BATTLE FOR THE EAST
Four council candidates look to become the new face of Trenton’s East Ward
TRENTON » Since February, the city’s East Ward has had no representation on council.
That is about to change on Tuesday after four candidates who have never held public office seek to represent the ward, which has a large immigrant population and was the scene of the city’s last murder.
The incumbent, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, vacated the seat in February after she was sworn into her new role as 15th district assemblywoman — a position that was previously held by now-Treasurer Liz Muoio.
Joseph Harrison
Harrison previously ran for the council seat in 2014 but lost a close runoff race to Reynolds-Jackson. The 48-year-old lifelong city resident vows to be more responsive than his former opponent.
“People would call her and they didn’t seem to get a response back,” Harrison said. “I know people now, I give them my cellphone number, they call me about squatters, potholes, crime in Villa Park and the drug dealing. I’m out there talking to people, interacting with them. I’m trying to make the difference that we need to move this ward forward.”
Harrison, who has worked for the New Jersey Department of Human Services for nearly 30 years, pledged to make a vehicle swap if he’s elected to help with the “big trash problem” in the ward.
“We’ve got mattresses, tires and TVs,” Harrison said of the blight. “If I’m lucky enough to get elected, I’m going to sell my Cadillac and I’m getting me a pickup truck so I can help the city by going around and picking up tires and TVs.”
Harrison said he would also improve neighborhoods by holding landlords and property owners accountable.
“We need to triple inspections,” he said.
Harrison would also like to restore the parks by bringing together civic organizations and residents to clean up the parks.
“We need to increase recreation programs for children,” he said. “I’d work with our police department, residents and businesses to implement new joint strategies to combat crime in our ward.”
Harrison said he would restore integrity in City Hall by requesting a full forensic audit of city finances for the past four years.
“Maintaining an efficient and responsible city government will make Trenton a more attractive destination for businesses and investment and for people to move into,” he said.
For more information on Harrison visit gowithjoe2018.com.
Elmer Sandoval
Sandoval illegally immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala in 1985 and became a naturalized citizen eight years later. The 53-yearold landscaping company owner said he is running because the East Ward is “basically being abandoned.”
“Not only Latinos, the whole citizens of the East Ward need to have vibrant representation at City Hall, someone who knows the issues and is ready to work for it,” Sandoval said. “We are the immigrant community. We are ready to roll up our sleeves and work for the better Trenton.”
Sandoval said he has seen the growing immigrant community in the ward.
“Now that we are getting to the level of being citizens and we’re able to vote, I think we’re good to do a big improvement to help the economy of our city but first we have to bring some projects like promote homeowners instead of renters,” he said. “That’s not only one way to improve quality of life but to bring some revenues to the city. By promoting home ownership with the immigrants, it will provide better quality of life and beautify our streets.”
If elected, Sandoval said he would also improve the ward’s parks by reaching out to civic associations to create an “Adopt a Park” program.
“My dream is to see the parks full with families on the weekends like having concerts and the kids playing sports,” he said. “Right now, the parks are empty, they have no life and we need to improve the resources that we already have.”
Sandoval vows to improve the commercial vehicle parking issues in the ward.
“I will work to help them out and find a place the city can provide like empty lots the city has to bring some revenue to the city and at the same time, clear the streets a little bit,” he said.
Sandoval wants to also ensure that immigrant children receive a better education in Trenton.
“The children are being left out with some problems with special education,” he said. “We cannot leave the kids with the special needs out. They are Trentonian citizens and they need a better chance to go to school and have the right teachers.”
Sandoval was endorsed by the National Dominican American Council (NDAC) and the Political Action Committee of The Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey (LLA-PAC).
Perry Shaw III
Shaw, who runs A Better Way, Inc. nonprofit in Trenton, awoke last Thursday morning to see police tape around his house and at the corner gas station he and his children go to.
“We found out somebody was murdered again,” said Shaw, who moved to the Wilbur section 15 years ago. “The fact that I have two young kids and we live in a neighborhood that has seen its fair share of shootings and deaths, it is time for me to step up and do even more. To see things like this happen on a consistent basis, it’s either the fact that you can be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. I choose to be a part of the solution.”
The 42-year-old is a retired state law enforcement officer.
“I want to try and figure out how we can reduce the level of gun violence in our city when it comes to try and provide services and programming and opportunities rather than just say we should just throw more cops at the problem,” he said. “Just having more cops on the street is not going to solve the problem. We’ve got to get to the root of the problem. We have to find out what are the issues, what’s going on, how can we create more opportunities and how can we support our cops and make sure relationships between the police and the community is even better.”
Shaw said the community must have “a better relationship with police.” “We have some good police officers and we have some bad police officers,” he said. “It’s about us trying to figure out how do we work with the ones who are doing the job so we could have a better response time and a better interaction and a better understanding between the community and the police as well.”
Shaw said the East Ward community is also concerned about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
“A lot of kids that went to my daughter’s school didn’t go to school for about a week or two after the president made that announcement because they were fearful,” Shaw said. “If they came home, their parents wouldn’t be there.”
In regards to the illegal dumping, Shaw, who has participated in multiple cleanups, said he has worked with the city, Mercer County and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) even before running to address the issue.
“DEP is able to enforce more stringent fines as far as a one-time dumper getting caught,” Shaw said. “I’m trying to work with the city as well to try to put more cameras, seen and unseen, so that way we can deter dumping.”
The chairman of the Mercer County Reentry Task Force and parking commissioner said the ward must also put forth a plan to secure Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit dollars, which could amount to millions for infrastructure improvements and community programming.
“This way we will be able
to bring in services for children, adults and seniors that can help benefit a neighborhood and it wouldn’t be a burden on the city of Trenton and it wouldn’t be a burden on the federal government,” he said.
For more information on Shaw visit perry4eastward.org.
Taiwanda “Tai” TerryWilson
The 44-year-old New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission secretary said she said been asked
to run for city council for the past four years.
“I’ve always decided against it because I believe whenever you do something, you need to be able to commit to it fully,” Wilson said. “At the time, I had small children. With my youngest child being 17 this year, she graduates high school so it was just the perfect opportunity for me to be able to dedicate my complete time as it requires. But I definitely decided to run because I knew I had the skill set. I can match the skill set with the time. I believe that I can be an asset to making the city run a little bit more thorough and efficiently.”
As president of the Villa Park
Civic Association, Terry-Wilson said she has what it takes to “bring the residents together.”
“Because I know that as Trentonians, we’re here because we care,” she said. “I believe that our diversity is our greatest asset.”
She has also participated in a number of cleanups in the ward as head of the civic association.
“We tried to get to the root of why we have issues,” Terry-Wilson said. “When you take the time to educate people, you’re doing two things: you’re bringing a neighborhood together and you’re also establishing a rapport and relationships with people.”
Terry-Wilson also realizes crime is a “big problem.”
“I know that before we can have economic development, we need to have the appearance of having a safe and clean city,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s something that we can police away. The most important thing is to let the family of the deceased know that their lives did matter. We can try to solve those crimes and figure out what is happening and have some real, honest conversation and say, ‘Not one more.’”
Terry-Wilson received the endorsement of the Trenton Education Association, which is the city teachers union.
“We know that education is a problem,” she said. “I’ve been advocating for students, teachers
and public education for many years.”
Terry-Wilson said she was instrumental in getting a new roof put on the now-demolished old Trenton Central High School.
“We want to make sure that even though the building is brand new, we want to make sure that there is actual learning that is going to be taking place inside the building,” she said. “We’re happy to have a new building but we want to make sure that the students and the teachers are given the tools to teach the children as well.”
For more information on Terry-Wilson visit taiwandaterrywilsonforeastwardcouncil.com.