UNION CITY – With the city’s budget six months overdue, Mayor Rudy Garcia and the Board of Commissioners rejected a proposal Tuesday for the state to review and possibly make changes to the spending plan. Commissioner Rafael Fraguela made the proposal, which sought to have the state send in a review team to take control of Union City’s budget and perhaps force Mayor Garcia to adopt a budget formulated by the state. The Union City budget is now six months overdue pending funds it is hoping to gain from the $3 million sale of Roosevelt Stadium to the Board of Education and the $4 million sale of the city’s Department of Public Works garage. But these sales have not yet gone through. The other four members of the board of commissioners – Michael Leggiero, Ray Lopez, Tina Yandolino, and Mayor Garcia (who sits on the board) – refused to second Fraguela’s proposal. Garcia said the decision that was based on the board recognition of Fraguela’s attempt to politicize the city budget process. The 1999-2000 fiscal year municipal budget increases spending by only slightly more than 1 percent, but it also calls for a $210 annual increase in taxes for homeowners with property valued at $100,000. If the sales of the two properties are not successful, and there are not other ways to cut municipal costs, taxes could be raised further. Fraguela said he believes the sales will be unsuccessful because of the mayor’s failure to seek the proper approval for at least one of the two sales. In a letter he sent earlier this month to Jane Kenny, the State Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Fraguela said the Mayor “failed to seek approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) … because the stadium benefited from Green Acres funding.” Green Acres funding is state funding for parkland. Garcia admitted that no approval had been received from the DEP. “We do not believe that they are required to [give approval],” he said, “and they don’t have any legal standing to permit us or not permit us. I think it is very clear under their own regulations that if there is a transfer in ownership from a municipality to another government entity, it does not trigger the Green Acres regulations or does not require state planning commission approval.” But the mayor also said that the city is still awaiting approval from the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to move forward. The DCA is responsible for the review and approval of all municipal, county, and local government financial actions. The DCA said that they would not give their approval until the sales are finalized. E.J. Miranda, a spokesperson for the DCA, said in a phone interview Wednesday, “They are supposed to be sending documents concerning contracts for the sale of certain assets. I had asked about this yesterday and I was told that we were still waiting for those documents but we anticipate getting those documents shortly.” Fraguela said he has not received any response from Kenny at the DCA but could not see the situation being resolved even if the sales are successful and approved by the DCA. “It’s a one-shot revenue,” Fraguela said. “What’s going to happen next year.” At Tuesday’s meeting, Garcia and Fraguela, amid shouts and applause from audience supporters, accused each other of failure to work in the city’s best interests. Fraguela blamed the Mayor for delaying the budget and for tax hikes, while the Mayor said Fraguela has voted in the past against measures that would lower taxes. “Stop saying what happened in the past,” said Fraguela to Garcia. “‘Cause you were a part of it.” Garcia responded by saying, “He would rather blame me than work with us to stabilize the taxes. At the last minute after he’s voted every single time to spend … he wants to call the state review team.” Other ‘no’ votes Fraguela abstained from voting for an amendment to create the new position of Deputy Municipal Clerk and to dismiss the position of Assistant Deputy Municipal Clerk. He said he abstained because the board did not disclose an approximate salary for the position. Fraguela said he did not expect to have his proposal rejected but hoped the Mayor would have used it at Tuesday’s meeting to help resolve the fiscal budget problems. “They talk about solutions and I had the solution last night and they refused it,” said Fraguela Wednesday. He said he had not given up and will continue to try and call in the state and ask the DCA to conduct an audit of the budget. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board appointed Julio Morejon, a Union City resident with a law practice on Bergenline Avenue, to the position of municipal prosecutor. He replaced Mark Nelson, the municipal prosecutor for the past 14 years, who will be sworn in as a Superior Court judge on March 28 at the Brennan Court House in Jersey City. The West New York Cuban Lion’s Club received a proclamation from the board for its recent donation of more than $3,000 to the Union City Emergency Medical Services unit that used the money to purchase a defibrillator. Hockey play area could be reality Thanks to a group of nine young men from Union Hill High School, who got a petition signed by 300 supporters, Mayor Rudy Garcia said he is willing to work toward bringing a hockey rink to Union City. The young men, ages 11 to 17, decided to bring their petition before the mayor at last Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting after one member, 17-year old Joey Keenan, contacted The Hudson Reporter to inquire how to introduce the group’s petition. The boys said that for more than a year, they have been meeting at a parking lot located in the back of a local Burger King to play street hockey, but were told that they would be unable to continue playing there. They said they were unable to use their school’s facilities because they seem to always be occupied by basketball players. They said they have considered going to a park in Weehawken, but the journey is too long for heavy equipment. Reading from a prepared statement before the board, Keenan said, “We’re only asking for a place about the size of a basketball court.” The mayor said that while he attended Union Hill as a young man, he too would play street hockey in the back of the Burger King, and that he supports recreational activities for the youths. But he gave one provision. “Only if you all study, and do great, and maintain a B average, I’ll try to get you a hockey rink in Persian Field,” he said. “Or if you prefer a place for street hockey, and maybe a league can be created.” The mayor commended the young men for their decision to take action. He offered to meet with them to further discuss their idea. “I feel really good,” said Keenan, “like we actually accomplished something important.” He said the group had worked fervently for five days to gather all 300 signatures. The group is not seeking an ice hockey rink because the equipment is too expensive, Keenan said. “Maybe Mr. Garcia can buy us the equipment,” said Brandon Keenan, Joey’s 11-year old brother. HOCKEY LIVES ON – Nine Union Hill High students got 300 signatures on a petition in support of a hockey rink or play area. They brought the petition to Mayor Rudy Garcia at last Tuesday’s Board of Commissioner’s meeting. Pictured from left to right: 15-year-old Abdiel Rivera; 14-year-old Jesus Gonzales; 17-year-old Kelly Garcia; 17-year-old Joey Keenan; 16-year-old Johann Gonzales; 16-year-old Miguel Garcia; 14-year-old Danny Fernandez and 16-year-old Alfonso Rojas. Not pictured: 11-year-old Brandon Keenan.