Healy Campaign Kickoff?s Message: Stay the Course

By Matt Hunger ? Feb 18th, 2013


What?s the sense of changing horses in mid-stream? Or worse yet, who are these interlopers who are taking over our city? That was the basis for Mayor Jerramiah Healy?s argument to remain the city?s mayor ? and to become the longest sitting mayor in almost 60 years ? at his official campaign kick off, held Saturday afternoon at Michael Anthony?s waterfront restaurant. Make no mistake, Healy said as he introduced his slate of Council candidates, Jersey City has seen real progress in the nine years of his mayoral stewardship, from job growth to new construction, from a fall in crime numbers to the weathering of a financial crisis. Why stop the progress now?

?If it ain?t broke,? said Healy, ?don?t fix it.? Not long after, At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson argued ?it?s not time for change, it?s time to continue the progress.?

And progress has come to the city. Ironically, though, some of the progress that was touted comes from those same vilified ?newcomers? and ?interlopers.? Though never mentioned by name, Healy?s ?opponent? ? shorthand for Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop ? may represent the city?s fastest growing Ward, but this ?opponent? has only called Jersey City his home for about 13 years. Who is he, asked Healy, to dictate things to the born-and-bread residents?

Read the rest at JCI.

Board of Education Candidate Debate Set For This Week By Matt Hunger ? Apr 11th, 2012 With the Board of Education election scheduled for next Tuesday, a group consisting of media outlets and advocacy organizations have come together to hold the Great School Board Debate this Friday, April 13th at 6pm in St. Paul?s Lutheran Church (440 Hoboken Ave). The debate will be moderated by Jennifer Weiss (the editor of JCI), Assata Wright (a staff writer for the Jersey City Reporter), and Monica Aguilar Calderon (president of Action-21), and Spanish language translation will be provided. So come out and learn about the decision makers that will shape the direction of schools in Jersey City. Sponsors of the event include the Facebook Parent Advocacy Group, the Hudson Reporter, NJ Action 21, and the Jersey City Independent.
View Larger Map http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... debate-set-for-this-week/

Plan To Fold The Jersey City Incinerator Authority Into Department of Public Works Introduced

By Matt Hunger ? Apr 12th, 2012

The plan to fold the semi-autonomous Jersey City Incinerator Authority into the city-operated Department of Public Works was finally introduced at Wednesday night?s City Council meeting, 7-2. This, the latest version of a plan that has been discussed for years, was introduced by Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop and follows the third of three studies commissioned by the city to look into how best to consolidate the agency and the department.

?This is a good thing,? said Fulop, who acknowledged, ?there are a lot of employees in both organizations and our pledge is to move forward recognizing that there are families and lives impacted by this [consolidation.]?

The process, he maintained, would not be politicized. Fulop had previously suggested the JCIA was bloated by patronage jobs.

?It?s not based on individuals or individual relationships,? he said. ?It?s what?s in the best interest for the 250,000 residents in the city.?

However, the decision was criticized by At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson, who called into question the savings that would be generated by the merger. Fulop has cited a study provided by an independent firm that suggested there would be a $10 million saving numerous times, but Richardson said she?s ?not quite convinced that this consolidation is going to net us? as much money as the outdated report says. It?s an argument that the Healy administration has also made.

Read the rest at jcindy.com.

Tonight November 2, 2011 - Final Candidate Forum

One Last Jersey City Council Candidate Forum Wednesday Night at Ferris High School

By Matt Hunger ? Nov 1st, 2011


Attention Jersey City voters: There?s one last chance to hear from the At-Large Council candidates ahead of election day, November 8th. Stay engaged and find out more about our future city officials when they field questions and share their vision of Jersey City?s future. With many of the questions coming from your input on the Jersey City Council Candidate Forum Facebook page, this is a chance to hear your fellow residents? concerns addressed directly.

?The inclusion of Facebook in this forum aims to harness the power of social media to let residents determine what questions they want the candidates to answer and to provide residents, especially those who can?t attend the forums in person, an opportunity to actually see and hear the candidates,? said forum organizer Candice Osborne.

The final Jersey City Council Candidate Forum, which will be held Wednesday, November 2nd, in Ferris High School from 7pm to 9pm, is sponsored by the Downtown Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and will be moderated by Political Science professor and Historic Paulus Hook Association board member Dr. Jonathan Wharton.

Ferris High School, 35 Colgate Avenue, Jersey City NJ 07302.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ht-at-ferris-high-school/

Ten Candidates for Two At-Large Seats Face Off at Heights Forum
By Chris Neidenberg ? Oct 17th, 2011

Last Thursday?s PS 28 forum among 10 candidates seeking to serve the remaining 18 months of two At-Large City Council seats was conducted in a friendly atmosphere among participants with the fireworks being reserved before its start; police ejected one candidate from the dais for allegedly not responding to an invite by a deadline.

Seated on stage before a crowd of about 100 in the school?s large auditorium were: Richard Boggiano, Ihor Ed Ciolko, Rolando Lavarro, Patrick Leonard, Dan Levin, Juanita Lopez, Suzanne Mack, Omar Perez, Imtiaz Syed and former councilman Jamie Vazquez.

Adele Rohena showed up, but, after much resistance, a policewoman booted her from the dais under threat of arrest.

Organizers said she was required to respond to an official invitation that was sent by regular mail and email.

Another candidate, Brian Lane, also sought late inclusion, but, unlike Rohena, accepted his rejection. Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, seeking to move over to an interim at-large seat, responded in time but was kept home by illness.

Those apparently declining participation were incumbents Kaliah Ahmad and Ray Velasquez, along with Melissa Patrick Clark and Nabil Youssef. Seventeen candidates are seeking positions vacated by Willie Flood (illness) and Mariano Vega (resigned after pleading guilty to corruption charges). The council temporarily appointed Ahmad and Velasquez. The victors will immediately take oaths to complete two three-year terms.

Read the rest at Jersey City Independent
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ace-off-at-heights-forum/

Sneak Peek: Barcade?s Jersey City Location Set to Open Next Week
By Melissa Surach ? Apr 13th, 2011

After about a year of planning and construction, Barcade Jersey City is set to open to the public next week. Co-owner Paul Kermizian says the highly anticipated American craft beer bar/arcade has officially passed all inspections and will open around April 21, though he says the specific date won?t be known until the end of this week.

Barcade Jersey City will feature 24 drafts, one cask, and 33 vintage video games. The location marks the second in a growing Barcade franchise; the original opened in Brooklyn?s Williamsburg neighborhood in 2004, and another will soon open in Philadelphia. It begs the question ? why in the world did the owners choose this town?

Read the rest at:

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... on-set-to-open-next-week/

By Chris Neidenberg ? Mar 8th, 2011

Ward E councilman Steven Fulop has endorsed Marvin Adames, Carol Harrison-Arnold and Suzanne Mack for April?s school board contest as he continues to build momentum for his political organization after backing last year?s winning slate.

Yet Fulop assures that his endorsements go beyond his own political ambitions as he looks to unseat Mayor Jerramiah Healy in 2013. Rather, he says, it?s about striving to build a better Jersey City for the future.

?Who they ultimately decide to support for mayor is of no concern to me,? he says. ?The endorsements are all about what?s best for the future of our schoolchildren and the district.?

He points out that Board of Education (BOE) will continue to be faced with many important issues, including a potential nationwide replacement search for current superintendent Charles Epps. As such, he says his organization decided the matter on the merits, choosing a mix of candidates blending attributes such as experience, a passion for grassroots community involvement and a desire to invest in the future of the city and its schools.

As in 2010, when the councilman backed Carol Lester, Angel Valentin and Sterling Waterman, Fulop assures this year?s ticket was thoroughly vetted through a screening committee.

?We didn?t just say, ?Here are these political hacks we want you to support,?? Fulop tells JCI. ?We screened 10 to 15 candidates. The approach we took was to closely examine their qualifications and views. We then picked people whose service, we feel, will best benefit the community.?

Read the rest of the article at:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ating-last-years-success/

From Jersey City Independent
By Jon Whiten ? Sep 16th, 2010

Plenty of Jersey City commuters like to complain about the PATH service; but if you have ever wanted to actually do something to help make the system better, now is your chance.

The Port Authority is forming a new PATH Patron Advisory Committee that will meet for four consecutive weeks next month, on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm at Journal Square.

Being a member of the committee allows you to meet PATH?s management team, learn more about PATH service and, perhaps most importantly, share your personal experiences and suggest improvements for how to make the service better.

Space for the committee is ?extremely limited,? according to PATH officials. To be considered, you can fill out this registration form online, or call 201-216-6247.

You will be notified if you?ve been selected between September 20 and 24.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... atron-advisory-committee/

Residents & Officials Come Out in Force Against Proposed Gas Pipeline in Jersey City
By Douglas Carlucci ? Aug 5th, 2010

Just feet from where Spectra Energy wants to run a natural gas pipeline through the heart of Jersey City, around 300 residents and public officials gathered in Ferris High School?s auditorium last night to tell the Houston-based energy conglomerate and its federal regulator to find another path.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy led off a list of at least 90 speakers who spoke for a total of four and a half hours. Their comments were nearly unanimous in opposing the pipeline, which would transport natural gas from Staten Island, through Bayonne and Jersey City, to a Con Edison power plant in midtown Manhattan.

?A pipeline of that magnitude is going to create a tremendous disincentive to any private entity to invest in this land,? Healy said. ?This is not about money. It?s about safety that we?re all elected for. That?s the main issue we have ? to protect our citizens.?

Wednesday night?s meeting was the first opportunity for the public to comment on Spectra?s proposal in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the independent body which has sole authority to approve the pipeline?s construction...

Read the rest of the article at jerseycityindependent.com.

By Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg ? Jun 14th, 2010 ?

Despite the threat of thunderstorms, the rain held off all day and hundreds of people flocked to the newly renovated and reopened Hamilton Park in Downtown Jersey City on Saturday for the annual Hamilton Park Festival. Festival-goers were greeted by representatives from many local nonprofit and community groups, live music from a number of bands and plenty of area residents trying to find new homes for their unwanted stuff.

PHOTOS:

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... 0-hamilton-park-festival/

By Jon Whiten ? Jun 14th, 2010 ? Category: Blog, News, Politics

Former Jersey City deputy mayor and Healy campaign treasurer Leona Beldini was sentenced today to three years in prison by a federal district judge.

Beldini was the first of the dozens arrested in last summer?s corruption probe to opt for a trial, which didn?t go so well. She was found guilty in February of accepting $20,000 in illegal campaign contributions from FBI informant Solomon Dwek during the 2009 mayoral campaign. Her boss, Mayor Jerramiah Healy, was named in several complaints and seen in FBI surveillance video, but never charged.

John Bohrer, who covered the Beldini trial for the Independent, is spending time in Chicago this summer covering the trial of Rod Blagojevich for Esquire. He says the entire probe highlights the need for tighter ethics rules in politics.

?As long as the unethical remains legal, politicians will continue to cross into the illegal, harming the public and exposing themselves to incarceration and personal ruin,? he says. ?Healy and his crew should thank the do-gooders and reformers they curse, no matter how pie-eyed they might be. They are saving them from themselves.?

Beldini, who is 75 years old, was ordered to report to prison by Aug. 2, according to the Associated Press. Expect an appeal.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... sentenced-to-three-years/

By Jon Whiten ? May 25th, 2010

The renovation of Hamilton Park, which got started on April 30, 2009, is finally coming to a close with an official re-opening slated for Thursday, May 27 at noon.

The nearly $3.2 million renovation includes a comprehensive subsurface drainage system; a new
playground and ?sprayground? for children with separate toddler areas; two fenced dog runs, new Victorian-style decorative lighting; a community garden; new tennis, basketball and multi-use courts; and new benches, tables and drinking fountains. The city also renovated the gazebo in the center of the park.

The daytime grand re-opening and ribbon cutting will reportedly be followed by live music at the Parkside Bistro on Erie Street beginning at 6 pm.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... icially-re-open-thursday/

Mayor Nominates Longtime Orange CFO as Business Administrator
By Shane Smith ? May 6th, 2010

Jack Kelly, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Orange in Essex County, has been nominated by Mayor Jerramiah Healy to replace Brian O?Reilly as Jersey City?s business administrator, the mayor announced today. O?Reilly, who has held the business administrator job since 2004, announced in November that he was planning to resign his position.

?While several exceptional candidates applied for the position,? Healy says in a statment, ?Mr. Kelly possess the unique municipal government experience in administration and finance. We are confident in his skills, knowledge and expertise to lead the department of administration during this difficult economic time.?

The nomination of Kelly, who served as Orange?s CFO for 21 years, must be confirmed by the City Council before he can assume office; at this point the council?s assent seems likely. Ward B councilman David Donnelly says he was ?very impressed? when he met with Kelly and says he thinks the hire is ?a good move.? Likewise, Ward A councilman Michael Sottolano intends to support Kelly?s nomination.

?He?s obviously got quite a bit of experience,? Sottolano says, noting that the city was searching for a candidate ?with enough municipal experience? to handle the city?s finances in a difficult time.

Kelly also comes with high praise from state Sen. Richard Codey, who acted as New Jersey?s governor from 2004 to 2006 after former Gov. James McGreevey resigned from office. Codey, an Orange native, tells JCI that he ?relied on [Kelly] often as governor and still [does]? when he has questions about municipal government.

?He?s a hard worker,? Codey says, adding that Kelly?s nomination is ?good news for the city.?

For his part, Kelly says he?s fully cognizant of the fiscal challenges facing Jersey City, and is ready to ?dive right in and roll up [his] sleeves? to tackle them.

Read the rest at
jcindy.com

City to Undertake First Reval in 22 Years
By Shane Smith ? Apr 29th, 2010

In a letter submitted to the county Board of Taxation, Mayor Healy has announced that his administration will soon begin the process of a citywide property revaluation. If the board approves the plan, it will be the first revaluation in Jersey City since 1988.

According to city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill, ?barring any unforeseen scenarios,? the first step in the process ? accepting and evaluating proposals from valuation firms ? is set to begin in June of this year. After a contract with a firm is approved, property inspections are expected to get rolling around November and last through the end of April 2012. Taxpayers? new assessments will kick in at the start of 2013.

Read the rest of the article here.

From JCINDY.COM Apr 21st, 2010
PHOTOS: Memorial Service for Polish Plane Crash Victims

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... lish-plane-crash-victims/

From Jersey City Independent (www.jcindy.com)

Dramatic Budget Season Nears Its Close

By Shane Smith ? Apr 20th, 2010

In the months since the draft municipal budget was introduced in January, voices have been raised in protest at city council meetings, city services have been cut, workers have been laid off and pay raises for police and fire were nixed. But despite all these events, taxpayers can expect a tax increase this year.

City officials held meetings with business administrator Brian O?Reilly and his staff over the course of the past weeks and months to dissect the budget and trim expenses wherever possible; these efforts reduced the proposed tax levy by over $10 million, from about $196 million to $185 million. For individual taxpayers, this means that the $800 increase in taxes per $100,000 of assessed value that was proposed in January has dropped to $593. O?Reilly tells JCI that three ?big-picture? items contributed to the reduction of the tax levy burden this year: deep cuts to services; increased revenues from payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) (commonly known as abatements); and a court victory in a ?very challenging? insurance case against the city...

Read the entire article:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... t-season-nears-its-close/

Check out this week's BOE forum coverage at Jersey City Independent:

Final School Board Forum Digs Beneath the Talking Points
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... neath-the-talking-points/

BOE Candidates Sound Off at Marathon HPHA Forum
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... f-at-marathon-hpha-forum/

Sparks Fly At School Board Candidates? Forum
By Shane Smith ? Mar 26th, 2010

Ten of the 16 candidates for this year?s school board election gathered Thursday evening at Metropolitan AME Zion Church on Belmont Avenue to introduce themselves to the community and make the case for their election.

Three of the positions on the nine-member board are up for grabs this year, and all three incumbents ? Terry Dehere, Gerry McCann and Angel Valentin ? are running for reelection, and they were all on hand Thursday. The other candidates who attended the forum were Evelyn Farmer, Carol Lester, Gerald Lyons, June Mulqueen, Marimer Navarrete, Sterling Waterman and Arthur Zigman.

continue reading at:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... l-board-candidates-forum/


Quote:

Council Report: Budget Brouhaha Continues, Elections Move Denied and More

By Shane Smith ? Mar 12th, 2010

Although this Wednesday?s council meeting was not as packed as the last two were, a relatively large crowd of about 200 were present in council chambers for at least part of the five-hour proceeding as the council considered nine first-read ordinances, 13 second reads and 27 resolutions.

And even though most of the legislation on Wednesday?s agenda was not directly related to the budget, that was the very thing most of those who addressed the council were focused on. Many more community members than usual approached the podium to speak to the council on a number of controversial second read ordinances, quite a few of them more than once. All council members were present to vote on the ordinances, although Ward E councilman Steven Fulop arrived late; At-Large councilwoman Willie Flood left during the public hearing portion of the meeting and did not cast votes on any resolutions.

the report continues:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... ons-move-denied-and-more/

photo outtakes:
http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... -city-council-outtakes-3/