Ban Pay-to-Play Redevelopment at County Level, Too

by Yvonne Balcer, Jersey City
[letter to the editor, "The Jersey Journal," September 8, 2009, 12:01 a.m.]

While I am glad to see encouraging talks that the Jersey City Municipal Council might pass a "redevelopment pay-to-play reform" ordinance, only part of the problem is being addressed -- corruption on the county level.

Specifically, I am referring to the Panepinto building that the county wants to buy under eminent domain.

I am one of many who spoke before the freeholder's meeting more than 20 years ago, when the county entered into a 20-year agreement with Joe Panepinto, former chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

That agreement is an example of true "pay-to-play" because the terms of the agreement were above market value. While this agreement was executed under the former county executive, the former freeholders also saw no conflict with this contract.

This is just one small example why our county taxes continue to rise each year. Our tax bills essentially are used to reward political friends. The county needs to adopt a "redevelopment pay-to-play reform" ordinance.

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I agree with you completely. The strawberry explosion smoothie was awesome, and the staff was ALWAYS so sweet!

Beg to differ with the previous posters. I loved Bagua Juice. I hope that they will relocate.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

At the rental price quoted, it is very unlikely that a bookstore could take over the place.

The landlord wants 2800 amonth for the space if anyone is interested. I'm not connected to her in any way.

Here are three relevant articles from the holiday weekend's local coverage:

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EXCLUSIVE:
Was Jack Shaw 'arrested' by feds the day before the actual arrests?

[from "The Jersey City Reporter," September 5, 2009]

July 23 was a significant day in Hudson County as many local politicians were amongst the 44 individuals swept up in a corruption/money laundering sting.

But what if the significant day was the day before?

At least three sources connected to those arrested say longtime politicial consultant Jack Shaw was allegedly "picked up" by FBI agents on July 22 instead.

Shaw died on July 28 in his apartment in downtown Jersey City but the cause of his death is yet to be determined pending an autopsy. Some believe he committed suicide.

Shaw was charged with allegedly taking $10,000 from the government's cooperating witness, Solomon Dwek, for himself. He also allegedly proposed that Dwek pay $10,000 in campaign contributions for the re-election campaign of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. (Healy has not been charged with any wrongdoing.)

While the media saw Shaw walk out of federal court in Newark on the afternoon of July 23, the sources say that Shaw had allegedly been in the custody of federal agents for nearly a day before, who allegedly tried to convince him to become a "cooperating witness" like Dwek to continue the investigation and ensnare other political officials

But Shaw allegedly was not cooperative, apparently angered by federal agents who were insensitive to his medical condition, as Shaw was a diabetic.

The sources say that Shaw allegedly complained about the agents to other arrested people as they all waited to face a judge on July 23.

When asked about the allegations about Shaw being picked up a day earlier, as well as other questions, Michael Drewniak, spokeperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark would only comment, "Sorry, I cannot answer those questions for you. I am confined to the public record."

While the early arrest of Shaw may be just spectulation, it is worthy to note that multiple sources familiar with the arrests and with City Hall politics also cite July 22 as the day that federal agents allegedly paid a visit to Mayor Healy at City Hall, although very little information has come out about that supposed meeting.

-- Ricardo Kaulessar

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FBI DROPPED IN
Saw Healy day before sweep

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 5, 2009]

The FBI paid a visit to Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy one day before the July 23 corruption sweep that netted 44 people, the mayor's spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.

Although spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill confirmed the visit with the mayor at his City Hall office, she said the mayor refused to disclose what was discussed, citing the ongoing investigation.

Morrill was responding to an article on the "Jersey City Reporter's" Web site, which first reported the visit.

Michael Drewniak, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, refused to comment.

Among the 44 people arrested in the FBI sting were 23 from Hudson County, including seven Jersey City employees.

Many of the officials are charged with accepting bribes from FBI informant Solomon Dwek, who was pretending to be a developer looking for help with zoning approvals.

Healy has not been charged with any crimes, but he has acknowledged meeting with Dwek at least twice, in rendezvous that included Edward Cheatam, a Hudson County affirmative action officer, political operative Jack Shaw, and Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, who served as his campaign treasurer.

The federal complaints allege that Shaw - who died July 28 - Beldini and Cheatam "arranged for others" to provide checks to the campaign of "JC Official 4" with cash provided by the Dwek. Healy has acknowledged he's "JC Official 4," but says he did nothing wrong.

-- Amy Sara Clark

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Vega will return for City Council meetings

[from "The Jersey City Reporter," September 5, 2009]

Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, one of the 44 people arrested in the July 23 federal govt. money laundering/public corruption case, said on Friday that he plans to return to preside over the City Council at its caucus on Tuesday and the council meeting on Wednesday in City Hall.

Vega, in a short interview, said he "looks forward" to working again with his council colleagues and "doesn't feel nervous" being back out in the public. Vega did not attend the Aug. 12 council meeting because he was meeting with his attorney, Peter Willis, to discuss his case.

Vega was charged with allegedly accepting $30,000 from federal ?cooperating witness? Solomon Dwek, and has been one of the targets of residents, as well as City Councilman Steven Fulop, at recent council meetings who have called for his resignation. There also been calls for the resignation of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who was named but not charged in the complaints against the 44 arrested, and of City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez due to her residency issues.

Vega said he is still innocent until proven guilty and looks forward to his day in court.

"I will do whatever it takes to clear my name," Vega said. "I'm just glad this is not Salem, Massachusetts, where they burned the witches=2 0before putting them on trial, as some people want to get me out of office before hearing all the facts."

-- Ricardo Kaulessar

Vigilante wrote:
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I'm going to say there is a lot of both going on these days.

I agree with Vigilante, when it comes to the A-holes who think their car is worth so much that they need to take up 2 or 3 spaces. If I were driving a car that I was worried abou that much, I would never park it on the street. In parking lots I would be that guy you see parked at the far corner of the lot.

I also agree with Glitter Queen, in that there is not enough personal responsibility. If you have the room to park, there is no reason why you should bump someone. If it is a little tight, ok maybe you might tap someone once or twice, fine but do it slowly.

But if they are an A-hole and if you really want to teach them a lesson, remove their rear license plate then put the screws right under their tires.

Make sure you research the area where the apartment is. Don't rely on the apartment complex to give you this information, they always try to gloss over less than desireable details. Try pulling up your local police department's website for crime stats in the area. Map out places that you will frequent like the grocery store, place of employment, salon, etc. Make sure these are convenient to get to from your new location.Kindly visit http://m3reo.com/ to know more.

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Pretty much took the words out of my mouth

hate to see someone fail, but Bagua was as bad a Juice/coffee/intenet cafe place ... ever. Any chance the bookstore will return? : (

Bagua Juice is apparently permanently closed.

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This woman is beyond stupid.

I mostly saw it in Washington, D.C. In particular, my favorite little Italian deli that sold pizza by the slice had those boxes. But maybe that place was out of the ordinary, I don't know.

Anyway, Paulus Hook Pizza was good. I guess that's all I needed to say.

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Councilwoman Viola Richardson stating her position on donations and a true role model for the Council: "Anytime I don't think something is good I'm not going to support it. I don't care how much money you give me." Waytogo!

Well, to be fair, no grease got in my car. But I still like the cardboard single-slice boxes. Easier to carry, stays warmer, etc.

If y'all haven't seen this around here, maybe it's an outside-of-the-NYC-metro-area thing. I was surprised when they just stuffed a slice into a bag, but what do I know?

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Are you sure you didn't fall on a whole bunch of french fries?

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No, actually the problem is a-holes thinking that their car is so precious that they can take as many spots as they want and FU too bad. That's where the real selfishness lies. No one is gonna purposely hit a car and damage it but if someone repeatedly hogs space on the street they deserve what they get. I guarantee I can park a car better than most people especially when I wanna squeeze into a spot to teach these d-bags a lesson. And yes, painted bumpers were a bad idea. Bumpers should be covered in rubber like on a tire. That rubber coating should be easily and cheaply replaceable. BTW? God help your car at any of the super-market parking lots around here!!

But honestly.

If there's that much grease on your pizza, the pizza can't be that good.

What about a giant self-heating metal box with a lock on it and silicone seals around the edges.

They'll give you 24 hours to return it, otherwise you are banned from the pizzeria.

She falls down a lot...and gets paid for it.

"Myerowitz: Have you ever been involved in any lawsuits as a plaintiff?
Lopez: Does this mean I am being sued or I am suing? "

Doesn't know what a "plaintiff" is?
Go back to Disneyworld you moron and stay there!

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Oh hell no. I do not identify myself in my car in any way at all. I work hard, I need my car, and I do not appreciate self involvd a holes who think they can hit my car because it parked on the street.

I respect other people's property. I have honestly never hit anyone's bumper but my husband's(and that part was plastic and did no damage) and i admitted it and checked that nothing happened to it. I still felt bad that I did it.

The problem is American's not respecting other human beings and their property. (aka we just come into other countries jack them up and go tag your it you fix it)

Once again, I am in so way defined by my car. it service a purpose and i use my hard earned money on paying for it. I didn't buy an expensive car but still just don't hit it. Learn to park! Why is this such a hard concept? don't touch people's property even while on public property.

I went here tonight and got a margherita slice and a slice of pepperoni. It was good enough that I'd definitely go back again.

My one complaint is they put my to go order on a paper plate in a paper bag. Seems like they could get those single-slice cardboard containers like other pizza places have---it keeps the slice warmer and it reduces the chance of getting grease in my car.

I can't imagine why anyone would think there would be a connection between two campaign donations from key people at a developer and the consideration of its request for a more favorable tax abatement the same day. People are just so cynical.

She musta killed that french fry dead for sure.

Lopez once fell on a french fry

[from PolitickerNJ.com, September 4, 2009, 10:20 a.m.]

From the transcript of Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez's deposition with attorney Howard Myerowitz, who is representing her former opponent, Norrice Raymaker, in a lawsuit that charges that Lopez is technically a Florida resident:

Myerowitz: Have you ever been involved in any lawsuits as a plaintiff?

Lopez: Does this mean I am being sued or I am suing?

Myerowitz: That means you are suing somebody else.

Lopez: Yes. I once fell on a French fry in Orlando, Florida in the House of Pancakes.

Myerowitz: When was that?

Lopez: 1990-something, maybe 1995, I don't know, in the nineties. Another lawsuit was in New Jersey with Evelyn Padin with a pair of shoes that I fell.

-- Wally Edge

Healy: No connection between campaign donations and new tax deal

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 7, 2009, 5:26 p.m.]

Officials connected to Crystal Point, a Jersey City waterfront condo tower, donated $7,500 to the campaign of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's council slate the same day the condo developer appealed to the council for a better tax abatement deal.

James McCann, the attorney for Crystal Point, located at 2 Second St., made the case for the 42-unit tower receiving a sweeter tax-abatement agreement that originally negotiated with the city at a City Council caucus on June 1 -- the same day "Team Healy" received a $4,000 check from McCann and a $3,500 check from Brian K. Fisher, a managing member of Crystal Point's development company, according to a campaign filing with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

McCann said he and Fisher wrote the checks for a May 28 fund-raiser and the donations had nothing to do with the abatement request.

"I guess the timing was a little tough," McCann said. "But we are supporters of Mayor Healy and it doesn't make sense not to support somebody when there is a runoff election. But it (the donation) was not made with the intent of influencing the vote."

He said that although one of the checks had his name on it, it was actually from a political action committee controlled by his law firm, Connell Foley.

"To infer that these contributions had an impact on how the City Council voted is not only completely erroneous, it is irresponsible journalism," Healy said in a statement.

Most of Healy's slate was re-elected on May 12. But Council members Michael Sottolano and Viola Richardson faced runoff elections on June 9.

Richardson voted against the altering the original abatement deal, along with Councilmen Steve Fulop and Phil Kenny.

Richardson said her vote shows that she can't be bribed with campaign donations. "Anytime I don't think something is good I'm not going to support it. I don't care how much money you give me," she said.

On June 1, McCann asked the council to extend the length of Crystal Point's abatement from 20 to 30 years, and reduce the percentage of annual gross revenue paid to the city from 16 to 10 percent for the first five years, with 12 percent payments for the next five years, and 16 percent payments for the final 20 years.

On June 29, the council approved the ordinance with the development paying 11 percent for the first five years, 13 percent for the next five and 16 percent for the last 20.

Sottolano pushed to make the final ordinance slightly more advantageous to the city than what McCann initially proposed. He said he has often voted against abatements or pushed to get the city better abatement deals.

Downtown Councilman Steven Fulop -- who did not run on Healy's slate and has sponsored a redeveloper anti-pay-to-play ordinance up for adoption at this Wednesday's council meeting -- remarked: "I don't want to point fingers. I think that the most important thing is to fix the system and we have that opportunity."

-- Amy Sara Clark

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Is not. He's just calling it like he and I see it, that Americans have a problem of confusing their own identities with their car, from what the model "says about them" to the ridiculous idea that something you park on the street is sacrosanct. You park on the street, expect to get tapped. Period.

Painted bumpers must have been invented by body shops, a supremely stupid idea. When plastic bumpers were first introduced, they were mostly black.

There has been a bike chained and locked around our tree for a week now. No one has moved it or claimed it. Is there someplace this can be reported to, so they can saw off the chain and impound the bike? I don't know if police handles this sort of thing.

Wow - thanks - even better they have a mission to help the community:

(from their website:)
Metro Shredding is member of Hudson Community Enterprise?s family of social ventures. It is a non-profit, mobile shredding company dedicated to providing members of the community with special needs the opportunity to increase self-esteem and self-reliance while gaining valuable work experience. It offers secure and reliable mobile shredding services on a scheduled or one-time basis in the Hudson County area. Make no mistake, Metro?s employees provide dependable and thorough services. To them, this job is more than just a paycheck. Metro gladly invites you to compare it to its competition. Most importantly, all of Metro Shredding's profits go back to the community by funding Hudson Community Enterprise?s (Metro?s parent company) vocational and job preparation programs.

By doing business with Metro, you will be contributing to your community in a meaningful and real way.

The escalators are not only for the lazy. There are plenty of older, pregnant, or just plain not-feeling-well people who don't necessarily need the assistance of an elevator but who strain up the stairs.

But I agree, the issues really are 1) why doesn't the PATH invest in accessible stations and 2) why are our tax dollars paying the wages of repairpersons who can't keep the existing system working for more than a day or two at a time?