Doug Forrester Responds To The Record

Doug Forrester: Why I should be governor as reported in the Northern New Jersey Newspaper – The Record

1) Why are you the best candidate?

I have the character, courage and conviction to restore fiscal sanity to state finances and root out the culture of corruption that has overrun Trenton. I will use my experience as a conservative businessman, state pension director, assistant state treasurer and mayor of my hometown to restore integrity in state government, balance the budget and provide quality services to those who need it most.

2) What do you think is the state's most pressing problem and what would you do to address it?

Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in Trenton will be my No. 1 priority so that we can provide real property tax relief to hard-working New Jersey families. Corruption is one of the primary reasons for the out-of-control spending that has produced excessive taxation and debt. I am going to end the culture of corruption in Trenton by demanding that elected officials represent the public's interest and not their own.

3) What would your first executive order be?

I will implement an order to provide immediate property tax relief to the hard-working families of New Jersey by immediately reducing state spending.

4) What would you do to combat high property taxes?

I will make government fiscally responsible by eliminating wasteful spending, requiring localities to do the same and by creating viable incentives and alternatives for the consolidation of generic services to provide more bargaining power for counties, municipalities and school districts.

5) How would you balance the budget? Which, if any, taxes would you raise? Which, if any, spending would you cut?

New Jersey needs a budget that is truly balanced - not one that relies upon fiscal gimmicks, one-shot revenue enhancers and debt. I will not raise taxes, and I will institute measures to make New Jersey's government smarter and more efficient.

6) How would you replenish the Transportation Trust Fund?

Sens. Corzine and Lautenberg have failed to ensure that New Jersey gets its fair share of transportation funding. As governor, I will fight for the federal dollars we deserve while making sure that our funds are being used to pave roads rather then line the pockets of politically connected contractors.

7) What would you do to improve state government's image in terms of ethics and campaign financing?

By creating an independently elected auditor general's office to root out waste, fraud and abuse; by putting an end to no-bid and sole-source contracts that benefit career politicians and their contributors; by passing meaningful pay-to-play reforms to ensure that tax money is spent to benefit citizens, not to line the pockets of Trenton insiders and their contributors; and by banning the practice of dual office-holding, which creates inherent conflicts.

8) What would you do to end the bitter partisan fighting in New Jersey and the nation?

We must unite across the aisle with one singular goal: to serve the citizens of New Jersey. As governor, I will work with anyone who is willing to put the interests of the taxpayers above the interests of politicians. It is time to elect leaders who have the character, courage and conviction to take on the special interests and put the people first.