Ricigliano receives backing for mayoral run

EDISON — In an effort to defeat current Edison Mayor Jun Choi, Township Councilwoman Antonia Ricigliano is not only running for his spot, she has the backing of two fellow members of the council who had pondered going for the top spot.

Council members Anthony Massaro and Robert Diehl will back Ricigliano's bid to become the township's first female mayor.

Ricigliano said her first inclination to run for mayor came as a result of a number of polls conducted a few months ago to see who among the trio would be the strongest candidate.

"In the first two polls, I came out on top but not by much. Then there was a third poll that was conducted and I got a phone call from somebody saying that I was up by a significant margin in that one," Ricigliano explained. "I was told it was about 20 points or so, and that was surprising to me.

"Less than a month ago, they came up to me and said they'd back me in my run for mayor."

In a press release issued by Ricigliano, Diehl said that "Toni understands the needs of our residents and has been tireless with her fight to protect Edison taxpayers."

He also stated in the release that he will be seeking for re-election to the Township Council. Massaro will not be following suit.

"I am abandoning my quest for the nomination to run as mayor of Edison Township for the sake of party unity," Massaro said in the release. "I fully support Toni Ricigliano's candidacy for mayor because our view [is that] the way Mayor Choi has outspent the last administration [is] appalling."

Ricigliano, who has served eight years on the council via two nonconsecutive terms, believes that elected officials can do a better job overall within Edison.

"I see a lot of bloated spending out there, and especially in this financial climate we need to be even more aware of what is going on," Ricigliano said. "The current mayor hasn't done this at all. Things were promised, and they haven't worked out. Things are always done behind closed doors, and it's just not right. For more than three years this mayor has had the opportunity to provide real tax relief for the residents, and he has failed."

Other than the mayor's spot, three Township Council seats are up for grabs in the November election.

Spokespeople for Choi were unavailable for comment.