My issue is the hiring and paying for outside artists's travel expenses including flights and hotels. This is not including the $10,000 for just the artist compensation. We, the taxpayers, have so far paid for an artist from South Beach Miami and Italy to come to Jersey City. We are right across the river from NYC, mecca of the art world. Why can't we hire local?

Murals are nice, but they will not improve Jersey City. Why not focus on real 'quality of life issues' like having businesses clean up their frontage every day; attract real industry into JC, rather then just poaching from NYC; trying to make Jersey City the premier city in NJ, not just another borough of NYC.

I personally think Fulop is a fraud, but I do like seeing residents take an interest in JC and that is something Fulop has increased. I just wish he didn't try to make JC into another Hoboken.

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And if he does so what? I think it is pretty obvious he wants to further his political career but I am more concerned with what he does here first. SO far he has made changes, whether you agree with them or not, it is more than what Healy did in all his 8 years.

We won't get results of all this until at least next year so I'll wait to criticize him until then. Personally I think this mural project is a good idea. After having traveled to Montreal last year and walking around the city and seeing the countless murals scattered throughout, it definitely left a positive impression on me and can't wait to go back. That is exactly what this project is setting out to do.

This city has long endured a negative image that has been hard to shake off and to bring more people in, we need to get away from that image. I already have brought people to this city and one of the things they mention is how they love the arts here and can't wait to come back. Obviously this won't be the catalyst that propels the city forward but every little bit helps. I do agree with Boggiano, however, that the city should have done this at a later time.

I agree, lets pick up the garbage first.

Jersey City councilman fuming over city paying DPW worker for mural project

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop?s plan to cover parts of the city with eye-popping murals may be a hit with artists, but City Councilman Rich Boggiano isn?t a fan.

Boggiano is irked that a city Department of Public Works employee and truck were used over the weekend to assist the artist painting a mural at Christopher Columbus Drive and Barrow Street.

?We have trees that need to be cut for people in this city,? Boggiano wrote in an email to The Jersey Journal. ?That?s what this truck should be doing if they are out on Sunday.?

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I hear banksy will be in NYC soon for a "residence." Maybe we can get him over here for part of that.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ ... ere-is-banksy-now20131001,0,6799862.story

Jersey City seeking to commission dozens of murals citywide

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

The Oak Street-facing side of 445 Martin Luther King Dr. in Jersey City, a three-story structure with a barber shop on the ground floor and apartments above, was until recently just a brick wall overlooking an empty lot.

Over the course of two days last week, Miami artist David Lavernia added splashes of color and a portrait of civil-rights leader Nelson Mandela to create one of dozens of murals Jersey City hopes to commission citywide in the next year.

So far, three are complete, including a blue-hued image of a Native American woman on the side of an apartment building at Summit Avenue and Grand Street courtesy of artists Shawn "Pawn" Edwards and Emilio Florentine.

City officials call the effort both a city beautification effort as well as a cultural education campaign. Mayor Steve Fulop said he wants to turn the entire city into an "outdoor art gallery."

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