NJ: Six days after leaving Congress, Sires enters race for West New York mayor
Former Rep. Albio Sires, who left Congress on January 3 after more than sixteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives, has formally announced his bid to run for mayor of West New York, a post he held from 1995 to 2006.
“Being the Mayor of West New York has been the greatest job I’ve ever had,” Sires said. “Only in this country can a kid from Bejucal, Cuba who played basketball at Memorial High School make it to the halls of Congress. West New York was the place that made me who I am today and over the years, I’ve been able to help a lot of residents.”
Sires said he plans to make crime, rent and property tax stabilization, infrastructure and education key issues in his campaign, along with expanding parking and other local government services.
“I want to build a new media center in the heart of town on Bergenline Avenue for all of our residents to enjoy,” he said. “The current library across from Town Hall is falling apart and is not handicap accessible.”
Sires’ path to regaining the mayoral post won’t be automatic. He will face a slate headed by Cosmo Cirillo, a three-term town commissioner.
West New York holds non-partisan municipal elections in May. Candidates run for five seats on the town commission, which then selects a mayor among them.
The incumbent mayor, Gabriel Rodriguez, is not seeking re-election. Instead, he’s running for State Assembly on a slate headed by State Sen. Brian P. Stack, the mayor of Union City. The incumbent assemblywoman, Angelica Jimenez, is running for West New York town commissioner on Cirillo’s slate.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/six-days-after-leaving-conrgess-sires-enters-race-for-west-new-york-mayor/
