S_F, isn't the city wi-fi- only free at certain hotspots?

Either way, I can't wait for this to be implemented.

Like it or not free wi-fi is going forward in NJ. There will be Fios, cable, dsl, and much slower wi-fi for minimal or no cost.

Former chief Bobby Troy will run it out of his basement.
Wifi will be free service,Troys administration cost will be 2 million a year.

would you trust your internet connection to city hall? they can't even trim a tree, pick up trash or fill a pothole.

this will be another mismanaged project.

From the Sunday StarLedger

Allowing countiesto provide Wi-Fi A bill to authorize counties to operate publicly accessible wireless Internet networks was approved 5-1 yesterday by the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee.

Sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), the bill would authorize counties to construct, own and operate the broadband telecommunications infrastructure necessary for providing free or reduced-rate pub lic access to wireless Internet net works. It would allow the networks to be financed through the issuance of local bonds to be repaid through revenues derived from providing Wi-Fi service.

"There is no reason wireless networks should only be limited to certain homes and businesses," Roberts said. "If individual communities and counties wish to extend such access to their residents, they should have all means possible to do so."

Last month, Camden and Gloucester counties began exploring the possibility of establishing a Wi-Fi network that could make every home, business and public space in both counties Internet accessible. The city of Elizabeth has partnered with Kean University, Union County and two private providers to initiate a pilot program to provide free Wi-Fi service at certain high-traffic "access points" in the city.

On page 29 of the 1.21.07 Sunday Star-Ledger is the article: ELIZABETH ENTERS THE WI_FI WORLD. It is not available on-line, but here is an excerpt "..tomorrow , [Elizabeth] will launch the state's first municipal wireless network, a free service offering anyone between Trinitas Hospital and the Broad Street station high-speed Internet access at the click of a button."

I am interested to see reactions to this article today and also Ricardo Kaulessar's other one on Steve Fulop.

Interesting stuff Ricardo!

What about the state of City Hall?
Mayor's state of city address overshadowed by staff issues.

Ricardo Kaulessar - Hudson Reporter - 01/20

CHANGES AT CITY HALL? There are rumors of a shakeup in City Hall due to infractions of certain staff members.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy was scheduled to give a state of the city address in mid-February, according to city spokesperson Maria Pignataro, but he is now concerned with a more controversial topic - the state of City Hall.

In recent weeks, revelations have come out about recently resigned Deputy Mayor Ador Equipado.

According to several sources, Equipado requested payments from couples for conducting marriage ceremonies at City Hall, even though he is not supposed to do so.

After a pair of newlyweds contacted a local daily newspaper and blew the whistle on Equipado, the deputy mayor was asked to step down. The newspaper reported that months earlier the couple had complained to City Hall about being charged for their wedding ceremony but nothing was done.

The press also reported that Pignataro has been doing event planning for local developers Eric and Paul Silverman on the side. Pignataro responded that she was in that business before working for City Hall.

Shakeup?

Advertisement

Two unnamed city officials said recently, based on recent conversations with Healy and Healy's allies, that a shakeup in the Mayor's Office could be forthcoming, with various staff changes.

There is speculation that interviews are being conducted to replace Pignataro, with her possible resignation around Feb. 1.

Pignataro responded strongly on Tuesday via e-mail, "There is no truth to [the rumors] about my resignation." She followed up with a phone interview on Wednesday in which she said was still "surprised" by the talk of her apparent resignation, which she called "emotionally draining."

"I wouldn't have even considered doing work for the Silvermans without clearing it with Mayor [Healy], who gave me the go-ahead," said Pignataro, who said she worked for public relations firm several years before coming to City Hall in 2004.

"I would never embarrass the mayor in any way. One thing I have learned from working as an events planner is being a team player."

One candidate believed to be in consideration is Sally Deering, a former local journalist who previously served as the spokesperson for the Jersey City Medical Center and is currently the director of development and outreach at the Learning Community Charter School in Jersey City.

When reached for comment last week, Deering said she had "nothing to say" at the present time.

Or an unfair shake?

An unnamed city official with several years of experience in city government said there is very little reason for Pignataro to step down, claiming that her taking on outside work was not a "conflict of interest."

"How does it actually interfere with the city's business?" said this unnamed official. "She didn't vote to give the Silvermans a tax abatement, she doesn't sit on the Planning Board approving any of their projects."

But another unnamed city official who has served in at least two mayoral administrations prior to Healy's said Pignataro's taking work outside City Hall was, "plain and simple" inappropriate.

"I think [Pignataro is] very good at event planning and organizing on that level, but as far as being politically savvy, she doesn't have that," said another unnamed city official. "In the political environment in Jersey City, this does not leave a good impression."

But this official also felt she was unfairly attacked by the local daily newspaper and said that Pignataro and Equipado's offenses were "blown out of proportion."

Both unnamed officials agreed that Equipado's actions were far more serious than Pignataro's, and both confirmed that Healy is looking to issue an executive order specifying that no city official can take payments for weddings.

The Jersey City police are also investigating whether Equipado engaged in any other questionable activity while performing marriage ceremonies.

Another city source said Healy might hold up Equipado's resignation as proof that the mayor is trying to enforce ethical behavior within City Hall, which is important at this time when Healy is looking to start his mayoral re-election campaign at least a year ahead of schedule.

There has been speculation by some officials that the mayor's Chief of Staff Carl Czaplicki could be transferred out of his current position because he bore the responsibility of handling the Equipado situation.

But Czaplicki said last week that he has heard the rumors before and there is no truth to it.

According to Czaplicki, Mayor Healy has not indicated to him that there will be any change.

City Council President Mariano Vega said if Healy wants a shakeup, the present is a good time for it.

"Usually when a term is at its mid-point, it is a good idea to start looking to make changes where it is needed," said Vega.

'A man frustrated'

Pat O'Melia, Healy's longtime friend and occasional foe, who hosts a radio show and several TV shows dealing with Hudson County issues, said that his recent conversations with Healy show a man frustrated.

O'Melia believes that Healy should not be "nice" about dealing with problems in City Hall.

"I think [Healy] is getting tired of having to find out about what is going on around him from everyone else but the people who work in City Hall," said O'Melia. "He has to find out from me, the newspapers, but not the people who work under him. He's getting embarrassed."

O'Melia continued, "They all want to talk about the nice things but they avoid breaking the bad news to the mayor. If I was mayor, there would be firings, not resignations."

Then there's the address

City officials have confirmed that Healy will give the state of the city address by late February. But they cautioned it is not a top priority currently because of the recent problems with Equipado and Pignataro.

Among the issues to be discussed in the state of the city address are: the development of new luxury condos and two-family homes across the city; crime statistics going down in 2006 in categories such as homicide; and the pending revitalization of Journal Square and the HUB Plaza on Martin Luther King Drive.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

Valerie Hufnagel - 201-321-5191

Tops in my book, especially if the project is a row house.

Not cheap, be prepared.

In today?s, January 20th, ?Political Insider? column by Agustin Torres, (not online yet) there is a small paragraph which he pinpoints perhaps our elected officials opposition to the Governor?s plan on property taxes (and benefit to JC citizens). Duel office holding is just a drop in the bucket (though symbolic), this is big dollars....

?They also are not happy with the 4 percent annual tax levy cap, which they call unrealistic if it does not provide for the increase of tax ratables, usually through development?

we need a major overhaul of our backyard. thanks

Canadians acquire Global Terminal & Container Systems, at Port Jersey

RONALD LEIR - JERSEY JOURNAL - JAN 20

Will some Canadian educators soon be carrying longshoreman hooks to class?

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has bought Global Terminal & Container Systems, Inc., at Port Jersey Boulevard, of Jersey City and Bayonne, along with the New York Container Terminal (formerly known as Howland Hook) in Staten Island and two marine container terminals in Vancouver for $2.4 billion.

"We view this as a very positive event for Global," said the company's president and CEO Maurice J. Byan. "(OTPP) are long-term investors and (the sale) gives us resources to proceed with growth programs we have in place, and we look forward to providing more job opportunities and economic benefits to Jersey City and Bayonne."

He added that "the present management will remain in place" and that "the transition will be seamless."

Global pays Jersey City $829,971 in taxes on nearly 57 acres of mostly storage property while Bayonne collects about $1 million in taxes for 41 acres, much of which is underwater, records show.

Last year, the company acquired two new 225-foot-tall cranes for about $6 million apiece to help handle the cargo growth anticipated by the port in the coming years and is planning $40 million in dock improvements within a year or so. It employs anywhere from 180 to "upwards of 350," depending on the volume of business handled, Byan said.

OTPP spokeswoman Deborah Allan said the pension fund, with $84 billion in assets, closed the deal on Global last week, acquiring the Port Jersey Boulevard property from Orient Overseas International Limited of Hong Kong.

Allan said the properties "will be part of our infrastructure portfolio as a longterm commitment to our members. Our investments tend to be well tied to stability and for that reason we feel that the terminals are a very good fit for us."

Aaron Ellis, spokesman for the American Association of Port Authorities, of Alexanderia, Va., said the investment "ties into the widespread trend of port trade volumes continuing to escalate, and with a diminishing amount of waterfront property to develop new terminals or to expand existing ones, you're seeing an increasing demand for terminal assets."

While researching Tastykakes, I found this website, The Central Avenue SID in the Jersey City Heights. There is a page listing the Neighborhood Block Associations.

http://www.jcheights.com/
http://www.jcheights.com/blockassoc.html

See? Tastykakes are useful.

Let your legislators know how you feel - call, write, email. It makes a difference.

PS: I've always had a hard time finding contact info for our state legislators in one place, so I compiled the list below. If someone can correct any errors or add email addresses for these people, it would be appreciated.

----------------------------------

Jersey City - District 31
Ward A, Greenville, Voting Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
Ward B, West Side, Voting Districts 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, 35
Ward C, Journal Square, Voting Districts 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28
Ward E, Downtown, Voting Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 21, 23
Ward F, Bergen-Lafayette, Voting Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Senator: JOSEPH V. DORIA (Democrat)
District Office: 1738 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305 (201)-451-5100

Assemblyman: CHARLES T. EPPS (Democrat)
District Office: 1757 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305 (201)-200-1820

Assemblyman: LOUIS M. MANZO (Democrat)
District Office: 107 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07305 (201)-309-0770


Jersey City - District 32
Ward B, Westside, Voting Districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 26, 27, 30, 32, 33, 34
Ward C, Journal Square, Voting Districts 1, 3, 17, 18, 19, 30, 31, 32
Ward D, Hudson City, Voting Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO (Democrat)
District Office: 9060 Palisade Ave., North Bergen, NJ 07047 (201)-295-0200

Assemblyman: VINCENT PRIETO (Democrat)
District Office: 1249 Paterson Plank Rd., Secaucus, NJ 07094 (201)-770-1303

Assemblywoman: JOAN M. QUIGLEY (Democrat)
District Office: The Hamilton Park Foundry, 242 Tenth Street, Suite 101 , Jersey City, NJ 07302 (201)-217-4614


Jersey City - District 33
Ward C, Journal Square, Voting Districts 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 29
Ward E, Downtown, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22

Senator: BERNARD F. KENNY (Democrat)
District Office: 235 Hudson Street, Suite 1, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (201)-653-1466

Assemblyman: BRIAN P. STACK (Democrat)
District Office: 3715 Palisade Avenue, 3rd Floor, Union City, NJ 07087 (201)-330-3233

Assemblyman: SILVERIO A. VEGA (Democrat)
District Office: 303 58th St., West New York, NJ 07093 (201)-854-0900

Source: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/

I like Lou Manzo.Idon't know who is advising him but he is coming off as a shill for the HCDO.By being point man in favor of dual office holding he is ruining his reputation as a reformer.

Or he just wants to run for Mayor in 2009 and still stay on as our assemblyman.Either way he's just gone down a few notches in my book.

Sounds good to me as long as they don't raise taxes.

There's another really great Mexican restaurant on Central and North - Mia's Mexican Cafe. Definitely worth checking out!

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Any thoughts on what this would mean for Jersey City taxpayers? Or how would the proposed tax cap affect this. It seems this is on a fast track.

"I think we're on the right track," said Jersey City Superintendent Charles Epps Jr. "Within six to nine months, we'll be at a place where we can talk about local control coming back to Jersey City."

Quote:


I thought about this too the other day. If property taxes are cut for non-abated properties, will the taxes on PILOTs reduce also? or are they stuck at a higher rate regardless of what others are paying?

Steve Fulop

Thanks for posting the Star Ledger next to this Jersey Journal article (I dated the Jersey Journal wrong that too is from today -- I blame lack of coffee)

I am very happy to see much needed reform come to NJ. I am very interested in this story and I think consolidation of services is something that is really needed all over New Jersey, though I am a little worried how it will play out here in Hudson County but obviously statewide something has to happen!

Best,
GrovePath

Quote:

Here is a thought and I am not sure if I am understanding it correctly-

If tax revenues are capped at 4% increases annually and,

Jersey City municipal tax revenues increase by more than the 4% due to new development coming on line and tax abatement agreements disproportionatley funneling more revenue into the city,

Could the cap effectively push down the taxes on Jersey City conventionally taxed properties?

In effect, is this not a spending cap, while revenues should grow?

Would this scenario, now actually change the tax abatement arguements (for the positive?) , though other Hudson County municipalities may really scream now.

I like it when anyone, politican or otherwise, starts a sentence with any of the following phrases:

"Honestly,"

"To be honest with you,"

"In all honesty,"

"Frankly,"

Because then I know, for ONCE in their life, they are telling the truth. Whenever anybody opens with a phrase like this, to me, everything that has preceded is suspect.

Of course, Manzo and the other cronies are just protecting their interests. Why aren't the crooked politicians ever thrown in jail. Get them off the streets as well as the other thugs.

Quote:

How does ending dual office holding mean the demise of local control?

This issue is important enough to stand without adding it to the Hudson Co reform mentioned.

Steve can you give your public view on the two separate issues (dual office & tax changes/state oversight)?

"They're protecting dual jobs," he said. "Reform to the Hudson County delegation is like Kryptonite to Superman. It's deadly."

Steve clearly has the best line in this debate...and he is right.

Personally, I think real reform just might invigorate the state's urban centers and, by any measure, the status quo has produced little to brag about (vide Newark, Trenton, Camden, Elizabeth).

Interesting stuff. I can see why a lawmaker would be against a cap on tax increases. Hopefully they never need it and could even reduce taxes, but it's nice to have the flexibility in case something happens. I couldn't agree more about the issue with holding multiple offices. I know I couldn't do my current job to the best of my abilities and another similar job. How do these clowns get off claiming to do so?

Quote:

Thanks for posting this article Steven as it puts things in persepective.

As Pogo said:

GrovePath.
This the article that is referenced from Thursday and directly linked to the article you posted. The issue is not really clear if you just post one of the articles.

------------------------------------------


Hudson legislators block tax reform
Emphasizing need for local control, nine Democrats insist governor going too far too fast

Thursday, January 18, 2007
BY DEBORAH HOWLETT
Star-Ledger Staff

They don't want the state telling towns how much they can raise taxes. They don't want a state comptroller or county school superintendent second-guessing local officials. And they see nothing wrong with holding more than one taxpayer-funded job.

The greatest impediment to many of the property tax reform ideas backed by Gov. Jon Corzine may well be the nine Democratic legislators from Hudson County.

They were in the bull's eye Cor zine targeted in his State of the State address when he called on lawmakers to set aside parochialism and personal interest in favor of the "common good."

But the Hudson nine -- four of whom are also mayors and seven of whom hold tax-paid jobs in addi tion to elected office -- insist the Democratic governor has asked for way too much, way too fast.

Limiting the growth of property tax levies; consolidating local governments; refiguring state aid for public schools; ending dual office- holding -- all of that, they argue, means the demise of local control.

Others have been critical of Cor zine on those points, too: the League of Municipalities, the School Boards Association, teacher and state worker unions, some legislators in both parties.

None, however, has been as openly disdainful.

Assemblyman Louis Manzo called the governor "clueless" about local politics in Hudson County -- never mind that Corzine lives in Hoboken.

"He doesn't understand urban New Jersey," Manzo said. "His policies are out of touch. He knows more about Darfur, or wherever he goes, than he does about kids on New Jersey streets."

Corzine dismissed the comment: "I don't want to get into hyperactive language. We'll let the public decide on that."

But, he said, "We're not trying to say the governor is the genius of all times. We're trying to bring together smart people to try to accomplish the principle of breaking this rising cost of property tax."

Hudson Democrats frequently feud among themselves, but when they unite as a bloc, they have considerable influence on state politics. Their 48-square-mile county is the most densely populated in the state, with 610,000 residents. The population includes large numbers of immigrants and unfailingly votes Democratic. Municipal politics dominate, as they have going back to Jersey City Mayor Frank "I Am the Law" Hague.

Emboldened by a split between Corzine and legislative leaders over pension and benefits reform last month, the Hudson alliance intensified efforts to stymie much of the rest of the tax reform package.

"The train is rolling through the Statehouse, right from the governor's office to the Assembly floor," Manzo said. "If somebody doesn't slow down the train, we're going to continue to hit local government."

Not all the Hudson lawmakers are as adamant as Manzo, who has taken the point in the insurgency. But they don't disagree with his logic.

"All of these issues are foremost in the minds of Hudson legislators," said Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny Jr. "We have a very astute delegation. We always have. ... You have ground-breaking legislation on several fronts that changes the status quo and there's genuine concern that comes from that."

The Hudson nine support the plan for tax credits to homeowners -- but then, it's hard to find a legislator who would say a tax cut in an election year is a bad idea.

The hard part -- what Corzine called the "tough sledding" in his State of the State address -- is how to pay the $2 billion cost of the tax relief plan. Corzine has ruled out increasing other taxes and suggested "monetizing" state assets, like toll roads or the lottery, by turning them over to private operators.

But Manzo said cashing in on assets is short-sighted. Raising the income tax is a better idea, he said, because a penny increase on each $1 or $2 earned, depending on in come, would generate at least $2.7 billion a year.

"The governor needs to be penny-wise," Manzo said.

Assemblyman Brian Stack, who is also mayor of Union City, said the governor's insistence on cap ping property tax levies is an exer cise in public relations that will produce little new savings.

"He is well-intentioned ... but he's misinformed," Stack said.

The influence of the Hudson Democrats was clear during last week's roller-coaster ride over a bill to establish a state comptroller as a watchdog over public spending.

As Assembly Democrats met before Monday's voting session, the six from Hudson stood up to op pose the comptroller bill (A2), ar guing fervently even when it was clear that their colleagues were ready to move it to the Senate.

The six, and their three Senate counterparts, were then sum moned to the governor's office. "We had a good talk," Manzo said. "He listened, but we got nowhere."

The Hudson six were the only Democrats to vote "no" as the bill sailed through 59-18. But in the following days, Kenny and Sen. Joe Doria, who is also mayor of Bayonne, said they negotiated "revisions" with the governor's office.

On Thursday, a new bill was introduced. "We think we have a bill that will engender broad support among Democrats," said Kenny, its sponsor.

The changes didn't sit well with all Democrats. Sen. Barbara Buono from Middlesex County said the bill had been gutted and removed herself as Kenny's co-sponsor.

Hudson lawmakers also have led the fight against other pieces of the package, what Manzo referred to as "bells and whistles" that produce little cost savings.

Sen. Nicholas Sacco and Assemblyman Charles Epps oppose a bill to give county superintendents authority to veto school budgets, and another to move school budget elections to November, when more people are likely to vote.

Sacco is assistant superintendent of North Bergen schools (as well as the mayor). Epps is the state-paid superintendent of Jersey City schools. Neither returned phone calls seeking comments about the legislation.

Stack has worked against a bill to ban dual office-holding. It was written to allow current dual office- holders to keep both posts, but not if they sought election to another office.

Stack is expected to announce this week that he will run for Ken ny's Senate seat, according to three prominent Democrats, while Kenny is expected to retire. Under the bill, Stack would have to surrender his mayoral seat to serve in the Senate. Last week the bill was shelved until after the November legislative elections.

Manzo acknowledged that the Hudson delegation pushed for changes in many of the bills, and wasn't about to apologize. Without the revisions, he said, local government would have suffered.

"None of this would have been seen by regular legislators," Manzo said. "It just points out why it's so important to have a mayor's voice in the Statehouse."



Deborah Howlett may be reached at dhowlett@starledger.com or (609) 989-0273.




? 2007 The Star Ledger
? 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

That is one store that should have been shut down years ago. The smell is pretty unbelievable, worse than hot garbage.

State: Time to end school takeovers?

JOHN MOONEY -- Jersey Journal NEWHOUSE NEWS - Jan 19

Nearly from the moment New Jersey became the first state to seize control of a local school district in 1989, questions were raised about how long the oversight in Jersey City would last.

Subsequent takeovers in Newark and Paterson prompted similar inquiries, but no answers.

Now, state education officials may be taking the first steps in extricating themselves from New Jersey's three largest districts.

In the next week, teams of educators and experts hired by the state will begin poring over documents in the three cities to test whether they are ready to resume control of their own districts.

The teams will visit schools in each district and interview administrators and staff, looking at everything from budgets to personnel to classroom instruction.

The intent is to home in on problem areas where state help might still be needed - and back off in places where it isn't.

State officials warn there are no guarantees any of the three districts will pass the test, at least not all of it. But if all goes as planned, the state Board of Education could vote this summer to ease, at the least, some control.

"I think we're on the right track," said Jersey City Superintendent Charles Epps Jr. "Within six to nine months, we'll be at a place where we can talk about local control coming back to Jersey City."

The process is laid out in the state's new monitoring system for all districts, known as the Quality Single Accountability Continuum or QSAC. Approved by the Legislature last year, it calls for districts to pass a detailed checklist of items in five distinct areas: governance, budget, operations, personnel and instruction.

If a district passes in an area, the state will cede those controls after a transition period. If not, the state could intervene further.

The process starts with a self-evaluation confirmed by state officials. But the deeper the state oversight already, the more stringent the process.

The teams of outside experts - including university faculty, former administrators and educators - will conduct on-site reviews in the three takeover districts, as well as Camden and Asbury Park, where the state has some oversight.

Each team consists of five members, each with expertise in one of five review areas. The teams will visit a sampling of schools with varied demographics and student performance.

"When the districts are ready (for local control), we are definitely ready," said state Education Commissioner Lucille Davy. "But that is what this is all about: is it time, and are they ready?"

POWER PLAY?
Hudson pols flex muscles with gov - 'It's all about policy'

JASON FINK - JERSEY JOURNAL CITY EDITOR - Jan 12

Is it an example of a legitimate public policy debate or powerful politicians trying to hold onto their fiefdoms?

This is among the questions raised by the strong - and surprisingly public - rebuke that Hudson County legislators have sent to Gov. Jon Corzine. In a much-talked about article in yesterday's Star-Ledger, local lawmakers lashed out at Corzine's ideas for property tax reform.

The criticism focused on proposals to consolidate local government services, reconfigure school aid, create an office of state comptroller and, perhaps most notably, ban dual office-holding, a practice near and dear to the hearts of many Hudson politicians.

While Hudson County officials are not alone in trying to protect home rule, the bluntness of the criticism of Corzine, a fellow Democrat, was unusual.

Assemblyman Lou Manzo, D-Jersey City, was probably the most vocal, saying the governor "doesn't understand urban New Jersey."

The ideas on the table - particularly a proposal to cap at 4 percent the amount municipalities can increase their local tax levies - will cost Hudson County millions, Manzo argued, citing a study commissioned by the delegation that estimated Jersey City alone would lose $23 million.

"This would kill urban areas like Hudson County," Manzo said in an interview yesterday.

Manzo is not one of the four Hudson legislators who holds an additional elected office, but he said the near-unanimous opposition to Corzine's proposals is not about dual jobs or political posturing.

"Honestly, it's all about policy," he said.

But Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop, a frequent critic of the local Democratic Party, said he is not so sure.

"They're protecting dual jobs," he said. "Reform to the Hudson County delegation is like Kryptonite to Superman. It's deadly."

In addition to Manzo, Assemblyman and Union City Mayor Brian Stack came out swinging against Corzine's plans, and both state Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Assemblyman Charles Epps, who also serves as Jersey City's state-appointed superintendent of schools, oppose many of the ideas that have been floated by the administration. The six Hudson Assembly members were the only Democrats to vote against the comptroller bill.

The most glaring exception to this opposition is, curiously enough, the Hudson Democratic chairman, state Sen. Bernard Kenny of Hoboken, who said he "essentially supports the governor's initiatives."

Kenny, who likely faces a challenge from Stack, is clearly trying to walk the middle of the road.

"I'm not going to comment on what another legislator has to say," he said yesterday when asked about Manzo's comments. "I think this interaction is normal and beneficial."

The Hudson delegation, by making its opposition so public so early - the proposals at issue are mostly in the very preliminary stages - is also, of course, flexing its muscles.

Hudson is heavily Democratic and delivered Corzine a 60,000-plus vote plurality in 2005.

Ingrid Reed, director of the New Jersey Project at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, said concerns over the Corzine proposals are legitimate, adding that it is logical for the delegation to throw around its political weight.

"What they think, whether it's policy-oriented or political, they want it taken into consideration," she said. "I think it's probably principled on their part."