Issues
State Senator Vin Gopal, Dr. Margie Donlon, and Luanne Peterpaul, Esq will fight for the future of Monmouth County families.
SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
Vin, Margie, and Luanne understand that in order to keep Monmouth County families safe, law enforcement must be prioritized. Local police departments need to be given the tools and resources necessary to protect our community. They will push for increased funding for local departments, and fight for policies that support law enforcement officers throughout Monmouth County. Recently, Vin worked closely with law enforcement and legislators on both sides of the aisle to pass a bill package aimed at combating the surge in auto thefts in New Jersey in the past two years.
FIGHTING FOR SCHOOL FUNDING
New Jersey has the best public education in the country, and making sure school districts are properly funded is paramount. That is why Vin jumped into action to restore the majority of funding that was lost in Monmouth County due to the S2 formula. Vin also created legislation to create a task force to reevaluate S2 so issues can be addressed in an effective manner. Our team will work across the aisle to pass more common-sense solutions to school funding issues, so that schools receive the resources needed for our kids to achieve success.
STRENGTHENING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
The mental health crisis has increased exponentially since covid, especially among students who are navigating a teen suicide crisis. Vin, Margie, and Luanne understand that in order for our community to get the help it needs, mental health programs must be fully funded and adequately staffed, and the stigma around mental health must be broken. They will fight to maintain the historic funding that Vin secured this year for mental health services and school-based mental health programs. They will fight for legislation to make access to mental health treatment more accessible and keep the conversation about mental health at the forefront of the legislature’s work.
STANDING WITH ORGANIZED LABOR
Vin, Margie, and Luanne understand that Unions are the backbone of the state and our middle class. They will work to ensure that the state continues to fulfill its obligation to the public pension system and will support legislation to reinstate Cost of Living Adjustments for members of state-administered retirement systems, as well as fighting for the rights of workers, not big corporations.
LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
Vin, Margie, and Luanne know that insurance companies shouldn’t have a monopoly on prices for prescription drugs, especially for our seniors. Vin was the co-sponsor of recent legislation that will expand access to affordable prescriptions for seniors through the “Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Program” and the “Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program.” Together, Vin, Margie and Luanne will work to break up insurance companies’ hold on prices with legislation similar to StayNJ, which caps prescription costs for seniors and creates competition within the healthcare system.
CUTTING PROPERTY TAXES
Property taxes have increased greatly over the last few years, heightened by increased demand and housing shortages. Too many families are being priced out of their homes or are unable to buy their first home. Vin, Margie, and Luanne will work across the aisle to lower the property tax rate, just like Margie did in Ocean Twp. where she lowered the municipal tax rate four years in a row. They will prioritize legislation to create shared services agreements to make it easier for local governments to participate in joint contracts and support investing in new housing construction.
