Ramon Mora Jr.
IndependentQ1 Exposure to PFAS has been associated with weakened immune response and impaired liver and kidney function. In 2018, New Jersey passed a rule setting enforceable limits on PFAS in drinking water, one of the first states in the country to do so. Levels of two of the most harmful PFAS chemicals have since dropped by nearly 50% compared to 2006, when concerningly high levels were first found. Despite this progress, gaps persist, including soils, air pollution, and private wells, which have limited monitoring of but serve 10% of the state’s population. Do you think current policies related to forever chemicals have had a positive impact on NJ residents and what additions, changes, or different policies, if any, would you implement regarding managing PFAS levels in New Jersey’s air, soil, and drinking water? (Source - NJ Spotlight news)
Yes. Any measures taken to insure we have clean air water and drinking water are welcomed and encouraged. These are essential to life and should be vigorously protected. I would attempt to pass legislation to hold polluters accountable and use those funds to clean up superfund sites in Nj.
Q2 In 2025, the National Institute of Health (NIH) awarded over $460 million for research grants and contracts to New Jersey universities and biotech companies, which directly supported over 5,800 jobs and $1.51 billion of economic activity in New Jersey. Additionally, New Jersey legislators have proposed a bipartisan bill that would repurpose tax revenue from tobacco sales as funding for cancer research. What policies, if any, do you suggest regarding maintaining current levels of federal support for health-related research and healthcare in NJ? Do you support a push towards channeling more of that financial support through state funding, and if so, through what policies?
I believe we can do better than maintain. We should be heavily investing in peoples quality of life such as investing in research and healthcare. Whether through state directed funding or direct from federal via grants, more financial support will be advocated for.
Q3 New Jersey’s school-based mental health professionals-to-students ratios remain much higher than recommended levels, even as 42% of high school students and 50% of middle schoolers in the state reported feeling sad and hopeless according to a 2023 study. Do you support allocating resources towards researching this topic, and what policies, if any, do you support to address youth mental health and well-being in the state? (Source - Advocates for children of New Jersey, Source - NJ Spotlight news)
Yes! Absolutely! Mental health in America is severely under managed and emphasized. I would absolutely support more resources toward this topic. Policies that engage in more outreach and build community centers where our youth can have places to feel belonging and community would be ones I can support.
Q4 New Jersey has a longstanding history of being seriously affected by natural disasters. Recently, heavy rainfall brought a significant amount of flooding that caused damage and loss of business in commercial and residential areas of NJ. What policies, if any, would you pursue to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, and what role would state scientists and flood experts have in the policies you propose to mitigate the effects of flooding?
I would pursue policies that address climate change, reduce our generalized dependency on old outdated fossil fuels, and reinforce our shores with permanent solutions versus bandaid solutions. Their roles would be to research, bring objective data, and new solutions.
Q5 In 2025, only 26% of NJ students met proficiency in science on standardized tests. In cities such as Newark, this is as low as 7%. Furthermore the number of math and science educators in NJ is waning (9% decrease). What policies, if any, would you propose to increase access to quality STEM education across the state and to address the decline in evidence-based learning?
To increase better education overall including sciences we need to address the stress of the staff and students. We need to reduce classroom sizes, get a handle on big concerns of teachers such as their healthcare, and make sure that our students are not letting their critical thinking be outsourced to an AI service.
Q6 To date, there are over 80 operational data centers present in New Jersey, four more proposed, and another currently under construction. Governor Mikie Sherill has recently signed the Data Center Fair Share Act, allowing centers to offset energy demands by paying for clean energy upgrades to local homes. What other policies and regulations, if any, would you support to assess and manage the impact of these data centers on the environment and infrastructure of New Jersey?
I am and have been for a moratorium or ban on these AI hyperscale data centers until we get these exact answers. So far the data points to a lose lose for enviroment and public benefit especially in the most densely populated state. We not only should hold these facilities accountable but we need to really evaluate if they are even best in our state.