Three's a crowd of
slates in Edison
By GINA VERGEL, Home
News Tribune Online April 12, 2007
EDISON, Apr.10 -- Let the
games begin.
The Edison Democratic primary should be a free-for-all in June with three full
slates of candidates trying to wrestle control of the party.
The tickets contain both some familiar names and newcomers, all seeking to take
over the party long headed by Thomas "Doc" Paterniti, chair of the Edison
Democratic Organization, one of the 25 branches that make up the Middlesex
County Democratic Organization.
The Edison Republican Committee also filed a slate of candidates, though they
will run uncontested in the June primary.
The Edison Democratic Committee last month endorsed three incumbents — current
Township Council President Charles Tomaro, longtime Councilwoman Joan Kapitan
and first-time Councilman Sal Pizzi — along with newcomer and township Zoning
Board Chairman Robert Karabinchiak — for its slate.
On Monday, two opposing slates stepped into play:
Mayor Jun Choi will chair the Edison Democratic Party slate, which has the
slogan, "Real Democrats. Real Solutions." They are Washington Elementary School
Principal Anne Marrie Griffin-Ussak; former Edison Boys Baseball Coach Wayne
Mascola; Edison Township Education Foundation founder and President Melissa
Perilstein; and Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad, an internal medicine specialist and former
chairman of JFK Medical Center's Department of Medicine.
Former councilman and two-time mayoral opponent Bill Stephens is part of another
slate challenging the party line.
The "Edison Democrats" are Stephens, who twice lost bids for mayor, most
recently to Choi in 2005; Anthony Russomano, who ran Stephens' 2005 mayoral
campaign and once served on the township Zoning Board; Nilesh Dasondi, a former
Choi supporter and owner of his own computer consulting firm; and Richard
Westover, a retired Edison police officer.
Perennial opponents Choi and Stephens may not agree on much, yet the reason they
gave for going against the party had the same theme: Change is needed in the
township's Democratic party.
"It's about time the Edison Democratic Party acts like real Democrats," Choi
said, adding that true Democrats support policies that improve the lives of
"everyday people."
"This team is the first serious infusion of fresh, first-time candidates that
are untarnished by old guard politics," Choi said.
"Almost all of the candidates on the other (slates) have been involved in Edison
politics for decades and they do not represent the fresh perspectives that
Edison taxpayers deserve," the mayor added.
Stephens, on the other hand, said the slate he belongs to is the most diverse
and the only one running together as a true team.
"The township is divided, whether its between north and south Edison or young
and old residents," he said.
"We just started talking about how there isn't adequate debate taking place in
Edison," Stephens said, referring to a conversation he had with Dasondi after
they both screened unsuccessfully in front of the Edison Democratic Committee.
"We agreed on an awful lot — we want to bring the community together, not
necessarily the Asian and non-Asian, but economic class, young and old, et
cetera."
Choi and Stephens touted the list of people they rounded up to run for seats on
the Edison Democratic Committee.
"What we want to see is committee people that really represent their
communities," Stephens said of 55 residents endorsed by his team, 42 of whom are
Asian Indian. "I'm not sure sitting committee members are truly
representing their neighborhoods."
Choi said his list of 64 Democratic Committee candidates consists of concerned
citizens, not politicians.
"The politics system in Edison is broken," Choi said. "The only way to fix it is
by bringing in a whole team of fresh talent into the party."
Paterniti disagreed with both fronts, saying it's not the first time someone
tried to change the party that didn't necessarily support them.
"We deliver votes," he said. "(Choi) only won by 200 votes. Maybe it
was tough to sell him."
"Our candidates think on their own," Paterniti said. "Nobody's going to
tell them how to vote. There's no bossism here. (Choi) is looking
for people to do exactly what he wants them to do, and that's wrong."
Dasondi, who supported Choi in his first year of office, too, said the mayor is
looking for "yes" men and women.
"I am not a rubber stamp," Dasondi said.
But Mike Barfield, campaign manager for "Real Democrats. Real Solutions,"
said the slate is made up of diverse people with unique thoughts.
"These are people from all over, some of which the mayor didn't even know,"
Barfield said.
Evan Stavisky, one of Choi's political consultants, also scoffed at the idea
that the mayor's slate is put in place for the sole purpose of agreeing with the
mayor.
"These are extraordinarily qualified citizen activists," Stavisky said.
"They, like many people in Edison Township, are frustrated that overdevelopment
and traffic threaten to erode the quality of life of residential communities."
"This campaign is fundamentally going to be about what direction the people of
Edison Township want to take," Stavisky said. "The time has come to draw a
line in the sand and say we've had enough."
As politics in Edison tend to bring out boxing gloves, all parties agreed that
lines are certainly going to be drawn.
"We look forward to spirited debate," Choi said. "The voters will decide."
Stephens, who said he'd "take the high road," said he expects his opponents to
"throw rocks."
"I truly hope this doesn't get ugly," Stephens said.
Paterniti, on the other hand, is ready for a challenge.
"It's not the first time," Paterniti said. "I have good committee people.
They're pros."
Because the Republicans running in the local primary are unopposed, whoever wins
the Democratic primary June 5 will face GOP candidates: Bruno Bumbaca,
Elizabeth Q. Greaux, Thomas J. Hughes and Adam Shun.
Contributing: Staff Writer Ritu Jha
gvergel@thnt.com
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