The Hamilton Post continues its tradition of providing comprehensive election coverage this year, starting with this email Q&A with Mayor Jeff Martin, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger, former township business administrator Marty Flynn.
Mayor Jeff Martin, 40, lives in Golden Crest. He and wife Scarlett have a daughter, Olivia, who is 3.
Marty Flynn, 70, lives in the Enchantment development, having previously lived in White Horse and Yardville. He is married to wife Mary Ann and has three adult children: son Anthony (wife Carla), and daughters Erin and Devin (husband Brian). Flynn has four grandchildren: Lucas, Matteo, Valentina and Harper.
The responses have been lightly edited for clarity and style.
Tell us about the moment that you decided to run, or run again, for mayor.
Jeff Martin: The last 3+ years as Mayor has been the honor of a lifetime but there is more work to do. We held taxes flat three years in a row, been able to increase our surplus to levels higher than I inherited and that work needs to continue into the future. We consolidated our fire districts to make the service more efficient and provide a safer fire service — but it takes time to fully create that foundation.
Marty Flynn: From childhood up until today, Hamilton has been my hometown. During these past four years, I grown increasingly concerned about the direction it has been heading under the current administration. After speaking with me wife and family about my desire to serve as mayor, I decided to put forth my candidacy and hope to, once again, serve our community.
What are the three most pressing concerns for the mayor and township administration today, and how will you, as Hamilton’s mayor for the next four years, address these issues?
Flynn: Taxes and affordability. Despite contrary claims, the current mayor has significantly increased spending and including $50 million increase in our budget over four years, hired over 40 new employees, allowed sewer rates to dramatically increase, and most concerning is this; There is at least a $5 million revenue that will expire after this election year budget. I am genuinely concerned that is a tax increase just waiting to happen. If elected, I will prioritize doing everything I possibly can to reverse these types of consequences because of how they affect our families and neighbors, particularly those who can least afford it.
Overdevelopment of warehouses. Under this mayor, we have witnessed an explosion of warehouses and residential developments that have been allowed to encroach upon our existing neighborhoods. It has increased traffic and decreased our quality of life. I will stop this overdevelopment, implement a master plan review, and seek changes to protect our families and loved ones.
Quality of life. Recently, the current mayor has taken actions that I believe are contrary to our community’s quality of life. He has doubled dog license fees, increased numerous recreational activity fees and instituted a new fire inspection fee. We also have less police than in the early 2000’s. Further, the town’s own budget shows a plan to decrease funds for road repairs in the future. I am committed to reversing all of these fees immediately.
Martin: We need to maintain an affordable and safe Hamilton — both for people who are currently here and want to stay in town and for people, like my family, who are looking for those things when buying their first home.
We have invested a lot of our resources into our police and fire departments to ensure they have the equipment they need to keep Hamilton safe. We also have invested money into our animal shelter through grants to ensure our animals are treated humanely, and the mistakes of the past do not reappear. We need to do all of this and more while making sure we provide an efficient and affordable municipal government to the residents and businesses that call Hamilton home.
On police and fire, over the last 3 years, we have partnered with our state legislators and county representatives to receive grants to purchase needed equipment for our first responders. This funding must continue so we don’t fall behind.
We have addressed many of the issues at our animal shelter and worked to create an environment where animals that enter the shelter have a better chance at finding their forever home. We also got a state grant for an emergency generator at the shelter to keep them safe in an unpassable storm. There is more work to do but we are in a lot better situation than four years ago with a shelter on the front page every month.
Affordability is always on our mind and we have taken many steps to ensure our finances are in a better position than what we inherited. On Jan. 1, 2020 our township surplus was just over $6 million; on Jan. 1, 2023 we brought it to $17 million while still not raising taxes for 3 years in a row. That is tough work but it has to continue so our residents and small businesses can keep more money in their pockets.
It’s a credit to our team to be able to accomplish all of this with where we started and I am excited to see what can be done starting from a better place.
Warehouses: a hot-button topic in many New Jersey towns, including Hamilton. What is the mayor’s responsibility in terms of warehouse construction in the township? Do these buildings bring in enough revenue to justify the effect they have on traffic and the township’s character?
Martin: I’m proud to have worked hard to prevent warehouses in many spots in town — most recently on Kuser Road between the Hibernians and Woodlands. We are in negotiations right now with the owner on buying that property through a partnership with the state and county to keep that land in its natural state. Unlike my opponent, we are not “glad to have” warehouses here in Hamilton (see Hamilton Post from March 2020) and will continue fighting to make sure they do not take over our town.
Flynn: At least nine warehouses have been installed near neighborhoods where it has led to increased traffic impacting our residents. A plan for a major development on Kuser Road was ready to be pushed through until residents demanded it stop. Additionally the mayor is allowing a 300-plus apartment development to be shoehorned into Klockner Road. This is failed leadership; and as someone who has worked with our local commercial and real estate professionals in such matters, I will end this type of overdevelopment.
What will you do in the next four years to ensure that property taxes do not rise at a rate that would overburden township residents?
Flynn: We must address the looming, projected $5 million budget shortfall from expiring, non-reoccurring Covid revenue used in this election year budget. I will reverse the many fee hikes that the current mayor recently enacted as well as carefully examining the recent, politically-driven hiring of 40 plus new positions that appear to not have been a critical need.
Additionally, we will thoroughly address the $50 million dollar budget increase over the last four years as well as the present ongoing spending spree. It will take a thorough examination upon entering office, if I am afforded the opportunity.
Martin: We have a track record of ensuring taxes are at their lowest level possible while still providing the services our residents and businesses expect. Cost-efficient actions add up in the end to have a big impact. Three years in a row of no tax increase while raising our surplus shows that paying attention to the details every day can have a big impact on our bottom line.
Additionally, during Covid we provided nearly $1 million in grants to small businesses to ensure they stayed open, stayed in Hamilton and continued to thrive.
For Mayor Martin: how have you selected your staff?
Martin: We worked hard to attract top quality administrators, lawyers, accountants, who are willing to work for the betterment of Hamilton and to do that we had to create an environment that was welcoming to their thoughts, suggestions and styles. In a town of 92,000 people and well over 700 full-time employees, the mayor has to rely on others to get things done and has to empower senior staff to make decisions without micromanaging. We have done that and will continue to do that to make our government more efficient.
For Marty Flynn: how will you select your key administrative staff if elected?
Flynn: As a former township director who oversaw two different departments, I understand the level of quality and experience needed for leadership positions. I also believe that there is a real benefit to utilizing Hamilton residents who are qualified and who possess a deep understanding of our hometown. The current mayor has added over 40 new administrative positions, which previously did not exist; many were filled by non-Hamilton residents. Further, we have witnessed a shockingly high turnover of three chief financial officers — head of our vital finance department — spending has spiked. As mayor, I will stabilize our CFO position.
The township is currently in the planning stages for a major new municipal complex, with plans to share the site with the school district. Do you support this project? Do you have a vision for the complex?
Flynn: I am supportive of a shared facility, provided it does not cause our taxes to skyrocket in the process. As I mentioned in a prior response, with a looming $5 million budget hole after the election, combined with the current mayor’s plans to decrease funding for road repairs, this project will require prudent financial stewardship to avoid a significant tax increase on our hardworking families.
Martin: We placed a public notice out to residents when acquiring the property and the idea of a joint municipal complex was a great idea we received from a resident. It was and is a fantastic idea to provide one convenient place for our residents to interact with their local government — town and school. My goal is to then sell the Greenwood Avenue building to the School District. It provides opportunities for the school district to take two locations (Park Avenue and Greenwood Avenue) and think outside the box in using those facilities for the betterment of our students.
Why should voters elect you to be the mayor of Hamilton Township for the next four years?
Martin: The past 3 years have not been about me as mayor — it has been about creating partnerships for the betterment of Hamilton’s residents and businesses. We have partnered with our state legislators to get public safety grants; partnered with the county to provide relief to small businesses; partnered with the school district to create a new municipal complex; and partnered with area nonprofits so they provide cost-efficient services to our residents who need them. Another term with councilmembers Papero and Phillips will continue to build on those partnerships and expand them so that we all prosper together as proud Hamiltonians.
Flynn: Through many walks of life, I had the opportunity to serve generations of Hamiltonians: as an educator and a coach, as a local public servant. Being mayor of Hamilton would be a culmination of that community service. Hamilton has been my home, and I care deeply about our hometown and its future. I believe that my experience and my passion to serve can offer a positive alternative for the office of mayor. I humbly ask for our residents support, so that together, we can deliver a better Hamilton for us all.
