There was a time when Thomas Rizzi had a good relationship with Ramon de la Cruz. But those days are gone.
Rizzi also had a good, friendly relationship with Guttenberg Mayor David Delle Donna. Also history.
De la Cruz was also once a political ally of Mario Falato, and they were on the same ticket just a year ago in the municipal election for township mayor, an election that pitted Delle Donna against Rizzi and de la Cruz. But that’s also an irreparable relationship gone sour.
However, later on, Delle Donna appointed former foe de la Cruz to replace Carlos Garcia on the Township Council.
Got all of that? Such is life in the wonderful, wacky world of Guttenberg politics, where everything and anything is possible.
Tuesday, Guttenberg voters will head to the polls to participate in the Democratic primary for two Township Council seats, which will pit former friends and allies against each other in a very heated battle.
There are two tickets of two men each. Rizzi, who was unsuccessful in his attempt against Delle Donna last year, is running on a ticket with Falato, who pulled out of the race last year after committing to be a member of de la Cruz’ ticket.
De la Cruz, who was appointed to serve on the council after Carlos Garcia resigned earlier this year, is running on a ticket with newcomer Thomas Barnes, a retired 30-year Navy pilot. They have the support of both Delle Donna and the regular Hudson County Democratic Organization.
The two winners of the Democratic primary will lock horns in November in the general election against Republican challengers Bond Blake and Joseph Aponte, who are running unopposed in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
Current Councilman Edward Huebsch has decided not to seek re-election.
If there is one thing that all four Democratic council candidates agree upon, it is what they perceive to be the most important issues in the election. All four agree that they are property taxes, education and parking.
Key issues
The 41-year-old de la Cruz, an attorney who helped to form the “Guttenberg on the Hudson” Civic Association a few years ago, said that he has enjoyed his brief tenure serving on the Township Council and wants to remain for another full two-year term.
“I’ve put in a lot of time, and the time has been used productively,” said de la Cruz. “We have been addressing issues that have been affecting Guttenberg’s residents. I think I’ve been able to make a difference, especially being involved with the recent ABC [Alcoholic Beverage Control] hearings and the closing of problem taverns. I feel like I have been making a difference and want to continue to do so.”
The 56-year-old Barnes, a native of Houston, Texas, moved to Guttenberg’s Bulls’ Ferry waterfront development nearly two years ago. After spending more than 30 years in the U.S. Navy as a pilot, Barnes retired and moved with his new wife, Jackie, the chief operating officer of the Girl Scouts of America, to Guttenberg and quickly wanted to get involved.
“I think I have the time to do the job properly,” Barnes said. “If I didn’t have the time, I wouldn’t do it. I just felt I could be part of the organization and wanted to get involved. I was very concerned about our taxes. I’ve been told I am the single highest taxpayer in Guttenberg. We have a very active group in Bulls’ Ferry that wants to get involved and feels they can change the world. I got involved last year in the election and felt that Mayor Delle Donna was the best candidate to reach everyone, with an agenda of new thoughts and ways to improve the town. I consider myself a part of that agenda. I also think I have the chance to offer something new, a different perspective.”
The 53-year-old Rizzi, a teacher and business manager in the Newark Public Schools, has lived in Guttenberg for 28 years. He had a stint on the Board of Education and the Planning Board, before seeking the mayoral seat last year.
“It’s a different title, but the goal is still the same,” Rizzi said. “Whether it’s as a mayor or as a member of the council, it’s important to have a voice. There’s a lot that needs to be changed and there’s room for improvement. We have to be more careful with the decisions we make in town. The decisions should not be made for personal reasons. We have to have the entire community in mind.”
Added Rizzi, “Running for mayor was a definite learning experience for me. In retrospect, I’ve said, ‘I wish I could have done this or that.’ But it’s been a learning experience. I feel very confident this time. I’ve received tremendous feedback from the neighborhood. We’re getting a lot of positive support.”
Rizzi feels that the town has been experiencing a level of apathy toward this election.
“There seems to be a feeling of complacency,” Rizzi said. “We have to attack the problems head on and we’re going to work very hard to solve the problems. The parking issue is a serious concern. We’ve experienced an 8.65 percent tax increase from February to May, even with the revenue coming from the waterfront.”
Rizzi also questions the work of the council toward water and sewage bills.
“The MUA [the bill coming from the North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority for water and sewage] seems to be a forgotten issue,” Rizzi said. “We’re paying $1.34 more per 1,000 gallons than North Bergen does. It’s the highest MUA rate in New Jersey. The North Bergen has an $11 million surplus. We want to know whether some of that belongs to Guttenberg.”
Falato, a 61-year-old retired former owner of a limousine company and supervisor at Railway Express, has lived in the town for 25 years. The married father of three also believes that the MUA bill is excessive.
“We have to start to look at all those issues,” Falato said. “This is just the top of the sundae. We feel extremely confident. Word on the street is that we’re looking good. Tom and I can do something together, to get a handle on the MUA, to address the parking problems in town, the overcrowding.”
Both de la Cruz and Falato were asked about their past relationships and how things turned around so abruptly in just one year.
“We found out that Ramon was in this for himself,” Falato said. “At one time, I thought we had the same ideas. But then, he seemed to go with Delle Donna and became completely opposite of what he was. Everything was for Ramon. That’s when I decided not to run on his ticket and joined forces with Tom Rizzi.”
“I probably had a better relationship with Tom Rizzi than I did with Mario,” de la Cruz said. “He was someone who was involved on what we thought were common issues. But he’s of no consequence to me anymore. I was involved in a campaign and he abandoned it. That should tell you something about Mario’s makeup. He’s known as ‘Flip-Flop Falato.’ It’s no loss to me. There never really was a relationship. I haven’t had contact with him in quite some time, nor do I want to have any. I don’t think he has the best interests of the town at heart and he showed that last year when he backed out.”
The only true outsider to the fracas has watched the situation very closely.
“I see they take the gloves off here and use jungle rules,” Barnes said. “I told myself I was not going to get down into the weeds when I committed to this. I’m running an upfront campaign and I’m not going to attack personalities. I do understand what it takes now and it’s been one hell of an experience.”
Although Ramon de la Cruz said that he was flattered to receive word recently that he has been nominated by Gov. Jim McGreevey to serve as the state’s paid director of the Division of Election Law, he has yet to officially accept the position.
“I haven’t had anyone talk to me about the particulars concerning the job,” de la Cruz said. “It’s a great position and I’m honored to be selected, but there’s nothing official to it. At this point, my goal is to get through the election, to win the election and see what happens.”
However, if de la Cruz officially accepts the position with the state, then state bylaws prohibit him from either holding public office or running for public office.
According to the state’s Department of Law and Public Safety Code of Ethics’ Conflict of Interest Laws, which establishes strict specific standards of conduct for state employees and officers, a state official must refrain from engaging in “being a candidate for or hold any elected public office or be a candidate for or hold any elected or appointed political party office.”
The laws are clearly listed in the state’s Department of Law and Public Safety Code of Ethics, under “Political Activities,” which is Roman numeral V. The list can be found on the state website, at www.state.nj.us/lps/ethics/lpscode.html.
A press release from Gov. McGreevey’s office, dated May 10, 2002, said that de la Cruz had received the appointment to the position.
“There is no right more fundamental to the concept of democracy than the right to vote,” said McGreevey in the May 10 release. “That is why I am entrusting Ramon de la Cruz with ensuring that elections in New Jersey are fair, inclusive and absent of voter intimidation.”
The Division of Elections is responsible for voter registration, petitions for elected office, primary and general elections, national convention delegates and the electoral college.
The state’s website also proclaims that “Ramon de la Cruz, who has over 10 years legal experience as a litigation attorney and assistant prosecutor, will become the next Director of the Division of Elections.”
But de la Cruz said that since he hasn’t officially accepted the position – or at this point, even discussed the possibilities of taking the position – then he is still a viable candidate for council.
“There are so many variables that have to be resolved,” de la Cruz said. “I haven’t had the chance to sit down and talk with anyone from the governor’s office yet. I’d have to worry about what to do with my law practice [in Ridgefield]. I just can’t walk away from that. I haven’t had a chance to talk specifics about the job, about salary, pension, the essentials. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight.”
Added de la Cruz, “Assuming everything works out, then I will have to leave. I know I can’t do both.”
The opposition has been handing out fliers stating that a vote for de la Cruz would basically be a “wasted vote” because he intends to relinquish the position soon after the election.
De la Cruz denies those allegations.
“It’s not a wasted vote, because if I do leave, then [the other four members of the council] would have to fill the vacancy,” de la Cruz said. “It’s not a good enough reason to vote for [Thomas] Rizzi or [Mario] Falato, simply because there might be a chance that I might not be around. I’m sure that this will all take some time.”
His opponents believe that de la Cruz should have withdrawn his name for consideration as soon as he started to consider taking the position with the state.
“I feel that if he’s going to accept the job, then he should have been honest and not run for election,” Rizzi said. “He shouldn’t run for a position he couldn’t take. Or that he can’t make up his mind. Why? That’s beyond me. If he accepted the position, this all would have been a non-issue.”
Rizzi said that he knows de la Cruz was offered the position and accepted in May.
“Because he has yet to make up his mind, then I have to question his motive for running,” Rizzi said. “I find it very difficult to believe that he will turn it down. He’s not being truthful with us. Be honest with the people and admit that you’re taking the state job.”
De la Cruz does not believe he has to withdraw as a candidate, because he hasn’t agreed to anything – just yet.
“If there is a statute, then I have to step down, but there are so many variables involved, so many things that have to take place before I accept the position,” de la Cruz said. “I am interested in hearing from someone officially when I would start and what has to be done. But I’m not going to step down now. I would let too many people down if I did that. Should that situation arise, then I will address it, but it hasn’t taken place yet.” – Jim Hague .