Dear Editor:
At this moment that I’m writing this letter, it is my hope that residents who have lived in our community since 2000 or prior will appreciate the turn around that our city has made under the leadership of Mayor Brian P. Stack and the Board of Commissioners. If I may, I’d like to reflect on the last 37 years of all the mayors that we have had.
From 1966-70 the mayor of Union City was William V. Musto. Then in 1970 the citizens elected William Meehan who openly stated that he didn’t’ want more Cubans in Union City. In the May election of 1974, William Musto became the mayor of Union City once again. In 1982 to 1986 Arthur Wichert was selected by the commissioners to be mayor. In 1986 for the first time in the history of this city, the citizens voted for Robert Menendez ticket, and Mr. Menendez went on to become the first Latino mayor in the city and state history.
In 1992 Mayor Menendez was elected to be Congressman of the 33rd District. From 1992 to 1998 the city was led under Mayor Bruce D. Walter.
In 1998 in the municipal election Raul Garcia won the election and went on to become the second Latino mayor of this community.
For the betterment of the entire community in 2000 Mayor Brian P. Stack was appointed mayor of the city where he was born and raised.
As a lifetime resident of this community and as an activist in my neighborhood, I can attest that all the mayors prior to Brian P. Stack represented the position of the mayor on a part-time basis. The entire community is aware that Brian P. Stack works 85 to 90 hours a week for the people he represents. I believe in the Constitution of this great country because it is a “fair” legal document. It is disturbing to me and should be disturbing to residents of this community that there are other mayors in Hudson County who work less than Mayor Brian P. Stack and yet they make over $100,000 annually. This is the truth; the Mayor of our City, Brian P. Stack makes $16,000 a year, and I strongly feel that this salary is not fair, and the community needs to rally behind my concern, and Mayor Brian P. Stack should have a base salary of $92,000 a year.
Respectfully,
Oscar Cordero