A group of politically active West New York residents, simply referring to themselves as “concerned-citizens,” will host a forum open to all town commissioner candidates at the end of this month, just before the May 12 municipal election.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The electoral forum, sponsored by Concerned-Citizens – led by musician Josh Breakstone – and to be moderated by The NJ League of Women Voters will be held on Thursday, April 30 at The Riviera Towers Community Room, located at 6040 Kennedy Blvd E) at 7:30 p.m.
“The forum represents an opportunity for local residents to hear directly from the candidates before the May 12 Municipal election and where they stand on issues that concern local residents most,” group spokesman Matthew Cheng said in a statement.
“It will not be a debate – questions to be asked at the forum will be supplied to candidates in advance and each will, in turn, have the opportunity to state his position with regard to each of those questions.”
Confirmed participants include “The Future is Now” slate of Juan Espinal and Jeanne M Stefonetti, the “WNY United” team of Count Wiley, Carlos Betancourt, Myrli Sanchez, Thomas  Leung and Hector Hernandez, and the “Hope for the Future” slate consisting of Michael Corso, Anthony M DeFino, Gabriela B Reynoso, Armando M Galis-Menendez and Maria Melendez.
Independent candidate Patrick Cullen, who has come up short twice in the two most recent board of education races, has also committed to the forum and is running under the “Our Town is Not for Sale” slogan.
Pablo Fonseca, a campaign spokesman for Mayor Felix Roque’s re-election slate, said he had not heard about the event until reached by Hudson County View and would check on his team’s availability.
Cheng also noted that the concerned-citizens are making an effort to register voters ahead of the May 12 election.
In the Walsh form of government, no one technically runs for mayor, with that position being decided amongst the five commissioners that are elected, but the top challenger for Roque’s seat is Wiley – who was elected with his fellow doctor in May 2011.