NORTH BERGEN – After nearly three decades of service to North Bergen and Hudson County, Freeholder Thomas Liggio announced that he will not seek re-election last night at a meeting of the North Bergen Democratic Municipal Committee.
Elected to the North Bergen Board of Commissioners in 1985 as part of the recall team, Liggio served with Mayor Nicholas Sacco from the beginning of his administration until 1999, when he successfully ran for a seat on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Since then he has worked closely with the mayor with a particular focus on funding improvements to James J. Braddock Hudson County Park, including rehabilitating the park’s lake area, establishing the county’s first dog run, adding volleyball courts, improving tennis and basketball courts and currently rehabilitating the athletic fields along Woodcliff Avenue. Liggio also worked on the 32nd Street pedestrian bridge, traffic improvements on Kennedy Boulevard, Boulevard East bridge repairs and many other important projects. He will serve out the remainder of the term that expires December 31, 2014.
Sacco has endorsed Anthony Vainieri for the open seat. Vainieri has also received the endorsement of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, the North Bergen Democratic Municipal Committee, the Hudson County Democratic Organization, and Freeholder Liggio, and will be on the party line in the June Primary election.
Vainieri is the manager and co-owner of the Vainieri Funeral Home in North Bergen, is a member of the Hudson County Schools of Technology Board of Education and is the chairman of the North Bergen Zoning Board. He has served as Sacco’s chief of staff and as a confidential aide for many years and has been an active member of the North Bergen Democratic Municipal Committee for his entire adult life. Vainieri’s father, Anthony Vainieri Sr., served as a township commissioner and in the State Assembly in the 1970s and 80s and his sister is Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-37). —Art Schwartz
Freeholder Tom Liggio to retire, Sacco endorses Anthony Vainieri for position
