Photo by Chris Sykes East Orange Police Chief Phyllis Bindi, center, stands with 5th Ward Councilwoman Alicia Holman, left, and Councilman Mustafa Brent on Thursday, Feb. 2, during a community meeting at the Norman Towers apartments. Holman announced she is running for re-election to a fourth term in the Democratic Party primary election on Tuesday, June 6.
East Orange Police Chief Phyllis Bindi, center, stands with 5th Ward Councilwoman Alicia Holman, left, and Councilman Mustafa Brent on Thursday, Feb. 2, during a community meeting at the Norman Towers apartments. Holman announced she is running for re-election to a fourth term in the Democratic Party primary election on Tuesday, June 6.
EAST ORANGE — Although Mayor Lester Taylor announced Thursday, Feb. 2, that he would not be seeking another term, this was not the case for East Orange 5th Ward Councilwoman Alicia Holman, who officially announced at the community meeting at the Norman Towers apartment complex that she will run for a fourth consecutive term in office.
“I’m up for re-election in 2017 and I just wanted to make my announcement that I am running for re-election; I am seeking election to the 5th Ward council seat and I would like to ask for your support in doing so,” said Holman on Thursday, Feb. 2. “I appreciate your support that was given to me in the past. This is a 5th Ward family; I feel like this is my family away from my other family and I thank them for allowing me to do what I do and, as long as I have a voice, I’m going to continue to serve. I’m going to continue to be your spokesperson in the city of East Orange and I think, the decisions that I make on the council, I don’t make them with me in mind; I make them for the residents in mind.”
Council colleagues whose terms also expire at the end include 1st Ward Councilman Chris James, 2nd Ward Councilman Romal Bullock, 3rd Ward Councilman and City Council Chairman Ted Green, and 4th Ward Councilwoman Tyshammie Cooper. Green and James announced they would be running for re-election on Friday, Oct. 7, on the steps of the Essex County Courthouse in downtown Newark, the same day the Essex County Democratic Committee endorsed as its gubernatorial candidate former Goldman Sachs banker and U.S. Ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy.
Cooper has not announced whether she will seek another term. She also currently works as Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren’s chief of staff and is the subject of an ongoing FBI probe into allegations of theft of federal funds; theft and accepting corrupt payments concerning an organization receiving federal funds; conspiracy to commit theft and accept corrupt payments; wire fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; extortion under color of official right, conspiracy to do the same; and money laundering at the Orange Public Library by city officials, including Willis Edwards, the city’s former acting business administrator and deputy business administrator.
If Cooper and Edwards are formally charged with any crimes, they would be arrested and prosecuted, which would likely preclude any re-election plans for this year. Neither has been charged as a result of the FBI investigation as the Record-Transcript went to press this week.
“It’s been interesting,” James said Friday, Oct. 7, describing his term as the 1st Ward councilman. “It’s good being able to do constituent services and get people the services that they need. I like governing, being able to help people out.”
Taylor, who had also announced Friday, Oct. 7, that he would be seeking re-election, changed his mind and announced Thursday, Feb. 2, that he would not, citing a desire to spend more quality time with his family as his primary reason.
With Taylor out of the running, Holman and Green would likely be the leading candidates to succeed him as mayor, although neither has formally announced any intent to do so yet.
As a parent, Holman said she understands why Taylor has chosen to put his family before his commitment to serving the city, but added she’s running for re-election “because I am a resident here, too, and I want to see better days in East Orange.”
“Mayor Taylor, your heart and soul went into East Orange and the platform that you presented, but I understand; I started this when my daughter was young and I get it — these are their best years, so I understand when you say about your family,” said Holman. “I feel as though there is so much more that the city can do. I feel that there’s so much more that we can push toward that I’m not quite ready to leave, until I see what we can accomplish. So if you will have me, I would like to serve and continue to serve as your 5th Ward councilperson.”
East Orange has a unique, 10-member council, with two elected representatives from each of the city’s five wards serving in overlapping four-year terms; this is designed to create and encourage continuity in city government. More typical is the single ward and multiple at large council structure used by most municipal governments ascribing to the Faulkner Act.
East Orange is also a predominantly Democratic town, so the candidate who wins the municipal primary election usually wins the general election. Taylor’s absence in the upcoming election leaves the door wide open for prospective candidates.
The primary election will be held Tuesday, June 6. Petitions are available and due by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 31.
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