Pub. 20 2021-2022 Issue 3

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S 15 W W W . N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer Name your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator. If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? Greatest Achievement: Many, but some include fighting for small businesses through numerous bills, getting major increases in special education funding, major increases in mental health funding and standing up to my party when they were wrong, like stopping a shore rental tax. Greatest Disappointment: Voting for cannabis legislation that didn’t have parental notification. I missed it when I read it and worked quickly to fix it. It originally didn’t have parental notification for the first offense, and once I realized this error, I quickly worked to fix the mistake. I lobbied my own party to pass the corrected bill, and we got the Governor to sign it quickly. Changing something in Trenton: Legislators can always do more to get their residents active in the legislative process. I would love to see more individuals become politically active and get involved in New Jersey politics, especially the next generation. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? Our families are facing some of the highest property taxes in the country. We need to be smarter about lowering costs. I have been encouraging consolidation and shared services between towns to deliver savings directly to residents. I continuously fight to fully fund our schools and expand tax credits to homeowners and seniors by closing the million- dollar tax cuts handed out to millionaires and billionaires. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned, and how do you think those lessons should guide public policymakers going forward? Throughout the pandemic, our office was able to work directly with the community to figure out how to best assist the residents. Whether dealing with individuals one-on- one or working with nonprofits, schools, small businesses and municipalities, we came together to brainstorm how to get through this together. That is how we created the LD11 Recovery Council. We needed their expertise and insight, and they needed to have a seat at the table as we worked toward a statewide re-opening. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? I learned how to drive on the first car I owned – a Jeep Cherokee. Senator Gopal’s Bio: Senator Vin Gopal has represented New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District since 2018, and serves as the Senate Majority Conference Leader, Chairman of the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, and as a member of the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. • Knowledgable and local Account Manager • Over 150 years of energy experience • Tailored advice from market experts • Pricing programs that fit your needs • Outstanding Customer Care Call today for your free, no-obligation natural gas or power quote! Gail Caputi, Program Manager 609.760.2043 | gcaputi@njcar.org Peter Jagodzinski, Account Manager pjagodzinski@spragueenergy.com | 732.440.0038 Customized Natural Gas & Power Solutions Take advantage of your NJ CAR membership benefits Member benefits: Scan for more information