Councilman Dierkes Wants To Keep Taxes Low In Mountainside

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name: Mr. Rene Dierkes

Age: 48

Address: 1074 Ledgewood Rd, Mountainside, NJ

Years Lived in Town: 14 years in Mountainside, 32 years in Union County

Family: Married to Wei Dierkes. My wife will give birth to a baby girl on 12/18/13.

Education: Seton Hall University, graduated 1987

Occupation: Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley

Military service: No (but I did live on Air Force, Army and Navy Bases as a kid in Italy, Germany and Spain. My father was a civilian, but I grew up with other military brats during the first 16 years of my life.

Community/political background: Commissioner representing Mountainside, 2009 till present for Rahway Valley Sewer Authority, Former Westfield Jaycee President, Former Westfield Lions President

Campaign website: None

PREVIOUS ELECTION AND APPOINTED OFFICES

Appointed: Mountainside Town Council on 7/2/2013

CAMPAIGN PLATFORM

What do you think are the three biggest issues facing Mountainside right now and where do you stand on each issue?

Keeping taxes low by carefully examining all spending, and keeping Mountainside a safe, affordable and desirable place to live. I would love to see more bike and walking paths.

Why are you running for council?

I have lived in four countries — U.S., Spain, Germany and Italy. I lived with a family in China, Chile and Nigeria for a few weeks each and have visited numerous other countries. I hope these experiences will give me a different perspective on solutions to making Mountainside a better place to live.

What sets you apart from the other candidate?

Same as above.

If elected, what will be your top priorities and why?  

I would love to see more bike and walking paths.  It is a healthy way to meet your neighbors. I would only advocate this if it could be done by keeping our taxes low.

What issues are critical for Mountainside for the next three years?

Same as question 1.

What do you see as the biggest accomplishments and shortcomings of the existing council in the past three years? 

I have been to numerous places around the world, many of them extraordinarily beautiful; yet I can't imagine wanting to raise a family anywhere else. In my mind, the United States, the State of New Jersey and Mountainside are a great place to live, work and raise a family. I will use my experiences to see what I can do to make it better.