EDISON, NJ (TIP): Indian American financial executive Samip ‘Sam’ Joshi is among the six candidates running for the three, four-year terms available for the Edison Township Council in New Jersey in the upcoming election.

Joshi, a newcomer, will face Republican candidates Larry Deutchman, Wayne Mascola and Maria Orchid along with incumbents Robert Diehl, and Alvaro Gomez in November election.

According to a report by centraljersey.com, Joshi, who has been a lifelong resident of the township, is running for the council for the first time.

The 28-year-old candidate is the Executive Vice President at SD Capital Funding (mortgage financing firm); and Co-Founder of student loan refinancing firm Loanscribe.

Joshi holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and labor studies from Rutgers University and earned an MBA in marketing through the Rutgers University Executive Education Program.

Though Joshi is running for the first time, he has been serving the Edison Township community from 2004 with his participation in the Edison Youth Service Corps. In 2006, he was an intern in the Mayor’s office and later worked in the Municipal Court Violations Bureau.

From 2010-14, he served on the town’s Fair Rental Housing Board and, for the past year, on the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

“I am running for Township Council to represent the short and long-term interests of our community,” he was quoted as saying in the report. “I believe my combined experience in business and continuous local activism will bring a unique perspective to the Township Council.”

Joshi puts forward the idea of redeveloping the neighborhood nearest to the Edison Train Station, at Plainfield and Central Avenues, which will trigger the economic growth of the township. According to Joshi, attracting commercial investment will reduce the tax burden on residential property owners.

“There is a sufficient amount of underused property to develop or redevelop the area into a commercial marketplace. Attracting more commercial and small businesses and property tax revenue to Edison is a necessary step to help relieve the tax burden on residential property owners,” Joshi said.