Council president launches mayoral campaign in Cherry Hill
CHERRY HILL - Council president Dave Fleisher is running for the mayoral post currently held by fellow Democrat Susan Shin Angulo.
In a statement, Fleisher said he's "excited about the opportunity to lead as Cherry Hill mayor."
The incumbent mayor, meanwhile, said she is “keeping all of my options open and I remain focused on guiding Cherry Hill.”
"Stay tuned"
“When the time is right, I will provide the public with my plans for the future – stay tuned," said Angulo, who is nearing the end of a four-year term.
Fleisher has support from his six fellow council members and the township's four mayors preceding Angulo, all of them Democrats, his campaign statement noted Tuesday.
Camden County Commissioner Melinda Kane, a township resident, also is backing Fleisher.
Incumbent councilmembers Michele Golkow, Brian Bauerle and Jennifer Apell will run with Fleisher.
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Background in finances
Fleisher, 53, has served on the council since 1997..
A statement from the Fleisher campaign touted the candidate's experience in financial services, noting he and the council have approved more than a dozen balanced budgets without an increase in municipal taxes.
Fleisher, who holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Ithaca College, is the president of a financial planning firm.
Fleisher intends to run the township "in a manner that is fiscally responsible and invests in our neighborhoods," the statement said.
It described Fleisher as an advocate for open space and a "driving force" behind a 2022 ordinance intended to protect the township's trees from developers.
In addition, the father of three is a co-founder of the town's Human Relations Advisory Committee and a community volunteer, the statement says.
His wife, Jennifer Fleisher, is a member of the local school board.
In an email, Angulo said her administration had led the township “through a pandemic, seismic social justice changes, and its rapid growth while managing spending and balancing the budget without any tax increase.”
Noting "there is still so much work to do," Angulo said, "At this time, I fully plan on continuing to fight for the residents of Cherry Hill and ensure this township is the best possible place to live in the state."
Angulo was the first Korean-American woman to serve as a mayor in New Jersey and previously served as a county freeholder, a position now known as commissioner.
She also served on Cherry Hill's council, zoning board and the Human Relations Advisory Committee.
New Jersey's primary election will be held for in-person voters on June 6, with early voting to start on June 2.
Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Cherry Hill: Mayoral candidate brings finance experience to campaign
