Election 2022: Lucille Lo Sapio, Hazlet Township Committee

HAZLET, NJ — Democrat Lucille Lo Sapio is one of two candidates seeking to fill one two-year unexpired term on the Hazlet Township Committee in the Nov. 8 general election.

In these profiles, candidates provide voters with background about themselves and their positions on the issues, as they see them. Patch will publish individual profiles leading up to the election.

Lo Sapio said she wants more transparency in government and wants the township to control spending and change the property tax assessment system. She also says the township should increase its tax ratable base, including by allowing cannabis-based businesses.

Read more from candidate Lucille Lo Sapio:

Name: Lucille A. Lo Sapio

Age: 70

Town of residence: Hazlet resident since 1985; my grandfather was a farmer in Hazlet since the early 1920s.

Position sought: Hazlet Committee member

Are you an incumbent or previous governing member? No. I’ve never been elected to a governing body, but did previously run for Board of Education and Township Committee once before.

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Married to Gary Dates for 36 years

Education: B.A. from Rutgers in Public Policy

Occupation: Account manager, training facilitator and coach for Wavelength Communication Skills Training; host and sound editor for podcast, "Not So Famous In NJ," a podcast focusing on people in the arts in NJ; music booking agent

Name the top issues currently facing your town and how you plan to address them:

• Fiscal responsibility: The Hazlet Committee has had Republican majority rule for about eight years. In that time, spending and borrowing has increased significantly. For example, Hazlet’s budget/spending jumped from $20.2 million in 2017 to $24.5 million today. That’s a 21 percent increase in spending. No wonder our taxes keep skyrocketing. Without dissenting voices on the committee - or, better yet, a change in the majority - we can expect more and more fiscal irresponsibility. In fact, that the township didn’t reconcile its LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program) eligibility reports, did not maintain a fixed asset account system, didn't prepare cash reconciliation in a timely manner, didn’t submit a UCC Report as required and did not maintain accurate controls over cash receipts process in the Swimming Pool Operating Fund, which resulted in the demand for a Corrective Action Plan by the county after the last audit. Did you know Hazlet spent over half a million dollars installing a sidewalk and clock on the corner of Middle Road and Union Ave? $220,000 was Open Space money that could have been spent more effectively elsewhere. Not to mention, we send about $500,000 a year to the county Open Space Trust Fund, so suggesting that because the county gave us $220,000 or so means it didn’t really cost Hazlet half a million is disingenuous. And to make matters worse, they touted it as an entrance to Veterans Park, but there’s nowhere to park near the entrance and there’s no path from this structure to the actual park.
• Transparency: Too many things happen and decisions are made in a totally opaque manner within this committee. Additionally, people who attend public meetings are often shut down or castigated when they question decisions made by the Committee. They work for us and should be answerable to the people in this town. We recently hired an administrator. And he happens to be the Middlesex County Republican chair. Putting such a politically involved (person) in this supposedly nonpartisan but powerful position is questionable. He’s also paid $20,000 more than the previous administrator, who also held the job of Code Enforcement. (Editor's note: The current administrator's salary is $163,000).
• Increase revenues, bring down taxes: Our homes are reassessed every year, thanks to the ADP (Assessment Demonstration Program), which we’d like to opt out of. The story we are given is that the tax rate hasn’t gone up. . . but because values are rising every year, sometimes significantly, so are our taxes. We all know there are only two ways to bring down taxes: reduce services or increase revenues. I personally am advocating for Hazlet to opt-in to allowing cannabis-based businesses in town. There are many options other than just retail, and we have multiple opportunities to bring in more revenue through the 2 percent municipal tax allowed. These new businesses will also have the added benefit of creating new jobs and potentially bringing new customers to our existing businesses, not to mention filling those empty and rusting commercial buildings.

Identify one or more specific goals or ideas you have to enhance life in your town:

• Bring in cannabis businesses and reduce taxes.
• Record and share all public meetings online, as well as pending decisions. Social media can bring us together.
• Stop unnecessary spending, but put tax dollars where they will do the most good.

What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office:

I majored in Public Policy at Rutgers, but the experience I have in the corporate world is probably just as valuable. I’ve had to manage account portfolios that exceeded $3 to $4 million annually and work with all types of people from all backgrounds. My communication skills were honed by my years of marketing and sales experience, which means I have the ability to listen well, understand people’s needs and develop workable solutions.

As a podcaster, I’ve learned how to get people to open up and share their thoughts, even reluctant people. As a training professional, I’m able to share information in a way that is clear and concise, which means our citizens won’t be kept in the dark as they are now. I have a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and second degree brown belt in Karate. What’s the value of that? I’m a fighter!

Candidates for Hazlet Township Committee:

Township Committee (Full Term – Vote for Two)

• Robert Preston, Jr. (Republican)
• James A. Cavuto (Republican)
• Danielle Roth (Democrat)
• David Personette (Democrat)

Township Committee (Two-Year Unexpired Term – Vote for One)

• Peter Terranova (Republican)
• Lucille A. Lo Sapio (Democrat)