Branchburg Township Committee · 2026

All In for
Branchburg

A neighbor, a parent, a coach — not a career politician. Running to serve this community. Not to benefit from serving it.

Get Involved The Issues →
13 Years a Branchburg Neighbor
40+ Years, One-Party Township Rule
35 Years of Unresolved Groundwater Contamination
$9,321 Median Annual Property Tax Bill
Jay Tilak, candidate for Branchburg Township Committee
Branchburg Township Committee
Candidate · 2026
About Jay

A Neighbor
Not a Career Politician

I grew up in Bridgewater. My family has called Branchburg home for 13 years — my daughters go to school here, I coach rec soccer on weekends, and my wife Kristen coaches basketball and softball. This town is ours. That's exactly why I'm running.

In my career in technology and product management, I make decisions based on data and evidence — not habit. I think Branchburg deserves that same standard from its local government.

"I'm running to serve this community. Not to benefit from serving it. That distinction matters to me."
Two daughters in Branchburg public schools — grew up in nearby Bridgewater
Rec soccer coach; wife Kristen coaches basketball & softball
Senior product manager in tech — data-driven decisions, complex projects
MBA, University of Illinois Gies iMBA program
The Issues

What I'm Running On

Good governance isn't a tradeoff between fiscal responsibility, environmental stewardship, and community wellbeing. The best decisions serve all three.

🌿

Protect What Makes Branchburg, Branchburg

Open spaces, clean water, and community character are not negotiating chips. They're what makes this town worth living in.

  • Route 202 groundwater accountability
  • Smart, sustainable development
  • Protect and expand open space
  • Activate the 202 corridor responsibly
📊

Honest, Transparent Governance

Major decisions — like a $25 million land purchase — deserve a full public conversation before the vote, not after. Residents deserve to understand how their money is spent.

  • Data-driven budget decisions
  • Proactive public communication
  • Fiscal accountability
  • Long-standing issue follow-through
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Invest in Our People

Our schools need thoughtful investment. Our families need responsive government. People who built their lives here deserve a realistic path to staying here.

  • School investment done right
  • Community safety & services
  • Responsive local government
  • Housing that fits Branchburg
Questions That Deserve Answers

Branchburg Has Unfinished Business

I did my homework. Here's what I found — and what I'll keep asking about if elected.

35 Years. No Cleanup.

Route 202 Groundwater Contamination

NJDEP Case G000011408 has been open since 1991. No licensed remediation professional is assigned. No formal cleanup design has ever been completed.

OpenedFeb. 2, 1991
LSRPNone assigned
ContaminationConfirmed
Last activityTransfer, Mar 2025
$25M. Light on Details.

The Open Space Purchase

In 2022, voters approved a referendum to purchase North Branch properties — protecting them from warehouse development. The right goal. But Committeeman Young said details were kept "light" and "conceptual" so as not to "telegraph" the township's intentions.

Residents deserved a fuller conversation before the vote. You can make the right call the wrong way.

$70M. 62% Voted No.

School Investment That Works

Our schools need investment. Stony Brook is the oldest school in the district. But 62% of Branchburg voters rejected the 2025 bond referendum. That's not an anti-school community — that's a community asking for a better plan.

The question now is: what comes next, and how do we get it right?

Get Involved

This Campaign Runs
on Neighbors

Sign Up to Help

Tell us how you'd like to get involved — we'll reach out with next steps.

Ways to Help

🚪
Knock on Doors The most effective thing you can do. We'll train you and go together. Neighbors trust neighbors.
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Host a Gathering Invite a few neighbors over. Jay will come, answer questions, and make the case in person.
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Share on Social Follow and share on Facebook and Instagram. Word of mouth wins local elections.
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Yard Sign Put one up and show your neighborhood that change is coming to Branchburg.
Contact

Let's Talk

Have a question about the issues, want to share a concern, or just want to connect? Jay reads every message from Branchburg neighbors.

✉️
Email jay@tilakforbranchburg.com
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Facebook Jay Tilak For Branchburg Township Committee
📸
Instagram @tilakforbranchburg

Send a Message

Sources & Citations

Every Claim, Sourced.

Transparent governance starts with transparent campaigning. Every statistic and fact on this site is documented below. Click any source to verify it yourself.

Property Taxes

Median Branchburg property tax bill: $9,321

Ownwell.com, Somerset County property tax data
One-Party Rule

Township Committee all-Republican for 40+ years. Tom Young ran for his 10th term in 2025.

MyCentralJersey.com, June 2025
Groundwater Contamination

NJDEP Case G000011408 — Route 202 Corridor groundwater contamination, open since February 2, 1991. No LSRP assigned. Confirmed contamination.

NJDEP Case Oversight Report, retrieved March 2026
Open Space Purchase

2022 referendum authorized ~$25 million in land purchases in the North Branch area to prevent warehouse development.

MyCentralJersey.com / Mid Jersey REALTORS, 2022–2023
AAA Bond Rating

Branchburg holds an S&P AAA bond rating — maintained for 22+ consecutive years. Only ~1% of municipalities nationally hold it for a decade or more.

branchburg.nj.us, S&P Global, April 2025
NJ Property Taxes

New Jersey homeowners pay the highest property taxes in the nation, averaging $9,767/home in 2024.

NAHB Economics, December 2025