An Italian, the oldest mayor in America

My name is Vito, I am Italian and I am the oldest mayor in America. It seems a fable taken from the great book of the American Dream that of Vito Perillo, 97, born in the Bronx to immigrant parents from Italy who, like many at the beginning of the last century, crossed the ocean in search of work and fortune. On 2 November he was elected mayor of Tinton Falls, a town on the New Jersey coast that has about 18,000 souls for the second time. His term will expire when he turns 101, but Vito does not seem willing to retire. "It could be my last assignment, but we'll see ....", he joked in a recent interview. Veteran of World War II, a life spent in the Navy and employed by the Pentagon as an electronics expert,Perillo had never practiced politics. Until four years ago, when his wife Mae passed away after 60 years of living side by side. It was then that instead of breaking down he decided to run for the post of mayor of his Tinton Falls, where his two children and many grandchildren also live. "It was a great and unexpected success", he says today that he granted an encore. "I don't know why people vote for me. Maybe - he wrote on his Facebook profile - because I'm a veteran, maybe because I'm an old man (but I still hope not!), Or maybe because they look at the results of the last four years". Four years as mayor in which he managed to reduce city taxes, to create a new park, to revolutionize traffic with a different distribution of traffic lights,and to optimize costs for the police while hiring new agents: "And people ultimately look to problem solving, not age." In this electoral round, whose protagonists were all no partisan candidates, from the height of his venerable age he managed to beat a retired teacher and an entrepreneur and businessman. "I love this job - he explains - it keeps me alive, it keeps me going". And in his spare time Vito certainly does not get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of the very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. And every morning he is very punctual in his office, where he arrives at the wheel of his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. We'll see.And in the end, people look at problem solving, not at age. "In this electoral round, whose protagonists were all no partisan candidates, from the height of his venerable age he managed to beat a retired teacher and an entrepreneur and businessman. "I love this job - he explains - it keeps me alive, it keeps me going." And in his spare time Vito certainly doesn't get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of a very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. And every morning he is punctual in his office, where he drives his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. Then, we'll see.And in the end, people look at problem solving, not at age. "In this electoral round, whose protagonists were all no partisan candidates, from the height of his venerable age he managed to beat a retired teacher and an entrepreneur and businessman. "I love this job - he explains - it keeps me alive, it keeps me going." And in his spare time Vito certainly doesn't get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of a very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. And every morning he is punctual in his office, where he drives his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. Then, we'll see.whose protagonists were all no partisan candidates, from the height of his venerable age he managed to beat a retired teacher and an entrepreneur and businessman. "I love this job - he explains - it keeps me alive, it keeps me going". And in his spare time Vito certainly does not get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of the very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. And every morning he is very punctual in his office, where he arrives at the wheel of his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. We'll see.whose protagonists were all no partisan candidates, from the height of his venerable age he managed to beat a retired teacher and an entrepreneur and businessman. "I love this job - he explains - it keeps me alive, it keeps me going". And in his spare time Vito certainly does not get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of the very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. And every morning he is very punctual in his office, where he arrives at the wheel of his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. We'll see.it keeps me going. "And in his free time Vito certainly doesn't get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of the very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. mornings he is on time in his office, where he drives his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. Then, we'll see.it keeps me going. "And in his free time Vito certainly doesn't get bored: when he manages to free himself from the members of the very large family, he loves the green of the golf courses and twice a week he goes to the gym to keep fit. mornings he is punctual in his office, where he drives his car. Now the challenges of the next four years await him. Then, we'll see.