By Sunayana Prabhu
Voters in Monmouth County will have a choice between two vastly different candidates when they head to the polls in November to fill one open seat on the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners.
The race pits incumbent Republican Susan Kiley, currently serving her second term on the board, against Democratic challenger Danielle Mastropiero, who ran for state Assembly in the 13th district last year.
The candidates engaged on issues ranging from housing to budget cuts to the potential acquisition of the Monmouth Executive Airport during the virtual forum hosted by the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Monmouth County Sept. 23. Janet Fisher-Hughes, a member of the LWV from Pennsauken in Camden County, moderated the talk via Zoom. The LWV is a nonpartisan political organization that runs informative forums for public awareness and education.
The board of county commissioners consists of five members who are elected for three-year terms on a staggered basis. Since 2011, Republicans have filled all seats on the board.
The race has drawn significant attention, with both candidates discussing their stances on bringing equity to vulnerable groups and those in the LGBTQIA+ community, efficient management, the price of park services, and more transparency for public inputs on key infrastructure projects.
Kiley has the advantage of incumbency and the support of the county’s Republican establishment, while Mastropiero is hoping to capitalize on a wave of Democratic enthusiasm and a desire for change among some voters in Monmouth County, the fifth most populated county in New Jersey with over 600,000 residents.
Opening Statements
The two candidates presented their opening statements, which were then followed by questions submitted in advance by Monmouth County voters to the LWV.
“My goal here at the commissioner office is to continue to make Monmouth County a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Kiley said, adding that she wants to continue to build on that foundation. Based in Hazlet, Kiley is a former health care executive and is supported by the Monmouth County Republican Organization. She first took office in 2015 and is now seeking her third term on the board.
Mastropiero, an attorney and former EMT, running on a platform of affordability and transparency, argued that, under current leadership, Monmouth County has become increasingly unaffordable for many families. Mastropiero is based in Keyport and supported by Monmouth County Democrats.
Affordability and Taxes
Kiley said that the county commissioners have maintained a conservative, balanced budget while investing in critical infrastructure and services that improve the quality of life for residents.
Kiley cited the county’s well-maintained 380 miles of road, its nearly 1,000 bridges, 15,000 acres of open space preserved as public parks, and the largest circulating library system in the state as evidence of the current leadership’s effective policies. She also spoke about her work supporting health and human services programs, including initiatives aimed at addressing homelessness and addiction.
In contrast, Mastropieri said the “greatest issue” for Monmouth County is affordability. “This used to be a place where the average family could afford a home,” she said.
Instead, “costs have continued to rise” despite the current board’s claims over the years.
Kiley refuted the claims, citing several programs the county runs with local governments. She said a house-sharing program through which homeowners can rent parts of their homes after a “rigorous” matching process “seems to be working exceptionally well.” She also referred to the completion of a housing complex in Eatontown called “Soldier On,” dedicated to ending veteran homelessness.
Mastropiero argued that programs for housing veterans and people in a “very low-income bracket” don’t apply to the “struggling middle class.” She voiced the need to develop “rational and smart housing that’s affordable by building more starter homes.”
Mastropiero was also skeptical of the county’s annual property tax reassessment, which she said was “an experiment” that has further contributed to rising homeowner costs. She said the program needs to be reevaluated.
“Commissioner Kiley has called this a system that’s more fair for everyone, but I don’t know a soul that believes that,” Mastropiero said.
Kiley said the current taxation program has been “very successful” and “stabilizes people’s taxes” effectively.
What Survives Budget Cuts?
As far as what the candidates would like to see shielded from county budget cuts, Kiley said it would be “difficult” to cut school budgets since a lot of towns “have less funding for the school system” since the “opposite party peeled off the 2% cap on school spending as well. So, the school spending will increase.”
There are other costs, such as health care, contractual salaries, infrastructure and mandated state costs that Kiley said are “not in our control.” Regardless, she said the county has “maintained” its budget “from 10 years ago to today.”
“There’s a very, very minimal increase in our budget,” Kiley said.
Mastropiero, a Hurricane Katrina responder, said she wouldn’t approve budget cuts to “things that allow people to exist with dignity in our county,” such as social services, the Department of Health, law enforcement officers, first responders, vocational schools and “proactive” rather than “reactive” infrastructure spending.
Land Use
Kiley and Mastropiero also differ on their approach to development and land use. At the center of this debate was the Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall. The county is currently exploring options for a potential acquisition of the privately owned public airport which has drawn criticism from some residents.
Mastropiero said she finds the “airport situation to be deeply disturbing” and faults the commissioners for a lack of transparency.
“We are not in the business of airports, and frankly, I don’t think that we have the money for such expenditures,” she said. Kiley pushed back. “What is most disturbing about what my opponent just said is how misinformed she is, and many people are misinformed,” Kiley said. “We typically outsource. We don’t insource” she said in defense of the decision to hire a consulting firm to assess the airport’s viability. According to Kiley the county has been “asked by many residents and officers in town” to evaluate the airport “because it is a safety issue. It’s a deteriorating place that’s been… (experiencing) a lot of neglect.”
“This is exploration only,” she clarified.
The County’s Youngest Residents
Both candidates were asked to respond to an audience question relayed by Fisher-Hughes about what the commissioners can do to make Monmouth County a better place for children. Mastropiero called for increased accountability in the county’s law enforcement agencies, including the creation of an auto theft task force. “Someone was just shot while burglarizing a house in Rumson,” said Mastropiero. “It’s putting our law enforcement and our families at risk. People need to feel that the streets are safe for children and I think it all begins and ends with public safety.”
Kiley blamed the state Democrats’ bail reform laws for public safety issues, calling them “atrocious.”
“Someone can be arrested for stealing a car and then let out the following day and steal another one,” she said. Regarding children’s safety, Kiley cited the county’s Monmouth Act program, which has several “hubs” focused specifically on the needs of children.
Closing Statements
In her closing, Kiley summed up the current board’s collaborative work as a “well-oiled and synergistic team that makes things happen for our small businesses and our residents.” She mentioned that when the county received American Rescue Plan funds, any remaining money was given to small businesses and nonprofit organizations that needed it “to stay on their feet.”
Kiley also spoke about new programs introduced under her leadership, such as Monmouth Acts, which partners with the community and caregiving organizations, and the new MedStar emergency services program that helps towns in need. She mentioned the county’s wellness transportation system that provides free rides for medical appointments.
During her closing statement, Mastropiero positioned herself as an alternative to the Republican stronghold, someone offering new ideas and a commitment to transparency.
She also made allegations of flagrant spending by Kiley during her two terms and accused the all-Republican board of mishandling COVID relief funds, saying “only 11% of the money earmarked by the state for rental relief was given to the people” as many were facing evictions.
For more information about local elections, visit monmouthcountyvotes.com.
