By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Work hard and people will notice you — and when you give your word, stick to it.
That was the message delivered by Vincent Prieto, the Speaker of the Assembly, at Rider University. He was invited to speak by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics as part of its "Governing New Jersey" series.
It was that work ethic, combined with holding to one’s word, which accounts for his success, the assemblyman said Tuesday night. It is also what he heard from his mother, as he was growing up in Union City. He was 11 years old when he and his mother immigrated to the United States from Cuba.
"My mother said, ‘There is never anything you can’t do. People will notice, but you have to work hard,’" Assemblyman Prieto said. He worked hard, became a master plumber and opened his own business. Later, he became the construction code official in Secaucus — a job he still holds.
The Democrat assemblyman from Hudson County recalled going to a construction site and asking whether he could help. He was only about 12 years old and weighed less than 100 pounds, but he was instructed to carry heavy bundles of material up several flights of steps — for $1 per bundle.
It was hard work — too hard for him — and he told the man at the construction site that he could not do it. He had given his word that he could do the job.
"When you give your word, you have to mean it," Assemblyman Prieto said. It is a policy and a belief that he continues to carry with him in the Assembly.
Assemblyman Prieto said that while he never aspired to serve in elected office — "(politics) was never on my radar screen" — his brother-in-law "had high expectations for me. He told me I could be on the commission or I could be the mayor." Instead, he was asked to serve on the Secaucus Planning Board.
When a vacancy occurred in the 32nd Legislative District for an Assembly seat, he was asked to run for it. He took office in 2004, and rose through the ranks. He assumed the post of speaker in January.
Serving as speaker is a lot of work, Assemblyman Prieto said, but it is rewarding.
"Everything comes through my hands. My goal is to make the Assembly relevant. I am not an optimist and I am not a pessimist. I am a realist."
"I look at things in the middle," he said. "Great legislation doesn’t work. Some people will love it and some people will hate it. Good legislation, we can live with. That’s what we strive for. There is always room for compromise."
Turning to some of the issues facing New Jersey, Assemblyman Prieto said the state Transportation Trust Fund — which provides money for state road projects — is in trouble. Roads and bridges are deteriorating, and the fund is running out of money.
One way to raise money is through an increase in the state gasoline tax, which he acknowledged is politically unpopular. Citizens need to be educated about the need to raise money for the Transportation Trust Fund, he said, adding that they would likely be more supportive of it.
Asked about shared services between municipalities, Assemblyman Prieto said it is "very needed." Hudson County combined six fire departments into one, which became the Hudson Regional Fire Department. The response time to a call has improved, and there is greater efficiency.
Stephen Sweeney, the state Senate president, has pushed for a bill that promotes shared services, Assemblyman Prieto said, but the legislation takes the "big stick" approach. State aid would be withheld from municipalities that do not share services.
"I sort of disagree a little (with that approach)," Assemblyman Prieto said. "A lot of times, you choose to live in a place (because of its services). We are in tough times. It’s a good bill, but you have to give some incentives."
On the issue of education, the assemblyman said he would like to see more emphasis on technical education so that young people can learn a skill. Employers have been asked to comment on the skills that they are seeking in prospective employees, so "we can help people get into a career path," he said.
"You can make a great living (with the skills learned in a two-year program). Sometimes, it pays more money than (a job that requires) a four-year degree. It’s something we need to look at. College may not be for everyone at this time," he said.
When he was asked about the extent to which politicians rely on public polling, Assemblyman Prieto replied that polling is important. It is used as a gauge. It is a "key factor," he said. But the results may depend on how a question is framed, he said.
And on the topic of campaign tactics and strategies, Assemblyman Prieto said that while he was well-known, he still campaigned by knocking on doors in his Assembly district to talk to voters.
"Get out the vote" efforts also are important, he said. And once the campaign begins, "you start and you don’t stop until the polls close," he added.
But at the end of the day — and despite the fact that he is the speaker of the Assembly — "I am still Vinny. That’s who I am. You can’t lose sight of who you are," he said.

