A Perth Amboy councilman has announced plans to run against Mayor Wilda Diaz and deny her a third term.
PERTH AMBOY -- Councilman Joel Pabon has announced his intentions to run against Mayor Wilda Diaz in November's election.
Pabon, now serving his second term on the city council, believes he can show the "real leadership" that he said Diaz has not show in her eight years in office.
Three of the city's other council members, Fernando Gonzalez, Lisa Nanton, and William Petrick, have chosen not to run for new four-year terms and threw their support for Pabon, who was also a member of the board of education from 2000 to 2009.
"Joel Pabon has strong ties to the community, common sense, experience and a real understanding of government," Gonzalez said. "It is unfortunate that during Diaz's eight years as mayor, Perth Amboy has remained stagnant."
Nanton, who was Diaz's running mate in 2012, said, "I can always rely on Joel to say what he means and mean what he says."
"Joel Pabon has the potential to be Perth Amboy's greatest mayor because he is open, honest and willing to put people first," she said. "The mayor (Diaz) has failed to communicate with the council and involve them in important decisions that require a full team effort."
Petrick said he believes Pabon "has an impressive capacity for breaking down complex issues."
Pabon is running with two newcomers, Angel "Mota" Ramirez, and Kenneth Puccio. Ramirez and Puccio are the council candidates. The three are running as, "Real Leadership for Perth Amboy."
Diaz, who announced her plans to run for a third four-year term last month, is running with incumbent councilman Fernando Irizarry and newcomer Jelmin Caba.
She was first elected mayor in 2008.
Perth Amboy has a nonpartisan form of government. Candidates do not participate in primaries and do not declare themselves as members of political parties. The city's election will be held in November with all other elections.
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