NEW PROVIDENCE — Councilman Robert Muñoz has been elected chairman of the New Providence republican Committee.
Muñoz, who is starting his fifth year on the Borough Council, has lived in the borough since 2002. He said he joined the Republican Committee in 2010, “several months before I was screened to run for council. The Republican Committee took a chance on me, I was a relative unknown.”
He isn’t any more and being elected chairman is groundbreaking in more ways than one. “As far as I know, I’m the first Hispanic to ever be elected to this role in New Providence,” he said. He also believes he is the first "sitting elected official" to be elected chairman. He couldn't be happier at the committee's vote.
He said he believes his election as chairman is “a recognition that the demographics have changed and they (Republicans) will have to change with it to stay in control” of the council. “It’s not just the composition of the town, but the ages of the people moving into town. The number one ranking of the high school a couple of years ago brought in a lot of new families.”
His role as chairman “is an outreach role. To reach out to the new young families,” he said, along with the usual role of a municipal chairman — supporting the candidates for mayor and council and, “getting the word out about the Republican party and its message to the town.”
There are about 2,500 registered Republicans in the borough and about 1,800 registered Democrats, the remainder, about 3,360, are unaffiliated. “Fortunately most of them swing Republican,” he said.
While everyone has different views of what a Republican is, Muñoz said Republicans ”stand for fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility and moral responsibility. In broader terms, it’s a message of family and fiscal values.”
New Providence’s Town Council reflects those values, he said. “Our town council runs its finances like a tight ship,” which is why the borough has a AAA rating. Council President Mike Gennaro runs the finance committee and Councilman Jim Madden is on it, and “they are both fiscally conservative.” The fact that the committee uses a five-year forecast before making budget decisions also keeps budgets under control.
He also supports efforts to share services. Muñoz is on the Executive Committee for the Shared Dispatch Center, as the council liaison. “If the Shared Dispatch Center needs funds from the borough, my job it to take it to council and try to acquire the funds. I also represent New Providence’s interest in the center and make sure it is run properly,” he said.
Muñoz was born and raised in Texas and said, “I love G.W. Bush.” While he considers himself a conservative Republican, “I think New Providence is definitely a main stream Republican town.” He supports the governor, national and state legislators and, personally, is in agreement with the national party.
As for the council, “Politics never come into play. It’s always about running the town in the best way possible.”
He said he wants to get new people to register Republican. "If anyone wants to reach out to me, email me at munozesq@aol.com, call me at 908-295-0566 or visit the New Providence GOP website.
Barbara Rybolt may be reached at brybolt@njnpublishing.com. Follow her on Twitter @BarbaraRybolt. Find NJ.com on Facebook.