Former Councilman BJ Torres Honored for Service to Perth Amboy

BJ Torres honored for service to Perth Amboy

On January 22 2025 the Perth Amboy City Council honored former Councilman BJ Torres for his years of service to Perth Amboy. City Council President Milady Tejada presented BJ Torres with a signed resolution by all the council members thanking him for his years of service on the City Council and for his years serving as President of the Arts Council, producing the Ferry Slip Music Series and organizing the Waterfront Neighborhood Association. Dubbed “the Voice of Perth Amboy” by Councilman Puccio, Councilman Torres’s ability to be insightful and provide commentary that reflected an understanding of the issues and what was at stake was enlightening and exciting to hear and inspired people to become more active and participate.

A defining aspect of Councilman Torres’s service was to pass and reform so much legislation. He made changes on important issues, like housing, the environment, health, taxation, and made business opportunities.

Councilman BJ Torres made sure the mask mandate was enforced, got zoom meetings, reformed the Bike ordinance, passed the power plant opposition resolution, took fluoride out of the drinking water, passed multiple housing reforms including Air BNB regulation of short-term rentals, and continuing occupancy ordinance. He created more business opportunities passing the tattoo ordinance.  He negotiated 500,000 for a health department. He held the first pride flag raising, preserved sunshine alleys name, put a stop sign on Grant St, and held unsafe housing hearings. And more.

And in most cases, Councilman Torres was able to get the unanimous support of the council to pass solutions and make reforms. And he received the courageous support of a second on motions that had major impact on maintaining openness and accountability of government in Perth Amboy.

Councilman Torres is know for his courage to have a platform to make decisions, whether it be assessing the environmental and health impact on the community of decisions for warehouses, the need to purchase electric vehicles to reduce local emissions, the need for fiscal responsibility of using grant funding instead of bonding, and the need for responsible development, open government and labor considerations with the Kushner deal.  

Councilman Torres showed us what it means to stand for something, to be passionate about doing the right thing and to work for a brighter future for the city together with the council, the administration and the community. As a candidate he was committed to making change, and as a councilperson he made things happen. Even some of his biggest critics became his biggest allies. Councilman Torres served as a positive agent of change and role model for others how to be a council person here in Perth Amboy

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