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.

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 families need responsive government. People who built their lives here deserve a realistic path to staying here. And our schools — while independently governed — deserve a Township Committee that works with the Board of Education, not against it.

  • Coordinate with the BOE on long-range planning
  • 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

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 BOE governs our schools independently. But they deserve a Township Committee willing to coordinate on long-range planning and work toward a path that earns broad community support — not one that works against them.

Time to Choose

Data Centers and Our Future

For too long, Branchburg has let developers and outsiders shape our future. Data centers are changing towns across New Jersey, and our population is growing. It's time we make our own choices instead of waiting until outsiders choose for us.

No data center is confirmed for Branchburg today. I'd rather plan ahead than react after the fact.

750+ Records. No Public Discussion.

Surveillance Cameras Without Sunlight

Branchburg put Flock cameras in all of our parks without telling taxpayers or discussing it at a public meeting. Yet an OPRA request returned more than 750 internal communications discussing the surveillance cameras behind closed doors.

I'm not against public safety tools. I am against installing them in secret.

Boards That Don't Meet

Responsive Government

Businesses and homeowners need the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment to meet regularly, and this year's cancellation rate has been high. The Park & Open Space Committee hasn't met in a long time either.

Branchburg deserves boards that show up.

Nearly 10% Jump

Budget Accountability

The 2026 municipal budget's tax levy grew by nearly 10%, from $15 million to $16.5 million in one year, a roughly $200 bump for the average Branchburg family.

There's no long-term plan to fix these budget issues. Branchburg deserves better.

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.
🏡
Host a Gathering Invite a few neighbors over. Jay will come, answer questions, and make the case in person.
📣
Share on Social Follow and share on Facebook and Instagram. Word of mouth wins local elections.
🪧
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.

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 running 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
2026 Tax Levy

Municipal purposes tax levy grew nearly 10% in 2026, from $15,006,801 to $16,504,732.

Branchburg 2026 User Friendly Budget, Sheet UFB-1
Flock Camera Records

An OPRA request returned more than 750 internal records discussing Flock camera installation in Branchburg parks.

OPRA response, September 2026 (available upon request)