Asia J. Norton’s Priorities for Newark’s South Ward

  • Public safety in Newark’s South Ward is a quality-of-life issue. Residents deserve to feel safe walking to school, work, the corner store, and their front doors. While crime has improved over past decades, concerns around gun violence, street safety, and repeat offenses remain real for South Ward families.

    I believe safety works best when it is community-centered, preventative, and accountable. That means investing in youth programs, mental health resources, and economic opportunities while strengthening trust between residents and law enforcement by having partnered community events. Public safety should protect people and focus on long-term solutions that keep neighborhoods stable and secure. I will advocate for having officers patrol neighborhoods by walking on foot vs. staying in their cars. I will also have schools collaborate with officers to interact with one another.

  • Too many South Ward residents are being squeezed by rising rents, property taxes, utility bills, and everyday living costs. Longtime homeowners, seniors, renters, and working families are struggling to keep up while wages lag behind the cost of living.

    I believe affordability is about dignity and stability. Families who work hard in the South Ward should be able to stay in their homes, raise their children, and retire in the community they built. My focus is on protecting residents from displacement, expanding access to assistance programs, and ensuring economic growth benefits the people who already live here—not just new development.

  • Newark residents face one of the highest property tax burdens in the state, and South Ward homeowners and small businesses often carry that burden while new developments receive long-term tax incentives. This imbalance makes it harder for families to stay, reinvest, and grow.

    I support fair development that protects residents. Growth should strengthen neighborhoods—not push people out. I will advocate for targeted tax relief for longtime homeowners and small businesses, transparency around tax abatements and PILOT agreements, and development policies that ensure real community benefits for the South Ward.

  • Quality of life starts on our blocks. In the South Ward, that means addressing everyday issues like neglected trees, hazardous wiring, and inconsistent trash collection.

    These aren’t small problems—they impact our safety, health, and how we feel about where we live.

    I’m committed to improving tree maintenance, holding utility companies accountable for unsafe wires, and strengthening sanitation services—so every block is clean, safe, and respected.

    Because when our neighborhoods are cared for, our people feel it.