Former Bayonne Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski formally announced her second mayoral run at the Mona Lisa Pizzeria this evening, unveiling two of her running mates that will seek council at-large seats.
By Dan Israel Hudson County View
“Once again, we are facing a $22 million deficit. Our roads are in rough shape, our schools are overcrowded, and affordability is a real issue,” she began during a roughly 10-minute speech in front of dozens of supporters.
“Our neighbors feel neglected, and too many residents feel that they’re simply not heard. This is why I’m here tonight to say that I am running for mayor,” she said to applause.
She ran against then-Mayor Jimmy Davis, now the Hudson County sheriff, in a three-person contest where she just missed forcing a runoff by about 100 votes, meaning the incumbent won outright with a little over 51 percent of the vote.
Ashe-Nadrowski’s, Sue Sweeney, gave a brief introduction to the mayoral candidate before she spoke.
Having taught her how to play softball, basketball, and take up jogging, Sweeney said she has seen the type of person Ashe-Nadrowski is when no one is looking.
“Sharon shows up. Sharon listens. She works hard, not for the recognition, but because she genuinely cares about the people in this community … The same Sharon you see here tonight is the same Sharon that you’re going to find rolling up her sleeves, solving tough problems, and standing up for what is right,” she exclaimed.
Ashe-Nadrowski began her remarks by recognizing Assemblyman Ravi Bhalla (D-32), former Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali, and former Bayonne 1st Ward Councilman Jerry Hogan in the audience, as well as her staff and family.
She noted that she announced her first run for city council 12 years ago and expressed what she accomplished during her two terms.
That included helping the the city fix a $24 million deficit, invested in parks – including Collins and Fitzpatrick, redeveloped the Texaco site into 1888 Studios, brought life to MOTBY in the form of residential redevelopment like Bay151 or commercial spaces like Costco and Starbucks, and reinvesting in Broadway, among other things.
“We opened up a government so residents, not insiders, had real say in the decisions that were being made about our city. The progress didn’t happen overnight, but it happened because people came first. Not politics, not insiders, no backroom deals,” Ashe-Nadrowski declared.
Four years after leaving office, she said she is desperately concerned about where the city she loves is headed.
“I’m running for mayor for one simple reason: city government should work for the people that live here. Putting residents first isn’t a slogan, it’s a responsibility.”
According to Ashe-Nadrowski, delivering basic services is a priority.
She underscored the need for clean and safe streets, called for more support and planning around development impacts on schools, and made clear affordability is a major theme of her campaign.
“People should be able to live here, raise their family, grow old here, and not be forced to leave the community they love. I believe in development, but not just for the sake of development. What we see happening today is not responsible growth,” she added.
She decried how one- and two-family homes were being knocked down and replaced with six-story buildings with a high density of units, sometimes in the middle of city blocks “dramatically impacting neighborhoods.”
Ashe-Nadrowski also said the quality of life declines in the surrounding areas, stating these developments feature little to no green space and inadequate parking – which is not smart or balanced development in her eyes.
She added that if developers get tax breaks, then the community deserves givebacks like good jobs, fair wages, infrastructure improvements, or support for schools.
“We can’t continue to elect the same people, backed by the same money, and expect different results. If you want to change Bayonne, you need to change the way you vote,” she asserted.
Ashe-Nadrowski then announced two council at-large candidates on her ticket for the May 12th non-partisan municipal elections: Mark Bottino and Mariam Salama.
Bottino is a lifelong resident, a recent retiree from the Bayonne Fire Department after 25 years, a Bayonne youth soccer coach and advisor, a husband and father of three.
“Serving this community has been a privilege for me, so I figured why not? I’ll give it a shot to serve, to help yous all out in a different way,” he explained.
“I look forward to working with Team Nadrowski and collaborating with all the members of the community. As we all know, Bayonne begins with the letter ‘B.’ And today, ‘B’ stands for Bottino.”
Salama has lived in Bayonne for the last decade, working as a engineer. A wife and mother of two, she is also a real estate agent in the Peninsula City, voicing concerns of housing, development decisions, and the subsequent impacts on schools and neighborhoods.
“I live it, I hear it, I see it everyday. I decided to run for council at-large because I do believe that leadership requires someone who’s present, someone who listens, and someone who’s there willing to step up and take responsibility,” she exclaimed.
“I am committed to investing my time, my energy, and committed to being here and listening to each and every citizen, making sure that this city, my city, is a better place for everyone who calls it home.”
After the event, Bhalla told HCV that Ashe-Nadrowski has “been an excellent public servant for Bayonne for years” and that he was happy to support a friend of his to shape the city, even though it’s outside of his district.
This reporter also caught up with the mayoral hopeful, noting that her full ticket would be unveiled in the coming days.
“People are excited for change, and I have a really good feeling. Tonight we introduced Miriam, who’s been here for over a decade but represents new Bayonne and the challenges that new people in this community face. And then Mark is traditional Bayonne, born and raised here. We all have the same goals, making the city the best it can be.”
Bayonne Councilman at-Large Loyad Booker is running for mayor with former 2nd Ward Councilman Sal Gullace on his ticket, while developer Lance Lucarelli filed in October and has not taken any further official action since.
Earlier today, Bayonne 2nd Ward Councilwoman Jackie Weimmer first told HCV that she was not seeking re-election via a letter to the editor.
