You know - this one could actually end well. That'd be a nice change. At what point do you think Healy starts to backpeddle away from her? Now that the story has elevated above the local cesspool level and is out of his control, he has to scurry/waddle back into his hole, no?

Here's the politckernj.com article link:

http://www.politickernj.com/editor/31 ... n-accused-being-floridian

Can you imagine this now proceeding to depositions? Is that the creaking of Pandora's box opening up?

The judge today ruled that there should be a trial in the Lopez Case.It is reported on the Politikernj.com web site.

Trial date is the first week in Oct. and depositions are to take place in August.This was a huge hurdle to overcome as the Healy lawyers were hoping to have the case dismissed on the grounds that king filed the suit to late.

Can someone link to the site?i'm an idiot with that stuff.

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Truth, Justice, under the Healy Administration, yeah right!

This is not about King anymore if it everwas but about truth, justice & fill in the blank.

Please, please, please let her be dumb enough to fight Florida.

$30 g only covers what she owes Florida. Florida has no state income tax and we all know that NJ has a very hefty one - she'll probably owe NJ something considerably more than $30 g for the past eight years - even before you get to penalties and interest. Is the $40,000 city council seat worth all that???

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Hello all!

I just wanted to point out the Summer Hours for City Council

Caucus on Mondays - 10am
Council on Wednesdays - 10am

Tx

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But all her clothes were there!!!

So - if Florida is saying she wasn't a resident, does that mean she was a Jersey resident? If so:

Will she have to re-do her taxes going back to 2002 for Jersey?

What about voting in 2 different places in 2003?

Did she have false documents in submission to run for council?

Well, at least the position will cost her $30K.

NJ.com

FLA. TELLING LOPEZ SHE OWES $30G
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
By AMY SARA CLARK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Florida officials have come up with a final bill for Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez for back taxes: $30,473.59.

Orange County officials have determined that she did not deserve the homestead property tax exemptions she claimed for her four-bedroom Orlando house between 2002 and 2008, according to Michael Prestridge, chief deputy property appraiser for Orange County. A letter is being mailed to Lopez today, notifying her of the debt.

Lopez declined to comment. Her attorney, William Northgrave, did not return phone calls yesterday evening.

Lopez, 59, has claimed a homestead property tax exemption on the home since 1997, which saved her thousands of dollars a year. But in 2001 she started voting in Jersey City. Even though Lopez started voting in Jersey City in 2001, the change affected her status only beginning the next year, officials said.

This amount includes the exempted taxes, plus another 50 percent as a penalty, and 15 percent interest compounded annually, according to Ann Wetherington of the Orange County Property Appraiser's Office.

The investigation came to light after Jimmy King, who finished second to Lopez in May's municipal election in Ward C, filed a lawsuit in Hudson County Superior Court challenging Lopez's Jersey City residency.

After receiving an anonymous tip in June that Lopez had been elected to the Jersey City Municipal Council, Orange County officials rejected her 2009 homestead claim and began investigating past years

I hope King keeps a close eye on this to make sure the fines don't come from any hidden war chest money.

I feel bad for the ward C residents. 2 embarrassing national stories of their city council representatives.

Probably nothings will happen as to her losing her seat, unfortunately. Not sure what the law is, but I don't think King should get it. This isn't a beauty queen pageant where it goes to the runner up. Should be a new election, and the city should sue her for the cost.

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Wanna bet Healy & Co. find a way to offer "defense assistance"?

Wouldn't surprise me to find out you and I end up paying for this out of the 11% tax hike.

The AP has finally picked up on this story and Florida Officials have determined that she owes 30,305.
Very expensive seat she just bought.

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No shit.... just don't stand under him....

What may be at the end of the day is that she will be found by the court to be as pure as new fallen snow having just made the minimal requirements to run, win & be seated. The bottom line for a lot of people who care about good government is that she is a carpetbagger with no permanent ties here and has nary a clue to the fiscal crisis this city is facing. She will be a yes vote for the Healy crowd forever and ever not listening or caring for the plight of the besieged taxpayers and citizens of Jersey City.

So if the election is invalidated, could the Council nevertheless designate Lopez to the seat? Or even Lipski?

It sounds like the choices are simply terrible. If they appoint King to a seat he didn't win, that's not good either.

BTW I'm suprised that as yet there's been no allegation of fraud or "perjury" w/r/t her candidacy filings. I assume there's a declaration or affirmation of residency, etc., which is conclusively a false statement if the residency qualifications are not met. What would that be? Knowingly filing false records with a county agency. Etc.

Maybe Tom DeGise should sweep in and flush this lady down the drain and seize the reins as a do-gooder. Obviously Healy is a chump and doesn't have the balls to admit he failed in vetting of Ms. Loquat.

Lipski? ...... Lipski!! There has to be someone who actually lives in Ward C who doesn't have a record or a history of substance abuse. C'mon Ward C - you can do better than this!

In Jersey City, Lipski leaves possibility of return to council open
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter

What?s bad for Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez could be good for her predecessor, Steve Lipski.

If former council candidate Jimmy King?s challenge to the validity of Lopez?s May election is successful in forcing her to step down, Lipski might be willing to replace her.

?That option ? this is the first I?m hearing about it. I?m somewhat dismayed that the election would be questioned. I think the world of Nidia Lopez and if in the end the seat becomes vacant, I would have to consider whether I would want to step back in and take it,? said Lipski, who declined to seek another term after being arrested for urinating from a balcony onto a group of concertgoers in Washington, DC ? an incident that made international headlines and became fodder for late night television jokes.

Lipski said he barely caught wind of the controversy surrounding Lopez and her Florida house, for which she received a tax exemption meant only for permanent residents. He had been vacationing in Maine, where he stayed in a cabin without electricity or running water. He talked to PolitickerNJ.com on the phone from a hospital, where he was at the bedside of his wife, who broke her leg on the trip.

Former council candidate Jimmy King, who lost the Ward C election to Lopez last May, charged in a complaint that Lopez is technically a permanent resident of Florida, and Florida officials are reportedly seeking repayment of the exemptions Lopez claimed in her property taxes there. Further complicating matters for Lopez, the Jersey Journal reported today that Florida election officials say Lopez violated the law by voting in a 2003 Orlando election after registering in Jersey City in 2001.

Lipski, who is the founder and director of CREATE Charter School, said he has not discussed running again with anybody, although Jersey City political circles have been abuzz about the possibility over the last couple days. He did say that a friend at the incinerator authority text messaged him today saying ?Did you see today?s paper? I?ve got boys ready to do a recall.?

?Anything is possible,? said Lipski. ?I love the Party and I?d love to redeem myself, but I can?t make that decision right now.?

Mayor Jerramiah Healy backed up Lopez after King?s allegations came to light, saying that the lawsuit was part of a pattern by former mayoral candidate Lou Manzo and his political allies and has ?no chance? of succeeding.

If King?s challenge to Lopez is successful and she has to vacate her seat, the council will have 30 days to pick a successor. A special election will then be held in November to fill the remainder of the term.

Matt Friedman is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at matt@politicsnj.com.

On April 1st Lopez received a non-driver's ID, two months after the campaign began and 21/2 months before her NJ Driver's License. MMMM-MMM_MM!!




Lopez got New Jersey license last month
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter
Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia R. Lopez got her license to drive in New Jersey last month.
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission spokesman Mike Horan said that Lopez was issued a digital driver?s license on June 15. Two and a half months earlier, on April 1, the state issued her a non-driver ID. That was two months after she officially kicked off her campaign.
But Lopez was registered to drive in Florida until just last week, when the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles got word from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission that Lopez got her license here. The Florida agency was informed on June 30 ? the same day that news broke of former council candidate Jimmy King?s complaint that seeks to invalidate Lopez?s election based on her residency.
The license timing is relevant because former Ward C council candidate Jimmy King is challenging the validity of Lopez?s May election in court, arguing that Lopez has claimed her Florida house as her primary residence for tax purposes and that she had a Florida driver license.
Lopez, 59, does have a driver history in New Jersey that goes back to 1977, Horan said. Her Florida driving record is clean, save for one recorded expired tags violation.
Horan said that state law gives drivers who move here from out-of-state 60 days to change their addresses with the Motor Vehicle Commission. To comply with that law, she would have had to move here after March 1.
Council candidates are required to reside in their wards for at least one year prior to the election, which occurred on May 12.
Lopez does not have a car registered in New Jersey. It is not possible to tell whether she has or had a car registered in Florida, since that information is protected by the state?s Driver Privacy Protection Act.
?We?re going to address all those issues in our pleading, and it will be filed shortly,? said Lopez attorney Bill Northgrave.
No court date has been set to hear King?s complaint. Both sides are scheduled to have a conference with Hudson County Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli on either Thursday or Friday next week.
?I?m anxiously looking forward to the forms to see what they say,? said King attorney Alex Booth.

will any of you be attending this Monday's City Council Caucus meeting or Wednesday's Council meeting to express disapproval or call for an accounting?

you can get a two for one on Monday evening when across the hall from the caucus room, the Embankment is up before the Board of Adjustement (zoning).

Hi Jersey City,

Having a wonderful time here in Disney! Florida is great - wish you were here!!



Lots of Love,

Nidia!!

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Councilwoman Lopez probably insures it for him in exchange for helping her in her quest to be on the council.

He gets cheap car insurance, she get elected.

Both win.

To be honest, at this point this solution would save the tax payers a lot of money!

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In semi-related news, Council Pres. Vega, while hes not tooling around town in his giant black SUV with "County Gov't" plates, uses his personal car that just happens to have Florida plates.

I know where he lives. I've seen this.

So she keeps her husband in Jersey City and her clothes in Florida. Sounds like a very modern relationship.

All that aside... Are you kidding me??? At this point, I'm waiting for Premiere Healy and his duma to announce they will be forgoing future elections and that Healy will appoint his ministers as it pleases him. Why bother with the formality of elections when you end up with these messy situations. Much simpler to declare yourself Mayor for life and have any opposition dealt with severely.

He has a county car. FREE GAS. She has a city car. FREE GAS.

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

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"HER MARRIAGE TO HUDSON COUNTY DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES"!

ANOTHER JC/HUDSON COUNTY MARRIAGE WHERE YOU ARE SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE FAMILY!

TALK ABOUT A FRIGGIN' COMPANY TOWN!

Every Latina councilwoman in Jersey City history has had some kind of ethics scandal.

wanna bet absolutely nothing happens to her?

My guess is this is minor compared to the typical ethical shenanigans of our city council...

No matter which way Councilwoman Lopez or the public or the papers spin this, this simply isn't fair to Ward C residents.

We voted based on the idea that this was a person who called Ward C her home period. Even though it is legal to have many residences, I would not have voted for someone who saw herself as also living other places as to represent an area takes full commitment.

This whole thing greatly saddens me and although I understand that she now has to figure out how to get herself out of this bind without heavy fines... this is deeply disturbing for those of us who feel that we will no longer be properly represented on the Council.

You should be voted in on your merits and your commitment, not change your story once you get caught. This is very sad for Ward C.

Here are some numbers to call for Action on our Traveling Councilwomen.

NJ corruption hotline--1-866-847-7425

NJ tax fraud hotline--1-609-292-6400

NJ insurance fraud
hotline -- 1-877-553-7283

NJ election fraud
hotline -- 609-292-8700


Florida Att General bill McCollum 850-414-3300

FL tax fraud hotline 1-866-775-7474

FL voter fraud hotline 1-877-868-3737

FL insurance fraud 1-866-966-7226


Make A Call,Leave a Message,Quote the papers,the Fl.people were
especially nice on the phone.