Meet the Candidate: Tracey Trotto

On Nov. 3, residents will have the opportunity to go to the polls to vote for four members of Gloucester Township Council.

Gloucester Township Patch will share information and some of the thoughts of the eight candidates seeking four Council seats in a series of profiles.

Each candidate was asked the same questions via email in order to get the most accurate responses in their own words.

The candidates are profiled in alphabetical order, one each day.

Name: Tracey Trotto

Political Party: Democrat

Years of Residency in GT: 19 years

Job: Office Coordinator

Education: Associates Degree from GCC Evening Division Rutgers University and LaSalle University

Family: Married with 2 sons

Why are you running for GT Council? I have always been active in my community through school, church, civic organizations and sports organizations. I want to continue to provide our residents access to local government and assist them as a helping hand.

Have you ever held public office? Yes, I am currently on Council.

Why do you feel you are qualified to serve as a member of the GT Council? I feel I am qualified to serve because of the years of experience I have within the community. I listen to what is being shared by residents both positive and negative and I take that information back to our Municipality and look for answers. I have been a resident for over 15 years so I am interested in making sure we have and can sustain the best possible services for our town.

In your opinion, what is the biggest issue currently facing GT, and how should Council deal with the issue? I feel people want to make sure they are getting the most for their dollar. We are all living on tight budgets. Council has held the line on Township taxes in 3 out of the last 4 years- zero increase while providing the high level of services we are accustomed to. We need to continue to be diligent in our budgeting. We also want to be able to continue to attract businesses to our community, businesses that help off set the tax burden on our neighbors.

What do you feel is Gloucester Township’s biggest asset at this time? How would you exploit that asset to the township’s benefit? Our biggest asset is our location. We are convenient to major highways, major cities and the Jersey shore. We now have the Gloucester Premium Outlets, which puts us on the map and I would like to see that area to continue to grow with businesses. We want to attract people to our Township because of our location, housing, schools, parks and organizations and most importantly, we can provide the most benefit for your dollar.

What are some of the things Council currently does that you feel could be done differently, and how would you make improvements? Communicating with our residents is key. Council is made up of seven residents from different areas and of different backgrounds. I feel because of our different backgrounds, we bring different opinions and needs to the forefront of Mayor and our local Government. In our daily travels to the supermarket or the soccer fields, we come across our neighbors from all over the Township and we need to do a better job sharing with them the things that are taking place here.

In what ways do you believe Council is doing a good job for the residents of GT? I think overall Council does a good job listening to the residents. We continue to strive to bring the best to the community. We continue to work on improving our roads, making the township safe and create an overall positive place to live. Residents are also given various opportunities to voice their concerns via either Council Meetings, eGov, Town Meetings and email.