Election 2022: Mike Havardansky For South Brunswick Mayor

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Longtime resident Michael “Mike” Havardansky is running for mayor on a Republican ticket.

With professional experience in accounting and finance, Havardansky believes his background is exactly what’s needed for the township at a time of inflation.

Below is Havardansky’s candidate profile where he speaks about his plans for the township.

(All candidates were given the same questions. Answers are candidates' own.)

Editor's Note: Patch sent out the questionnaire to each candidate's email address provided by the County clerk's office. All responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who did not receive the questionnaire from Patch can contact sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

Name: Mike Havardansky

Age: 56

Town of residence: South Brunswick

Position sought: Mayor

Party Affiliation: Republican

Family: My wife is Kathy and I have two sons Michael and Alex

Education: I am a graduate of Seton Hall University with a BS in accounting

Occupation: Vice President Controller Premier Brands Group

Previous or current elected appointed office: None

Campaign website: voteforyourneighbors2022.com

What makes you the best person for this position?

I believe my 35 years of accounting and finance experience are exactly what is needed at this time in history. With out-of-control inflation and gas prices, every penny needs to be spent efficiently and effectively, especially by our local government. I’ve spent my entire professional career managing budgets and finances, making sure every penny is accounted for and spent wisely.

Property taxes are always a big election-year topic in South Brunswick. What’s your plan to keep taxes low for residents?

Keeping property taxes low and being good stewards of the people’s money should be a top priority for any government. As mayor efficient spending would be a top priority. Making sure we get the most out of every dollar. We need to review the bidding process for procurement of goods and services, including professional service contracts to make sure South Brunswick gets the best products and services for the best price, without political cronyism. Finally, make sure every tax dollar owed is paid.

Development is also a big talking point in town. How would you address it?

Development is a big issue in South Brunswick right now and I feel the town has lost sight of the most important thing when it comes to development, which is to improve the quality of life in the town. High-density housing projects should be discouraged. Plus, we are building warehouse after warehouse and nothing for the community or to make people come to South Brunswick rather than just pass through it. We need more family entertainment, restaurants and shopping opportunities. As I knock on doors and talk to people all over town having nothing for their kids to do on a rainy day or restaurants to meet a friend at are major complaints.

What according to you is the best part about living in South Brunswick?

There are two things that really stand out to me that make me love living in South Brunswick. First, it’s the people. I’ve lived in the same house for 25 years and my neighbors are fantastic. Everyone is friendly and looks out for each other. Up until I started this run for mayor I thought we were just lucky to have landed in a great neighborhood but going door to door this past year I’ve found most of the neighborhoods in town are the same from block parties to front yard wine club, everyone cares about their neighbors and neighborhoods. The second thing is the great schools.

What are the major challenges facing the community and how would you address them?

Right now I think the biggest issue is traffic congestion and accidents. First I think we need increased police presence and enforcement at the major intersections like New Road and Rt. 1 as well as Rt. 522 and Rt. 1. Greater police presence will condition people to drive safer. More importantly, we need to work with county and state departments of transportation to look into traffic patterns and the timing of traffic lights. South Brunswick’s population has doubled in the 25 years I’ve lived here, but no improvements have been made to the major roads throughout town. South Brunswick has become a bottleneck for north-south traffic in Middlesex County. This causes frustration, which can contribute to people making bad decisions.

What sets you apart from other candidates?

I believe I’m the only candidate with a background in accounting and finance. I’ve spent my entire professional career focusing on managing budgets and ensuring efficient and effective use of funds. At this time more than any other, I believe this experience sets me apart. Also, my running mate John Anthony and I are both new to running for office; we’re not professional politicians. We’re two of your neighbors who care about our town and we want to be your voice.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

For years, South Brunswick has been controlled by a one-party government. That’s not healthy for any government, and it’s certainly not representative of our community. Put simply, one-party rule is not democratic. Everyone’s voice should be heard in order to make sound decisions and truly represent our diverse community. The current administration talks a lot about the same issues. They have been in power for almost 20 years and have done nothing to address them. We need new voices and new ideas to fix these issues we all seem to agree on.

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