HCDO Chairman Craig Guy Endorses Education Matters Slate for School Board

Guy Makes Stand in Support of Union-Backed Candidates

Hudson County, New Jersey – At a packed fundraiser of over 500 people last week, Craig Guy did something unexpected–he invited Trustee Natalia Ioffe, Melany Cruz Burgos, and Ahmed Kheir, all candidates for the Jersey City school board, up on the stage. While standing together, Guy gave an impassioned speech on the importance of standing with labor and stated that his chairship will be one marked by fighting for union-backed candidates and those that support union values. As a part of this speech, he noted that the three candidates on stage with him were backed by the JCEA (Jersey City Education Association), which is the nearly 4,000 member union made up of the educators and support staff that service the Jersey City Public Schools and that he too was backing them–despite it being a non-partisan race.

“I grew up in Jersey City, and got involved in politics to fight for my community. So while getting in this race may appear unconventional, it reflects my lifelong values of community and education,” said Guy. “The Education Matters candidates are ready to tackle the budget while making investments in STEM programming. They are a diverse ticket which reflects the character of the city. They are supported by the local union, because they will combat the pressures of privatization and defend benefits for working-class workers. If they win, together, we can create a strong future for our schools and our community.”

Education Matters Campaign Manager and JCEA PAC Chairman, Mike Greco issued the following statement, “We are grateful to have the backing of Hudson County Democratic Chairman and County Executive, Craig Guy. When we met with him and discussed how our candidates plan to alleviate costs to taxpayers, advocate for more mental health resources as well as STEM and afterschool programs, and advocate for labor values–it was clear that our values were his values when it came to both labor and improving our school system for our Jersey City youth. We look forward to working together, winning, and focusing on doing what’s right for our children.”

The Hudson County Democratic Organization will soon announce campaign efforts to back the Education Matters slate.

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