There are two candidates running for State Assembly. Below is information and responses from each candidate.

Christopher “Kip” Bateman

Party: Republican
Age: 54
Education: Ithaca College- BA in political Science and History. Seton Hall Law School - Juris Doctorate Degree
Previous office: Branchburg Township Committee; Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders: Director, 1992; Deputy Director, 1990, 1991; Member, 1988-January 1994; Branchburg Township Committee: Mayor, 1986; Member, January 1983-February 1988,
New Jersey Senate 2008-present, Deputy Conference Leader 2008-present, Environment and Energy Committee, Judiciary Committee, Law & Public Safety Committee; New Jersey General Assembly 1994–2007; Assistant Majority Whip 1994-1995; Majority Whip, 1996; Assistant Minority Whip 2002-2003; Assistant Republican Leader 2004-2005
Community organizations: Cancer Support Community Central New Jersey, Board Member; HomeSharing Program of Somerset County, Board Member; New Jersey State Bar Association, Member; Branchburg Rotary Club, Member; The Midland Foundation, Board of Trustees; Somerville Elks, Member; Branchburg Historical Society, Board Member; Washington Campgrounds Association, Lifetime Member; United Way Board of Trustees, 1991-1995
1. What would you do to make New Jersey a more affordable place to live?
I believe we have made a start in making NJ a more affordable place to live by enacting certain property tax reforms such as the 2 percent tax cap and the passage of the pensions and health benefits reform for public employees. We need to continue to provide municipalities with the tools they need to reduce property taxes. Education funding for our schools is the biggest percentage of our property taxes and the current formula which unfairly puts the burden on our suburban districts must be addressed.
We need to continue our work on the rest of the Governor’s tool kit. By capping unused sick leave, exploring ways for municipalities to share services, civil service changes, and reducing red tape we can bring down the cost of government leading to a more affordable New Jersey.
2. What do you think is the most important issue facing New Jersey, and what would you do about it if elected?
I am not sure if you can quantify any one issue as the most important. Certainly jobs and the economy rate at the top. Our transportation infrastructure and the continuing funding of the Transportation Trust Fund is equally important. The condition of our roads and bridges are distinctly tied to our economy. We must always balance our growth and development with our need to preserve our remaining open space and natural resources. Our transportation infrastructure must be improved with a stable source of funding but at the same time we must provide for the funds to protect our greenways, parks and farmland. We must keep our water clean, our parklands protected. We have to look at managing our development to contain sprawl and grow in such a way as we do not waste our precious natural resources. We need to continue our fight to track down waste in government spending and insist on justifications for every penny we spend of the taxpayer’s money. We have made inroads with Governor Christie’s administration, but there is much more to be done on this and on ethics reform and property tax relief. I plan to work with Lt. Governor Guadagno to cut unnecessary red tape and increase the opportunities of jobs and new business in our state. It is also vitally important that the Legislature pass the other bills in the “tool kit” that will provide our municipalities and our residents real tax relief for the future.
3. What strengths will you bring to office? Why should voters select you?
I believe one of my strongest strengths has been my ability to work with all members of the Legislature, not just my political party, to get things done. Our biggest achievements are when we work together to make positive reforms such as the bi-partisan healthcare and pension benefit reform that will save New Jersey taxpayers over $120 billion over the next 30 years. This year, as in the past, I am supported by both environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and the NJ Environmental Federation and business organizations such as the National Federation of Independent Businesses and New Jobs. I was recently named a “Taxpayer Champion” by the NJ Taxpayer Alliance for the second straight year because of my voting record on taxpayer issues. I want to continue to turn New Jersey around by creating jobs and improving the economy while reducing the size and cost of state government. As a Co-Prime sponsor of the bill to ban Hydro-Fracking, I want to continue to protect the environment, not just now but for generations to come. I would ask voters to look at my record, look at the legislation I’ve sponsored that has been signed into law. I’ve tackled topics of business, the environment, and public safety. I would like the opportunity to continue to work to make New Jersey the great state we all want it to be.

Maureen Vella

Party: Democrat
Age: 52
Education:Bachelor's of Science in English and Sociology with a Specialization of Criminal Justice from Rutgers University, 1981. Juris Doctor from Southwestern University School of Law 1984
Previous office: N/A
Community organizations: Former Vice President and former Board Member of Women Helping Women; Former Board Member of Women Aware; Volunteer Attorney at Women Helping Women Legal Clinic; pro bono Attorney at Middlesex County Legal Services; Current President of Biznet; Accredited Professional Mediator and Member of the New Jersey Accredited Professional Mediator; Certified to practice Collaborative Law; Vice Chair of Hillsborough Democratic Organization; and District Committee Person for Hillsborough Township.
1. What would you do to make New Jersey a more affordable place to live?
I would make New Jersey a more affordable place to live by balancing the budget through cutting unnecessary spending and closing loopholes on New Jersey’s super-rich.
Changing our business climate to provide incentives to small businesses can create additional jobs. As a state, our long term focus needs to be on attracting high-tech Green industries so that we can provide our residents with good paying, steady employment that benefits our environment.
Clearly, all of us need to save our tax dollars by working with Governor Christie and his call for ethics reform. We must contain our skyrocketing property taxes and this can only be accomplished by working on a bi-partisan basis to protect our middle-class families.
I would also strive to achieve smaller class size and fair funding for our public schools. However, before we can work on the fiscal crisis here in New Jersey, we must work on the political deadlock in Trenton. This is a process that will take time and a huge commitment by both parties working together to accomplish.
2. What do you think is the most important issue facing New Jersey, and what would you do about it if elected?
Unemployment is currently at 9.2 percent, among the highest in the nation. Our poor are hurting, our middle class is shrinking and the very wealthy have not been asked to share in the sacrifices we all need to make in these difficult economic times.
I would reprioritize our budget cuts to have the appropriate safety nets put back into place to protect our woman, children, seniors and disabled. I would also focus on putting people back to work by giving our small business owners tax incentives and by giving appropriate job training to our workforce.
By improving and repairing our damaged infrastructure and by focusing on bringing new businesses, especially in growing areas such as Green technology, we can concentrate on providing more jobs to New Jersey residents. Providing fair funding to our local governments and our schools would stop the loss of jobs for our police, school workers and firefighters.
3. What strengths will you bring to office? Why should voters select you?
For 27 years I have been practicing law and for 25 of those years I have had my own business as a Matrimonial and Bankruptcy Attorney. Everyday I have conversations with people about their loss of employment, loss of health care and the potential loss of their homes. I hear the same issues at the doors of the voters; people are hurting!
As a certified Collaborative lawyer and an Accredited Professional Mediator I know how to resolve issues without creating conflict. These are the skills I will bring to Trenton. I will use my strengths to fight for the shrinking middle class and change the direction we are now going in. I never get discouraged, I set my standards high and always do my personal best. These attributes will give the people of New Jersey the representation they need and deserve.