Austin's Plan to Put Trenton First
Trenton is a city full of talent, history, and potential. But for too long, families in Trenton have been locked out of opportunities, burdened by rising costs, and disconnected from a City Hall that should be working for them. This campaign is built on one simple idea: It's time for one of us to finally put Trenton first.
Good Jobs That Stay in Trenton
Trenton used to make things the whole country relied on, and the paychecks stayed in the neighborhoods. Getting Trenton back on its feet starts with bringing employers here and making sure the jobs they create go to Trenton residents first.
Reward Companies That “Hire Trenton First”
Landing a new employer only helps if the jobs actually go to people who live here. Austin will create a “Hire Trenton First” program that rewards companies for hiring Trenton residents. When the city helps a business grow, that business should help the city's workers in return.
Create Pathways to Trades and Careers
Too many residents are ready to work but never get the training that leads to a good-paying job. Austin will partner with local colleges, non-profits, and Mercer County to bring job training into the city, aimed at the fields that are growing and hiring. The goal is a clear route from a training program to a paycheck that covers the bills.
Support Trenton's Small Businesses
The corner store and the family-owned shop are community hubs, and they’ve been squeezed for years. Austin will expand grants and hands-on help for small businesses while cutting red tape that makes opening a storefront harder than it should be. A neighborhood with working businesses keeps its money and its people close to home.
Make City Hall a One-Stop-Shop for Help
Right now a resident looking for job training or help starting a business has to know where to look and who to ask. Austin will turn City Hall into one place people can walk into for job training and career help, instead of chasing programs scattered across the city. No one should need an inside connection to find an opportunity that is supposed to be public.
Housing You Can Afford
The cost of housing keeps climbing in Trenton, making it harder for families to stay in their homes whether they rent or own. Austin's family lost their home in the Great Recession, so he knows how important it is to stabilize property taxes, freeze the rent, and keep families in the homes they have.
Freeze the Rent
Rents in Trenton have climbed faster than what most people earn, and too many landlords are ignoring the city’s rent control law. Austin will freeze the rent and make sure the Rent Stabilization Board enforces the law so families aren’t getting pushed out of their homes. Steady housing is the first thing that lets a family plan for the future.
Help Families Keep Their Homes
Rising costs and expensive repairs are pushing homeownership out of reach. Austin will expand down-payment help for first-time buyers and create a repair grant program for the people already here, so a leaking roof or an old furnace doesn't cost someone their house. Keeping families in the homes they own keeps stability and wealth on the block.
Hold Bad Landlords Accountable
Most landlords do right by their tenants, but the ones who don't are ignoring the law without any consequence. Austin will fine the repeat offenders who let their buildings fall apart and leave families in unsafe conditions. Paying your rent should mean your landlord follows the law.
Protect Renters with Right to Counsel
When people facing eviction don't have a lawyer, they lose homes they had every right to keep, while landlords show up to court with attorneys almost every time. Austin will create a right to counsel program so any Trenton tenant facing eviction has a lawyer in their corner, the same protection Newark and Jersey City have already put in place.
Stop Crime Before it Starts
Austin spearheaded landmark criminal justice reforms as Deputy Attorney General, so he knows that keeping communities safe starts long before anyone needs to call 911. Austin will put the city's resources into preventing crime before it starts by investing in our youth and expanding community-led response teams that are proven to reduce crime.
Support Trenton’s Street Teams
Trenton's community-led street teams are trained to cool down conflicts before they turn violent and connect at-risk youth to city services. Austin has worked to get street teams and violence intervention programs funded at the state level, and as mayor he will expand these programs citywide to keep every neighborhood in Trenton safe.
Expand Mental Health Response
When someone is in a mental health crisis, sending an armed officer alone can turn a hard moment into a deadly one. Austin helped create ARRIVE Together during his years in the Attorney General's office, pairing police with trained mental health responders, and he’ll expand the program as Mayor so help reaches everyone who needs it.
Double Summer Jobs for Young People
The best investment a city can make is in its youth. Austin will double the number of paid summer jobs for young people in Trenton and back them up with mentorship and programs that run all year.
Bring Back Community Policing
Trust between residents and police has been broken for years, and it will not come back on its own. Austin pushed for real oversight during the federal investigation of the Trenton police department, and as mayor he will invest in community policing and give officers real incentives to live in the city they serve.
Clean Up City Hall
For years, City Hall has run on connections and favors, and Trenton residents have paid for it in higher taxes and poor services. Austin will clean up City Hall with transparency and accountability so our government finally works for the people who live here.
Open Up the Books and Audit Everything
A string of audits and investigations has found millions in no-bid contracts and misspent money at City Hall, public funds that were supposed to serve residents and instead got spent in the dark. Austin will put the city's spending and contracts online where anyone can look and bring in independent auditors to follow the money and recover what was wasted.
End Pay-to-Play
Right now, it seems like the best way to win a city contract in Trenton is to write a campaign check or be friends with someone in City Hall. Austin will end pay-to-play so public work goes to the company that does the best job for the best price. Who a business donated to should have nothing to do with whether they win city work.
Bring Transparency to City Hall
Everyone in Trenton deserves to know that their tax dollars are being spent wisely, but right now that’s not happening. Austin will build a Trenton Transparency Dashboard so anyone can track city spending, contracts, and permits in real time.
Clean Up Trenton Water Works
Trenton Water Works was caught faking water quality reports, skipping safety tests, and has fallen behind on replacing lead service lines. Austin will bring in new leadership who can actually run the system so no family in Trenton has to wonder whether their water is safe to drink.
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