##VIDEO ID:ckCh0e_JYMQ## [Music] [Music] [Music] good morning Patterson for anyone who knows me I'm known for wearing very unique socks every day today I have my Tony the Tiger socks on do you know why because I feel great and Tony I'm not just great or feeling great I'm feeling grateful to have known you for years people may have heard this story before Tony Perez gave me my first football when I was 12 years old the only problem is he didn't teach me how to throw it or kick it so here we are today Tony a few months ago we paid tribute to Irma Goram I suggested that we name the Housing Authority after her but I also beli that it was only and we do the same for a gentleman that has been sacrificing himself for over 48 years here in the city of Patterson for anyone who's graduated from Kennedy High School he's a proud alumnus yes let's here what time is it what time is it actually no it's 11:25 and Senator Po's got to leave soon so let me hurry up but it is night time this gentleman started his commitment to Public Service officially in 1976 chair M Curry do you know who the mayor was at that time pat Kramer may he rest in peace and he appointed Tony as The Fifth Ward Recreation director coach and then the rest is history then mayor pascrell appointed him to serve on the board for the housing authority and then Mayor Marty Barnes saw fit in 1998 to make you the executive director we are proud of the Legacy that you've left behind we know that you're going to reach that Milestone of 50 years Tony but we want everyone to know that every day that you come to work and you look up you see the sign that says Tony Perez parking authority you are an institution in the city of Patterson that people ask behind me what is the PPA stand for it's the Perez parking [Applause] authority but we want to salute you an outstanding American a Puerto Rican Pioneer yes this man [Applause] is so Tony we're not ready for you to retire yet that'll come down the road whenever you're ready but we want to cele Cate you while you're with us and we want to celebrate this new Parking Authority Under the he the name your your name bearing it and you've told me that whenever the time was right and you're ready to ride off into the sunset that I would see you in Orlando at Disney World and you'd be driving a car and you'd have your name tag and it would say Jose am I right well Jose can wait cuz today is about the Tony Perez parking authority congratulations [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] thank you chairman thank you so very much first for first let me just say this is an incredible incredible day don't be fooled by the showers that we've come that that the skies have opened up these are these are showers of Joy these are uh a true uh evidence of how much everyone loves you so th these are not tears these are just overwhelming Joy for you Tony for people who are here people who are in support of what you do we love you we know we know what is in your heart and it's amazing how we're able to just listen to what is actually going on here and not listening to what's happening uh behind us because today is the day that we give you your honors today is the day that we give you your flowers may let [Applause] me socks on but I do have my heels and let me just say Tony may you may refer to him as a tiger and he may Roar as a tiger but he is loved and the softness in his heart is dearly dearly loved by someone because of his kindness I have today the opportunity as your state senator to uh present to you a joint Senate and assembly uh resolution uh it is it is introduced uh by both myself as the senator your friend you are my friend Tony dearly my friend and my colleagues assemblymen uh Wimberly and assemblywoman shoba Sumter who you will be hearing from very shortly but it talks about the importance of how you are recognized in our community it talks about the importance of renaming this building that you poured your heart in during the time that it was being built some almost some 15 years ago it talks about how the incredible development and involvement that you've done all throughout the with respect to making sure that par the parking authority was represented with dignity with respect with the ability of making sure that our community is better mayor right because of the revitalization and the development that you have done I know that the county officials that are here the the city officials that are present the dignitaries that are here are Consultants that work day and night with us our employees that we so much treasure and love for the work that they do and for the dedication of all of our community members who are present it is because of you Tony that we are here to honor you and to say gra gra for thank you for being the [Applause] it it's really an honor for Tony a friend more than anything else I I can remember when I first started working with the city 26 years ago we spent a lot of time together uh with the bars administration at many events and different things and the one thing I would say about Tony Tony has been an unbelievable mentor to me there's not too many things that involve the city or life that I haven't been able to reach out to him for and get sound advice and the one thing that I think I I really you you think about Tony is just a Class Act and I'm talking about a Class Act for every city C in the city of Pon I know you have unbelievable Puerto Rican Roots here in the city of Patterson but your work as a man your work as a pattersonan has transcended you know race religion gender everything else all I can say is Tony I thank you I hope I could be the same type of Mentor that you have been to me and so many other people and I you know we Shar the same Barber so we probably hang out at Alex every now and then I go get a shave or a shine but Tony's always there and every time I leave uh and I you come before me he's so excited and when young people can touch Tony Perez he goes Tony Perez was here Tony Perez was here I know every time you go to get a shave or cut I know you've been there and people appreciate you the only regret I have is that when you gave Andre that football you probably should have sent him to me down that [Applause] we would have a lot tougher team Andre came with me for four years I could have made you you know that that was what was your quarterback Dave Brown Dave Brown I could have got him a scholarship I could have got you a scholarship to P County Community College at least but T we appreciate you and you are absolutely the best God bless you Tony's the guy that we would sit at his table and we would work through how can we get the county involved what resources were needed from the state and of course how could we get to those five votes on the council I'm telling the truth right coun he's that Lynch pin in our community that transcends race nationality he just cares about people in the betterment of our city of Patterson to survive multiple mayors multiple councils multiple administrations and still put the people of Patterson first being a good Steward of an authority when many authorities Parking Authorities across the state were corrupted our parking authority was under the safe stewardship of Tony Perez uh Tony we we have heard speaker after speaker and and even those who have not spoken can tell stories on the impact that you have had on this community over many many years uh P County uh Echoes those sentiments uh we honored you recently at our Hispanic Heritage Month these are just small tokens of appreciation uh for what you truly mean to each and every one of us when I was asked to to speak today I turned over to my wife and I said what do I what can I say about a person that means so much and all I can really find is to say thank you I mean thank you for the countless um counsels and times that we've spoken over the phone and in person Tony's the type of individual that when you go to him for counsel won't tell you what you want to hear he'll tell you what you need to hear and that's the type of in individual that you want to constantly have by you and know that the advice and the commentary that comes from him is genuine and can definitely lead you on the right path uh of success and so you know Tony truly knows me since I was a baby cuz he'll always remind me that he sold my mom the very crib that I slept in as a child and he worked at the furniture stool so that's what I hands together for the M of the day our great friend director Tony Paris before I start my speech I have to definitely call my Council K because this govern body it's a friend of our parking authority director from my left I have councilman L valet from the fifth War next I have councilman Forin councilman alarge Forin our councilwoman at large Dr Lissa we have our councilwoman from the forb councilwoman Ruby kton and our councilwoman at large marav and this reigning is a sign from God that we acknowledging a remarkable human being in the city of pison a man that we all love him Tony today is your day thank you for being that role model for our Community for over 40 plus year you've been giving you life to the city of p and we have to acknowledge you you are the person thank you council members uh Tony I just want to say before we leave before we take this picture with Tony I learn something from you Tony you are the type of person that you bring people together if we want some if we want something to get done you bring Tony to the room and he bring everybody together even people that they don't like too much each other he bring people together and when I became council president I learned something from you and and I've been following at this every step of the way and my goal is to keep this Council United that's my job to keep all my Council K United to get the right things done for the city of patteron we want to say thank you on behalf of the great city thank you for your legacy we love you [Applause] [Music] all right [Music] Tony and I go back to the teenag years and I just have amind him for so much for what he has done for this community he has been by my side many many times sometimes here call me again when we're trying to bring people together to make Solutions is going to make thing happen well folks let me tell you any man that can go through as many Administration as Tony Perez has and keep the same job I have multiple positions that's someone special so Tony I don't want to pull on the program I can go on and on and on about you even going back to the history when we all work together with an improvement Authority in my uh free holders along with mayor Torres and others I think we had five public agencies to build this garage and it's fitting that it's going to be named in your honor God bless you okay uh I'm not going to do what I hate when I hate what other people do but they had this great biography of him I'm not going to read it that just I I'm assuming everybody here got third grade or better education and can read it themselves so I'm just going to say a couple of different words before I call him up I started out with Tony in the basement of that building right there we had our meetings you had to go through all the the gas the cars coming through go down there sit under there for the meetings this about 20 years ago but Tony had a dream Tony had a dream that this was possible heed to tell me you can't see it yet but when we get over there oh we're going to love it you're going to love it over there he's right one thing Tony T taught me is that as a member of the patteron parking authority we park cars that's what we do so that I want to thank you for that saying when the mayor called me the mayor called me and says you know I want to honor Tony I want to name the building after him first person I call because I'm a snitch I called Tony I said I said uh Tony uh may may would like to name the building after you I said what what do you think I don't know about that I think we're good you know we don't need that and one thing I told Tony Tony this building is not for you it's for all little young kids kids coming up who have met you who will have never met you but realize that this kid who lived in the fifth board grew up off of Rosa Parks I forgot what the other name was for time I understood that if I worked hard if I cared about people this could be for them this is this is why we name that after you Tony we know you don't need it we know you're happy with what you done what you have done the effort you put out to other people all the people you've ventured over the years Tony we understand we understand you knew that but you never did it for uh glory for Honor you did it because I'm Tony perz and this is what I do and I'm very proud to know you call you my friend come here [Applause] mayor like I said you want to impress me name you lady after we good ladies and gentlemen thank you so much this has been a special day to see past friends current friends future friends to have the ability to still be able to understand the English language and to feel special not because of what I do and who I know you are all in one way in shape or another Have Been instrumental in me moving forward with the job at hand as well as the ability to continue to lead the paring started leave it in a better a better place than I found it I think uh there's a saying that the true Measure of a Man is leave it in better hands than when you got right John thank you so much words are not going to express my feelings how I feel about the paring Authority the people that they today have single Bay work with us to try to maintain an engine that will ultimately be the driving force and the driving engine of the city I want to thank Matt Jordan what's Matt a good egg John good for uh always being there whenever I need for guidance I gave M call they sorted out my friend John Curry to all of you that in one way or another have shaped and help mold this person I wouldn't have been anything without the support of my friends and family my wife [Applause] Elina my daughter Lauren goes back to California tonight my daughter [Applause] Christine pal ladies and gentlemen thank you so so much truly this has been an astronomical ride one which I don't really want to ever get off but somewhere along the line somebody's going to be punching my ticket too that's the way it goes he was a good man let's go to left thank you very much truly appreciate to all of you God bless you continue success I'm only a phone caller thank you so [Applause] much I love you one of the original ones it stays here always love you very much thank you so much guys Cesar one I mean this has been a r good stuff [Music] 4 3 2 [Applause] 1 ony [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music]