It's more than a shame. It's insulting to all of the gay families in this state. My partner and I have had it. We stuck it out paying $20000 a year in property taxes and several tens of thousands more in income taxes to this state in the hopes that we would finally have equal rights under the law.

We've had enough. We're moving to Connecticut. We can't wait any longer and it hurts us to support this government when we are treated like second class citizens.

I would love to hear from the straight people whether they would like it if someone were to vote on whether they could marry the person they love. It's insulting.

I applaud the NJ Senate for voting in favor of civil rights even if it is for persons convicted of non-violent drug related crimes. Too bad they don't have the backbone or sense of conviction to concern themselves about the civil rights of their gay and lesbian constituents by supporting and passing marriage equality.

After reading the comments posted by crushthedemonic and mybeat, I really understand the comment one of my friends once made to me:

"You get the government you deserve."

I've had enough and I'm voting with my feet. I'm moving to Stamford, Connecticut. Lower taxes, marriage equality and easy commute to NYC.

I'm fed up with the broken promises of the NJ Dems and the I fear what NJ will become with a Republican governor, especially one who can't see that marriage equality is a civil rights issue.

Vote with your feet!!!!

jrsygrl is right and I am one of those people. My partner and I entered into a NJ dometic partnership agreement several years back when that was the only thing available and we need to do it so I could add him to my employer sponsored health insurance. When civil unions became available, we looked into having one but it just didn't seem worth it, especially when it seemed that marriage equality was just a couple of years away. Since then, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire have marriage equality so we decided that we'd wait until NJ joined the fold. Then we saw California, Maine and NY do the wrong thing.

We are no longer going to wait. If NJ doesn't pass marriage equality, we're moving to Connecticut. The taxes are much lower and the state will give us our equal civil rights. Enough is enough.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/nyr ... ge.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

If you support marriage equality and don't want what happenned across the river (spineless state senators backing away from promises for political reasons) to happen in our state, please call your senator and urge him/her to vote for marriage equality.

I agree 100%. I attended the forum for Ward E contenders at the HPHA meeting last week and was able to see for myself that only Steve has the intellectual ability, dedication and honesty to represent Ward E on the council. My impression of his challengers were that they were either unsuited for the job or shills for the mayoral candidates. We need an independent city council. Vote for Steve Fulop!!

I attended the HPHNA meeting last Thursday to hear the positions of the candidates running for councilperson in Ward E. After sitting through the whole thing, I actually became concerned for our city should Councilman Fulop not be re-elected. He is the only candidate with the depth, breadth and intelligence to be our councilman. I immediately sent his campaign a check. I strongly urge anyone who will listen to do the same. Since it looks like Healy's a shoo-in for Mayor, we need someone like Fulop to keep him honest.

I just read that the Iowa supreme court struck down the gay marriage ban. We in NJ should be embarrased that for some time legislation to allow our gay citizens full marriage equality has been sitting around with no action. I encourage those of you who feel that this is an outrage to call our state senator, Sandra Cunningham (201) 451-5100, and our assemblyman, Anthony Chiappone (201) 436-0473
and voice your opinions. Call Governor Corzine , too. (609) 292-6000.

I just read that the Iowa supreme court struck down the gay marriage ban. We in NJ should be embarrased that for some time legislation to allow our gay citizens full marriage equality has been sitting around with no action. I encourage those of you who feel that this is an outrage to call our state senator, Sandra Cunningham (201) 451-5100, and our assemblyman, Anthony Chiappone (201) 436-0473
and voice your opinions. Call Governor Corzine , too. (609) 292-6000.

I heard several of the candidates speak last night at the HPHA meeting. What a crew. Eric Goldsmith, Moshe Rozenblit and Tom Wilen also impressed me. I also liked mandy Johnson who seemed to me to have a genuine concern about the kids. Everyone should vote in these elections.

And by the way, no one is proposing that the civil rights struggle that blacks have fought in this country is equal to the one being fought by gay. I would put it like this: the black experience is The Civil Rights Fight whereas the one for gays is a civil rights fight.

Sinik,

The issue becomes one of civil rights when a segment of the population that is subject to discrimination is singled out in some inappropriate way by the law. In this case, gays have been specifically excluded from the rights that the state grants to married couples.

I object to the joining of my post concerning same sex marriage in NJ that started this thread with the thread on the Black/Latino vote's effect on Prop 8's passing. The issues are seperate.

What I wanted to know was how JClisters felt about the governor backing down on the issue here in NJ. Until recently, it was supposed to be a slam dunk for 2009 but now none of the bills are any of the legislative agendae. It seems that our elected officials have developed cold feet. I guess they are afraid of having some of that Mormon money find its way to NJ.

I would encourage those of you who rightly see this as a civil rights issue to contact your legislators and tell them so.

Is anyone else troubled by our governor's recent position on this issue?

As I understand it, he has encouraged the legislature to shelve the issue because he feels the legislature must devote all of its energy on the state"s economy. This is after he had indicated that he would sign a bill from the legislature after the November election since he felt it would be too "controversial" an issue to take up beforehand. Please.

Given what happened recently in California, and in Connecticut, I think this is the perfect time for this issue come to the forefront in NJ. Why are our legislators unable to concentrate on more than one issue at once? While the economy is certainly the most important issue facing the state right now, I think that civil rights are also important.

The neighborhood really needs a gourmet grocery. I hope it's a Garden of Eden.

First of six new stores opens at Liberty Harbor
Monday, November 24, 2008 By CHARLES HACKJOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Flowers never looked so yummy.

An Edible Arrangements franchise is the first business to opens its doors in the Liberty Harbor development in Downtown Jersey City.

Offering its trademark bouquets of fruit arranged in vases and dipped in white and dark chocolate, Edible Arrangements on Grand Street is a model for the type of business Liberty Harbor developers want to fill their remaining storefronts.

"We are looking for commercial users that will enhance the character of Liberty Harbor and service the needs of new residents," said Jeffrey Zak, a principal partner at the Liberty Harbor Development. "But we also want Grand Street to be a destination for the Downtown area."

Natasha Marsch, owner of the Jersey City franchise at 261 Grand St., has been taking orders for parties and functions since the store opened two weeks ago and says business at her new store is beginning to pick up.

"The bouquets look like flowers, but are edible so they are much more practical," Marsch said. "We are convinced it will work as a business model."

Stiff competition and overpriced rents in Manhattan made Jersey City an attractive destination, Marsch said.

She now hopes other stores will bring more foot traffic to the area.

Six of the 16 storefronts along Grand Street are now leased, Zak said.

And the residential units are also filling up.

By the end of the year, when developers hope The Zenith at 9 Regents St. - a new 150-unit loft building - is fully leased, Liberty Harbor will have 500 units occupied, Zak said.

Among the businesses that are in the pipeline to open by spring next year are Abbondanza restaurant, serving Italian food; Cocoa Bakery & Cafe, serving gourmet coffee and homemade pastries and desserts; and a new German-style beer garden, called Zeppelin's. Also on the way are an organic dry cleaner, a vintage clothing store, a gourmet grocery and an upscale deli.

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Nice to read that LGBT civil rights is of "low importance". As I see it, the local level is where these issues should be vetted. By the way, the venue for this was a LGBT event, exactly the place where a potential candidate's record on LGBT issues should be vetted. If Schundler has a horrible record on these issues, it's certainly something the voters need to know. Really, straight people need to understand that these issues are important and not just "wedge issues" Really, get clue!!

We fired them a couple of years ago after we suspected that their loyalties were with the developer rather than us. We also felt that they were unprofessional and unreliable.

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Yea, just what we need. Let's elect another executive that we'd like to have a beer with.

Face facts, JC. Schundler is a Republican and a social conservative. Not someone I would want to see as mayor let alone governor.

And while we're on the topic of governors, what's with all the vitriol toward Corzine? Those who criticize his budget need to put up or shut up. Everyone complains about high taxes but no one wants to cut anything in the budget or accept the fact that driving your damn cars needs to be made more expensive so that the price reflects the costs to our society.

You're kidding, aren't you? Haven't you heard of gay urban renewal?

Did anyone else notice how many of the couples that the NYT features in these articles are gay?

And by the way, the fact that a number of gays are leaving NY and moving to JC is a very good thing for real estate values, not to mention the city's fashion sense. Let's hope that the theaters, good restaurants and upscale stores continue to open.

This is good news. Why do several of you feel the need to complain about this? Having doctors and nurses living in the Grove Street area can only be a good thing. Maybe we'll finally get gourmet grocery store!

The Lowe's mission statement reads something like BAM which is exactly what it should become. Problem is the webpage doesn't even provide either the names of those who manage the facility or the Board of Directors. A look at the calendar shows an institution that is way underutilized.

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Thank you for the information. However, let me clear the record. I do not think that Senator Obama is anti-gay. I am an informed voter and have a firm grasp on most of his positions. I think I've watched every debate and read every article in the NYT on him and the other major candidates.

What I tried to highlight in this and other threads is that he has done some things that were questionable in my view regarding issues important to me. I watched him very closely when he was interviewed on the LOGO channel and was comforted to hear his support on almost all of these issues. Howevr, when I saw the news about the ex-gay minister's involvement with Senator Obama, I felt like I was punched. I thing the ex-gay movement is abhorrent. I would also like to say that I do believe that gays will do better with Hillary in the White House and I do prefer her plans for universal healthcare over Senator Obama's. It was SalontheHill that set me off when he accused me of being racist/sexist which is not true.

All of that said, I will pull the lever for the Democratic candidate in November whether it's Senator Clinton or Obama. People need to focus on the fact that the next President will most probably appoint three Supreme Court justices and that is the most important issue of all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/opi ... UESTIONS.html?ref=opinion

This is a link to an op ed piece in toady's NYT. In it someone would like to ask Senator Obama whether his willing participation in a church that encourages only black attendance and black allegience speaks to an open mind and quest.

I had never heard or seen anything about this before. Does anyone have any information about this?

There is nothing wrong with the Newport mall. It's nothing special but it serves its purpose. What is certainly true is that as downtown continues to gentrify, so will the Newport Mall.

Walked by here today and there are red "Stop Work" orders posed on these properties.

What you're all forgetting and is certainly an important part of the equation when comparing Brooklyn to Jersey City is the NYC income tax which, for income over $90k, is an additional 4% over and above the NYS income tax. This you do not pay if you live in Jersey City.

I like Obama but there is something to be said for experience. Like any job, a person with the right experience can hit the floor running. With the country in the condition it's in after eight years of Bush, it's important to have our problems addressed quickly and not have to wait for someone to come up on the learning curve. Hillary's got him hands down in that respect.

Anyway, it's great to have a choice like this. Two people who read and can actually speak. Silly me, I want my President to be smarter than me.