Interviews
Dr. Paul Enters Council Race
July 03, 2007 |
Full
Article
It appears that Councilman Jack Drakeford has some
competition for the 4th Ward Council seat this
November.
Democrat Dierdre Glenn Paul, a Montclair State University Professor and 14-year resident of Englewood, has successfully filed petitions to run as an Independent. Dr. Paul is an acknowledged authority in the field of education, schooling, and literacy. Her latest book is entitled Talkin' Back: Raising and Educating Resilient Black Girls.
Dr. Paul is not new to handling conflict, bureaucracy or management, having administrative and leadership experience as a union leader, department chairperson, keynote speaker and academic presenter. She has won elections before, having served as Grievance Chairperson, Acting President and currently, President of the Montclair State University Federation of Teachers. Dierdre was recently elected to a second term as the Executive Vice President of the Councilof New Jersey State College Locals.
Recently, we had a chance to ask Dr. Paul about her decision to run for city council. Here is our exchange:
The Englewood Report: Dr. Paul, thank you for joining us. Could you tell us about yourself and what prompted you to run for the 4th Ward Council position?
Dierdre Glenn Paul: There was no particular occurrence that prompted me to run. Instead, it would more appropriately be described as a culmination of events. For the past five years, I have been actively engaged in raising my two young children as a divorced, single parent, teaching my classes, and serving as a MSUFT Local 1904 union officer representing more than 750 faculty, professional staff, and librarians.
At the same time, I listened to Ward 4 residents who felt that their needs were not being addressed and I read stories in the newspapers about increasing gang violence and the jeopardy in which our young people find themselves throughout the City. I closely monitored the construction of Towne Centre and the debacle of the illegal 5th Floor in the "Suburbanite" and talked to local women who were impacted by the development. One was given $5,000 and a time frame to vacate. The other worried about the anticipated arrival of the time when she would be asked to abandon her business on Humphrey Street. I was particularly struck by those women because they felt they had no recourse and they certainly did not see local government as a possible source of assistance and/or protection.
I have now reached a point at which I've come to realize that it is up to me to shape the type of community in which I want to raise my children. The same skills that I developed and effectively used as a Union leader can also be used to improve the quality of life in the
community I love, the community in which my children have lived all of their lives.
The Englewood Report: Having witnessed the nastiness of the last few Englewood campaigns, are you prepared for the onslaught of personal attacks that could come your way?
Dierdre Glenn Paul: Yes, I am aware of the smear campaigns of the recent past and I have even experienced some as I successfully ran for office within the Union structure several times thus far. Yet, I am a 42-year-old, divorced, single parent who also happens to be a Black woman. There have been a number of challenges that life has thrown my way, but strong faith and a belief in God have consistently seen me through, as will be the case in this instance, as well.
My focus is on providing the Fourth Ward with the strong and effective advocacy it needs, as well as representing all of the Ward's citizens. I want the opportunity to restore pride and respect to the Fourth Ward. Ward Four needs a hands-on representative who will actively assist all residents in accomplishing their goals and improving the quality of their everyday lives. The people of Ward Four need to see their representative and be able to easily contact her whenever they need her.
Democrat Dierdre Glenn Paul, a Montclair State University Professor and 14-year resident of Englewood, has successfully filed petitions to run as an Independent. Dr. Paul is an acknowledged authority in the field of education, schooling, and literacy. Her latest book is entitled Talkin' Back: Raising and Educating Resilient Black Girls.
Dr. Paul is not new to handling conflict, bureaucracy or management, having administrative and leadership experience as a union leader, department chairperson, keynote speaker and academic presenter. She has won elections before, having served as Grievance Chairperson, Acting President and currently, President of the Montclair State University Federation of Teachers. Dierdre was recently elected to a second term as the Executive Vice President of the Councilof New Jersey State College Locals.
Recently, we had a chance to ask Dr. Paul about her decision to run for city council. Here is our exchange:
The Englewood Report: Dr. Paul, thank you for joining us. Could you tell us about yourself and what prompted you to run for the 4th Ward Council position?
Dierdre Glenn Paul: There was no particular occurrence that prompted me to run. Instead, it would more appropriately be described as a culmination of events. For the past five years, I have been actively engaged in raising my two young children as a divorced, single parent, teaching my classes, and serving as a MSUFT Local 1904 union officer representing more than 750 faculty, professional staff, and librarians.
At the same time, I listened to Ward 4 residents who felt that their needs were not being addressed and I read stories in the newspapers about increasing gang violence and the jeopardy in which our young people find themselves throughout the City. I closely monitored the construction of Towne Centre and the debacle of the illegal 5th Floor in the "Suburbanite" and talked to local women who were impacted by the development. One was given $5,000 and a time frame to vacate. The other worried about the anticipated arrival of the time when she would be asked to abandon her business on Humphrey Street. I was particularly struck by those women because they felt they had no recourse and they certainly did not see local government as a possible source of assistance and/or protection.
I have now reached a point at which I've come to realize that it is up to me to shape the type of community in which I want to raise my children. The same skills that I developed and effectively used as a Union leader can also be used to improve the quality of life in the
community I love, the community in which my children have lived all of their lives.
The Englewood Report: Having witnessed the nastiness of the last few Englewood campaigns, are you prepared for the onslaught of personal attacks that could come your way?
Dierdre Glenn Paul: Yes, I am aware of the smear campaigns of the recent past and I have even experienced some as I successfully ran for office within the Union structure several times thus far. Yet, I am a 42-year-old, divorced, single parent who also happens to be a Black woman. There have been a number of challenges that life has thrown my way, but strong faith and a belief in God have consistently seen me through, as will be the case in this instance, as well.
My focus is on providing the Fourth Ward with the strong and effective advocacy it needs, as well as representing all of the Ward's citizens. I want the opportunity to restore pride and respect to the Fourth Ward. Ward Four needs a hands-on representative who will actively assist all residents in accomplishing their goals and improving the quality of their everyday lives. The people of Ward Four need to see their representative and be able to easily contact her whenever they need her.
An Interview with Senator Loretta Weinberg
June 26, 2007 |
Full
Article
The Englewood Report: Thank you
Senator Weinberg for consenting to this interview
with us at The Englewood Report. During the last few
contentious months, you have demonstrated a political
stature that clearly doesn't come from the Bergen
County Democratic machine, but from the strength of
your relationship with the majority of voting
Democrats. It must be gratifying to know that
you held "... a commanding lead over
organization-endorsed opponents."
Hence, our first question: before April 12, Joe Ferriero's handpicked Senate candidate impugned your ethics. During that same period, you were quoted as saying, "We're going to beat the bosses, we shall not be moved." Yet, on April 12, The Record reported that you moved to the boss's line without dealing "a significant defeat for the chairman." Do you disagree with The Record's assessment?
Senator Loretta Weinberg: We never gave up the fight! Our opponents withdrew!
I met with Mr. Ferriero on the morning of April 11th when he stated that the three BCDO candidates would withdraw from the race. We did not accept that endorsement until we met with our Union supporters that very afternoon, and in that same evening with our local supporters and candidates. There was a consensus that we had just won the election 54 days before election day! There was also a majority opinion that we should not give up our Real Bergen Democrat line and that our resources could then be better directed to our local Mayor and Council candidates in Englewood and Bergenfield.
So our decisions were made collectively. With all due respect to the Record, we did deal a significant defeat to the Chairman. In fact it was the third straight defeat that the group that who became the Real Bergen Democrats handed to Mr. Ferriero. The first was the convention and subsequent court fight which enabled me to become the Senator from our great district; the second was the bylaws defeat at the County Committee meeting; and the third was our never bowing to his demand to drop one of my Assembly colleagues resulting in his organization folding their opposition. Of course, the fourth was our great victory in the June primaries in Englewood with Charlotte Bennett Schoen's victory and in Bergenfield with the great win of Timothy J. Driscoll, Bruce Carlson and Barry Doll. These wins were proudly accomplished on our Real Bergen Democratic line, with our unqualified and very public endorsements and resources.
This battle was always about Joe's demand to substitute one of us with Ken Zisa. We withstood his demands, threats of a primary, and promises of an endorsement until they read their own polls and decided to give up their opposition. This became the simple fact: we just had no opposition candidates against us.
To sum up, this was a collective decision not made in a vacuum. We won other battles in Englewood and Bergenfield. We are ready for the future if we work together to improve our local Democratic Party, to make it more open and inclusive, to support the very best candidates, and the ideals we represent. We can only do that with your support!
The Englewood Report: You point to your victories both here and in your recent politicsnj.com interview. But some of your supporters seem disappointed that, as one blogger put it, you did not "go in for the kill" against the Boss and his pay-to-play machine. Rather, you have opted to "..continue lobbying within my party to change some of the ways we do business" and "continue lobbying against the kind of excessive pay to play that I've seen going on."
Senator Weinberg, you have experienced firsthand how pay-to-players viciously attack anyone who challenges their right to win and profit from their gravy train. How do you envision the process by which "lobbying" them will effect reform? And, assuming you succeed, what would post-reform political funding look like?
Senator Weinberg: County Committee members (a man and a woman from each election district in the County) are chosen every other year in their respective party primaries. It is those 1100 (plus or minus) folks who elect the County Chair and our other party leaders. That election will be held in June of 2008 for a two year term. Those terms were not up for election in this 2007 primary. Those who think we should have "gone for the kill" must help win at that grass roots committee level in order to fundamentally change our party in next year's primary. So that's where we begin the basic change.
Meanwhile, I will continue working along with others to get local pay-to-play ordinances adopted or put on the ballot for referendum as we are petitioning to do in Teaneck. How about lobbying for a good ordinance in Englewood? I will continue to work within my legislative caucus to tighten up the laws in this area. And I hope we will join together next year to recapture the grass roots of our party. That is an opportunity which just didn't exist in this year's election.
Yes, I (and my running mates) have experienced first hand the attacks from the pay-to-play bosses. But we have withstood those attacks because others were willing to stand with us. Labor unions, environmentalists, women's groups, gay and lesbians, and many other progressives joined the battle. Remember, no one is a boss unless others allow him (or her) to be.
The Englewood Report: Clearly, you have emerged from this primary season with great prestige and even greater political capital. How involved will you be in leading the effort to attract and elect the reform-minded municipal committee candidates that you see as necessary to "fundamentally change" the Bergen County Democratic Organization?
Senator Weinberg: I, along with my Assembly colleagues Gordon Johnson and Valerie Vaineri Huttle, will be very involved in trying to attract reform minded folks to assume roles in the structure of our Party. We know that the Real Bergen Democrats will also be working to win primaries for new grass roots activists, just as they did this year in Bergenfield and Englewood. The Bergen County Democratic Organization should not represent the worst of the pay-to-play interests. Together, we need to recapture our party and that's just what we will do!
The Englewood Report: Thank you, Senator Weinberg. For more information, readers can contact the 37th District legislative team by calling (201)541-1118 or by visiting their Englewood offices at 1 Engle Street, Suite 104.
Hence, our first question: before April 12, Joe Ferriero's handpicked Senate candidate impugned your ethics. During that same period, you were quoted as saying, "We're going to beat the bosses, we shall not be moved." Yet, on April 12, The Record reported that you moved to the boss's line without dealing "a significant defeat for the chairman." Do you disagree with The Record's assessment?
Senator Loretta Weinberg: We never gave up the fight! Our opponents withdrew!
I met with Mr. Ferriero on the morning of April 11th when he stated that the three BCDO candidates would withdraw from the race. We did not accept that endorsement until we met with our Union supporters that very afternoon, and in that same evening with our local supporters and candidates. There was a consensus that we had just won the election 54 days before election day! There was also a majority opinion that we should not give up our Real Bergen Democrat line and that our resources could then be better directed to our local Mayor and Council candidates in Englewood and Bergenfield.
So our decisions were made collectively. With all due respect to the Record, we did deal a significant defeat to the Chairman. In fact it was the third straight defeat that the group that who became the Real Bergen Democrats handed to Mr. Ferriero. The first was the convention and subsequent court fight which enabled me to become the Senator from our great district; the second was the bylaws defeat at the County Committee meeting; and the third was our never bowing to his demand to drop one of my Assembly colleagues resulting in his organization folding their opposition. Of course, the fourth was our great victory in the June primaries in Englewood with Charlotte Bennett Schoen's victory and in Bergenfield with the great win of Timothy J. Driscoll, Bruce Carlson and Barry Doll. These wins were proudly accomplished on our Real Bergen Democratic line, with our unqualified and very public endorsements and resources.
This battle was always about Joe's demand to substitute one of us with Ken Zisa. We withstood his demands, threats of a primary, and promises of an endorsement until they read their own polls and decided to give up their opposition. This became the simple fact: we just had no opposition candidates against us.
To sum up, this was a collective decision not made in a vacuum. We won other battles in Englewood and Bergenfield. We are ready for the future if we work together to improve our local Democratic Party, to make it more open and inclusive, to support the very best candidates, and the ideals we represent. We can only do that with your support!
The Englewood Report: You point to your victories both here and in your recent politicsnj.com interview. But some of your supporters seem disappointed that, as one blogger put it, you did not "go in for the kill" against the Boss and his pay-to-play machine. Rather, you have opted to "..continue lobbying within my party to change some of the ways we do business" and "continue lobbying against the kind of excessive pay to play that I've seen going on."
Senator Weinberg, you have experienced firsthand how pay-to-players viciously attack anyone who challenges their right to win and profit from their gravy train. How do you envision the process by which "lobbying" them will effect reform? And, assuming you succeed, what would post-reform political funding look like?
Senator Weinberg: County Committee members (a man and a woman from each election district in the County) are chosen every other year in their respective party primaries. It is those 1100 (plus or minus) folks who elect the County Chair and our other party leaders. That election will be held in June of 2008 for a two year term. Those terms were not up for election in this 2007 primary. Those who think we should have "gone for the kill" must help win at that grass roots committee level in order to fundamentally change our party in next year's primary. So that's where we begin the basic change.
Meanwhile, I will continue working along with others to get local pay-to-play ordinances adopted or put on the ballot for referendum as we are petitioning to do in Teaneck. How about lobbying for a good ordinance in Englewood? I will continue to work within my legislative caucus to tighten up the laws in this area. And I hope we will join together next year to recapture the grass roots of our party. That is an opportunity which just didn't exist in this year's election.
Yes, I (and my running mates) have experienced first hand the attacks from the pay-to-play bosses. But we have withstood those attacks because others were willing to stand with us. Labor unions, environmentalists, women's groups, gay and lesbians, and many other progressives joined the battle. Remember, no one is a boss unless others allow him (or her) to be.
The Englewood Report: Clearly, you have emerged from this primary season with great prestige and even greater political capital. How involved will you be in leading the effort to attract and elect the reform-minded municipal committee candidates that you see as necessary to "fundamentally change" the Bergen County Democratic Organization?
Senator Weinberg: I, along with my Assembly colleagues Gordon Johnson and Valerie Vaineri Huttle, will be very involved in trying to attract reform minded folks to assume roles in the structure of our Party. We know that the Real Bergen Democrats will also be working to win primaries for new grass roots activists, just as they did this year in Bergenfield and Englewood. The Bergen County Democratic Organization should not represent the worst of the pay-to-play interests. Together, we need to recapture our party and that's just what we will do!
The Englewood Report: Thank you, Senator Weinberg. For more information, readers can contact the 37th District legislative team by calling (201)541-1118 or by visiting their Englewood offices at 1 Engle Street, Suite 104.
