Letizia on council run in Westwood

To the editor:

Joseph Bisi Park Ridge

MYHUSBANDAND I always knew Westwood was where we wanted to create our home. We planted our roots in Westwood nearly 10 years ago and now, with our 7-year-old daughter and 4year-old son, could not imagine raising our family anywhere else. Initially, the train and downtown were what attracted us to Westwood, but we remained for the safe neighborhoods, familyfriendly atmosphere, and warm people. I was immediately drawn to be involved in our new community.

With our first home repeatedly flooding and the dread of s ummer storms leav ing our neighborhood a mess, I started showing up to Council meetings to ask for help. People like Ray Arroyo, Beth Dell, and Chris Montana worked with us to secure grant funding from Trenton to improve the drainage system in our neighborhood. That experience underscored my belief that when a few determined and focused people get together, great things can happen even in government.

From that point on, I found myself hungry to leverage and build upon my education and background with purposeful community efforts. From the Historical Preservation Commission to the Planning and Zoning boards, to co-founding Celebrate Westwood with a robust umbrella of community and small-business-building programs, I found a confident voice and impactful stride in Westwood.

Running as a Republican doesnʼt come naturally to me. Like many, I see myself looking at the two major parties and have trouble fitting cleanly into either Each November, I zigzag across columns to vote for candidates based on platforms, not party affiliation. And that search for platform-first politics is what led me to confidently running as a Westwood Republican under the Always Westwood banner.

I align with a team of dedicated public servants who have remained steadfast in their focus on our local community, while abstaining from divisive, national controversies that are beyond the scope of our local government. The Always Westwood team has always stood for delivering high-quality services and infrastructure without onerous taxes, keeping our streets safe by equipping and training our

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