Author Topic: City Council Election (Updated 8/3/05)  (Read 140419 times)

Anthony

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #90 on: May 18, 2005, 06:21:49 PM »
July 1st will be a historic day for our city.  Our city’s first black mayor will take office and hopefully Mayor Townes will lead our city to new levels in several areas.  I’m looking forward to improved recreational opportunities for our children and our taxes being stabilized.  I hope the council broadcasts their meetings on the local access cable channel and also think it would benefit everyone if BOE meetings and zoning board meetings were broadcast too.  I don’t know of any other town that does and it would be one small way to set Hackensack apart from the rest.  Good luck to Mayor Townes and the rest of our new city council.

Offline average Joe

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #91 on: May 18, 2005, 10:59:00 PM »
Dunn>>>>>>>>> DONE!
Canestrino>>>>>>>Still no convictions (but the day is young)
Coles>>>>>>>Grandpa throwing out of house
Marin>>>>>>>>0 fer 2-(but whos counting?)
Martino>>>>>>Footnote to history(a/k/a "a bug on the windshield of time")
"6 thru 10? NEVER AGAIN!!!"

Offline Editor

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #92 on: May 19, 2005, 02:25:17 PM »
Click here for official election results. (Requires Microsoft Excel).

Offline devil

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #93 on: May 19, 2005, 10:49:29 PM »
Am I wrong or did Dunn and group lose by even more votes than originally reported?

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #94 on: May 22, 2005, 11:23:25 PM »
As printed in the Sunday, May 22, 2005 edition of The Record:

Columnist Mike Kelly's latest column exposes The Record and its editorial board for what they really are - a bunch of sore losers ("An election nobody wins," Opinion, Page O-1, May 15).

First The Record takes the step of endorsing candidates in a municipal election. Then, when those candidates are soundly defeated in the election, its news section responds with an amazingly insensitive headline.

Now, Kelly whines about the voters' continued support for Joseph DeFalco and his New Visions team after his tragic death on Election Day, in effect denigrating every citizen's right to cast a ballot for the candidate of his or her choice.

The voters responded to the solid background of Hackensack community activity offered by the New Visions slate. The voters endorsed the team concept offered by DeFalco and the New Visions slate, and the importance of making him a winner in his final contest. In overwhelmingly choosing to keep all of The Record-endorsed candidates off the council, the voters clearly did not believe their votes were wasted.

Among the many lessons DeFalco taught by example was the importance of being gracious in both victory and defeat. It's a lesson The Record's editors and columnists need to learn.

Daniel E. Kirsch

Hackensack, May 17

The writer, an attorney, is a member of the Hackensack Board of Education.
____________________________________________

Columnist Mike Kelly has summed up the events of the last week much better than I could have done. I wholeheartedly agree with his "An election nobody wins" (Opinion, Page O-1, May 15).

As I was campaigning in Hackensack the last several weeks, the overwhelming problem on the minds of our citizens was property taxes. I reminded the residents that in the April 19 school board election and budget vote, only 1,300 people voted.

These 1,300 voters reelected the "same old gang" to run our school system, which spends the bulk of our taxes. This will mean continued tax increases and a continued decline in Hackensack's education system. We now have two failing schools, and our high school is in the lowest 10 percentile of all New Jersey high schools.

The members of the New Visions slate are heavily involved with the Board of Education. Hackensack residents can expect much larger tax increases from this new administration because they are also obligated to the power brokers of Bergen County and Joe Ferriero, the boss of the Democratic Party that supported the team.

We passed up a unique opportunity to open Hackensack government. But with only 23 percent of the eligible voters coming to the polls, one can only interpret this to mean that most citizens are satisfied with the way the city has been run during the last 16 years.

I am not.

Ted Dunn

Hackensack, May 16

The writer was a losing candidate in the Hackensack municipal election.
__________________________________________________

Columnist Mike Kelly is wrong to state that former Hackensack High School Principal Joseph DeFalco's election was based on last-minute campaigning ("An election nobody wins," Opinion, Page O-1, May 15). His election was based on more than 40 years of community service.

Let's review The Record's recent actions. It started last week endorsing a group of people who proved their worth to the voters of Hackensack on Election Day ("Open those closed doors," Editorial, May 8th). Those results taught us the irrelevance of a Record endorsement.

It continued showing a lack of class with an insulting headline following the death of an icon to both the children and community of Hackensack ("Dead candidate elected," Page A-1, May 11).

Finally, rather than let DeFalco rest in peace, Kelly continued to berate his memory. Kelly cited a statement from The Record's editorial in which DeFalco said he had no specifics on what he planned if elected. He described DeFalco's election as playing to our darkest cynicism, calling it a continuation of the sad practices of the administration of former Gov. James McGreevey. Such disgraceful references will not diminish DeFalco's lifetime of accomplishments.

Democracy did indeed prevail on Election Day. The election of DeFalco was evidence that the voters of Hackensack have confidence in the New Visions team to select an individual to stand in for DeFalco and carry on his legacy of community service before self.

Robert J. Cerco

River Edge, May 15
_____________________________________________________

Regarding Columnist Mike Kelly's "An election nobody wins" (Opinion, Page O-1, May 15):

I have lived in Hackensack for 35 years. I have never been active in the political process, but I have voted in every election during those years.

This year's municipal election gave us a clear choice between two very different tickets. Having serious doubts about the platform and character of the candidates of Citizens for Change, I chose to vote for New Visions.

When I learned about Joseph DeFalco's tragic death and what the mechanism would be for filling the open seat, the choice was obvious: I would rather depend on his running mates to fill the open slot than have it filled by any other candidate on the ballot.

My vote was not a tribute to any candidate but was consistent with my conclusion about which slate could give Hackensack a better future. In talking to other voters the day after the election I found the same logic motivated them.

Kelly's comments insulted the Hackensack electorate. We voted with our heads, not our hearts, and the decisive nature of the vote bears this out. If the vote had been merely a tribute to Joe, he probably would have come in first.

Larry Eisen

Hackensack, May 18
____________________________________________________

We have always assumed that one of the primary principles of journalism was to write with heart. In that, The Record has failed miserably.

The morning after the Hackensack election, we woke up to one of the most insensitive headlines we have ever read in The Record: "Dead candidate elected" (Page A-1, May 11).

Yes, technically your headline was factual. But Hackensack High School Principal Joseph DeFalco was much more than what it suggested. In the week of mourning our loss, we listened to many talk about the headline and the disbelief that our hometown newspaper could be so insensitive.

Sunday, we woke up to a second article, Columnist Mike Kelly's "An election nobody wins" (Opinion, Page O-1, May 15). This column lost direction. Joe DeFalco's election was not due to backroom politics. It was a tribute from a city that loved him.

Yes, voter turnout in our city is poor, as Kelly stated, and for that we are ashamed. However, he missed the point entirely: Electing Joe was a statement that tells of our appreciation to a man for a job well-done.

The people of Hackensack have won for having known and loved Joseph DeFalco.

Judy and Frank Albolino

Hackensack, May 16
___________________________________________________

I am sickened by Columnist Mike Kelly's disrespect for Hackensack High School Principal Joseph DeFalco in "An election nobody wins" (Opinion, Page O-1, May 16).

You suggested that all who cast votes for DeFalco were aware of his demise at the time they voted. Polls opened at 6 a.m. DeFalco's death was not made public until almost four hours later.

The morning of Election Day is one of the three times in which the polls are busiest. Since many of these voters were clearly unaware of the event that had occurred, I think it is safe to say that a large majority of the votes cast for DeFalco were not merely out of sympathy but reflected a genuine desire to put this great man into office.

"Friends of Joe DeFalco" did not send out a flier in favor of voting for DeFalco until after the members of the Citizens for Change ticket began telling arriving voters that they couldn't vote for DeFalco. He was on the ballot whether or not he was able to accept the position if he won.

DeFalco was a wonderful man in whatever role he took on: coach, teacher, principal and friend. He did not deserve what your newspaper has done to him.

It is truly disgusting and heartbreaking to read a newspaper based in Hackensack constantly berating its hometown.

Kerry Salkin

Hackensack, May 16

The writer is a senior at Hackensack High School.
_______________________________________________________

I think Columnist Mike Kelly showed a lot of guts to say the late Hackensack High School Principal Joseph Defalco was an empty suit as a Hackensack City Council candidate, especially since he is at the moment being mourned ("An election nobody wins," Opinion, Page O-1, May 15).

DeFalco may have been a great principal. But without plans as to what he wanted to do, it does make you wonder if some or all of the candidates were figureheads.

I did not realize the New Visions slate were cronies of Hackensack Mayor John "Jack" Zisa. Frankly, the first time I received a New Visions mailing I thought it was junk mail from an optical place that opened in Hackensack.

Do you know what would be a great idea for democracy, and would really scare the powers that be? How about having City Council elections on a Tuesday in November that coincides with the general elections?

Then, perhaps, you could have 15,000 people (in a presidential year), not 4,979, weighing in on who should run local government.

Steven Gigante

Hackensack, May 16

« Last Edit: May 22, 2005, 11:49:08 PM by Editor »

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #95 on: May 22, 2005, 11:30:41 PM »
The following is from The Record: "Journalism students: Welcome to our world"

Friends of Hackensack High School principal Joseph DeFalco criticized us in print and by phone for a headline we published the day after he died. As a candidate for the Hackensack City Council, DeFalco died suddenly the morning of the election and was elected that day. Our headline read "Dead candidate elected."

Some readers close to Mr. DeFalco took exception to that headline, calling it insensitive, among other things.

We understand that the closer you are to a tragedy, the more you see the headlines and stories differently. I understand why they felt that way, and why they were angry at us for that headline. It's a natural reaction.

The whole situation was very unusual. The headline reflected that. It was strong. It was powerful. People were talking about the fact that this beloved man, this man who had given so much of his life to the education of children both in the classroom and on the athletic fields, had died of a heart attack. Because of his popularity, he was elected to office. The majority of voters, I suspect, did not know he had died when they voted for him.

The Record wrote three stories that day about him. The one on the front page reflected the news story about the event and the unusual circumstances of his death. The other two were tributes to his life. We ran photos of those who mourned him.

By all accounts he was a very good man. The paper meant no disrespect to him in that headline.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2005, 11:44:35 PM by Editor »

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #96 on: May 25, 2005, 09:34:39 AM »
The following opinion is from The Record, May 25, 2005:

In May 10 municipal elections, Hackensack voters decided to stay at home: A meager 25 percent came to the polls.

Voters in the Fifth Ward, the city's usually politically active Fairmount section, couldn't find the time to cast ballots. Although complaints of high taxes and poor services were frequent responses to surveys taken in the section, its residents still didn't vote.

The Second Ward - the Hill section, where residents were very vocal in complaining about parking problems, traffic congestion and the hospital expansion - also stayed at home.

The First Ward, with its constant flooding, did not show at the polling booths.

The New Visions for Hackensack ticket anticipates selecting a replacement for the late Joseph DeFalco. The logical choice should be Calvin Coles Jr., who placed sixth in the election. But immediately after the election, it was not clear that he would be selected. To choose a person who did not actually run in the election would not be fair, nor would it be part of our democratic process.

After 16 years of frustration, it appears nothing has changed.

Emil Canestrino
Hackensack, May 23

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/11/05)
« Reply #97 on: May 28, 2005, 03:39:12 PM »

Offline Cuzar Jones

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/28/05)
« Reply #98 on: May 29, 2005, 02:32:34 AM »
Two words sums up Calvin Coles-
SORE LOSER

Offline devil

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/28/05)
« Reply #99 on: May 30, 2005, 08:42:14 PM »
Coles even lost to a dead man. Doesn't he get the picture that we don't want or need him? Get a life.

Offline Rob Gartner

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/28/05)
« Reply #100 on: May 31, 2005, 03:02:07 PM »
If this election had been close then I could understand Mr. Coles position.  But the fact is that he missed getting elected by almost 500 votes (a substantial margin when less than 5,000 votes were cast).  Despite each voter having 5 chances to choose Mr. Coles, only 42% of voters selected his name.  I think the voters in Hackensack made it clear that they did not find him to be an attractive candidate for the City Council.  The new City Council should look outside the candidates the voters have already rejected to fill the last slot.

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 5/28/05)
« Reply #101 on: June 02, 2005, 09:45:34 AM »
The following opinion is from June 2, 2005 edition of The Record:

Regarding letters of Hackensack political candidates Emil Canestrino ("No change in Hackensack," Your Views, May 25) and Ted Dunn ("Trampling image of more than a Hackensack favorite son," Your Views, May 22):

Citizens for Change just doesn't get it. Enough is enough. The ticket's candidates lost.

They complain about low voter turnout. Yet history shows that about 25 percent of the Hackensack voting public goes to the polls in municipal elections regardless of efforts to increase voter turnout.

They complain about people in various sections in the city who, as Citizens for Change wants us to believe, have "significant complaints according to their survey." Yet like the rest of their campaign, their survey was probably flawed.

Citizens for Change complains about the selection process regarding the vacant council seat. If they took the time to become educated, they would know that the law permits the incoming council to make this selection.

The electorate in Hackensack supported the New Visions team because they had confidence in the candidates and their message.

If the election results are just too difficult for Canestrino and Dunn to comprehend, then let me put it into words they might understand: You lost.

Mark Stein
Hackensack, May 25
The writer is a member of the Hackensack City Council.

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 6/5/05)
« Reply #102 on: June 05, 2005, 11:10:26 AM »

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 6/5/05)
« Reply #103 on: June 08, 2005, 06:39:50 PM »
The following opinion appeard in the June 8, 2005 edition of The Record:

Regarding "Victors raised $200,000 in council race" (Page L-3, June 5):

This shows that in the non-partisan Hackensack municipal election, Joseph Ferriero and the Bergen County Democratic Organization backed the New Visions slate. New Visions has opened the door to pay-to-play by accepting the considerable donation of Peter Repetti of T&M Associates, the Red Bank engineering firm that has contributed to the county Democratic organization and received thousands of dollars in government contracts since Democrats took over the Bergen Freeholder Board in 2002.

I'm afraid Hackensack voters just elected a rubber-stamp City Council.

Phil Roberts

Hackensack, June 6
« Last Edit: June 08, 2005, 07:07:55 PM by Editor »

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Re: City Council Election (Updated 6/5/05)
« Reply #104 on: June 22, 2005, 09:46:19 AM »