In a statement released last night at 10 o’clock on his official Facebook page, Mayor Carl Hokanson has announced his re-election campaign and that he will be running as an Independent.
He is the third elected official in the last 18 months to disassociate from the Roselle Park Democratic Committee (RPDC). In August of 2016, RPDC Chair Dan Petrosky publicly stated that then Councilwoman-At-Large Charlene Storey was voted out of the municipal committee. Five months later, in January of last year, then-First Ward Councilman Eugene Meola announced that he separated from the local political committee and declared himself as an Independent. Last night, 14 months later, Mayor Hokanson stated, “I have met and discussed my perspective with the Roselle Park Democratic Committee and spoke to them as to what I feel my role as your Mayor should be. Through these discussions, it has been decided that our paths were not aligned.”
Last month, Mayor Carl Hokanson was removed from the RPDC’s website (link) (archive link) along with members of his family. That was the first notable public display of a growing rift between the RPDC and the mayor who has been in elected office as a Democrat for almost a decade since 2009. Instead of supporting the current mayor in the upcoming November election, it has been stated by numerous sources that the RPDC has given the line to Joseph Signorello, III. His father, Joseph Signorello, Jr, currently serves on the Roselle Park Board Of Education and is the Roselle Park Fire Department Chief.
The 377-word statement was accompanied by details on how to reach the mayor (link).
Included below is a copy of the letter:
Download Carl Hokanson Statement (March 4, 2018)