Hillsborough General Election Profile: Janine Erickson

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough's general election on Nov. 3 has four candidates running for two open seats on the Township Committee. Janine Erickson, 52, is one of two Republican candidates running.

Erickson currently works as Executive Assistant to Director of the Somerset County Park Commission. Additionally, she has 25 years experience in both the public and private sector in the areas of budget management and administration, program development, personnel training and development.

Her family includes her husband, Jeffrey, three children and three rescue dogs.

Phillips has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Rutgers University.

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Janine Erickson

Why are you seeking elective office?

Being a Hillsborough resident since 1993, I have seen many changes to our town during this time. It has always been my interest to be involved in my community. Given my ability to now dedicate my time to public service, I would like to be an integral and active participant on the issues that face Hillsborough going forward and believe my background has equipped me well for the position for which I seek. The decision not to seek re-election by Committeewoman Gloria McCauley provided me the opportunity to run for Township Committee and build upon the solid work and leadership established by both current Mayor Doug Tomson and Committeewoman McCauley. In preparation for running for Township Committee, I have been an active member in township government through my appointment to the Economic and Business Development Commission where I served as Vice Chair in 2019 and my appointment to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Knowledge gained from my experiences on these boards would only enhance my ability to serve effectively on Township Committee.

The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Should I be fortunate enough to be elected to Township Committee, upon taking office the most pressing issue will be navigating the post-COVID-19 world; namely the financial impact to our municipal budget that will result from federal, state, and county level budgetary reductions and how those cuts will impact our businesses, our municipal services and our residents. Ensuring that safety nets are in place to help those in need will be of utmost importance. Municipal revenues and resources will continue to be impacted in the coming years. I will utilize my experience and working knowledge of local and county government to ensure that we are working to maximize the use of our financial resources to continue to provide the services that our residents have come to expect and deserve.

I am confident that we will get through the challenges presented in the post-COVID-19 world but it will be just as important to continue to maintain a focus on the impact that state and court-imposed affordable housing mandates will have on our local infrastructure and services and the need to plan accordingly.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Every candidate brings their own strengths and experiences to a campaign and I am running against a varied group of candidates. The critical difference between me and my opponents is the diverse experiences I have acquired working in both municipal and county government and in the private sector as a business owner. Coupled with that is the wealth of experience I have gained assisting residents and businesses in my role on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the assistance I have been able to provide to our business community through my role on the Economic and Business Development Commission and the ability to coordinate efforts with the different departments in the Township as I served on the Task Force to Open Hillsborough during the COVID-19 shut down.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

In keeping with the work of the current republican led Township Committee, I will strive to be fiscally responsible; maintaining the 2 percent budget cap, preserving the township’s AA+ bond rating, and seeking to acquire open space and preserving our farmland.

Managing the financial end of my husband’s business taught me the importance of operating within a budget and how being fiscally prudent leads to the overall success and financial health of a business. I would bring this mindset to my position where it would govern my financial decision making on the Township Committee. Being a member of the Economic and Business Development Commission, I serve as a liaison between our business community and the Township Committee. In this role, I work with our business community to support and promote their success through a variety of means; including the creation and implementation of Restaurant Week, promoting Take Out Tuesday for restaurants during the current COVID-19 restrictions, and garnering a social media presence for the Hillsborough Business Administration. Being elected to Township Committee would enable me to further support our business community where my focus would be assisting them with resources necessary to thrive in a post COVID-19 world. During this pandemic, our farming community has played an integral role in keeping basic food supplies available to our residents when supply chains have been taxed. It spotlights the need for preserving our farmlands and assisting farmers so that they can continue operating for the next generation. Preserving the beautiful, rural aesthetic and agricultural history of our town would be a focus of my role on Township Committee and I would look forward to working with the appropriate committees to that end.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

• Member of Zoning Board of Adjustment - current
• Member of Economic and Business Development Commission - current: development and implementation of Annual Restaurant Week, community Business Social Events and liaison with Somerset County Business Partnership
• Appointed to Task Force to Re-open Hillsborough Township - current
• Member Hillsborough Republican Club - current
• Somerset County Federation of Republican Women - current
• Past President of the Board of Roycefield Swim Club
• Experience working with County and State Agencies
• Committee Chair for 2019 Re-Election Campaign for Frank DelCore

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Always work hard and do your best in all that you do. ~ Advice from my father

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

While I was a stay-at-home mother raising my three children for 19 years, I was always active outside of the home. I managed the financial records for my husband’s Physical Therapy practice, volunteered my time at my children’s schools, and worked in the office of the Mayor and Administrator of Hillsborough Township. Now that my children are older, I am lucky to be an employee of the Somerset County Park Commission; which gives me valuable experience at the County level, and to volunteer my time to various township committees and organizations. My diverse background in municipal public service and business ownership, as well as my experience with certain facets of municipal and county government provide me the skill set needed to lead Hillsborough forward. I love Hillsborough, I am thankful to have raised my family here, and I welcome the opportunity to work with the Township Committee to continue to make Hillsborough "One of the Best Places to Live in America".