Last week, West New York mayoral hopeful Dr. Felix Roque presented Town Clerk Carmela Riccie with just over 6,000 signatures in favor of a recall election against current West New York Mayor Silverio “Sal” Vega.
For the recall election to move forward, Roque had to hand in 5,256 valid signatures, a number that is based on 25 percent of West New York’s registered voters.
In addition to filing signatures to recall Vega, each signer was asked to sign four other petitions to recall the town’s other four commissioners. (Vega serves simultaneously as a commissioner and mayor). Roque provided just over 6,000 signatures on petitions for Commissioner Michelle Fernandez-Lopez, Commissioner Gerald Lange, Commissioner Lawrence Riccardi, and Commissioner Alberto Rodriguez.
“Why don’t we wait and see what the court finds?” – Paul Swibinski
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Speech
On Monday, Dec. 7 at around 11:30 a.m., at the “Together We Can” Roque headquarters, media crews and a crowd of supporters gathered to hear Roque give a speech. Then, Roque, a current lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, walked a few blocks west toward the municipal building holding the petitions in 10 white banker’s boxes.
Roque first asked everyone for a minute of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Pearl Harbor attack, which happened on that date 68 years earlier. Then he began his speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen, due to fiscal incompetence, our great town of West New York is presently facing a financial crisis,” said Roque, referring to last year’s tax increase. “There a multitude of home owners with properties in foreclosure.”
Roque also mentioned dirty streets, new costs acquired by the town, the crime rate, and the firing of ex-chief financial officer Darren Maloney for allegedly mismanaging the town’s finances.
“We are now telling the administration to leave in honor and avoid a disgrace,” said Roque. “Today we will present the signatures needed and soon we will have a special election. We have copies of the signatures submitted.”
Roque later said it was a “Herculean effort” not only to get the signatures but also to scan them into digital format so as to maintain a copy.
Tough battle
Roque began his efforts close to the beginning of the year when residents found out their property taxes were increasing. At the time, Vega blamed the increase partly on the mismanagement of the finances by Maloney.
For the current fiscal year, Vega’s new budget does not include any new tax increases, but it also does not bring taxes down to their previous level.
Vega is not up for election until 2010. Roque would like him to leave earlier.
Last week, Vega’s spokesman responded to the signatures.
“This is not unexpected for us. This is just the latest example of the continuing fraud that has been perpetuated on the people of West New York by this group,” said Vega’s spokesman, Paul Swibinski. “We have hundreds of people who have signed affidavits saying that when they signed a recall petition, they thought they were signing a petition for lower taxes or they signed under some other false pretense.”
The town clerk has until Dec. 21 to determine if there are enough valid signatures.
Fraud or not fraud
Roque’s attorney, Arthur Neiss, overheard Swibinski’s comments to the media. Neiss told Swibinski, “I would just tell you that as an attorney, I don’t use the word ‘fraud’ lightly. I think at the end of the day you are going to find that there has been no fraud. It’s really a rather harsh charge.”
“Why don’t we wait and see what the court finds?” responded Swibinski.
“And we will,” responded Neiss.
Swibinski said “hundreds” of complaints were received by Vega’s camp, but he didn’t know who kept track of them. He said that some but not all have been filed with the county prosecutor’s office.
Swibinski then clarified: “I don’t mean to imply that there was criminal activity here. What I’m saying is they asked people to sign petitions under false pretenses.”
Melissa Rappaport may be reached at mrappaport@hudsonreporter.com