An Independent Democrat Takes a Stab at a Council Seat

Jean Pierce has been doing the traditional political thing - knocking on doors until dark, explaining how she's different from her competitors, and trying to make her campaign's funding go as far as it will go.

If you remember nothing about Jean Pierce, she laughed, remember Line B on Tuesday.

That's where you'll find the independent Woodbridge Democrat who is running for one of the four at-large council seats up for grabs in the primary. In a township where Mayor John McCormac runs a tight political ship and where there is little, if any, overt disagreement among the council's incumbent Democrats who dominate the body, Pierce is running off the line under "Democrats for Working Families" to try to capture one of the four at-large council slots.

"What I hear consistently is that the council doesn't care. There's no interest in the  concerns of voters," Pierce said. "I feel the frustration of the people. That's why I've decided to run for at-large council."

Pierce, a mother of two young adult sons, has lived in the township for 25 years and has been a self-described activist throughout that time. She's served on different commissions and boards, she said, including the independent Sewaren Public Library, which she credits with having helped with the education and subsequent high grades her sons received in township schools.

Pierce is also on the Woodbridge Housing Authority, a position to which she was appointed by McCormac two years ago, she said.

She may be running against the mayor's council candidates now - and if she wins in the primary, with McCormac in the November general election - but there's no rancor in her running, she said.

"The mayor and I have a cordial relationship," Pierce said.

This is the first time Pierce is running for council. She said she had approached the Democrat committee about running on the party line, but "they already had four incumbents."

Pierce said she isn't running against any of the incumbents, per se: "There are four open seats. I'm running for one of the four."

The at-large council incumbents running on Tuesday are Gregg Ficarra, Brenda Yori Velasco, Kyle Anderson, and Jim Carroll, who currently serves as council president. Anderson was appointed to an open at-large seat in January by McCormac.

Employed since 2005 as a public policy staffer at the Health Professionals Allied Employees union, Pierce said part of her job is working with many unions. One of them, the Communication Workers of America (CWA), the largest public union in the state, has sent out several expensive mailers supporting Pierce.

"Lobbying is part of my job. I work closely with nurses and healthcare professionals. We talk about how to make it easier for them to provide quality healthcare for their patients" - another concern of the Woodbridge mother.

"I'm grass roots. I'm an independent Democrat," Pierce said. "I'm a fresh voice for working families and seniors."

In her diligent rounds of neighborhood politicking, Pierce said the reoccurring concern she keeps hearing is fear of ever-higher taxes.

"Property taxes are the biggest problem, especially for seniors on a fixed income," she said. "I'm a homeowner, and I'm concerned about my property taxes, too."

Another issue Pierce cares about is general cuts to school funding, and where the cuts are being made, issues that affect the township's working families.

"Elementary schools do not have librarians. Parents are volunteering there so the kids have access. I believe that those are the type of cuts that are harmful to the education of the children," she said.

Pierce said she prides herself on her preparedness and her ability to listen to constituents, things she does now in her occupation and on the boards on which she serves.

"I come fully prepared. Any vote I take, I take seriously," she said. "I educate myself on the issue before I cast a vote."

If Pierce wins, she said she would ask her constituents what their concerns were and what positions they take on an issue.

"If the vast majority didn't approve, I wouldn't vote for it," Pierce said. "I prefer discussion over a lack of discussion.

"Everyone has a right to their opinion. Everyone is entitled to respect."