Meet the candidates for Woodbridge mayor and where they stand on the issues
Woodbridge voters will see two familiar names on the ballot for mayor this year, but for very different reasons.
Democratic Mayor John McCormac, who has served in the position for 17 years, is seeking another four-year term. He is being challenged by Township Republican Chairman John Vrtaric, a local business owner who has unsuccessfully run for council several times in recent years.
McCormac is running with Democratic Township Council members Brian Small, Gregg Ficarra, Lizbeth DeJesus and Kyle Anderson.
Vrtaric is running with Republican Township Council candidates Dalia Valentine, Bruce Banko, Elijah Rodriguez and Carlo Fazio.
John McCormac (D)
Age: 65
Years residing in town: 63
Previous government experience (boards and elected office) Woodbridge chief financial officer July 6, 1992 through Jan. 15, 2002; New Jersey state treasurer Jan. 16, 2002 through Jan. 15, 2006; Mayor of Woodbridge Nov. 13, 2006 to present.
Volunteer activities: Various youth, athletic, charitable and religious organizations with leadership roles.
Why are you running for mayor?
I am running for mayor to continue the progress we have experienced in the last 17 years in moving Woodbridge forward.
Why should people vote for you instead of your opponent?
The Woodbridge mayor position requires education, training and experience and is not suitable for learning on the job.
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After talking to residents, what is their biggest concern?
Residents are concerned about maintaining and improving their quality of life while maintaining a stable property tax level. Keeping taxes stable while state aid remains flat and costs of health insurance and pension payments rise significantly every year. We have solved that with a level municipal tax levy two years in a row with small increases years before that due to our economic development efforts.
The McCormac administration has provided extensive programs and services to seniors, families and children through the opening of six Senior Centers serving our senior residents throughout all township communities, youth centers and athletic facilities geared to support our young residents and students and our arts and cultural programs for all generations. We will continue to advance all these quality-of-life initiatives with facilities like The Barron Arts Center, The Club at Woodbridge, the Woodbridge Community Center, Avenel Performing Arts Center and more.
Four years ago, who knew COVID would be a challenge? Who knew Colonia High School would be an issue? Or the water company? Or Ida? We don't know our next big challenge, but we do know we will face it head-on with a highly experienced staff of dedicated and talented employees and we will continue to maintain our open, honest and transparent communications with our residents about everything we do to tackle that challenge(s) like we have been doing for the past 17 years.
What are the three biggest challenges facing your town and what is your approach to solving them? And do you have any special projects you want to achieve in office?
We will continue with our economic development efforts where our tax incentives have saved our taxpayers an average of $600 annually which will last for many years. We plan to continue to invest in our infrastructure, including our roads, sewers, parks and most importantly our schools which define us as a community. We will continue to provide the best programs and services to our residents compared to any town in the state of New Jersey.
What do you see for the future of Woodbridge Center?
Woodbridge Center presents a challenge to our township because of its iconic status and its impact on our tax ratable base. We have already been in discussions with management about suitable future uses of the site which will not include a residential component other than possibly market-rate or affordable senior citizen housing. Retail is obviously not working and there is no market for office space, and we certainly do not want warehouses on that site but there are many other medical or educational or entertainment possibilities that we will explore.
John Vrtaric (R)
Age: 77
Years residing in town: 62
Previous government experience (boards and elected office): Woodbridge Republican chairman for 14 years; Woodbridge Republican committeeman for 25 years.
Why are you running for mayor?
I've lived in Woodbridge for the past 60-plus years. I've seen the good times and bad times. I start to see Woodbridge politicians following many large city policies that destroy them. That's why so many people from those cities are starting to move to Woodbridge and surrounding communities. I don't want to see that happen to Woodbridge in our lifetime.
Why should people vote for you instead of your opponent?
For the last 20 years opposing many developments which are not good for any town, not just Woodbridge. Such as overbuilding apartments; they say by law they must build 900-plus units, and they build thousands. They say no more traffic, there will be no more children in schools, and we know this did not happen. Then they start building more warehouses, give them tax adjustments, tax breaks, or they will not make profits. To build uncontaminated properties, they are building on any open space contaminated or not and not paying their share of property tax. Average homeowners get no tax breaks.
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After talking to residents what are their biggest concerns?
Find out how taxpayers are in the hole. I know so many projects are being approved and built all over town, which taxpayers will have to pay for.
What are the three biggest challenges facing your town and what is your approach to solving them?
Stop overdevelopment and stop tax abatements except gray and contaminated properties. Schools, traffic, safety, people not moving out of Woodbridge, stabilize property tax for every citizen, stop wasting taxpayers’ money, no more outdoor bars.
Do you have any special projects you want to achieve in office?
Good education and taking care of senior citizens, restoring beauty to town. Let teachers be teachers, let police be police. That's what they were trained for.
What do you see for the future of Woodbridge Center?
The future of Woodbridge Center if they lose the anchor stores, it's over. I see Woodbridge store locations, hospitality offices, many, many small businesses, convention center, stadium. After all, it is the best location in the eastern U.S., definitely in New Jersey, major highways, train station, sea front and good people.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Woodbridge NJ mayor election candidate profiles
