Somerset County Commissioner Election 2024: Rakesh 'Rocky' Ganta

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Somerset County's general election on Nov. 5 has four candidates running for two open seats for the County Commission.

Republican Rakesh "Rocky" Ganta is running with Republican Nick Cuozzo against incumbent Democrats Shanel Robinson and Sara Sooy.

Rakesh "Rocky" Ganta

• Age: 58
• Town of residence: Warren
• Position sought: County Commissioner
• Party Affiliation: Republican
• Family: Married to my wife LeAndra for almost 30 years. We have two adult sons, Rohan and Vijay who are graduates of NJIT and Sacred Heart University, respectively. Both also graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School.
• Education: Bachelors in Civil Engineering and Masters in Environmental Engineering
• Occupation:
  • President / Owner of RLG Environmental, Inc.,
  • Partner in Evergreen Geotech & Drilling, Inc. and other ventures
• Previous elected/appointed office: Appointed regular member, Warren Township Environmental Commission
• Campaign website: somersetcountygop.com

Why are you seeking election for the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners?

I'm running for County Commissioner because our community is at a critical juncture. As an environmental engineer and small business owner, I have the expertise to address our county's growth challenges, particularly the overdevelopment issues impacting our social services, infrastructure, and quality of life. My blend of business acumen and engineering knowledge uniquely positions me to make informed decisions that will enable our County to grow responsibly.

Overdevelopment has been a concern across many towns in the County. How do you propose preserving land in Somerset County?

To preserve open space in Somerset County, we should adopt a strategic approach that recognizes the immense value of green areas in our communities. Rather than focusing solely on large-scale preservation projects that can take years to accomplish, I would propose a more immediate and community-centered strategy. By identifying and purchasing distressed properties within our neighborhoods, we can transform these spaces into green spaces and pocket parks.

The County Jail cut its operations to a limited basis due to the lack of inmates. What would you like to see for the future of the Jail?

Because of bail reform, there are significantly less incarcerated inmates at the county jail. We need to assess the needs and the budget to produce a viable solution. Possible reuse for the facility might include public and private partnerships, for support services (i.e., mental health, addiction) and/or community/recreational purposes.

There has been an increase in home and vehicle burglaries in towns across the county, do you think enough has been done to combat this? What else would you propose to address this issue?

The County Commissioner Board response should be two-fold; work hand-in-hand with the local municipalities to coordinate resources to fight crime as a unified force and fortify county addiction and mental health treatment services to address some of the root causes of crime. As a past president and trustee for a non-profit that provides education/services for addiction and mental health treatment, I have the expertise to make these services more effective. We need our sheriff’s department, prosecutor’s office, and local police forces to work together to create a safer community for all County residents.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in Somerset County?

In talking to residents, the additional areas of concerns are the quality-of-life impacts associated with:

• Flooding
• Timely infrastructure maintenance and planning
• Increased warehouse development adjacent to residential/rural communities.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I believe that I am uniquely qualified because my business and educational background have equipped me with the skill set to understand the challenges and facilitate solutions. Specifically, having operated a debt-free company for over 20 years, as well as serving in a finance/treasurer capacity in multiple not-for-profit organizations, I have extensive experience in strategic planning, creating partnerships and obtaining/allocating resources effectively.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

The taxpayers of Somerset County deserve to have their property taxes are spent effectively. As a local small businessman, I appreciate the value of a dollar and understand the proper allocation of resources through budgeting and planning. As a civil/environmental engineer, I can ask the right questions to ensure our infrastructure is maintained to the standards our taxpayers deserve. As a leader with a private sector addiction/mental health non-profit, I can bring together government and private sector services to address this, too often, overlooked issue.