Kamran Quraishi (R)
Belle Mead
Q: Top three Monty issues?
1) Keeping Montgomery as affordable as possible. 2) Preserving more open space. 3) Proactively protecting Montgomery from reckless state mandates.
Q: Why are you running?
I am humbled and honored that my colleagues on the governing body and the local Republican team have given me the opportunity to serve on township committee.
Last year my family and I experienced a bias incident at our house. While it was deeply unsettling; the comforting, supportive, and positive response from my neighbors, police, and our local elected officials was nothing short of remarkable.
As a Montgomery resident for 20 years, community involvement had always been important to me, but after this event I felt compelled to do more and give back to the community my family and I love and call home.
Montgomery has been in the top 75 safest towns in the nation for five years thanks to our efficient local government. I will work to ensure that Montgomery continues to be town which people are proud to call home.
I would like to protect Montgomery from reckless state mandates, such as the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) or recreational marijuana; however, I support medicinal marijuana and the expansion of that program.
I will continue to support banning businesses from our town that sell or allow the consumption of marijuana. Montgomery families and children come first, not the special interests in Trenton.
Q: Why are you running as a Republican?
One of my favorite presidents, Ronald Reagan, restored Americans’ faith in their nation and themselves. I would love to restore that faith. However, I wish we had non-partisan elections.
The issues we work on like roads, budgets, land use, and parks are essentially non-political. As a local elected official I have always refrained from talking about national affairs. I have been extremely proud to work closely with Sadaf Jaffer, Catherine Gural, Marvin Schuldiner, and Ed Trzaska and look forward to continuing this bipartisan cooperation in the future as well.
We are all residents just trying to help our community and make the town the best possible place to live.
Q: What do you love most about Montgomery and why?
Montgomery is one of the best places to live in NJ with a rich history, excellent schools, diverse recreation opportunities and a collective commitment to preserving open land and protecting natural resources.
I have been a proud resident of Montgomery for nearly 20 years. My elder son, Zuhayr, graduated from MHS and my younger one, Ryan, is currently attending MHS. There is so much that my family and I love about Montgomery, but our remarkable fellow residents and the diverse backgrounds they come from is what makes this township stand out from the others.
Q: Griggstown Causeway?
Griggstown Causeway is the responsibility of our county freeholders as it is a county bridge. Converting this bridge to two lanes sounds like a good idea as long as it does not increase the load of traffic. I also think that large trucks should be prevented from using this bridge by enforcing weight restrictions.
Q: What would you like voters to know about you?
I believe in fiscal responsibility, doing more with less, using taxpayer money as wisely as possible. In Montgomery, it’s not about party, it’s about people. ■
