In West New York, voters don’t choose a mayor; they choose five part-time commissioners, who then choose a mayor from among themselves. But each ticket usually has a frontrunner. In the May commission election in West New York, at least two of the frontrunners have some skeletons to answer for.
Three full tickets are running for office, as well as several independents.
Mayor Dr. Felix Roque, who is seeking reelection, is running with four completely new candidates from when he first ran in 2011. These include Margarita Guzman, a former commissioner on the West New York Housing Authority, Cosmo Cirillo, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Susan Colacurcio.
Opposing Roque’s slate is one headed by his former ally, Commissioner Dr. Count J. Wiley. Wiley’s slate is called West New York United and includes Carlos Betancourt, Myrli Sanchez, Hector Hernandez, and Thomas Leung.
A third full ticket called Hope for the Future includes Michael Corso, Anthony DeFino (the son of former Mayor Anthony DeFino), Gabriela Reynoso, Armando Galis-Menendez, and Maria Melendez.
Two independent candidates, Juan Espinal and Patrick R. Cullen Jr. are running together in a partial ticket. Running on his own for commissioner is Jose Rosario.
Roque administration has been a turbulent one
Roque has come under fire from law enforcement sources. In 2012, he was indicted in an alleged scheme to hack into an opponent’s website, but was ultimately acquitted. (His son was charged with a misdemeanor related to the same alleged scheme.) Then, the state of New Jersey released a damning report accusing Roque of allegedly meddling in school district personnel matters for political reasons.
Roque has managed to survive the criticism and even got his school board members elected this past November.
Politically, Roque managed to alienate U.S. Senator Robert Menendez in early 2012 by initially endorsing Menendez’s Republican opponent – something he said was largely a misunderstanding.
“I feel very confident that voters will see what we have done and approve.” — Felix Roque
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Roque backed Commissioner Caridad Rodriguez in a successful primary bid to unseat Munoz in 2014. Munoz later decided not to run against Roque in the municipal election.
But other candidates have emerged, hoping to take advantage of allegations against Roque for political interference in the school district.
A 2013 report generated by the state Department of Education claimed Roque had interfered with operations in the school district, allegedly basing hiring and firing on political support. Roque denied these allegations, noting that the report was based on interviews with people who may have been opposed to him politically. The report recommended further investigation by the Attorney General’s office. No charges have been filed since then.
The report was successfully used to convince West New York voters to pass a referendum for an elected, rather than appointed, school board. Two of the candidates elected in the first round of the elections held in early 2014 were seen as anti-Roque candidates. But in November, three Roque candidates swept the other seats and Roque retained control of the board.
“I feel very confident that voters will see what we have done and approve,” Roque said in an interview earlier this year. “We have done a lot to improve the way government works.”
Roque has cited accomplishments in four years including keeping taxes down (a tax rise under the previous administration was what initially what propelled Roque into office) and reforms including replacing what he believed were cronies in government with hard, competent workers.
Roque is a doctor who has a pain management practice in West New York. He is a former Army colonel.
Wiley and Roque are in a grudge match
While Roque has offered to make peace with Wiley, too many things have been said and done over the last three years for Wiley to agree.
Wiley’s ticket is running a campaign on accountability, saying that operations inside Town Hall need to be looked at more closely.
There was a falling out between Roque and Count Wiley over a number of issues in 2012. Wiley attempted to recall Roque. But the move failed because of petition signature issues.
While opponents try to use Roque’s past against him, the Roque ticket has changed drastically from the ticket he ran with in 2011.
Critics claim these candidates reflect the influence of powerful political people such as Menendez, State Senator Nicholas Sacco, and Rep. Albio Sires. But it also reflects strong efforts by Roque to heal wounds ahead of the election. Many of the changes in West New York were structural, with numerous key employees replaced.
Roque is currently in court with Wiley in an attempt to disqualify him. A lawsuit alleges that Wiley is not a resident of West New York, but of North Bergen – since Wiley’s wife is a committee person in North Bergen. Most political observers believe Wiley will prevail since he owns homes in both towns.
Wiley’s campaign, meanwhile has railed against Roque on a number of fronts, including questioning some of Roque’s private business practices.
Wiley has also been the subject of controversy in the past. At a commissioners’ meeting in 2012, the Roque-controlled board majority passed a resolution censuring Count Wiley for conduct unbecoming of an elected official. Wiley had admitted that month that some town employees from neighboring North Bergen had painted his office the previous year. Wiley’s father, James Wiley, had resigned as the head of public works in North Bergen, and pleaded guilty to state charges of having North Bergen employees do personal chores at his home while being paid by the township. Regarding Wiley’s office, Count Wiley said this was part of a “shared services” agreement with the other township.
At that same 2012 meeting, there was also discussion about Mayor Roque’s efforts to place his sister on the Planning Board, which Wiley took issue with, calling it a conflict of interest.
As for accomplishments, Wiley has served as a watchdog over spending and contracts in Town Hall. He has been both commissioner of the DPW and then was commissioner of parks and recreation.
Wiley is a chiropractor in North Bergen.
Both Wiley and Roque are of Cuban heritage.
For stories on the other candidates, see the previous weeks’ editions at hudsonreporter.com.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.