Facing A Challenger, Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe Defends His Record and Recalibrates
Rahway mayor outlines six pillars for the city’s future as water privatization debate reshapes the November race.
Mayor Raymond Giacobbe addresses a packed audience at the Union County Performing Arts Center during Rahway’s 2026 State of the City event. (The Central Jerseyan)
Chris Howell | February 26, 2026
In a historic theater packed with supporters and some skeptics, Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe took the stage at Union County Performing Arts Center Thursday night, facing a new political reality.
For the first time in years, he has an opponent.
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Earlier this week, independent candidate Hope Moran officially filed to run for mayor, launching a campaign centered largely on opposition to the city’s exploration of privatizing its water utility.
Against that backdrop, Giacobbe delivered his annual State of the City address, laying out what he called six pillars guiding Rahway’s future development. The speech functioned as both a governing update and a campaign argument, a defense of what has been built and a case for what should come next.
The most consequential moment of the night came when Giacobbe announced that he plans to ask the City Council to cancel the current bidding process for the potential sale of Rahway’s municipal water utility.
The decision, he said, would give city leaders time to “find the solutions needed” while remaining committed to transparency and accountability.
The Rahway River with the city’s water tower in the background. Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe announced he’ll ask the City Council to cancel the bidding process for a potential sale of the city’s water system.
Council Member Darlene Eastman echoed that message after the speech, saying the cancellation would allow officials to hear out residents and consider additional ideas for addressing the utility’s financial and infrastructure challenges.
A further announcement is expected at Monday’s City Council meeting.
The shift is notable because just weeks ago, when the council authorized moving forward with the bidding process, city officials said urgency was critical and that time was not on Rahway’s side. They argued the city needed to begin the process immediately to preserve options and avoid deeper fiscal strain.
That push fueled criticism from residents and helped spark Moran’s campaign.
In her campaign announcement posted to Facebook, Moran framed the issue in stark terms:
“As you know, our water infrastructure is being eyed by private corporations that will raise your rates and answer to shareholders instead of residents,” she wrote. “Affordable housing is disappearing. Our flooding problems keep getting worse while nothing meaningful gets done. And our neighbors who are struggling with mental health have nowhere to turn locally.”
“I’m not a politician. I’m one of you,” she added. “You all have been sounding the alarm for a long time and I hear you.”
Moran did not immediately respond to a request for comment before publication of this report.
Moran’s entry into the race turns what might have been a quiet election cycle into a referendum on the utility, redevelopment, and growth.
Giacobbe structured his address around what he called six core pillars: infrastructure, redevelopment, arts and culture, quality of life, public safety, and the Department of Public Works.
On infrastructure, the mayor said Rahway has completed or initiated more than 100 capital improvements and secured a 15 percent discount for FEMA flood insurance for residents.
The city is on track to remove all lead service lines by 2027 — four years ahead of the federal mandate, he said.
He also announced upgrades to East Cherry Street, including a new park, improvements to the Paseo, and a new dog park funded by a $500,000 county grant slated to open this year.
“Moving forward doesn’t mean moving fast,” he said. “It means moving smart.”
Turning to redevelopment, the mayor emphasized what he described as a comprehensive strategy, particularly in and around Train Station Plaza.
He highlighted the 329 New Brunswick Avenue site, positioned to receive decontamination funding, and redevelopment on Monroe Street.
Rahway preserved more than 200 affordable housing units at Plaza Apartments by extending a PILOT agreement, he said. Groundbreaking for Esterbrook Senior Housing is expected this year, and the Glendenning Homes redevelopment began in December 2025.
Vacant storefronts in the Special Improvement District are down 50 percent since 2022, Giacobbe said, crediting upgraded façades and forgivable loan programs.
Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe speaks at the Union County Performing Arts Center during his 2026 State of the City address. (The Central Jerseyan)
Looking ahead, he said the next chapter will focus more heavily on nonresidential redevelopment.
That vision includes what he described as a keystone project for the Arts District: the James “Jim” Kennedy Amphitheater. The city plans to build the outdoor venue in partnership with Union County, with features including an art walk and elements to mitigate flooding, such as a rain garden.
Giacobbe said his administration has also enhanced Rahway’s reputation as an arts and culture destination by hosting three international travel exhibits since 2024 and expanding its public art initiative to include 25,000 square feet of murals.
Under quality of life, Giacobbe grouped recreation, senior services, and public health.
He cited improvements at Madden Field, a spray park at Brennan Field, and pickleball courts at Tully Field, along with sensory-friendly park upgrades.
Senior transportation services have covered 135,000 miles, and the Health Department trained 129 workers through an expanded bilingual food safety program. A new mobile health trailer is also planned for this year.
The mayor then turned to public safety.
“Public safety isn’t a slogan. It’s a promise,” he said.
He praised police, fire, and EMS, noting 100 rescues during the July 2025 flooding and mutual aid during a Roselle Park fire.
Following a fatal fire on High Street, he said the city is investing in a new fire engine, a new fire truck, and additional training.
Police have expanded professional development, including drone operations, modernized body cameras, and what he described as the county’s first state-approved jujitsu training program. The city has also invested in three new ambulances.
Giacobbe closed by praising the Department of Public Works, which he said “keeps Rahway running every day.”
The city planted more than 100 trees in 2025 and plans to continue in 2026, he said, including 50 donated by the Bella Kind Foundation. New sanitary trucks and updated equipment have also been added.
The mayor ended by repeating his slogan, “Keep Rahway Moving Forward,” and saying that “as long as I have the honor to keep serving this city, I will keep pushing Rahway forward.”
With a challenger now officially in the race — and a pause in the water utility bidding process — the six pillars outlined Thursday night have become Giacobbe’s re-election message as he seeks a third full term in office.
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