West New York, NJ – After a successful 16-year run in Congress, Congressman Sires has officially announced his candidacy for the mayoral seat of West New York, his hometown. In an exclusive interview with Hudson TV, Sires shared his plans and vision for the community, focusing on affordable housing, education, and community development.
One of Sires’ key priorities is the development of affordable housing in West New York. During his previous tenure as mayor, Sires implemented a plan that utilized tax credits and a non-profit corporation attached to the Housing Authority to build multiple sites for affordable housing, including senior citizen and veterans housing. In his campaign, Sires intends to continue this effort, stating, “We have nothing in this town for veterans so there are a lot of veterans out there that need housing and I’m looking to be able to do that.” He plans to use the same strategy, and explore the use of eminent domain to acquire abandoned buildings in the community for this purpose.
Education is another area of emphasis for Sires. He lamented the lack of progress made in building a new school, despite securing funding, a site, and plans during his previous tenure as mayor. He stated, “Children of West New York should have the best that we can give them when they go to school.” In his campaign, Sires intends to work hard to secure the necessary funding and support to build a new, accessible and high-quality school for the children of West New York.
Sires also emphasized the importance of community development, specifically mentioning the construction of a new media center on Bergenline Avenue and parks on the waterfront. The current public library, located across the street from town hall, is run down and not handicapped accessible, he said. He has already secured funding from the state to purchase a property for the media center and intends to use his contacts in the state and in Washington to secure additional funding for its construction. He believes that a new media center will be a valuable resource for the community.
Sires also sees an opportunity for community development in the waterfront area. He plans to create more parks on the waterfront, which will provide residents with more recreational and leisure options, and boost the local economy through tourism and economic development. He may involve the community in the planning and development of these parks, and also involve local businesses, organizations and government to ensure that the waterfront parks serve the community well.
Furthermore, Sires sees the need for more parking, a more diverse economy and better transportation in West New York. He promises to work aggressively and exhaust all his contacts to achieve these goals for the town. While he is willing to provide more specific information, but due to ongoing negotiations, he is not able to at this time.
West New York residents can expect Sires to be a proactive and visionary leader if he is elected as mayor. His plans, built on a solid foundation of past successes, aim to address the key needs of the community and promote sustainable development.
Finally; Sires says he knows who his Commission running mates will be, and that announcement will be made at a January 27 fundraiser to be held at The Greycliff in Moonachie. Sires says his ticket will be inclusive and that there will be representation from the Republican Party on the ticket. Sires says he is hopeful that Governor Murphy will be in attendance that evening.
The Hudson County Democratic Organization has endorsed Sires’ candidacy.
Commissioner Cosmo Cirillo has already announced his candidacy for Mayor. Former Mayor, Dr. Felix Roque, will make his intentions known on January 19.
Save this article. He gets in maybe 1/8 of what he says might get done. #outwithrelics #wewantyoungbloods