Council President Rolando Lavarro Endorses Rebecca Symes in Ward E Runoff
Council President Rolando Lavarro Endorses Rebecca Symes in Ward E Runoff
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — City Council President Rolando Lavarro is endorsing Rebecca Symes in the Runoff Election for Ward E Council. Councilman Lavarro won re-election to Council-At-Large as the top vote getter in the November election, amassing over 20,000 votes. He is the first Asian American elected to municipal office in Jersey City and has championed legislation for working families, including a living wage, an expansion of paid sick days and wage theft protection. Councilman Lavarro joins a growing groundswell of local leaders supporting Symes’ campaign leading up to the election this Tuesday, December 5th. “I’m endorsing Rebecca Symes because our values and priorities are aligned. I know she will be an ally in protecting and defending working families and our most vulnerable communities.” said Councilman Lavarro, who was first elected in 2011. “Our city is growing rapidly and we need Council members who will do the work that will keep our city affordable and help longtime residents stay in the only neighborhoods they have ever known. At the end of the day, it’s all about real results; and I’m confident Rebecca will work with me to get the job done.”
Councilman Lavarro’s endorsement of Rebecca Symes follows other major endorsements from current Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne, Councilman at-Large Daniel Rivera, former Ward E candidate Nicholas Grillo, Hudson County Clerk-elect Junior Maldonado and several prominent local labor unions.
“I am honored to receive Council President Lavarro’s endorsement and look forward to working closely with him on the issues this campaign is about, like giving our community more say in development and budgeting decisions,” said Symes. “It is so exciting to see our message continue to resonate with people all over Downtown and we will be working non-stop toward the election on Tuesday.”
Symes received the most votes in the November 7 election, with a lead of over 700 votes in front of the second place finisher, James Solomon. The two are now facing each other head to head in the runoff election this Tuesday, December 5th.
About Rebecca Symes
Rebecca Symes has been deeply involved in community organizations and causes as a past President of the Harsimus Cove Neighborhood Association, Trustee at the Jersey City Free Public Library, Board Secretary at The Waterfront Project, a free legal clinic, Advisory Trustee at Liberty Science Center and a New Leaders Council Fellow. She holds a Juris Doctorate Degree from the Catholic University of America and a Bachelor’s Degree from Ithaca College. After law school, she worked at Housing Conservation Coordinators, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting affordable housing, served as Counsel & Director of Constituent Affairs to U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and later served as General Counsel to Dixon Advisory USA. Symes resigned from her private sector position to devote her full attention to representing Jersey City’s Ward E residents.
