TINTON FALLS World War II veteran Vito Perillo, 93, defeated Mayor Gerald Turning in this year’s mayoral election.
Perillo won 52.84 percent of the votes, winning 2,611. Turning won 46.77 percent of the votes, winning 2,311, according to the Monmouth County Clerk’s website.
Having been a resident since 1960, Perillo said he is a member of the VFW 2226 in Oakhurst, the vice president of the Tinton Falls Senior Citizens Association and a member of the National Association of Federal Retirees.
After winning the election Perillo said, “My overall thoughts is to bring a little transparency into the borough and to get the residents involved in financial matters and big ticket price items. I want to get the public invited into the dialogue. I want more transparency.”
Perillo served as a electronic technician in the Navy for three years during World War II, according to Perillo.
“It was my responsibility to keep all of the communications, the radar equipment, the sonar underwater equipment, in top shape and in good operating conditions,” Perillo said.
Before he retired, Perillo said that he was an electronic engineer for the United States Department of Defense.
Now that he has been elected mayor Perillo said, “The first thing I want to do give residents a voice in the politics of the borough. Hopefully, I want to get involved in the budget process. I have had a lot of experience in the budget process and accounting, I worked for an accounting firm for 10 years and I want to be instrumental in forming the budget [and] getting a good budget, something that the people can afford.”
Turning could not be reached by press time.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].