Categorized | Letters to the Editor

THE COMMUNITY VOICE: Letters to the Editor

In Response to Mayor’s Letter of February 8, 2017

After being elected for the third term Wilda Diaz vowed she wouldn’t seek, the Mayor also believes she doesn’t have to obey the laws of this state or the ordinances of this city. In a self-serving and inaccurate address to city residents on social media and in this paper, she claims she is “putting Perth Amboy first”. Ironically, this was the slogan of the former administration.  The Mayor’s slogan of “United for Perth Amboy” and “Stronger Together” by her actions alone leaves us more divided than ever.

The city council is not subordinate to the mayor. We are the legislative branch whose duties consist of passing legislative and overseeing the budget.  It is the council’s fiduciary duty to investigate when there are questionable practices.

Absent of any evidence of her concern about these problematic practices, the mayor chose to ignore the council’s apprehension regarding her actions.  As a result, the council hired an independent attorney to investigate these matters.  Those findings disclosed that the Mayor had hired and paid the previous business Administrator improperly. The Mayor is attempting to stop the city council from addressing these alleged violations, using your tax dollars to sue the City Council.

Perth Amboy needs to ask –

Why is the Mayor afraid of the results of the investigation?

Why is she trying to suppress any effort to make it public?

Where is the Mayor’s concern about spending your tax dollars?

The City Council also took an oath to uphold the constitution, and as uncomfortable and tedious as it may be, Perth Amboy deserves no less than an ethical and responsible City Council to protect it.

Council President

William Petrick

Think About the Firemen

I was watching the news last week and saw the riots at Berkeley, denying some guy his right to free speech. What struck me about those “demonstrations” were the fires that were being set in the name of peace and love. I flashed back to the hotel collapse in Iran on the 19th of last month where twenty firefighters were killed. I remember feeling really bad for those firemen. It didn’t matter to me where they were from, because firefighters are the same all over the world. Techniques and politics may differ but the soul of a firefighter remains a constant, as it is with all emergency workers worldwide. I’d give you even money, that on 911, while some people in other countries cheered, the firemen in those countries did not.

You’re probably wondering how I managed to tie that in to the Berkeley riot. Well, it’s like this; when I see stuff like Berkley and Ferguson I always think of the fireman. I find myself feeling bad for the firemen. They rush to the scene to save property and lives. They have all they can do, risking their safety to fight this fire, yet have to deal with getting pelted with rocks and bottles, and possibly shot at to boot. All because some dumb ass decided the First Amendment gave him/her the right to commit arson, in the name of free speech, with a wanton disregard for life. And don’t give me that crap about, “pent up rage” or the “need to express frustration”, “that boat don’t float.” When someone commits arson, lives are put at risk.

Just recently a lot of frustrated women with pent up rage held a worldwide protest. Guess what? No fires. A huge worldwide protest took place for civil rights involving millions of people and nothing was set on fire. Amazing!!!

In conclusion I would like to address any person or persons who feel they have to set something on fire to get their message out. If you really feel that strongly about it, then find yourself a vacant spot, call the press, and make like a Tibetan monk. Firefighters and emergency personnel want to go home to their families at the end of the shift.

Joe Bayona

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