In response to the decades of the backroom politics of Hudson County’s Board of County Commissioners, Voters of Tomorrow New Jersey’s Executive Director Victor Rivera has issued the following endorsement:

“Do you know where your tax dollars go? Do you know what your county government does? Neither do we. Excluding a lack of local government transparency, Hudson County has felt the same disastrous effects that so many counties throughout the United States have felt, including inflation, corporate greed, skyrocketing housing costs, school segregation, climate change, and wealth inequality. Unfortunately, elected officials in Hudson County have failed to provide solutions to any of these issues. While notably, our generation must live with the brunt of these issues in the decades to come, these problems affect each of the county’s seven-hundred thousand residents, regardless of their age, race, sexual orientation, or party affiliation.

Everyday Hudson County residents deserve to be represented by an everyday Hudson County resident. Today, on behalf of Voters of Tomorrow New Jersey, I am proud to announce our endorsement of Ron Bautista for Hudson County Commissioner in District 5.

A budget is a moral document, and this race is not about politics. It is about policy, and Ron’s policies are about people. Faith in government is not something a group of political strategists converse about in a political war room, It is a requirement for any functioning democracy. Ron is fighting to make Hudson County a place where anyone can raise a family or grow up and live in dignity. His budget would increase government transparency through a publicly accessible “easy budget”, which would include visual breakdowns of funds so taxpayers can see their tax dollars put to use. Ron’s platform would expand investments in clean energy projects, and he’s committed to fighting for 100% renewable energy by 2030 and strengthening rent control laws to combat the rising living costs.

Ron’s platform gives Gen Z and all other Hudson County residents a campaign to feel empowered by and a movement we can coalesce behind. On accepting the endorsement, Ron states, ‘I’m proud to be endorsed by this organization of young voters who are not waiting to be saved from rising rents or rising flood waters; they’re here to tackle it head-on. Together, we’re committed to making Hudson County a place where everyone- not just the politically privileged few–can afford to thrive, raise a family, and age with dignity.’ Young Hudson county residents look forward to expressing our frustrations at the ballot box in June.”