To the Editor:
I have already started taking extra strength headache pills loaded from my PEZ dispenser, and the formal notifications haven’t even been announced yet for the oncoming onslaught of verbal diarrhea amongst the “candidates.” We should get that guy who announces the fights to do a loudspeaker version of “Let’s get ready to ramble,” because that’s what it is going to boil down to.
To begin with, I am a good friend to Mayor Smith. For the record, that doesn’t mean I voted for him in the last election. It was simply because I felt the other candidate was better suited for the job. Mayor Smith won, so we move on.
To this point in his political career, I feel Mayor Smith has earned my vote for the upcoming election. As for the besmirching of his character, I say, Mr. Chiappone, leave it alone.
I will now refer to the mayor on a more personal basis. He has served this city with distinguished bravery and honesty since 1983 as a police officer. For you to wantonly ask for his resignation, regardless of the reasons, is tantamount to treason and disloyalty. Let us compare some items that I am aware of :
1. He was a recipient of a gunshot wound in the line of duty, and you continue to take cheap shots at him while serving Bayonne in the line of duty. Bravery there goes to Smith.
2. He was one of the first on the scene at one of the most horrific homicide crimes this city has ever been privy to. Here, Smith gets kudos for courage in the face of that tragedy.
Should we begrudge him the opportunity to attain his short time to bet the pension he deserves? I don’t think so. Just because you may not get your pension from your years of service due to pending litigation. Well, as grandpa used to say, “Ya mess with the bull, ya get the horns.” I find the hypocrisy on your part, Mr. Chiappone, far exceeds any criminal things you are accused of.
Speaking of that issue for one moment, you as well are besmirching the character of another good man, Gary La Pelusa. I don’t know the specifics, but from my understanding, these allegations occurred before Mr. La Pelusa was a councilman. I am willing to say that even if he knew what the rules were, you should have known them better.
Hey, Mr. Chiappone, isn’t there a bit of history you have with the voters of Bayonne that you never, ever followed up on? I believe you made a campaign promise when you first ran for public office. To enlighten the readers as to my story, your campaign was pushed by the recent salary raise that the council in power at the time had issued themselves. You pledged that you would not accept said raise and would refuse it. Please, Mr. Chiappone, did the city budget get closer to being balanced with your refund?
In conclusion, Mr. Chiappone, do the honorable thing. Bow out of this election. You have already abandoned this city once for more ego feeding positions on the state level. You should have been satisfied with city politics, you were good at that. Not that you have done all that much for Bayonne residents while in Trenton, aside from lending more credence to the dishonorable politics persona that Hudson County people are always accused of.
Mr. Chiappone, let the city move on in a positive direction. Give Mayor Smith a full four year term to work his kind of magic. If he stinks the place out, then he will get voted out in 2014, and I will lead the charge. This will give you time to write your memoirs from wherever you may be residing. Don’t make me take a petition for mayor myself. Because this will be my platform. May name is Scott Szemple, and I am running for mayor of Bayonne and I need your vote on May 11 for Mark Smith. He is the right man. And the platform slogan will be “For a Better Bayonne, Don’t Vote for Chiappone.”
SCOTT SZEMPLE