Fundraising Event Kicks off Campaign for Sussex County Commissioners Fantasia and Carney: ‘We’ll Continue to Fight for our Values’

(Newton, NJ) Individuals from throughout New Jersey attended the fundraising kickoff event last Thursday night to support Sussex County Board of County Commissioners Director Dawn Fantasia and Commissioner Chris Carney, who vowed to continue to fight for Sussex County values.

New Jersey GOP Chairman Michael Lavery and Warren County Republican Committee Chairman Douglas Steinhardt hosted the fundraiser for Fantasia and Carney at Mattar’s Bistro in Allamuchy.

It has been an arduous fight for the Commissioners who, in spite of adversity from the Murphy Administration and U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist. and Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist. – with both Congressional representatives failing to acquire CARES funding for Sussex County on the first round – were still able to come in with a 2021 budget approximately $2.3 million lower than 2020’s.

“We [the Commissioners] had to do so much fancy footwork to be able to fill those gaps [without the CARES funding] to serve the needs of our residents,” Fantasia said.

“We are in a situation where Sussex County was consistently on the defensive, but no more, now we’re on the offensive,” Fantasia continued, noting how the Murphy Administration has also shortchanged Sussex County in what it receives in COVID vaccines, closed state parks during the pandemic and shuttered one-third of the state’s businesses.

“We’ll continue to fight for our values that make us who we are, and this Commissioner Board will never go down in history as one that kept their mouths shut,” Fantasia said. “If you value what Sussex County offers and what Warren County offers and what this corner of the state offers New Jersey, we need each and every one of you.”

Carney, who filled the unexpired term of Commissioner Joshua Hertzberg after Hertzberg decided to return to serve on the Sparta Township Council, described himself as a “straight shooter,” who provides firm answers on issues, and strives for effective communications among the Commissioners and the County of Sussex.

“We need to be united as a whole,” Carney said. “That’s what I want to continue to do, is to get things done. I won’t take grief from anybody and I have a backbone.”

Fantasia said when she and Hertzberg were elected, the duo provided fair representation for county employees, whose contract negotiations had previously dragged for an extensive time.

Carney said as a union employee himself, he, Fantasia and the other commissioners are seeking to have individuals with skilled trades hired directly by the county, to save the taxpayers money.

“That’s what we’re about, being conservatives in Sussex County and saving some money for everybody,” Carney said.

Prior to serving on the Board, Fantasia, who is employed as a principal in a Bergen County charter school, served on Franklin Borough’s Council, including as its Council President.

Carney previously served on the Frankford Township Committee for two years and was Frankford Township’s Mayor in 2020.

“You don’t have to look any further than Sussex and Warren Counties to see that Republicans generally, conservatives specifically, are under attack in every county in New Jersey,” Steinhardt said. “It’s not just folks that believe in good government, but it’s folks that believe in the Constitution, folks that believe in family, folks that believe in hard work.”

“Having good people in office is so important to making New Jersey a place where we can continue to raise families, to keep New Jersey affordable, to make sure that our rights are protected,” Steinhardt added.

Sen. Steve Oroho, R-24th Dist., introduced Fantasia and Carney to the attendees, on behalf of Legislative District 24, including Assemblymen Hal Wirths and Parker Space.

“You can drive from Warren and get right into Sussex County, and everybody in the state comes up and says, ‘that’s a beautiful place to live,’” Oroho said.

“It’s commissioners like this on our Commissioner Board in Sussex County, who are going to keep Sussex the envy of New Jersey,” Oroho said of Fantasia and Carney. “They’re responsible, they’ve got good character, they’ve got great families, and they’re the example of what the rest of New Jersey should be.”