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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
 
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Quote:
I would certainly turn to people that I knew and trusted Sure, this happens in the private sector as well. However hiring family members and friends without qualification is not common, especially for a public company.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 3:37
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
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I share your frustration with this system, but allow me to add some perspective.
The same system is in place on the national level. Remember all of those Bush appointees we've heard so much about over the last six years. All republican organizers and donors or their friends and family members. As far as I know, the same system is in operation everywhere, but why it seems so much worse in Hudson County I don't know. Maybe the long-term control of one party. I think it was Robert Moses, who at the end of the reign of Boss Tweed in NYC, instituted the civil service exam in order that the government offices were filled with people who were qualified to hold their positions and could not be replaced with political appointees after each election. Nowdays people blame these "career bureaucrats" for all of the inefficiencies of government, complain that there is no incentive for them to improve, and lament the difficulty of firing them. If I were suddenly (and inexplicably) elected mayor, and found that I had to fill a bunch of jobs in various city departments to keep an eye upon how the money is being spent, I would certainly turn to people that I knew and trusted. I don't find it suprising that everyone else does that, too. It would be nice if all of those appointees were competent; maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but I'm sure not all of them are made in order to bilk the public. I vote in every election, and I'm eager to hold someone accountable and turn the bums out, but the question is always 'who takes their place'. The choice between the HCDO and the DfHC (or whoever they are) in the last primary might seem significant to those running, but I'll be damned if I can tell the difference. Some years ago after living in NYC for a long time, I moved to Hoboken. I realized soon after that while the politicians in NY may have been just as petty, uninspired or corrupt, NY was big enough that I didn't have to know them personally. In Jersey, the reality is more difficult to escape.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 3:31
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
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There is a link here somewhere that points to nj.com and has a master list of all NJ employees. You could do this work to create a database with salaries. Finding out if people are related could be a bit more difficult.
All these people are government employees which everyone pays for. It should be public information if employees of power are hiring based on relation and not of qualification.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 2:56
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Re: Downtown forecast: Traffic hell
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Home away from home
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up to the draft final report, Light Rail on the Embankment was not highly rated due to cost and redundancy. This is the mayor's smokescreen. NJ Transit was livid when this came up during the study.
I will comment more after seeing the actual final report. Quote:
Posted on: 2007/7/15 2:38
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Re: Is it safe for two single women to live in this neighborhood? Please help!
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Home away from home
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what exactly is meant by "pop"?
I see houslng development, but what will make this area a good place to live? is there an attraction? bars? restaurants? galleries?, boutiques? a unique character? walkable streets? good commute to NYC (anytown on midtown direct is better)? we have friends that live there (by choice), but they do complain about the problems, they like being close to LSP, but they end up driving everywhere. pop? I do not find Grove Street cool, but you can live there without a car, get to Wall St in 15min door to door when lucky, walk easily to the Hudson River and LSP, still have some inexpensive good restuarants .... maybe Grove St. will pop. Quote:
Posted on: 2007/7/15 2:32
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
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Cronyism and nepotism in Hudson County government ? I'm shocked !!!
 Those of us who have lived here for years know this is how our "governmental" system works. Those who hold elected office routinely "request" that their family members and relatives be put on County or City payrolls. This form of patronage is repaid by either working in elections for the HCDO and/or "contributing" (buying tickets to political fundraisers) to the election coffers of government officials. It's a time honored Jersey City/Hudson County tradition. The only way it will ever end is if good people take a real interest in government and hold their elected officials responsible. Alas, I doubt I will ever see it happen.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 2:07
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Re: Healy: Gun data, not excuses!
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Home away from home
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I hate to sound like a NRA type, but ...
In this town it's not the availabilty of guns that's the problem. The savages who roam our streets will gladly kill or disable you with clubs, knives, fists or whatever other mechanism comes to their minds at the moment. Healy likes to demagogue this issue. He thinks it makes him look like a real Mayor. Everyone in the City knows better.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 1:53
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Home away from home
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Quote:
That sounds about right on - I predict that the JC side will house the staff (new tower) and a working environment for the low level workers / call centre etc. They will move out all the senior staff from NJ across to the NY side - its amazing how word gets around on construction sites if you are pricing for contracts - some of the gossip is crap, but some is interesting. I'm not 100% sure GS owns the tower on the JC side outright.
Posted on: 2007/7/15 0:04
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Newbie
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Goldman Sachs new headquarters is going to be right on the water in Battery Park. I believe they also want to move out of some of the buildings they currently occupy and consolidate into buildings that are entirely theirs. They also have plans to create their own private ferry to bring their employees, customers, etc between the buildings across the Hudson. They want waterfront property because that makes it the easiest to transport via there ferry which I believe they are nicknaming after the canals in Venice.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 23:45
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Newbie
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Quote:
So that means only 7% of the construction force will come from JC, and only 11% of the people working in the building will be from JC? That sucks. AND if the building will have 89% of it's staff coming in from out of town, but only has enough parking for 16% of the employees, how in the hell are these people going to get to work? But more importantly, why don't they want us working there? When businesses come to town and set up shop, isn't the cities' "softening" of the rules due to the company bringing jobs to residents, economic development, etc.? If we're not getting anything for this new tower but more congested public transportation, then why bend the rules for them?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 23:29
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-Nick
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Re: Duncan Projects: Hoboken Man Shot In Hart
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Just can't stay away
 
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hmmm....a man loans a relative's car to drug dealers....how can that go wrong?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 23:14
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Re: Duncan Projects: Hoboken Man Shot In Hart
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Home away from home
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excellent work by the cops - send coffee and donuts to the cops involved.
it is great news to hear these cops making difficult arrests and doing what they chose to do as a career and trained to do. maybe each community group should have a presentation for the 'best' police work done by a cop in their area - an award each year.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:50
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Zoning means zero if you are a 'heavy hitter' in the business world - note Macy's and fireworks. You have the width of Hudson Street with residential towers (Liberty Towers) directly behind and to the south of GS - so zoning can easily be changed. The Hyatt is nearby too. Its a scam in my opinion, until I'm proven wrong - then I'll happily eat my words.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:39
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Newbie
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GS hasnt even filled up half of their 30 hudson st tower and they now want another one?
They are also building a brand new headquarters in Battery Park. And on top of that have a hiring freeze at least for their New York city operations. And they are now trying to convince them to build more?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:32
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Re: Duncan Projects: Hoboken Man Shot In Hart
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Home away from home
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IM GUESSING THIS IS WHAT LED UP TO THE MURDER
Fled stolen car, had illegal gun, cops say Wednesday, July 11, 2007 By MICHAELANGELO CONTE JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A Jersey City man jumped out of a stolen car and took off when he saw police, but with one cop chasing him on foot and his partner racing ahead in the police cruiser he was quickly arrested on weapons offenses and other charges, officials said. At 3 a.m. yesterday, police arrested Morris Funchess, 18, of the A. Harry Moore Public Housing Complex on Duncan Avenue, and charged him with eluding police, receiving stolen property and numerous weapons offenses, reports said. Cops on patrol spotted a speeding car and got behind it at Fairview and Monticello avenues, but when they turned on the flashing lights, all three occupants got out and ran, reports said. Officer John Friend chased Funchess, who was running with a 15-year-old girl, and Officer Vincent Alberto sped ahead in the cruiser, reports said. As Funchess and the girl ran up Monticello Avenue, Friend saw him toss what turned out to be a handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets and with its serial numbers filed off. After a while, the girl got scared and stopped running, reports said. At the intersection of Monticello and Storms avenues Alberto's cruiser and two other police cars converged on Funchess and he was arrested, reports said. The girl was not charged, reports said, adding that the second man that ran from the car was not caught. Police also cited Funchess for two motor vehicle violations
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:30
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Duncan Projects: Hoboken Man Shot In Hart
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Home away from home
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Saturday, July 14, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A Hoboken man was shot to death during a confrontation in a Jersey City public housing complex yesterday morning. James Cardona, 27, of Jefferson Street, was shot once in the chest at about 8:30 a.m. at the rear of the A. Harry Moore public housing complex, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday. The bullet pierced his heart, DeFazio added. Cardona managed to run to the corner of Duncan Avenue and Freeman Street before collapsing, DeFazio said, adding that he was rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. "This was a completely gratuitous act of gun violence," DeFazio said yesterday. "There are going to be ramifications now that this shooting took place at that site. There will be ramifications to the gang-banging, drug-dealing, gun-wielding persons." Cardona and two friends went to the housing complex apparently to buy drugs, DeFazio said. One of his friends frequently loaned a relative's car to the drug dealers in exchange for drugs, DeFazio said. There was a recent incident in which the car had not been returned on time and the relative reported it stolen to police, DeFazio said. That resulted in the man behind the wheel being arrested and he remains in the Hudson County jail in Kearny, DeFazio said. When the victim and his two friends walked to the rear of the complex, they apparently ran into friends of the man in jail, words were exchanged, apparently about the car, and after a while the victim and his friends turned to walk away, DeFazio said. As they did, the man they were arguing with took out a gun and fired once, striking Cardona, DeFazio said. The single bullet appears to have pierced Cardona's heart, but an autopsy has yet to be done. DeFazio said there is no reason to believe the Hoboken men were armed. Cardona worked for a Hoboken cab company. Investigators have spoken to witnesses to the shooting but ask anyone else with information to call the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's Homicide Squad at (201) 915-1345.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:24
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Just can't stay away
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The plot of land is zoned for commercial. Does zoning not matter in JC? They would be unable to build residential in a plot of land unless approved by the city - right?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 20:04
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Re: Downtown Jersey City Watch-Updates Thread
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Just can't stay away
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Quote:
You found me! But seriously, I don't think anyone here thinks it was an approved flyer. You are doing a very positive thing and, yeah, the person who made the flyer had good intentions. Regardless, that still doesn't change the fact that video's side commentary was very funny :) [/end thread hijack]
Posted on: 2007/7/14 19:52
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Re: Healy: Gun data, not excuses!
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Home away from home
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Posted on: 2007/7/14 18:48
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Re: Downtown forecast: Traffic hell
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Just can't stay away
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What does "along the Sixth Street Embankment" mean - at ground level using the grassy area along 6th or building an elevated light rail on the embankment?
I tried to open the study but only get half pages - perhaps there is a clearer explanation there.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 18:41
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Re: Columbus Drive: Shut! 'Illegal' Downtown barber, tattoo shop
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Home away from home
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Quote:
It is the same place and should have been shut down when the big "drug bust" happened. Everyone has known about this dive for years; why are the police always the last to find things out?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 18:25
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Re: Columbus Drive: Shut! 'Illegal' Downtown barber, tattoo shop
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Home away from home
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i thought this place was also the one with the hip hop record label and drug stop operating out of the back room?
Posted on: 2007/7/14 18:07
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Re: Healy: Gun data, not excuses!
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Home away from home
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We should arm the local women so they can protect themselves from Healy's drunken advances......
Posted on: 2007/7/14 17:50
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
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Brewster - you are not being thorough -
Eileen Gaughan, daughter of Councilman Gaughan is also a county employee, . Councilman Gaughan is Chief of Staff to the County Executive. Please be more thorough..... Quote:
Posted on: 2007/7/14 17:48
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Downtown forecast: Traffic hell
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Home away from home
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Downtown forecast: Traffic hell
Saturday, July 14, 2007 By KEN THORBOURNE JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A study commissioned by Jersey City has concluded that by the year 2020 traffic in the Downtown area will reach the full capacity of the current roadway system. The $176,00 federally funded "Jersey City Regional Waterfront and Downtown Circulation Study," 11/2 years in the works, was undertaken in order to come up with solutions to the increasing crowding on city streets. To deal with this impending gridlock, the study's consultant, Stantec, makes several recommendations, both large - extending the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System along the Sixth Street Embankment through the Bergen Arches into Secaucus - and small - changing the timing of traffic signals to speed traffic flow. "As the fastest-growing city in the state, it is imperative that we look at all options available in alleviating the tremendous congestion in the Downtown area," said Mayor Jerramiah Healy. The price tag for all the recommendations comes to well over $300 million. The mayor and City Council will review the recommendations and set priorities, city officials said. City Planning Director Bob Cotter said funding for the projects is expected to come from the federal government. The most controversial proposal is to extend Jersey Avenue from where it currently ends, just behind the Jersey City Medical Center, through Liberty State Park to Audrey Zapp Drive. "Our main concern is a Jersey Avenue road would be a magnet for rush-hour commuters . diminish the peaceful experience for people who come to the park," said Sam Pesin, president of the Friends of Liberty State Park. Naomi Hsu, a city planner, said she doubted the two-way, two-lane road with bicycle paths would become a rush-hour thoroughfare, since a light rail crossing of Jersey Avenue would naturally slow traffic and discourage commuters from using that route. The study also recommends building a ramp across Montgomery Street, at the Christopher Columbus Drive exit of the Turnpike, as well as building an 11th Street viaduct exit from the Turnpike that would lead Downtown. The full study can be found at www.downtownjcras.com
Posted on: 2007/7/14 17:05
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Re: Columbus Drive: Shut! 'Illegal' Downtown barber, tattoo shop
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Home away from home
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So if it wasn't for the 'small fire' no one would have know anything about these businesses.
What is so hard about OUR inspectors simply picking a street and checking if all the businesses on it are legal - seems like a NO BRAINER in my books. Start with Communipaw and check every business on it. The inspectors can also check if those businesses with tables and chairs on the sidewalk are: 1. Allowed to be there with a permit 2. Allowed that many tables and chairs with a permit 3. Allowed to extend their tables and chairs out into the sidewalk that far with a permit - some block the whole sidewalk.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 16:41
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: 18 Jersey City teachers taught how to teach math at week long training program.
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Home away from home
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So basically the quality of the school teachers in certain subjects are crap not the students? Makes sense!
On a positive - at least 'they' know where the problem is and are making positive changes.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 16:25
Edited by fat-ass-bike on 2007/7/14 16:50:04
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Goldman Sachs wants special tax agreement for new $560M tower
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Home away from home
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Once and if they get their abatement, they are likely (in my opinion) to change the tower from office space to residential space and make a siht load of money. I believe it to be a deceptive move to claim more room for staff (employment) when more money can be made via the residential route - NYC has numerous vacant office buildings that could accommodate their 'so called' expanding staff numbers with acceptable long lease offers to business.
I'd like to see some proof that staff numbers at GS are increasing before I change my opinion.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 16:21
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Not too shy to talk
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This is very interesting to me. I was wondering if anybody besides me thinks that if a major newspaper, i.e. NYT, took up the issue of cronyism in JC it might generate the right mix of embarrassment and pressure to make someone in NJ State with authority to be forced to act.
I can't imagine that the people with authority at the state level do not know. I feel they are not under any real pressure to do anything.
Posted on: 2007/7/14 15:35
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Re: The "Crony Chronicles"
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Home away from home
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The cronyism and resulting damage to our city from bad decisions to bad management makes ones heart sink. It is imbedded deep in our city and county. Those involved either do not believe it to be wrong or do not care.
Councilwoman Spinello loudly opposed redevelopment pay to play reform, but neglected to share that her father serves on the Redevelopment Authority. She also is employed at the Incinerator Authority. Both the job and council position are attributed to her father. She opposed her constituents when she supported the rezoning of the PJP Landfill for the high cube truck warehouse in her own ward. Regardless of her abilities to perform her job, some might believe there are conflicts of interest. The more one gets involved in dealing with local government, the more sickening it gets. Naming names will not do a thing. What can you or anyone do. Vote, register friend and neighbors to vote and then get them to do so. And ? the end of the summer / early fall will see a petition drive to place the Pay to Play Reform ordinance on the ballot as public referendum. Much help will be needed to collect the necessary signatures. Contact me if interested. I posted this previously - During the Jersey City municipal elections in 2005, two council candidates, now councilwomen publically demanded jobs for relatives/workers in return for supporting Mayor Healy's campaign for a full term - **** "Richardson said she was contacted by Healy three weeks before the announcement about joining his ticket, but it didn't work out. "When he asked me, I said that I would definitely think about it, but there were certain conditions that we had to work out beforehand," said Richardson. One of those conditions was that Richardson's son-in-law, an employee of the city's Division of Commerce would be considered for the position of director when former director Lenny Grenier stepped down on Jan. 31. But the position ended up going to another person." * "Even Willie Flood, who ran for mayor against Healy in the November special election, was not seen as a surprise candidate when she received Healy's endorsement for an at-large seat at a luncheon last Saturday at the Liberty House Restaurant. Flood previously ran on a ticket fielded by Healy when he was a candidate for mayor in 1997 against incumbent Bret Schundler. Flood said at the luncheon that a deal was made with Healy in the months after the November special election, allowing for her to run on his slate. "We met, and he asked me if I would run with him," she said. "I agreed, but I wanted to make sure that the young people who worked on my campaign would be offered some kind of employment since they worked for no money." Flood said the employment would either be on a city or county administrative level." *** These quotes are from the Jersey City Reporter article of 2/20/2005- Announcements for mayor, council seats spur intrigue
Posted on: 2007/7/14 15:14
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