Campaign News

Democratic Factions In New Brunswick Strive To Forego Strife For Unity

June 11, 2009 By JARED KALTWASSER Home News Tribune [article]

Fresh off a primary election that brought 25 "Democrats for Change" into the city's Democratic committee, representatives from both sides of the hard-fought campaign say they are focusing on shared priorities. The 56-member committee held its reorganization meeting on Monday, June 8. It was the first meeting of the body since the June 2 election. "Generally speaking, the meeting was very harmonious," said T.K. Shamy, the committee's chairman, who was re-elected to a new one-year term during the meeting. "Everyone was cordial and respectful to each other, the result of which was, at least to my perception, that everyone shared a willingness to work with each other."

The election, however, was crowded and contentious. The Democrats for Change fielded 50 candidates who challenged 55 candidates running as regular Democrats. Shamy initially tried to have 20 Democrats for Change thrown off the ballot, saying they had not lived in the city for a year. But a Middlesex County judge ruled that political committee candidates weren't subject to a one-year residency requirement and the names were returned to the ballot. During the campaign, the Democrats for Change argued that the existing party leadership was disconnected from residents. That argument was enough to win 25 seats, but not enough to win the majority needed to change the party's leadership.

At the reorganization, all five party leadership posts, including chairman, went to nominees aligned with the regular Democrats. During the campaign, one of the regular Democrats' criticisms of the Democrats for Change was that many of the upstart group's members were recent college graduates and/or relatively new to the city. Longtime city resident Cedrick Goodman, who ran as a Democrat for Change and won in Ward 4, District 1, said while his bloc does include young people, it also includes people with deep roots in the community. "Many are new, but then there are community leaders like myself who are not new, who have been doing work in the community for years, who are going to continue to do the same work — putting residents' needs first and working to advance more diversity in the leadership positions of New Brunswick," Goodman said.

City Councilman Jimmie Cook Jr., who ran as a regular Democrat and was re-elected in Ward 2, District 1, said once the new committee members began to talk, they found they shared very similar goals. However, points of divergence remain. One major issue is the city's form of government. The Democrats for Change are allied with Empower Our Neighborhoods, a group that wants residents to vote on a referendum to elect city council members based on wards. The all-Democrat city council, however, has moved to instead let the public vote on the creation of a five-member charter study commission, which would study all possible forms of government and make a recommendation as to which form is best suited for the city. The matter is currently the subject of litigation as both sides are seeking to have their question on November's ballot. "(The committee members who ran as Democrats for Change) are committed to making New Brunswick a better place to live and so that's what we're going to be working on," said Charles Kratovil, a spokesman and community organizer for Empower Our Neighborhoods. "Obviously the ward question is critical to giving our neighborhoods the ability to control their own destiny and to hold their leaders accountable."

Cook and Shamy both said it is good to have new people with new ideas join the party's committee. Cook said now that the election is over, there is no more "us" and "them", but rather one Democratic committee. Goodman said he looks forward to working with the regular Democrats, but he said he will hold them accountable and make sure the committee is working to diversity the city's government and work for the good of the residents. Cook said the goal of improving the lives of the city's residents unites the party. "Will after many meetings different agendas pop up?" Cook said. "At this point, based on the mood of last night's meeting, I can't see much friction. I can't see too much disagreement, because I think at the end of the day everyone is looking for the same result."

Grassroots Group Makes Inroads Into New Brunswick Democrats' Turf

June 5, 2009 By GENE RACZ, Home News Tribune [article]

A grassroots community organization jolted the Democratic political establishment of New Brunswick in Tuesday's primary by winning 25 of the city's 56 county committee seats. The unofficial tally still must be certified by the county clerk. Democrats for Change made itself a political force to contend with in New Brunswick, where the Democratic establishment has not faced opposition for county seats in well over a decade. The Middlesex County Democratic Organization is governed by the elected committeemen and committeewomen who are accountable to the registered Democratic voters of the county. The newly-elected members of Democrats for Change have now, technically, become part of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization. They are, however, expected to become a formidable force against "politics as usual" and the status quo.

New Brunswick's county committees nominate candidates for the "official" Democratic party lines. Tuesday's election set up a scenario where only four more committee votes would give Democrats for Change members a majority bloc of 29 votes in the organization. Newly-elected Democrats for Change members would then be free to pick the mayoral and council candidates of its choosing. New Brunswick incumbent Mayor James Cahill and incumbent council members Joseph V. Egan and Blanquita Valenti are up for re-election in 2010. "The biggest thing for me with this election is that is shows that an attitude shift can happen, because we're no longer this bunch of outside agitators," said Martha Guarnieri, co-chair of Democrats for Change. "We got about 910 people to support us in the city (in the election) and their (Middlesex County Democratic Organization) candidates got about 1,100 votes. People are finally realizing that people do want something different in the city, people do want change in New Brunswick, and they showed that on election day."

New Brunswick is comprised of 28 districts and each has two county committee seats available — one for a man and one for a woman. In alternating years, each party elects new county committee members. Last year, Republicans voted. This year, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization ran 53 candidates while Democrats for Change ran 50. Democrats for Change was started by a group of Rutgers University students but expanded its membership base into all of New Brunswick's six wards. The group is an outgrowth of Empower Our Neighborhoods, a group formed two years ago to try to change the election system of New Brunswick City Council members to one based on wards instead of at-large seats. The group's effort to put the ward-based election question on the November ballot is being challenged in court by the city of New Brunswick. In addition, last month 20 of the 50 Democrats for Change candidates were disqualified by the New Brunswick city clerk after their residency status was challenged by T.K. Shamy, chair of the New Brunswick Democratic Organization. The disqualification was based on a state law that says a candidate for public office must have lived in his or her district for at least one year in order to be eligible to run. But Superior Court Judge James Hurley, sitting in New Brunswick, ruled that the law only applies to public offices and not party offices. He said that for party offices, there was no time requirement. Rather, a candidate simply had to live in the district where he filed to run.

The bifurcated New Brunswick Democratic county committee will now hold its re-organization meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Hungarian Heritage Center on 300 Somerset Street. A battle is expected where Democrats for Change will attempt to oust the existing committee chairman, Shamy. "I would like that the chairperson be someone who is able to respect democratic concerns of the group," said Guarnieri. "In order for that to happen, there has to be some sort of change to the chairmanship." According to Guarnieri, the committee chairman wields considerable power with the ability to interpret by-laws, call meetings, invite people to attend meetings and challenge the status of existing committee members. Guarnieri said new committee members of Democrats for Change have met before Monday's meeting and she is interested to see if any candidates outside her party can be persuaded to join her party as they vote for a total of five new positions on Monday. "We'll see who we'll be able to sway with what candidates," Guarnieri said. "It should be an interesting meeting on Monday".

Democrats for Change challenged the entrenched Democratic machine on a basic premise of creating what it feels should be a more representative city government — one that is more responsive to specific community needs in all quarters of town. "It's time for a changing of the guard," said Cedrick Goodman, 45, lifelong city resident and community activist who won a set in District 1 of the 4th Ward. "It's time now for our generation to step up and do something. We can build off it things we think (elected officials) did that was great. We don't have to destroy their work, no, that's not my focus. I'm talking about a refocusing of resources to bring back a sense of community." Guarnieri noted that Mayor Cahill stopped by the Democrats for Change office the day after the election to congratulate them and to tell them he looked forward working with them. "I think the energy and the enthusiasm from all the parties involved is great for the city — is great for the Democratic organization," said Cahill. "I thought the campaigns for both parties were well-run and relatively clean; they were hard-ought and enthusiastic. This is what democracy is all about. What I'd love to see is if all the parties are as committed to City of New Brunswick as they've indicated they are — on both sides," added Cahill. "If everybody rose in the same direction, this can't be anything but good for the city of New Brunswick."

105 Democrats Seek 56 Seats On Middlesex County Committee

May 25, 2009 By JARED KALTWASSER, Home News Tribune [article]

In a normal year, the race for seats on the Middlesex County Democratic Committee draws only enough candidates to fill the 56 two-year seats. Not this year. In April, 105 Democrats filed petitions to run for the committee. Democratic voters in 26 city districts will choose the winners — one committeeman and one committeewoman from each district — on June 2. Fifty-five of those candidates, including 37 incumbents, are running under the "Middlesex County Democratic Organization" banner. They are being challenged by a new slate calling itself "Democrats for Change." Both sides say the other side is out of touch with most city residents. The Democrats for Change say the county organization's slate is comprised of too many political insiders who have grown too secure in their positions. The Middlesex County Democratic Organization candidates say the Democrats for Change — which includes about 20 college students or recent graduates — does not have the roots or the commitment necessary to serve the city's Democrats.

The race is important because the Democratic Party is the dominant party in city politics. The mayor and all five council members are Democrats. If the Democrats for Change were to win a majority of the county committee seats, they could affect the party's nominations for those offices. "They (the Democratic organization candidates) are disconnected from the community," said Thomas Peoples, the Democrats for Change committeeman candidate running in Ward 4 District 5. "They don't understand what we need and I think a ward-based system or at least city council representatives who every now and then would come talk to people in their community is what we need." Peoples has lived on Lufberry Avenue since 1994. He is president of the Lincoln Gardens Block Association and leader of the Fourth Ward Crime Watch. But Joseph A. Catanese, the incumbent Middlesex County Democratic Organization committeeman in Ward 5, District 4, said he has been living in the city for 83 years and in his Somerset Street neighborhood for 63 years and he believes the city's current Democratic leadership is doing a good job. "I think they (the Democrats for Change) are wrong because I think the Democratic Organization in New Brunswick is very much in touch with the citizens of New Brunswick," he said. "I go to these meetings here and they know a lot of people, and a lot of people know them." Catanese, one of a handful of incumbents who is unopposed, is the uncle of former police director Joseph Catanese.

Last month, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization challenged the eligibility of 20 Democrats for Change candidates on the grounds that they had not lived in the city for one year. But a Middlesex County judge ruled there is no one-year residency requirement for candidates seeking political party offices. The Democrats for Change said most of the challenged candidates would meet the one-year requirement anyway. Deloris McGriff, who has lived in the city and worked as a nurse at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for 46 years, is running for re-election under the New Brunswick Democratic Organization banner. "I've been in New Brunswick over 45 years and I think I know more about New Brunswick than these college students that are coming in here," said McGriff, the incumbent committeewoman in Ward 2 District 3. "I know about what needs to be done and what the people need." But Angela Salazar, a Democrat for Change running in Ward 4 District 4, said the members of the Rutgers community and other young people in the group represent an important constituency in the city. "Instead of criticizing them I think we should be able to support each other and support them if they come up with good reasons to support them," she said. "And I think that's exactly what is happening with Democrats for Change — those people involved are willing to work hard to address issues that affect them and affect us." Salazar is a 2002 graduate of New Brunswick High School who made national headlines for delivering her commencement address in English and Spanish. She moved back to the city after graduating from Montclair State University in 2006.

Judge's Ruling a Big Lift for Better Politics in Hub City

May 5, 2009 Home News Tribune [article]

It was a victory for how politics are meant to be played when a Superior Court judge ruled last week that 20 candidates from New Brunswick who were bounced from seeking seats on the Middlesex County Democratic Committee may indeed have their names placed on the party ballot. Not only that, the decision was important for New Brunswick, too, where the Democratic Party has ruled forever as a stuffy, closed and insular shop. The decision at the very least offers some small chance that differences of opinion may finally be heard in a city where one party is the only game in town.

What happened was, the New Brunswick Democratic Organization challenged each of the candidates — all from an upstart organization known as Democrats for Change — on the basis that none had lived in New Brunswick long enough. Party chieftains claimed that state law requires 12 months of residency before a person can seek public office. Judge James Hurley, however, properly noted that the law only applies to elected public office, and not to internal elected party posts, so the legal challenge was invalid.

Good.

The powers that be in New Brunswick — be it City Hall or the Democratic Party hierarchy itself, each of which are pretty much one in the same — have used all manner of legal maneuver to squelch opposition in recent years. One could watch those forces working at full tilt in last year's battle over a public question that sought to ask voters whether they wanted to change New Brunswick's form of government. After much legal wrangling on the city's part — and the expenditure of public dollars — the question never made it past the courts or onto November's general ballot.

T.K. Shamy, chair of the New Brunswick Democratic Organization, questioned how elimination of the one-year requirement would be of benefit, "Otherwise, he said, "how does anyone come to gain the knowledge and understanding of the people that they are going to represent on behalf of the Democratic organization and their ward and district?'' Then again, maybe candidates new to the city could bring fresh blood and a fresh perspective, along with some fresh talent, none of which could hurt. Either way, now it's up to the Democratic Party's rank and file members to decide, just as was always proper and right.

Rebel Alliance Takes First Victory in New Brunswick Democratic War

May 5, 2009 By JOHN FARLEY, New Brunswick Life [article]

New Brunswick Democratic Committee Chairman T. K. Shamy, Esq., fired the opening salvo in what is shaping up to be a Democratic Civil War, but the first victory goes to a rag-tag grassroots coalition of long-time residents and Rutgers students operating under the banner of “Democrats for Change” (DC). The victory marks the first time in over 20 years that the ruling Democrats have been challenged and shot down. Democrats for Change nominated 50 candidates to seats in the Middlesex County Democratic Party. Mr. Shamy objected to 20 of the candidates based on residency issues. He claimed that the candidates had not lived in New Brunswick for a year, the amount of time required to run for public office. On May 1, Judge James Hurley ruled that the requirement did not apply to positions within a political party. In other words, Judge Hurley ruled in favor of Democrats for Change, and stated that all nominated candidates were eligible to run for Democratic Committee positions in the June 2 primary.

So, why should we care? Considering the huge leftward angle of New Brunswick voters, it’s kind of a big deal when conflict erupts in the Party. A fractured Democratic Party, too distracted by infighting, may leave the door open for a Republican insurrection. And with Governor Corzine marring the name of the Democratic Party in New Jersey the way George W. Bush murdered the national GOP, municipal Democrats will have a hard enough time convincing residents that they aren’t in league with Satan. What’s at stake? New Brunswick has 56 seats in the Middlesex County Democratic Party, two delegates for each district in each ward. Local Democrats who want to run for office under the Party banner should hold seats in their city’s Democratic Committee. On June 2, registered New Brunswick Democrats will decide which residents will represent them to the Party. In previous primaries, local Democrats, including Mayor Jim Cahill and most of the City Council, ran uncontested. This year, by comparison, there are 105 candidates vying for the 56 seats, according to a report by Jared Kaltwasser of MyCentralJersey.com. Incumbents will have to hit the streets and campaign for the first time in decades. We may finally get a glimpse of the politicos who have been making big decisions on our behalf for the last 25 years.

That’s one of the reasons Democrats for Change is haranguing the Establishment. They say the fact that many residents don’t know the City Council is evidence that council members are disconnected from the community. Of course, it could also indicate that New Brunswick residents, like many Americans, are complacent when it comes to local politics. But maybe Cahill and Co. have overstayed their welcome. Maybe it is time for some fresh faces with big ideas. Sure, the old guard has done a great job of building up the downtown area. They really classed up the joint with luxury high rises and expensive restaurants. Redevelopment has turned downtown into a bustling metropolis during the day. At night, though, many of the apartments remain empty and dark.

Democrats for Change argues that New Brunswick is “more than just downtown.” Though George Street is the heartbeat of the city, there are many more streets that remain neglected. Who will speak for the residents of Quentin Gardens or the tent dwellers along the Raritan? They may be low- to no-income residents, but they are residents nonetheless. Who will reach out to Little Mexico, one of the most colorful and lively sections of New Brunswick that is cordoned off by racial and language barriers? Democrats for Change claims to be the voice of the entire city regardless of language or means, but outside of changing New Brunswick to a ward system, the DCs are vague about what they will do to help the rest of the city. We hear a lot of passionate rhetoric reminiscent of the hugely successful Obama campaign, but their claims lack specifics, also reminiscent of President Obama’s campaign.

It seems strange that a local Democratic primary would be the venue for a significant political showdown, but New Brunswick is a one-party town. Democrats have to battle each other to make any headway in city politics. Rest assured, local Republicans will be watching the outcome of this powerplay, and they will wait patiently for the dust to settle. If they make a calculated and decisive move, they might re-establish a Republican Party in New Brunswick. The macabre specter of politics has returned to New Brunswick, and I couldn’t be more excited. Democrats for Change has been tangling with city government since late last summer when its parent organization, Empower Our Neighborhoods (EON), fought to get a ward system referendum on the November ballot. The City Council made several calculated moves to stymie the referendum, and finally succeeded just prior to the ballots going to print.

Court Rules Candidates Be Put Back On Ballot

May 3, 2009 By GREG FLYNN, The Daily Targum [article]

Middlesex County Superior Court Judge James P. Hurley ruled Friday that the names of 20 contested candidates running with the Democrats for Change campaign be put back on the ballot for committee seats in the Middlesex Democratic Party for the June 2 primary elections. University alumnus and formerly contested Democrats for Change candidate Sean Monahan said he, along with the other candidates, thought they would win. “We felt like the law was on our side,” Monahan said. “It felt good to see a public official in New Brunswick doing the right thing.” Chair of the New Brunswick Democratic Organization T.K. Shamy filed the motion to disqualify the 20 candidates, all of whom were University students or alumni. Shamy, a New Brunswick assistant city attorney, said he used voter registration history as the criteria for disqualifying students, and the objections dealt primarily with disputed claims of residency, where a candidate had lived in an area for less than a year.

In hearings on April 15 and 23, Patricia Bombelyn, counsel for Democrats for Change, argued that according to Title 19 of the State Code, the definition of resident used by the defendants only applies to elected government offices, not party committee seats. Bombelyn argued disqualification of candidates would hinder the democratic process in most wards. Students shuffle around residencies but declare their domicile when they register to vote, and the right to vote and the right to run for office cannot be divorced from one another, Bombelyn said. The defense’s argument, as put forth by Eric Aronowitz, counsel to County Clerk Elaine Flynn and two city attorneys, was the state statute 40A requires one-year residency of a ward, district or subdivision in order to run for an office regularly filled in an election. The defense argued the statute disqualified the contested candidates.

Deputy Attorney General for the Board of Elections Thu Lam agreed with the plaintiff’s view that no residency duration requirement exists for party positions in the state. Hurley’s ruling concurred with this reasoning, noting that statute 40A applies to elections for governmental offices but does not apply to political party positions. Now that the case is closed, Democrats for Change will be pushing its platform across the city, co-campaign manager Charlie Kratovil said. “It’s really good that we’re going to be able to take this to the ballot,” Kratovil said. “We’re going up against the entrenched Democratic establishment in New Brunswick, and they have a lot of resources.” Democrats for Change aims to represent all communities with ward-based city council elections and hopes to put the ward question on the ballot for the upcoming gubernatorial election, Monahan said. “I’m strongly in favor of an elected school board. I’m interested in green building and a recycling program,” Monahan said. “These are a few items that I care about, but the thing is, it’s a huge number of people on the Democratic committee, and it’s a party position. We will represent the people of our district to the Democratic party.” Other goals include obtaining jobs for city residents and making sure schools are efficient and held accountable, Kratovil said.

“Democrats for Change is forming a broad inclusive coalition citywide to work to bring the same change Obama is bringing on the national level to New Brunswick’s local Democratic Party,” Kratovil said. “On June 2, residents will have a choice in how they are represented on the Democratic Committee for the first time in decades.” City resident Thomas Peoples, a Democrats for Change candidate for Ward 4, District 5, was pleased with the decision. “The main thing now is that we run a strong campaign and get leaders who have a strong connection to their neighborhoods and clear understanding of what residents need,” Peoples said.

Judge puts disqualified New Brunswick candidates back on ballot for county committee

May 1, 2009 By JARED KALTWASSER, The Home News Tribune [article]

Twenty candidates from the Democrats for Change slate will be on the June 2 ballot for Democratic Middlesex County committee after a judge ruled Friday that their earlier disqualification from the contest was based on the incorrect application of a state statute. Twenty of the 50 Democrats for Change candidates were disqualified by the city clerk last month after their residency status was challenged by T.K. Shamy, chair of the New Brunswick Democratic Organization. The disqualification was based on a state law that says a candidate for public office must have lived in his district for at least one year in order to be eligible to run. But Superior Court Judge James Hurley, sitting in New Brunswick, ruled that the law only applies to public offices and not party offices. He said that for party offices, there was no time requirement. Rather, a candidate simply had to live in the district where he filed to run. Sean Monahan, a Ward 5, District 2 resident who had been disqualified until Friday, said he felt the incumbent committee members were trying to limit competition from Democrats for Change. "I feel great. Totally vindicated," he said. "We had thought that the law was on our side from the beginning."

Shamy said he respectfully disagreed with Hurley's decision because Shamy said it would essentially allow anyone to move to the city and immediately become a candidate for the party office. Shamy said he still believes it is important that candidates live in their district for a significant amount of time before they seek office. "Otherwise how does anyone come to gain the knowledge and understanding of the people that they are going to potentially represent on behalf of the Democratic organization and their ward and district?" Shamy asked. Bill Bray, a spokesman for the city, said the one-year requirement had been enforced because it was on the nominating petition. "The nominating petition forms used by the county committee candidates seeking to place their name on the ballot includes the statutory language requiring at least one year of residency," Bray said. "It was a common-sense decision by the city clerk to rely upon that language when it disqualified the 20 indivduals who failed to meet that standard."

Charlie Kratovil, a Democrats for Change spokesman, said 12 of his slate's 20 candidates could prove that they would have qualified to run even with the one-year restriction. Kratovil said a one-year rule would make it difficult for Rutgers University students to run for office because they sometimes change apartments or dormitories from year to year. "I would say that all of our candidates really truly care about their community, otherwise they wouldn't have come forward and tried to come and be a part of the party," Kratovil said.

Candidates try to prove residency in local court

April 29, 2009 By MARY DIDUCH, Associate News Editor, The Daily Targum [article]

When Yelena Shvarts, a four-year resident of New Brunswick, found out she was disqualified from running for a position on the Middlesex County Democrat Committee this June, she was confused. “I am eligible to run for this office … I have lived at my current address since August and a block away in the same neighborhood before that,” said Shvarts, a Rutgers College senior. Shvarts, a registered Democrat who has interned with the governor and volunteered with the Democratic Presidential primary campaign, said the New Brunswick Democrats claim a candidate must live in a district for at least one year. This statute applies for city council, mayor or freeholder, but not for in-party elections. “While a candidate must live in their district, rightfully so, there is no one-year residency requirement for candidates for this particular office,” Shvarts said. “This was confirmed by the secretary of state and New Jersey attorney general in court.”

Judge James P. Hurly will decide on the case tomorrow at 2 p.m., which involves Shvarts and 19 other candidates of the Democrats for Change campaign at the Middlesex County Superior Court. The candidates, who are part of the campaign, must prove their residency in order to be eligible to run, according to city law. School of Arts and Sciences junior Carmen Rao has also been disqualified from running, although he has been living here for a year, confirmed by his lease from June 1, 2008. The clerk used his last voting location as a signifier of residency, Rao said. While he voted in New Brunswick in the November 2008 election, the city claimed he must have moved here in November, which was not the case. He said this looks like he had been living here for six months and not a year. Rao also disagreed with the way the city filed the disqualifications. “I got the letter on April 17, and the following Monday was the last day to appeal that decision,” he said. While the candidates were able to appeal on time, he said it was not right. “We got it done, but it just didn’t seem very professional,” Rao said. Anthony Fuscaldo, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, moved to New Brunswick in January. The city saw him as a dual resident with Washington Township because that was where he grew up, yet he is a resident of New Brunswick now and intends to live here long after he graduates. “I’m staying close to school, so that’s why I chose to live here,” Fuscaldo said. In court today, he said he would use bank statements, his lease and his mail as evidence that he is a resident of the city.

Many of the disqualified are not even current students; many are recent graduates who have lived and worked in New Brunswick for some time, Fuscaldo said. Both Fuscaldo and Rao are optimistic about tomorrow’s case. “As far as I know, apparently the attorney general of the state sided with us,” Rao said. A lot of students and citizens all across the state are registered to vote other than where they reside, so using this as a requirement could throw off many other candidates in New Jersey, messing up the elections, Rao said. “I think the average person can pretty much see what’s going on here,” he said. “All we want is to run a fair election.” If they fail, it will only embolden the group’s campaign, Rao said. “Imagine that I am disqualified on the residency issue … the campaign is still going to move forward,” Fuscaldo said. “We worked so hard we’re not going to stop now.” Many in the community have been behind the movement, he said. “I’m looking forward to the court case [today],” Fuscaldo said. Shvarts said it is important for the students to be able to run. “By providing jobs, frequenting the local businesses and renting housing, we support a large part of the New Brunswick economy, yet we are treated like second-class citizens,” Shvarts said. City Attorney William Hamilton and Assistant Attorney T.K. Shamy were unable to be reached for comment as of press time.

Grass-roots group shakes up New Brunswick politics

April 26,2009 By KAREN KELLER, The Star-Ledger [article]

For more than a decade the Middlesex County Democratic Organization has cruised through primary elections for New Brunswick's 56 county committee seats, facing sparse opposition. Not this year. Democrats for Change, a grassroots community group founded by young former Rutgers University students, is running a slate of candidates for the June 2 primary whose ages run from early 20s to seniors. Their slogan is ''Uniting New Brunswick Because We're More Than Just Downtown.'' At stake is local control of the Democratic Party in the county seat, a bustling city of 50,000 residents, which more than doubles during the day to include Rutgers University professors and students and employees of multi-billion-dollar health care companies. Committee members endorse candidates for city council and mayor as well as county, state and federal candidates.

Democrats for Change argue city officials are out of touch with regular residents and are prioritizing downtown development while neglecting the neighborhoods. City officials counter by emphasizing that improvements have not been solely focused on the downtown area. They said the new opposition members have little experience, are quick to criticize but fall short on good ideas and seem more focused on kicking out the current regime than improving the city. At a Democrats for Change meeting Tuesday night, held at a historic home next to the public library, the mood reflected visions of a seismic shift in attitude away from the status quo. William J. Simmons, a former Marine and a county committee candidate, stood up and said he's been knocking on doors in his district. ''I have Asians, I have whites, I have blacks, I have young and old,'' Simmons said, adding that his campaign is not as big as Obama's campaign, ''but we have as much heart.'' Simmons said some residents' reaction to his visit caused him to cry. Residents told him, '' 'No one's knocked on my door and asked me what I thought,' '' he said.

Charlie Kratovil, the group's campaign manager, characterized the city council and mayor as part of an entrenched Democratic ''machine'' that has controlled the county for decades. He noted Mayor James Cahill has led the city since 1991 and four of the city's five council members are relatives of council members who served a generation ago. Democrats for Change, by contrast, is younger and newer and has a Facebook page. T.K. Shamy, campaign manager for the incumbents, said he believes the passion of the candidates with short tenures in the city could burn out quickly. His candidates are longtime residents, he said. ''It remains to be seen whether they'll be committed to the city for the long haul,'' said Shamy, a lifelong city resident and former assistant city attorney. Mayor Cahill, meanwhile, said none of the candidates has requested to sit down to speak with the mayor, a fact that illustrates the group's ''antagonistic'' nature and reveals their central mission, to oust current city leaders. The group's attitude is, '' 'We don't like you and we want to get rid of you,' '' Cahill said. ''It speaks volumes that they're more interested in who's in the government than what the government is accomplishing,'' said Cahill, who added he's open to new ideas.

The battle between the two camps is already in full swing. Last week the incumbents filed a legal objection over 20 opposition candidates, claiming the candidates haven't lived in New Brunswick for at least a year. Democrats for Change filed a counter complaint, and a state superior court judge is to decide the matter Thursday. The opposition group maintains 15 of the 20 candidates in question can prove they have lived in the city for more than a year. In total, the Middlesex County Democratic Organization is running 53 candidates and Democrats for Change has a slate of 50 candidates, said Elaine Flynn, Middlesex County clerk. The city is carved into 28 districts. Two county committee seats are available for every district, for one man and one woman. Democrats and Republicans elect new county committee members every other year, in alternating years for each party. Last year it was the Republicans' turn.

Democrats for Change is an initiative of Empower Our Neighborhoods, a group formed two years ago that currently has at least 100 active organizers, Kratovil said. Last year the group tried to change the election system of city council members to one based on wards instead of at-large seats to ensure better representation of the city, members said. The group lost a campaign to put the issues to voters last November. Members said they believed the city used unfair tactics to keep the question off the ballot, but will try again this year. Middlesex County Democrats haven't faced opposition in the race for county committee seats in New Brunswick for at least 14 years, as long as Flynn has been county clerk, she said.

Rival Democrat slates wage legal battle in New Brunswick after clerk disqualifies 20 candidates

April 22,2009 By JARED KALTWASSER, Home News Tribune Staff Writer [article]

The race for 56 Middlesex County Democratic Committee seats landed in court Wednesday after 20 candidates running on an opposition slate were disqualified based on residency questions. Earlier this month, 50 candidates from the group Democrats for Change filed to run for committee seats against 55 candidates from the city's Democratic organization. The election is June 2. Last week, the chairman of the city's Democratic organization, T.K. Shamy, filed an objection with the city clerk's office, claiming that 20 of the candidates on the Democrats for Change slate did not meet residency requirements.City Clerk Dan Torrisi said he received the formal challenge to the candidates on Monday, April 13, the deadline for such objections to be filed. On Friday, April 17, he said, he received supporting documentation from Shamy. Based on that information, Torrisi declared the 20 candidates ineligible and informed the county clerk and the candidates in question of his decision. But Charlie Kratovil, a spokesman for Democrats for Change, disputed that time line and said he was not aware of the decision until noon on Monday, April 20. He said by that point the group had only four hours to file its motion for a hearing on the matter by a Monday afternoon deadline. Kratovil said he had repeatedly checked with city and county officials to find out if there were any challenges to his candidates, but he said he was not told of any. "I'll just say that this is a blatant attempt by the opposition to remove our candidates from the ballot in an attempt to avoid a competitive election," Kratovil said.

The plaintiffs, Democrats for Change, were represented pro bono by attorney Patricia Bombelyn. Bombelyn argued that the state statute which the city used to disqualify the 20 candidates does not apply to county committee candidates. The statute the city used requires that a candidate live in his district or electoral zone for one year prior to the election. Bombelyn said that statute only applies to public candidates, not to party candidates. "The position (party committee member) we are talking about is not really a government position, it's a party position" she said. "Party is not a government entity." Bombelyn admitted that nine of the 20 Democrats for Change candidates would not meet the one-year residency requirement, but she said 11 would meet that requirement, and she said they could prove it.

City attorney William Hamilton said the statute Bombelyn was relying on, which says a candidate must have residency but sets no time requirement, had been superseded by the statute establishing a time requirement. "It's the last word," he said. "It's the specific word on residency." First Deputy County Counsel Aronowitz, representing the county clerk, agreed. But Deputy Attorney General Thu Lam, who participated in the hearing via telephone and was representing the state attorney general and secretary of state, said she disagreed with Hamilton and Aronowitz and agreed with Bombelyn that the one-year requirement only applied to public office candidates.

Aronowitz said the county needed to know whether to include the 20 names on the ballot no later than May 1 in order to have time to print the ballots. Hurley then set deadlines for all sides to submit briefs, and for Bombelyn to submit documentation as to the 11 candidates' residency. Michael Shanahan, one of the 20 candidates ruled ineligible, said he has lived in the city since June 1, 2008, making him eligible under the one-year requirement. He said the city's Democratic organization used voter registration records to disqualify him, but Shanahan said he had lived in the city for months prior to registering to vote here. "It's good to hear that the attorney general, through her deputy attorney general is in support of our position," he said. Shanahan said the hearing would not slow down the campaign.

Democrats for Change defend city residency of candidates

April 22,2009 By GREG FLYNN, Daily Targum Correspondent [article]

Benches filled yesterday afternoon in a Middlesex County courtroom as Democrats for Change defended the residency of 20 candidates running in the Election for Committee Seats in the Middlesex Democratic Party. On April 17, objections filed by the New Brunswick Democratic Chairman T.K. Shamy to disqualify 20 candidates — all University students or alumni — were accepted by City Clerk Daniel Torrisi on the same day. The objections dealt primarily with disputed claims of residency. “Since it is such a large student population that is being disqualified, we’re taking this sort of as an attack on students who want to get involved in local politics,” Co-Campaign Manager Martha Guarnieri said. Guarnieri, a Rutgers College junior, said Democrats for Change received notification on April 18 giving them little time to drum up a way to dismantle the objections. April 20 was the final day to respond to objections, she said.
The Democrats for Change took the matter to court, submitting that the provision doesn’t apply to its candidates. Shamy could not be reached for comment at press time.

Patricia Bombelyn, counsel for Democrats for Change, argued that according to the Statute 19-53 of the State Code, the definition of resident used by the defendants only applies to elected government offices, not party committee seats. Bombelyn also questioned the procedure in which the defendants pursued the action. Democrats for Change could have disqualified three candidates the city Democratic Organization is running using the same criteria as the defendants but chose not to as the organization believes it doesn’t apply, Bombelyn said.

Eric Aronowitz, counsel to the county clerk Elaine Flynn, explained the defendant’s position. According to state law, residency applies after one year. “This means that to run in a committee seat election that takes place June 2, 2009, a citizen would have to had lived in a district since June 2, 2008,” he said. William J. Hamilton, city attorney, agreed with this assessment. The 20 false certifications fell under multiple categories, including change of address and others, which would negate claims of residency, he said. Deputy Attorney General for the Board of Elections Thu Lam, speaking through a speakerphone, stated her agreement with the plaintiff. The provision referred to applies to governmental entities, not party positions, Thu said.

The defendants could not unilaterally seek to remove the contested candidates. “This strategy of disqualifying student candidates is a way to break off that part of the coalition,” she said. “It was very clear at the meeting we had last night that all the community members that were there weren’t going to let that happen.” Democrats for Change aims to represent all communities with ward-based elections. Other goals include obtaining jobs for city residents first, maintaining open and clean government and making sure schools are efficient, are held accountable and establish positive activities for the city’s youth, Communications Chair Jerry Mercado said. Charlie Kratovil, co-campaign manager, expressed his optimism about the upcoming hearing Middlesex County Superior Court Judge James P. Hurley scheduled at 2 p.m. on April 30 at the Middlesex County Courthouse, room 305

The June 2 election in the city for Middlesex County Democratic Committee seats has shaped up to be a crowded competition.

April 19, 2009 By JARED KALTWASSER, MyCentralJersey.com Reporter [article]

A total of 105 candidates filed for the city's 56 seats on the county committee. Fifty-five candidates filed under the Middlesex County Democratic Organization slate. Fifty candidates filed under the slogan “Democrats for Change.” Last year, about half that many candidates filed to run, according to the city clerk's office. The “Democrats for Change” campaign was initiated by Empower Our Neighborhoods, a community group that has sought to return the city to ward-based city council seats. The county committee seats are broken up into wards and districts, and each district has one committeeman and one committeewoman.

Brent Klokis, a 26-year-old who works at a residential architecture firm and is running to be the Ward 6, District 5, committeeman, said he feels the city is at a critical juncture and has two choices: become a culture of million-dollar condominiums and posh restaurants, or revive the existing culture by rejuvenating the neighborhoods. “The first solution (of the current city leadership) is to simply rebuild instead of getting out there into the community,” he said. “The truth is that a lot of residents don't even know who is on the committee currently. They barely know their City Council members because no one's out there (in the neighborhoods).” T.K. Shamy, the city's Democratic chairman, said he welcomes the new candidates, buthe said if people are unhappy with the party's leadership, no one has told him. “Quite frankly if people are out of touch with the Democratic Organization they certainly haven't come to me to tell me that,” he said. “I've been chairman for over a year now. My door is open, when my phone rings, I pick it up.” Shamy said he had confidence in his candidates.

At the Wednesday, April 15, City Council meeting, Empower Our Neighborhoods member Charles Kratovil suggested that members of the council should not also be Democratic committee members, in part because he said the local committee members are supposed to represent their neighborhoods to the council members. “Don't you think it would be fun to let someone else take a seat on the Democratic committee and actually represent your neighborhood to you?” Kratovil said. Councilwoman Blanquita Valenti said holding a municipal office and a county political committee seat was allowed, was not uncommon, and can help her more directly represent her neighborhood. She and fellow council member Jimmie Cook are running for county Democratic committee seats. Valenti also noted that the county position is a volunteer post. “It's a nonpaid position,” she said. “I don't see the conflict, I'm sorry.”

New Brunswick reform Dems file 50 county committee candidates

April 08, 2009
By MATT FRIEDMAN, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter [article]

A group of reform Democrats in New Brunswick is challenging the establishment party. The group, which runs under the slogan “Democrats for Change,” has filed 50 candidates to run to represent New Brunswick in the Middlesex County Democratic Committee. Saying that city council members are unresponsive to the various neighborhoods’ constituency (all five council members are elected at-large), the candidates want the city to have ward-based elections. "There is no communication with the Councilpeople,” said candidate Thomas Peoples. “They never come to the neighborhoods. The only way we can have change is if real people step up to represent that actually live in all neighborhoods.” New Brunswick’s Democratic machine is a remnant of the more powerful organization that was led by former state Sen. John Lynch. Among the incumbent council members is Joseph V. Egan, who, along with Mayor Jim Cahill, are the de facto leaders of the local party.

New Brunswick Residents Unite For Change in Democratic Party

April 07, 2009
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ

Launching a bold grassroots electoral campaign of a magnitude not seen in decades, a diverse coalition of 50 New Brunswick residents hailing from all corners of the city filed petitions yesterday afternoon (Monday 4/6) to run for seats on the Middlesex County Democratic Committee in the upcoming June 2 election. The candidates, running under the common slogan “Democrats for Change," represent the full range of city neighborhoods in all five New Brunswick wards and include such notable residents as Thomas Peoples, leader of the Fourth Ward Crime Watch and Angela Salazar, 2002 New Brunswick High School valedictorian.

“Democrats for Change” candidates want each neighborhood to have representatives that will put the real-life concerns of their neighbors first on the city’s agenda. Noting that current city leaders have grown aloof to the needs of residents and are unknown to most of the city, Thomas Peoples, candidate for committeeman in Ward 4, District 5 said: "There is no communication with the Councilpeople. They never come to the neighborhoods. The only way we can have change is if real people step up to represent that actually LIVE in all neighborhoods.” Adam Gold, a Rutgers graduate and candidate for committeeman in Ward 6, District 6 added: “I just want people to be able to answer a simple question: Who is representing you?” “Democrats for Change” slate plan to address citywide issues that impact all residents such as the lack of representation for many constituencies in the city (by supporting ward-based elections) and the need to improve the city’s schools and to make them more accountable (with an elected school board). Additionally, candidates plan to tackle specific issues impacting their neighborhoods such as improving street cleaning, alleviating parking and transportation problems, offering greater access to affordable and safe housing, expanding and improving city parks, and providing activities and programs for local youth. “I'm running because I am sick and tired of this city building new condominiums, apartments, and hotels when our schools are falling apart,” said Marge Kerber, member of the Second Ward Crime Watch and candidate for Ward 2, District 4. “I can't imagine how much more money New Brunswick would have if, instead of providing tax abatements to those that have no ties to this city, they used the tax money from these projects to improve our schools.” Added Brent Klokis, Rutgers graduate and candidate for committeeman in Ward 6, District 5: "We are about more than just downtown."

The grassroots campaign for seats on the Democratic Party County Committee was initiated by Empower Our Neighborhoods (EON), the New Brunswick community organization that spent most of the past year organizing to return the city to a ward-based election system. The campaign, still being fought in the courts in the face of stubborn opposition from City Hall, brought EON organizers in touch with thousands of residents. William Simmons, candidate for committeeman in Ward 2, District 2 said, “This diverse group of men and women embody the spirit of the Obama Movement and the ‘Yes We Can’ attitude that brought change on the national level. Now, we want to bring that same change to the local government here.” In November, EON organizers and volunteers helped bring thousands of voters to the polls where President Obama won New Brunswick in a landslide. The "Democrats for Change" campaign is a natural next step for the community group and marks a unique opportunity because every seat on the committee is up for re-election June 2. "We are in touch with the residents of our neighborhoods,” added Angela Salazar, candidate for committeewoman in Ward 4, District 4, "and they are not happy with the way the city is being run. We are ready to take back our city by any means necessary. Our nation was able to institute change in our federal government, now it is time to do the same in New Brunswick." Cedrick Goodman, a lifelong resident and candidate for committeeman in Ward 4, District 1 summed up the campaign: “The time has come for new leadership.” There are 28 election districts in New Brunswick. Each will elect a man and a woman from the district to the Democratic Party County Committee in the June 2 primary election.