Eileen Della Volle and Erin Wheeler
The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Eileen Della Volle and Erin Wheeler, candidates in the 10th legislative district’s assembly race, which covers Toms River Township:
As Legislative District 10 Assembly candidates Eileen Della Volle and Erin Wheeler, we are a different kind of political aspirant. We’re your neighbors instead of career politicians, who are answerable to their wealthy donors instead of the people they represent. Della Volle and Wheeler understands the needs and concerns of the residents of Ocean County because we are one of them. As Assembly members, we’ll fight to ensure Ocean County’s fair share of state funding. For too long, Republican incumbents have neglected to safeguard our tax dollars that could be reinvested in our district. Ocean County is the heart of the Jersey Shore, and as such it is an economic engine as a major tourist destination, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars to the state’s economy. Yet, Ocean County continues to be short changed when state funds are distributed.
Ocean County with its delicate ecological system is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The Barnegat Bay that supports the local economy by contributing four billion dollars annually is threaten by pollution, overdevelopment, and poor land planning. This county sustained some of the worst damage from Superstorm Sandy, and has not fully recovered its tax base destroyed by the storm. Residents need this financial support from state government, but are not getting it.
Strong schools build strong communities. Our Republican representatives also stood by when millions in state school funding were cut our schools, jeopardizing our students’ futures and adversely affecting our property values.
Likewise, these leaders voted against women’s healthcare. When elected, we fight to protect those rights, so essential to our lives.
There are no quick fixes to these problems, but Trenton has stop trying. We are overdue for a change. Old problems need new answers from leaders who think in innovative ways. As a successful business professional and leader, I, Eileen Della Volle, know how to build relationships for the mutual benefit of all parties. As an educator, I, Erin Wheeler, have been a fighter for both my students and my colleagues to ensure everyone gets their equal share. As Assembly members, we’ll continue to fight for our neighbors, lowering property taxes that are some of the highest in the nation, and creating good-paying jobs.
We need new people with new ideas, instead of business as usual politicians. On Tuesday, November 5, vote for Eileen Della Volle and Erin Wheeler.
Eileen Della Volle and Erin Wheeler have been endorsed by worker organizations such as the Professional Firefighters of New Jersey, New Jersey Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, among others.
