Hillsborough, NJ – The Hillsborough Democratic Organization endorsed life-long Hillsborough resident Hermes Vallejo and Environmental Commission and Planning Board Member James VanderVliet to run in the Democratic primary in June, positioning them to challenge the Republican incumbents on the Township Committee.

Committed to improving the town, Vallejo and VanderVliet are focused on addressing increasing taxes, poor planning, and lack of government transparency and communication.

VanderVliet boasts a strong background in managing environmental land use projects, as a civil engineer and a licensed site remediation professional. He has a Masters of Engineering in Logistics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Drexel University. That collective experience paved his path to becoming a member of the Hillsborough Environmental Commission 1-1/2 years ago and resulted in his recent swearing in as a member of the Hillsborough Planning Board.

“We need to focus on smart development and infrastructure to create the community that Hillsborough deserves and needs,” VanderVliet said. “We also have to tackle the rising cost of living in this Town, which threatens to push out our children, seniors and veterans. We can do better for Hillsborough.”

For nearly two decades, VanderVliet has lived with his wife in town, where they have raised their three sons. Their youngest son is a sophomore in Hillsborough High School, where their two eldest sons graduated.

Nearly 40 years ago, Vallejo moved to Hillsborough and graduated from Hillsborough High School. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Rutgers University, Vallejo is Vice President of Information Technology at global medical technology company Becton Dickinson. Throughout his career, Vallejo has managed global teams, multi-million-dollar programs, and delivered solutions that transformed operations. He has been an advocate for improving healthcare through technology, while also being a champion and sponsor for diversity, education and volunteer programs to assist those in need.

“I am thankful and truly honored to receive the Democratic Party’s endorsement, and I am passionate about making this town a better place to live where all residents have an equal voice,” Vallejo said. “I’ve watched Hillsborough grow and change throughout my life, and it’s not always been for the better. As a member of this community, I am committed to protecting our quality of life, creating transparency into our government, and ensuring all residents have a voice. We face significant challenges today due to poor historical decisions that have resulted in over-development, increased flooding, increased pressure on our infrastructure / services and school system, all despite our rising taxes.”

Vallejo and his multi-generational family continue to live in town, one mile from where he was raised.

Vallejo and VanderVliet share a history of community service. They met years ago on the playing field, while coaching their sons’ Hillsborough youth lacrosse team. They look forward to joining their teammate Samantha Hand on the dais in November.