BLOOMFIELD, NJ — With Election Day only five days away on Tuesday, Nov. 8, the two major-party Bloomfield mayoral candidates were both seeing positive results from their campaigning.
Earlier this week, Democrat incumbent Mayor Michael Venezia expressed confidence that he would be returned to office for a second term, while GOP challenger David Tucker said many registered Democrats are not satisfied with the mayor’s performance.
Not having faced each other in a debate, — Venezia seemed uninterested in a one-on-one meeting of any kind — both candidates have met with homeowners on the campaign trail and conversed with residents via social media.
Tucker’s plan for a public appearance was the more definite. He will be at a forum scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Knights of Columbus on State Street. U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-11th District, is expected to be in attendance. Venezia’s plan to meet the public, at the time of this story, was tentative, with a possible campaign rally on Saturday, Nov. 5.
The mayor had suggested two weeks ago that he and his slate would have their own meet-and-greet with the residents. He dismissed Tucker’s proposal of a forum-type, public meeting between the two as a political stunt coming three week before the election. The independent mayoral candidate, Richard Galioto Sr., was not included in Tucker’s proposal. Galioto declined to be interviews for this story.
Tucker in turn dismissed Venezia’s suggestion of a meet-and-greet as a ploy coming from a mayor who does not want to answer the hard questions. Venezia said he had considered a Facebook debate, but that did not materialize. Tucker did not see the merit in a social media debate.
“You need to meet face-to-face,” he said. “People need to see your physical reactions and you need to look people in the eye.”
In separate interviews, both candidates did agree that the various municipal departments are doing their jobs. Venezia credited this to the open-door policy of Township Administrator Matthew Watkins and the hands-off approach of the council. Venezia’s slate includes incumbents Wartyna Davis and Carlos Pomares, and challenger Ted Gamble. Tucker’s running mates are Hector Correra, Ciro Spina III, and Caesar Mazzeo Sr.
Venezia said council harmony is an important ingredient in letting department heads do their work. During the previous mayor’s administration, he said, the constant bickering in the council unnerved directors.
“The department heads were afraid of losing their jobs,” he said.
It was, however, during Venezia’s first term that the possibility of outsourcing the engineering department was considered and this compelled the township engineer to address the council in defense of his department.
Also, the previous township attorney, a Bloomfield municipal employee, was abruptly dismissed in January 2016. He was replaced by an individual employed by an outside law firm, a situation which required an ordinance amendment. The dismissed attorney threatened a lawsuit against the township until the new appointment became legally correct.
For his part, Tucker also said he thought the individual departments were doing a fine job, but he offered a caveat.
“Changes need to be made,” he said. “I want independent auditors to come in and financially audit every department to eliminate waste and reduce property taxes.”
Venezia, however, said he is trying to make Bloomfield affordable.
“There was a $16 increase in property taxes last year,” he said. “Most of the time people don’t understand that most taxes go to schools.”
There could be a future share-service agreement, he said, with the school district. It would have the new school district business administrator also serving as the purchasing agent for the township.
All candidates saw the benefit of residents volunteering to make Bloomfield a better place to live.
Democrats Davis and Pomares said they have included Bloomfield schools in tentative volunteer plans. Davis would like to see her initiative of a day of service, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., involve the elementary schools.
Pomares, who helped to create a pocket park on Oak Tree Lane with Boy Scout volunteers, said he would like to get Demarest Elementary School involved in another Greenway project. Gamble is involved with the Friends of Watsessing Park Conservancy.
“People I get to meet at Watsessing can help at Green Way,” Pomares said. “Volunteerism helps with other opportunities. It energizes people.”
GOP candidate Correra said he is active in Watsessing Elementary and the Bloomfield Middle School, which his children attend.
“We need a community center,” he said. “A lot of kids don’t have a place to go. Kids in my ward have nothing in town offered to them. While I do enjoy the new buildings going up, there’s nothing being done for kids except to hang-out.”
Correra lives in the 3rd Ward.
The foremost campaign issue for Tucker is the implementation of nonpartisan elections.
“This will take the bosses out of control of local government and let anyone who is a citizen run,” he said. “It would make a difference in the Democratic control of the town. The mayor has a job with the county and an obligation to ‘Joe D.’”
By “Joe D,” he was referring to Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., the Essex County executive.
Venezia took issue with what Tucker said.
“Joe is a mentor to me,” he said. “I’ve asked him for his advice but he has never told me what to do.”
As an example, Venezia said DiVincenzo told him not to move so fast on the purchase of property located on Lion Gate Drive.
“He said to wait until we got an agreement from the DEP for Green Acres funding,” he said. “We went ahead and got the funding anyway.”
The purchase of the land by the township eventually went to court because of conflict-of-interest issue with a seated council member. The funding was for $1.4 million, Venezia said.
Venezia also had something to say about nonpartisan elections.
“Nonpartisan elections limit minority participation,” he said. “There are certain towns around with nonpartisan elections and no minorities are on the councils. Dave Tucker can’t win and is afraid to run with Donald Trump.”
Tucker saw the matter differently.
“Of 22 municipalities in Essex County, 17 have lower tax rates and 15 of them have nonpartisan elections,” he said. “I want a commission for nonpartisan elections if I am elected.”
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