My name is John Massaro and I am running for Warren County Freeholder in 2018.

15 years ago I moved to beautiful Warren County from Middlesex County. I’ve come to learn that Warren is a good place for hard working families, but I know that in every corner of our county, from Blairstown to Phillipsburg, Harmony to Hackettstown, this community can be a much better place for our families and for all of us. That is why I am running for Freeholder; I have a vision for improving our county to make it better for all of us, and a plan for how to make it happen.

Our Warren County infrastructure was well-suited for the needs of the 1950s, but to meet the challenges of today’s economy, we need a 21st Century upgrade. Too many areas of our county lack the telecommunications infrastructure to support the demands of today’s businesses. High-speed internet throughout the entire county is a must and as your Freeholder I will commit to making it happen. Our business districts must have it in order to thrive and our students require it so they can compete and succeed. Additionally, our residents need it so that they can have the ability to work from home. We know that’s necessary in today’s time-shifted high-paced economy in a state where heavy traffic and higher gas taxes are making life hard on commuters.

Improved economic infrastructure will revitalize Warren County by:
1. Creating a pro-business environment with an increase in better-paying jobs
2. Strengthening retail businesses.
3. Opening employment opportunities to work locally and work from home.

I was blessed to have a strong work ethic instilled in me by my parents. My father worked four jobs and my mother worked full time. They sacrificed to put food on our table and to send me to parochial elementary and high school as well as a technical institute for Automotive and Diesel engine technologies. The institute prepared me to work in various automotive machine shops and repair shops. During that time, I also attended county college in the evening, working toward a Liberal arts degree with majors in business and information technology, leading to a career pivot to the corporate sector. Working in the insurance industry, my focus was on small and medium sized businesses helping them manage risk and streamline their operations to be more cost-effective. Later in my career, I moved from the insurance industry to information technology and telecommunications. Successful projects included servicing hundreds of customer service computers and networks, creating an online tutorial program for customer service representatives and developing a business model for the Outside Plant department special needs in status monitoring. This IT experience made me appreciate the necessity of a strong, high speed intranet infrastructure. It’s this diverse range of professional experience that gives me the perspective and foresight to be an asset to the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
My first experience as a policy advocate emerged from a scenario some of you might find familiar: a traffic ticket. After receiving a summons for an illegal right turn at Bilby Road and Willow Grove Street in Hackettstown, I felt compelled to voice my concerns with the layout of the roadway. A conversation with one of the assistant engineers led to submission of my idea for a safer, more efficient intersection. Three months later, I received a phone call from the Warren County Road Department stating that they would move forward with plans to widen Bilby Road, and four months later, the changes were completed.
I think this story captures exactly why I want to step into a leadership role in our community as a Warren County Freeholder. Too often, we find ourselves impacted by situations that force us to ask ourselves, “isn’t there a better way?” Over the course of my life, I’ve found that it isn’t enough to just ask why, and move along. My goal has been not only to find solutions, but to see ideas implemented in a way that makes life better. So whether it’s forging ahead with a new business plan or a new traffic plan, I am ready to lead. Our county is at a crossroads. We can fall by the wayside and continue to lose population, lose tax ratables, and lose influence, or we can innovate. That’s why I’m ready to be your next Warren County Freeholder. Let’s move ahead together, and make this vision for a better Warren County a reality.