JERSEY CITY – Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy announced on Wednesday that current Ward F Democratic Committeeman Omar Perez will run on his re-election slate next year as one of three at-large City Council candidates.
A native of Puerto Rico, Perez, 33, is the son of community activists Franklyn and Carmen Perez. According to a release from the Healy campaign, he has served as research and projects director for Wilfredo Caraballo, speaker pro tem for the New Jersey Assembly and was chief of staff to Assemblyman Gordon Johnson. Perez previously served as regional director of La Unidad Latina and has worked on New Jersey’s Civil Union Law, the repeal of New Jersey’s Death Penalty and various Law and Public Safety bills. At present, Perez is the elected Jersey City Democratic committeeman in District 28 of Ward F. He is currently working on his Masters Degree at Rutgers University’s School of Public Administration and Policy.
Last year he ran unsuccessfully with Suzanne Mack for two at-large seats during the special election to replace Mariano Vega and Willie Flood. Perez and Mack lost their races to Viola Richardson and Rolando Lavarro Jr.
In a press release issued on Dec. 5, Healy said, “In putting together my re-election team, I’m looking for those who share my same motivation for both running for office and for governing, namely, always doing what’s best for the families, taxpayers, and small businesses of Jersey City. Omar Perez knows how to bring people together, not drive them apart, and is the type of bright young leader our city needs.”
“I have been a student of Jersey City politics for years and I know, in this election, the best candidate to move Jersey City forward is Jerramiah Healy,” said Perez.
Perez is the second Healy slate member to be announced by the campaign.
Earlier this year the campaign announced that community activist Dan Levin will run on the ticket for Ward E.