I have no problem answering your question, but first let Candice answer the question on parking. Also, who is John? Parking is part of the problem facing downtown, it is not hijacking.

Since I made the comment I notice you didn't respond to the issue of new condos going up and not having enough parking or no parking for the development. It is a legitimate concern for people. I personally know of people circling the blocks trying to find parking spaces. Do you favor condos going up with reduced or no parking? Saying it is out of context does not answer the question.

I just bumped into a former neighbor, who is was surprised and disappointed by Candice's response to the parking and traffic downtown. He complained about new construction in the Van Vorst area (Grand St) and the reduction of parking for the condos. He said Candice commented, "People don't need cars, they work in NY." He was stunned.

Our country invaded Iraq in order to bring democracy and to overthrow a dictator. Well it appears, one person, called a judge has imposed a law, even though law making is left to the legislative branch of government. Isn't that what we call a dictator? Why don't we save money, stop elections, and allow a judge to pick our president, governor, mayor, and continue to write all laws?

Yesterday, St. Peter's University hosted a copy of handprinted St. John's Bible. This was a fundraiser by Eugene O'Connell, to train adults in the hospitality industry. Eugene O' Connell gave credit to LaVern Webb-Washington for the idea. Congratulations to Eugene, LaVern, and St. Peter's University.

I feel sorry for rescuelife. He/She hides behind a silly name and continue to tell the world I am a member of the tea party. Now I am going to create your fantasy. You, rescuelife, work at city hall, on the taxpayer's dime in order to attack anyone who brings up the truth.

In the 1990s, I attended 3 public hearings on the Medical Center relocation. I spoke against it due to Grand St with its traffic, the location is too close to PS#3, and the proposed site floods. I still remembers the comments by our public officials who are still employed. Their argument was, the hospital needs an area that is not tied up with local traffic. And it is outside the residential area.

According to the Traffic Engineering, Grand Street is not considered a residential street, which was the reason why they widen the street by removing park cars to give 4 lanes. It is wider than York, Montgomery, and Mercer Streets. Those streets were designed for horse and carriage, not the exit for the Turnpike Express.

Here is an article on booting cars on the first offense.
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_might_refund_drive.html

People jaywalk on Grand Street near the hospital is due to poor planning on the city's part, if you notice the bus stop is not at the corner but near the middle of the block.

To mfadam, you are mistaken. During the 1970s I was President of the Van Vorst Park Association. We had officials from the city and state at our meetings because there were flooding problems then. One of the things that was said by these officials is the impact on plaster ceilings from the shaking of the ground. Since the sidewalk is hollow the ground does shake, sometimes the sewerage collapse adding to the flooding problem. The culprit according to these officials was/is traffic. I personally had my ceilings replace and I am not the only one.

I am just repeating what was said, if you have Comcast, Channel 1 you might hear her comments at the Council Caucus. I have lived on Van Vorst Park for over 40 years. I know those streets First, they are narrow and second, the sidewalks are hollow. Heavy traffic will have an impact on plaster ceilings.

I also attended the caucus meeting when her plan was presented. The councilwoman also said she would like to reduce the lanes of traffic on Grand St from four to two and have that traffic go on other streets. That would have a negative impact on York, Montgomery, Mercer streets. Those streets are too narrow to handle that traffic. We need the police department to be engaged in the traffic problems on Grand St. But diverting it to smaller residential blocks is wrong.

I didn't say it wasn't, but I am annoyed that the council had no idea until I mentioned it two weeks ago about the estimated bills. After I made my comment, Lavarro questioned the acting B.A. That is when the acting B.A. said the city sent out estimated bills. Did the city get the permission of the council? No. This council talked about the budget, not about smoking or even sick days during the campaign. Let them keep their campaign promises. It shouldn't be a member of the public (me) informing the council that the administration sent out the first half 2014 without council approval.

First, I am not a smoker, or even a former smoker, I bring up the budget because this council said nothing when the Fulop mailed out the first half of 2014. The administration needs the council's approval. When I brought this up two weeks ago, the Acting Business Administrator said it was estimated bills. Under the Faulkner Act, only the council can approve the spending of a budget included estimated budgets. So I want to council to do its job and not worry about things outside its job.

We are banning smoking in parks and requiring sick days for employers, the city is doing everything except produce a budget for 2014. Then that it is difficult to do if you sent out the first six months with the built in 8% tax crease. You can't cut if the spending if the money is half spent.

First, I do not know john1952 and I supported Dan Levin for council. Remember, he ran against Candice and Fletcher for Ward E. I never asked anyone to share my views on corruption and taxes. Neither john1952 or Fletcher have asked me for my opinion when they write on these subjects. But I can see, independent thinkers do scare some people here.

Aren't there competent lawyers that work for JC? Why must the city hand a contract to another McGreevey's supporter?

During the final weeks of the elections, Fulop hit Healy hard with videos of corruption with Dwek. Healy is an adult but the fact is, Dwek was trading up to avoid jail time . So now that Fulop is mayor, what does he do? Hire McGreevey and people associated with McGreevey. The latest is Lesinak who will receive a contract on the Parking Authority. McGreevey's administration was so corrupt, one of the newspapers did a cartoon editorial and called him McGreedy. I did expect a higher ethical standard from Fulop.

From what I heard, not read, certain groups are exempt, such as the Amish.

The Jersey Journal has a story on this, the Affordable Care Act will be discussed tomorrow from 3:30 to 5:30 in Union City, 4511 New York Avenue.
http://njcitizenaction.org/

I have never attended a tea party meeting in my life but Fulop did place Marie Tauro, a tea party member, (story was in the JJ) on one of the Boards. So what does that make the Mayor?

There is a great deal of hypocrisy with this crowd, I don't care how people live their lives or who their partners are, my point is I do not want our legislators to pass a bill like this without public input. It will have a major impact on people like me who will be sued because they followed their religion. A right given in the first amendment. It is hypocritical to say it will not. Besides, what about living in a multicultural society? There are bigotry against religion, especially Catholics, who practice the faith as it is written. The next fashion on marriage might be plural marriage, marriage to family members (incest) and animals. I turned on my radio in the car and actually heard people advocating for these rights. I remember a man saying he wants to marry his sister. And another person talked about his special affection for his horse. The horse was more faithful than his wife.

I do not care if a gay couple marries I do care about the right of being sued for following my religion. It is the point I have been making since this I responded to this thread. You can marry your pet, but I do not want to be sued for saying no like the people below. What about my rights? People on this forum refuses to recognized the first amendment that says you have the right to exercise your religion! Reading comprehension is not a strong point here.

a Methodist organization was sued in Ocean Grove, NJ when they denied a lesbian couple the use of their pavilion for a same-sex civil union. The Methodist organization lost and the state of New Jersey revoked the tax exemption for the pavilion, which will cost them around $20,000 a year;
Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by law. Catholic Charities was accused of discrimination and pulled out of the adoption business in 2006;
San Francisco dropped its $3.5 million in social services contracts with the Salvation Army because it refused to recognize same-sex partnership;
A Christian gynecologist in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship. The doctor said it violated his religious beliefs and referred his patient to his partner, but the women sued. One justice suggested the doctor take up a different business.

To others:
I am not a cafeteria Catholic, I do not pick and choose what the Church says, I believe it is guided by the Holy Spirit. For those who believe differently, that is between you and God. I am talking about my right under the First Amendment, which everyone on this forum ignores, to practice my religion without being sued. That is all I care about. I will not throw mud or attack people who believe in gay marriage. That is not my agenda. I feel sorry for those who resort to those things. And when I present my ideas I do not hide behind phony names, I have the courage to use my real name. That is a gift from my faith, to be honest in the things I believe. And I will never, never, attack someone family's member.

?We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.?
? George Orwell, 1984
The problem is I am not drinking the "Kool-Aid," I will continue to put my faith first. The only reason activists on this subject do not want to public to decide, they are afraid of the public. They are afraid of another California.

When voting rights were given to African-Americans in the 1960's it did not diminished the rights of the white majority, they still have the right to vote. My right to practice my religion will be diminished. I have taught Catholic religion for 28 years, so I more the rules better than most on this forum. I cannot enable a sin in any form. To bake a cake for a same sex wedding is telling Jesus, He was only pretending when He said in Mathews Gospel, a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and the two will be one flesh. This is the will of the Father according to Jesus, so I don't take seriously, the comments from this forum on religion. You are basically picking and choosing who should have rights.

John1952 is correct, this audit did start under Healy, Brian O'Reilly, the former BA started the audits, he told me. Brian O'Reilly also did the audits on the Parking Lots, which is a cash business.

To Vigilante-What about my basic right to exercise my religion without being sued? Why should you decide who should have rights? If someone wants a same sex wedding, I don't want to bake the cake, rent the hall or supply the flowers. It is a sin in my religion. I want the right to say no without being sued. The mentality here is - Let's throw the Christians to the lions! I thought the USA was above that. Besides, our country offer asylum to people that is seeking persecution for religious freedom, which sounds very funny now.

Every since Bret Schundler was mayor, I have asked the city council to do an audit on the tax abatements. I have even written "letters to the editor" on this topic. It is nice to know someone is listening. Some abatements have steps, if the city is not monitoring the steps, then the development is paying a lower tax bill, other abatements only assessed the shell of the building, meaning the city is collecting 2% on a partial building. I have been saying this every year for the last 20 plus years.