Brian P. Stack (born May 16, 1966) is an American Democratic Party politician who represents the 33rd legislative district in the New Jersey Senate, where he serves as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has also served as the mayor of Union City, New Jersey, since 2000. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2004 to 2008.
Since 2007, Stack has been widely considered one of the most powerful people in Hudson County, the New Jersey Senate, and North Jersey generally.Pizarro, Max. "Brian P. Stack: 33rd District State Senate Candidate". PolitickerNJ. May 23, 2007. Accessed January 28, 2012. "A textbook example of a guy who was taken in by the machine, who realized early the only way to survive in Hudson County politics is to build your own machine as a leveraging force, the Union City mayor (and assemblyman) stands to become the most powerful elected official in Hudson County if he prevails against the Hudson County Democratic Organization."Adriana Rambay Fernández, Stephen LaMarca, Gennarose Pope, Ray Smith, Al Sullivan and E. Assata Wright. "They’ve got the power: Hudson County’s most influential people" . The Union City Reporter. January 8, 2012. pp. 1, 4-7 and 10-11. Accessed January 28, 2012.Cruz, Vanessa; DeChiaro, Dean; Rambay Fernandez, Adriana; Palasciano, Amanda; Sullivan, Al; Wright, E. Assata (January 13, 2013). "Power surge; Hudson County’s most influential – 2012". The Hudson Reporter. Accessed November 14, 2014. "3. "Stacco" (Two political opponents: State Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, and State Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack) (-, 1 and 2, respectively)"DeChiaro, Dean; and Sullivan, Al (January 26, 2014). "The 'Power List'; The Reporter's third annual ranking of Hudson County's most influential people" . The Hudson Reporter. Accessed November 14, 2014. "#16: Brian Stack, Mayor of Union City / State Sen. (-, 2)Sullivan, Al; Davis, Carlo; Schwartz, Art; Passantino, Joseph (January 18, 2015). The Union City Reporter, pp 1, 5, 9, 12
Early life Brian P. Stack was born May 16, 1966, in Jersey City, New JerseyArrue, Karina L. "Landslide Win! 4 more years for Stack slate" Hudson Dispatch Weekly, May 13, 2010, pp. 1 and 4"Senator Brian P. Stack", New Jersey Senate Democrats. Accessed November 8, 2016.Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition. New Jersey Lawyers Diary & Manual. p 288. Archived at Google Books. Accessed November 8, 2016. to Edward J. Stack,"Mass for Margaret Stack, Mother of Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack is scheduled for tomorrow morning" . HudsonCountyTV. May 15, 2015. a PATH train conductor,Pizarro, Max (December 30, 2014). "A rare cut-out from Christie for Stack". PolitickerNJ. and Margaret Stack, a building superintendent.Torres, Agustin C. (May 13, 2015). "Sen. and Union City Mayor Stack's mother dies at age 83". NJ.com.Arrue, Karina (May 18, 2010). "Union City Mayor Brian Stack and commissioners take their oaths of office". NJ.com. He is of Irish descent.Di Ionno, Mark (November 29, 2016). "Fidel Castro is dead, but scars remain in Union City". NJ.com. At a young age the Stack family moved to Union City, living in an apartment building at 518 9th Street, on the city's east side. They subsequently moved to 713 Palisade Avenue, where his mother worked for more than 20 years as the superintendent of that building and the other adjoining buildings. They later moved to 1104 Palisade Avenue, which remained their residence until Edward and Margaret's deaths in 2003 and 2015, respectively.
Stack credits his involvement in politics to his parents, who took him to political rallies in Union City.Torres, Agustin (February 19, 1986). "Brian Stack, at 19, is veteran of political wars". The Jersey Journal. The Stacks were active in their community, as their apartment was a hospitable place that was "a stop for tenants and neighborhood people seeking assistance or advice." It was with his parents that Stack first began to participate in the practice of providing turkeys and holiday gifts to the needy, a practice that Stack would later institute as mayor. As Stack explained to a reporter when he was 19, "I remember when I was about 6 or 7 years old being at the Doric Temple polling place on election day just sitting and listening to the local politicians. I would probably say I dedicated my high school years to politics when I guess I should have been more into school activities. My classmates would call me 'mayor'. But I always believed it's vitally important for young people to get involved. We are the future."
Stack attended elementary school at St. Anthony of Padua School. He graduated from Emerson High School. He attended Jersey City State College, graduating with an M.A. in criminal justice.Brian P. Stack. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved January 16, 2010
Career Early career Stack began volunteering on campaigns for William Musto as a young boy, and was present at age 16 at Musto's sentencing for racketeering and fraud.Mestanza, Jean-Pierre (June 3, 2011). "Union City naming new Cultural Center for discredited ex-mayor". NJ.com Musto's conviction shocked many in the community that believed he was wrongly accused.Rosero, Jessica. "The last boss: Former Mayor, State Senator, and Assemblyman William Musto dies at 88" . Union City Reporter. March 5, 2006. Accessed March 6, 2008. and Stack and his family corresponded with Musto while the latter served time in federal prison. Stack would later honor Musto by naming the William V. Musto Cultural Center after his former mentor. Stack also continued his involvement in politics through his criticism of the administration of Mayor Arthur Wichert.
Stack served as an aide in the 33rd Legislative District office from 1983 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1988. He also became a tenant advocate in 1985. In Union City, he served as an administrative assistant to the Commissioner of Parks and Public Property from 1986 to 1990, and as Deputy Director of Public Affairs from 1995 to 1996.
In 1996 Stack and his wife, Katia, established the Brian P. Stack Civic Association, through which they aided residents with issues such as housing, employment and immigration.
Mayor Stack later became leader of a civic organization called Union City First, and for his public criticism of the administration of Mayor Rudy Garcia. Stack served as a Commissioner from 1997 to 1998, and was appointed to replace Garcia as mayor in October 2000, after Garcia resigned in the face of Stack's call for a recall election. Stack was elected unopposed to the Board of Commissioners in a special election in November 2001 and in May 2002 he and his ticket for the city's Board of Commissioners all ran unopposed.Nardone, Christine (May 17, 2002). "Unopposed candidates celebrate UC voters still came out in uncontested election" . Hudson Reporter. Accessed January 29, 2012. "Although Union City Mayor Brian Stack and his ticket of commissioners were running unopposed in this year's municipal election, close to 9,500 city residents still made it to the polls on May 14 to vote for him.... Stack also ran unopposed in the city's special election this past November." Stack simultaneously won the 7th District seat on the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, where he served from 2000 until his swearing into the Assembly in 2004. He relinquished his Freeholder position when he was sworn into the New Jersey State Assembly on January 13, 2004. Stack was reelected in 2005 and served in the Assembly until 2007.
Stack was reelected Mayor on May 9, 2006, winning 9,058 votes, 85% of the vote, compared to the 1,647 votes won by his opponent, Little Ferry Superintendent of Schools Frank Scarafile.Rosero, Jessica (May 14, 2006). "Stack ticket wins in landslide". The Union City Reporter. pp. 1 and 12
As mayor, Stack has focused on quality of life issues in Union City, in particular that which was affected by local bars violating liquor licenses for noise and selling alcohol to minors. His initiative to change the mandatory closing time for bars from 3 am to 2 am gained support from local police and city residents, despite opposition from local tavern owners.Archilla, Dylan M. (January 17, 2003). "Former school principal wants to recall Stack Mayor says UC educator's movement is a front for bar owners". The Hudson Reporter.
In the Assembly, Stack represented the 33rd Legislative District together with Senator Bernard Kenny. He served on the Regulated Professions and Independent Authorities Committee as Vice Chair, and on the Transportation and Public Works Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform.
Stack and his commissioners were re-elected on May 11, 2010, in a landslide victory over Vision 4 Union City's slate of candidates, headed by recurring opponent Frank Scarafile. Stack won nearly 11,000 votes to Scarafile's nearly 1,200, with Stack's slate, which included Tilo Rivas, Lucio Fernandez, Maryury Martinetti and Christopher Irizarry, registering a combined total of between 85% and 90% of the vote. Stack and Scarafile, who criticized his opponent for his level of involvement and control in matters he contends are outside the legislative role of mayor, such as board appointments and school hiring, are embroiled in mutual lawsuits over negative campaign literature distributed by Scarafile in December 2009.Diaz, Lana Rose (May 16, 2010). "Re-elected!" The Union City Reporter. pp. 1 and 8
Stack has been noted to employ various methods to make himself available to Union City citizens, such as widely publicizing his cell phone number. Since 2000, Stack has spent a few days each quarter away from City Hall in a "mobile office" tent that is set up at various locations in Union City in order for people who do not have easy access to City Hall to see him. According to Stack, whereas he sees approximately 350 to 400 people a week at City Hall, his mobile office attracts upwards of 300 people a day. Stack, who employs a translator to communicate with Spanish-only speakers, is frequently asked by citizens for assistance in matters such as housing and employment. In July 2010, Stack increased his mobile office appearances to a monthly basis.Diaz, Lana Rose (July 4, 2000). "Stack hits the streets" The Union City Reporter. pp. 1 and 8 Among the activities sponsored by his organization, the Brian Stack Civic Association, are annual delivery of free turkeys to the needy and free public Thanksgiving dinners."Holiday Feast". Hudson Dispatch Weekly. December 2, 2010. p. 4."Briefs". The Union City Reporter. November 28, 2010, p. 4.