Why this mayoral race might be N.J.'s most interesting local primary

Bloomfield's highly contested mayoral election has created buzz in the town and beyond.

BLOOMFIELD -- There are enough political antics in this year's presidential election to distract New Jersey voters from those happening here at home. But, as political pundits debate the potential impact of Tuesday's primary election for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Bernie Sanders, Bloomfield has been cooking up what could arguably be the most interesting local election in the state.

The diverse town of about 50,000 residents has fielded several high profile scandals over the past few months.

Last November, Bloomfield Councilman Elias Chalet was arrested after allegedly accepting a $15,000 bribe to ensure the township's purchase of a commercial property. He was indicted in January on official misconduct, bribery, evidence tampering and hindering apprehension charges, and residents moved in February to recall him, but he has remained in office.

Tensions over the allegations led to an alleged scuffle between one of Chalet's family members and Councilman Joe Lopez in the parking lot outside a town council meeting earlier this year.

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In April, Seton Hall law school released a study alleging rampant racial profiling in the town's police department. Mayor Michael Venezia and Police Director Sam DeMaio rebuffed the report, and questioned its methodology. This month, a report from an advocacy group affiliated with the study found the police department's use of force has spiked over the past several years.

Mayor Michael Venezia. (Courtesy Team Venezia)
 

The upheaval has led to some competition for Venezia, who is seeking the Democratic bid to run for reelection to his second term in November. Lopez challenged the bid, and the two have spent several months campaigning in a race that reportedly has even Democratic Party leaders split.

According to a PolitickerNJ report, Bloomfield Democratic Committee Chairman Peter Strumolo initially backed Lopez, forcing Venezia to run off line. After intervention from county party leaders, who unsuccessfully asked Lopez to run for reelection to the council instead of for mayor, Strumolo switched to back Venezia's ticket, the report says.

Tuesday's vote for mayoral candidate - and the slate of 10 candidates vying for the chance to run for three open seats on the town council - is one of the only contested races in Essex County.

The Candidates

Venezia, a lifelong resident who works in the Essex County Administrator's office, was elected to his first term three years ago. His campaign has pointed to several initiatives carried out during his first term, like the passages of mandatory paid sick leave, $15 an hour minimum wage, a paternal leave policy, and rent control measures. In a phone interview about his candidacy, Venezia also said he's worked to keep taxes low, stabilize the town's budget, and support development.

"We've done a lot of work, but there is plenty more to be done," he said. In his next term, Venezia said he would focus on projects like replacing the DPW facility, and introducing town-wide wifi. "We don't want to sit back. We have a full agenda ready to go."

Councilman Joe Lopez. (Courtesy Lopez Campaign)
 

Lopez, who called for a resolution demanding Chalet resign, has criticized Venezia for not getting behind it in light of the charges against the embattled councilman. But, Venezia said the resolution would not have any legal authority to force Chalet to resign.

"I privately asked him to resign," Venezia said. " But, I won't publicly embarrass him by passing a resolution with no teeth."

While Venezia has said that he has nothing to do with the allegations, Lopez has pointed to the Chalet scandal as an example of "corruption" in the town, and a need for a leadership change.

"I want to have an honest and open government," said Lopez, a small business owner who currently serves on the municipal council and was formerly on the Bloomfield Board of Education.

"I want people to have confidence in us."

If elected, he said his first term would focus on lowering taxes, which he said residents are "drowning in," increasing diversity in township employment, and focusing on contamination issues that have been found in the town's water supply.

Both candidates have set up meetings in response to the police department studies, and each says he would look into whether or not problems exist in the department, and address them, if so.

What about a Republican?

No matter who wins Tuesday, Bloomfield residents will have a further choice in November. Running unopposed on the Republican ticket for mayor in Tuesday's primary is longtime resident David Tucker. So far, he's received little press in the contested race, which he says is by design.

"We want to wait until we have an actual opponent," he said of making a big public push for his campaign.

Tucker, who was a planning board member in the 1980s and a councilman from 1990 to 1993, said he feels the timing is right for him, and for the town, for his return to public life.

"I'm retired, so I would be a full time mayor," he said. And, "the town has been run by Democrats for the past 16 years...I feel like the town needs to head in a different direction."

Check NJ.com Tuesday night for primary election results.