Today's the day to make your voice heard. Polls in Chester Township are open at Town Hall and the Highlands Ridge Barn until 8:00pm.
When you look at your ballot, the Council candidates are all the way at the bottom right. I'm the guy in the middle. Vote for one Council candidate today and make it count! I'm humbly asking for your vote today. Let's do this. Before we call it a night, we just want to share this quick thank you message. No matter what happens tomorrow, we are so grateful. Yesterday we told you that we went four for four with letters to the editor in the Observer-Tribune. It turns out the newspaper missed a letter from our good friends Hector and Betsey Garcia. We're pleased to share it below.
Dear Editor: We are writing to encourage our friends and neighbors to support Mike Inganamort in the June 6th Republican primary for Chester Township Council. Mike and his family are the future of Chester Township. They are active in so many aspects of our community, and we know that Mike is committed to ensuring Chester Township is as great a community in the next decade as it is today. Mike’s priorities are the same as ours and our neighbors – from holding the line on taxes through more shared services and preserving our town’s rural nature, to fighting Trenton’s imposed development and protecting home values. What sets Mike apart, though, is his long-term thinking. Mike’s family is going to be part of this community well into the future and it is in their interests, and that of all families, that Chester Township stay ahead of the curve in efficient services and aesthetic appeal. Chester Township is an amazing place to live and raise a family, and with Mike Inganamort on the Council, it will stay that way for a long time. Hector and Betsey Garcia All four letters to the editor in the Observer-Tribune this election season endorsed Mike Inganamort for Chester Township Council. Click below to read them.
LETTER: Vote Inganamort for Chester Township Council Observer-Tribune (6/1/17) Mike has the right combination of respect for our past and enthusiasm for the future. He’s zeroed in on the issues that really matter, like getting a hold of our taxes, sharing more services, maintaining Chester’s rural character, fighting state housing mandates, and continuously innovating. LETTER: Vote Inganamort to Chester Township Council Observer-Tribune (6/1/17) Mike recognizes the qualities that make Chester a great place to live and raise a family. He is committed to ensuring that our town remains a top choice, not only for new residents, but for those who have lived here and chosen to stay. He has the heart to serve and the skills to lead. Mike has a responsible vision for the future and will act in the best interests of Chester Township. LETTER: Inganamort has abilities for Chester Township Council Observer-Tribune (5/31/17) He has clearly exhibited his strong work ethic by being energetic, thorough and persevering. Further, he has demonstrated a keen analytical mind with the ability to assimilate an assortment of ideas into workable solutions. He is expert at closing the gap between theory and practice. His thinking is insightful, astute, systematic and practical. LETTER: Inganamort has optimism and energy to serve Chester Township Observer-Tribune (5/25/17) When I met Mike, I was immediately impressed by his sincerity, optimism, energy and willingness to invest his time and efforts to ensuring Chester Township continues to be a great place to live for current and future residents. This is apparent to anyone who has met Mike, or who has followed his campaign. On Memorial Day, our family was proud to join with friends and neighbors at the fire house to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It was especially moving to hear local service members read aloud the names of Chester's war dead - from the Civil War through Vietnam. The BBQs (and door knocking) were a lot of fun afterwards, but we're glad our children took a quiet moment to appreciate the true purpose of Memorial Day and the freedoms we enjoy.
“When I met Mike, I was immediately impressed by his sincerity, optimism, energy and willingness to invest his time and efforts to ensuring Chester Township continues to be a great place to live for current and future residents. This is apparent to anyone who has met Mike, or who has followed his campaign. Mike is already actively involved – daily, it seems – with matters affecting the township and with supporting our many local businesses. I know Mike will bring the same energy and dedication to a council seat if he is fortunate enough to be elected.”
Thank you to our good friend Dave Fortunato for the kind words! Click here for the full letter. “At a May 16 council meeting, [Inganamort] helped to persuade the council into supporting a bi-partisan bill championed by Assemblyman Anthony Bucco Jr., R-Morris, that would freeze all affordable housing litigation through the end of 2017. The Fair Share Housing Center, which is the primary litigant on the issue, has said that Chester Township should have 320 units of new construction, plus another 59 rehabilitated or existing units. Inganamort contends the numbers are too high and that such development would have a severe impact to the township’s infrastructure and environment.”
Click here for the full article. At last night’s Council meeting, I spoke in favor of a bipartisan bill in the New Jersey legislature to freeze all affordable housing litigation through the end of 2017, and urged the mayor and Council to adopt a resolution in support of the bill. This litigation is costing taxpayers in 300 New Jersey towns – including Chester Township – thousands of dollars every year, with no end in sight. It’s why our own Assemblyman Anthony Bucco and my friend Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi are rallying support for their bill (A4666) to relieve taxpayers of this continued expense. I’m grateful to the mayor and Council for the opportunity to speak, for drafting a resolution of support right then and there, and for voting unanimously to endorse the litigation freeze. Citizen activism really does work. Background The development of new affordable housing in Chester Township remains an important issue with implications for our town’s infrastructure, environment, and quality of life. It’s also a reminder of our state’s affordability crisis, and the fact that too many people want to leave New Jersey entirely. While having a range of home prices in a community is certainly ideal, Trenton’s housing mandate – otherwise known as the Council on Affordable Housing – is the wrong approach, especially for Chester Township. Consider the facts. The Fair Share Housing Center, which is the primary litigant on the issue, argues that Chester Township should have 320 units of new construction, plus another 59 rehabilitated or existing units. Add to that the match of market value units, and Chester Township could be exposed to the construction of nearly 1,600 new homes and a population spike from 8,000 to 12,000 people. This forced development would have severe impacts on Chester Township’s infrastructure – including our roads, schools, electric grid, and septic systems – as well as our natural environment. Nearly half of the land in Chester Township is preserved open space and the remainder is nearly built out, making our town ill-equipped to handle such development. This all points to the folly of central planning. The reality is that top-down housing plans don’t work, whether it’s in China where whole cities are empty or in New Jersey where there is zero population growth. And that is to say nothing of the dearth in employment opportunities that these new residents would require – a disservice to everyone involved. I’m going to continue speaking out against Trenton's housing mandate, and also remind people that our community is strong because it is inclusive. We are CEOs and teachers, pilots and firefighters. Hard work and cooperation – not income or wealth – make us who we are. In that spirit, we can work together to preserve Chester Township’s rural character and make smart local decisions to secure a strong future. Today is the last opportunity to register to vote in the Tuesday, June 6th Primary Election. As part of our campaign, we've registered quite a few new voters, which we'll chalk up as a win for Chester Township!
REMEMBER: Registering to vote is free at elections.morriscountynj.gov. Any website that charges for voter registration is not an official government site. Beware of releasing personally identifiable voter registration information on non-governmental sites. To register in New Jersey you must be:
If you would like one of our campaign signs in your yard, shoot us a note (at the top right of this page). We're happy to leave a sign at your door or plant it directly in your yard. Let us know!
As part of this campaign and beyond, Mike is committed to reviving the Republican Party in western Morris County. On Saturday, he joined Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and many local activists to celebrate the re-opening of the Morris County Republican Committee headquarters.
Big thanks to so many members of the Morris County Republican Committee board for their continued friendship and support! Thank you to the more than 35 friends, neighbors, and family members who made our Friday night meet and greet with Senator Steve Oroho such a big success. Mike and Senator Oroho go way back, having fought together for tax reform and a more affordable state.
"We all need to do everything we can to make sure Mike's successful," Senator Oroho said at the event. "Because people love Chester Township, and it's going to take people like Mike to make sure Chester Township is on the right path for a long, long time." We're grateful for Senator Oroho's strong endorsement! It's Earth Day and we're spending today (like most days) outside in Chester!
Of course, we're also making the usual stop at ShopRite. Visit today and get a Douglas fir or Eastern White pine seedling. We planted one on the side of our house and the other in the back; it was great getting the girls involved and now they can't wait for the trees to grow. PS - if you're at ShopRite today, be sure to also support the Marine Rose program on the way out! Last night I knocked on the door of a gentleman who served on the USS Wisconsin during the Korean War. He was full of stories about his travels abroad, around the country, and even here in Chester. He and and his wife are the proud original owners of their 1960's home.
I was so in awe of the guy, I decided to ask only for his consideration (and not his outright vote), but he cut me off mid-sentence. He said he'd be voting for me, no need to ask. It was such a great moment, and I've been thinking about him all morning. PICTURED BELOW: The USS Wisconsin off the Korean coast in 1952. Over the weekend, my daughter Ella and I had a great time on the campaign trail. Part of what made both days so fun was seeing one example after another of why Chester is such a special place. At the entrance to ShopRite, the Girl Scouts were selling cookies. Inside the store, the employees were raising money for Autism Speaks. And at the exit, the Knights of Columbus were collecting items for their food drive (we hope they like croutons and salad dressing). Ella and I swung by the fire house to donate some clothes to the Ladies Auxiliary clothing drive, and made a pitstop at Dunkin Donuts where we met a bunch of parents fueling up for a full day of soccer. The UPS Store was busy, and so was the Post Office. Once we got the errands out of the way, we knocked on doors. Whether we were on Parker Road or Hardin Court or Cricket Lane, we heard a lot of the same thing: deep pride in our community. We met a dad whose son nailed his performance in the Black River Middle School’s Wizard of Oz. We met a young family on their way out the door to go hiking here in town. And we met more than a few people who reminisced about their children going through our schools and landing rewarding careers. Ella had a blast – with Girl Scout cookies and donut holes, what’s not to love? – but I hope as she grows up she starts to understand how special her hometown is. I’m running for Chester Township Council to help bring our town’s strong sense of service and community into the next decade. As we were reminded this weekend, it’s what makes so many people proud to live here – and central to attracting new residents in the future.
Thanks to the enormous outpouring of support since I announced my candidacy for Chester Township Council, we are running full steam ahead to the June 6th Republican primary. Thank you for the incredible support and encouragement as we kick things off.
Be sure to check out some recent coverage from the Observer-Tribune and Save Jersey, as well as our video below. After a lot of reflection and countless conversations, I’ve made the decision to run for a seat on the Chester Township Council. Talking with more than 50 residents about this opportunity—one at a time, often at their kitchen tables—has taught me a lot about our community and what we all expect from town hall and each other. It also helped bring into focus the kind of Chester Township I'd like to see in the next decade. I’m running for three main reasons, and I welcome your input on each:
I’m excited to work with our mayor and Council on these priorities, but I also welcome your own ideas. I'm especially eager to hear what kind of Chester Township you'd like to see in the future. For those just getting to know my family, Lauren and I are so proud to call Chester Township home and excited about raising our daughters - Ella and Sadie - in this special, family-oriented community. If there is a festival in town, we are there. We’ve had mixed success getting Ella to enjoy the horse rides in Chubb Park, but we did pick three out of the four winners at the Soup & Chili Cook-Off last year. Ella and Sadie attend Suburban Hills School and we could not be happier with the attention and support they receive there. On most weekends, when the weather’s nice, you can find the four of us on one of the local playgrounds, walking around a pick your own farm, or checking out the week’s books for bedtime at the library. We enjoy going to Redwoods Grill and are determined to someday win the children’s coloring contest. Professionally, I’m the managing principal at Morristown-based ASG Advisors, where I develop policy solutions for some of our state’s leading foundations – lately focused on preventing human trafficking, expanding school field trips, and fighting New Jersey’s opioid epidemic. I’ve previously worked on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Interior in an office dedicated to cleaning up our public lands. Here in town, I serve on the Chester Township Marketing & Communications Committee, through which I’d like to attract new residents and visitors to town, and share with more people what makes our community so great. As a volunteer Merit Badge counselor, I work with local Boy Scouts on the three citizenship badges. The Republican primary is Tuesday, June 6th, so we have a lot of time to talk. I look forward to starting this conversation, humbly asking for your support, and – if we do this well – serving you on the Chester Township Council. Sincerely, Mike Inganamort PS - we can't do any of this without you! Click here to make a secure donation to the campaign. Every dollar will be put toward doing the right thing. |