Westfield Ward 1 General Election 2023: Emily Root

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield's general election on Nov. 7 has eight candidates running for four open seats representing each ward in Town.

Democrat Emily L. Root is running for the one, four-year seat representing Ward 1 against Republican Todd B. Saunders.

Other candidates include Democrat Erika J. Vargas Garrison and Republican Michael Armento for Ward 2; Democrat Dawn Alicia Nichol-Manning and Republican Michal D. Domogala for Ward 3; and Republican David Kiefer and Democrat Scott A. Katz for Ward 4.

Are you running for office in Westfield? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Westfield Patch.

Emily Root

Age: I turn 50 on October 6, 2023

Town of residence: Westfield

Position sought: Ward 1, Town Council

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: I live with my husband, Bruno, and my two step children in college, Zoe, 22, and Dylan, 19. We also have one rescue dog, Ellie, and two cats, George Michael and Piper

Education: Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz. Master’s degree from New York University

Occupation: Speech pathologist in private practice and an adjunct college professor at Kean University

Previous or current elected appointed office: Elected to Westfield Town Council representing Ward 1 in a special election on Nov. 8, 2022.

Campaign website: rootforwestfield.com

Why are you seeking election for Town Council?

I love this wonderful community and am seeking re-election to continue the forward momentum that will bring vibrancy to downtown while protecting the historic charm we all love. Since my election in November 2022, I continue to work on the Finance Committee, where I am laser-focused on holding the line on taxes while prioritizing investment in our community to ensure long term tax stability. I am proud to maintain what we love most about our charming community but believe it is necessary to revitalize our downtown. I believe in smart growth like One Westfield Place, which will result in more than $400 million in private investment in our community and over $50 million in public improvements. Our town won a Smart Growth Award from New Jersey Future, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes sensible and equitable growth, redevelopment, and infrastructure investments.

As Public Safety Chair, I continue to work closely with our Police Department to ensure Westfield remains a safe town. I am committed to giving our police the tools they need to combat car thefts, such as 15 license plate readers that have allowed our patrol officers to stay one-step ahead of the criminals. I am also committed to ensuring our streets are safe for pedestrians and cyclists. I have and will continue to support the addition of radar speed boxes along our busy roads and new stop signs at dangerous intersections, like the one at Cowperthwaite and Prospect St.

Development in Westfield including the Westfield One Project and development in general has become a hot topic in town. How do you feel about development in Town?

I am extremely optimistic about the smart growth that our community is experiencing after so many years of stagnancy. One Westfield Place will transform what is now a vacant department store and vast parking lot into a modern, $400 million mixed use development that will provide the town with more than $50 million in funds for public improvements. The project will also offer housing for those who are 55 and over, which will provide options for those who wish to stay in Westfield while minimizing additional children to our schools. Since Westfield’s population peaked in 1970, Westfield has lost 2,700 residents, so even with projects like One Westfield Place and other developments, our population won’t even come close to what it was 50 years ago.

I am also thrilled that One Westfield Place contains an office component that will bring employees back to our downtown to support our merchants and restaurateurs during the weekday, which is critical to ensuring the ongoing and long-term success of our downtown. Since 2015, Westfield has lost more than 2,000 employees.

I am excited to see new investment in our downtown and look forward to the numerous public improvements that would not be possible without this project, among these are fixing intersections like North Ave. and Elm St. and East Broad and North Ave.

The Edison Fields Bond Ordinance has been added to the ballot to go up for public vote in November. What do you think of the project and the use of turf over natural grass?

We all agree that the field shortage has been a difficult issue for decades. I believe we need to deliver improved fields for our families so our kids aren't forced to travel to other towns to get what they should have here. I understand the health concerns and will advocate for the use of an alternate infill. I also believe we must prioritize the quality of life of those who may be impacted by this change. We should deliver fields for our families as safely and as thoughtfully as possible.

There have been more discussions about crime in Town in regards to car and home burglaries. Are you happy with how the Town and Police are handling this? And how would you like to improve this?

Westfield, like many suburban communities with easy highway access, has been a target of criminals who come into our communities for the sole purpose of stealing cars. We all know about car thefts and home invasions with culprits looking for one thing, a key fob. This administration has made public safety a top priority. Since 2017, the police budget has increased from $6.65 million in 2017 — the final year of the previous administration — to $8.2 million this year, a 24% increase, all while keeping our property taxes essentially flat.

At the same time, we’ve increased the number of sworn officers from 58 in 2017 to 63 this year. As a daughter of a law enforcement officer, I take public safety seriously. Our full Public Safety Committee, including Chief Battiloro, meets monthly to discuss and take action on public safety concerns around town. I was proud to support the increase in investments in License Plate Readers and flock cameras that have the ability to detect stolen cars at various entry points into Westfield. Our officers are notified immediately and can proactively stop these criminals before they have a chance to act. While we do hear about incidents that are frightening and unsettling to us, we have to keep things in perspective. Westfield is among the safest communities in New Jersey and overall crime continues to be low thanks to Chief Battiloro and our fantastic Westfield Police Department.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the Town?

I continue to focus on public safety, advocating for additional more radar speed signs to slow traffic and make our streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. These necessary infrastructure improvements will enable residents to safely walk, run, and bike on a daily basis. I remain dedicated to supporting our downtown businesses and preserving what we love most about our community by supporting small businesses. It is a wonderful time to live in Westfield and as I talk to residents at their doorstep every week, I hear how excited they are to be here, and for what is to come as well!

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

My positive outlook and energy is a start. I am up early, out and about in town every day before I go to work, talking to residents and business owners who are also excited to move forward and ensure vibrancy in our town. We are standing at a crossroads, with two starkly different visions of the future before us and while we all appreciate nostalgia, we also need to embrace a forward-looking vision that protects and supports our charming downtown. My priority continues to be an active member of the community as I serve all of the residents of Westfield, whether you moved here a month ago, or have lived here your entire life, we are all Westfielders. I believe it to be one of my greatest privileges and accomplishments in my lifetime to have been elected Councilwoman in Ward and I am humbly asking Ward 1 residents to re-elect me this November.

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

First I want to again thank the residents of Ward 1 for putting their faith and confidence in me this past November. As you have seen over the past year, I work hard, and will continue to be there for all of the residents in Ward 1. I am a proud stepmom, small business owner, stuttering specialist, and college professor. I look forward to seeing residents downtown or in Mindowaskin Park on an early morning run, or at your door in the upcoming weeks. I am easily accessible, and I am always eager to be there for you.

I would like to close by saying once again that we are so fortunate to live in this beautiful and loving community. It would be my honor to continue to serve the residents of Ward 1 over the next four years and I can’t wait to keep my commitment to the residents of Ward 1 as we continue to move forward. Thank you!