Caldwell Councilman Jonathan Lace Endorses Council Candidates Jeff Gates and Fran DePalma-Iozzi

Caldwell Councilman Jonathan Lace 
Nov. 4, 2019
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Local government is the most direct link to the democratic process which maintains our Republic. Every candidate who runs for Borough Council or any other elected office does so because they want the best for their community, regardless of policy differences or political affiliation.

I am happy to endorse Jeff Gates and Fran DePalma-Iozzi for the 2019 General Election for Caldwell Borough Council for the following reasons:

• Jeff and Fran have run on a platform of three big ideas:
  • better accountability
  • better infrastructure
  • better care for the environment in Caldwell
    
    
• They have offered specific policy pledges for each of these three areas.
  
  
• They have walked in each of Caldwell’s 7 districts to listen to the concerns of residents and share their platform.
  
  
• They have demonstrated a commitment to local business by holding all of their campaign events in the Downtown, including 3 Coffee with the Candidates events in which any resident could meet them and ask questions about what they plan do if elected. At the most recent candidates forum, they answered every question posed by the moderator with informed responses and humble awareness of their limitations.
  
  

These are the kinds of policy-centric qualities that Caldwell needs in any potential Council member.

However, there is also another quality that is on the ballot on Tuesday, November 5th: civility. Jeff and Fran pledges at the beginning of their campaign to conduct it with civility. They have kept that pledge:

• They have not made personal insults against any resident. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of their opponents. Capozzoli and Penna have repeatedly made false claims about the public record without retracting them when presented with publicly available evidence to the contrary. They have also insulted Jeff, Fran, and approximately 1,800 of Caldwell’s residents. 
  
  
• In particular, Ms. Penna has even used religious slander against her own neighbors. Jeff and Fran have not resorted to such behavior because they understand that politics should only ever be about policy. There is never a place for personal attacks against anyone because of their party affiliation, nor should faith be used to insult others.
  
  

In the coming year, the Borough Council will have many important decisions to make that will affect the life of every resident. Caldwell needs members on the dais who are committed to fact-based policy making, from parking to plastics.

Finally, at a time when national trends are eroding the norms of civility, Caldwell needs members who have the civil temperament to advocate for all of our residents. For these reasons, I urge you to vote on Tuesday, November 5th for Jeff Gates and Fran DePalma-Iozzi for Caldwell Borough Council.

​Councilman Jonathan Lace