Passaic

Mayor Alex Blanco, right, and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic).

PASSAIC – Mayor Alex Blanco’s victory over city supervisor Vincent Capuana last night concretized the alliance between Blanco and Assemblyman/Council President Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), as Blanco secured a full, four-year term.

After prevailing in a special election last November, Blanco beat Capuana last night, 4,988 (53.1%) to 4,409 (46.1%). Once again, the Dominican-American medical doctor depended heavily on the Orthodox Jewish community and on Schaer’s speed dial, which landed backing from Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie, financial contributions from the likes of Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden), Assemblywoman Nellie Pou (D-Paterson) and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and the vociferous backing and infrastructural support of Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan.

Among the post-election revelers at Blanco’s party at the Fiesta were state Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), West New York Mayor Sal Vega, and state Sen. Brian P. Stack (D-Union City), an early and steady backer of Blanco’s last year. Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) also enthusiastically backed Blanco at separate, heavily attended events.

Mayor Alex Blanco, right, and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic).

PASSAIC – With backing from Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken), the re-election campaign of Mayor Alex Blanco showed every early sign of moonwalking to victory today.

That was until operative Kevin Collins, who recently left the gubernatorial campaign of Steve Lonegan, surfaced as an opposition researcher for Blanco nemesis Vincent Capuana, and a week and a half ago muddied the incumbent mayor with mailers describing his financial woes, which at the very least seized the attention of Team Blanco.

The favorite immediately retaliated, issuing counterpunch lit. detailing Capuana’s salary climb to over $100,000 during the years of disgraced and jailed former Mayor Sammy Rivera, and highlighting Capuana’s receipt of a loan from the same mortgage company owned by a developer with whom Capuana had school board dealings.

Mayor Alex Blanco and Councilman Daniel Schwartz meet Roberto Clemente, Jr.

PASSAIC – The chest-thumping out of Camp Capuana didn't reach enough of a din Tuesday to diminish the perception of Team Blanco’s momentum as the mayor and his running mates joined Little Leaguers at La Sevilla and shook hands with ex-slugger Roberto Clemente, Jr., who sat at a table and signed baseballs.

The mayor would soon feel the uncomfortable fat of the bat from his rival’s campaign when a mailer targeting his personal financial difficulties made contact on the city streets today, but Dr. Alex Blanco said he gutted it up the hard way, is taking care of business, and consequently is unashamed of those challenges.  

Vincent Capuana, the longtime city supervisor who lost to Blanco by 203 votes in a special election last November and now runs against him in an otherwise cleared mayoral field, maintained control of the School Board by a 5-4 vote Monday.

PASSAIC - The race to succeed Sammy Rivera consists of six Passaic residents, who turned in their petitions by the 4 p.m. deadline today.

They are city supervisor Vincent Capuana, bailbondsman Carl Ellen, Councilwoman Maritza Colon-Montanez, Councilman Joe Garcia, physician Alex Blanco, and real estate developer Jose Sandoval.

"They have all qualified to run," said City Clerk Amada D. Curling.

Ritzy Morales, who handles constituent services for U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), did not make the deadline this afternoon and announced that she had pulled the plug on her mayoral bid.

"It's not the right time," said Morales. "We want to unify the city and as it is there are too many Hispanics in the race."

Five days into his service as acting mayor of Passaic, Gary SchaerPassaic Acting Mayor Gary Schaer pledged to remove the taint of corruption from a city whose former mayor pleaded guilty to extortion last Friday and resigned hours before Schaer assumed office.

"Throughout my over 18 years of service to Passaic, I have sought to serve with distinction and honor, always taking into account what is best for all of Passaic," said Schaer, 57, an investment analyst broker who served as commissioner of the Passaic Housing Authority for five years prior to his election to the council.

As the successor of Sammy Rivera, Schaer continues in his role as council president, and as the legislature’s first Orthodox Jewish assemblyman, now serving his second term in the 36th district.

Passaic City Council President/Acting Mayor Gary S. Schaer released a statement today in the aftermath of Mayor Samuel Rivera's departure from office. 

Rivera resigned at 5 p.m. after earlier in the day pleading guilty to extortion in federal court.

"This is a difficult time for Passaic," said Schaer. "I am committed, along with my city council colleagues, to restoring confidence to the residents of Passaic and assuring them that the services provided by our municipal government will continue as normal.

The Star-Ledger is reporting that Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera today in federal court pleaded guilty to corruption charges and faces up to 18-24 months in prison.

Caught in an FBI sting last year, Rivera, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of extortion after being accused of accepting $5,000 in cash from a dummy insurance brokerage firm.

Rivera resigned as mayor of Passaic, effective at 5 p.m. today, according to the Star-Ledger.

EVANS TAKES OATH AS ASSEMBLYWOMAN FOR 35TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 

Lawmaker Brings Expertise in Social Services, Local Government, Civil Rights 
 
(TRENTON) - Elease Evans, a well-known community activist and government official from Paterson, was sworn in today as an Assemblywoman representing the 35th Legislative District in Passaic and Bergen counties.

The legislature needs to be put on a leash to curtail spending, and real solutions need to implemented to create a new school funding formula.

It's time the people of Passaic got "honest government."