Politics & Government

Independent Running for 1st Ward Seat

Jacqueline Pisatowski is the co-founder of the Wayne Republican Party for the People.

A third, and possibly a fourth, candidate will appear on the ballot for the 1st Ward town council seat in the General Election.

Jacqueline Pisatowski, a founding member of the Wayne Republican Party for the People (WRPP), is running to finish out the rest of former Councilman Alan Purcell’s term. She is running as an independent against Democrat Gary Marchese and incumbent Republican Richard Jasterzbski.

Pisatowski and Joe Bubba Jr. founded the WRPP in 2012 as an alternative to the Wayne Regular Republican Organization. The WRPP is focused on rejecting what it calls a “tax-and-spend” system of government in town.

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Pisatowski declined to comment.

Bubba said Pisatowski has the residents’ best interests in mind and would work to put them first if elected.

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Alan Purcell resigned from the council in June due to illness; he’s been fighting emphysema since 2004. The council selected Jasterzbski in July to replace Purcell. Whomever is elected in November will serve the remainder of Purcell’s term, which is set to end in 2015.

Pisatowski needed 25 residents’ signatures to be added to the ballot. She received more than 200.

Anthony Contey, Purcell’s brother in law, may also run as an independent candidate but has not decided if will run yet.

“I don’t care about politics at all. We’re losing commerce left and right in this town, especially in the 1st Ward and nothing is being done to stop the flooding here,” Contey said. “I didn’t know until recently that President Obama was here on Fayette Avenue. You’d think something would be done or we’d write him a letter once a week so he wouldn’t forget about us.”

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