In a prepared statement, former Councilman Gene Skurnick cited the recent articles in the Record and the Suburbanite, accusing Mayor Michael Wildes and certain Englewood Planning Board members of having financial relationships amongst themselves and with lawyers and applicants before the board. Skurnick also cited the recent attempt by Mayor Wildes to allow the  Route 4 developer, whose attorney was Joe Ferriero, to reduce their taxes after Wildes had been selected to run for the state senate on Ferriero's BCDO line. The former Councilman also noted reports that most of the Planning Board had failed to take a state mandated certified course.
 
Skurnick requested that the council use its investigative and subpoena power to investigate Mayor Wildes and certain members of the Planning Board.
 
Skurnick went on to note the recent revelation of a "phantom tax abatement deal" with the Town Centre developers and that Town Centre had previously and mysteriously had an extra story built. He also called for an investigation of these matters as well as the actions of former City Manager Bob Benecke which Skurnick thinks might have been illegal.

In the June 3 Democratic Primary Election, incumbent Englewood City Council members Ken Rosenzweig and Scott Reddin handily survived well-financed challenges from candidates backed by the Ferriero-led Democratic County machine. The machine only needed to take one of these seats, in the First or Third Wards, to empower Mayor Michael Wildes. His veto of Council actions can be overridden by four of five votes, but not by three of five. (The Council did in fact, on June 5, override two of his vetoes, which had been issued and publicized before the Primary.) The election numbers were: in Ward 1 - Rosenzweig 433, Sniderman 253; in Ward 3 - Reddin 509, Jean 280. 

An interesting sidelight was the election of Dr. Earl Marsan with 72 write-in votes in District 1 of the First Ward. Votes for the incumbent, Wallace Reid, whose name appeared on the ballot despite his recent death, had been ruled invalid.

On June 9, the 28 Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee members elected their new Chairperson, Dierdre Glenn Paul, by a close margin. Dr. Paul was a candidate in last year's Fourth Ward Council election and is one of the writers and editors of The Englewood Report.

As well, on June 3, there were many contests for seats on the Bergen County Democratic Committee chaired by Joe Ferriero. On June 10,  Ferriero handily gained the votes of a majority of the 1100 county committee members who had been elected June 3 and, thereby, retained his position at the head of the BCDO for two years despite spirited opposition.

Dierdre Glenn Paul's comments to the Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee prior to her election:

I would like to commence this evening by stating that I am truly honored to have been considered for this nomination as Chairperson of the Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee.  Many of you know that I have run for office before and that I care deeply about our City, our people and our Party.

I'd like to give you just a short summary of my experience leading organizations:

I am the President of a multi-racial and complex higher education Union with approximately 800 members including faculty, professional staff, and librarians. I also hold the office of Executive Vice President of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals with about 8,000 union members at nine State colleges and universities throughout New Jersey. I represent my constituencies in collective bargaining, advocate for them on all work-related issues, and serve as the public face of the Union. I am also the first African American female to hold either office.

I am here to learn from you as well as to lend my organizational and adminstrative experience to what we all want to accomplish for our Party. After all, the Republicans aren't just going to lay down for us this November. In that spirit, I want to share my goals with you:

1. I want to ensure that Barack Obama, our Democratic Presidential nominee, is elected to the White House in the Fall. Senator Obama has taken a stand for change that is long overdue at all levels of government -- national, state and municipal. He has already insisted on the elimination of money from special, vested interests both in his campaign and in the Democratic National Committee. Mr. Obama has taken a stand for the principles of sound and ethical government and transparency. We should do no less.

2. I would like to continue the strong and honorable legacy of the Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee as independent and forward thinking,

3. I want to make certain that all segments of the Committee play an essential role in increasing voter registration and campaign finance reform throughout the City of Englewood.

4. I want to help recruit good candidates to run for public office and make sure they get the support they deserve.

If elected to office, I will pledge to:
1. Adhere to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee.
2. Ensure that meetings are run in an effective and respectful manner.
3. Initiate an audit of the Englewood Democratic Municipal Committee's financial records and help to establish fiscal objectives for the organization.
4. Initiate meetings with each respective Ward Committee and assist them in creating action plans for the November 2008 election.
5. Increase the number of new voters registered to the Democratic Party in Englewood.
6. Ensure that Committee members have consistent access to the Committee Chairperson and work to establish a relationship based upon a foundation of trust and equity with each, individual Committee member.

I truly appreciate your consideration of me and hope that we can work together energetically and effectively.

For the sixth year in a row, Primary Day is seeing one or more contests between the two factions of the Democratic Party in Englewood. One faction, including Mayor Michael Wildes and Councilman Jack Drakeford, is allied with County Democratic Boss Joe Ferriero. The other faction, including Council members Gordon Johnson, Ken Rosenzweig, Charlotte Bennett Schoen and Scott Reddin, is opposed to Ferriero. The anti-Ferriero forces, after a string of victories in recent years, have gained control of our City government with a 4-1 majority on the City Council. The Ferriero forces, however, are mounting a major counter effort this year, challenging Rosenzweig in the First Ward and Reddin in the Third Ward with a blitz of mailings, signs and door-to-door campaigning. The monetary cost of this effort, when tallied, may well set a local record.

What is at stake is nothing less than control of the City government, meaning control of jobs, contracts, planning decisions, and the allocation of City services. The County machine works by giving preference to those who contribute and those who play the game, and trying to destroy those who get in the way. Rosenzweig and Reddin, to their credit, have tried to bring back responsible boss-free government to Englewood, and have thus encountered the wrath of Ferriero and his allies. Anyone who doubts the utter cynicism and venality of the Ferriero machine should pay heed to the headlines this week about the Federal corruption investigation into its activities.

Everything else you hear or read about this election on Tuesday is beside the point. If you live in the First Ward, vote for Ken Rosenzweig. If you live in the Third Ward, vote for Scott Reddin. Wherever you live, vote for the candidates listed as Real Bergen Democrats.

Superior Court Judge Robert C. Wilson ruled on May 23 that votes for deceased Democratic County Committee Candidate Wallace Reid should not be counted in the June 3 Primary Election. Reid, running for reelection in Englewood Ward One, District One, died more than three days after the filing period ended. He had been endorsed by Real Bergen Democrats, who are requesting 1-1 Democrats (whose polling place is the Englewood Public Library) to write in the name of Earl Marsan instead. Dr. Marsan is a retired dentist, a former City Council candidate, and long-time member of the Englewood Board of Health. For information on the write-in procedure, contact the other 1-1 County Committee member, Sandra Slipp, at 201-569-7199 or sandyslipp@aol.com.  For our views on the Primary, see "Another Contentious Primary."

Any American who enjoys, but no longer believes in, Santa Claus understands the difference between political marketing and reality.  We know we're getting played, but the PR, spin, talking points, symbols (flag lapel pins, etc) bypass our rationality and hit our hot buttons.

Now that we have suffered many months of the "silly season" in national politics, our own primary season is revving up in New Jersey. And, as usual, the marketing tells one story and the reality another. 

One prominent political marketing myth is that ambitious politicians can only do well for themselves by doing well for the public.  But, the New Jersey reality is quite different. 

The state political system favors those who do the business of the pay-to-play County Party Boss -- the man who controls the path of political advancement. With aggressive marketing and huge campaign financing, the behind-the-scenes record of these politicians can get camouflaged in photo ops, spin, concocted narratives, talking points and all the usual symbols and stuff of "silly season."  County Bosses and their smiley-faced marketers know that they just have to fool enough of the people enough of the time to keep the money and power rolling in.

In fact, reality caught up with marketing for all of Joe Ferriero's current slate of Bergen County Democratic Organization freeholder candidates.  Each was voted out of office in their own towns by local voters who know them best.

Bernadette McPherson is seeking another Freeholder term, right after her hometown constituents in Rutherford ousted her as Mayor in a greater than 2-1 landslide. Vernon Walton was turned out of his Englewood Council seat by 20 percentage points but was appointed by the Boss to complete Connie Wagner's unfinished term as Freeholder. Similarly, incumbent David Ganz seeks re-election to county office after having lost in Fair Lawn.

So, how can a Party Boss convert local losers into County winners? 

Quoting David Sivella, the Mayor Michael Wildes' 2006 campaign manager:

Joe Ferriero controls the money going to Democratic candidates for county offices the way the player with the most real estate in Monopoly has all the cash come to him...the valuable real estate is Column 1 [on the ballot], the party line. He owns it, and when you land on it, if you want to be there, you have to pay a hefty price.

The "hefty price" a politician must pay to the Boss comes from our public treasury (patronage, tax deals and no-bid contracts to the Boss and his "friends") and on our quality of life (favors, permits, variances, etc for political, not public, reasons). Data released by the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission "...show that 669 firms that gave $15 million in political contributions received $5.17 billion in contracts from all levels of government. That's a return of $345 for every dollar donated."  (Asbury Park Press, April 17. 2008) 

Financing the Boss's political machine returns 34,500% on investment.   That's quite an incentive. 

Next time:  The Englewood Primary...it's silly season right here in our city.

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.

We at The Englewood Report have been entertained by the furor among Bergen County Democrats last week, as reported in The Record and elsewhere, caused by the entrance of well-regarded Camden County Congressman Rob Andrews to the Senatorial Primary. Incumbent Senator Frank Lautenberg, although 84 years old and presumably vulnerable because of his age, had been unopposed until Andrews’ announcement. Bergen County Democratic boss Joe Ferriero, no lover of Lautenberg, scented an opportunity to ingratiate himself with a rising star in the Party, and seriously considered reversing his previous endorsement of the Senator. Enter Ninth District Congressman Steve Rothman, who has his own eye on Lautenberg’s seat but is willing to wait. Rothman informed Ferriero that, if the boss backed Andrews, Rothman would back anti-Ferriero candidates at every level from Freeholder down to local county committee, and potentially break Ferriero’s domination. Ferriero has now backed down and renewed his support for Lautenberg.

An amusing sidelight is that, while Ferriero was still weighing his options, Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes volunteered to enter the Primary to be listed on the ballot under Andrews as a candidate for Rothman’s Congressional seat. Wildes’ aspiration to move into the big leagues politically has been palpable for some time. He has allied himself with Ferriero in an effort to further his career, but it is not clear that their objectives are compatible. There are voters in Englewood who would be happy for him to move on and out, but they shouldn’t hold their breath.

On February 21, 2008, Robert Gulack, a Democratic County Committeeman from Fair Lawn, mailed a letter to all 1134 Bergen County Democratic Committee members, in which he accuses Ferriero of violating State election law by failing to heed the Bergen County Democratic Organization’s own by-laws. With the letter, Gulack sent a series of resolutions providing more democratic and open procedures for submission at the County Convention on February 28. Gulack is challenging the increasingly high-handed behavior of County Democratic Chair Joseph Ferriero, as typified by Ferriero’s quick adjournment of the Convention, which took place on January 29 after he had achieved a voice vote for his hand-picked Freeholder candidate.

The Englewood Report has reported on the damage done to Englewood by local officials who have allowed their allegiance to Ferriero and his developer cronies to outweigh their obligation to the citizens of Englewood. We have also reported on the successful effort to replace several of these officials in a series of Democratic Primary elections, and thus reduce Ferriero’s ability to corrupt our City. However, Englewood is just one of 70 municipalities in Bergen County, and Ferriero continues to exercise his pernicious influence in many of the other communities where Democrats are in control.

Ferriero’s control depends on the Bergen Democratic County Committee, an organization he chairs and of which most voters are only vaguely aware. In Englewood we have 14 voting districts, and, every two years, registered Democrats vote for and elect one man and one woman in each district to represent them on the County Committee, for a total of 28. In Bergen County, there are a total of over 1,100 members, of which a significant proportion are County employees and others who owe allegiance to Ferriero. These committee members select Democratic candidates for office, who in turn tend to respect the desires of those who selected them. Meanwhile, lucrative jobs, contracts and planning approvals are awarded to those donors who contribute to the party machine. In this fashion, Ferriero has built the most formidable political machine ever seen in Bergen County, outdoing in sophistication and scope the notorious Hudson County machine of yore. The County Executive and all seven Freeholders are Ferriero allies, and the County Republican Party has become virtually dysfunctional. In town after town mayors and council members are also part of the team.

In the June Primary this year, Democratic voters will again be electing County Committee members in each voting district. An effort is underway to recruit and elect persons for these positions who are not under Ferriero’s control. In the interim, Gulack’s letter is an effort to make clear to present Committee members what is at stake, so that their votes in the Committee are not based on ignorance. Ferriero’s grip on our County and our towns will only be loosened by increased public awareness and by grassroots activity within the Democratic Party.

The Englewood Report quartet had not planned to weigh in on the competition for the Democratic Party Presidential nomination.  However, the recent appearance of Hillary Clinton with BCDO Chairman Joe Ferriero has given the primary race a decidedly local dimension.

While all four of us are impressed with John Edwards' message and persona, we do not think it likely that Mr. Edwards will garner the support of enough Democrats to win the nomination.  We hope, however, that his message strongly influences the Democratic Party Platform.

Barack Obama has distinguished himself as a candidate and campaigner.  And he offers more than a unifying message. His specific foreign and domestic policy positions well inform his goal of "change."  As well, Senator Obama has the personal judgment, intelligence and charisma that may present itself only once in a generation. The ER team observes that so-called Washington and foreign policy "experience" has been oversold as a virtue.  After all, if "experience" were the dispositive quality in leadership, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd would be the candidates and Rumsfeld, Cheney and Wolfowitz would be successes.

The Englewood Report endorses Senator Barack Obama. In our view, he is the best candidate in a strong field.

Mayor Michael Wildes has loudly and publicly expressed his righteous indignation over City Councilman Gordon Johnson's past donations to an anti-Bush group affiliated with Lyndon LaRouche. Quoting The Record (11/1/07):

Michael Wildes, the Democratic mayor of Englewood, where Johnson is also a city councilman, called on Johnson to resign from his council seat Tuesday, saying there is no way to reconcile a donation to a candidate as divisive as LaRouche.

Quoting from Mr. Wildes' own website:

As most of us who are remotely aware of politics in the United States know, Mr. LaRouche has espoused divisive and hate filled charges and conspiracies against homosexuals, Jews, the Royal family, leading Democrats, and more throughout his three decades on the national stage. I found it difficult to comprehend how Mr. Johnson would somehow have been unaware of any of that at age 57, especially as a politician.

Well, according to a Democratic Committeewoman in Ridgefield Park, our Mayor hasn't always been in such high dudgeon over Mr. LaRouche and his supporters.

We invite you to Google the following:  Nancy Guice, Ridgefield Park. The top link, entitled "Stop NJ Election Lynching," should prove enlightening.  Incidentally, Ms. Guice appeared at a recent Englewood City Council meeting to publicly confront the Mayor who was, conveniently (or fortunately), absent.

 Quoting her from the webpage (emphasis added):

Having met Mr. Wildes 2 years ago, I was shocked to read in "The Record" that he had called for Gordon Johnson's resignation for supporting the divisive (sic) policies of Lyndon LaRouche. When Mr. Wildes called me personally to solicit my and my husband's support for his campaign, (we were Democratic Party County Committeemen), two years ago, I asked him if he was aware of our association with Lyndon LaRouche. I was happy with his response when he said, "that's WHY I'm calling you". He had prefaced his request with the notion that his campaign was to clean up corruption in the Bergen County Democratic Party. Apparently, he recognized that support from two activists in LaRouche's movement, would be synonomous with routing out corruption in the local Democratic Party, and he was right. He sought our support then, but now pretends to not know us. Pretty rotten, huh?

In the Age of Google, a politician's hypocrisy is just a mouse click away.

Issue: 

On November 20, the City Council introduced an ordinance that would allow it to negotiate up to a year's severance pay to attract qualified, independent city manager candidates.  The ordinance was designed to allay concerns of qualified candidates, well aware of Englewood's adversarial political climate and concerned about being fired for political reasons within five years of being hired by the current Council.  Thus, the previous cap of three months severance pay was extended, for negotiating purposes, to 12 months.  

On December 17, Mayor Wildes vetoed the proposed ordinance labeling it a "golden parachute" for a city employee.  Mayor Wildes kept his veto a secret until after the Council's final 2007 meeting.  On December 26, the Council conducted an emergency meeting to override his veto before the year's end (The Bergen Record, 12/27/07).  


Facts: 

• November 20: Ordinance 07-33 (12 month severance ordinance) is introduced. No comment from Mayor or public.
• December 11: Ordinance 07-33 is discussed officially in public session. Mayor has no comment. One member of public (Curtis Caviness) dislikes the ordinance because it doesn't provide additional severance to all city employees.
• December 16: Mayor writes letter vetoing ordinance.
• December 17: Mayor signs veto and has it notarized. Mayor keeps this a secret.
• December 18: Mayor continues to keep his veto a secret at the already scheduled council meeting.
• December 20: The Mayor hand delivers his veto to the city clerk shortly before he leaves town for two weeks.


Commentary:

It is clear from the timeline of events that Mayor Wildes intended to hide his veto from the Council until after it was on holiday recess.  Why?  Because the severance pay ordinance would have died on December 31 if his veto was not overridden by the Council, forcing the Council to stall its hiring of a new city manager.  Yet, the Council went back to work the day after Christmas to ensure the hiring process would continue unabated.  

Now the Mayor is slamming the Council for overriding his veto while he was on vacation, despite deliberately hiding his veto until after the last Council meeting.

Furthermore, the Mayor is claiming that his veto was issued to defend the public treasury against the Council.  (Download a PDF of his veto here)  Yet, the Council was forced to step in during its holiday recess in order to prevent the Mayor from stalling the appointment of a new city manager and forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for a prolonged search for a qualified, independent candidate.

In fact, this is not the first time the City Council has been forced to clean up after the Mayor's reckless fiscal behavior.  It was only last August that the City Council majority defended the taxpayers against a multimillion dollar tax giveaway that the Mayor and his Planning Board gifted to HKT, the developers of the South of Route 4 construction project.  (Download a PDF of the Council majority's press release here)

"80% of success is showing up." - Woody Allen

It could be that Englewood is entering a new, disturbing phase of governance and decisionmaking.

Case in point: recent City Council meetings, like that on Dec 11, have become raucous, packed gatherings of organized, vocal people demanding one particular outcome for one particular person -- that acting Chief of Police Arthur O'Keefe be immediately replaced by previously suspended Chief David Bowman.  Mayor Michael Wildes has apparently seen that it is to his advantage, if not the City's, to play to the assembled crowd and up the level of divisiveness, discord, passion and confrontation in the overcrowded room.  So far,  the Council majority remains calm and unintimidated by the Mayor and the crowd.

However, if you are one of Englewood's silent citizens who does not attend meetings and remains at home, you risk being left out in the cold having little or no say on decisions concerning your quality of life, how taxes are spent and who gets public jobs and contracts.   Leaving decisionmakers alone to confront an organized and hostile crowd leaves the impression that only those who bothered to show up and intimidate them care about the decisions about to be made.
 
If you haven't taken Woody's observation to heart, rest assured others have. And, as usual, whatever happens,  you will be writing the checks and living with the consequences.

The next Council meeting is 8 pm, December 18 in the Municipal Court Building. 73 South Van Brunt St.

We at the Englewood Report are relieved to see that Chief David Bowman's legal ordeal in the "faked furlough affair" is over. It always struck us as being a prosecutorial over-reaction to something not rising to that level of public significance.  Unfortunately, the resolution of this case does not magically roll back the clock for Englewood. The City Manager has an assessment and decision to make: is what is good for Mr. Bowman also good for the Police Department and the City of Englewood?

When Englewood decided to go with a City Manager form of government, it chose to have a chief executive officer that would provide expert leadership independent of the political and the personal.  The City Manager is charged with hiring, firing and administrating as professionally and dispassionately as possible in the best interests of the City of Englewood.  This is a necessary and difficult thing to do well -- particularly when it is being done in New Jersey, where the legal and governmental environment appears all too contentious, personal, emotional and political.

Politics and Prosecution

One would have thought that after the expensive and trumped up "Constitutional crisis" over Bill Clinton's "lies" during the Lewinsky affair, prosecutorial discretion would dictate that such power only be used on issues of public importance.  The use of legal power for political revenge and inflated trivialities hijacks a legal system that should be acting on significantly damaging criminality and corruption. Certainly, it is time for our prosecutors to restore our confidence in their independent good judgment.  Don't they have enough to do without excursions into frying the small fry?  Unfortunately, the report card on even our most high profile prosecutors is mixed.  To wit:

While we congratulate Chris Christie on his aggressive pursuit of corruption, our US Attorney has not consistently appeared above reproach.  His timing in the Menendez investigation (just before the last Senatorial election) and Mr. Christie's official steering of $52 million to John Ashcroft's firm  undermines his credibility and moral authority.

The Englewood Report holds that the sensationalized pursuit of Chief David Bowman and, as well, Violet Cherry are uncalled for and over-the-top. Joe Afflito, one of the defense attorneys in the Bowman/Jackson/Clark trial, said it best:

"...Afflito was surprised the case went this far when it could have been handled administratively."   (Record, Nov 20)

Yes, indeed.

We are learning, albeit slowly, that neither the public nor justice is served when the the courts are used for petty cases and political warfare.  It is costly to our trust and our treasury.  And prioritizing it detracts and distracts from the truly significant work that remains undone.

Jobs Policy in the Public Interest

By now, hearing the words "entitled" and "competence" should strike fear in the hearts and wallets of NJ taxpayers.  All political cronies on the public payroll claim "competence" when their pay-to-play or patronage jobs are questioned.  And they often claim entitlement to better than the average taxpayer gets, be it health benefits, work conditions, hours, overtime, retirement age, pensions or even an extra paid Friday off.  Woe be unto those politicians who challenge these "entitlements" on behalf of sorely abused taxpayers.

It has been common practice in national and local politics to use public money, contracts and jobs to promote political prospects and pander to demanding special constituencies.  The measure of courageous and effective public leadership is the willingness to keep the eye on the ball: the public interest beyond the political and personal.

Predictably, ferocious pressure and vitriolic abuse is heaped on such a leader.  But, as Harry Truman once said:

"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

Charlotte Bennett Schoen (D) won reelection for the 2nd Ward Council seat against Republican Norman Gorlyn 618 to 411.  In the 4th Ward contest, incumbent Jack Drakeford (D) had quite a time with Independent newcomer Dierdre Glenn Paul, 498 to 362. The Republican candidate got 35 votes.  For more, check out The Record's coverage.

In the heated Senate and Assembly contests, the 37th District Legislative team whipped their Republican challengers by a huge margin.  This victory was won in spite of their battles with pay-to-play Boss Joe Ferriero's Bergen County Democratic Organization, which attempted to undermine them even though they were on the Democratic Party line.

The BCDO scored victories in the Freeholder election by 10,000 votes out of approximately 130,000 cast.  The Record summarizes:

Ultimately, the GOP message of good government was undercut by the Republicans' limited financial resources. The Democratic incumbents, by comparison, spent lavishly, relying on backing from the Democratic Party -- and the professional contractors and county employees that reliably donate to it.

The Democrats, running as a team, outspent the Republicans by more than 10 to 1.

The BCDO's troubles were evident in Rutherford, where The Boss's choice, incumbent Mayor (and double dipper Freeholder) Bernadette McPherson, was whipped by over a 2 to 1 margin.  Also swept out were BCDO incumbent Councilmen. 

Still, these election results shows that there remains much progress to be made. There may yet be hope for Englewood and Bergen County voters -- but only if they see behind the big money that funds the half-truths and bogus talking points employed to distract them from voting in their own interest.

Just as the national Republicans have defiled their brand, Bergen County Dems have defiled theirs.

The Englewood Report recommends leaving ballots blank unless the candidates have credibly declared their independence from the pay-to-play racket being run by the Bergen County Democratic Organization.  We endorse  Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, Dr. Dierdre Glenn Paul (4th Ward Council) and Charlotte Bennet Schoen (2nd Ward Council).  

The mudslinging, framing and bogus talking points emanating from Boss Ferriero's BCDO Machine are a desperate attempt to preserve their destructive, self-serving business plan.  Hence, they seek to wound anyone who threatens their racket of using your money to fund the web of patronage jobs, favors, no-bid contracts and fees that enrich and advance themselves at your expense.  The public interest cannot be served well until those who divert our public resources to themselves and their cronies are eliminated.

It is time for voters not be suckered by those who have hijacked their Party's brand.

People unfamiliar with Englewood’s unusual form of local government often assume that our mayor has a lot more legal authority than is in fact the case. For example, they may note on the nightly television news the frequent presence of the mayor of New York City, clearly a person of considerable importance and power, and assume that our mayor is comparable. Although most Englewood mayors have been happy to perpetuate this misunderstanding, the fact is that, under most circumstances, our mayor is far less important in the government of Englewood than are the five members of the City Council and the non-elected City Manager. This has particularly been the case since 2000 when Englewood voted by referendum to abolish the mayor’s power to appoint members of the Board of Education.

Under Englewood’s City Charter, adopted in 1979, the mayor has no vote on the council except in the case of a tie. The mayor may, however, veto council actions, which can only be overridden by four of five council members. Neither the mayor nor members of the council have any administrative authority, since the city manager is designated by the Charter as "chief executive officer." The mayor’s legal responsibilities are thus largely appointive, most importantly with regard to the Planning Board, where the mayor has sole appointive power and serves as a member. The elected Board of Education is now entirely independent.

The mayor’s legal authority should, however, be of little consequence as long as he (or she) is aligned politically with a majority of the council members and is respected in the community. The mayor, as the public face of the City, can act as spokesperson for policies and decisions jointly arrived at. Persons with the necessary leadership qualities can achieve considerable influence regardless of their actual legal authority.

There are many ways in which our mayors can use their visibility to the advantage of the community. They can appoint official committees to study specific problems. They can act as spokesmen articulating the reasons for Council decisions. They can act as ombudsmen assisting residents in dealing with City departments and can develop and utilize contacts with county, state and federal officials for the benefit of Englewood.

Englewood’s mayors in recent years have varied considerably in their approach to the office, some more able to exercise leadership and work with their colleagues on the council. Too often, they have given the impression that their own political advancement takes precedence over the interests of our City. That Steve Rothman has springboarded to Congress from the Mayoralty of Englewood has apparently not been lost on those who followed.  Our city has a political importance in the County that is out of proportion to its size, due to the regular large Democratic pluralities Englewood generates for candidates at all levels. Combine this with the mayoral tactic of avoiding votes on controversial issues while taking credit for positive trends, and one can see how the Englewood mayoralty is an attractive platform for persons seeking higher office.

The mayor has a three-year term of office and runs on the same ticket as the council member-at-large. Over the last quarter-century, most commonly, the Democratic Municipal Committee has endorsed a white male for mayor and an African-American male for the at-large council seat.  These endorsement have survived what have been limited primary or general election challenges. We would like to think, perhaps optimistically, that we have reached the stage in our history when such racially balanced tickets may no longer be necessary.

The next election for mayor and council-at-large is not scheduled until 2009, but it is not too soon to start thinking about the kind of candidates we should be seeking. We are unhappy with the concept of the mayoralty of Englewood as a stepping stone to higher office. as what is in the interest of our community may not be in the interest of the Bosses of political advancement in our County and State.  We would rather think in terms of people who have demonstrated a commitment to the community and are likely to continue to do so. However, when personal ambition takes precedence over community welfare, we draw the line. Englewood’s most valuable and competent mayors and council members over the years have been public spirited citizens who have been genuinely dedicated to the welfare of their community. Capable people who are successful in other careers often cannot devote the time and effort necessary for effective public service, but, when they can, their varied experience can be valuable.

It is our hope that more of the many capable persons resident in Englewood will take seriously the possibility of public service. It is easier than they may think to become actively involved in local government, and maybe even to run for mayor.

On August 28, The Record ran an article by Charles Stile about Joseph Ferriero's intention to challenge New Jersey's pay-to-play laws. The piece includes an interview with Dennis Oury, the lawyer for Ferriero's Bergen County Democratic Organization, who argues that pay-to-play is a myth manufactured by the press and government do-gooders.

In response, Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson and Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle sent a letter to Joseph Ferriero. Here is their letter:

August 28, 2007

Dear Joe,
 
We were quite amazed to read the Charles Stile Record article, "Lawyer Asks: What's Wrong With Pay-to-Play?".
 
According to this article, Dennis Oury will be going into court on behalf of the Bergen County Democratic Organization to strike down the state's landmark pay-to-play legislation.
 
As sponsors of this "landmark legislation" and as members of the Bergen County Democratic Legislative Delegation, all of whom voted for it, we wondered if we missed the Executive Committee meeting that authorized Mr. Oury to go into court on behalf of our organization?
 
Again, according to the article, "Pay-to-play is a myth, manufactured by the press and government do-gooders who never ran a race for dogcatcher, let alone a costly street fight for a county freeholder seat."   As three people who have run races in primaries and general elections from our district and county-wide, and as card carrying members of the "government do-gooders", we wonder what experience Mr. Oury has in any of these areas?
 
We are particularly concerned about our party taking a stand on this issue without the input of our leadership and rank and file. It is bad government, bad politics and bad timing just before an election.
 
Mr. Oury is entitled to do anything he wishes as a private citizen. However, as the party's lawyer and Chair of its Bylaws Committee, he has no right to take action on our behalf without full discussion.
 
We know that our constituents are concerned about important issues like property taxes, health care and the war in Iraq. We also know that pay-to-play adds to the increased cost of running government and our constituents know that too. For example, more than 2,000 Teaneck residents signed a petition to put a banning pay-to-play ordinance on the ballot this November. The Teaneck Council is now deciding whether to follow the leadership of their constituents.
 
Before this lawsuit progresses any further, we are requesting a full discussion within our party regarding this important issue.
 
Sincerely,
 
Loretta Weinberg, Senator, LD37
Gordon M. Johnson, Assemblyman, LD37
Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Assemblywoman, LD37

Today's Record includes another article by Charles Stile on this subject, including an interview with Joseph Ferriero himself.

We take note of the passing of Byron Baer, one of Englewood’s more prominent residents. Baer represented Englewood in the State Assembly and Senate for 34 years. Before achieving higher office, Baer had been a major leader in the fight for Englewood's public housing during the 1960s and 1970s. He was a champion of the underdog, working actively for civil rights and the rights of migrant workers. Baer will probably be best remembered as the author of New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act, commonly referred to as the "Sunshine Law." A full obituary appears in the June 25 issue of the Record.

Councilwoman Charlotte Bennett Schoen defeated BCDO candidate Marvin Anhalt in yesterday's Democratic primary, 411 to 335. Meanwhile, Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire defeated Lt. Allen Gailes, 14,283 to 5,002.

It would be hard to overstate the importance of tomorrow's primary election for Englewood's Second Ward Council seat. On the one hand is challenger Marvin Anhalt, who, as Chair of Englewood’s Planning Board, presided over one of the greatest tax giveaways in our history in the April decision regarding the Flatrock Square development. On the other hand is incumbent Charlotte Bennett Schoen, who, as City Council President, successfully negotiated with the developer to obtain significantly more reasonable terms for Englewood taxpayers. The irony is that Anhalt’s campaign literature portrays him as the fiscal conservative and his opponent as the spendthrift.

Expected to cost in excess of $200,000,000, the Flatrock Square development is the largest in the City’s history. Originally conceived as a major new tax ratable to relieve the pressure on our residential tax payers, its attractiveness in this regard was reduced when the Planning Board postponed indefinitely the office building requirement in 2005. In exchange, the Planning Board secured the developers' commitment to offer the residential units as condos instead of rental apartments. This year the Board dropped the latter requirement, essentially giving the developer, S. Hekemian Kasparian Troast LLC, what it asked for all along. Subsequently, the City Council was forced to step in to secure more favorable terms for Englewood taxpayers.

Under Englewood’s City Charter, the Mayor has sole power to appoint members of the Planning Board. Mayor Michael Wildes has used this power to appoint friends and donors, including Anhalt, who will do his bidding. Because four of the five current members of the City Council do not accept Wildes' leadership, the Planning Board by default has become his main power base. Schoen and her City Council allies have asserted independence from Wildes, especially since his alliance with County Democratic Boss Joe Ferriero last year. Because a mayoral veto can only be overridden by four of five council members, the election of Anhalt to the Council would effectively strengthen Wildes' political influence.

The campaign of Marvin Anhalt has chosen to emulate last year's revolting Englewood Democratic Primary.  At that lamentable time, Englewood voters endured an outrageous barrage of political smear pieces from the campaign of Vernon Walton, currently a political appointee to Michael Wildes' Planning Board and a crony of County Boss Joe Ferriero. One of these attack ads featured a picture of Walton's challenger, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, digitally manipulated to make him look like a sinister villain.  Englewood voters rejected these tactics and Johnson went on to crush Walton in a landslide.

One year later, Marvin Anhalt is employing the same losing tactics in this year's Democratic Primary.  This time, Councilwoman Charlotte Bennett Schoen is the target.  The front of Anhalt's glossy mailer is a digitally manipulated photograph of Councilwoman Schoen that could be a promo for The Blair Witch Project.  In contrast, the back has the usual saccharine picture of the candidate with his family -- apparently laughing on their whoopee cushions.  Judging from his campaign literature, Anhalt would have you believe that this race is really between the Partridge Family and the Wicked Witch of the East Hill. 

Unfortunately for Anhalt, he's got a record to go along with his chutzpah:

• Candidate Anhalt's hit piece claims that the incumbent has raised taxes "up to 18.5%" by voting for Englewood's municipal budgets over the last three years.  Yet, Anhalt doesn't say where he would have cut the budget.  Continue to let the parks fall apart, perhaps?  Maybe reduce the number of police officers or firemen just as our population is expected to grow by another 10%?  Without the courage to suggest a single cut, Anhalt's attacks are no more than empty political posturing.

• Candidate Anhalt promises to "lessen reliance on residential property taxes in redevelopment planning."  Meanwhile, Chairman Anhalt's Planning Board recently ruled in favor of a huge tax giveaway to the developers of the huge South of Route 4 development.  And just two weeks ago, his Planning Board voted to remove yet another Englewood property from our tax rolls.  If that's what we can expected from Chairman Anhalt, why should we believe Councilman Anhalt will be any better?

• Candidate Anhalt also claims he has "zero-tolerance for political conflicts of interest by government employees."  Really?  Then we have a few questions:
1. Why is Anhalt running on Joe Ferriero's BCDO "pay-to-play" line?
2. Why did Anhalt accept the chairmanship of the Wildes-appointed Planning Board the year after he paid Wildes thousands in campaign contributions?
3. Is it not a conflict of interest for Realtor and Developer Anhalt to head the very board that controls real estate development in Englewood?

Unfortunately, we expect Anhalt's campaign to continue to deflect these critical questions and avoid the real issues with more political posturing and mudslinging.

Three years ago, Englewood’s quiet revolution began when Charlotte Bennett Schoen was elected councilwoman of Englewood's 2nd Ward.  The following year, Ken Rosenzweig unseated the incumbent to become councilman of Englewood's 1st Ward.  And last year, Gordon Johnson was elected Councilman-at-Large.  This succession of elections has finally delivered a council majority that's loyal to the people of Englewood and independent of county boss Joe Ferriero's pay-to-play machine.  We believe that Councilwoman Schoen's reelection is a crucial step in maintaining this independence.

Over the last three years, Councilwoman Schoen has displayed integrity, courage and leadership.  After taking office, Schoen led the council in rescinding the costly "Lifetime Free Health Benefits" ordinance.  And last year, she successfully worked to get a downtown developer to tear down illegal construction while avoiding a legal battle that would have been costly to taxpayers.  This kind of judgment and accountability in city government would have been unheard of just three years ago. 

During her tenure, Schoen has displayed the kind of nervy leadership, courageous independence and persistent problem-solving that our municipality needs.  She has fought for transparency in government by opening up the council's executive sessions to public participation and convening monthly meetings in which city department heads answer the public's questions.  Furthermore, Schoen has been a vocal advocate of government oversight.  Last year, she successfully fought to bring the renegade Board of Health under control.  Most recently, she called for more oversight over the massive Flat Rock Square project after the mayor's Planning Board voted to give its developers whatever they wanted at taxpayer expense.

Time and time again, Councilwoman Schoen has demonstrated that her loyalty lies with the people of Englewood and not with government insiders, political bosses and Big Money interests.

In contrast, Mayor Michael Wildes has put up his buddy Marvin Anhalt to challenge Councilwoman Schoen.  Anhalt is the Chairman of the Wildes-controlled Planning Board, appointed to the position after donating $2000 to Wildes in 2004.  Since then, Anhalt has helped Wildes manage the pliant Planning Board, which consistently votes in favor of tax giveaways  to developers and others.  This comes as no surprise, considering Anhalt himself is a local real estate developer.  With Wildes seeking to advance himself  by joining the Ferriero pay-to-play machine, we believe that Anhalt's election would clearly signal a setback to good government in Englewood.

The Englewood Report has no hesitation in endorsing Charlotte Bennett Schoen for a second term as 2nd Ward Councilwoman. The Primary Election is on June 5, 2007.

At a Thursday afternoon press conference, Boss Joe Ferriero announced he was calling off his primary challenge against incumbents Loretta Weinberg, Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson.  Poll results were said to have Senator Weinberg with an overwhelming 44% lead over Michael Wildes. Boss Joe Ferriero apparently saw the handwriting on the wall and dumped his loser for the imminent winner.  The Senator and her two Assembly running mates accepted Ferriero's capitulation and endorsement, signalling an end (or temporary truce) to what PoliticsNJ.com dubbed "A Civil War in Bergen County." 

At least, in the short term, this appears to be a political victory for the Weinberg team, who got to embarrass the Boss by having him reverse himself and ditch his substitute candidates.  As well, the victorious legislative team rid themselves of their immediate BCDO opposition without having to raise money or empty their pocketbooks.

But, with the details and arrangements of "The Deal" still sparse, we at The Englewood Report are not sure how these latest developments will play out for our City and Bergen County. 

According to Tom Moran of The Star Ledger, "the spat could prompt Democrats to purge pay-to-play bosses."

According to the Teaneck Blog, "This tactical retreat by the party will probably do little to dampen its growing local influence and weaken the vise grip in which it holds much of the area. With all the money saved and favors not yet called in, the BCDO lives to fight another day."

Below we've included some of our lingering questions and the latest quotes from the players involved and the commentators on the sidelines. 


Was this "Civil War" Really Just a "Family Spat" between loyal Democrats?

Boss Joseph Ferriero:   "The Democratic Party is very much a family.  And from time to time, we have family fights."

Assemblyman Gordon Johnson: "We are going to go forward as a team. Maybe a dysfunctional family. But a family."

Senator Loretta Weinberg:  "If in fact we are a dysfunctional family that fights from time to time, we need an authority figure (Governor Corzine)."

Mayor Michael Wildes: "Nothing more than a family squabble."

The Bergen Record:  "Max Prager, a prominent member of the Englewood Jewish community, sent a letter to about 75 Republican friends, stamped by the Democratic Organization's postage meter, urging them to re-register as Democrats, if only for a day, to support Wildes.

'Obviously, there's something not right,' said Elaine Yaffe, an Englewood Republican who received a call urging her to become a temporary Democrat. 'Going to ask someone to change their affiliation? For one day? Too outrageous for me.'"


Is this Deal the Beginning of a "Budding Romance"?

Boss Joseph Ferriero: "If we had a rabbi, one of us would be stepping on the glass right now."

Senator Loretta Weinberg: "Cinderella did come to the ball finally."

Mayor Michael Wildes: "I look forward to having that first dance, Cinderella."

Boss Joseph Ferriero: "It took me four months to convince [Senator Weinberg to accept the party endorsement], which is about as long as it took me to convince my wife for a first date."


Is this Deal Just a Temporary Cease Fire?

Senator Dick Codey:  "I felt a deal was to be had.  I thought both of them were looking for a way to avoid [a primary battle]."

Star Ledger Columnist Tom Moran:  "Ferriero said he sees no reason to change the way he does business.  Which means he's learned nothing from this defeat.  And Weinberg hinted that Ferriero may face a challenge when he seeks re-election as chairman in June 2008."

Record Columnist Alfred P. Doblin:  "Ferriero is pragmatic. He wasn't going to easily win. Why waste political and financial capital in the reassembly of a former assemblyman? Ferriero and Weinberg may not like each other, but who cares? Certainly not Democrats who want to retain control in Trenton. It's about winning."


Is this Deal a Blow to Ferriero's Pay-to-Play Machine?

Star Ledger Columnist Tom Moran: "Who knows? Maybe Democrats are ready for a civil war to purge their ranks of bosses like [Ferriero]."

Teaneck Blog: "No, only a resounding defeat at the polls in full view of the public, the kind of loss that would completely demoralize the BCDO from the leadership on down, would really shake things up enough to give real systemic reform a chance of working. This tactical retreat by the party will probably do little to dampen its growing local influence and weaken the vise grip in which it holds much of the area. With all the money saved and favors not yet called in, the BCDO lives to fight another day."

A Coalition of Progressive Groups:  "This victory clearly demonstrates that business as usual in Bergen County Democratic insider politics must change.  That it is time to open the back room door to let in some fresh air."


What Will Happen to The Remaining Candidates on the "Real Bergen Democrats" line, such as Englewood Councilwoman Charlotte Bennett Schoen and Allen Gailes?

Juan Melli of BlueJersey.com: "While Loretta Weinberg, Gordon Johnson and Valerie Huttle are expected to move to the BCDO line, unresolved questions remain about the fate of the rest of the Real Bergen Democrats slate.  Several sources have indicated that unless other candidates on the Real Bergen Democrats' ticket withdraw from their respective races, they will run without any legislative candidates at the top of the ticket."


The Englewood Report will do its best to sort through these questions over the coming weeks.

“Who's on first, what's on second?”
     - Abbott and Costello

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"
     - Ferriero and Coniglio

We've had a hard time keeping a straight face as Party Boss Joe Ferriero and his fumbling threesome (Zisa, Wildes and Wilson) trip on their clown shoes while trying to walk like Karl Rove. Only a few weeks into the campaign and already we have seen some howlers. So, to keep it entertaining, The Englewood Report is having a contest.

We have divided Ferrierocrat antics into three scorable categories.  The first person to reach 10 points in each antic category will be awarded a CD of the classic Abbott and Costello routine, "Who's on First."

We supply you with some examples and points to get you started.  The antic categories are:

Antic 1: Create bogus "talking points" in an attempt to control and divert attention.

Examples: The Violet Cherry Caper in which the Ferrierocrats inflate a local personnel matter into a bogus talking point.  If you believe that the powerless, moneyless 73 year-old retired Englewood Health Department director (who never has had patronage jobs or no-bid contracts to award) is a Bergen County “boss,” then there is a bridge in Brooklyn that needs your name on it.  If you also believe that the Ferrierocrats are "reform Democrats," please write your reasons in soap on the driverside door of a Ferrari Enzo model F60 and deliver it to the Englewood Report office.

Score 2 points.  1 for each.

Antic 2: Strike a sanctimonious pose that has nothing to do with reality.

Example: Michael Wildes’ riotous attack quote:  “You are known by the company you keep.”  Gee, has the flipflopping recruit Wildes checked out his new buddies?

Score two points. 1 for the quote and another for keeping a straight face.

Antic 3: If you have little to recommend you, accuse your opponents of your own sins.

Zisa and company obviously didn't think much of their prospects, so they left the starting gate attacking the ethics of Senator Loretta Weinberg (who was just fine with them before she turned down the prospect of joining their pay-to-play team).

According to antic 3, are we surprised that whatever Ferrierocrats accuse their rivals of, they themselves do?  Of course not! While Zisa accuses Weinberg of failing to report the value of legal work done by a NJ lawyer on her 2005 campaign forms, former Englewood mayor Sandra Greenberg has filed a complaint against Zisa for -- you guessed it -- failing to report the value of legal work done by a NJ lawyer on his 2005 campaign forms.

Welcome to the Little League of Swiftboating!

Score a well-deserved 2 points. 1 point for ambition (aspiring to emulate Rove), 1 bonus point for the entertainment value in getting caught so quickly.

Happy hunting!

Tomorrow, committee members throughout Bergen County will gather in Hackensack for the Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO) convention. The BCDO convention is a meeting of the county delegates to select who the BCDO will back in June's Democratic primary. Yet, at least 50 committee members will not be appearing at the convention, including nearly half of Englewood's Democratic Municipal Committee. These members charge that BCDO chairman Joe Ferriero has already picked his organization's candidates and that the convention is merely a "formality." According to a letter signed by these delegates:

It is now clear the Party has been hijacked by a few insiders who have abandoned the principles of the Democratic Party. They have turned what was once one of the most open and respected nominating processes in New Jersey into a power grab.

Also absent will be our district's three incumbents, Senator Loretta Weinberg and Assemblypersons Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson. Last month, Ferriero offered Senator Weinberg the BCDO's backing if she replaced running mates Johnson and Huttle with his own hand-picked candidates. Instead, Weinberg and her colleagues decided to bypass the Ferriero-controlled convention altogether and take their campaign directly to the voters in this June's Democratic primary.

In response, Ferriero has selected Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes to challenge Loretta Weinberg for her senate seat. This is the same Michael Wildes that Ferriero once considered an opponent, saying "Michael Wildes only cares about his own political ambition." The irony of this newly formed alliance was not lost on PoliticsNJ, which reported, "Until a few hours ago, Wildes has been a fervant foe of County Chairman Joseph Ferriero." So why is Wildes now seeking Joe Ferriero's backing? According to David Sivella, Wildes' political consultant:

Joe Ferriero controls the money going to Democratic candidates for county offices the way the player with the most real estate in Monopoly has all the cash come to him...the valuable real estate is Column 1 [on the ballot], the party line. He owns it, and when you land on it, if you want to be there, you have to pay a hefty price.

So what "hefty price" is Wildes willing to pay to Boss Joe Ferriero? The Englewood Report has its own theories. (Hint: it starts with "develop-" and ends in "-ment.")

Yet, with leaked poll numbers showing Weinberg with a giant 3-1 lead over Wildes, this primary battle may just turn out to be an embarrassing attempt by Boss Joe Ferriero to replace popular incumbents with his own slate of cronies.

So while the BCDO convenes in Hackensack to anoint Ferriero's picks for Senate and Assembly, Englewood will host the grand opening of the Weinberg, Johnson and Huttle campaign headquarters. And unlike Ferriero's convention, which is closed to the public, you all are invited to join your legislators at this kickoff.

The invitation, as posted on BlueJersey.com:

Weinberg, Johnson & Huttle HQ Grand Opening
posted by: carolh

Summary:
Join the Real Bergen Democrats at their new HQ Grand Opening

Description:
Please join Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson and Assemblywoman Valerie Vaineri Huttle as they kick off their Primary Campaign for re-election.

RSVP by e-mail to rsvp@realbergendemocrats.com or call 201-838-9959 including regrets. Please invite your neighbors and friends.

Where:
40 North Van Brunt St
Englewood
07631
When: 05:00 PM - 08:00