As a former Councilwoman and Mayor of Edison Township, I view elected office as a responsibility to every resident of a municipality.  This extends to those who support you and those who do not.   Major portions of this responsibility are working hard; being truthful; and especially being as careful with taxpayer dollars as with your personal finances.   

Edison’s current Mayor ran on a platform of not raising taxes, yet there have been substantial tax increases in each of his four years in office.  These do not include two (2) hefty increases in our sewer user fees (taxes) and two (2) increases for those in the garbage districts.    

During my term as Mayor of Edison, I was able to run an efficient government while living within the budgets approved by council.   The budget was approved each year on the recommendation of the Finance Committee chaired by then Councilman Lankey.  He was the financial professional to whom his committee members listened, which included Councilman Gomez. If they believed those budgets were responsible, then why did Mayor Lankey increase the municipal tax by 8% the moment he took office?  Why this same attention to detail regarding taxes hasn’t been applied during Lankey’s administration is puzzling.  

At the end of my term, my working budget was about $116 million.  Lankey’s current budget is more than $133 million.  Based on his record, if reelected, we may be in for another four years of tax increases. 

We now have a Choice for Change who will manage and spend your tax dollars wisely.   

Please join me on November 7, 2017 and vote Keith Hahn for Mayor of Edison!  Thank you. 

Antonia Ricigliano 

Former Mayor 

Edison Township, NJ