ALBIO SIRES FOR CONGRESS PRESS RELEASE

Perth Amboy Councilman and Community Leaders Endorse Albio Sires for Congress
Point to Failure of Vas Tenure As Reason For Sires Support

(Perth Amboy) Pointing to a record of failed leadership by Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, Perth Amboy Councilman David Szilagyi and community leaders Israel Varela, Carmen Ramirez and Scott Farber today endorsed former Speaker Albio Sires for Congress in the 13th Congressional District. Sires is running against Vas to fill the vacancy created by now-Senator Robert Menendez, who had previously represented the 13th District in Congress.

“Over the past several years, I have been disappointed to see Mayor Vas morph into someone who is interested in pursuing his personal ambitions, rather than fulfilling his commitment to the residents of Perth Amboy,� said Councilman Szilagyi. “The job that we began sixteen years ago to revitalize our city is not yet finished, but Mayor Vas seems eager to leave his responsibilities behind in order to pursue a personal agenda while shirking his responsibilities to our constituents.�

Councilman Szilagyi was elected to the City Council in 1992 and was re-elected twice more, running on the Perth Amboy First ticket with Mayor Vas.

Also endorsing Sires were three former Council candidates who were narrowly defeated earlier this month in their bid for city council.

“We are here to say that the voters of the 13th Congressional District should not be fooled when Joe Vas talks up his record in Perth Amboy,� said Israel Varela. “When he talks about his fiscal record in Perth Amboy, the voters should be aware that Perth Amboy is facing a massive tax hike for the second year in a row because of his budget gimmicks. When he talks about financial responsibility, voters should know that our municipal debt service has increased over 500% since he has been mayor. And when he talks about cleaning up government, voters should know that he awarded his campaign consultant a million dollar contract at taxpayer expense, used his office as mayor to help spring a heroin dealer out of jail and used government letterhead to ask for leniency for a convicted child molester. This is the real Vas record in Perth Amboy – not the distorted and desperate spin now emanating from his congressional campaign.�

“Several years ago, Mayor Vas’ ticket faced no opposition at all,� said Carmen Ramirez. “Two weeks ago, almost half the voters in Perth Amboy voted against his candidates because they rejected his record of budget gimmickry and cronyism. Thanks to his gimmicks, our municipal budget is almost eleven months late and the Department of Community Affairs has chastised the mayor for failing to provide the state with real budget data needed to finally approve our budget. It is appalling that Joe Vas actually believes this record entitles him to a promotion.�

“The people of Perth Amboy know Joe Vas best and that is why nearly half of them sent a message rejecting his record of failed leadership last Tuesday,� said Scott Farber. “If that is the kind of support he is getting from his constituents at home, the only way he can expect to get any more support from those outside Perth Amboy is by covering up his record. His failure to introduce a budget even in the face of state sanctions and at tremendous risk to our state aid denotes gross mismanagement at best and deliberate negligence at worst. This is no way to run a city and it is certainly no reason to ask for voter support for a promotion to Congress.�

The Perth Amboy leaders also cited Sires’ record as an urban mayor who has revitalized his city and as the former Assembly Speaker who led the fight to make college tuition affordable, increase the minimum wage and create jobs within the community.

“I am especially honored to receive this endorsement, because it comes from people who have been at the forefront of fighting to change their hometown for the better,� said Speaker Sires. “I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead to ensure that positive change does come to Perth Amboy and will do everything as the next member of Congress to ensure that the people of Perth Amboy have the best quality of life possible.�

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