Hillsborough Township General Election 2026: Samantha Hand

Why are you seeking election to the Hillsborough Township Committee?

I am seeking re-election because I believe our families deserve a Township Committee that works as hard as they do. As a current elected official, lifelong volunteer, and 19-year resident, I have seen the very best of this community. I understand our strengths and where better leadership
is needed. Together with my running mate, Meghann Valeo, and Committeewoman Jill Gomez, we are ready to fight for the Hillsborough every resident deserves, a community built on
affordability, accountability, and safety.

That means being more thoughtful and cutting wasteful spending so more tax dollars stay in residents' pockets, planning projects carefully with real community input, supporting our first responders, and working closely with our county, state, and school partners to bring more resources back to Hillsborough.

The best days in Hillsborough are not behind us. They are ahead of us, and I am ready to help lead the way.

Transparency in government has been discussed at recent Township Committee meetings. Do you feel the Township Committee is transparent, and how would you increase transparency?

No, I am disappointed and frustrated with the Mayor and the professional leadership of this township. As elected officials, there needs to be accountability to residents, who deserve meaningful opportunities to understand major decisions and provide input before those decisions are finalized, particularly when it comes to budgets, development, infrastructure, and other issues with long-term community impact.

As someone who sits on the dais, it is difficult to know as there are times when things are not transparent even to me as an elected official, let alone to our neighbors and friends. We absolutely can do better at making information accessible, communicating openly, and giving residents a meaningful opportunity to be part of the process.

With rising healthcare costs and inflation, how do you propose keeping tax increases to a minimum?

Hillsborough's financial outlook is a major concern and there are no simple soundbites that honestly address this issue. The financial crisis in Hillsborough is not due to a singular issue or
one bad budget year. This is the culmination of poor planning, short term decision making, and demonstrates arrogance toward our residents, our schools, and governmental partners. We have incredibly talented and caring residents who want to get involved to help solve our tax challenge, but have never been given the chance. At a high level, we need to seriously look at the spending, the headcount, and attracting businesses to our community. We need public input sessions to help shape the Township budget, find ways to increase efficiency, and coordinate with county and state partners so we can stretch resources further and share costs whenever possible.

Looking at the necessity to meet the state's affordable-housing obligation while also avoiding overdevelopment, do you feel the Township Committee has been balancing this well? How would you approach it?

Hillsborough needs responsible, thoughtful growth, not growth simply for the sake of growth. The state's affordable housing mandate is a real legal obligation, and I don't think it's productive to pretend we can simply opt out of it. But meeting that obligation and overdeveloping our town
are not the same thing, and the Committee's job is to make sure we're doing the former without sliding into the latter.

That means being strategic about what gets built and where. Density should go where our infrastructure can actually support it, near existing roads, utilities, and transit, not scattered in ways that strain our schools, our traffic patterns, and our rural character. It also means using every tool available, like redevelopment of underutilized commercial sites, so we're not just approving greenfield sprawl to hit a number.

Just as important is the process itself. These are decisions that reshape neighborhoods for decades, and residents deserve a real seat at the table before plans are finalized, not just a public
comment period after the fact. I want to see more proactive communication from the Committee, clear, early information about what's being proposed and why, so residents can weigh in while it still matters.

And ultimately, this isn't just about compliance. It's about who gets to live here. Our teachers, police officers, firefighters, and young people who grew up in Hillsborough should be able to
afford to stay and work in the community they serve. Affordable housing done right isn't a burden we're forced to accept, it's a chance to make sure the people who make Hillsborough run can actually afford to live in it.

What other issues facing Hillsborough are important to you?

I want to keep our town a place where families can thrive for generations. I want multiple generations of families to be able to call Hillsborough home. That is always top of mind for me,
from wanting my own children to be able to afford their first home here someday to making sure grandparents and longtime residents can remain in the community they have given so much to.

When I talk about affordability, that is what I mean. It is about making sure Hillsborough remains a place where people can build a life, raise a family, and stay connected to their community at every stage of life.

What is your favorite thing about Hillsborough?

My favorite thing about Hillsborough is how it lets us raise our family while putting down deep roots, the kind that gives my daughters the best possible chance to build their own lives here once they are out of college. Our family is woven into this community through the firehouse, local politics, and youth sports, and that sense of connection is something I do not take for granted.

Hillsborough also strikes a rare balance, it is a genuinely beautiful place to live, yet close enough to major cities that my daughters will have real career opportunities without having to leave the area. That combination is exactly why my husband and I plan to keep building our careers here and ultimately retire here, with any luck, our daughters and grandchildren nearby. It is the perfect blend of suburban with rural. Access to commerce and activity, and within a short drive you have the beautiful views of farms and the Sourland Mountains. I love living here and want to see Hillsborough thrive as a community.

Is there anything else you would like residents to know about you or your campaign?

I am a mom, a senior healthcare leader, and a longtime community advocate who understands what our residents need, because I live it alongside them every day. I have
worked hard to hold the line on taxes, protect affordability, and ensure that the decisions made at the township level reflect the values and priorities of the people I serve.
But there is more work to do.

If re-elected, I will continue building partnerships with county and state leaders that bring real resources back to Hillsborough, reducing the burden on local taxpayers and strengthening the services our community depends on. I will keep fighting to make Hillsborough affordable for every family, in every neighborhood, at every stage of life. Hillsborough is not just where I serve; it is where I live, where I am raising my family, and where I am deeply invested in the future. That personal commitment drives everything I do, and it is exactly why I am asking for your continued trust and support. Together, we have made progress. Together, we will keep moving Hillsborough forward.