In a letter to the editor, Assemblyman Larry Wainstein (D-33) makes the case that North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco’s “self-serving political agenda” is why the township lost millions in state aid.
Dear Editor:
At a recent public meeting, it was claimed that North Bergen has lost more than $10 million a year in state revenue since Nick Sacco left the state Senate, and that our current representatives in Trenton are failing to deliver the resources our community needs.
What Sacco failed to acknowledge is that his self-serving political agenda is the root cause of why this occurred.
Sacco retired from the state Senate to avoid having to face Brian Stack in a primary election. If Sacco really had confidence in his track record, why wasn’t he man enough to run?
The answer is simple: Sacco lacks the leadership capabilities, honesty, and connection with our community that Brian Stack displays on a daily basis.
Influence and discretionary resources in Trenton depend on strong working relationships with the governor’s administration and the Democratic legislative majority. Those relationships were strained by a series of well-documented choices:
In 2020, Sacco inserted an amendment into landmark criminal-justice reform legislation to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for public corruption.
The New York Times reported that the change was intended to benefit Sacco’s son-in-law, who was facing corruption charges involving a no-show job he received from Sacco himself.
The amendment stalled a major social-justice priority and was opposed by then-Governor Phil Murphy.
During the 2021 redistricting process, efforts were made by Sacco’s political henchman, Joey Muniz, to reshape legislative maps in ways that would disadvantage political rivals, including Senator Brian Stack.
Those efforts were unsuccessful, but further damaged Sacco’s relationships within the Democratic party.
In December 2022, in what can be viewed either as an act of revenge or as Sacco finally revealing his true Republican colors, he cast the sole Democratic “no” vote in the state Senate against comprehensive gun-safety legislation.
Finally, in 2025, Sacco endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli for governor, along with Republican Assembly candidates for the 33rd Legislative District and sheriff—breaking with Hudson County Democratic leadership.
Earlier this year, I reached out to Sacco and the Board of Commissioners through my Assembly office with repeated written requests and overtures to collaborate on state-aid applications and joint advocacy for North Bergen.
Those communications went unanswered.
That is because Sacco’s political positioning repeatedly takes precedence over the consistent advocacy and partnership required to secure discretionary resources from Trenton.
As a result, the community loses out and residents feel the consequences every day in the form of higher property taxes and rents, unreliable municipal services, and a township that becomes more and more unaffordable by the day for working families.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
North Bergen residents deserve leaders whose first priority is results—securing resources, maintaining effective relationships in Trenton, and focusing on governing rather than settling political scores and protecting corrupt family members.
Unfortunately, the people of North Bergen will continue to pay the price for shattered relationships as long as Sacco, his right-hand man, Hugo Cabrera, and their broken-down political machine remain in office.
Larry Wainstein
Assemblyman, 33rd Legislative District
