If he's driven by integrity, like you say, and not personal power and ego stuff, then he should withdraw. He knows that the council will be in the same position that it was. If he can't work with other council members, then do the hard thing and step aside. Journal Square deserves better than your dad's obstructionism and excuses. There's going to be a lot more people moving here. Is he really the best person to move Journal Square forward? He certainly seems stuck in its past.

If that's the best argument you can muster for your dad's candidacy, I'd urge him to leave the race.

His list of accomplishments was impressive enough to have Steve Fulop think he was the best candidate for Ward C by about 10 miles, so there's that.

Maybe Rich and his "integrity" should have run for an at-large seat again if he doesn't want to come through for the people of Journal Square. The person who holds the Ward C seat is supposed to work for us, for our best interest and for the people of Journal Square. This isn't a "nice guy" contest. There's lots of nice guys that aren't on the city council. If you or your dad can't come up with any viable reasons to give him 4 more years to do what he couldn't in the last 4, Rich ought to start packing up his office.

I don't care about inside baseball political stuff. I want results. If Rich isn't up to getting results for his constituents, then he should step aside and give someone else a chance. His list of accomplishments is flimsy. Excuses don't cut it.

Fun fact: Mayor Fulop asked my father multiple times to run on his ticket. He offered money. He contacted my brothers and I to try to persuade my father to join him. He had his people do the same.

My life would have been easier if my father had said yes, but he would rather take the harder path and stay independent who only answers to his conscience. If only we had more politicians who cared more about their integrity than their chances of getting re-elected.

Pershing Field is in the Heights, by the way. Maybe Rich should do something for parks in Journal Square.

The people of Journal Square deserve better than excuses. They deserve better than obstruction. Journal Square has suffered and been neglected because your dad listens too much to Yun. And has forgotten the people who sent him there. Journal Square deserves results. Is there any question that one of the other candidates would do a better job getting results?

Most of these aren't even his accomplishments! The people of Jersey City stopped that ambulance contract, not Rich. You helped countless constituents? That's the job. Yeah, that noise ordinance was his one accomplishment on the council. Big deal!

This list is even sadder than I thought it would be. 4 years he was on the council! Everyone should vote for John or Rekha. Rich had his chance, it's time for someone else who can maybe work well with others.

Here's a few:

- Securing a commitment for space for a supermarket in the new tower going up in JSQ. There's smaller streetscape demands he's made that no other council member would have made but will help the overall area.
- Affordable housing funding for seniors and veterans.
- Finding replacement housing for ~40 terrified undocumented immigrants after their building burned down.
- Stopping the RobinHood development on Sip Ave. If you give that project an exception to the rule, you may as well throw the whole JSQ 2060 redevelopment plan out the window because every other developer will sue on the grounds that they deserve fair treatment. If you want luxury skyscrapers next to single family homes, then don't vote for him.
- Reestablishing the street cleaning budget from $300K to $1.2m this year.
- Updating the city's noise ordinance.
- I have no idea how many constituents he's helped with quality of life issues, but it's a huge number, and why so many people are loyal to him. He gets calls from people in other wards all the time that he helps with noise issues, police issues, public works issues, etc.
- He stopped a very corrupt ambulance contract from happening. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that the huge donation to Fulop's PAC happened just before he wanted to switch over the 100 year contract.
- He's continued running the Winning the Peace Program where West Point cadets are immersed into the local Arabic, Indian, Pakistani, and African American communities.
- Got Ward C a disproportionate amount of Park's funding after years of neglect. Pershing Field's restoration is the most obvious result of this.
- Steered tax abatements to where they are actually beneficial (encouraging development in neglected parts of the city) and fighting them in areas where they're no longer necessary (downtown).

And if his political plan this time around is to simply call everyone else "rubber stamps" then I would tell everyone in Journal Square to vote for someone else. Being an obstructionist for the sake of being obstructionist, or as a campaign strategy to somehow run for mayor, gains Journal Square nothing. We need someone who can work with any council, and any mayor.

I voted for your father twice last time. I didn't vote for him because he was polished. I voted for him because I thought he would do a good job. I had no idea he was going to refuse to work with the mayor or anyone else. And I certainly had no idea he'd be walking around 4 years later going "Boo hoo, I didn't have enough friends on the council to get anything done." That's the ultimate dog ate my homework. Why should I expect 4 more years are going to make any difference?

How about some specifics? Specifically how is Journal Square better? What are your father's accomplishments?

Jim I share your (sudden) strong concern for NJ election law, and I'm happy to see you apply the same standards to all candidates, even the one you're shilling for.

Journal Square is most definitely a better place than it was 4 years ago. There's many people who deserve credit for the ongoing transformation, and my father is absolutely one of them. He may not be part of the polished elite that you prefer, but it's nice to know there's at least one person in Jersey City that can't be bought by anyone, especially developers.

I'm not interested in a "loyal opposition." Politicians find ways to get things done. This isn't the House of Representatives. And if your dad can't forge consensus, then it's time for him to move on.

Rich's job isn't to represent anti-Fulop sentiment in the city. His job is to work for Journal Square. I gave him a chance 4 years ago and my faith was misplaced. He listens more to Council meeting gadflies than his constituents. Is Journal Square better off than it was 4 years ago? If so, how?

Why is your dad's campaign littering my neighborhood with illegal campaign info on telephone poles? Rich doesn't work with anyone to make Journal Square better. The council will probably look the same! What does his grandstanding get Journal Square residents? Neglect!

This is his daughter posting from his account this evening.

With 7 rubber stamps out of 9 council members, you can imagine why it's hard to push through legislation. Fulop was in the same position when he was first elected. Knowing that, my father's been a voice for transparency on the council in a "loyal opposition" kind of way while working on everyday issues like traffic, development, and very basic good government kind of stuff that Jersey City has traditionally struggled with.

Put another way, the city won't be a better place if Fulop were re-elected controlling 9 of 9 rubber stamps who do as they're told.

I voted for him twice. His opponent lived in Florida. I find his constant grandstanding and lack of accomplishments disturbing. But of course he considered running for mayor, because why not?

Here's the deal...

Boggiano loves Jersey City but I struggle sometime to point at initiatives and accomplishments in his first term. I don't want someone who's mostly know for voting no at council and complaining about the mayor. I want someone that will make Journal Square better. Someone with vision. Don't just wait for things to happen. Make them happen Boggiano, and take credit for it.

Get the long promised supermarket to Journal Square, along with other amenities that will improve the neighborhood, then you'll have my vote.

I've seen definite improvement in that area. Keep building on that.

Tell your dad to stop illegally posting campaign signs on telephone poles

In support of my dad, Rich Bogginao, for Ward C

I am writing to ask for your support for my father, Richard Boggiano, for Ward C Councilman in the upcoming election on November 7.

Many people have asked why my father is running for re-election in Ward C. The short answer is - he loves Jersey City. It really is as simple as that. My father loves the city that he has lived in for over 40 years. He loves the city that he raised a family in. And he loves the city that he established his career as a Police Officer in.

Even after 4 years as a councilman, my father does not consider himself to be a politician and the reality is, he's not - at least not in your typical sense. Those who have met him often comment on how real he is. He tells you exactly what he thinks at all times, without all the smooth talking and pretense we have come to expect with politicians.

This realness - paired with his love for Jersey City - is why my father is a great councilman. Over the past 4 years, he has spoken out about anything he felt wasn't in the best interest of the residents of Jersey city. He has fought to provide checks and balances on a city council that residents have come to expect serve mainly the mayor's interests and not those of the people of Jersey city. He has fought for the everyday, quality of life issues that often get ignored as development continues to expand in our city. My father has truly become a voice for the residents of Jersey City.

As I look to start my own family in Jersey City, I am grateful that we have someone like my father on our city council looking out for our best interests and fighting to ensure that our voices are heard.

On November 7th, I proudly ask you to vote 5C for Jersey City's Independent Voice, Richard Boggiano, for Ward C Councilman.

Katrina Boggiano, Jersey City

Link to letter (4th one down): http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... board_candidates_pro.html

Quote:

City Hall Annex costing taxpayers letter by Mia Scanga

Excerpt

I downloaded that meeting from YouTube. As expected, it passed 7 to 2 with only Councilman Yun and Boggiano using their heads. This Council has way too many rubber stamps!

Full letter here: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ates_issues_election.html

That's from Fortune Cookie 23:14-16 I think

Quote:

That is a good question, why would she tell McDonald that she would have to pay a fine. This little pearl came from the Bible: If you are not honest in little things then you will not be honest in big things.

Well, Rich makes a big deal about being old school and chivalrous. John H. says nice things about Rich.

Quote:

And neither does Trump need to be mentioned.

The poster I challenged was attempting to link Trump to the candidate with the snarky comment. BTW Boggiano's answer to the question was fine. Why would anyone running for office say that the opposition is capable of representing their constituents?

Trump never did and certainly Hillary/Obama never did. That was my point.

It's my fault, really. Don't blame Big Guy. The Jersey Journal said that Rich was a Democrat, but there's just no way that's true.