As Mayor, I want to see Lopatcong thriving.  Before I was in office, our town was hit hard by the real estate downturn and our tax base was decreased by $200,000,000.  The downturn also left us  with many tax appeals from prior years.  This caused an unfortunate tax increase my first year in office, even after making $500,000 in budget cuts. But if we plan accordingly, we can get beyond this and begin to thrive again.

• Pay down our debt.  Although not incurred on my watch, we do have debt remaining from prior years.  We need to continue to pay this down, and avoid incurring any unnecessary new debt.
• Keep taxes stable.  I will strive to keep taxes stable by using strategic financial planning for our long-term needs and large purchases.
• Communication.  I want to have better communication between all of our departments in order to enhance efficiency and provide the best customer service possible.  I also want to start a Newsletter so all the departments have a vehicle to communicate regularly with our residents.
• Promote smart commercial growth.  We need to continue to explore commercial growth that is smart and friendly to our way of life.  The right commercial ratables can help stabilize our taxes and provide us with job growth as well.  Our newly formed EDAC can assist greatly in this area.
• Shared Service.  Wherever possible and when beneficial to the township, we need to explore shared service opportunities with our neighbors to keep our expenses down.
• Public Safety.  The main purpose of local government is public safety.  We need to support our police, fire and EMS personnel with the proper equipment and training, in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Information.  Through our website and social media, I want to continue to get as much information as possible to our residents.  Municipal government and all the many laws can be difficult to comprehend if you do not have all the facts, and I want to make sure all the information is there for you so you may fully understand our processes and procedures.
• Technology.  Within the next year, I want to have email/text notifications up and running, as well as online payments, to help make life a little easier for us all.  I will continue to examine our internal processes and implement technical enhancements wherever possible.
• Corporate Sensibility.  I will bring my corporate experience to managing our staff and finances.  We will focus on efficiency, productivity, accountability, and customer service.
• Motivation.  I will lead my council to be motivated to accomplish all of our goals, so that we can do as much as possible for our residents while we are in office.  We need to be professional and productive to serve you best.
• Sense of Community.  I will continue to support the Recreation Committee and the LAA as we plan events for residents of all ages and work to enhance our park and township in order to optimize our outdoor recreational experiences.

**paid for by the Committee to Elect Lori Ciesla**