Galloway Council Candidate Profile: Bill Montag

Galloway Township voters will go to the polls in the general election on Nov. 5 to fill four seats on the seven-member Township Council.

The ballot will feature slates of four from the Democratic and Republican parties.

On the Republican slate, Galloway Mayor Don Purdy will run for re-election with candidates Robert Maldonado, Frank Gargione and Tim Meadows. Republican incumbents Tom Bassford and Whitney Ullman will not seek re-election.

On the Democratic slate, incumbent Councilman Jim McElwee will run for re-election with challengers Bill Montag, Michael Suleiman and Cliff Sudler.

Each candidate answered the same the same set of questions about their background and platform.

Read all candidate profiles:

• Democratic: Jim McElwee, Bill Montag, Michael Suleiman, Cliff Sudler
• Republican: Frank Gargione, Robert Maldonado, Tim Meadows, Don Purdy

Name: Bill Montag                  

Age: 37

Education: Galloway Township School System, Absegami High School, Atlantic Community College, Thomas Edison State College

No. of years lived in Galloway Township: Lifelong resident

Family: Wife – Nicole. Two Daughters – Sophia and Grace.

Occupation:  Construction Supervisor – South Jersey Gas Co.

Public service: Galloway Township Clean Communities Program — Adopt a Road Program; Public Works Association of New Jersey, Region 7; Galloway Township Volunteer Fire Department

PLATFORM:

What issues do you see as critical for the next four years?

Ratables — One key strategy to reducing our reliance on homeowner property taxes is to attract good, clean ratable businesses. These businesses contribute tax dollars that defray reliance on homeowner taxes while contributing much needed services to our community.

Bringing back much needed municipal services — such as spring leaf pick-up, senior branch pick-up, and bulk pickup.

What do you see as the biggest accomplishments and shortcomings of the existing Township Council and township administration in the past four years?

It’s obvious that the shortcomings from this administration are the lawsuits that have cost the taxpayers upwards of $2 million. Another lawsuit was just filed less than a month ago. Our professionals were asleep at the wheel and let these issues spiral out of control and the taxpayer paid dearly.

What do you want voters to know about you and what you’ll bring to the table?

We will bring fiscal responsibility back to our municipal government. We will attract good, clean “ratable” businesses to our community to defray our property taxes and to bring much needed services to our community. We will actively seek grants that will benefit our community while defraying taxes both short- and long-term. If residents vote down the school budget, we will review the budget line-item by line-item and make recommendations to assure our children a quality education while respecting the decision of the voters. We will work actively to pressure the State of New Jersey to finally enact property tax reform.