Contact: Martin Perez, 732-397-8700
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, November 4, 2009
New Brunswick Ward Question Yet to be Decided
Coalition expects referendum to succeed
New Brunswick, NJ—In New Brunswick’s hotly contested referendum on ward-based government, the outcome hinges on 185 provisional ballots.
Martin Perez, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Democracy, said he expects the question to prevail once every vote has been counted. “We believe the majority of provisional ballots were cast by supporters of the ward question. We want everyone’s vote to be counted, regardless of how they voted.”
In Tuesday’s election, there were widespread reports of voters being denied the right to cast a ballot in voting machines. Any voter denied the right to cast a machine ballot is entitled to cast a paper provisional ballot. The four-member Middlesex County Board of Elections is charged with determining the validity of the provisional ballots this week.
The Coalition expects the current 113-vote difference to be overcome because most reports indicated that those denied access to the voting machine were supporters of the referendum. In addition, the Coalition is currently investigating rejected mail-in ballots and allegations of voter intimidation and voter fraud on the part of the Vote No campaign, including double voting.
“Every irregularity is being looked into and we will fight so that every legitimate vote will be counted,” said Martha Guarnieri, campaign manager for the Coalition for Democracy.
Middlesex County Clerk Elaine Flynn said provisional ballots are counted if the voter is registered anywhere in the county unless they cast a ballot elsewhere.
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Judge's Ruling Strikes City-Sponsored Question From Ballot
Grassroots Coalition Encourages City Not to Appeal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Coalition for Democracy, a grassroots network formed to support changing New Brunswick's government to a ward system, called on the city government to stop fighting New Brunswick residents. The group maintains the City is spending precious taxpayer revenue on failed legal maneuvers that aim to delay and thwart inclusive democracy. Martin Perez, chairman of the steering committee for the coalition said that: " Our local government should not appeal Judge Hurley's decision. They have already wasted enough of our money fighting the residents they are suppose to represent. Enough is enough. Now it is time to let the people vote on whether or not they want wards."
On Friday, in a highly anticipated decision, Superior Court Judge James Hurley ruled that a second petition for a change to New Brunswick's government was improperly approved by City Clerk Dan Torrissi. This ruling affirmed the belief of numerous community organizations that a referendum on ward-based government should be the only question to appear legally on this November's ballot. The city government announced that they will appeal the decision of the judge.
" The maneuvering to deny the people the opportunity to vote on the ward issue is unnecessary and wasteful. Torrissi's track record of rejecting every valid petition submitted by us, but approving invalid petitions put forth by city officials and employees reveals a double standard and arrogance that demonstrates why City government needs to change to ward based representation", said Martha Guarnieri , member of the coalition and President of Empower Our Neighborhoods (EON), the group that initiated the petition for a change to ward-based government. EON sued the City Clerk and City Council twice in the past 18 months to override illegal rejections of their petitions for a Council with nine members, one from each of the city's six wards, and three elected at-large.
For these matters, the city retained Marvin Brauth of the well-connected Wilentz, Goldman, and Spitzer firm, who made over $60,000 fighting and losing the two cases. This figure does not include taxpayer money spent on the services of numerous city attorneys, on top of their salaries. The litigation concluded August 10 when Hurley ruled the ward question must be put to a vote.In the court decision, Judge Hurley ruled that only one petition can be put to a vote at a time, effectively negating City Clerk Torrissi's last-minute approval of a petition for a competing question, sponsored by the current administration.New Brunswick's City Council, a defendant in the suit, had already authorized at least $7,500 in taxpayer money to be spent on Brauth's Woodbridge-based firm at their meeting Wednesday September 16. That night, they also authorized an additional $18,604.92 for the prior litigation, bringing the grand total of public money to almost $75,000. Without a doubt, an appeal will exceed the authorized spending and require further approval of the Council.
"If the City Council members want to continue this unnecessary litigation they should spend their own money" concluded Mr. Perez"
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WARDS GAIN SUPPORT IN NEW BRUNSWICK
Community Organizations Form Coalition For Democracy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 9, 2009
New Brunswick, NJ—Representatives of eleven different organizations united on the steps of City Hall at noon today to announce the formation of the Coalition for Democracy, a grassroots coalition advocating for a change to the city government.
The coalition came together in support of a ballot initiative that would change New Brunswick's City Council from an at-large system to a ward-based system, with each of New Brunswick's six wards represented on the Council. They feel this is a necessary step that will allow for a more democratic government representative of all communities in the city.
"The ward-based system will provide effective, accessible and accountable representation to all sectors in the decision making structure of our city. Our initiative creates a City Council integrated by six ward elected representatives and three at-large elected members” said Martin Perez, President of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey and Chairman of the Coalition's steering committee.
The groups agree that, by voting yes for wards this fall, voters will make their City Council more accountable and give a stronger voice to New Brunswick's diverse communities. The coalition also believes that wards will improve neighborhoods that “have not benefited from the revitalization of downtown,” according their mission statement.
The Coalition for Democracy includes a diverse range of neighborhood associations, civil rights organizations, Latino and African-American community groups, labor unions, and student groups.
Founding Members of the coalition include:
The Hampton Club Condo Association
Lincoln Gardens Neighborhood Association
Leadership Alliance of New Jersey
Mexican American Organization
LAZOS - America Unida
Neighborhoods United for Equality
Rutgers Student Union
Parents Leading Advocacy in Children's Education
Democracy For America - Middlesex County Chapter
Empower Our Neighborhoods
Martha Guarnieri, President of Empower Our Neighborhoods, the organization that started the ward initiative, said the coalition's formation is historic: "I am glad that the groups representing New Brunswick's diverse communities are coming together in agreement that the best way to preserve that diversity is with wards."
The Coalition for Democracy is reaching out to several other groups throughout the city and expects to grow rapidly, reflecting the widespread support for a ward-based elections in New Brunswick.
"This coalition will demonstrate the widespread appeal of wards and put to rest the idea, that only EON support wards" said Thomas Peoples, head of the Lincoln Gardens Neighborhood Association and newly elected Democratic committeeman in Ward 4, District 5.
The coalition's website, coalition4democracy.com launches Monday September 14. |
