For the second time in a week, Assemblyman and West New York Mayor Sal Vega sat at one of the back tables at The Coach House in North Bergen waiting to meet with Union City Mayor Brian Stack in hopes to avoid an all out political war among Democrats – not just in 33rd District where Stack is seeking to unseat State Senator Bernard Kenny but throughout Hudson County from the northerly most tip of North Bergen to the southern most tip at Bergen Point in Bayonne.
The last time Vega was to meet with Stack, Vega waited 45 minutes, while Stack apparently got tied up with phone calls in Union City City Hall and arrived too late. This time, Vega was sure Stack would come.
“It’s going to get very interesting here in a few minutes,” Vega said with a grin as he settled into a seat, his back to the window so he could watch those who came towards the table from the door. While the staff knew Vega, few other patrons did.
He was dressed casually in jogging gear, making him look as if he had just come from a run along Palisade Avenue. His chief of Staff, Neil Carrol looked a little more formal, wearing a button-down shirt and cuffed slacks.
They might easily have been mistaken for the 60 or 70 other people who came to the Coach House for breakfast, although both men looked a little unsettled. After all, the future of Hudson County rested on what transpired at the upcoming meeting, and neither Vega nor Carrol seemed to take this lightly.
A few minutes later, Rep. Albio Sires came through the door, dressed in suit as if going to a session of congress. He paused, squinted around the room, then made his way slowly to where Vega and Carol were seated. Oddly absent from Sires’ side was his own chief of staff, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner.
Vega had requested the meeting exclude Turner, believing that if peace was to be obtained, he needed to talk to Sires and Stack without Turner.
“Turner and Vega have not always gotten along in the past,” said one source inside the Vega camp. “Sal wanted to a chance to talk without Turner being in the middle of it.”
Sires was cordial, nodded at Carol and Vega, shook their hands, but he looked stiff and nervous, too, glancing down at his hands as he sat at across the table from Vega – obviously aware of the vacant chair waiting for Stack.
As usual, Stack arrived in a rush, moving through the crowded restaurant like an agitated hamster, his brisk pace allowing him to navigate the maze of tables and chairs more quickly than the others. Although he wore an over coat and creased slacks, he wore no suit jacket or tie. He sat down in the vacant chair after shaking the hands of the others.
Each man looked at the other and then began.
Carrol started the dialogue, laying out the issues that had brought the men together and threatened to tear the county’s political structure asunder. His voice remained calm, and he kept his voice low so that only the odd word reached anyone beyond the table. Vega, Stack and Sires listened to Carrol attentively.
Although Stack rise to the state Senate has been portrayed an inevitable, he looked nervous, and according to political observers, he may soon be tested in a way he has never been tested before.
Impatient for Kenny to move out of the way, Stack declared his intention to push Kenny out of the seat.
But Kenny — apparently with the support of state Senator and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco – intends to put together a ticket to oppose Stack. Vega is expected to run for state Assemblyman on Kenny’s ticket. Stack and Sires came to the meeting in attempt to talk him out of it.
Along with Vega, Kenny has also scheduled a meeting with Rudy Garcia, former Union City mayor an assemblyman, for the second Assembly slot on this ticket. Freeholders Tilo Rivas and Gerry Lange have also been mentioned as possible candidates on Kenny’s ticket.
Stack’s ticket is less defined although reports suggest that Incumbent Assemblyman Louis Manzo of the 31st District may still have time to relocate his residence to the 33 rd District to qualify to run with Stack. Other rumored candidates on the Stack ticket including Hoboken Councilmen Michael Russo, Rubin Ramos or Chris Campos. Although former Hoboken Councilwoman Carol Marsh has also been mentioned, most believe she will not do it.
Can the unstoppable Stack be stopped?
Stack, who once was touted at unstoppable, appears to have solid opposition that could keep him from unseating Kenny after all.
While Stack appears to have the support of Sires and Turner, many of the other Hudson County mayors appear to have lined up behind Kenny, although each appears to have his own reason.
The most obvious reason for Stack’s sudden unpopularity among the mayors has to do with the dual office holding bill that was recently proposed by Essex County state Senator Sharpe James.
The bill, if passed, would have allowed existing dual office holders to keep their current offices, but outlawed future dual office holding. This means Stack would have been able to retain his seat as mayor and assemblyman, but if he won as state senator, he would have to resign being mayor.
Stack apparently blamed Kenny, Sacco and State Senator and Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria for the law, even though all three eventually voted against it.
Insiders, however, said the three were innocent and that the law was designed to stop Newark Mayor Cory Booker, whose followers are rapidly unseating many of the old guard in Essex County.
But the accusation has left bitter feelings among Hudson County Democrats, and Sacco has demanded an apology from Stack – an apology Stack is not likely to give.
Sacco was also angered by misreports that suggest North Bergen police ticketed Stack supporters during the Stack announcement last month. Sacco people say only one ticket was issued that night to a fire lane violation in the nearby mall.
Is Vega watching his back?
Meanwhile, friction between Vega and Sires has created trouble in North Hudson. While a dinner meeting with Sires and Vega apparently dispelled reports that Sires intended to run his wife against Vega in the May election for Mayor, Vega supporters are still wary, claiming the reason is that Sires’ wife doesn’t want to run for mayor.
Vega, who took over Sires’ seat as mayor and state Assemblyman when Sires was elected to the House of Representatives last November, is seeking to put his own mark on West New York. Those closest to Vega claim Sires has demanded a say on who gets commissioner seats and the nod for the state Assembly. Although Sires people deny any such demand, Vega and others believe Sires has become the new face of the U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, and that behind the scenes, Menendez and his close ally Donald Scarinci, are seeking to retain control of the county’s political machine through Turner and Sires.
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has apparently warned Sires not to dictate to Hudson County’s mayors or risk being dumped at the congressman.
Healy apparently has his own gripes with Stack. Healy wants to become the next chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization. Those close to Healy claim Stack wants Healy’s political support in exchange for the post.
Healy people see Stack’s move as an attempt to bully Healy, thus moving Healy and by default, Healy’s ally, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise into the Kenny camp.
Although hugely popular in Union City, Stack is seen as something of a political wallflower in the rest of the county, someone who rarely attends political fundraisers for other candidates outside Union City.
“He has not history,” one political observer said of Stack. “If Vega calls up Healy or DeGise, they all have relationships from the past. They can bully each other and people won’t get offended. But nobody knows Stack really, and people get offended when he tries this kind of thing.”