Joseph B. Vas for Mayor
Together We Can Do Better
Joseph B. Vas
•Expert in Public Finance
•Financial Analyst (8 years)
•Attorney in Perth Amboy
•Governor’s Executive Fellow
•Democratic Committeeman (3 terms)
• Past Deputy Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus
•Former Board Member of the Jewish Renaissance Medical Center
Education:
•Law Degree, Rutgers Univ. School of Law
•MBA, Rutgers Univ. School of Business
• BS in Finance, The College of NJ
•Lifelong Resident of Perth Amboy
•Married, father of two children
“In the past 12 years Perth Amboy’s tax rate has continued to increase nearly every year from one of lowest effective tax rates in the County in 2008 to one of the fastest increasing tax rates per capita in the county in 2020, far outpacing nearly every Middlesex County municipality. Elected city officials from the Mayor to City Council have endorsed unnecessary tax abatements and payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) to the wealthiest outside taxpayers shifting the tax burden on residential taxpayers. While local residential property owners have seen consistent taxes increases, public services decline and there has been overall decay to the City’s infrastructure and in the quality of life. My greatest concern is that no one has proposed a comprehensive plan to stabilize taxes or provide relief to its residential property owners – instead it appears their only plan to balance the municipal budget is to continue to raise taxes.”
Vanessa Bermudez for Perth Amboy Council
Together We Can Do Better
Vanessa Bermudez
•Zoning Board, member
•VFW, lifetime member
•Moose Lodge, member
•Latin American Motorcycle Association, member
•National Sales Manager, LED Manufacturing Company
“As a member of the Zoning Board I have seen firsthand how the City’s overall lack of leadership and political interference has Negatively impacted Perth Amboy’s economic growth and quality of life for its residents.”
Angel Mota Ramirez for Perth Amboy Council
Together We Can Do Better
Angel Mota Ramirez
•Self-made businessman- MTI Imports
•Redevelopment Authority, former member
“Perth Amboy is blessed with a great geographic location and a hardworking Community, yet constant political infighting over the past 12 years has prevented the City from fully realizing its redevelopment potential and has denied its residents better employment opportunities at a time when they are needed most.”
The ONLY Real Change
This November, the ballot is as important as it has ever been nationally and especially locally. The global pandemic has served to heighten focus on local shortcomings and identified areas for accountability and reform. In Perth Amboy, the ballot will present voters with two distinct options despite the presence of multiple candidate groups. On the one hand is the current administration who over the past twelve and a half years has consistently raised taxes; destabilized, mismanaged and politicized the police department; endangered the environment by neglecting the oversight of the water and wastewater management agreement resulting in the discharge of raw sewage into our waterfront and carcinogens in our drinking water; all while denying the public the right to know through transparent government at City Council meetings.
On the other hand, is the ticket featuring Joseph B. Vas, Vanessa Bermudez and Angel Mota Ramirez. Under the banner “Together, Perth Amboy Can Do Better” the team is poised to guide the city they love to its full potential. The investment of time and energy in Perth Amboy by the team is longstanding as demonstrated by their civic commitments and in the case of Mr. Vas, his work on behalf of nearly a thousand Perth Amboy homeowners to reduce their property taxes when the current administration failed to fulfill their property tax relief campaign promises. In this regard, savvy Perth Amboy voters will recognize the other ballot options as cohorts, associates and enablers of the current administration who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the current mayor as all of the promises for reform and relief proved empty.
Despite promises of implementing a two-term limit, the current administration is seeking a FOURTH term this November. Similarly, despite criticizing the current administration’s track record, the other slate of candidates cannot distance themselves from their complicity in the very shortcomings that they are highlighting in their supposed campaign platforms.
The choice this November cannot be made without taking the current administration and their cronies to task for their horrible track record of failing Perth Amboy. Although they would prefer that voters focus on their campaign promises, the aftermath of those broken promises over the past twelve and a half years is apparent in tax bills, water quality and increased crime. Perth Amboy voters have an opportunity to improve their quality of life by voting for a team who have the drive, fresh voices, and roadmap ready for positive change.
