She's the first Latina councilwoman and it's a helluva start. She'll keep the airlines solvent at least.

The best line in the Orlando Sentinel story: "But this (Orlando) is my home too. All my clothes are here." Get some up here for the parade next month.

Orlando woman must decide whether to call Sunshine State or Garden State home
Tax exemptions, City Council seat hang in the balance


Rich McKay Sentinel Staff Writer
July ORLANDO - Where does Nidia Lopez really live -- in Orlando's MetroWest neighborhood or along the Hudson River in New Jersey?

A Jersey City council seat hangs on that question.

So does $33,000 or more in taxes that Lopez, 59, might have to pay to Orange County if she claimed both cities as her home.

Questions about Lopez's residency could threaten her win, just a week after she was sworn in to the Ward C seat.

In May, Lopez, a medical business consultant, became the first Hispanic woman elected to the Jersey City Council.

Lopez attended her second Jersey City Council meeting Wednesday night.

By noon Thursday, she had traveled the 1,000 miles or so to her Orlando home in the Bardmoor section of MetroWest.

"Up until March of 2008, Orlando has been my real home," Lopez told the Orlando Sentinel Thursday afternoon.

"Then I had two operations, and I couldn't keep going back and forth all the time," she said.

"And I got a new husband, so I live up there now [Jersey City].

But this is my home too. All my clothes are here."

Lopez referred further questions to her attorney, William Northgrave, who said he would not comment on an open case.

After receiving two anonymous tips on June 1, the Orange County Property Appraiser's Office launched an investigation into whether Lopez has been falsely claiming a homestead tax exemption.

Violations of that law are considered a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.

To qualify for homestead exemption, the rules say you must be a permanent Florida resident living in that home as your primary residence as of Jan. 1 of that year.

If either changes, you must notify the county.

The office vigorously pursues false homestead-exemption claims, said Michael Prestridge chief deputy property appraiser.

A link on its Web site allows people to anonymously report violators.

Penalties includes the exempted taxes, plus another 50 percent of that amount, as well as 15 percent interest compounded annually, he said.

Lopez's opponent in the New Jersey race, Jimmy King, filed a civil lawsuit in Hudson County, N.J., challenging her residency in the Garden State and the outcome of the May election.


King's attorney, Alexander W. Booth, said it's a simple case of right and wrong.

"People can have all the residences that they can afford, but they can't select more than one as your official permanent residence," he said.

"You can't claim to be a resident of one state so you can run for office and claim to be a resident of another state for the tax breaks."

Property appraiser records show that Lopez and her former husband, Karl Boehringer built their Orlando house in 1997, the same year she registered to vote in Orange County.

Records in New Jersey, including voting records examined by The Jersey Journal newspaper, show that Lopez established a Jersey City address in 2001 and has voted there in almost every election since then.

Orange County election records show that Lopez voted in Orlando's 2003 municipal election that ushered in Buddy Dyer as Orlando's mayor.

Neither New Jersey nor Florida allows people to be registered to vote in more than one place.

Lopez told The Jersey Journal: "I never voted in Florida in 2003."

Ion Sancho, elections supervisor in Leon County and an elections expert, said that as a practical matter, Lopez isn't likely to get in any trouble in Florida for having voted in New Jersey.

"Voting laws are patchwork at best among different states," Sancho said.

"There are huge gaps in the law. [To prosecute] the law here requires that you intended to commit voter fraud. If you just say you didn't know or made a mistake, there's no case."

Information from The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, N.J. was used in this report. Rich McKay can be reached at rmckay@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5470.

Ms. Lopez stated today she never voted in Florida in 2003. Linda Tenko of the Orange County Board of elections said she did vote in Florida in 2003. So now it gets hotter for Ms. Lopez. Healy supports Lopez proclaiming her the city's first Latina Councilwoman. So according to Healy she gets a free pass. Whatarollmodel.

Just the tip of the iceberg. More to come.

With a tax hike looming it's disconcerting to know that Lopez will be voting on and for it so she should definitely sit on the sidelines until her status is determined. Her financial records should be checked like how much shopping and spending did she do and when in the State of Florida. Just when did she arrive here and all that.

Let's see how this is handled in the New Jersey Courts. Does Mrs. Lopez get a green light to serve as Councilwoman in Jersey City or not? There is a sense of entitlement on her part, like I can have everything in the candy store without paying because I'm me. Her husband said incredulously when asked by a reporter about this "Can't she have a summer home?". Wrong season Mr. Lopez.

Would'nt be surprised to learn the NYPD brass was giving their families a close-up of the fireworks. Having a helicopter flying above crowds at night with the distraction of the display is not good.

who will protect us from the protectors?

Curiosity will get you, eventually.

Anyone care to comment on the new stoop at above address? With all the yada about historic districts and guidelines and "shudder" appropriateness how did this just completed job get thru the maze?

Dis she vote in both states in the last year? This will be very interesting.

Our first instinct is always our finest, born from purity, like giving cash to a panhandler, if we think about it less likely to give. Your action was for the common good and perhaps safety of all of us. Never doubt your instincts.

A roach coach poacher. What next?

The clouds seen last evening are rare. Known as "bubbulous nimbi" they are the result of an implosion in "cumulo nimbus" clouds that can't sustain internal barometric pressures from hot/cold thermal forces and stress out to the bubble shape much like when bubbles are blown from a jar.

There are over two thousand parking spaces just behind or south of the Bier Garten. Google the site and you will see the whole schmear.

Love that word "appropriate", it's just tootoo, yaknow "exclusive". Plant what you like & don't worry bout the big bad wolf.

The concept is great. Hope it prospers but it's true that other than here I also would not know of it. If you build a better mousetrap you better advertise it or no one will buy.

What has been established in these posts is that nothing has appeared in the Jersey Journal despite them being made aware of it last Friday. So now the story is not the hold-up or whatever, it is that the story was not reported.
Whatever sidebars there are to this the public is being kept in the dark. Not good.

Much of what happens goes unreported and it's not a stretch to believe requests are made to "sit on a story". The story in last Saturday's Journal about a possible heir to the present Police Chief intimated being "political" could only help you get the job.

They are doing something about crime. They're ignoring it.

Finding this truck is really a no-brainer. Check the NJ DMV files & run them through the system one by one.

Wherever it happned in Jersey City it would be enough to make the daily tabloid but an armed robbery just across the street from City Hall while a council meeting was going on is news. Did the Healy team squash this story?

The fatal hit & run of a woman crossing Grand Street several months ago by the Hospital has yet to be solved. How hard is it to find the pick-up from last week's hit & run?

Reported to the Jersey Journal Friday morn. Is the administration stifling this?

SW corner of Montgomery & Grove, next to kanibal.

On Wednesday night, the 17th, at 11 PM, the convenience store diagonally opposite City Hall was being held up by a lone gunman who then got into a scuffle with the storeowner. This while a well attended City Council meeting was underway just yards away. The thief ran away empty handed toward Grand Street. The police came etc., the Council meeting adjourned after midnight, nothing as yet in our local paper

Afrter viewing the video several times it appears the black pickup was travelling south on Marin, not north, and Mr.Torres who was heading to the Mall is on the NW corner of 6th & Marin walking east.

There really is nothing unique about Jersey City. All cities and towns have their characters and tales. We are impressed by that which we see in our front yard & to be sure, the people of Jersey City did not re-elect Healy as Mayor. A very small percentage of registered voters voted in that election. That is apathetic.

And then you have Ernie Wizenblast, Traffic Reporter Extrordinaire, from WINS telling you how PATH is working to keep you safe, secure & on time. What doo-doo!!