popularity.

Do you feel the current Committee is effective? Why or why not? Where do you think the governing body could improve?
Cinnaminson is a great place to live. While I’m proud to have contributed to so many productive and historic advancements as a member of the Township Committee, there’s more work to be done. My top goals are cutting taxes again in future years, boosting ratables through economic redevelopment, replacing the rundown motels, preserving our single family character, and keeping our community safe. To keep Cinnaminson moving forward into the future, we need accomplished leaders who have a track record of being fiscally conservative and trustworthy. Incredibly, two candidates in this Republican Primary weren’t even Republicans until they decided to run. While they’re making budget-busting spending promises in order to win votes, you can count on me to always put the taxpayer’s interests first.

Attached image of Anthony Minniti and his running mate, June Neuman, was provided