run for Assembly. Through the years, I would complain about the direction the state was headed, and finally decided I needed to put my “money where my mouth is” and run. I’m thrilled to have won and to represent the people of Legislative District 11 and Monmouth County. Also, there’s a decided lack of “regular” people in the legislature, and too often people’s everyday concerns are brushed aside for more out-of-touch policy options. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? Since I have been in office a few months, I consider winning the tough election to be my greatest achievement. I will expand my list of achievements as I participate in more committee meetings, voting sessions, and meeting more of my Legislative District 11 constituents. My current goal is to help those facing challenges relating to unemployment, New Jersey’s exorbitant cost of living, and improve our educational system. My greatest disappointment so far is that Democrats and Republicans have a long way to go to learn how to work across the aisle. We need to regain focus on what is good for the citizens of New Jersey and remember there is more that unites us than divides us. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? School funding, protecting our police, the overall high tax rate, and extensive overspending, to name a few. Many schools in my district have lost funding over the last several years, which puts additional burdens on parents and our communities via school referendums for facility upgrades, paying more for after-school activities, and dealing with a lack of available resources to address the mental health crisis our children are facing. We have also experienced a higher rate of teacher retirements and less college graduates entering the field. We need to make it easier for those interested in teaching to get into the classroom. Ensuring our police are respected, kept safe, and properly funded is another priority. Prisoners should no longer be released from prison due to COVID rates. Making sure our communities are safe and secure is a huge concern to our residents, and they spoke loudly and clearly in the last election. Finally, the governor has increased the state’s budget by over $12 billion in the past five years. It’s time to give the taxpayers and business owners in our state a break. 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? Unfortunately, the pandemic has shown how divided our communities and state can be, but also that we have it within ourselves to come together for the common good. More specifically, I am hopeful everyone realizes that children need to be in school, parents need to be able to decide what is best for their children and that our front-line workers deserve our respect and support. 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 in my grandmother’s Red VW Beetle (not sure of the year, but it was from the 1970s) with a stick shift. The first car I owned was a Red 1989 VW Fox, also a stick shift. Assemblywoman Eulner’s Bio Republican Representing Legislative District 11 Counties: Monmouth Municipalities: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune, Neptune Township, Ocean Township (Monmouth), Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, West Long Branch Legislative Service General Assembly, 2022–present Committees Financial Institutions and Insurance Human Services Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Assemblywoman DIANNE GOVE 9th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? I had the privilege of teaching high school history and civics for more than 30 years. This only increased my level of respect for our form of government. When teaching, I instilled the compelling need for my students and all Americans to engage in the public policy-making process. Therefore, it was a natural fit for me to serve in public office so as to be in a more effective position to help my community. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? My greatest achievement in public office is continuing to provide the highest level of constituency services to those I have the honor of representing. The pandemic only amplified the public’s need for help navigating the state bureaucracy to gain access to the services they need. My greatest disappointment as a legislator is seeing the continuation of misguided policies 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 S P E C I A L L E G I S L A T I V E E D I T I O N 14 new jersey auto retailer
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODQxMjUw