FAIR LAWN, N.J. — A Fair Lawn man is running as an Independent for a District 38 Assembly seat in this year's election.

Davendra Goswami, 28, is a Paramus Catholic alum and will soon earn his master's in Biomedical Science. Goswami worked with Rep. Josh Gottheimer's campaign team last year and help him defeat longtime incumbent Scott Garrett.

"Helping and working for his campaign gave me the motivation to run," Goswami said. Goswami said that increasing property taxes is the "number one issue" in New Jersey and must be addressed.

"It has become intolerable for many of us and our families to continue living in Bergen County," Goswami said. "My family and I have lived in Fair Lawn for more than 20 years and we have to make the hard choice to leave our beloved state if it continues to rise." Corruption is another issue Goswami said is motivation to run this year.

"All the hard earned money we are paying in income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes, etc., some of that money goes to contractors associated with politicians, and not education, our public services, fixing roads like we are promised," Goswami said.

Goswami has experience in the field of neuroscience and Alzheimer's research at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Columbia University. He has helped support people with disabilities for the Jewish Association of Developmental Disorder and Bethesda Lutheran Home.

Goswami learned "how to serve others, communicate better with people and do a job out of passion and love, no matter how much it pays you."