Dear Editor:
Recently Joe Blattler wrote a letter stating that Brian P. Stack does not run a transparent government. Mr. Blattler claims that Brian P. Stack does not inform the public with the raid of the FBI that took place last year. There is nothing to report. In cases like this the FBI is the one that does the reporting.
In his letter Mr. Blattler states that Brian has had difficulty balancing the city budget since he is been in office. This is a common problem for city government since the city pays for the astronomical salaries of the police Dept and the Fire Dept. I’m sure that Joe a former police officer was making over $150,000.00 a year before his retirement.
It is easy to criticize city government when you live in Morristown like Joe does. Over 70 percent of the residents that live in Union City live at poverty level and many times the Brian P. Stack Civic Association is picking up bills that these families cannot pay.
Finally Joe Blattler tries to compare Brian with Fidel Castro and the late Hugo Chavez. Let me remind you that there has not been an election in Cuba in over 55years and we know the irregularities that are taking place in elections in Venezuela. Let me go back in history of Union City elections. In 1970 James Lagomarsino still a Union City resident today ran for commissioner and gathered 6000 plus votes and was elected city commissioner. In a commissioner form of government Brian P. Stack has run for mayor three times and in all three times he has gotten ever 12,000 votes. In closing Joe thinks it is not important to give turkeys and hot dogs to these humble families, but I have delivered turkeys and given children toys and the smiles I have seen are worth all the money in the world.
With respect,
Raul “Pico” Marquez