Dems tap Baselice to fill Vainieri’s unexpried term

Robert P. Baselice, the executive director of the North Bergen Parking Authority for the last nineteen years, has won a special election convention to fill a vacancy on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.

With the support of Mayor Nicholas Saco, Baselice was unopposed at a special election convention last night to fill the unexpired term of Anthony Vainieri, Jr., who resigned this month.  Vainieri is seeking a North Bergen Town Commissioner seat in the May non-partisan municipal election.

Baselice is seeking a full three-year term in the June 6 Democratic primary.  He faces Stephanie Martinez, who is running on the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County slate.

Republicans have not won the North Bergen-based seat since Octavio Alfonso ousted incumbent Anthony DeVincent, the mayor of North Bergen, on Ronald Reagan’s 1984 coattails; the GOP does not have a candidate in the primary.

“I’m very proud of Bob Baselice for receiving this appointment as well as for the tremendous work he has done throughout his years in North Bergen,” Sacco said.  “He has been an invaluable asset, and under his leadership, the North Bergen Parking Authority has made tremendous strides in achieving our goal of making parking easier and more convenient for our residents and visitors.”

Prior to joining the parking authority, Baselice was the chief of staff to the Hudson County sheriff.