Many people are wondering why a city as small as Guttenberg can see so much trouble when it comes to political scandal.
Four mayors over the last few decades have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. One mayor there managed to win on appeal, only to lose his election later.
Unfortunately for Mayor David Delle Donna, Town Hall may actually have a curse on it, dooming anyone who dares to aspire to the lofty office of mayor.
Perhaps it was built on a Native American graveyard; perhaps some forefather from years past burned a witch on the cliffs overhanging the Hudson River; perhaps mayors in Guttenberg failed to pay proper political tributes to political bosses in North Bergen.
Should Delle Donna be convicted of accepting gifts from a bar owner who was in trouble with the law, North Hudson would begin to see a political unraveling.
Vulnerable because of political retribution, of course, is West New York Mayor Sal Vega, who is not being haunted by ghosts of his past, present or future, but by a wronged city commissioner, Gerry Lange.
Forced out the Vega camp, Lange has become a real thorn in Vega’s side, promising a recall election next spring. More importantly, he has filed a suit challenging Vega’s ability to serve as mayor and athletic director in the school system.
This suit may do more harm to Vega’s political hopes than any recall, since it is based on legal principles that Vega cannot serve to appoint his own boss.
In West New York, where school board members are appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council, Vega literally rules over the same people who oversee his work day duties as athletic director.
When Vega decides to shift or remove someone in his role as mayor, he may be violating the law.
Lange’s suit hopes to force Vega to choose between a relatively high-paying job as athletic director and a politically powerful but low-paying job as mayor.
Vega, of course, could sidestep the issue if he asks to have a referendum put on the ballot asking voters to require their school boards and school budgets to be elected by the voters each year. Vega would keep his job as athletic director and mayor, but would lose control of the board and budget.
An unexpected visit in Weehawken
Usually non-political, the Weehawken Day festival down on the waterfront at Lincoln Harbor had a something of a rude surprise: a chartered plane flew overhead bearing a banner that said: Taxes are up, crime is up, Turner must go.
Weehawken officials apparently altered the Federal Aviation Agency, and the plane was grounded for flying to close to the Lincoln Tunnel.
But the event rattled some residents who believed the annual festival should not have become a political stage. Politicians usually come to the festival to shake hands with residents and share in the barbeque as kids get involved with various activities and city officials dispense information about city services.
Those suspected of staging the event include former freeholder candidate Alberto Cabrera, who was seen walking around earlier, whistling and looking at his watch.
Other suspects include Joe Fredericks, the tax collector, who is well known for his anti-administration stands, and another town critic, Richard Dicosmis (who also promised a recall against Turner next year).
Who paid for the plane rental is also unknown, but some suspect the funds came out of the deep pockets of state Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco.
Some are blaming Sacco’s political frontman Paul Swibinski for coming up with the idea.
One Turner supporter said, “Swibinksi’s mailbox is above a sewer plate in front of Nick Sacco’s house. I wouldn’t put this trick past him.”
Swibinski won few friends for his orchestrated campaign during last year’s primary, which put most of the hostile words against Union City Mayor Brian Stack in Mayor Vega’s mouth.
Will Sandra back Obama?
State Senate candidate Sandra Cunningham disputed claims that she lacks experience to serve in Trenton. “I was in Trenton with my husband; I have plenty of experience,” she said in response to this column from a few weeks back.
But on another matter, she has apparently had a change of heart regarding whom she will support as the Democratic presidential candidate next February. Cunningham had come out early in support of Hillary Clinton, but seems to be leaning to Barack Obama now.
This may be part of a deal with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who came out early for Obama. Healy and Cunningham would make a nearly unbeatable combination in Jersey City and might well help swing New Jersey to the Obama camp in the primary.
This will only aggravate Gov. Jon Corzine, who backs Hillary, and apparently supported Cunningham for state Senate with the understanding that Cunningham would support Hillary too.
Cunningham’s change of heart might have come after Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop made a big splash by bringing Hillary to Jersey City.
Fulop’s success might well bode ill for Healy’s re-election chances, and this deal with Cunningham may be an effort to take a little glitter off of Fulop’s rising political star.
Fulop, however, may well become the next mayor of Jersey City, despite all that Healy does behind closed doors. While Healy reportedly has a million-dollar war chest, he may not be able buy the election if people stop respecting him. Fulop has four chances over the next year and half to rub Healy’s nose in the various messes Healy has created.
Doria move made state politics obvious
Corzine may also be angry over how obvious the backroom deals to get Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria out of Bayonne and into the State House were.
Doria’s new role allows him to protect a lot of special interests not only in Bayonne, where the former Military Ocean Terminal development is at risk, but also in the Meadowlands, where Doria, as chairman of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, will get to work hand in hand with developer Carl Goldberg, the chair of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Goldberg is one of the principals in a company looking to develop a portion of MOTBY in Bayonne.
Reports suggest that Donald Scarinci will soon be packing his bags as counsel in Union City. While normally, this would anger U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, a close associate with Scarinci, reports suggest that Al Decotiis will replace Scarinci. He is also a Menendez ally.