Bergen County Executive Candidate Profile: Todd Caliguire

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Candidates are set for the Bergen County Executive race on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In anticipation, Patch sent questionnaires to each of the candidates vying for the County Executive seat, asking them to share facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent the county.

Todd Caliguire is the Republican candidate running for County Executive in the general election against Democratic incumbent James Tedesco.

Here are Caliguire's responses:

Name:

Todd Caliguire

Age:

67

Town of residence:

Midland Park

Position sought:

Bergen County Executive

Party affiliation:

Republican

Family:

Wife (Laurie) and adult daughter

Education:

Bachelor of Engineering (Princeton University), Law Degree and MBA (New York University)

Occupation:

Business consultant

Why are you running for this office?

I am running for County Executive because I am disgusted with what policies resulting from one-party rule have done to our country, our state and our county. Whether they are coming from Washington, Trenton, or Hackensack, the results are the same:

• bigger government and higher taxes
• more control over our lives and less freedom
• skyrocketing crime rates
• indoctrination of our children with radical leftist ideologies

Democrat Jim Tedesco has increased spending and property taxes since he took office. Bergen County is becoming unaffordable for too many of our residents, especially low- income seniors and veterans.

What do you feel is the most important issue facing constituents, and what do you intend to do to repair or resolve it?

The most important issues facing residents of Bergen County are unaffordable property taxes, skyrocketing crime rates like car thefts, and the indoctrination of school children with gender fluidity and critical race theories. I will cut the bloated county budget, use technology and the private sector to provide necessary services in a more cost-effective way, and use the savings to cut county property taxes and provide property tax assistance to low-income seniors and veterans. I will fight any prosecutor that wants to release dangerous criminals back on to the streets rather than keeping them in jail, and require illegal immigrants charged with another criminal offense to be presented to ICE for deportation. I will support the right of parents to control what their children are taught by creating school-based parent councils to advise local school boards and require transparency on curriculum selection, eliminate “equity” and gender fluidity indoctrination and focus teaching on basic skills.

What differentiates you from other candidates?

Jim Tedesco is tied at the hip with a corrupt Democrat machine and extreme left-wing ideologues. I will provide honest and transparent government and return common sense to Bergen County.

What other issues or ideas do you feel deserve attention?

Traffic is a headache throughout Bergen County. I will make fixing the 20 worst traffic hot spots in the county a priority, allow routine road repairs overnight only, and test banning truck traffic on county roads during rush hours.

What accomplishments in your past demonstrates that you are the best candidate for this job?

I served as a senior policy advisor to Governor Tom Kean as his Counselor. I practiced law in Bergen County, and then built and managed a large private company. I was appointed as a member of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation, the agency charged with investigating organized crime and public corruption in the state. Subsequently, I was selected to manage one of the largest public water utilities in the state that provides water to almost 2 million residents of northern New Jersey. I was also elected county-wide to two three- year terms as a member of the Bergen County Board of Freeholders.

Do you want to tell voters anything else about you or your positions

I will restrict the County Executive to 2 four-year terms because I believe in term limits (and term limited myself when I was a Bergen County Freeholder). Jim Tedesco is running for his third term. If 2 four-year terms are enough for the President and the Governor, it is enough for the County Executive.