Councilwoman Amy DeGise, famous for her hit-and-run case against a Jersey City resident, will have her court hearing delayed due to a “scheduling conflict,” according to Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Robert Florida.
A pre-trial was set to take place next week on Jan. 10 at the Veterans Courthouse at 470 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Newark, but now will take place on Jan.24.
According to the Jersey Journal, members familiar with the case said the delay was intended to give Essex County Prosecutor’s Office time to further investigate the case if more charges should be brought forward against the councilwoman.
The councilwoman, who is still active in her role, has faced public scrutiny after hitting bicyclist Andrew Black on Martin Luther King Drive and Forrest Street. The 29-year-old was making an Uber Eats Delivery on the morning of July 19, as previously reported by the Hudson Reporter.
The Hudson Reporter has reached to Andrew Black in relation to the case but has not provided any comment, thus far.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at jcoll@hudsonreporter.com.
Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise, famous for her hit-and-run case against a Jersey City resident, will have her court hearing delayed due to a “scheduling conflict,” according to Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Robert Florida.
A pre-trial was set to take place next week on Jan. 10 at the Veterans Courthouse at 470 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Newark, but now will take place on Jan.24.
According to the Jersey Journal, members familiar with the case said the delay was intended to give Essex County Prosecutor’s Office time to further investigate the case if more charges should be brought forward against the councilwoman.
North Bergen Police Department’s Officer of the Month
North Bergen Police Department Officer Jeffrey Vega has been named Officer of the Month for November 2022.
On Sunday, Nov. 13, the NBPD received a report of a male pointing a firearm at an individual. Officer Vega responded to the scene and after a brief foot pursuit he was able to apprehend one of the suspects and recover a firearm.
As a result of Officer Vega’s actions, a “dangerous offender was apprehended” and “an illegal firearm was removed off the streets” and “will no longer be a threat to the public safety,” according to NBPD.
Fourth juvenile arrested in connection with fatal Union City stabbing
A fourth juvenile has been arrested in connection with an incident leading up to the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old male in Union City on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. The 16-year-old Union City male is charged as a juvenile with first-degree Armed Robbery; first-degree Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery; fourth-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (stick); and third-degree Possession of a Weapon (stick) for an Unlawful Purpose.
A preliminary investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit determined a total of five juveniles were involved in an altercation prior to two of the juveniles being stabbed. Three additional juveniles were previously arrested and charged.
Juvenile matters are confidential and no additional information can be released at this time. On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at approximately 6:24 p.m., the Union City Police Department was notified of a stabbing in the area of 40th Street and New York Avenue.
Responding officers located two juvenile males in the area of 40th Street and Bergenline Avenue each with an apparent stab wound. Allen Flores, 15, of Union City, was transported to Christ Hospital in Jersey City and was pronounced dead at 7:08 p.m.
A second juvenile, a 16-year-old Union City male, was treated at Jersey City Medical Center for serious injuries and his since been released. The above charges are merely accusations and the juveniles are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Fire kills elderly Weehawken man on New Year’s Day
An elderly man perished in a fire in Weehawken on New Year’s Day, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. The initial investigation by the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force has determined that the fire does not appear suspicious at this time, however, the origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation.
On Sunday, January 1, at approximately 10:30 a.m., North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a fire at 708 Boulevard East in Weehawken.
Upon arrival, members of the NHRFR located and extinguished the fire, which was brought under control at approximately 11:05 a.m. The fire was contained to a single unit on the first floor of the apartment building.
While containing the fire, the firefighters located a 69-year-old male victim with apparent injuries caused by the fire. The fire victim was transported to Palisade Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at approximately 11:30 a.m.
The identification of the victim is pending notification of next of kin. The cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force is actively investigating this case with assistance from North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue and the Weehawken Police Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Prosecutor’s Office at 201-915-1345 or to leave a tip at hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential.
West New York man arrested in probe of other man’s death
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the West New York Police Department are investigating the death of a 34-year-old man. On Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at approximately 11:35 p.m., the West New York Police Department was notified of an injured male in the area of 60th Street and JFK Boulevard East.
Responding officers located the lifeless body of a male, later identified as 34-year-old Jose Cepeda of West New York, with visible injuries to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:23 a.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2022.
The Cause and Manner of Death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. During a subsequent investigation, the Homicide Unit arrested and charged 36-year-old Wilfredo Flores of West New York, with one count of second-degree Aggravated Assault.
The charge stems from an interaction between Cepeda and Flores on (or about) Tuesday, December 27, 2022. Additional charges may be forthcoming.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the West New York Police Department are actively investigating this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip at hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip.
All information will be kept confidential. The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
New police officers sworn in across North Hudson
North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual administered the oath to six police officers at a ceremony inside the Town Hall municipal chambers on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
The new officers include Brooke Bargiel; David Corbisiero Jr.; Jose Figueroa; Alexander Lambros; Yosseline Marquez; and Majd Siyam. They will all now be attending the Passaic County Police Academy.
Police Chief Peter Fasilis was master of ceremonies at the event. Reverend Yuvan Alvarez performed the invocation and benediction. Also in attendance were members of the new officers’ families, along with many representatives from the township administration and the police department.
Meanwhile, the Union City Police Department also swore in ten new recruits who are now off to the police academy. In addition, three officers were promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor has denied a motion to reconsider the recent removal of Bayonne’s State Assemblyman for the 31st Legislative District William Sampson from the waterfront as a longshoreman and revocation of his crane operator license.
Sampson had been employed as a port worker at Global Container Terminals in Bayonne.
On Jan. 18, the commission voted unanimously to reject his appeal, 2-0. The Waterfront Commission initially ruled on Dec. 21 to remove Sampson from the waterfront and revoke his license due to “excessive absenteeism” due to his other job in the state legislature.
He was removed for failing to meet the work and work availability requirements in January to June of 2022. The Waterfront Commission rules dictate that longshoreman must work or be available to work for a minimum of 90 days in every half-calendar year, including a minimum of 15 days in five out of six months during that period.
Sampson, a 33-year-old Democratic legislator first sworn in back in 2022 to the applause of local Democrats, represents the district encompassing Bayonne and parts of Jersey City as part of the trio of African-American lawmakers including State Senator Sandra Cunningham and State Assemblywoman Angela McKnight.
He is the first African-American person from Bayonne to hold the position and replaced then-Assembly Whip Nicholas Chiaravalloti, who had an unspecified falling out with Mayor James Davis, who has final say over the official Hudson County Democratic Organization endorsement for that Assembly seat.
Regardless, Sampson vowed to keep his job as longshoreman while working in the part-time legislature as is allowed and as many lawmakers do, he told the Bayonne Community News during a phone interview from the cockpit of the crane he was operating at the time in 2021. However, that is now no longer possible for him.
The Waterfront Commission reaffirms its initial ruling
Sampson was removed from the workplace and his crane operator license was revoked for failing to meet the work and work availability requirements in the first half of the calendar year in 2022. According to the Waterfront Commission, he claimed that his attendance at particular meetings or events in his capacity as a New Jersey State Assemblyman was “good cause” for his absences.
The Waterfront Commission rejected Sampson’s claim of good cause for a number of reasons. They cited that commitments to outside employment, which prevent a longshoreman from meeting the work requirements at the pier, are “inconsistent with the Commission’s mandate to eliminate casual workers from the register.”
The Waterfront Commission said that Sampson’s employment as a New Jersey State Assemblyman does not insulate him from his responsibilities as a longshoreman.
According to the Waterfront Commission, Sampson failed to present any evidence to justify his absences in February 2022. They said Sampson also testified that he had “no particular reason” for not working or making himself available for work on Saturdays.
The Waterfront Commission said that Sampson failed to present sufficient evidence that attendance at particular events was mandatory to serve as a New Jersey State Assemblyman. They said he also acknowledged a possibility that, on certain dates, he could have attended the events and still worked later on those days as a longshoreman. Sampson also misstated his role as a speaker at one event, according to the Waterfront Commission.
Citing “excessive absenteeism,” the Waterfront Commission argued that there was no excuse for Sampson’s repeated absences in 2022 and made their decision in December of last year. For all of these reasons and others, the Commission unanimously denied Sampson’s request to be retained on the longshoremen’s register in the Port of New York-New Jersey.
Earlier in the year, Sampson filed a request with the Port of New York-New Jersey to remain on the longshoreman’s register and keep his crane operator license. This decision by the Commission denied that request.
Sampson fought hard but fails keep longshoreman job
Sampson first argued in a statement to the Bayonne Community News that the Waterfront Commission was taking its anger out on Sampson over issues that are above his pay grade. New Jersey, under Governor Phil Murphy, has sought to withdraw from the Waterfront Commission, founded in the 1950s to combat organized crime at the ports.
However, New York has sued to stop the withdrawal, sending the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a support brief from the United States has been filed in support of New Jersey’s decision. Sampson said that he was getting caught in the crossfire over the Commission’s dissatisfaction with the situation.
Following that, Sampson put out another statement to BCN that he was appealing to the Waterfront Commission to change their minds and that his work as a State Assemblyman justified his absenteeism. He said he had received approval from the Global Container Terminals of Bayonne and the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1588 before running for State Assembly, and that they never asked him to reduce any of his responsibilities at the State House to work more on the waterfront
On January 4, Sampson’s attorney Robert Flagella further argued that Sampson’s duties in the General Assembly are also part of serving his union, according to a PoliticoPro subscriber exclusive story. The argument comes after the Waterfront Commission wrote in their initial ruling revoking Sampson’s license that his duties as a state legislator did not meet “good cause” for repeated absences for his job as a crane operator at Global Container Terminals.
Amid the battle to stay in his longshoreman job, Sampson saw the support of the local union where he is a member and held the position of political director. The International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1588 voted on Jan. 4 at an emergency meeting to approve a resolution to assist him to the tune of $50,000 for legal and public relations support for the issue.
The Waterfront Commission previously said it would handle the matter by the end of the month. That has come to fruition with the Jan. 18 ruling reaffirming their original decision.
Local union backs Sampson, but Waterfront Commission not convinced
According to the New Jersey Monitor who broke the story, Waterfront Commissioners Paul Weinstein and Jennifer Davenport did not say why they voted against the motion to reconsider Sampson’s ouster. However, commission staff said the body would release a memorandum of decision outlining their reasoning at a later undetermined date.
Sampson nor the ILA Local 1588 responded to BCN requests for comment.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
Craig Guy has announced he has hired Julietta Vogt to serve as his campaign manager in the race for Hudson County Executive. Guy is the chief of staff of outgoing County Executive Tom DeGise, who will retire when his term is up.
Guy cites Vogt’s extensive experience working as executive director of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, and the crucial perspective that she will bring to the team as a young millennial woman dedicated to the future of Democratic politics.
“I am thrilled to announce that Julietta Vogt will be leading our campaign team,” said Guy. “Julietta is a highly skilled and experienced leader in Democratic politics, and not only has she worked closely with leaders and activists in Hudson County, but as a millennial and a woman she will bring with her the perspective that we need to move our county and the Democratic party forward.”
Guy is a lifelong public servant who has spent his career in Hudson County. After serving as a Jersey City police officer for 25 years, he has served as the president of the Hudson County Schools of Technology Board of Education, and chief of staff to DeGise.
Guy also serves as the treasurer of the Hudson County Democratic Organization. Guy said he will work to keep county property taxes stable, expand education, and improve parks and other public recreation spaces throughout the county.
“This is such an important race for the future of Hudson County, and I can think of no one better than Craig Guy to serve as County Executive and keep moving our community forward,” said Vogt. “I am so excited to take on this role and to work with Craig to build on the work that he has already done to serve Hudson County.”
Florence Holmes and Craig Guy
Chairwoman for campaign named as well
Recently, Guy also announced that Florence Holmes will serve as chairwoman for his campaign for Hudson County Executive. A Jersey City native, Florence Holmes is a prominent leader and advocate in her community.
“Florence and I have been friends for many years and I am honored that she is joining our team,” said Guy. “Florence and I met when I was serving as the Executive Officer in the West District in the Jersey City Police Department, and her neighborhood was part of my beat. From then on I’ve admired her leadership and commitment to community organizing and activism. Her deep knowledge of Jersey City and its residents will be invaluable as we work to uplift every community within Hudson County.”
Throughout her long organizing work, Holmes has headed block associations in her neighborhood, and works at the Bethune Community Center. She also partnered closely with Guy on community policing programs in Jersey City. Holmes’s daughter operates a 501(c)(3) that works to feed the needy in Jersey City and Bayonne, and has also partnered with the county on numerous food insecurity programs.
“I’m so honored to be taking on this role and to be working with my longtime friend Craig,” said Holmes. “I’ve known and worked with Craig for many years and there is no question that he is the right person for the job. He has spent his entire career dedicated to serving the people of Hudson County, and I’m excited to support his candidacy for County Executive.”
Guy faces a challenge from progressive activist and former vice president of the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County Eleana Little. Although she was not on the “county line,” meaning endorsed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization, Little came close to beating County Commissioner Yraida Aponte-Lipski in the 4th District in 2020 but ultimately lost by nearly a nine point margin with 4,117 votes for Aponte-Lipski to 3,397 votes for Little.
Election Day for the county executive and all nine county commissioners is June 6. After that, the winners of the Democratic Primary traditionally go on to trounce any Republican opponents in the General Election in November.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
All nine Hudson County Commissioner seats are up for re-election in 2023. Primary Election Day for the Democrats is June 6, and the winners would usually go on to handily defeat Republican candidates in the “deep blue” Hudson County.
But this year a handful of progressive candidates will try to challenge the usual primary cakewalk for Hudson County Democratic Organization office holders.
Alex Valdez has announced his candidacy for Hudson County Commissioner for District 9, comprising the West Hudson towns of Kearny, Harrison, East Newark, and parts of Secaucus and Jersey City. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Albert Cifelli.
As a non-profit leader and former Sergeant in the New Jersey Army National Guard, Valdez said he understands the wants and needs of the people of Hudson County. He is challenging an incumbent who has run unopposed for over 20 years to ensure that Hudson County residents have an advocate on the board who will fight to keep their community affordable, safe, and supportive.
“I am running for County Commissioner to ensure that Hudson County is a place where rent is affordable, our streets are safe, the environment is clean, and the American Dream is still attainable,” Valdez said. “As the child of a single mother who immigrated to this country, and a product of Kearny public schools, I am eager to give back to the community that gave so much to me. Each day the conversations I’ve been having with the residents of West Hudson have been nothing short of inspirational.”
Like so many others, Alex’s mother immigrated to Hudson County seeking better opportunities and the American Dream for her children. He was born and raised in Kearny and is a proud product of Kearny public schools, as well as Rutgers-Newark where he earned his Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
Valdez has coordinated after-school and summer programs for low-income youth in Passaic and Paterson, and now serves as a Board Chair for America Needs You-NJ, a non-profit dedicated to assisting first generation college students with career development. Additionally, he has worked on humanitarian aid missions supporting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russia-Ukraine War, vulnerable Afghans who were evacuated to the United States, and asylum-seekers from the southern border including families, who just like his own, came here seeking a better life.
Valdez is running for Hudson County Commissioner in District 9 to keep the community affordable, improve parking and public transit, expand access to green space, and increase transparency and accountability in government. For more information about his campaign, go online to AlexValdezNJ.com.
Adrian Ghainda is running for County Commissioner in District 2. Photo courtesy of Ghainda.
District 2 progressive declares his candidacy as well
Along with Valdez, 24-year-old Adrian Ghainda of the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County has recently launched his first campaign for public office for the District 2 seat on the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.
District 2 consists of most of western Jersey City and part of downtown. The seat is currently occupied by Commissioner Bill O’Dea.
“I am running for County Commissioner because our people deserve an option at the ballot box,” Ghainda said. “We deserve to have the working-class represented not only by everyday people but to also have our voices heard in every political process”.
Ghainda is a Jersey City native and a graduate from New Jersey City University Class of 2020. He is currently the Special Projects Director for Voters of Tomorrow New Jersey, the former State Delegate for the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County and former member of the Board of Delegates for the Progressive Democrats of New Jersey.
“I was born and raised in Jersey City and I’ve seen the toll it’s taken on friends, family, and neighbors who were pushed out of our county because of how unaffordable it became,” Ghainda said. “We deserve to have our elected officials advocating to keep us in the place we’ve called home instead of selling us out for a pretty penny.”
Ghainda has also served as a Field Coordinator for the Hudson County Democratic Socialists of America’s Right to Counsel campaign. His announcement came with a glowing endorsement from a fellow progressive, activist and former candidate for New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District Ricardo Rojas.
“Adrian is one of the most kind and selfless people I have ever had the blessing to work with,” Rojas said. “He is a true organizer at heart who understands that the injustices of the morally bankrupt system and those who prop it up are not resolved by the charity of a single individual, but through building community through solidarity. He is a man wise beyond his years, who I am confident will bring truly inclusive, truly progressive vision for the 2nd District so that every neighbor no matter their place of origin or socioeconomic class can call this place “home”, now and in years to come.”
Mamta Singh has recentlyannounced she is running for Hudson County Commissioner for District 4. District 4 encompasses Jersey City Wards D and C and part of Ward E, currently represented by Yraida Aponte-Lipski.
Singh is a mom and Jersey City resident for the past 14 years whofounded local non-profit JCFamilies Inc., a 501(c)3 that connects families in aims to enhance residents’ parenting experience. In addition to her work with JCFamilies, Singh is an active member of the Hamilton Park community, and serves on the County Committee.
Singh’s vision includes increasing climate resilience, revitalizing public transportation, ensuring District 4 remains an affordable community to raise a family, and ensuring the County’s $600 million budget is managed “fairly, transparently, and to directly benefit the community.” Her announcement came with an endorsement by Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon, a progressive figure in local politics.
For more information about her campaign, go online to mamtasingforjc.com.
In addition, Ron Bautista is running for Hudson County Commissioner for District 5, having announced his candidacy in July. The District includes Hoboken and the downtown Jersey City waterfront, currently held by Vice Chairman Anthony Romano.
Bautista, of the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County, is again challenging Romano for the seat. He previously took on Romano in the primary in 2020, drawing in 38.5 percent of votes to Romano’s 61.3 percent.
Prior to that, Bautista was a candidate in a few local municipal elections. He ran for mayor of Hoboken in 2017, and for the Third Ward seat on the City Council in 2019. Since then, Bautista has been involved with progressives in Hudson County, being the President of the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County until just before announcing his campaign.
Ron Bautista is running for County Commissioner in District 5. Photo courtesy of his campaign website.
Bautista is running on a platform of “empowering everyday people, holistic public safety, and tackling the climate crisis,” including: easy budgeting and accountable government; fair rents and legal representation for all tenants; a Hudson County for people of all incomes; equity and inclusion for people with disabilities; no profiteering from immigrant family separation; safer streets for kids and for all; social services to prevent the criminalization of communities; addressing the mental health crisis; accountability and transparency in public safety; fighting for 100 renewable energy by 2030; and increase green, planted areas by 2030.
“When politicians are owned by political party bosses and big corporate donors, they’re afraid to address homelessness, fight for cleaner air and safer streets for everyone,” Bautista said. “We need a County Commissioner with the courage to serve everyday people, not the politicians.”
For more information about his campaign, go online to ronbautistanj.com.
They’re also fielding a County Executive challenger too
There is also a progressive challenger for the County Executive seat. Eleana Little, a community organizer and environmental engineer, has announced her candidacy. Little is the former vice president of the Progressive Democrats of Hudson County, as well as the former president of the Harsimus Cove Association.
A longtime resident of Hudson County, Little is running on a platform focused on “the struggles faced by everyday people,” such as rising rents, flooding, crime, and affordability. She also aims to prioritize affordable housing, transit infrastructure and safe streets, water and environmental infrastructure, educational infrastructure, and public health infrastructure, which she said is needed for livable communities.
According to Little, she doesn’t take any money from corporate political action committees (PACs), real estate developers, or political bosses. She said her campaign is powered by “everyday people who believe that it’s time for a change in Hudson County.”
Eleana Little is running for County Executive. Photo courtesy of her campaign.
Most recently, Little unsuccessfully ran for Hudson County Commissioner in 2020. Although she was not on the “county line,” meaning endorsed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization, she came close to beating Yraida Aponte-Lipski in the 4th District but ultimately lost by nearly a nine point margin with 4,117 votes for Aponte-Lipski to 3,397 votes for Little.
Little’s announcement came with the backing of former progressive candidate for the 8th Congressional District Hector Oseguera. Incumbent County Executive Tom DeGise is retiring in 2023 and he and the rest of the Hudson County Democratic Organization have backed his long time Chief of Staff Craig Guy to succeed him.
Little will face off against Guy in June, after he officially kicked off his campaign in September. It was expected that progressives would field some candidates for the June Primary, but it now appears a full slate may be forming to take on establishment Democrats at the county level ahead of the November General Election.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
After nearly six months since the hit-and-run incident of Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise, a court hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 10 at the Veterans Courthouse at 470 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Newark, according to the Essex’s County Prosecutor’s Office.
The councilwoman was caught on surveillance hitting bicyclist Andrew Black on Martin Luther King Drive and Forrest Street.
Jersey City council member Amy DeGise is facing calls to resign after engaging in a hit-and-run with a cyclist that was caught on camera — here’s the latest pic.twitter.com/D37DZ9Uapc
According to reports, the 29-year-old cyclist was making an Uber Eats delivery on the morning of July 19 when he ran a red light and was hit by the councilwoman’s black SUV going east on Forrest, as reported by the Hudson Reporter.
Six hours later, the councilwoman called the Jersey City Police Department to report the incident. She was charged with two summonses, one for failure to report an accident and another for leaving the scene of an accident.
DeGise has also faced open criticism from two grassroots organizations that support protection of bicyclists, and have openly asked for her resignation as the city’s councilwoman.
Since the time of the incident back in July until now, Jersey City councilmembers James Solomon and Frank Gilmore have openly called for the councilwoman to step down. Residents who have also attended open public city council meetings have also requested her removal as councilwoman, but so far, the daughter of the Hudson County Executive has shown no signs of resignation.
The Hudson Reporter attempted to reach out to both the city councilwoman and Andrew Black but none have responded so far.
The court hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Veterans Courthouse at 470 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Newark.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at jcoll@hudsonreporter.com.
The debate has begun in Washington between the President and Congress about permitting raising our national debt ceiling limit, so it will be able to grow even more. What’s another trillion or two between friends? Our national debt has now reached $31.494 trillion. Many economists believe that it is on a path to grow by trillions more for years to come. Today’s tab averages $94,210 per citizen or $246,870 per taxpayer. (Source: January 17, 2023 National Debt Clock)
President Biden and Congress should freeze overall spending. Any extension of the debt ceiling should be matched by corresponding real cuts in spending.
Implement “pay as you go” budgeting, means testing for all government assistance and sunset provisions for agencies and programs that have completed their missions. End pork-barrel member item spending, stop paying farmers to not grow crops and abolish corporate welfare subsides via tax exemptions.
Close down obsolete military bases abroad. Reduce United Nations and foreign aid to those who offer no support when needed.
Ask NATO members to match us dollar for dollar in aid to Ukraine.
Have the IRS accelerate the collection of several hundred billion in uncollected back taxes owed by deadbeat individuals and corporations along with suspending billions in future tax refunds to those who continue failing to pay long overdue taxes or student loans.
Stop wasting billions on the war on drugs
Everyone needs to do their fair share in bringing the budget deficit under control. It is time for government to destroy its own credit cards.
Democrats and Republicans have morphed into one Washington inside-the-Beltway party dedicated to staying in power regardless of the cost to taxpayers. Their philosophy is to increase spending above the rate of inflation. Liberals won’t say no to more social welfare programs. Conservatives love any defense spending. Both support farmers and corporate welfare subsidies.
It is time to install a national debt clock with daily updates in both Congress and the White House. They can see how much they are adding to long term debt every time they pass spending bills dependent upon borrowing to pay the tab.
Who is going to bail out Uncle Sam to pay for this? Government, the private sector and citizens must make difficult financial decisions on how to use existing resources. Americans prioritize their own family budgets. They make the hard choices in how existing household financial resources will be spent. The President and Congress should do likewise.
The world’s favored currency is our dollar. This could end if Washington will not control annual increases in spending and debt. If things continue the way they are, China may surpass us, and the yuan becomes the world’s favored currency. Mismanagement of our economy could result in a decline of our standard of living. It may also end our reign as the worlds super power as we become the world super debtor nation.
It is time for President Biden and Congress to come together on bipartisan basis and end this madness.
Landlords and tenants in Hoboken were charged up against changes to the 50-year-old Rent Control proposed ordinance at the Jan. 18 City Council meeting.
According to the ordinance intended to amend the city’s current Chapter 155 rental control laws, it would clarify various provisions, including how properties that fall under the legal status of rent control are legally calculated, and if those units or properties would fall under an exemption.
“Unfortunately, due to some very bad decision making on the part of the administration we once again find ourselves in a quagmire when it comes to tenant protections,” said Cheryl Fallick, a resident of Hoboken and a former member of the city’s rent leveling and stabilization board, since October 2022
“Our laws on the books are fairly protective, but no one would know by the way they have been historically administered, including a complete lack of enforcement.”
She shared a letter filed by the city’s Rent Leveling Office under Suzanne Hetman, the former Rent Regulation Officer, showing a legal rent calculation done by the city’s Rent Leveling Office back in Oct. 2,2020.
A 400 square foot Bloomfield Street apartment was determined to have a legal base rent of $4,831.00 without added surcharges according to Fallick. “There is no such thing as a rent control law that if properly administered would result in anything that remotely resembles this.”
Under the new provisions, tenants would pay their base rent on top of the added surcharge charged by landlords. In the past, the base rent would be summed up according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and then would have the added surcharge.
The newly proposed ordinance passed first reading with a 6-3 vote, with council members Jennifer Giattino (6th Ward), Ruben Ramos (4th Ward), and Tiffanie Fisher (2nd Ward) voting on a motion to carry or table the ordinance.
“I would hope that we come together and have a piece legislation that all nine members can get behind,” said council member Tiffanie Fisher. “I think it’s important for our city council to have a debate on this.”
The newly proposed changes would make new buildings with four or more units exempt from the ordinance for 30 years. But they would be required to file the necessary paperwork for the building to receive a certificate of occupancy, or any legal permits required, and landlords must notify renters if the property is under rent control before they move in.
The changes would also reduce their price cap on the maximum yearly increase from 7.5 percent to 5 percent, according to the ordinance.
Last year, the council approved a contract with retired Judge Barry Sarkisian to review Hoboken’s rent control laws. Members of the public asked about some of the implications of the contract but direct responses were not forthcoming.
The Hudson Reporter reached out to the Schumann Hanlon Margulies law firm to ask about the rent control ordinance, and no statement has been provided so far.
Council member James Doyle, who currently serves on the city’s Planning Board under the Community Development subcommittee, said the idea that this ordinance would weaken tenant protections is an “unfortunate characterization,” and “untrue.”
“The rent control ordinance is really something in my view, and many may disagree but its about protecting the inventory of apartments, not just the existing tenant today,” said Doyle.
Councilwoman Jennifer Giattino, spoke afterwards saying that changes had been made prior to the meeting that she was not made aware of, along with several other members of the council.
“Well, I didn’t know that was gone,” said Giattino. “I am not trusting the word of anyone on this council without reading it myself.”
Last month the council approved on first reading an ordinance which would lower of the annual maximum rent increase for units falling under rent control from 7.5 percent to 4 percent, supported by both then Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, who sponsored the measure and Councilman-at-Large James Doyle.
Prior to the city council meeting this week the Hoboken Fair Housing Association (HFHA), a nonprofit organization which leans on the right of tenants to have fair tenant housing protections, released a statement prior to the council meeting, stating that “Hoboken’s rent control laws are decidedly nuanced, and our local rent control history is rife with a tangled web of fires, displacements, referendums, court challenges, accusations, and contentious ballot questions. Over the 50 years that Hoboken has had rent control in place, it has gone from a centerpiece on the platform of aspiring local political candidates to a topic that candidates and elected officials do.”
An email sent out to the Hudson Reporter, the HFHA wrote “No outreach was done to Hoboken renters, rent control activists or the rent leveling board members in connection with crafting the proposal.”
Ron Simoncini, the executive director of the Mile Square Taxpayers Association, a group of landlords and property owners, spoke at the meeting on the proposed amendments brought by the rent control ordinance.
“I do not think the language in there is absolutely correct or clear,” he said, “we need to go way further in figuring out Hoboken rent control regime.”
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at jcoll@hudsonreporter.com.
Assemblyman Pedro Mejia of the current 32nd Legislative District has officially announced that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming June Democratic Primary.
Appointed to the seat in 2018 following the resignation of former Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, Assemblyman Mejia of Secaucus is currently serving his third full term. According to Mejia, he is the first Dominican-American to serve in the New Jersey State Legislature.
“Serving the people of the 32nd District in the State Assembly has been a wonderful honor and I am so proud of the difference we have made in the lives of the people of New Jersey,” said Mejia. “Due to the changes in the district lines, I will not be running for re-election this year.”
Despite essentially being left out to pasture by the HCDO and their new slate for the new 33rd Legislative District post-legislative redistricting across the state, Mejia endorsed the candidates for the area of his former district including his replacement. That ticket includes current 32nd Legislative District State Senator since 2008 and Union City Mayor Brian Stack running for the Senate seat, West New York Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez running for one of the State Assembly seats, and North Bergen Revenue and Finance Commissioner Julio Marenco running for the other Assembly seat.
“I am fully supporting the Hudson County Democratic Organization team of Senator Brian Stack, Gabe Rodriguez and Julio Marenco for Assembly and I know that they will do an excellent job for the people of our community,” Mejia said. “I would like to thank Senator Nicholas Sacco, Mayor Michael Gonnelli, Chairman Anthony Vainieri and all of the Democratic leaders and voters in the county for giving me the opportunity to serve as the first Dominican-American legislator in New Jersey.”
HCDO thanks candidates for stepping aside
Hudson County Democratic Organization Chairman Anthony Vainieri, also Chairman of the Hudson County Board of Commissioners, publicly thanked Mejia as well as fellow departing Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro of the current 33rd Legislative District, who already announced that she will not seek re-election. The new 32nd Legislative District candidates are State Assemblyman Raj Mukherji for the Senate seat, and Jessica Ramirez and John Allen for the Assembly.
“Assemblywoman Chaparro and Assemblyman Mejia are distinguished public servants who have been important leaders in Hudson County,” said Vainieri. “We’re sad to see Pedro and Annette leave elected office, but we know that they will always be part of the HCDO team. The HCDO has a dynamic new group of Assembly candidates who are ready to work alongside Senator Brian Stack and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji to deliver for the people of Hudson County, and we’re looking forward to supporting them in the Primary.”
Ramirez is a Jersey City resident and partner at the law firm D’Arcy Johnson Day, where she specializes in serious personal injury, sexual abuse, medical device and product liability litigation. She has served on the State Ethics Committee and as an Eminent Domain Commissioner.
Allen of Hoboken is the former Chief of Staff to Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and his predecessor Dawn Zimmer. He’s an attorney with the firm Schenck Price and also serves on a number of public bodies, including the Hudson County Planning Board and the Garden State Joint Insurance Fund.
The candidates for both the new 32nd and 33rd Legislative District were known publicly for months ahead of the official announcement. What was unclear is if the unendorsed incumbents would challenge the new HCDO-backed candidates, which is now evident they will not.
Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro is not running for re-election. Image courtesy of the Assemblywoman.
Chaparro not running for re-election either
Earlier this month, Chaparro indicated she would also not run against the HCDO-backed candidates for the other Assembly seat in the new 33rd Legislative District. She had previously intended for the voters to decide, but opted otherwise after the endorsements were announced, noting that she was glad her replacement was a Latina woman and that she would still be active in her community.
Chaparro, who is also employed at Hoboken City Hall, said that she brought a “unique perspective” to the State House as a single mom was born into and grew up in the Hoboken Housing Authority. Selected for the seat by former Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer and largely able to stick around due to Stack’s political muscle, Bhalla ultimately got the final say here.
Chaparro said she will work hard in the Assembly until her term expires and also promised to help make it a smooth transition for the new legislators. She was first elected in 2015 and has served eight years in the Assembly prior to this.
“While my work is far from over, I wanted to thank the voters of the 33rd District for entrusting me to be their voice in Trenton for what will be eight years of service to the people of Hoboken, Jersey City, Union City, and Weehawken,” Chaparro said. “As announcements regarding the political future of my seat were made, I wanted to let everyone know that I am committed to a hard-working 2023 and will still help my community in any capacity I can going forward…My work isn’t done in the Assembly, and it won’t be done when my term ends. I still want to be a voice for all the people who need help in my community. But as plans for the future are announced, I wanted to simply say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me on this journey.”
Due to redistricting, State Senator Nicholas Sacco of the current 33rd Legislative District and Stack wound up in the same district. Instead of rehashing an old beef, Sacco decided to retire when his term is up after being in the State Senate since 1994 to focus on running for Mayor of North Bergen and endorse Stack, under a deal where North Bergen would choose one of the Assembly seats with the other remaining chosen by West New York.
This deal is what spelt the end for Mejia and Chaparro, as well as Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez who has been in the other current 32nd Legislative District seat since 2012. However, now, they have all decided not to seek re-election, with Jimenez running for the West New York Board of Commissioners under a ticket with Commissioner of Public Affairs Cosmo Cirillo.
Meanwhile, 33rd Legislative District Assemblyman Raj Mukherji is seeking the State Senate seat in the new 32nd Legislative District since February of 2022. Elected in 2013, he is now seeking a seat in the higher chamber of the state legislature.
With that announcement, all of the former State Assemblymembers left without a place on the HCDO “county line” have moved out of the way for the replacements. It remains to be seen if they will be challenged by progressives or if the establishment Democrats will waltz to victory unopposed in the Primary and then against Republicans in the General Election in the “deep blue” Hudson County.
In the 31st Legislative District, when it comes to State Senator Sandra Cunningham, State Assemblyman William Sampson, and State Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, Cunningham is expected to not run for re-election due to her hospitalization for unnamed health issues in the wake of dropped DWI charges in 2022 and Sampson recently had his crane operator license revoked by the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor and was removed from the waterfront as a longshoreman after “excessive absenteeism,” although he is appealing the decision. However, the HCDO has not yet backed anyone in the district and said when announcing the other candidates that it will make clear its endorsements for that district in the future.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.
2022 was the year that COVID-19 began to subside, at a rate outpaced by the desire of many to believe the pandemic was over. Despite a massive Omicron spike that began the year, and a smaller one in June, school districts, municipalities and businesses dispensed with mask mandates and mandatory vaccinations, and testing sites began to close. Applications to open cannabis dispensaries led to endless rounds of hearings. This was the year the Spotted Lanternfly found itself very unwelcome in Hudson County, and when environmental controversies flared over Liberty State Park, a proposed Turnpike Expansion, NY Waterway’s impact on Weehawken, when towns examined the steps they’ve taken towards resiliency in the decade since Hurricane Sandy, and bikeways and EV charging stations became more common.
The LGBTQIA+ community made winning strides this year, as New Jersey City University launched its first new Preferred Name Policy, the first of its kind, in recognizing pronouns for the LGBTQIA+ community. Another win for members of the LGBTQIA+ was the opening of a new facility for the Hudson Pride Center. Hudson residents stepped up to support the people of Ukraine.
In the 9th Congressional District of New Jersey incumbent Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell defeated Q-Anon believing and election-denying Republican Billy Prempeh for the second time in a row. Rep. Albio Sires, County Executive Tom DeGise and State Sen. Nicholas Sacco announced their retirements. Robert Menendez Jr. coasted to victory to become the next congressman from the 8th Congressional District in North Hudson. Rumors persisted that Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop was considering a run for governor.
In most local Board of Education races, voters sided with the incumbents over insurgents, some of whom were identified as tied to the right-leaning, anti-Woke New Jersey Project.
Hoboken
The city began the new year under a pall of smoke from a deadly fire at the Chambord Building that took two lives. The site had already been scheduled for redevelopment and the owners pressed ahead with their plans, clearing the Planning Board and scheduling demolition for the fall. By year’s end the portion of the former manufacturing building to be preserved stood gutted and ready for a rebirth.
The fire-gutted Chambord Building may be reborn in 2023
Plans for a new high school encountered stiff opposition. The proposed new high school, which would have included academic and athletic facilities and cost $241 million, was put to a referendum on Jan. 25 to decide whether to approve issuing 30-year bonds to fund the project. The board said the school was meant to fit the needs of a growing population, and had hosted public meetings about it since November. But residents disputed the plan, criticizing a lack of transparency about the project and its cost to taxpayers.
A proposed new Hoboken high school was rejected by the voters
On referendum day the “no” votes tallied 4,929 votes compared to the “yes” votes of 2,542. In November, an effort to translate the referendum victory into a chance to remake the school board failed when ‘Leadership That Listens’ candidates Leslie Norwood, Antonio Graña, and Alex de la Torre Jr. defeated the ‘’Kids First team of Pavel Sokolov, Cindy Wiegand, and Donna Magen.
Meanwhile in the classrooms the year began as the Omicron variant of COVID 19 surged to record heights here and across the nation, leading to a brief return to virtual instruction. Less than a month later, however, despite COVID making more people sick across Hudson County than ever before, Hoboken officials decided the city’s high vaccination rate and declining positivity statistics justified ending the city’s indoor mask mandate. Local businesses were allowed the option to require face masks, which were still required in all municipal facilities, but ending the mandate reflected a nationwide trend to regard the pandemic as largely past.
Politics, never simple and never polite in Hoboken, turned in 2022 on several major developments. Congressional redistricting following the 2020 U.S. Census had a moderate impact on Hudson County in general, but a change in local campaign finance laws generated controversy. The City Council adopted an ordinance allowing labor unions to contribute more money to political campaigns. The current rules only allowed political committees to contribute up to $500 to candidates instead of the state maximum of $7,200, but the ordinance granted unions an exemption. But how soon the ordinance could take effect rested on the outcome of a court hearing on a related matter. In August a years’ long legal battle regarding alleged campaign finance violations by Hoboken Councilman Michael DeFusco ended with a judge tossing out the case, handing the councilman a victory but also triggering the ordinance allowing labor unions to donate more to local elections.
Councilman Michael DeFusco
The seemingly endless process of repairing water main breaks in Hoboken’s ancient system continued throughout 2022, with nearly 5,000 feet of pipe scheduled to be replaced. The Rebuild by Design project to protect Hoboken from flooding was provided an additional $100 million by Governor Phil Murphy and the State of New Jersey. The historic funding will be utilized for construction costs associated with the Rebuild by Design project, including the above-ground flood mitigation infrastructure at Harborside Park, transforming it into a resiliency park at 15th and Garden Streets that will protect Hoboken from rising sea levels and storm surge from the Hudson River.
Union Dry Dock
A year’s long battle over Union Dry Dock between the city and NY Waterway climaxed late in 2022 with a new eminent domain authorization allowing the city to seize the property, quickly followed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s announcement that the two sides had come to an agreement and the facility, which the city wants to add to its waterfront park, was in the hands of the Hoboken.
Another infrastructure controversy that simmered all year was the city’s threat to condemn and seize property at 2501 Adams Street, a printing company owned by Charles Poggi, for development into a municipal complex that would house the city’s Department of Public Works. After months of wrangling and accusations of bad faith and stonewalling the city announced in December it was considering a different property used by Academy Bus for parking its fleet.
But perhaps the most impact on the city’s infrastructure will be behavioral. The city announced that they and Hudson County had begun installing new signage and striping to reduce the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph, which they said will help make streets safer for all modes of transportation as part of their Vision Zero plan to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and injuries by 2030.
Once a tavern, soon to be a cannabis dispensary
In February the Hoboken Cannabis Review Board held its first ever applicant hearing for a recreational cannabis business in the city. Story Dispensary of Hoboken’s application to set up shop at the former Hudson Tavern bar at 51 14th Street met with immediate opposition from neighborhood residents, organized in part by an effective social media campaign by Council member Tiffanie Fisher. But after endless hearings, and a dismissed lawsuit, Story’s application was approved 5-4 by the City Council. On the other hand, Blue Violets, a retail cannabis applicant that has received full local approval in Hoboken, is being sued by a resident-formed non-profit called “Hoboken for Responsible Cannabis,” in Hudson County Superior Court. The lawsuit also lists the city’s Planning Board as a defendant.
The city made significant strides towards a safer cleaner place to live. By far the largest measure was to enter into a lawsuit against the major fossil fuel companies for lying about the effect their products had on climate change. Hoboken has taken some steps to make the city more resilient in the 10 years since Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge flooded the streets and brought life to a halt for nearly a week. NY Waterway and NJ TRANSIT have completed a ferry retrofit that cuts its emissions, with five more ferries to be upgraded in the future, and the first vessel to be altered was the “Hoboken.” The city entered into an agreement with Jersey City to create a new protected bikeway, and the council unanimously to approve a contract with EV charging company Volta to install and operate 25 EV charging stations throughout the city at no cost.
Jersey City
The Morris Canal Manor project for a proposed 17-story mixed-use community center faced a legal challenge, with a lawsuit seeking to repeal recent amendments made regarding the Bergen-Lafayette project. But in November Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced the redevelopment of a former industrial site on three acres of land in the city’s Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood can finally move forward to construction after a Superior Court Judge’s ruling to dismiss a “meritless” lawsuit filed by June Jones and the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area Community Development Corporation has cleared that legal obstacle to the project beginning.
The Morris Canal Manor project
Jersey City announced opening applications for their first time home buyer program, which will award grants to assist low to moderate-income residents looking to buy a home in the city.
The council has adopted the creation of a new affordable housing overlay that Jersey City officials say will encourage more affordable housing in the city, but critics charged the community hadn’t been given time to consider what some called another developer giveaway.
The unveiling of the new Bergenview Apartments at 654 Bergen Avenue came after the substantial rehabilitation and preservation of a historic former YMCA building. The apartment community features 111 studio apartments for individuals who have previously experienced homelessness.
Opening the new Bergenview Apartments
The Jersey City Planning Board has approved the Grand Jersey Redevelopment Plan, a project which would make changes to the street grid near Liberty State Park.
The Planning Board also approved two new skyscrapers downtown and the first building in the Bayfront project.
The council unanimously adopted changes to the Water Street Redevelopment Plan on the West Side.
Several important matters affecting education in the city happened in 2022. The New Jersey Supreme Court upheld Jersey City’s payroll tax on Tuesday in a 5-1 ruling, affirming an Appellate Division’s decision that the tax created to help fund the city’s school district is constitutional. Jersey City’s public schools are fully back in the hands of local officials for the first time in over three decades after New Jersey officials approved a complete transition from state to local control. The city’s public schools were under state control since 1989, with the district having become infamous for political patronage and student dropouts the year before. It was the first time the state ever took control of a local school district.
The school board appointed Dr. Norma Fernandez as interim superintendent.
For taxpayers, the biggest education news was unpleasant. A $973 million budget for the Jersey City Public School district has cleared its final hurdle, with district facing another drastic loss of state aid. The budget meant a sharp tax increase of $1600 annually for property owners to fund the schools, with more bad tax news to come when the city finalized it’s budget in the fall.
National issues of race, gender, and intolerance touched down in Jersey City in 2022. In April, a Jersey City teacher suspended for profane and racist speech towards Black students. The Jersey City AAPI Coalition condemned attacks against Chinese residents. Along with New Jersey LGBTQ+ leaders local officials condemned the Club Q shooting. And New Jersey City University announced a new policy which would align with the LGBTQ community on the fundamental view of pronouns reflecting an individual’s gender identity. The city also created a Women’s Advisory Board to “help women improve the status of women in Jersey City and create awareness of women’s issues within the city.”
A meeting of the Jersey City Cannabis Control Board
Early in the year the city created a Cannabis Control Board which soon found its work cut out for it. After the Planning Board approved seven sites for retail cannabis locations, the control board reviewed applications from a series of dispensary proponents, and ultimately approved nine.
COVID in Jersey City and Hoboken soared to record peaks at the start of the year.
Mayor Steven Fulop also touted the investments that the city has made in the 10 years since Hurricane Sandy, including new pumping systems, built new water retention systems, is lowering its carbon footprint, has new flood maps, created new incentives programs to encourage greener buildings and more.
The Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority said it will spend about $1 billion over the next decade on extensive repairs to Jersey City’s drinking water and sewage infrastructure.
In April, the Jersey City Council approved selling $131 million in bonds for a number of city capital projects, mainly focused on public building repairs and renovations for City Hall, public safety buildings and other types of infrastructure.
The Planning Board voted to approve the Exchange Place redesign and ruled that the overall plans are consistent with the city’s Master Plan, after recommending against the redesign proposals for the Exchange Place Plaza two weeks earlier, primarily because members of the board and the public took issue with the potential obstruction of the historic Katyn Memorial as part of the plans.
Part of the proposed Hudson-Essex Greenway
Gov. Murphy announced the purchase of a defunct rail line for the Essex-Hudson Greenway.
Progress continued to be made on construction of Hudson County’s new Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex in Jersey City.
Hudson County residents came together to denounce the proposed Turnpike Expansion project which not only would derail the city from a path of environmental equity but would increase traffic volume and carbon emissions. The proposed $10 billion project by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and NJ Department of Treasury would affect Newark, Bayonne and Jersey City.
A forum was held in Kearny to raise awareness of dangers of planned NJ Transit gas-burning power plant. Bicyclists can now ride safely alongside vehicular traffic on a new protective roadway, which was announced this week by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. The new protected roadway runs along Marin Boulevard and Henderson Street, connecting 18th Street in Jersey City to Observer Highway in Hoboken.
The new Jersey City Ward Map (Photo by Mark Koosau)
The redrawing of ward boundaries in Jersey City occurs every 10 years after the latest U.S. Census, and is intended to make the populations of each ward roughly the same. But the Ward Commission faced a barrage of criticism for a lack of transparency. Some of the most significant changes were done in Downtown Ward E, which had the highest population after the 2020 Census. A few residents who live in the northern part of Ward E were displeased that they would be placed in the Heights-based Ward D, which are essentially two different neighborhoods. Despite the public outcry, the commission answered no questions, and adopted the new ward map. In August, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Turula dismissed a lawsuit, filed by a coalition of groups and Councilman Frank Gilmore against the creators of the map, with prejudice, meaning another complaint could not be filed.
In March, the council adopted an ordinance amendment that will increase the council members’ own salaries, with council members going from $60,000 to $85,000, and the Council President from $65,000 to $90,000
Sean Caddle, a political consultant and Jersey City native, and Bomani Africa of Philadelphia, both pleaded guilty in federal court, where they were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the murder of Jersey City associate Michael Galdieri.
In October, just weeks before his son’s congressional election bid, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez came under federal investigation led by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. No indication of the investigation’s focus has been revealed.
Legislation was criticized by environmental activists for allowing the park be privatized
Liberty State Park, in contrast to its physical peace and tranquility, was the object of heated controversy throughout 2022. After years of protecting its integrity as a public amenity, Hudson County officials swung behind a bill, titled the Liberty State Park Conservation, Recreation, and Community Inclusion Act, that would put up $250 million to permanently create a task force to create short-term actions and a long-term master plan for the park. The bill was criticized by environmental activists for allowing the park be privatized, pointing to language in it that says that revenue has to be generated by the park, and that there are no protections from such privatization in it. Just before Gov. Murphy signed the bill Sen. Brian Stack introduced a measure that would protect the Caven Point section of the park. A new uproar rose in the fall when new FAA rules for helicopters routed the aircraft over the park.
On October 18, with the calendar running out, the Jersey City Council adopted the city’s new $724.8 million budget that will pile on more tax increases in the city after the Board of Education adopted a $973 million budget that came with an average $1,611 tax increase per household. The vote led to sharply higher fourth quarter tax bills packed with increases for the first three quarters… just in time for Christmas.
For Amy DeGise, a major career turning point?
As the year came to a close it was reported that Council member Amy DeGise faced a pretrial hearing on January 10 on charges of leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report the incident. In July, DeGise was caught on CCTV cameras knocking bicyclist Andrew Black off his bike at MLK Drive and Forrest Street and driving away from the scene. Throughout the year, she refused calls for her resignation at often raucous City Council meetings, while Progressive activists held rallies to capitalize on the troubles of a prominent member of the Hudson County Democratic “machine.”
The Kennedy Dancers, a non-profit company recently hit with a property tax bill by the city they say might drive them out of existence, pursued a lawsuit in the New Jersey Tax Court to contest the assessment. The city’s Tax Assessor, Eduardo Toloza, has been accused by other non-profit organizations in Jersey City such as WFMU for targeting them for taxes despite their status. For the Kennedy Dancers, they’ve been in litigation over their status for nearly two years.
In September the call went out to all runners to sign up for the first ever Jersey City Marathon, to be run in April 2023.
Rent increases keep going up in Jersey City, with skyrocketing figures. Tenants at Portside Towers voiced their frustrations with rent increases of over 30 percent, and while some tenants still remain in the buildings others have left. Jersey City residents felt complaints related to building code violations, illegal rent increases and code violations were not being heard by the city.
This year was a win for Traffic Guards after working seven years under a contract with the city they said contained unfair labor practices, which some traffic guards described as “unlivable conditions brought by the city.”
New Jersey City University is laying off 30 professors and is eliminating 37 percent of academic programs, Board of Trustees Chairman Joseph Scott called the decision to be “a difficult, but necessary next step.”
North Bergen
Amid the Omicron surge, schools temporarily were forced to return to virtual instruction for a few weeks before returning to the classroom after winter break. Throughout the year, COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed. However, the township kept offering vaccinations to residents against COVID-19, as well as the boosters for Omicron, monkeypox and the flu.
The township established a new entity, the Green Environmental Advisory Committee in January after two groups that operate county-wide amped up their environmentalism. The township applied for and won a grant to construct a community garden proposed by residents Jina Morano and Hailey Benson.
North Bergen moved forward with residential, commercial and industrial redevelopment. River Road is one area the township is promoting redevelopment in. Another is on Bergenline Avenue near Braddock Park, and a portion of Tonnelle Avenue north of the Light Rail station. The township created a new commercial zoning district along portions of the west side of River Road between Bulls Ferry Road and the Edgewater border. This district also allows cannabis dispensaries, and is where Green House Apothecary is seeking to open. The township has officially opened its much-anticipated downtown Recreation Center and Library.
NJ Transit is studying redevelopment along the proposed extension of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail into Bergen County. This would help the project come to fruition, which would include a new stop in North Bergen at 91st Street.
North Bergen officials held firm on the design, despite alternatives proposed by residents
Residents packed the municipal chambers to oppose plans to improve 46th Street Field over the proposed addition of a parking lot on what is now green space, and the reconfiguration of the dog run at the park. Township officials held firm on the design, despite alternatives proposed by those residents.
The township has decided to allow only two retail cannabis locations, Daily Muse and Green House Apothecary.
North Bergen partnered with Secaucus to donate supplies to support Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The Housing Authority also joined the efforts, donating key supplies. On top of that, the township passed a proclamation formally supporting Ukraine.
The initial appraisals for the North Bergen property tax revaluation were completed at the beginning of the year. 60 percent of homeowners will see either a property tax reduction or a minimal increase of less than $100 per year. The other 40 percent of homeowners will mostly see increases in the range of a few hundred dollars per year.
Three incumbent Board of Education Trustees, Board President Luis Rabelo, and Trustees Patricia Bartoli, and Sai Rao also easily won re-election unopposed in April.
Thanks to Mayor Sacco and Union City Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority agreed to give North Hudson drivers a discount after a reconfiguration of the New Jersey Turnpike’s Exit 16E/18E interchange led to residents of nearby towns being forced to pay dramatically higher tolls.
Secaucus
COVID cases subsided, the school district ended virtual learning and mask wearing became optional, and Secaucus, which already boasted a high vaccination rate, ceased holding vaccination clinics.
The town council hired an architect for the new Senior Center at 101 Centre Avenue.
Harmony’s medical cannabis dispensary was approved by the state to sell recreational cannabis.
The council passed an ordinance nixing an earlier ban in favor of a regulated recreational cannabis industry.
Secaucus was one of many Hudson County municipalities to aid when Russia invaded Ukraine, partnering with North Bergen to donate household supplies to refugees, and showing support in other ways.
Kelli Conroy D’Addetta, Alexandre de Hombre, and Christina DeBari
The “For the Children” slate of Kelli Conroy D’Addetta, Alexandre de Hombre, and Christina DeBari, swept the Board of Education election in November, which focused on topics from new sex education standards to the search for a new Superintendent of Schools to take the reins from Acting Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniela Riser.
Throughout 2022, Secaucus renovated the town’s parks with plans for new ones in the works.
Hudson Regional Hospital made headlines a lot this year, although mostly either related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bayonne over its fight to be the owner and operator of that facility. A false bomb threat at the facility resulted in the discovery of a weapons cache by a marketing director at HRH. The hospital was fined $63,000 for failure to report the bomb threat to the state within the required time period, and for failing to have a violence prevention plan.
In every district in Secaucus and in the part of Kearny that is also in the 9th, Rep. Pascrell won, totaling a 58-39 margin in the Hudson County portion of the Congressional District.
Union City
Union City opened dedicated vaccine centers and continued vaccine distributions for COVID-19 throughout the year, but mask wearing became optional and the school district shifted from virtual temporarily to in-person.
The Federal Transit Administration announced that NJ Transit would receive $44,677,500 in funding to renovate the Union City bus garage between 27th and 29th Streets and Bergenline Avenue and New York Avenue to create a bus terminal, house administrative serves, and charge and deploy electric buses.
Coming soon: a bus terminal, house administrative serves, and charging for electric buses
Union City exceeds the rest of North Hudson with bike lanes, and Mayor Brian Stack plans to add more lanes to all main streets on an ongoing basis.
The city focused on road improvements this year to the streets and sidewalks on many major thoroughfares.
Union City secured a victory for tenants who are victims of a fire nearly 10 years ago at 409-415 Bergenline Avenue. Rent settlements them to return to their refurbished former apartment or receive a financial settlement.
The art scene in Union City developed to new heights, in venues such as Greenhive Atelier at 102 45th Street, which held its first festival this year alongside other exhibits. The city also sponsored and promoted a number of art events at the William V. Musto Cultural Center at 420 15th Street.)
Mayor Brian Stack and constituents
Mayor Stack continued his tradition of public meetings in different parts of the community with constituents. Stack and his slate of commissioners all ran unopposed in the May municipal election this year.
Stack also made clear he would be running for re-election to the State Senate next year, albeit in the new 33rd Legislative District which encompasses North Hudson now post-state legislative redistricting. He made a deal with Sacco to get his endorsement in exchange for North Bergen picking one of the assembly candidates, previously the prerogative of Secaucus. That led to Stack solidifying a slate with Mayor Rodriguez and North Bergen Commissioner Julio Marenco, leaving Assemblyman Pedro Mejia left out of the mix and incumbent Assemblywoman Jimenez to run with Cirillo for the West New York Board of Commissioners.
Weehawken
Weehawken residents are growing increasingly angry at the NY Waterway refueling operation
A revolt erupted by waterfront residents in Lincoln Harbor against the NY Waterway re-fueling and maintenance facility in Lincoln Harbor in response to leaked plans that showed Waterway’s intention to expand. The township passed a resolution calling for NY Waterway to cease operation. In July, NY Waterway and NJ TRANSIT completed a ferry retrofit that cuts its emissions, with five more ferries to be upgraded in the future. However, that was not enough for residents who are growing increasingly angry at the situation. Turner and the township changed their tune and told residents they would have to learn to live with the facility.
Bike lanes were a big topic of discussion between residents. While advocates pleaded with Turner to get on board with the county plan, he said too many parking spots would be lost.
The township finally opened its long-awaited new police annex at a cost of over $700,000 in the Tower Plaza Mall off Park Avenue.
Hartz Mountain Industries, LLC proposed a fourth residential building at the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Riverview Terrace designed to integrate with the other Estuary buildings.
The council took measures to expand its workforce housing.
Weehawken also accepted Ukrainian refugees in the township and offered other material support as well as visually through flags and similar spiritual gestures in solidarity with the Russian-invaded nation.
Weehawken prohibited its police from consuming recreational cannabis and is one of the few Hudson municipalities which has prohibited sales of recreational or medical cannabis.
Nine years after Hurricane Sandy, Turner said that the township has been working with Hoboken and Jersey City on the Rebuild By Design planned flood wall that would run from 19th Street in Weehawken to Hoboken.
Weehawken Day, the annual town festival for residents only, was cancelled this year due to inclement weather.
The “Continue the Progress” ticket of Marissa Dennis, Ildefonso Acosta, and Trustee Julian Brian Mera won three year terms unopposed in the April Board of Education election.
Mayor Richard Turner
Mayor Turner was re-elected unopposed in the May municipal election alongside his council slate of Carmela Silvestri-Ehret, Rosemary Lavagnino, Robert Sosa, and David Curtis.
West New York
Meeting the Omicron surge, the town continued vaccination efforts, expanding to include monkeypox vaccine as that virus spread. Omicron forced classes to go virtual temporarily, but kids were soon back in the classrooms and masks became optional.
Cosmo Cirillo
West New York Public Affairs Commissioner Cosmo Cirillo’s announced he will run for mayor in 2023, facing off against outgoing Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ-08). Sires chose to retire and run for mayor because Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez announced a run for the state Assembly. Former Mayor Dr. Felix Roque also reportedly considering a run.
The town is currently in the process of constructing three parking garages at 51st Street, 54th Street, and 57th Street.
While neighboring Union City is riding the bike lane wave, Rodriguez rejected proposals by cycling activists for a protected bike lane on Boulevard East.
West New York joined the list of Hudson County municipalities opposing the proposed gas-fired power plant in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark.
The town is permitting recreational cannabis sales and has endorsed Nile of NJ, LLC to do business in the town as a retail dispensary.
Ongoing park improvements are another major initiative being undertaken by the town. The biggest ongoing on is the renovation of Miller Park
On the Board of Education, the incumbent slate of three trustees running on the “Your Children’s Future” slate, including Jonathan Castaneda, Ana Sanchez, and Douglas Velasquez, were re-elected by nearly a 4 to 1 margin.
Jonathan Castaneda, Ana Sanchez, and Douglas Velasquez
West New York rallied in gun violence with U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker in June.
The Commissioners took action on numerous measures in 2022, granting 5-20 year tax abatement to spur new development, purchasing property for either the site of the new library or satellite municipal offices as well as affordable housing, bonding millions to support the construction of parking garages.
For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Jordan Coll can be reached at jcoll@hudsonreporter.com. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com. Gene Ritchings can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com.
