Felix Garcia is Republican Nominee for Passaic County Sheriff
Wayne, NJ – March 18, 2010. Felix Garcia was unanimously nominated to run as their candidate for Passaic County Sheriff by the leaders of the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization, Monday night at a meeting held in Wayne.
Garcia will head the Republican county ticket in the coming campaign against the incumbent Sheriff. The party chose Thomas Gomez and Walter Garner as their candidate’s for freeholder.
In last year’s election the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization, led by Chairman Scott Rumana, bested the Democrats in the race for freeholder, sweeping all three seats. This year the organization is looking to oust 2 incumbent freeholders as well as the incumbent sheriff.
Garcia said, “I am honored to have been elected by the leaders to run for Sheriff. The sheriff’s office has grown fat and bloated, and our tax payers can’t continue to fund the wasteful spending of the current sheriff. Our Chairman Scott Rumana has a strong team and the party has been energized by our sweep of the county freeholder race last year.”
Chairman Rumana said, “Felix brings a wealth of law enforcement experience to the table. He is well known in our community and most importantly, well liked. That gives us a winning combination going forward.”
“I look forward to the campaign. I know it will be a tough fight, but my team and I are prepared for battle.” said Garcia.
Felix Garcia has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. He previously served Passaic County as an undersheriff, warden and deputy warden. Raised in Paterson, NJ since 1954, Garcia attended and graduated from the local public schools. Garcia currently lives in Wayne with his wife of 27 years, Luz. He has five adult children and five grand-children.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Problem at the Courthouse
Security is a priority at all law enforcement facilities. The lack of thorough security at the Passaic County Courthouse demonstrates the continuous irresponsible leadership. The jail and courthouse are two primary responsibilities of the Sheriff. It was a problem when a federal judge stated, "that the condition of the jail is a disgrace" and most recently the courthouse was burglarized. Both primary responsibilities of the Sheriff were compromised by the current Sheriff. I want to change that by providing leadership that you can count on. I will develop effective security policies and put them into action. Passaic County citizens need to feel safe and I will provide the security the County needs.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
COUNTY BUDGET HAS 3% TAX HIKE
"But parties clash on debt proposal"
March 12, 2010
By Richard Cowen
The Passaic County Freeholders are in the final stages of drafting the 2010 budget, which as written would raise taxes less than 3 percent on the average home.
The Democrats on the board are touting the 3 percent rise as relatively good news for property owners. But there's a catch.
The proposed budget also contains what freeholders Finance Director Pat Lepore calls a "bonding component". In other words, preserving that relatively small 3 percent tax hike depends on the county balancing its budget with new dept.
Lepore says the freeholders need to come up with at least $8 million this year to replenish both a county pension fund and the workers compensation pool. Both funds are just about exhausted and due to run out of money this year.
Democrats are pushing a bond worth at least $23 million to plug both this year's gap and put the pension fund on solid footing for the next decade. But Republicans are against taking on any more dept. Instead, they want to find money in the 2010 budget to fund this year's pension and workers' compensation obligations, which add up to $8 million.
"If you do not want to bond, you're going to have to have to come up with $8 million in budget cuts," Lepore told the freeholders earlier this week. He estimated that $8 million worth of cuts would likely result in more than 100 layoffs of county workers.
Throughout the budget process, the Republican opposition has been asking county department heads to submit budgets that slashed spending.
"It's just not happening," Republican Freeholder Deborah Ciambrone said Thursday. I've asked that department heads revise their budgets, but instead I've been accused of micromanaging."
Ciambrone has frequently clashed with Lepore, who favors the bonding approach as a way to limit tax increases by "spreading the pain" over many years. But Ciambrone says government is just kicking the problem down the road.
"That $23 million bond will wind up costing us $35 million [including interest] by the time we pay it off," she said. "We'd be bonding for everyday operating expenses, and it makes no sense."
It takes five votes in order to approve a bond. Democrats have only four seats on the board, and the three Republicans have remained steadfast in their opposition to taking on new dept to solve the county's pension problem.
In an attempt to end the impasse, the freeholders have called a special public workshop for Thursday at 4:30pm. The budget is scheduled to be introduced on March 23.
E-mail cowen@northjersey.com
March 12, 2010
By Richard Cowen
The Passaic County Freeholders are in the final stages of drafting the 2010 budget, which as written would raise taxes less than 3 percent on the average home.
The Democrats on the board are touting the 3 percent rise as relatively good news for property owners. But there's a catch.
The proposed budget also contains what freeholders Finance Director Pat Lepore calls a "bonding component". In other words, preserving that relatively small 3 percent tax hike depends on the county balancing its budget with new dept.
Lepore says the freeholders need to come up with at least $8 million this year to replenish both a county pension fund and the workers compensation pool. Both funds are just about exhausted and due to run out of money this year.
Democrats are pushing a bond worth at least $23 million to plug both this year's gap and put the pension fund on solid footing for the next decade. But Republicans are against taking on any more dept. Instead, they want to find money in the 2010 budget to fund this year's pension and workers' compensation obligations, which add up to $8 million.
"If you do not want to bond, you're going to have to have to come up with $8 million in budget cuts," Lepore told the freeholders earlier this week. He estimated that $8 million worth of cuts would likely result in more than 100 layoffs of county workers.
Throughout the budget process, the Republican opposition has been asking county department heads to submit budgets that slashed spending.
"It's just not happening," Republican Freeholder Deborah Ciambrone said Thursday. I've asked that department heads revise their budgets, but instead I've been accused of micromanaging."
Ciambrone has frequently clashed with Lepore, who favors the bonding approach as a way to limit tax increases by "spreading the pain" over many years. But Ciambrone says government is just kicking the problem down the road.
"That $23 million bond will wind up costing us $35 million [including interest] by the time we pay it off," she said. "We'd be bonding for everyday operating expenses, and it makes no sense."
It takes five votes in order to approve a bond. Democrats have only four seats on the board, and the three Republicans have remained steadfast in their opposition to taking on new dept to solve the county's pension problem.
In an attempt to end the impasse, the freeholders have called a special public workshop for Thursday at 4:30pm. The budget is scheduled to be introduced on March 23.
E-mail cowen@northjersey.com
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