Tom Giaimo, NJ State Assembly Candidate (LD13) Answers 10 Questions

Today I publish the response to my 10 questions from Tom Giaimo. Tom is a lawyer and a lifelong Middletown resident. Due to his concern for the direction of his country and state, he decided he could not idly stand by and do nothing.


What is your motivation for seeking a seat in the NJ State Assembly and can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was personally impacted by the events leading up to the November 2016 election and am deeply concerned about the direction of our nation and of our state. I was more than disappointed in the way the primary campaigns were conducted by both parties. I want to restore integrity, honesty, accountability and transparency back into state government. I want to represent regular citizens, not special interest and hidden agendas. I want to help the middle class, because that is where the needs are.

Tom Giaimo

I come from a modest background but as a kid it was my impression that we had everything a family needed. This is no longer possible for today’s middle class families. Both of my parents were school teachers in the Middletown Public School system for decades. My mother, Betty Sue, who comes from McDowell County, West Virginia (the poorest county in the poorest state of the nation) is the daughter of a coal miner who died from black lung. She continually stressed to me the importance of education and having a strong work ethic. I was able to attend great public schools and by the time I was in high school, I realized I wanted to be an attorney. Since 1986 I have successfully built and managed my own law practice, which is located in Rumson. I believe in the power and importance of community volunteering. It is important to give back and empower. I have volunteered legal help for homeowners in Navesink and Locust when a proposed change in the use of Clay Pit Creek Park would have dramatically altered the character of the neighborhood, hurt local property values, and harmed quality of life for residents. I volunteered my expertise and my firm’s resources for the victims of Superstorm Sandy during the rebuilding process. I served as President for two years of the Holy Cross Booster Club and I coached the Holy Cross 4th and 5th grade basketball team. For many years I was a little league baseball coach having coached all three of my children. For the past six years I have been the “DJ” at the Rumson Fair Haven High School Boys Varsity basketball games and during the summers I play on Thursday and Friday nights at Victory Park in Rumson for both adult and youth basketball games.

As you meet residents throughout your district what seems to be the greatest concerns they are expressing and how do you plan to address them?

The cost of living in New Jersey is one of the main concerns that I hear about. Many residents have been turned off by politics and politicians and quite frankly, have been made to feel that their vote really does not matter. This disinterest should however, not be categorized as apathy, voters generally speaking feel disillusioned and now they lump all candidates and elected officials into one category, which they distrust.

What do you hope to accomplish once you are elected to the State Assembly?

To bring back common sense, fairness and a commitment that every single policy decision is made in the overall best interest of everyone and not just a select few, or a particular lobby or industry. I hope to restore faith and trust in the political system which is sorely lacking at this point and I hope to create a mechanism by which all citizens can have a greater participation and input in state governmental affairs.

What is it that makes your district unique and how does that uniqueness impact your campaign?

District 13 is stunningly beautiful and profoundly diverse. It has some of the most expensive real estate in New Jersey along with municipalities that continue to struggle economically. The issues we are facing are hyper-local and the concerns are particular to each town. I have spent an inordinate amount of time in each of these municipalities in order to understand and appreciate the scope and impact of these issues and ponder possible solutions. Our campaign has developed town-specific agendas and we are talking to voters in specific terms about their needs, rather than broadcasting generalities.

If elected, how would your professional background enhance your ability to be an effective State Assembly representative?

For 34 years I have been a licensed practicing New Jersey attorney. I hold myself to the highest professional standards and I am well known in the legal community for my ability to reach across the aisle and develop long lasting successful relationships. For thirty four years I have advocated for New Jersey homeowners at every level of government, including the federal, state, county and local governments and their various agencies and departments.

Do you have any thoughts on how to contain the growth of state government?

I support reducing unnecessary and expensive government services through shared service agreements between municipalities. This measure, which has seen successes and proven results where it has been already implemented, would aid in providing much needed property tax relief for homeowners

Is there any aspect of state government that you believe there is a need to be expanded upon?

No, and in fact, based upon my decades of experience in working with state government, I firmly believe that there are areas which are redundant. We need to eliminate those agencies and departments which have overlapping authority in order to save taxpayer dollars.

Why should residents of your district trust you to represent them in the legislature?

Despite my lifelong interest in politics (both national and global), I never entertained the thought of running for elected office, until the elections in 2016. My preference was always to work behind the scenes and to simply engage in constructive dialogue when the opportunity presented itself. But now, there is just simply too much at stake for our communities. I am glad to see that many individuals with no background in politics have courageously stepped up and entered local races to give a voice and representation to our residents. I am in great company. I believe that being a public servant is more important now than ever. Change will start from the bottom up and I am here to do my share to affect that change. I have advocated for New Jersey homeowners for thirty four years - in Trenton I will advocate for every constituent of our district with the same degree of dignity, integrity and compassion as I have demonstrated in my career as an attorney. I am proud to have been endorsed by the teachers’ union, firefighters union, healthcare professionals union, state college unions, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the Sierra Club.

What does it mean to be a Democrat today?

This is a great question. Given the current climate, this election is way beyond either a standard Democratic or Republican ideology. This election for me, as a candidate, is about signing up to do what is right. Being a Democrat means actively participating in our democracy to fight for those who do not have a voice.

Is there anything that is important to you that has not been asked that you would like to address?

Campaign finance reform is an issue that has not been discussed enough locally.
There have been reports of qualified, inspiring candidates dropping out of local races because of the heavy financial burden and constant fundraising needs that make running an effective and people-oriented, and successful campaign very hard. Our political system is badly in need of repair, so we can spend time talking to voters and resolving issues rather than fundraising. Far reaching campaign finance reform, along with term limits, are necessary to create a fair and leveled playing field that puts constituents back in focus.


You can learn more about Tom Giaimo on his website Giaimo4njassembly.com