The Sun asked the four Republican candidates in the June 6 primary election why they should be elected to Cinnaminson Township Committee.
The Sun asked the four Republican candidates in the June 6 primary election why they should be elected to Cinnaminson Township Committee. Here are running mates Ryan Horner and Ernie McGill’s answers.
Ryan Horner
I am running because of my deep sense of commitment to give back to the residents of Cinnaminson Township that gave my family so much after our home was destroyed in a natural gas explosion in January 2011. It was that overwhelming support that made me understand what truly makes Cinnaminson a special place to live and raise a family. For that generosity, I am forever in debt to the residents, the emergency response teams — such as fire and police — and countless others.
By serving on Township Committee, I will be able, in some small way, to have the ability to impact the town in an equally positive way as they did for my family.
As a married father of four young children, I am deeply ingrained in the town. I have a vested interest in Cinnaminson’s civic sports organizations, having served on the board for the last five years and vice president the last two years. I understand the struggles of our residents who are raising a family on a single or limited income, or our retirees trying to live off of a fixed income. My family has the same concerns and has been in those same places, whether as a small child being raised by my grandparents on a fixed income or the early years as my wife and I struggled as a single-income family trying to provide our children with a wonderful place to live, learn and grow. That town is Cinnaminson.
It’s those life experiences coupled with my professional background in the finance industry for the last 15 years that provide me with the insight to carry over to a position on Township Committee. I will be able to bring a sense of compassion, forward thinking strategy and civility that has been missing on Township Committee for a long time.
I truly believe that individuals who are elected to public office have a responsibility to serve those who elected them as well as the best interests of their community. It is my sincere wish to always keep that in the forefront of all committee members’ minds and restore our residents’ confidence in their local government officials.
Ernie McGill
Because of my deep commitment to our town as a life-long resident, I have decided to give back by continuing my service to Cinnaminson Township as an elected member of our Township Committee.
As a public servant in this town, I felt that it was imperative to maintain neutrality even though there were many times that I wanted to speak out. The people I had the honor of serving for almost two decades deserve a voice. While not perfect, our community is filled with great people who do great things. I’ve seen them come together time and time again to help one of our own who is struggling. These same people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. That is my goal — to always listen and make informed decisions, even if that decision isn’t the most popular. However, I want to give the power back to the people.
As a decorated Cinnaminson police sergeant, I traversed our town for 18 years, so I know the needs of the community, and it starts with true tax relief. It starts with being an independent minded individual who isn’t afraid to make tough choices on real spending cuts while still providing essential services to the residents. It starts with “putting our community first,” and not those of the campaign donors.
From my 18 years as a police officer in town to my current position as acting director of public works in a neighboring community, I would enter the office with a wealth of knowledge on two of our most highly visible Cinnaminson municipal services. I have the skill set to lead either of these two talented Cinnaminson departments with the vision and the benefits of having served in these capacities myself.
This experience allows me to root out wasteful spending within the departments while still providing the tools and resources necessary to continue to serve the residents of Cinnaminson. I will work with the sports programs to lift the new financial burdens they face by finding efficiencies within the public works budget so the sports programs aren’t taxed twice for field maintenance and upkeep. I will utilize my expertise in policing to provide the necessary tools for our talented Cinnaminson police department so they can meet the difficult challenges they face every day.
Additionally, it is my intent to work with the school district to find potential savings or cost reductions for services that would reduce the tax burden for both the municipal tax and the school tax rate. I intend to extend that same thought process to surrounding municipalities for shared services that will reduce the tax burden.
Finally, I believe that smart and strategic redevelopment of the Route 130 corridor and our industrial area can be the biggest key to reducing the tax burden in Cinnaminson. It needs to be a comprehensive plan that sells the values of locating in Cinnaminson without providing tax incentives to already very rich developers and business owners. This strategy has failed the Cinnaminson homeowners in the past. It is one of the main reasons that our municipal tax rate is higher than 24 out of 40 other Burlington County municipalities.
I am asking for your vote on Tuesday, June 6 for Ernie McGill and Ryan Horner — Column 6.
