Dan’s Plan
“I’m running for County Executive to move Mercer forward with new ideas and real innovation.”
—Dan Benson
Building better infrastructure
With many projects left unfunded, our infrastructure is falling short. Whether it’s clean water, safe roads, or equitable access to transportation, infrastructure makes Mercer run.
As County Executive, I will encourage thoughtful innovation and investment to build sustainable and efficient infrastructure that lets our communities flourish. In the legislature, I took the lead in encouraging the use of electric vehicles through access to more charging stations and tax credits. We can do the same here in Mercer County.
Helping those who need it most
We can do more to have a healthier county through community health, a more equitable county through economic development centered in our capital region, and a more accessible county through transportation programs that allow residents regardless of age, disability, geographic location, or income to get to where they need to go.
Many working families are facing both food and housing insecurity. Serving our most vulnerable populations requires experience and oversight. My administration will be prioritizing both strong financial management and a relentless pursuit of competitive grants to ensure resources get to those most vulnerable in our community.
Better schools for students and teachers
We have a responsibility to future generations to make sure they are prepared to enter the workforce and get good-paying jobs. By investing in our technical schools, our special services school district, our community college, and workforce development programs, we can ensure a lifetime of learning and better opportunities for all our children and families. I will prioritize improving Mercer County Community College by increasing access to the West Windsor Campus and building up the underutilized James Kerney Campus in Trenton. A strong Mercer County Community College is essential to having a Mercer County that works for everyone.
Making our community healthy and safe
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how unprepared Mercer’s health planning and leadership were in facing a major health crisis. Post-pandemic, our residents' needs for public health and social services have changed drastically.
Our nation, our state, and our county are watching substance abuse and mental health issues run rampant and we must do better. Many of our municipalities still have lead in our pipes, paint, and soil—and that must stop now. As County Executive, I will ensure we secure all available funding from state and federal sources, and not leave a penny on the table to which we are entitled.
Bringing back accountability and transparency
The $4.5 million and counting of wasted taxpayer dollars exposed the complete lack of accountability and transparency in our county’s finances. As County Executive, my priority is to bring fiscal accountability back to county government by completing a full forensic audit and implementing the state's guidance and recommendations that the current administration has ignored for years. A failure at this scale demands a hands-on approach to clean up the mess and make sure nothing like this happens again.
Supporting and expanding government diversity
Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and county government works best when it reflects our communities. As County Executive, I will ensure Mercer leads the way on diversity at all levels. That means taking steps to foster diversity not only for a small inner circle, but throughout all of county government, contracting, procurement, and professional services.
I am committed to increasing diversity and inclusion and will proactively work to exceed our current levels. We will hire a DEI officer to hold ourselves accountable to these goals, and we will continue to work under the belief that there is no such thing as too much diversity. We will also create a new diversity pipeline that helps grow the next generation of leaders in local government.
Partnering with our municipalities
County government thrives when it partners with our municipalities to put people first. As County Executive, I will work with leaders across all 12 of Mercer’s municipalities to build a government that embraces collaboration, transparency, efficiency, innovation, and accountability.
My administration will work closely with our municipalities to rebuild collaboration and to ensure we are investing in our communities and executing on every opportunity—particularly with state and federal funding that has been left on the table by the current administration.