9/26/18

Jesus once said, “Then you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will set you free.”  (John 8:32) 

In the winter of 2016, I decided to run for city council for the City of Perth Amboy on Mayor Wilda Diaz’s ticket. It was a decision I made and one that I now regret. It is with great sadness and disappointment that I have to write this letter.   Anyone who knows me can vouch for my character. I believe that it is necessary to tell the entire truth and bring to light what is going on in Perth Amboy.  

The exchange initiated by the Mayor about Council President is definitely political.  One of Mayor Wilda Diaz’s sisters (Nancy Soto Diaz) has been targeting me along with some state, county and city elected officials and questioning our leadership. She also has been demanding that we say something in regards to Council President William Petrick’s right wing old Facebook reposting.  

This is what I have to say: 

I do not in any way, shape or form condone Mr. Petrick’s right wing old reposting on social media.  That said, Mayor’s Wilda Diaz and her sister’s timing to come out and express their outrage is definitely political and disingenuous at best.  

Here is the reason why: 

In 2016, Councilman Joel Pabon ran for mayor against Mayor Wilda Diaz.  He was supported and endorsed by Councilman William Petrick. 

In the summer of 2016, at the Mayor’s campaign headquarters there was talk among one of Mayor Wilda’s family member, campaign staff and some of her city staff members regarding some of Councilman Petrick’s Facebook postings.  

In the fall of 2016, again at our campaign headquarters there were more conversations among the Mayor’s campaign staff members regarding Mr. Petrick’s right wing Facebook posting.  A decision was made by one of the mayor’s family member and campaign staff members to save it to use against him at a later date. On Tuesday, November 8th, 2016.  We (Mayor Wilda Diaz, Councilman Fernando Irizarry and I) won the election. 

December 2016, Councilman Fernando Irizarry and I were lobbied by Mayor Wilda Diaz and some of her staff members to vote for Councilman William Petrick as our next Council President. 

January 3, 2017, Councilman William Petrick was approached by the Mayor’s staff members and told that he had the votes and for him to accept the nomination.  

Mr. Petrick agreed to accept the nomination for Council President. 

January 3, 2017, Councilman Petrick was voted in as our new Council President. Summer of 2017, Council President Petrick was asked to support Mayor Diaz’s Board of Education ticket. Mr. Petrick agreed, supported, and attended one of their fundraiser events. 

Fall of 2017, Council President Petrick was asked to attend the Mayor’s political fundraiser that took place on December 8, 2017. Mr. Petrick accepted the invite and attended her fundraiser. 

Winter of 2017, Council President Petrick had a fall out with Mayor Wilda Diaz due to several disagreements on the direction of City of Perth Amboy.  

Summer of 2018, Council President Petrick decided to run for re-election with Councilman Joel Pabon and BOE member Milady Tejeda. 

Fall of 2018, Mayor Wilda Diaz’s sister Nancy Soto Diaz states that someone “just” sent her disturbing snapshots of Mr. Petrick’s right wing old Facebook postings. 

Fall of 2018, Mayor Wilda Diaz writes a press release questioning Council President Petrick’s ability to serve the City of Perth Amboy due to the supposedly “new revelation” of his right wing old Facebook postings. 

Fall of 2018, Mayor Wilda Diaz and her sister Nancy Soto Diaz disingenuously calls out state, county and city elected officials telling us to ask for Mr. Petrick’s resignation. 

These sort of deceitful and calculated tactics are some of the reasons why at least 13 councilmen and councilwomen from the last 12 years don’t agree with Mayor Wilda Diaz’s leadership and direction for the City of Perth Amboy.  

We understand firsthand that the person she portrays in public is not the same person behind closed doors. Keep in mind that all of us are, or were, elected officials who supported her in the past and five that even ran on her ticket. We come from different backgrounds and are of different age, sex, race, color, religion and ethnic background.  This speaks volumes on what is really going on in the City of Perth Amboy and how difficult it is working with Mayor Wilda Diaz.  We as elected officials deserve better and so do you. 

So stop all these distractions so we can concentrate on several other important issues concerning the City of Perth Amboy. We need to solve urgent issues: our high property taxes, our increased population, overcrowding of our schools, re-zoning issues, redevelopment issues, horrible street conditions, quality of life issues, lack of recreational space, old infrastructure issues, parking issues, and lack of transparency within the Mayor’s office.

Several people working for Mayor Wilda Diaz know all this to be true. They are afraid to speak up due to fear of retaliation.  

Mayor Wilda Diaz, some of her family members and campaign workers knew about Council President William Petrick’s right wing facebook reposting back in 2016.  Since then, they have sought his support, endorsement and made him Council President. So why the outrage now and not back in 2016? This speaks volumes on the shadiness of Mayor Wilda Diaz, her sister Nancy and her inner circle.  We deserve better! 

Mayor Wilda Diaz, this is real news, and I am willing to take a polygraph test and start an investigation to prove it. What about you? 

I’ll sum it up with this famous quote from an inspirational individual: 

“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.  

Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” 

–  John F. Kennedy 

Sincerely, 

Helmin J. Caba 

Councilman, City of Perth Amboy