08-05-2025
Eleven running for Hackensack council on May 13. These are the candidates and issues
HACKENSACK — Voters will choose from among 11 candidates running for City Council on May 13, with starkly differing views on the building boom that has transformed the city's downtown in recent years and has become the central issue of the campaign.
Incumbents Mayor John Labrosse and Deputy Mayor Kathy Canestrino are running for reelection on a ticket with Lance Powell, Marlene Somerville and Richard Garcia. Incumbent council members Leonardo Battaglia, Stephanie Von Rudenborg and Gerard Carroll are not running for reelection.
Candidates Caseen Gaines, Agatha Toomey, Roberto Diaz, Philip Carroll and Sonya Clark-Collins are running together as the Hackensack Unites slate and challenging Labrosse's ticket.
Richard Cerbo, who fell short in his 2017 bid for City Council, is also vying for one of the five seats up for election this year.
The city votes for five members of the council at large in a nonpartisan election held every four years. Voters in the city have typically elected an entire slate in a sweep, with just two exceptions in the past four decades.
Development has emerged as the chief issue in this year's election, with voters facing a choice between a slate touting the progress they believe the city's downtown has made over the past decade and a slate promising change in a new direction.
During Labrosse's tenure as mayor, a building boom has dramatically altered the city's downtown, with thousands of new housing units built along Main Street. Critics of the redevelopment efforts fear that the new buildings will push people out of their homes and businesses and say they are straining the city's infrastructure and services while benefiting developers, not residents.
Labrosse, 70, a safety specialist at Hackensack University Medical Center who was first elected to the council in 2009 and became mayor in 2013, cites the transformation of Main Street, new apartment buildings and businesses, and public amenities like the Hackensack Performing Arts Center as among his team's accomplishments, and said he wants to continue to build on that progress.
'Hackensack has come a long way, and I'm running to keep that momentum going,' he said. 'Since I became mayor, we've stabilized property taxes, earned two credit rating upgrades, and attracted over $1 billion in investment. That's not just a number. It means better parks, more housing, a stronger local economy and an improved quality of life.'
If reelected, he said, he will prioritize affordability, public safety and fiscal responsibility.
His administration will continue to invest in infrastructure, expand recreation and keep taxes stable, he said.
'We'll focus on completing park improvements, upgrading roads and supporting small businesses,' he said. 'My top priority is to ensure Hackensack remains a vibrant, inclusive and affordable city where families want to live, work and stay for the long term.'
More: Here's everything you need to know to vote in May municipal elections in North Jersey
Canestrino, 75, a retired aerospace engineer, has served as deputy mayor since 2013. She said she entered public service to 'bring professionalism and fiscal discipline' to City Hall. Canestrino said she is seeking a fourth term to 'protect the progress we've made and to ensure the city government continues to work efficiently, transparently and in the best interest of the people.'
A key issue for her is managing redevelopment while improving residents' quality of life.
'We've revitalized downtown, but we also need to maintain city services, improve traffic flow, protect neighborhoods and reduce airplane noise,' she said. 'We must also safeguard Hackensack's fiscal health so we can continue delivering results without overburdening taxpayers.'
If reelected, she would remain focused on responsible budgeting, infrastructure improvements and transparency, she said.
'I'll push for capital investments that benefit residents citywide, not just downtown, and I'll keep advocating for quality-of-life issues like airplane noise reduction,' she said. 'I also want to continue leveraging state and federal grants to improve Hackensack without raising taxes.'
Somerville, 53, who lost her bid for reelection to the city Board of Education in November, said she wants to promote fair hiring, increase civic engagement and support initiatives to benefit the city's children.
Somerville, a management consultant and a volunteer with several community organizations, pushed back on the narrative that redevelopment comes at the community's expense.
'Responsible development can bring jobs, services and vibrancy to neighborhoods,' she said. She plans to earn the trust of residents if elected and 'listen, learn and build collaborative solutions,' she said. 'We need to heal. The rhetoric has grown divisive. We all love this city. It's time to move forward together — with mutual respect, shared goals and a renewed sense of unity.'
Powell, 60, an educator for over three decades who served with Somerville on the school board and lost his seat in November, said improving the city's infrastructure, expanding affordable housing and public safety are his top concerns.
'Balancing economic growth with preserving the character of our neighborhoods is a challenge, but I believe we're up to it,' he said. 'I will work closely with our first responders, city employees and residents to ensure we're meeting the real needs of our city.'
Garcia, 65, a longtime resident who works at the Bergen County Clerk's Office, said he believes in 'responsive leadership that puts people first.'
'I've spent my career helping residents navigate government services, and I want to bring that same spirit of service to the City Council,' he said.
Among the biggest issues facing the city are keeping the city affordable for longtime residents, maintaining safe neighborhoods and making sure residents feel represented and heard, he said.
'We also need to ensure development works for the community, not just developers,' he said. 'I'll fight for policies that protect working families, expand access to services and build trust between residents and city leaders. I'm running to be a voice for every Hackensack resident.'
The Hackensack Unites slate is running on a platform of change, with candidates promising to focus on programs and services for residents, not wealthy developers. The challengers say too many long-term tax abatements have been handed out to developers while Hackensack has become unaffordable for many residents.
Gaines, 39, a teacher at Hackensack High School and president of the Hackensack Education Association, said the city has become unaffordable.
'When my students graduate, they can't afford to live in a city where rent is $3,000 a month for a studio apartment,' he said. 'For longtime residents, property taxes have gone up by more than 50% — doubled in some cases — and that is simply unsustainable for our residents.'
Instead of giving tax breaks to developers, Gaines said, the city should invest in a new school, traffic improvements, park upgrades and services for seniors.
Toomey, 67, is a resident of nearly six decades and a local business owner who previously served as director of the city's human services department for 38 years.
Much of the social safety net that existed when she worked for the human services department has been eliminated under the Labrosse administration, she said.
'We need to start putting those programs back together so we can help our neighbors,' she said. 'Our city needs a housing inventory study that centers the conversation on revitalizing Hackensack in a way that makes a true impact on affordable housing inventory — not just mandated low-income housing, but places for middle-class families to live and build equity.'
Diaz, 67, is an adjunct professor and former associate director at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He was previously a middle school bilingual education teacher.
If the slate is elected, it will evaluate new development proposals and 'make sure each one pays its fair share,' he said.
'This will allow us to properly fund city services, including our schools, parks, police, fire and public works,' he said. 'While we can't completely change the direction of redevelopment, we can make sure that we start to right the ship and get Hackensack back on track for serving residents.'
Carroll, 60, is a retired Hackensack police officer who served as president of Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 9 and worked alongside residents in community policing initiatives. He also previously served on the city school board and is a parishioner of Holy Trinity Church, and a member of the Hackensack Elks, Knights of Columbus, and Moose Lodge.
The Police Department has not grown with the city, even as more than 3,000 new apartments have been built, he said.
Labrosse's administration has 'vilified our officers who work incredibly hard every day to keep us all safe,' he said. 'I want to make sure that Hackensack is keeping our priorities in order, funding the programs and services our residents need.'
Hackensack Unites will end 30-year tax abatements for developers and audit existing deals to 'claw back revenue where we can,' he said.
Clark-Collins, 63, is a lifelong city resident with a professional background in administration and information technology. She is a member of the community organization The Work Group and is a Hackensack Rent Stabilization Board member, where she advocates for affordable housing and tenant rights.
She said she wants to work to make the city more affordable and ensure residents can remain in their homes.
'I hope to have real, meaningful conversations about affordable housing — especially working-class housing for teachers, nurses, public works personnel so that they can live in the city where they work,' she said. 'Other cities have done it, and so can Hackensack.'
Cerbo, the other candidate in the race, did not respond to requests for comment on his candidacy.
Polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, May 13, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some residents have already cast their votes by mail or participated in an in-person mail-in ballot voting option the Bergen County Clerk's Office offered on May 4.
This article originally appeared on Hackensack NJ council election: These are candidates, issues
