Stefanie Santiago has been a trusted resident of Bloomfield’s first ward since 2020. Stefanie is the first in her immediate family to become a homeowner and has with pride made Bloomfield her forever home. Born in Puerto Rico, she has had early exposure to the impact local government can have in shaping a family’s basic needs and cultural experiences. As a queer woman, wife, first time parent, and small business owner Stefanie hopes to represent the needs of today’s modern families. Stefanie has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy. In her experience as a mental health clinician, Stefanie has perfected her ability to listen to people’s expressed needs and uses her outspoken nature to amplify the voices of those systemically unheard.

Recognizing the immediate impact local government can have on overall health and quality of life, Stefanie is needing your help to ensure the concerns of the First Ward are promptly addressed. 

With the support of Bloomfield’s First Ward residents, Stefanie hopes to restore trust in local government, explore long-term solutions for all concerns brought to the council’s attention, and expand the Township’s community resources to improve quality of life wherever feasible. This goal is not attainable without challenging the consolidation of power that has eroded the public’s faith in the system and limited public engagement. The established local party’s handpicked members are unfortunately beholden to their party bosses and their donors. This is what ultimately prompted Stefanie to run as an independent Democrat. Stefanie believes positive results can be achieved when every elected official on the council maintains an independent voice and proves capable of offering fresh ideas to the table.

Bloomfield’s municipal government can benefit from better checks and balances if it intends to be truly representative of its diverse community. If elected, Stefanie will work to  enforce accountability and transparency to mitigate wasteful spending, reject any apparent conflicts of interests, and ensure our municipal departments are operating efficiently. She hopes to collaborate with the council to identify the areas where budget reform is necessary to reflect constituent’s expressed interests. As someone who is familiar with making positive changes behind the scenes, Stefanie understands that good governing does not need a PR team and can speak for itself.

Platform

  • Improve coordination efforts with the county for county roads and more efficiently utilize in house resources to improve DPW’s response time to poor road conditions 

    Improve coordination efforts with PSE&G when they complete emergency and non emergency road repairs

    Organize a call to action regularly for residents to report road safety concerns

    Request for an updated Road Ratings Report from the Engineering Department

  • Administration of Government Amendment: Propose a resolution requiring the council to respond to any member participating during public comment on official letter head via email or mail within 48 hrs if the comments remain unaddressed during town hall meeting

    Review and update outdated municipal code verbiage and ensure it contains comprehensive  language

    Sidewalk Repair: Revise municipal code to include cost sharing provisions so that sidewalks damaged by the township’s trees are not solely the responsibility of the homeowner.

  • Support the Flood Mitigation Advisory Board with tools needed to determine long-term solutions to flood issues caused by climate change and outdated  infrastructure 

    Increase maintenance of municipal sewer lines and street drains to prevent water damage caused by blockages or accumulated trash 

    Propose a ban on the use of turf at local parks and recreational facilities to increase proper drainage 

    Coordinate with township forester to ensure appropriate size trees are being  planted between the curb and sidewalks to mitigate damage caused by tree roots

    Propose resolution amendment on sidewalk repair to allow for municipal cost sharing provisions

  • Votes on proposals will be grounded on thorough analysis of its benefit to the town

    Ensure input from constituents is obtained before voting on new proposals that risk an increase in taxes through regular polling via township communication methods

    Schedule regular meetings with the township CFO and the  public to keep constituents informed on the town’s expenses and how the budget is  being managed to keep costs from rising

    Administration of Government Amendment: Propose a resolution requiring the council to respond to any member participating during public comment on official letter head via email or mail within 48 hrs if the comments remain unaddressed during town hall meeting

  • Collaborate with New Jersey Transit to address the lack of adequate bus shelters at specific  commuter stops

  • Support the Rent Leveling Board in order to address the lack of affordable housing 

    Vote against measures that increase taxes on homeowners and encourage a  reassessment of the budget when such proposals are presented 

    Vote against any further tax abatements for new construction

  • Collaborate with the Board of Education to determine what steps have and are being taken to address the barriers identified with Universal Pre K

    Coordinate with neighboring towns to identify solutions on common challenges that have left Bloomfield behind on this effort

    Propose a referendum to gauge the public’s interest in allocating municipal gains to support Universal Pre K

  • Support Bloomfield’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs with organizing events  representative of Bloomfield’s cultural diversity 

    Coordinate with town and county Park and Rec officials to address the absence of volleyball courts in our local public parks

    Expand the pollinator garden program