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Sunday, September 9, 2018

Even in death Jerry Green gets out the troops



The program for Saturday's dedication of the
Park-Madison Plaza in Jerry's name had a nice
photo of him on the cover. (Sorry for the crease.)



Jerry Green must have been smiling Saturday when, in spite of a cool morning and an overcast sky, a couple hundred people came out to witness the dedication of the Park-Madison office building plaza in his name.

Even in death Jerry was getting out the troops. The bevy of elected officials who extolled his contributions to affordable housing and other favorite issues included seekers of top elected office in New Jersey -- just-elected Gov. Phil Murphy, US Senate candidate Bob Menendez, Plainfield's favorite US Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Jerry's replacement in the Assembly Linda Carter -- who now must face election for the seat. Plus of course the Freeholder candidates.

All of this made it seem more like a campaign rally than a naming ceremony, to which Jerry would have grinned and winked.

Jerry would have loved it -- and not least because it didn't cost him a penny.

Well known for being tight-fisted with campaign money, Jerry nevertheless used it judiciously where it mattered.

And where it mattered was -- in Jerry's view -- on Election Day. Jerry always ran a classic "knock and drag" effort on Election Day and paid street workers to get out the vote -- even if it meant driving folks to the polls.

Jerry always took great pride in the fact that Plainfield's turnout for Democratic candidates could excel the percentages of other towns in Union County.

With Sen. Nick Scutari as the new Union County chair and having no personal footprint in Plainfield, the baton has passed to Mayor Adrian Mapp, chair of the local Democratic party.

Events will show whether Plainfield keeps up Jerry Green's illustrious record.


 -- Dan Damon [ follow ]

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