Meet Jonathan Chebra, Burlington Co. Commissioner General Election Candidate

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — The ballot season is in full swing in the Garden State, and Patch has asked local candidates aiming to win a seat on the Burlington County Board of Commissioners to share their thoughts before the General Election on Nov. 3.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all contested candidates via the email addresses listed for their campaign. The responses received will be published between now and the general election. Contact edward.callahan@patch.com with any questions regarding coverage.

Name: Jonathan Chebra

Age: 39

Town of residence: Bordentown

Position sought: Burlington County Commissioner

Party affiliation: Democratic

Family: N/A

Education: BS in Political Science, Rider University

Occupation: N/A

Previous or current elected or appointed office: N/A

Why are you seeking office?

I am honored to be seeking the office of Burlington County Commissioner. After serving the county as Chair of the County Library Commission as well as working in the legislature and in the healthcare sector, I am ready to offer my time and energy to improving the lives of Burlington County residents in a new way.

I have always sought to serve the public throughout my career, and I hope to bring my skills to this new role to make our county even better place to live, work and raise a family.

What additional measures would you suggest to build on one or two things that are done right now within the county?

Burlington County is truly the best place to live in New Jersey - it’s why my wife and I decided to raise our two children here.

Whether it’s the robust parks system or the library services that I oversee in my role as Chair, there are so many services and amenities offered to residents already - and I want to build on those opportunities.

The current Board of Commissioners has worked hard in the past year to expand on these services, including preserving additional farmland and open space and expanding access to treatment services and mental healthcare. And all of that was accomplished while maintaining the lowest county tax rate in the state.

I want to ensure our taxes remain low, while delivering county services with compassion, excellence and efficiency.

If you were to start your own board or commission, what would it be for and why? What issues would you want to address, or areas would you want to highlight?

An area of passion for me is ensuring our seniors are able to age with dignity. By 2032, New Jersey will have more seniors than grade school-age children.

I want to focus on age-friendly initiatives that utilize the existing strengths of Burlington County to allow older residents to remain in their community longer and life-long, fulfilling lives.

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

I have dedicated my career to public service and public policy, and I’ve seen time and again that experience matters. I have worked to expand access to healthcare, create programs to prevent opioid overdoses and deaths, improve customer service, and increase food assistance.

I believe that this understanding of what it takes to shape government makes me uniquely qualified to be a Commissioner.

I also have an intimate understanding of our county infrastructure and know firsthand the way that it all comes together to serve residents. It is my hope that I will be given the opportunity to put that to use and further improve the quality of life for the people of Burlington County.

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

I have a background in government and public service.

As Dr. Herb Conaway's Chief of Staff in the Assembly, I helped pass landmark healthcare-affordability legislation and stood up for reproductive rights.

For six years, I served as Deputy Commissioner for New Jersey Human Services, where I worked to reduce overdoses by making naloxone widely available, fought food insecurity by increasing SNAP benefits, and battled cuts to Medicaid.

For the past seven years, I have chaired the Burlington County Library Commission. In that volunteer role, I eliminated a budget deficit while expanding services and programming, stood up against attempts to ban books, and eliminated late fines to make the county library more accessible to all.

What's a motto you live your life by?

Service.

In all of my efforts, I have tried to use my time, talents, and efforts to make my corner of the world a little better for my family, my neighbors, and those I interact with.

What does it mean to you to represent Burlington County and the other sections of the district?

Representing the county moving forward means having the opportunity to put my experience in public service towards improving the place where my kids will spend the formative years of their lives. This county is a deeply important place to me, and I intend to make it better not just for my family, but for yours too.

Hopefully, over the course of three years, I’ll have the chance to learn from the people of this incredible county and improve their quality of life here so that they too can put down roots for generations to come.

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