Governor Mikie Sherrill, During your inauguration on January 20th, you stood before the people of New Jersey and promised three things: Lowering costs, taking care of our kids, and making government accountable to the people.
As of today, my disabled trauma family is still being denied our basic rights. Despite our service animal being fully documented and chipped, the Monmouth County DCA and Bridges Outreach have ignored the law, pushing us toward the streets.
The "Affordability" Hypocrisy
Governor, while New Jersey families are struggling to survive, the status quo you promised to "shake up" seems to be doing just fine:
• The January 11th Raises: On January 11, 2026, state legislators received a massive 67% pay raise, jumping from $49,000 to $82,000 a year.
• The Governor’s Raise: Your own office’s salary just increased from $175,000 to $210,000.
• The Question: How many of these officials would take a pay cut for humanity? How can you find the "budget" for these raises but not for the housing safety nets meant to protect citizens?
The Human Cost (1980 – Present)
Since 1980, the crisis of homelessness in America has become a death sentence for too many.
• The Death Toll: While there is no single federal tracker, experts estimate that at least 17,000 to 40,000 people now die every single year on the streets or in shelters in the U.S. alone.
• The Reality: Since the 1980s, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives to a preventable crisis. These aren't just numbers; they are "uncounted" people who deserved the dignity of a home.
Gateways to Homelessness: A Systemic Trap
Homelessness isn't a "personal choice"—it is a systemic failure. The primary gateways are:
1. The Rent Gap: Rents rising faster than wages (the #1 driver).
2. Medical Bankruptcy: One health crisis leading to total financial collapse.
3. Bureaucratic Negligence: When agencies (like Monmouth DCA) ignore ADA and service animal laws, effectively locking the doors on vulnerable families.
4. The Global Impact: As you said, the U.S. is in everyone’s backyard but their own. We spend trillions abroad while 20 people die every day on American streets.
Governor Sherrill, 123 neighbors have signed my petition. We are calling for a public audit of the Monmouth County DCA and Bridges Outreach. We want to know why names like Jacqueline Surez and Matthew Baxter are associated with ignoring the law and traumatizing families.
Will you stand for humanity, or will you stand with the status quo and their raises?
#GovernorSherrill #Accountability2026 #TaxTheRich #HousingIsAHumanRight #MonmouthCounty #codeBlue