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Re: ONE JERSEY CITY DEMANDS....Mayor Healy, Councilman Vega and Councilwoman Lopez must resign
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Quote:

njlist wrote:
T bird-- thank you for that posting.

Ironic that those who are for "fiscal responsibility" are claiming Christie as their supposed savior, and not seeing big picture:

Why is only the middle class being guilted into "giving back" while his rich buddies are getting tax cuts? What's with this blaming just a select group of people?


Which group of people are you talking about? Could you elaborate?

As for the "rich" people - may seem to think that "rich people" are like natural resource. Created by some invisible hand for the milking. What if they up and leave this state as they have been doing already, more and more with every year? Who will be paying your bills then?

Quote:
Why the assault on education -- if teachers are being asked to take on wage freeze, why not police, fire, other municipal, state, county workers --- what of christie, schundler and their commissioners and staff as well?


This is right, - we should think of other cuts. If our incomes are getting lower, it is reasonable that we should be paying less to those who work for us.

Quote:
Already, High Tech and County prep are having their sports programs cancelled for next year.. . now plans to cut high school sports for JC Public Schools -- what about urban students who were relying on sports to help give them a leg up on college scholarships, etc? On one hand we complain about teens on the streets, yet reducing activities designed to help them be productive?

How about "we don't have the money"?

You argue as if against someone who thinks those programs are bad. Nobody does. They are not bad. Well, may be they are. Who cares?

They are just out of our budget.

We can't afford them.

You argue "look at all those good things! Let's have them!" Ok, fine. Now, how do you propose to pay for them?

Quote:
.. yet, why then is just the middle class being asked to take on the burden, while as the article states, those making the most will be getting tax breaks?


I imagine by "middle class" you mean "teachers", right?

If so, what you are saying is, - "let's not try to pay less for the things we need! Let's pay more! And the extra money we can get by taxing the rich."

Well, this will not work. Rich will not willingly let you do that. They will just leave.

If I were them - I would leave too.

Consider: you work hard. You earn what you have. You become rich. And then someone tells you that they want to have a lot of Good Things, and this mean you must buy those things for them. And on top of that they are going to call you names and behave as if you are their enemy? You know what? You will not stand for it. As soon as you can you are going to relocate to Florida or Texas.

And then "they" can pay their own bills.

Quote:
I simply don't get why bankers feel entitled to bailouts, implying that the underpinnings of society will falter if their institutions fail.


Because this is the essence of the system where Government is involved in the economy. This is the whole point of WHY the Government wants to rule the economy, - in order to decide which businesses deserve help and which do not.

Without the Government, in the free market, - the decision is YOURS. You like what someone offers you, - you buy it. If the business offers things people want, - business is successful. YOU decide. Every time you buy something, - YOU vote with that money for the success of that business.

So, if a bank goes bankrupt, - it means that bank was not good enough for consumers. Big bank fails, and is replaced by the smaller competitors who behaved more prudently.

The whole reason of Government's participation is to say "oy, WAIT! NO! That big bank was bad, and imprudent, and it it was not giving customers what they wanted, - but we can't allow it to fail! That would be politically unsound! Besides, we personally know managers of that bank! Screw small banks, let's bail out this big one!"

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Well, I would argue that safe, clean street, and and educated productive populace is just as important for civilization.


Well, than you should be prepared to pay for it. No?

Posted on: 2011/6/15 13:05
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Re: ONE JERSEY CITY DEMANDS....Mayor Healy, Councilman Vega and Councilwoman Lopez must resign
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Healy is not fit to be the Mayor of Jersey City, he is incapable of governing.

Posted on: 2010/3/26 3:56
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Re: ONE JERSEY CITY DEMANDS....Mayor Healy, Councilman Vega and Councilwoman Lopez must resign
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^ As long as Vega gets his free city car, and Healy's friends on the JCIA and MUA boards get their health benefits, who cares what happens to the kids or the taxpayers?

Posted on: 2010/3/26 3:52
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Re: ONE JERSEY CITY DEMANDS....Mayor Healy, Councilman Vega and Councilwoman Lopez must resign
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T bird-- thank you for that posting.

Ironic that those who are for "fiscal responsibility" are claiming Christie as their supposed savior, and not seeing big picture:

Why is only the middle class being guilted into "giving back" while his rich buddies are getting tax cuts? What's with this blaming just a select group of people?

Why the assault on education -- if teachers are being asked to take on wage freeze, why not police, fire, other municipal, state, county workers --- what of christie, schundler and their commissioners and staff as well?

Already, High Tech and County prep are having their sports programs cancelled for next year.. . now plans to cut high school sports for JC Public Schools -- what about urban students who were relying on sports to help give them a leg up on college scholarships, etc? On one hand we complain about teens on the streets, yet reducing activities designed to help them be productive?

What of afterschool and kindergarten/pre-school programs? What about the fact that our streets will be less safe, messier, etc. Ultimately things like education, public safety, clean streets, are essential public services and will require then taxes being raised somewhere. . . yet, why then is just the middle class being asked to take on the burden, while as the article states, those making the most will be getting tax breaks?

I simply don't get why bankers feel entitled to bailouts, implying that the underpinnings of society will falter if their institutions fail. Well, I would argue that safe, clean street, and and educated productive populace is just as important for civilization.

Posted on: 2010/3/26 2:56
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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I have my own opinions about Christie and I'll write them later, but for now, seriously, where is Mayor Healy?


The Astor Bar ?

Posted on: 2010/3/26 2:46
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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Hoboken was taken over by a state accountant because they couldn't pass a budget. Would Jersey City benefit from this kind of intervention?

Posted on: 2010/3/26 2:35
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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thanks for posting this ... a very sobering piece ... very sobering ...

Posted on: 2010/3/25 23:00
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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From Hudson Democracy, a very well-written local blog that gives great coverage of JC politics:

Healy Fiddles, Jersey Burns

So it's come to this.

Jersey City is about to be torn apart, and not a word from Mayor Healy. What is going on?

In an article about Governor Chris Christie's proposed austerity budget, the Jersey Journal's Ken Thorbourne reports this "quote" from Healy which was obviously e-mailed from staff:

"The details of Governor Christie's proposal in cuts to municipal aid are just being released, and our budget team is working to analyze exactly how this will impact our city," Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said.

That's the only mention in the press of Healy reacting to Christie's to-the-bone cuts in municipal aid, and his proposal to end extraordinary aid to cities. I couldn't find another word. Jersey City is looking at a 17.5 percent reduction in state aid next year, to $63.8 million from $77.3 million.

Jersey City received $14 million in extraordinary aid from former Governor Jon Corzine as he walked out the door in Trenton. Mayor Healy rushed to introduce a budget, six months late, so he could claim it.

Here's the problem: Even with that aid, Healy's proposed budget is underfunded. It's huge proposed tax increase is over the state cap; it needs to be pared down to be in line with state law. I asked Healy's spokeswoman about what the mayor was doing to bring down spending, other than laying off marginal employees, but, as with another question, she never got back to me.

So here's the reality in Jersey City. Eight and a half months into the fiscal year, the city still does not have a budget in place. Mayor Healy has had to balance his proposed budget with a tax increase that is too big for state law. Most of the money in the "budget" has already been spent anyway, through "emergency appropriations" by the City Council. The fiscal year ends July 1.

Between the bad economy and the city's structural deficit of $45 million, the city is looking at huge budget gaps for the foreseeable future. Spending just keeps rising. Homeowners are tapped out. Now the new governor, who will be the governor for the next four years at least baring some disaster, is telling Jersey City and profligate, poorly-managed towns like it that he will not tolerate spending $14 million to help the city bail out the budget.

Healy has done nothing in his years as mayor except rely on gimmicks exactly like that to balance the budget. He hasn't done the hard work of governing Jersey City.

Now all the worst scenarios are occurring at once. Homeowners are in foreclosure or open revolt.

Infrastructure is breaking down. Pensions, benefits and unionized wages cost more each year no matter what. Jon Corzine is no longer the governor, and the man who is governor now is not weighing your city's votes with one hand when he's making a decision. He's coming after your aid.

Through all this, where is Mayor Healy? He's certainly not on the public stage, fighting with a Republican Governor who, in an economic recession, is helping rich people with a tax cut and asking everyone else to give back.

I have my own opinions about Christie and I'll write them later, but for now, seriously, where is Mayor Healy?

The city is running off the rails. It hasn't passed the current year budget, and in a few months Mayor Healy is going to have to start working on the next year's budget, for which he will have fewer resources.

It's as though the city doesn't have a mayor. Jersey City needs political leadership. The next several years are going to be absolutely horrible. Abandonment is increasing, and the streets are unsafe. Jersey City is going to have to provide more services with a shrinking tax base and a governor who isn't interested in helping the city out. (And forget about making up for it with all those gleaming towers downtown; they don't pay taxes, exactly.)

A few weeks ago I asked Mayor Healy's spokeswoman, Jennifer Morrill, what the mayor was doing to meet with constituents and community groups to talk about the budget and the tax increase and to consider what kind of cuts might be made. She never got back to me. I asked at least twice, and the second time she acknowledged receiving the question. That was out of character, because Morrill almost always responds to my questions, even if the answers are sometimes incomplete.

That really worries me. Right now it feels as though there's no one at the top in Jersey City, directing things. The city is fortunate to have a lot of competent career staff and professionals who get things done, and they keep things running, but the city is obviously missing a commanding officer. A ridiculous budget process is only the most prominent symptom.

What does it say about a mayor that a legitimate complaint against him, not one year into his second term, is that he is not involved enough in municipal government? Where is Mayor Healy?

Posted on: 2010/3/25 22:27
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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freedom wrote:
Just curious, does anyone know if the video of healy will hit the local news channels ? There is a lot of people who do not visit this site, or read the paper. I think it would be good for all the folks who voted for Healy and think he is 100% honest to see this video, it will change their opinion.


This is one time where the Jersey Journal has provided important coverage. It has had blow by blow coverage of the Beldini trial.

Posted on: 2010/2/4 15:36
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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trambone wrote:
What has anyone in One Jersey City done for Jersey city. I'd love to see credentials and things they've done. All your saying at this point is that you've ran a business.



I am not going to speak for every member of One Jersey City, but those that are in leadership positions have had very positive involvement in the community. Just as one example, I had the honor of serving on the board of Directors of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy with Dan Levin for several years. He was Treasurer of the group for part of that time. He also was president of the Harsimus Cove Association and Civic JC.

The other members have similar experience.

Go back to their campaign materials for their slate in the last election. Everyone who ran with them has served this community honorably.

Posted on: 2010/2/4 15:32
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Re: HEALY SITTING TIGHT: Not accused, he says, after 100 person demo targeting mayor, Vega, Lopez
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Interesting - how was it covered? My point wasn't that corruption doesn't happen elsewhere, just that when it does it gets covered by outlets with much greater reach. And partly because JC/Hudson County/NJ lack consistent and effective media coverage, corruption seems to be systemic here rather than the sensational exception.

A quick google search revealed that Birmingham has its own ABC, CBS, NBC, WB, UPN and FOX affiliates. It doesn't rely on TV coverage from a neighboring city that is more than 30 times its size. On the ABC, CBS and NBC affiliate websites, they still have dedicated sections with chronologies of events and coverage. I'd bet that when the story was happening, people saw this story on every channel of their local news every night in the lead slot for three to five minutes. I'd also bet that if you add up all TV news coverage of the JC corruption story on every NY channel since it broke in July that the total air time is less than an hour.

Posted on: 2010/2/4 14:38
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Re: HEALY SITTING TIGHT: Not accused, he says, after 100 person demo targeting mayor, Vega, Lopez
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T-Bird wrote:
Quote:

JRL wrote:
.... Let's keep working on pushing them out....We need to keep the pressure on.


And boy, wouldn't it help if keeping the pressure on weren't such an uphill struggle. If this were any other city in America, we wouldn't have to rely on the media from a much larger city to cover our news. Think about it - Jersey City is roughly the same size as Buffalo and Birmingham, Alabama. If high ranking officials in those cities - cities with national prominence - were being indicted, there'd be a steady drumbeat on the local network affiliates day and night. TV vans would be permanently parked in front of city hall. The mayor wouldn't be able to move without a camera in his face. Instead, we get the NY stations to come out and cover the highlights with a one or two minute clip buried between a hit-and-run accident on Long Island and .... guess what??? It's Raining Again!!!!

I believe the biggest reason corruption has festered on as long as it has is that the shadows are very, very comfortable here. There is usually little danger of angering the public - no offense to the Jersey Journal, but they have a hard time competing with the NY papers. This time though - the story is big enough that it hits the national radar. At least for a little while.


Looking back at the posts Birmingham popped up and it hit me that in December '08 its Mayor Larry Langford was arrested on federal charges of money laundering, conspiracy & bribery. 60 counts total in what may lead to the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. It does'nt end there. It spans the nation. There is nothing unique about these stories but here it had more flavor because of the characters and international impact. The press will come if hundreds march on City Hall and the residences of these swine not once but again and again.

Posted on: 2010/2/4 14:19
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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Just curious, does anyone know if the video of healy will hit the local news channels ? There is a lot of people who do not visit this site, or read the paper. I think it would be good for all the folks who voted for Healy and think he is 100% honest to see this video, it will change their opinion.

Posted on: 2010/2/3 13:36
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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Quote:

trambone wrote:
What has anyone in One Jersey City done for Jersey city. I'd love to see credentials and things they've done. All your saying at this point is that you've ran a business.

This seems so self serving.

I'd only support them taking these positions at a minimum of a 40% pay cut. Since they've done so well in the private sector they won't need the money.

No this proposal just seems crooked an unamerican. The people vote in their representatives. They don't just get appointed by the last guy.
your comments might have been insightful had they made sense ...

Quote:

DanL wrote:
what do you think it means .....?

within in the existing political system - before July, we could have meant former Ward B Councilman Kenny. post July - current Ward B Councilman Donnelly and of course many others.

I think most people would consider that Ward E Councilman Fulop is from "outside the existing political system". He ran and was elected twice off-line, works in the private secter, has no family or friends working for the city/county, nor as past elected or past/present appointed officials or having served on past/present municipal /board/commission/authorities.

we believe that there are many civic minded and qualified individuals from outside the existing political system willing to serve on an interim basis.

personally, I would like to see more "regular people" with private sector backgrounds run for office or serve on the city's boards/commissions/authorities.

Who would you like to see appointed or run for Ward B or At-Large council seats? or potentially mayor
thanks, DanL, for clarifying ... without signing for the choir, your grass roots organization has done a great deal in the downtown area to make the citizens better aware of the incompetence of the -- majority of the --- city's elected leaders ... do you think corzine would be interested in being mayor?

Posted on: 2010/2/3 13:05
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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What has anyone in One Jersey City done for Jersey city. I'd love to see credentials and things they've done. All your saying at this point is that you've ran a business.

This seems so self serving.

I'd only support them taking these positions at a minimum of a 40% pay cut. Since they've done so well in the private sector they won't need the money.

No this proposal just seems crooked an unamerican. The people vote in their representatives. They don't just get appointed by the last guy.

Posted on: 2010/2/3 5:29
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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so, what does "outside the existing political system" mean again?

and, are you saying that councilman fulop has no "friends working for the city/county, nor as past elected or past/present appointed officials or having served on past/present municipal /board/commission/authorities"? i wonder id he would dispute that?

Posted on: 2010/2/3 5:14
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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what do you think it means .....?

within in the existing political system - before July, we could have meant former Ward B Councilman Kenny. post July - current Ward B Councilman Donnelly and of course many others.

I think most people would consider that Ward E Councilman Fulop is from "outside the existing political system". He ran and was elected twice off-line, works in the private secter, has no family or friends working for the city/county, nor as past elected or past/present appointed officials or having served on past/present municipal /board/commission/authorities.

we believe that there are many civic minded and qualified individuals from outside the existing political system willing to serve on an interim basis.

personally, I would like to see more "regular people" with private sector backgrounds run for office or serve on the city's boards/commissions/authorities.

Who would you like to see appointed or run for Ward B or At-Large council seats? or potentially mayor?




Quote:

T-Bird wrote:
Quote:

o73o2 wrote:
Quote:

T-Bird wrote:
Quote:

blogcityblog wrote:
who determines what "outside the existing political system" means?


That is a great question.
"outside the existing political system" would exclude fulop ....


Which seems very self-serving, if true....

Posted on: 2010/2/3 5:08
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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o73o2 wrote:
Quote:

T-Bird wrote:
Quote:

blogcityblog wrote:
who determines what "outside the existing political system" means?


That is a great question.
"outside the existing political system" would exclude fulop ....


Which seems very self-serving, if true....

Posted on: 2010/2/2 21:15
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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T-Bird wrote:
Quote:

blogcityblog wrote:
who determines what "outside the existing political system" means?


That is a great question.
"outside the existing political system" would exclude fulop ....

Posted on: 2010/2/2 19:36
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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blogcityblog wrote:
who determines what "outside the existing political system" means?


That is a great question.

Posted on: 2010/2/2 16:38
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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who determines what "outside the existing political system" means?

and won't halting of all permits and approvals for new construction, development, and redevelopment until proper safeguards are in place hurt a lot of construction workers?
isn't there a less severe approach?

Posted on: 2010/2/2 15:35
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Re: HEALY MUST RESIGN
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http://onejerseycity.org/?p=690


Press Release - NECESSARY ACTIONS TO RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2009

NECESSARY ACTIONS TO RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

Jersey City, NJ ? In the recent municipal elections One Jersey City and its group of candidates ran under a banner of reform, determined to bring transparency and accountability to the political process in Jersey City.

Now, in the wake of the massive corruption scandals that have undermined voter trust, this reform is needed more than ever. One Jersey City and former mayoral candidate Dan Levin are calling for immediate action to restore public confidence in our city government.

Given Mayor Jerramiah Healy?s confirmation that he is indeed the ?JC Official 4? cited in FBI criminal complaints, we call for his immediate resignation, as well as that of Council President Mariano Vega. The implication that both men have engaged in activities that compromise their ethical responsibilities to their constituents warrants their immediate removal from office.

We also call for the resignation of Councilwoman Nidia Lopez. She has committed tax fraud in the state of Florida and has not proved that Jersey City is her permanent residence. She has demonstrated a lack of the judgment and transparency needed in a political leader and, to restore public confidence in the office, she should step down.

To end the already pervasive damage that these charges have had on Jersey City, and to begin to restore public trust in our officials, One Jersey City calls for the following immediate actions:

* Adoption of the Redevelopment Pay to Play Reform ordinance written by Civic JC

* Application of the State of New Jersey?s Ethics Code in Jersey City

* The halting of all permits and approvals for new construction, development, and redevelopment until proper safeguards are in place

* The resignation of Mayor Healy, Councilman Vega, and Councilwoman Lopez

* The selection of interim mayoral and council replacement appointees from outside the existing political system

Levin said: ?Quickly implementing this punch list of reforms will help to restore the public?s confidence in the decisions made by our city government and the belief that our elected and appointed officials serve the public interest, not special interests.?

Posted on: 2010/2/2 14:40
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HEALY MUST RESIGN
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I agree with the Jersey Journal. Healy must RESIGN. Even after this video he still thinks he did nothing wrong. It is time to start a petition for his resignation. Is it possable to start one here online ?

SHOULD HEALY RESIGN?

YES? or NO?

I VOTE YES!!


Editorial: Healy must resign as mayor of Jersey City
By The Jersey Journal
February 02, 2010, 6:00AM
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy must resign his office.
The mayor has said he has done nothing wrong in connection with a federal investigation into corruption in New Jersey that led to the massive arrests last summer of 44 people, including members of Healy's administration. He has not been charged.
Videos viewed by a federal jury last week in the bribery trial of suspended Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini reveal that Healy is an embarrassment as mayor of this city. He has provided a cinematic primer of what not to do as a chief executive of a municipality.
This is a man who is disengaged from reality. He pays lip service to transparency in government and poses as a caring public official, but Healy not only appoints his deputy mayor as his campaign treasurer, he is then willing to meet with her and a wealthy developer, along with a political consultant, just weeks before the mayoral election.
Some of those connected to the mayor's political organization and administration have already pleaded guilty to taking bribes, marking Healy's administration as corrupt. The level of corruption will be determined in the end by future jury verdicts. As disruptive as it would be for the city to lose its chief executive and be involved in a messy transferal of power, Jersey City cannot suffer another three years of Healy in office.
Not even taking into consideration the financial quicksand suffocating the city and its taxpayers, it is obvious to the most casual observer that this mayor is a mistake and must resign his office.
This is no ordinary public official. Healy is an attorney and former municipal judge, an officer of the court who is held to a higher ethical standard. In the fall, the state Office of Attorney Ethics, an arm of the New Jersey Supreme Court, recommended that the State Disciplinary Review Board take action against the mayor based on his conviction for obstruction of justice and resisting arrest stemming from a 2006 scuffle with Bradley Beach police. A suspension of his ability to practice law was suggested.
As in his Bradley Beach conviction, Healy does not believe he did anything wrong in his meetings with purported developer Solomon Dwek, an FBI informant and cooperating witness. This mayor even sees the videos in the Beldini trial as vindicating him.
What the hidden camera lens caught was a mayor who is willing to talk development and campaign contributions over the same dish of potato salad. Is this how business gets done in Jersey City?
Mayors in most municipalities will tell you they will never meet a prospective developer face-to-face. Proposed projects should go directly to a planning board.
Even more shocking, is at the beginning of one of the videotaped meetings, political consultant Jack Shaw tells Healy -- in the same sentence! -- that the sham developer has his eye on property in the city, "and we talked about the mayor's race, and I told him you were the place to put the money." Dwek chimes in, "Absolutely," and the mayor says, "Yeah." Later, the mayor says, "And you know we like to smooth the path for people to invest in our city."
In between, Healy, who already had a campaign warchest in excess of $2 million, offers a thin veneer of ethics, a charade of rules and regulations, but he's either willing to disingenuously let the developer think they're easily surmounted so his money will keep coming or he's truly willing to consider anything proposed by someone with such ostensibly deep pockets. When Dwek tells the mayor he gave Shaw "10,000 before and I'll do another 10,000 now," Healy thanks him and says, "we'll put it to good use and hopefully we can work together ..."
In the past, this newspaper demanded that the mayor show his outrage over the accusations in federal complaints accusing city officials of corruption. Healy refused.
He was asked to pressure then-City Council President Mariano Vega to resign from office and the mayor refused.
This is the first time The Jersey Journal has asked Healy to step down from elected office. We suspect he will refuse. As we said, this is a man who is disengaged from reality.
It's a reality that saw one Jersey City church include in its prayers on Sunday a plea for public officials to serve the needs of the people and not "their own personal agendas." Shame on Mayor Healy for being at the helm of an administration so steeped in corruption that a congregation in 2010 America has no confidence.
If he truly wants to do what's "good for the city" he says he loves so much, he will stop disgracing it, apologize and step down.

Posted on: 2010/2/2 12:54
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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All good and noble suggestions Dan. But the problems we face in Jersey City aren't unique to us - much of the state suffers from the bloated government that enables corruption, patronage and worse. Every time a corrupt politician falls, oftentimes another seems to sprout up in his place like a weed. How do we get to the root?

What is the root? Government on steroids. I recently asked Tom DeGise about how we can try to eliminate duplicate government and services within the county. He responded by pointing out East Newark as an example that some might point to as an obvious candidate for consolidation in Hudson County. He then said "but Joe Smith has been the mayor there for (I think) 42 years and he'd never go for it."

Why should Joe Smith have a vote in that conversation? East Newark consists of 16 blocks (one tenth of a square mile) and fewer than 2,400 people. Yet it has a mayor, city council (all paid positions) and a half-million dollar per year board of ed for its one K-8 school. And a bunch of other municipal services that are entirely redundant to those provided by Harrison and Kearny, its neighbors.

So my question (finally) is: will New Jersey ever see a Howard Jarvis? Someone who leads a revolt like California had with proposition 13 in the '70s in response to a system that was completely broken? (Please don't let this get bogged down on the subsequent 30 years in CA. I'm not advocating for policies implemented post-prop 13.)

East Newark is an extreme example, but NJ has an incredible number of municipalities - more than Texas, which has more than double NJ's population. It seems meaningful change is hard to come by within the system - at what point do people stand up for themselves and enact real change through voter initiatives, the type of change Trenton will never take on out of fear for their political viability?

Posted on: 2009/10/2 2:25
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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yeah, feels that way sometimes, but you walk the city too and know people care.

how to turn passive concern and frustration into active efforts .... wait for an Obama or just do what many have done in JC, get together and do it ourselves.

apply to serve on a board or commission, a formal and open process will be required by the state come November. run for Democratic or Republican committee person - reform from within the parties. go to a city council meeting, sign up in advance to express your concerns.

Quote:

blogcityblog wrote:
like the proverbial tree in the forest ...
anyone around to hear it fall?

Posted on: 2009/10/2 1:38
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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Posted on: 2009/10/1 5:09
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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you'll have to wait a year before you can recall him. and he could run again on the same recall referendum. it's been done before.

Posted on: 2009/9/30 17:10
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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Recall process (any part of it) can't begin until March 23, 2010 (50 days before the first anniversary of the person taking office.)

Posted on: 2009/9/30 17:09
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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Have they, or anyone, started an official petition for a recall?

Posted on: 2009/9/30 17:03
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Re: Its Not Over Yet - Call Continues for Healy, Vega and Lopez to Resign
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You make a strong case for disbarment, but are the standards the same for an elected official as for an attorney? The mere fact that he is an attorney seems to hold him to a higher standard than what would apply to a non-attorney mayor. And Jersey City is many things - a service academy it is not.

I don't disagree with the breech of public trust point - if he didn't report it. But I do wonder if the other points you raise hold legal water.

Quote:

covetalker wrote:
Mayor Healy is an officer of the court, and he failed to uphold that legal/ethical responsibility by not reporting the improper activities that he witnessed, as detailed in the criminal complaint against Deputy Mayor Beldini (Healy's campaign treasurer), et. al.

At the service academies (West Point, Annapolis), the honor code indicts not just those who may do wrong, but those who do not immediately report what they know about any such wrongdoing. Likewise, Mayor Healy - as a member of the N.J. Bar, as a (former) municipal judge - is honorbound to do the same. Demonstrably, he did not, regarding either of the two confirmed meetings he attended with the cooperating witness.

New Jersey's election law is clear and finite, with its contribution limits. So any discussion of splitting donations in excess of $2,600, that would be a red flag, to negate in the moment and/or report afterward.

And any hint of pay-to-play - "Thanks for the campaign contribution. We'll put your approvals on the top of the pile." - is illegal, and should have been reported.

So before even getting to issues of breaching the public trust - as an elected public servant - Mayor Healy's INACTIONS in the face-to-face of two illegalities are reason to ask for his resignation.

IMHO.

Posted on: 2009/9/30 15:51
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