Another Contentious Primary
April 28, 2008 |
Politics
We commented last month about the return of the two
party system to Englewood, not Republicans vs.
Democrats, but two factions of the Democratic Party
which have now become so formalized as to resemble
separate parties. Among our elected officials, Mayor
Wildes and Councilmember Drakeford are in one
faction, working hand in glove with Bergen County
Democratic boss Joe Ferriero. Councilmembers Johnson,
Rosenzweig, Schoen and Reddin are in the other
faction, allied with State Senator Loretta Weinberg
in opposition to Ferriero and calling themselves Real
Bergen Democrats. A majority of the 28 Democratic
County Committee members in Englewood are aligned
with Real Bergen Democrats.
Intraparty contests take place in primary elections, which are held in June in New Jersey, and where the voter turnout is normally much smaller than in November general elections. On June 3, 2008, for the sixth year in a row, the two factions in Englewood are confronting each other, this time for the City Council seats in the First and Third Wards, and for all of the County Committee positions. Councilmembers are elected for three years, and County Committee members for two years.
In the First Ward, incumbent Councilman Ken Rosenzweig is being challenged by Wildes’ paid executive assistant, Anita Sniderman. Rosenzweig was first elected three years ago, unseating long-time Councilman Doug Bern. The key issue was Bern’s close association with Ferriero. Rosenzweig has opposed Wildes on a number of matters, notably a decision by the Wildes-controlled Planning Board in favor of the developer of the major project now being built south of Route 4, and Wildes is clearly seeking to retaliate. Rosenzweig currently serves as City Council President. Sniderman is a long-time Englewood resident who has never previously sought office.
In the Third Ward, incumbent Scott Reddin is being challenged by newcomer Roosevelt Jean. Reddin, now serving his second term, has devoted considerable attention to the concerns of his constituents, and has stood up to improper political pressures. His independence is seen as a threat by the County machine, and this is the second time an opponent has been recruited to run against him. Jean, a member of a Hackensack law firm, registered to vote for the first time in Englewood in December, 2006.
The position of County Democratic Chair Ferriero depends on his election by the more than 1000 Democratic County Committee men and women throughout the County. Those Committee members are elected by the Democratic voters in their respective election districts every two years. Real Bergen Democrats this year are mounting a campaign to elect persons on June 3 who are not beholden to Ferriero and will vote to replace him. In Englewood, we have 14 election districts, each of which chooses a man and a woman to represent them. Listed below are the candidates who have filed petitions to run in each district (asterisk indicates Real Bergen Democrat):
First Ward - District 1
Warren E. Neumann
*Wallace Reid
Anita Sniderman
*Sandra Slipp
First Ward - District 2
Bruce Kane
*Marc Forman
*Lorraine Cohen
Rochelle Kane
First Ward - District 3
*Horace A. Ragbir
Timothy Wedeen
Christine Kavanagh
*Nelida Bobe
First Ward - District 4
David Martinez
*Charles Cobb
Rhonda Harris
*Lillian Scales
Second Ward - District 1
Elliot Shulman
Nina Mare Nanasi
Second Ward - District 2
Frederick Horowitz
*Michael K. Eidman
*Charlotte Bennett Schoen
Arlene Saphier-Horowitz
Second Ward - District 3
Michael Cohen
*Realf Schermer
Danielle Cohen
Third Ward - District 1
*Walter Young
Jeffrey Cherry
*Violet D. Cherry
Martha Aguilera
Third Ward - District 2
William A. Goodman
*Daniel Daniel
Barbara Barrett
*Shirley Green
Third Ward - District 3
Larry D. Christmas
*Eugene Skurnick
*Sondra Greenberg
Sharon L. Christmas
Third Ward - District 4
*Gene A. Backous
Karen R. Perry
*Morriseen S. Barmore
Fourth Ward - District 1
Derek Boone
Alva Jones
Fourth Ward - District 2
Jerald W. Chambers
Rickie L. Taylor
*Eric A. Potter Sr.
*Theresa Thomas
Louise Northern
Fourth Ward - District 3
Curtis E. Caviness
Ila Satterfield
The Englewood Report urges its readers to vote in the June 3 Democratic Primary, and to support the Real Bergen Democrat Council and County Committee candidates.
Intraparty contests take place in primary elections, which are held in June in New Jersey, and where the voter turnout is normally much smaller than in November general elections. On June 3, 2008, for the sixth year in a row, the two factions in Englewood are confronting each other, this time for the City Council seats in the First and Third Wards, and for all of the County Committee positions. Councilmembers are elected for three years, and County Committee members for two years.
In the First Ward, incumbent Councilman Ken Rosenzweig is being challenged by Wildes’ paid executive assistant, Anita Sniderman. Rosenzweig was first elected three years ago, unseating long-time Councilman Doug Bern. The key issue was Bern’s close association with Ferriero. Rosenzweig has opposed Wildes on a number of matters, notably a decision by the Wildes-controlled Planning Board in favor of the developer of the major project now being built south of Route 4, and Wildes is clearly seeking to retaliate. Rosenzweig currently serves as City Council President. Sniderman is a long-time Englewood resident who has never previously sought office.
In the Third Ward, incumbent Scott Reddin is being challenged by newcomer Roosevelt Jean. Reddin, now serving his second term, has devoted considerable attention to the concerns of his constituents, and has stood up to improper political pressures. His independence is seen as a threat by the County machine, and this is the second time an opponent has been recruited to run against him. Jean, a member of a Hackensack law firm, registered to vote for the first time in Englewood in December, 2006.
The position of County Democratic Chair Ferriero depends on his election by the more than 1000 Democratic County Committee men and women throughout the County. Those Committee members are elected by the Democratic voters in their respective election districts every two years. Real Bergen Democrats this year are mounting a campaign to elect persons on June 3 who are not beholden to Ferriero and will vote to replace him. In Englewood, we have 14 election districts, each of which chooses a man and a woman to represent them. Listed below are the candidates who have filed petitions to run in each district (asterisk indicates Real Bergen Democrat):
First Ward - District 1
Warren E. Neumann
*Wallace Reid
Anita Sniderman
*Sandra Slipp
First Ward - District 2
Bruce Kane
*Marc Forman
*Lorraine Cohen
Rochelle Kane
First Ward - District 3
*Horace A. Ragbir
Timothy Wedeen
Christine Kavanagh
*Nelida Bobe
First Ward - District 4
David Martinez
*Charles Cobb
Rhonda Harris
*Lillian Scales
Second Ward - District 1
Elliot Shulman
Nina Mare Nanasi
Second Ward - District 2
Frederick Horowitz
*Michael K. Eidman
*Charlotte Bennett Schoen
Arlene Saphier-Horowitz
Second Ward - District 3
Michael Cohen
*Realf Schermer
Danielle Cohen
Third Ward - District 1
*Walter Young
Jeffrey Cherry
*Violet D. Cherry
Martha Aguilera
Third Ward - District 2
William A. Goodman
*Daniel Daniel
Barbara Barrett
*Shirley Green
Third Ward - District 3
Larry D. Christmas
*Eugene Skurnick
*Sondra Greenberg
Sharon L. Christmas
Third Ward - District 4
*Gene A. Backous
Karen R. Perry
*Morriseen S. Barmore
Fourth Ward - District 1
Derek Boone
Alva Jones
Fourth Ward - District 2
Jerald W. Chambers
Rickie L. Taylor
*Eric A. Potter Sr.
*Theresa Thomas
Louise Northern
Fourth Ward - District 3
Curtis E. Caviness
Ila Satterfield
The Englewood Report urges its readers to vote in the June 3 Democratic Primary, and to support the Real Bergen Democrat Council and County Committee candidates.
