Dear Editor:
Jersey City is introducing legislation that might have life changing consequences for its residents. The first is the introduction of recreational marijuana. While the state benefits greatly, most likely the local residents will be stuck with higher car insurance rates with undeniably increase of car accidents. Recreational marijuana has contributed to more fatal accidents according to the Denver Post, the daily newspaper in Colorado. It is the reason many towns in New Jersey said they will not have recreational marijuana; they do not want to put that strain on their police enforcing traffic violations.
The second is the removal of burlesque from the city codes. While I will admit, there are more racy videos and movies on the internet, those archaic laws have kept Jersey City from becoming Newark with their adult entertainment establishments and Times Square during the 1960s to the 1980s. Times Square was a seedy place when Burlesque, go-go clubs, and peep shows littered the area. Adult entertainment attracts crime.
Newark is still a high crime while Times Square has improved its image when New York City closed down these adult entertainment places. This is similar to the State of New Jersey changing the requirements for bail because they felt it discriminated against poor people. Yet even Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said too many defendants facing firearms charges are allowed back onto the streets within hours of their arrest. This is another example of a bill being passed without addressing the negative impact of a law.
In the need to be politically correct, I don’t think Jersey City has thought of the consequences that might affect the residents of Jersey City.
Yvonne Balcer
