Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz’s decision to abruptly fire her city business administrator this week has already emerged as an issue as she seeks a fourth term as mayor this fall.
“This is a reflection on her lack of leadership in Perth Amboy,” said Joseph B. Vas, an attorney who is one of her opponents.
Vas said that Diaz has had six administrators in the early twelve years that she’s been mayor.
“It’s been a revolving door,” Vas said. “It’s hard to run government without continuity.”
Diaz has not responded to several calls seeking comment, starting on July 22 and most recently at 10:19 AM.
It’s still not clear why Diaz fired Frederick C. Carr early Tuesday morning and then changed the locks on the doors at City Hall. Council President Bill Petrick told the New Jersey Globe on Wednesday that she has not formally notified the council of her reasons.
Vas thinks Carr might have been ousted because he was moving forward on a statutorily-mandated municipal budget that might include a tax increase Diaz prefers to slow-roll in an election year.
In addition to Vas, an attorney and the son of former Mayor Joseph Vas, Diaz faces Councilman Helmin Caba in the November non-partisan election.
Following a referendum last year, Perth Amboy now has a December runoff election if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in November.
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