Blanch files another lawsuit to try and prevent North Bergen school referendum

Despite having a complaint dismissed in Hudson County Superior Court on Friday, West New York attorney Mario Blanch has filed another complaint in hopes of preventing tomorrow’s North Bergen school referendum.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“On December 7, 2018, the Wainstein complaint was dismissed as the Honorable Judge Turula, ruled that the Open Public Meetings Act was not violated because the purpose of the Open Public Meeting was to notify the media as the eyes and ears of the public, because people from the public do not attend public meetings,” the new suit says.

Blanch, who is now representing North Bergen resident Diana Ortiz, also wrote that Turula’s “ruling was contrary to caselaw and precedent.”

The complaint is similar to the one filed by Wainstein, state Senator (D-32)/North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco’s top political nemesis, claiming that the North Bergen Board of Education “is deliberately trying to deceive the public and keep the purpose of this referendum secret.”

” … Defendant has done everything in their power to deceive the public, including providing misleading fliers, hiding public meetings in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act and creating a referendum question that is wholly indecipherable and confusing to the general public,” the suit says.

The North Bergen school referendum is currently scheduled for tomorrow, making it extremely unlikely that any lawsuit will change the date in the 11th hour – though it remains theoretically possible.

If the referendum is approved, the North Bergen BOE will be able to bond for $60 million in order to give the school system a complete makeover – which would include the purchase of the old High Tech High School building at 2000 85th Street.

Similar to last week, Sacco spokesman Phil Swibinski dismissed the suit as a desperate political stunt.

“This latest desperate attempt to stop the referendum is doomed to failure just like everything else Larry Wainstein touches,” he said in an email.

“North Bergen residents will not forget Wainstein trying to single-handedly prevent local students from finally getting the facilities they deserve, and it will be seen as just one more reason why Lying Larry will never be elected.”