Candidate Questions

I will be adding to this page during the campaign. If you have a question you would like answered, please email me at heidi@dandelionwishes.shop, and I will answer to the best of my ability. Please check back for updates!

Please read my published candidate questionnaire in MercerMe here. I have also answered questionnaires for Hopewell Valley News and the Hopewell Express. I also particpated in the ZOOM forum, Vote Well Hopewell. I have provided expanded answers below, where appropriate.

Why do you describe yourself as "an independent voice for Hopewell Borough Council"?

I am a lifelong Democrat, and I believe fully in the inclusive and progressive values championed by the Democratic Party. These values will always be an important part of the decisions I make as a member of Council.

However, I wish that our local elections were non-partisan. I believe that at the local level we need to always be working together for the benefit of our community, without “partisan politics” interfering. On issues of traffic safety, supporting small business, water supply, and keeping close tabs on our limited municipal budget, we can work much better as a unified team.

I also believe that often political party alliances can unduly influence the way politicians speak or vote on issues. As I would not consider my position on Council to be tied to any political party, any choices or decisions I make would be independent of party pressure.

My decision-making process will always be rooted in my personal values. These values include:

A passionate commitment to environmental, social and racial justice.
Protecting and supporting ALL communities that have been targeted by hate and violence in recent years, including our LBGTQ+, Jewish, Muslim, Black, Brown, Asian & Indigenous neighbors.
A willingness to engage in difficult conversations, especially with those who have a different perspective.
Working together to build and maintain a strong, affirming, and supportive community.

I am proud to have the support of local voters from all parties, as well as unaffiliated voters, in this election. Whether or not you and I vote the same in the national election, I hope that we can work together in support of what is best for the Hopewell Borough Community.

Why do you think you will make a good councilperson?

I have a proven track record of dedication and commitment to this community. I have also been a consistent participant in our local meetings for a number of years. Most importantly there are some specific traits that make me particularly well suited to the task. I believe that one of the most important skills as a councilperson is to be able to listen effectively and respectfully to ALL sides of an issue – even those you may disagree with. You then need to be able to make an unbiased and fair evaluation of what you have heard and do further research when it is warranted. You cannot let ego or political pressure stop you from doing the right thing or from being willing to truly hear a new perspective. And you must know what you don’t know – and be open to learning. I am confident that I possess all of these needed traits.

Since it is hard to toot my own horn, I will rely on the words of my fellow community members.

“[Heidi] won’t always agree with me or with anyone, and this is important. She is independent in her evaluations of situations, and she is careful, fair, and an articulate spokesperson in the end.” – Bobbie Fishman, Resident and owner, The Bear & the Books

“[Heidi] values openness, transparency and communication; she's a leader who helps people to work productively together for a common goal…she never hesitates to make space for other people whose voices need to be heard. “ – Justine Levine, Resident

“[Heidi] heeds the credo to think globally, act locally.” – Scott Fulmer, Resident

“Heidi researches issues, asks questions, seeks input from broad perspectives, and puts ideas into action... Heidi's emphasis on improved open, honest and in-depth conversation on issues … makes her an excellent representative.” – Anne Hayton, Hopewell Township Resident & active member of the borough community

For more words of support, as well as letters to the editor, please visit my supporters page.

What was the event or issue that got you first interested in running for council?

I was asked this question as part of the Vote Well Hopewell candidate forum and a similar question was asked by the Hopewell Express. The nuances of my answer are complex, so I wanted to answer it more clearly here.

In August of 2022 I was one of several signers to a letter to the Mayor and Council, in which we expressed our concerns about the manner in which they had addressed the proposed ordinance regulating cannabis sales. Since we were confident their actions had been an oversight, and not a deliberate violation of conflicts of interest statutes, we sent the letter ONLY to the borough officials, and did not state our concerns publicly at the time. We asked them to “redouble their efforts to be mindful about possible conflicts -- or the appearance of potential conflicts -- in the future.” We were not sending this letter to penalize anyone or to make a fuss -- we were sending it (quietly!) to help the borough protect itself. We assumed we would get a response of "thank you for bringing this to our attention, we will be more miundful in the future" - and that would have been the end of it.

Although we did not get an official response, the unofficial response from several members was that their lawyer had advised them there was no need for concern.

We were truly shocked by this answer. Their response of “no need for concern” is what made us bring the letter to a public meeting that month. In the meeting, they reiterated their stance that it had been ”reviewed by the borough attorney” and there was no need for concern. And while we were told in a meeting that a written response would come - it never did. Furthermore, I was specifically told that there was a written legal opinion on the matter, but the individual who told me this was not at liberty to share it. I was never given an explanation as to why. While there are MANY reasons I have decided to run for council, this situation was the incident that gave me the final “push” I needed.

The follow-up (or lack thereof) to this situation is concerning. In July of 2023 we learned that Mayor Anzano had a potential conflict of interest regarding the applicant who was awarded a cannabis license in January. We became aware of this because the Borough is the subject of a lawsuit and one of the most significant facts of the lawsuit was found in the written correspondence between the Mayor, the applicant, and the borough administrator. Although it does not appear that the correspondence had any affect on the final outcome of the decision, the simple fact that he was providing any assitance, however minor, is considered a conflict of interest and should never have happened. It is clear from the documents that the other Council members had no knowledge of this conflict of interest and Mayor Anzano did recuse himself from formal review of the applicants, although he had participated in prior discussions about the ordinance.

Some residents have questioned why I am so concerned about the Mayor’s actions, since he is nearing the very end of his term. These actions do not undo the good he has done for our community. And I do not think he did these maliciously or with ill intent, or for personal gain – it was most likely carelessness. There may even be an explanation for his actions which we do not know (as the borough is not able to discuss pending litigation). But whatever the reason – be it carelessness - or a valid explanation – any appearance of possible conflicts is exactly what we were asking Borough officials to avoid when we wrote our letter. We really wish it had been heeded more carefully. Because now we are paying legal fees, and it appears likely that some of these fees could have been avoided.

I know that the council is not happy that I have shared these concerns publicy during my campaign. I wish they had communicated more clearly over the past year in regards to these issues, so I was not left with these major concerns. One of the things I would like to do if elected is to help improve borough communication so residents have more faith in their local government. Our borough council members are well intentioned and dedicated to our community. But they need to be able to communicate more effectively to avoid these situations in the future. I would like to use my proven communication skills to do just that.