Dear Editor:
Allow us the opportunity to respond to a letter written by 2nd Ward Candidate Karen T. Brady in your issue of April 21, 2002.
Ms. Brady, among the many false accusations and fact distortions, accuses our association of being “Turner’s hand-picked tenants’ association,” endorsing Mayor Turner while refusing to even meet with WIN candidates to hear their position. She further includes a litany of alleged acts on her part and those of her running mates in organizing of seniors, disabled and low-income people to ensure their tenant’s rights are observed.
Without getting too personal, allow us to say before this election none of them have ever been involved in the Weehawken Tenants’ Association. We are familiar with the activists on behalf of tenant causes and neither you nor any of your WIN candidates have ever approached the Weehawken Tenants’ Association since our inception 28 years ago whether to help, register a complaint, or ask for help on behalf of any tenant.
Which brings us to Mayor Richard Turner and the Town Council. They have been involved in the struggle for tenants’ rights for many years. They come to us often to make sure that there is no tenant’s rights being trampled or emerging issues that could grow into major problems. They have early and often expressed their support for rent control and they have supported our programs and our agenda. They have been there for us all of the time and not just at election time.
Ms. Brady’s letter is untrue and unsubstantiated. What motivated the Weehawken Tenants’ Association to make its first political endorsement in history is as mentioned Mayor Turner and the Town Council are our friends. We are not, and have never been a political organization. We resent the characterization of our organization as “hand-picked.” Some of us have spent two decades fighting for tenants long before the current election season and even before Mayor Richard Turner and the Town Council took office.
Ms. Brady, you say you are an advocate, there was your membership with the Weehawken Tenants’ Association when we were in the struggle?
Ms. Brady, where were you when we met with the Hudson County Tenants’ Council and New Jersey Tenants’ Organization to reform the association after Pat Pierce passed away?
WIN frightens us. They have no roots with tenants’ causes in Weehawken and their words and actions demonstrate they do not understand them. In addition none of your literature carries a word about tenants’ issues. This is why we chose to make our first endorsement in our running history to the Weehawken and You Team for re-election. We hope all tenants will join with us and make sure they vote for Mayor Turner and the Town Council on May 14.
The alternative would be a disaster for all of the Weehawken tenants.
Bernice Diskin and Ron McKenna, Co-Chairs
Weehawken Tenants’ Association