Republicans Seek Freeholder Seats

James Boydston has been an eight-year resident of Bloomfield and is currently the treasurer of his township's Republican party.

A first-time freeholder candidate, Boydston said he hopes to be the "voice of taxpayers." Boydston is a Republican candidate for Essex County Freeholder, along with Fairfield resident Peter Campisi, Adam Kraemer of West Orange and Millburn resident Reuben Torres.

To read more about Kraemer, read his statement on West Orange Patch.

Boydston, 33, is the president of his father's company - HandiLift Incorporated of Carlstadt, a company that makes wheelchair lifts for businesses and homes and helps make businesses compliant with federal standards for accessibility.

"Everybody is worried about the economy right now," said Boydston, who cited taxes, government spending and unemployment as the top issues on voters' minds.

"The issues in Essex County are the same with our country, spending and taxes and getting people back to work," he said. As a freeholder, Boydston said he would work on spending taxpayer money wisely and making sure people are getting the services they deserve for the taxes they are paying.

"With falling revenue you're deling with making hard dcisions and dealing with what the county does that's important," he said. "I love going to the Turtle Back Zoo, but is that major development really the best use of our dollars? I might have done things differently."

Boydston, is a married father with a two-year-old son, and a deacon at the Lamb of God Fellowship Church in Bloomfield. He said another issue on voters' minds is public safety.

Despite numerous attempts, neither Campisi or Torres returned calls for interviews and their campaign manager, Al Baris, was unable to reach them for interviews or provide statements for them.

The election for the Essex County Freeholder board will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls close at 8 p.m.