Voters to determine rematch for mayor of Prospect Park; Khairullah seeks fifth term
PROSPECT PARK — Mayor Mohamed Khairullah will try for a fifth term on Tuesday against his political nemesis, Maria Emma Anderson, in a rematch of their race of November 2018.
Anderson, a Republican and a former member of the K-8 Board of Education, wants to make the borough "nice again," she said — that means affordable for residents on fixed incomes and safe for those living on Hopper Street who are weary of hearing gunshots and sirens over the border in Paterson.
"People are fed up," said Anderson, 64, of East Main Street. "This is my town, and I won't be silenced."
Khairullah, a Democrat, was in the first year of his second term on the Borough Council when he was tapped to be mayor in November 2005. His appointment followed the resignation of former Mayor William Kubofcik.
He finished Kubofcik's term, and after staving off two challengers in a June primary, he won his own four-year term.
BOARD OF EDUCATION:Prospect Park school receptionist had to do two jobs for one salary, suit claims
POLITICS:Republican candidate for mayor of Prospect Park says she wasn't allowed to march in parade
Khairullah again had to contend with a primary challenger this year. Despite his impressive record in past races, he said he does not take voters for granted. "We always go into an election like we're the underdogs," he said. "We never go in arrogantly, thinking that we won."
Khairullah, an assistant principal of the STEM Academy at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, will run with Council President Anand Shah, looking to return for a third three-year term, and Councilman Mohammed Hussain, seeking his first full term; he was elected to fill an unexpired slot last year. Anderson is joined on the ticket by Republicans Thomas F.X. Magura and William Willemsen.
In the last contest between Khairullah and Anderson, he garnered nearly three-quarters of the votes in a landslide victory: 1,328 to 484.
This time, Anderson said, her campaign is counting on voters who want to reverse "bad changes." She said she is more confident that some Democrats have "crossed over."
"Things are going progressively worse," she said. "These people are despotic, and they're going to keep on going."
Anderson said her top priorities include fiscal responsibility and more activities for youth. But if she were to win the election, she said, her new administration would likely undertake a forensic audit of operations at the borough hall.
Khairullah pointed to his accomplishments, such as grant-funded projects to replace aging sewers and to cover the soccer field at Hofstra Park with synthetic turf. He said officials plan to open a municipal parking lot in the coming months at the site of a former gas station at the corner of North Eighth Street and Planten Avenue.
"We're always looking for opportunities to make the lives of residents more enjoyable and to make sure they receive a good value for their investment in the community," said Khairullah, 47, of Brown Avenue.
The race for mayor was the backdrop for political drama in September, when Anderson and other Republicans alleged that they were refused participation in the Prospect Park Day parade by Borough Administrator Intashan Chowdhury, one of Khairullah's closest confidants.
Chowdhury maintained that the Republican team did not file its paperwork on time to march in the event.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Election for Prospect Park mayor a rematch of political foes
