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« 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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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