Yes, because I'm irritated that Steve "anti-corruption" Fulop just added a tax cheat (Nidia Lopez) to his ticket then I must be a Healy supporter. Is this the start of all of the Fulop zombies doing back flips to morally justify to themselves what just happened?

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Hah, that would have never occurred to me Mr. Six Post.

A pledge is still a pledge. Nowhere does it say they will pass an ordinance.

I'm not surprised Fulop added Lopez to his ticket in Ward C but it's hard for him to hold the moral high ground since this is the same woman who cheated on her taxes for so many years until she got caught. Fulop can dress that up however he wants but he's no better than the rest of the slime running the city in my book. The two term limit pledge gimmick is just that - imagine where he'll be 8 years from now if it was only 4 years ago he was calling for Lopez's head after her tax scandal.

I'm not a Healy hack either so don't get me wrong here. Nice guy but we'd be better off with a sack of potatoes in charge of the city. Too bad my choices for mayor come down to the lesser of three evils.

Disclaimer: I am voting for Rich Boggiano in Ward C. Happy he's running and glad to see he is an independent. At least his moral compass doesn't flap in the wind like Wunderkind Fulop.

Here is a link to the exploratory image. And by the way, I had this posted on Jan 17th, a full 12 days before this got news. It's a good idea whose time has come and I support Fulop's team for following the leader.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos ... 94172537_1105145270_n.jpg

Fletch

I'm glad the topic of term limits has come up.

If you go to my facebook site, and see my exploratory poster, you will see that I am taking a two term pledge.

www.facebook.com/Fletch4JCWardE

Public Service is not supposed to be a full time job and it was never intended to be.

I work in marketing and advertising and the only reason I am contemplating a run is because we need new folks in government and folks who can read a budget and control the current out of control spending.

All I know is since I bought into the American Dream in 2007, my taxes here in Jersey City have increased dramatically, while my home's value has decreased also very dramatically. This is not a good thing. And high taxes make Jersey City a less attractive place to live.

We need to keep Jersey City an affordable place to live. But politics isn't my thing. I want to go in, try to make a difference, hopefully help, and then get back to my private life.

You don't need a law to vow to only serve two terms. All you have to do is look to one of our country's founding fathers... George Washington. He didn't want to be "King" and he only served two terms as president.

I'm running to show Jersey City that anyone can run if they believe they want to make a difference.

Now I just need to get a bunch more signatures. But I am making progress and taking my own sweet time. I want to actually get to know people in my ward.

Fletch

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Here's the case.

http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx? ... docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985

There's a Chancery Court decision from Bayonne that ruled the Faulkner Act preempts any local effort to enact an ordinance limiting terms.

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what specific clauses/language leads you to believe (non-professional opinion of course) that we are precluded from imposing term limits?

I'm not very familiar with the intricacies of the faulkner act but i know that other city-council governments have term limit regulations (either max number of terms or max number of consecutive terms). The NJ Constitution has a term limit clause on the governor, and Christie has said that he is an advocate for term limits on legislators. Is there something specific in the state's laws that restrict term limits from being applied in a municipality?

I'm confused, you wrote that you believe, legally, that Rolando couldn't enact something, and then called him out for not enacting it? Would you prefer he try to break the law? I'm seriously confused!

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The pledge to serve no more than two full terms seems like a clear difference between the Fulop team and the Healy team. These are positions where it seems like 8 years is plenty of time to accomplish something.

I wonder if any of the Healy team will feel the need to take the same pledge?

no, pre-empted by state law.

during one of the forums during the 2011 special election for council at-large, now councilman Lavarro promised to introduce term limits as one of his first actions/efforts upon being elected. of course he has not done it, and was running with councilwoman Richardson in the midst of her third while he was saying this.

there are pluses and minuses with term limits as we saw with NYC. I like them in general and I agree with Steve's reasons (and believe I have said same.) I have to assume that he knows we cannot do it at the municipal level.

until they are implemented at the state level, we will have to live with our existing term limits - called elections.


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Next question. Can a Faulkner act municipality pass a legally binding term limits law?

I'll answer my own question. From the horse's mouth...


Councilwoman Nidia Lopez Rounds Out Team Fulop Ticket

Candidates Pledge to Term Limits

JERSEY CITY ? Jan. 29, 2013 ? Steven Fulop, running for city mayor in the May 2013 election, announced Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez has joined his ticket and that his council candidates have pledged to serve no more than two terms.

?I can think of no better person to represent Ward C than Nidia Lopez and I am proud to have her on my team,? Fulop said. ?Nidia knows firsthand the struggles of many of our residents living in Ward C and she has been a tireless advocate on their behalf.?

Lopez, who ran on Mayor Healy?s ticket in 2009, broke with the mayor on policy issues shortly after taking office. The first female Hispanic Municipal Council member in Jersey City history, Lopez said she will work with a Fulop administration to continue fighting for the revitalization of Journal Square and pushing for increased public safety throughout Ward C.

?In the four years that I have served on the Municipal Council with Steven Fulop, I have come to respect him for his leadership and his commitment to ensuring that all neighborhoods in Jersey City thrive,? Lopez said. ?My decision to join Steve?s ticket was easy. He?s the only candidate who has forward-thinking plans to fight crime, improve schools, make government more accessible and ensure that Jersey City's growth benefits everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.?

The selection of Lopez to run on Team Fulop completes the ticket for the May 14, 2013election.

Fulop, as well as the candidates running of Team Fulop, have taken a ?term-limit pledge,? vowing to serve in office for no more than two full terms. The council candidates also pledge to pass legislation limiting the terms of mayor and council to no more than two terms, which Fulop says he will gladly sign.

Fulop noted that both the president of the United States and the governor of New Jersey are limited to two terms. Now?s the time for term limits in New Jersey?s second largest city, Fulop said.

?We?ve seen in Jersey City how career politicians end up serving themselves and their cronies rather than the public,? Fulop said. ?It?s resulted in higher taxes, wasteful tax breaks for big developers and no-bid contracts for supporters.?
?It?s time to end politics as usual,? Fulop said. ?Term limits will result elected officials who are committed to serving Jersey City residents first and foremost. It will also bring fresh ideas and new energy to our governing body.?

Fulop?s team represents the diversity of Jersey City and includes a mix of experienced public servants as well as long-time community activists who were called to public service.

The three at-large candidates are: Councilman Rolando Lovarro, Daniel Rivera and Joyce Waterman. The ward candidates are: Frank Gajewski in Ward A, Khemraj ?Chico? Ramchal in Ward B, Assemblyman Sean Connors in Ward D, Candice Osborne in Ward E, and Councilwoman Diane Coleman in Ward F.

Al's article is the only source I've seen that says Lopez will run on Fulop's ticket. Is there any corroboration of this?

Jersey City City Councilwoman at large Viola Richardson is joining Mayor Jerramiah Healy?s re-election team as its third at-large candidate in May?s city election, Healy?s campaign announced today.

Richardson, who joined the council in 2001 as its Ward F rep, was promoted by voters to the at-large slot in a 2011 special election. She is seeking a fourth term on the nine-member body.

?Just like Mayor Healy, I?m driven to always do what?s best for the residents of Jersey City and those who work here,? Richardson said in a statement from the Healy campaign. ?And together, we?ll continue to work hard to make Jersey City a better place for all.?

A former Jersey City cop, Richardson saw her influence grow on the council after the 2011 election, which saw her nabbing the most votes of 17 candidates. In that campaign, she ran against two candidates backed by Healy.

Her influence waned a bit after the 2012 special election in which voters tapped Diane Coleman, an ally of Healy opponent Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop, to replace Richardson as the council?s Ward F rep.

?Viola Richardson and I share the same motivations in all that we do ? namely, always doing what?s best for Jersey City?s families and our community,? Healy said. ?Councilwoman Richardson is a strong, independent voice, and I?m proud of all the work we?ve accomplished together to move our city forward.?

The election is set for Tuesday, May 14. The mayoralty and all nine council seats are up for grabs.

A horse race in Jersey City?
Jan 27, 2013 |

Supporters of Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy have had a lot to celebrate over the last few weeks because some political observers believe the Jersey City mayoral race may be too close to call, now that state Sen. Sandra Cunningham has decided to seek reelection to her legislative seat instead of running to become Jersey City?s mayor.

The bad news for Healy is the likelihood that Cunningham will endorse Jerry Walker, the third declared candidate, a move that will likely push the mayoral election into a runoff. If they can be believed, supporters of Councilman Steven Fulop ? the perceived frontrunner in the race ? say Healy might not make the runoff if Cunningham?s votes go to Walker.

This may explain some of the fast and furious discussions going on between Healy and State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack, whose district encompasses the other half of Jersey City.

Behind the scenes deal-making has created an unusual bond between Healy and Stack, which could benefit both of them in the upcoming election cycle. Stack apparently has decided to dump Assemblyman Ruben Ramos (D-33rd Dist.) from his ticket, and has already lost Assemblyman Sean Connors, who is running on Fulop?s slate for Jersey City?s Ward D council seat. Although Healy wanted James Carroll to run in Ward D, Stack is apparently trying to enlist Carroll to run on a countywide ticket for county sheriff ? a very good pick, since Carroll has a lot of experience as a police officer.

Healy, however, would like Carroll to run as a Ward D candidate to oppose Connors, pitting two police officers in a very crime-conscious part of Jersey City.

Everything is perception. The Healy people are trying to tell the public that Fulop is so out of touch with anything outside of Ward E that he would need a passport to visit those places, and that his slate of candidates are so unfamiliar that they might have to show photo ID to people to even recognize them, let alone vote for them.

Fulop apparently has been working hard to counter this impression of a no-name ticket. Ward B Councilwoman Nidia Lopez has decided to join his ticket, a significant coup. But Stack also has his eye on Lopez as a possible running mate for one of the two Assembly slots. The other slot would go to one of four possible people in Hoboken, Councilwoman Beth Mason, Councilman Ravi Bhalla, Councilman Michael Russo, or former school board President Frank Raia.

This leaves Ramos little choice but to run for mayor of Hoboken against incumbent Dawn Zimmer, joining what is already considered a crowded field of potential candidates.

Healy ? in contrast to Fulop ? is so laid back that when he says he is running for mayor, we wouldn?t want to mistake his pace for anything like running to catch a bus. ?A quick gait? might even be a gross exaggeration. A slug might give Healy a run for his money, provided the slug gave Healy a head start. But Healy has a solid ticket, all of whom bring something of their own to the ticket, provided he can find someone to run in Ward D if Carroll doesn't.


Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.


Read more: Hudson Reporter - A horse race in Jersey City

Hello Ward E.

JC Lister Br6dR asked where I stand on things politically.

I had to draw it out for you. You can see my drawing on my facebook page.

I am detailing every step of my journey. While I might not win, I want to show that EVERYBODY in Jersey City can participate in OUR government. We need new faces and new ideas... New Blood in the System. Cause what we have now is broken.

If you want to keep Ward E "INDEPENDENT" I will be at the SNOWBALL this weekend. Look for me.

You can follow and LIKE my facebook page. Join the Journey.

Here

https://www.facebook.com/Fletch4JCWardE

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy?s re-election campaign?s ended 2012 with a strong fundraising quarter, raising about $233,000 to Ward E City Councilman Steve Fulop?s $217,054, according to documents filed with state election officials.

Roughly a quarter of Healy?s reportable donations ? those over $300 ? come from city workers or employees of city agencies, the documents show.

Fulop, meanwhile, scooped up some large donations ? $2,600 is the maximum ? from Bergen County developer William Rosato and from attorneys with politically connected Hoboken law firm Florio and Kenny.

Fulop, who during the previous quarter had raised about four times as much as Healy, is still sitting on a roughly $832,000 war chest, which gives him a large advantage over the incumbent mayor, the documents show. Healy has about $306,531 on hand.

The two men are facing each other in the Tuesday, May 14 mayoral race. Former basketball star Jerry Walker, who announced on Jan. 15 that he plans to run for mayor, hasn?t announced any fundraising totals yet.

I don't know how long anyone else has been here but this is going to be the most 'fun' election in the last 25 years.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

With eight weeks left until candidates in Jersey City?s May city election have to hand in petitions to run for mayor or City Council, about 60 possible candidates and campaign workers attended an informational session Monday night to learn all they can about the city?s quadrennial race.

City Clerk Robert Byrne held the roughly hour-long session, during which Byrne fielded questions about the number of voter signatures candidates need to get their campaigns certified, who they can solicit signatures from and whether they can start raising campaign cash immediately.

Byrne, who said this may be the sixth city election he?s witnessed since he started with the clerk?s office, said he has held one-on-one meetings with potential candidates in the past, but a larger, group session seemed like a better idea this year.

Every four years ?poseurs? show up, spend hours with City Clerk workers learning about the election and then never hand in signatures to get on the ballot, he said.

?We call them ?energy vampires? in our office,? Byrne said.

Monday night, potential first-time candidates mingled with veterans like Councilwoman at large Viola Richardson, first elected to the nine-member council in 2001, and Ward E activist Dan Levin, who made a failed bid for mayor in 2009 and another unsuccessful attempt for council in 2011.

Running for office in Jersey City isn?t easy. Mayoral and at-large candidates need to submit petitions with valid signatures of 1,331 registered Jersey voters ? one percent of the total number of registered voters in the November 2012 General Election ? while ward candidates need anywhere from 189 to 261 signatures, depending on the ward.

Byrne recommends candidates get twice the number of signatures they need in case some of their petitioners turn out not to be registered voters or don't live in the candidate's ward.

Second Street man Fletcher Gensamer, who plans this year to run for the council?s Ward E slot, said after Monday?s session that Jersey City needs ?businessmen? on the council. Gensamer, 42, who runs a marketing firm, said Byrne?s informational session made him think a council bid is ?do-able.?

Grace Giron, 35, a South Street woman who plans to run for an at-large council seat, said Monday?s meeting with Byrne made her ready to start knocking on doors seeking support from voters.

?Now I?m certain that I should really run,? Giron said.

The mayoralty and all nine council seats are up for grabs in the Tuesday, May 14 election. Petitions are due to Byrne?s office by 4 p.m. on Monday, March 11.

On Monday, Byrne and Deputy City Clerk Sean Gallagher urged candidates to hand in petitions early.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has added local Democratic activist and Hudson County worker Gerald Meyers to his slate of City Council candidates for the upcoming May city election.

Meyers will run in Ward B, which is currently represented on the nine-member body by Councilman David Donnelly. Donnelly said earlier this month he will not seek re-election.

Meyers, of Belvidere Avenue, said in a statement from the Healy campaign that he?s ?tired? of watching candidates run for office ?for selfish reasons.?

?Mayor Healy cares about this city and all the families who live here. I am proud to join the Healy team to keep the progress going and put Jersey City first,? he said.

Meyers will face Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal, the only other announced candidate for Ward B, which encompasses the West Side. Ramchal is running on the council slate of mayoral hopeful Steve Fulop, the Ward E councilman.

Healy?s campaign noted Meyers? work with the Lincoln Park Little League, where he started as a coach and eventually became the league?s president. He has also served for years as a Hudson County Democratic Organization committeeman.

?Jerry Meyers has touched the lives of countless children in Jersey City, and together we?ll work towards continuing the progress in our hometown, where we?ve both raised our families,? Healy said in a statement.

Healy?s ticket now includes Councilman at large Peter Brennan, who seeks a fourth term on the council; former mayoral aide Omar Perez, who seeks an at-large seat; former schools superintendent Charles T. Epps Jr. in Ward A; Meyers in Ward B; JP Morgan business analyst Janet Chevres in Ward C; and community activist Dan Levin in Ward E.

The election is set for Tuesday, May 14. The mayoralty and all nine council seats are up for grabs.

Where would you place yourself on the political spectrum? Liberal? Conservative? Libertarian?

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Hello Downtown Jersey City.

I attended the information session at City Hall this past Monday for folks interested in running for office.

I am interested in the Ward E position currently held by Steven Fulop. As you know he is running for Mayor.

I believe that Ward E needs to keep tradition by having an INDEPENDENT minded person (not beholden to anybody's political machine, or special interests) in the spot.

There are requirements to run though. First I have to get 273 valid signatures on petitions that I have to file. (Plus a lot of extras - like double).

So all of this is still really in it's infancy. And, I'm not even sure if I can get the needed amount.

You can follow my quest on my special facebook page for now: www.facebook.com/Fletch4JCWardE

If you believe in an INDEPENDENT choice for Ward E, I'd be a good choice for you being that I am a businessman and entrepreneur, starting my own marketing company in 2011.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Lookout for me and my sign coming soon. And join the quest!

Respectfully yours,

Fletcher Gensamer

A property-service workers union representing about 9,000 New Jersey office cleaners, security guards and others today endorsed Jersey City City Councilman Steve Fulop?s bid for mayor.

32BJ, which calls itself one of the state?s fastest growing unions, said Fulop ?has fought tirelessly? for working families.

?Steven brings new ideas to ensure that Jersey City has a flourishing economy to benefit all its residents,? said Kevin Brown, the union?s New Jersey director. ?Our members are proud to support leaders who will make sure the voices of working people are heard.?

The union rallied with Fulop last year in support of the so-called ?living wage? ordinance, a measure adopted by the council on July 18 that boosts minimum pay for low-level workers in city-owned and some city-leased buildings and in developments that receive city subsidies.

Fulop, in a statement from 32BJ, said the union represents working families, ?the backbone of Jersey City, the heart and soul of the Democratic Party.?

?As mayor, I will continue to work every day to make sure families have an opportunity to flourish here in Jersey City with good jobs, living wages, good schools, and safe neighborhoods,? Fulop said.

Fulop is competing for the mayoralty with Mayor Jerramiah Healy and former basketball star Jerry Walker. The election, which finds all nine council seats up for grabs as well, is set for Tuesday, May 14.

http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/ ... he-wont-seek-re-election/

Who will Healy nominate to run ?

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I must say I'm stunned. I never thought Gaughan would take his muzzle from the trough that feeds his entire family, and I don't mean at his table. He must have some new cushy HCDO gig lined up, because so senior a Capo in the machine never retires, he just keep on sucking at the tit one way or another.

I'm no fan of Connors, but I don't see how he can be worse for the Heights or the city. Maybe he can get the "100 steps" finally built after The Cliffs was allowed to renege on their promise. But Fulop probably knows not to expect any loyalty...

Jersey City mayoral hopeful Steve Fulop nearly filled out his City Council slate tonight, announcing on his website the addition of two at-large council candidates and hopefuls for Wards B and F in May's city election.

Ward F Councilwoman Diane Coleman, who was elected in a November special election to fill a vacancy on the nine-member council, will run on Fulop's slate in Ward F, as expected.

Ward B Councilman David Donnelly, who had announced a bid last year to run for re-election on Fulop's ticket but who has since dropped out of the race, has been replaced by Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal, a Hudson County Improvement Authority employee.

Meanwhile, Daniel Rivera, a research clinic coordinator at Newark Beth Israel Hospital and former president of the Roberto Clemente Little League of Jersey City, and Jersey City pastor Joyce Watterman will join Councilman at large Rolando Lavarro as Fulop's three at-large council candidates.

The May 14 city election finds the mayoralty and all nine council seats up for grabs.

Fulop's campaign had previously announced that former Jersey City police chief Frank Gajewski will run on the Fulop slate in Ward A and Assemblyman Sean Connors will run in Ward D.

With tonight's announcements, only Ward C, which encompasses Journal Square, has yet to have a Fulop candidate.
JJ

Jersey City's longest serving councilman says he won't run for sixth term

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
January 07, 2013 at 2:59 PM

In an expected development in Jersey City?s 2013 city election, Ward D City Councilman Bill Gaughan announced today he will not seek a sixth term on the nine-member body.

Gaughan, 74, the longest serving Jersey City council member, was first elected as the Ward D rep in July 1993. In a statement released today by Hudson County, where he serves as chief of staff, Gaughan called his council tenure ?an incredible 20 years.?

?Throughout this historically long opportunity to serve, I was glad to listen to the concerns of the people of The Heights and try as best I could to get city hall working on their side,? Gaughan said. ?The countless chances to intervene and make a difference in folk?s lives have truly been a blessing.?

Gaughan touts among his achievements the transformation of the city?s Waterfront ?from a rusted-out relic to a modern engine of growth;? a new city command center in The Heights; and his support of small-business development, particularly along Central Avenue.

Gaughan is the latest council member to announce he doesn?t plan to run in May?s city election, when the mayoralty and all nine council seats are up for grabs. Last week, Ward B Councilman David Donnelly announced he was bowing out of the race, and late last year Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano said he won?t run in May, either.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who counts Gaughan as an ally, had planned to replace Gaughan on his re-election ticket with Assemblyman Sean Connors.

But Connors, who had initially endorsed Healy in September, retracted the endorsement in November and the following month announced he will run in Ward D on a ticket with Healy foe Steve Fulop, the Ward E councilman and mayoral aspirant.

In his statement, Gaughan didn?t give a reason for his decision to retire from the council, other than saying it came after ?much personal reflection? and discussion with his family.

?You have to go back a long time to find a regular municipal election in which my name does not appear on the ballot, so no doubt this spring will be a little strange for me,? he said. ?But that doesn?t mean I will care any less about the outcome."

Ward D encompasses the Jersey City Heights

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... rving_c.html#incart_river

His name is not on the ballot, but disgraced developer Solomon Dwek may become a fixture of Jersey City's upcoming municipal election.

Dwek, who is serving a six-year federal prison sentence for bank fraud, was the confidential informant who helped federal investigators nab crooked pols here in Hudson County and elsewhere during the massive 2009 corruption sweep.

Posing as a crooked developer, Dwek offered city officials FedEx envelopes filled with cash in exchange for assurances that they would assist his purported real-estate deals. His secretly recorded meetings helped land Healy loyalists like Leona Beldini, the former deputy mayor, and Mariano Vega, the former council president, behind bars on corruption charges.

And for Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop, Dwek may as well a running mate for Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Fulop's competition in the May 14 mayoral race.

In January 2011, when discussing a Healy contributor who was set to win a city contract, Fulop referred to Dwek.Later, when asked about the possible sale of city-owned property near the Jersey City Medical Center, Fulop warned that Dwek's dealings with city officials proved the city should be careful in its real-estate ventures.

And on Friday, Dwek's name came up again, in a statement from the Fulop campaign demanding Healy return cash Dwek gave to the mayor's campaign during the federal sting.


Jersey City councilman and mayoral hopeful Steven Fulop is trying to tie former FBI informant Solomon Dwek to incumbent Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy even though Healy was never charged with any crimes in 2009's massive corruption sting operation.
Jersey Journal file photo
For the Fulop campaign, Dwek is relevant to the 2013 race because he "revealed the depth of corruption in the Healy administration," said campaign spokesman Bruno Tedeschi.

"When officials like those who served in the Healy administration put self interest above the public interest, it results in a lack of focus, higher crime, an increase in taxes and a decrease in services, which is what we are seeing now in Jersey City," Tedeschi said.

In 2009, Healy announced that he was donating about $17,000 in contributions from Dwek to charity.

Watch Video Here

Fulop now contends that Dwek contributed as much as $55,000, but Healy campaign spokesman Joshua Henne denied the Healy camp is sitting on any additional contributions from the infamous confidential informant.

"Steve Fulop knows full well that money was donated to charitable organizations," Henne said. "Fulop's desperate, negative attacks simply confirm that he'll do and say anything to get ahead."