The old adage that “all politics is local” will likely remain true for Hudson County in the year 2000 even though the big event will be the presidential race. With the county gearing up for federal-level elections, local political organizations must reshape themselves around a choice of candidates: between Bill Bradley and Al Gore for the Democratic nomination for president, and among Jon Corzine, Jim Florio and other possible candidates for U.S. Senate. County power brokers could find themselves in or out of the loop depending upon whom they throw their support behind. Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo sees Democrats throughout the county throwing support behind Corzine, Gore, and – despite a possible challenge by Weehawken’s mayor Richard Turner – Bob Menendez for Congress. “In Hudson County, Al Gore will win, but not by much,” Russo predicted. Russo’s own political future, however, may seem a bit cloudier as the new year promises to further solidify the anti-adminitration “Hoboken United” coalition that seeks to unseat him in the 2001 mayoral election. The surprise election of Tony Soares to the City Council in Hoboken in 1999 buoyed the group’s efforts. In North Hudson – which has become the breeding ground for an emerging county-level leadership – Sal Vega is expected to continue in his role as freeholder chairman. Last year, after serving only one year as a freeholder, the increasingly-powerful Vega defied tradition by ascending to the post of chairman without having served as vice chair during the previous term. By custom, he would have had to advance through the ranks of pro temp chairman and then vice chairman before he could serve as chairman. Vega complained that because of the tradition for changing power yearly, the chairman had become “a lame duck” the moment he was appointed. “In this way, at least it is possible for a chairperson to serve more than one year at a time, provided that person has the support of the majority of the freeholders,” Vega said at the time. Tom Troyer, a Secaucus political gadfly who also has ties to Union City, believes that 2000 will be the year when county-level power brokers will be unmasked because they will have to come forth to publicly support national candidates. “That’s what happening in Union City,” Troyer said. “[Freeholder] Brian Stack and [Assemblyman] Rudy Garcia are coming out against [Congressman Robert] Menendez.” In Secaucus, Troyer said, the issues are much more local. Will Dennis Elwell, the newly-elected mayor, have the support on the Town Council that he believes he has? In 1999, Elwell mended political fences with his long-time rival, Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto. The year 2000 will test the validity of the Elwell-Impreveduto coalition. If successful, Secaucus could see a year of political peace for the first time in over a decade. If not, the town could see a political breakdown that will make the Y2K computer problems seem tame. In Jersey City, the big question for the year 2000 centers around Mayor Bret Schundler, who may or may not run for governor in 2001. Schundler said that whether the state forks over millions of dollars for the city’s budget gap, money Schundler believes he is owed, will be one of the key elements in his decision. “We’ve been trying at the state level to pass legislation to keep this city strong and to make the state live up to promises it has made,” Schundler said. Same old issues Schundler said that if he can get the state money, then many of the city’s accomplishments such as increased jobs, economic development, transportation and charter schools will continue to bloom. Russo agreed that politics over the next year will evolve out of local quality-of-life issues. “The issues are what every mayor has to face, how to stabilize taxes, how to maintain a balance in development, and how to provide services to the public,” Russo said. On a county level, Vega said great changes have occurred over the last few years and will likely continue to affect local residents and thus, local politics. “Over the last decade, we have become a very active board of freeholders, and we have changed the way the county does business,” Vega said. “Throughout the county, we have many relatively new faces. Mayor Turner [of Weehawken] is our most senior mayor, and he’s just beginning his third term.” One of the factors Vega says will play an important role in local politics will be the Internet. “With people’s schedules becoming more hectic, the Internet will play a bigger and bigger role in how we campaign,” Vega said. “Any politician who doesn’t have a web site will be out of touch with the public. The Internet will also level the playing field, allowing many more people access to the political process than ever before. In the past, only people who have amass wealth could be competitive through TV and direct mailing.” For this reason, Vega and other politicians versed in old campaigning techniques will have to become more knowledgeable about the computer, he said. “Young people know it and feel very comfortable with it as a communication vehicle,” he said. “We will have to learn to do it. In fact, I have asked the help of my 11-year old daughter, Kristen, to help me.”