Election Profile: Morgan Pulcine For Hazlet Township Committee

HAZLET, NJ – The New Jersey general election on Nov. 3 will challenge an array of candidates seeking to fill open seats at the town, county and state level. One seat on the Holmdel Township Committee will be open this November, with Democrat Morgan Pulcine challenging Republican incumbent Michael Sachs for the coveted spot.

Pulcine, 54, is a 22-year resident of Hazlet who reared her children in the town. She lives with her husband Charlie and three kids: CJ, 25, Tom, 23 and Shannon, 15. The candidate is a senior paralegal with over 22 years of formal experience and over 40 years of informal experience. She is a graduate of Union High School and holds an Associates of Arts in Education from Union County College. She also participated in the Paralegal Certification Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Pulcine served on the Raritan Valley PTO Executive Board as Recording Secretary for 2 years, Treasurer for 3 years and Vice President for 2 years. She has also served as Football Treasurer for the Raritan Rocket Launchers and was on the Executive Board of the Hazlet Youth Athletic League (HYAL) as Recording Secretary and Chair of the Nominating Committee.

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Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe that giving back to your community is important and I have always tried to contribute in any way that I can. I also believe that Hazlet is at a crossroads. On the Township Committee, my goal is to be a voice for working families and address the issues necessary to keep our community affordable, safe, and a wonderful place to raise a family.

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

The single most pressing issue facing Hazlet are very high property taxes without the services to support it. Specifically, homeowners and families must understand where municipal tax dollars are being spent. When I look at neighboring towns with lower property taxes, it is difficult to understand how they receive certain services (municipal garbage and bulk pick up) that we do not.

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

I am unopposed in the primary. As we look to the general election, I may have differences with my opponent. However, my focus will be on raising awareness about issues and offering solutions. I’m happy to let the voters decide.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I want to do the best for our community. I believe that I can contribute to stabilizing property taxes, finding efficient ways to budget, and working together with people across our community to improve Hazlet for everyone.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Inclusiveness - I want to work to ensure that our township government offers a place for all of the members of the Hazlet community to be considered. Then, of course, the big issues are property taxes, property taxes, and property taxes. As a homeowner, I understand that each of us has to pay our fair share towards public schools and municipal services. I intend to be a watchdog and a voice of reason. I reject the idea that taxes should go up and up without end. Instead, we should spend our money smartly and provide oversight of township functions to ensure that is happening.

My priorities for Hazlet Township Committee in the coming year will be as follows:

• Bring back our town recreation department which is so very important to the families in our town.
• Work to ensure that our town hall is open five days a week, instead of only four days a week. We all work 40 hours a week and so should town hall.
• I want to seriously work on solutions to reduce speeding in our neighborhoods.

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

As a professional, I have been a paralegal for over two decades. I work each day with attorneys and clients to interpret the law, resolve conflict, and negotiate solutions to difficult and complex problems. As a volunteer, I served as Treasurer of the Raritan Valley School Parent Teacher Organization. I was on an incredible team that worked together to raise money to support our children and educators. I also served as the Recording Secretary of the Hazlet Youth Athletic League and worked with other parents to keep costs down for families.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My grandfather was a state appellate judge. He dealt with a lot of bad actors and yet he always maintained a belief in humanity. I revered him when I was a child and have done my best to live by his advice which was “Be kind to others.”

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

I am an advocate. Whether it is my family, clients, or organizations I have volunteered with, I believe that it is important to solve problems and help others. I would like to do the same for the people of Hazlet.