Warren General Election Profile: John Patrick Fahy

WARREN, NJ — Warren's general election on July 7 has four candidates running for two open seats on the Township Committee. John Patrick Fahy, 30, is one of two Democratic candidates running.

Democrats Fahy and Ilana Goldstein-Barski are running against incumbents George K. Lazo and Michael "Mick" Marion for the two, three-year seats on the township committee.

Fahy is currently looking for work after finishing a new degree in August. His father is a trainman for Amtrak and his mother is a public defender working for the State of New Jersey.

Fahy has an Associate of Science in Computer Science, Summa Cum Laude, August 2020 from Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, May 2012 from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

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John Patrick Fahy

Campaign website

goldstein-barskyforwarren.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running to advocate for policies that I believe would be a huge benefit to Township Residents including:

1. Supporting a ballot initiative to get direct election of the mayor on the ballot as a referendum, so voters can decide whether or not to vote directly for mayor.
2. Enacting a moratorium on all future PILOT developments, which could potentially have a long-term impact on the fiscal health of the school systems.
3. Limiting mass development across the community in order to preserve open space and the character of the town.
4. Preserving historic sites so that we will not lose our history to development, like what happened with King George Inn.
5. Make township meetings more accessible to regular working people by not holding any meetings during AM hours on weekdays.

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

The most pressing issue facing our community now is the impact from the pandemic. Short-term there are some clear strategies that we can take to limit the impact of the tax revenue fallout from Covid-19. The first, is what we have been proposing for the past 3 years: a complete and comprehensive moratorium on all new PILOT development. PILOT developments involve giving developers tax abatement deals, where new properties, some valued at over $1 million, are not required to pay the full property tax assessment, but instead pay a significantly reduced fee directly to the township. These PILOT properties pay no money towards our school systems, which make up the biggest part of our local property tax payment. PILOT programs are not only deeply unfair to the residents of Warren who have been paying their fair share of taxes for decades, but they are also deeply dangerous and risk the future fiscal health of our township in the coming decades. It’s time we make the correct and responsible decision by ending all future PILOT developments.

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

I am a lifelong resident of Warren and graduate of Watchung Hills Regional High School. I am also the only candidate to serve on the WHRHS BOE.