In a letter to the editor, North Bergen Democratic Municipal Committee Chair John Belluardo says Democratic state Assembly nominee Larry Wainstein is disingenuous when he attacks Mayor Nick Sacco over a school being named after him recently.
To the Editor,
Larry Wainstein recently proved once again that he’s totally out of touch with North Bergen and unfit to represent our community in the State Assembly.
Wainstein sent out a political mailer attacking our school district for its decision to dedicate the new Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High School in honor of our Mayor.
Instead of celebrating this milestone for North Bergen students and parents, all Wainstein can do is lie and try to score political points.
It’s no wonder that Wainstein doesn’t get it — he’s not even from North Bergen, he lives in a $3 million mansion in Franklin Lakes.
Here’s the truth: Nick Sacco is one of the most respected and successful elected officials in New Jersey history, and he is obviously deserving of this honor.
As a member of the State Senate he delivered funding to reduce construction costs for local taxpayers, and he worked hard to pass the school bonding referendum that made the new school possible.
Additionally, as a career educator and the longtime Assistant Superintendent of North Bergen schools, Mayor Sacco has played a central role in the district’s success over the past 40 years.
Not to mention his numerous other contributions to North Bergen that make him a natural fit for this type of recognition.
Evidently, Wainstein sees no problem with other elected officials being honored in similar ways, and only takes issue when Mayor Sacco is involved.
For example, Wainstein said nothing when the West New York school district named a building after Mayor and former Congressman Albio Sires while he still serves in office, or when the Union City school district recently named a school after Judge Esther Salas.
The hypocrisy would be astounding if this didn’t come from someone with a known reputation as a liar.
Wainstein’s letter is part of Brian Stack’s self-serving attempts to rewrite history and denigrate Mayor Sacco’s service to North Bergen as a State Senator. But his record says otherwise, and it includes numerous major accomplishments like:
– Sponsored the law creating the state’s first DNA database in order to solve crime and take criminals off the streets, which was later expanded to cover additional criminal offenses to make the database more effective.
– Wrote legislation extending the Urban Enterprise Zone program into North Bergen and several other areas, creating thousands of jobs and helping turn dilapidated areas into valuable retail havens.
– Delivered critical funding for infrastructure improvements in North Bergen and surrounding areas, including for three overpass bridges over Tonnelle Avenue that massively reduced traffic and congestion.
– Secured funding to support major public improvements in the community, including for the purchase and renovation of the future Nicholas J. Sacco Junior High School, 46th Street Park, Bergenline Avenue streetscape and numerous other important local projects.
– Sponsored the model shared services bill that has been utilized by numerous governmental agencies and municipalities to make operations more efficient and save taxpayers’ money.
North Bergen is a strong community that takes pride in accomplishments like opening this new school for our children, and that supports our local leaders for their dedication to our residents.
We will not allow Larry Wainstein to undermine that for his own selfish political purposes.
Sincerely,
John Belluardo, Jr.
Chairman, North Bergen Democratic Municipal Committee
