Where to begin. Let's start with yesterday's news that our Mayor Steve Fulop seems to spend more time setting up staff to run for governor than he does changing Jersey City and certainly following up his campaign promises. We've learned since he took office he secretly was making deals with a developer that would have given a chunk of Liberty State Park away for an F1 track. Yeah, that's pretty un-green of you Mayor. Know what else is un-green? Your downtown. More and more every day. Sure, you can stick a tree or two in a planter or put in a hedgerow and count as a green "initiative' but the eyes know different. We're still giving away huge tax breaks like Johnny Appleseed downtown, something Councilman Fulop railed against. He screamed bloody murder about the building going up at 110 First St. Watch him be the first in line to shake Lloyd Goldman's hand when he gets out of his limo at the opening. What's going on in the Heights? We've seen plans and talk in Journal Square, much like we did for all those years under Mayor Healy. Speaking of the former Mayor, let us not forget the economic boom downtown and the monies the city is taking in were started under him. Someone's not exactly being honest about the uptick on that. Alas, that money goes away sooner rather than later, and some of the first abatements that were set up downtown under former Mayor Healy are a mere ten years away from expiring, what is the plan for those who are suddenly going to not be able to afford what once was a dream? Without affordable housing downtown, which builders all agree to then they get the process going and tell the City Planners "Fuck off the poors can go elsewhere" the divide between downtown and everywhere in Jersey City not named downtown is going to grow and grow. Is that the plan, to let this happen? But, the current mayor is busy getting ready to run for governor and is concentrating his efforts not on Jersey City but on making sure the right people are in Jersey City government, (hey they even do some work city related too) that will help him on his "I Heart Drumthwacket" 2016 tour. Sure, maybe they do some work on city business, but at full on attention that we'd expect for our tax money? Imagine, just imagine if all the energy Mr. Fulop showed in his city council days as well as his run for mayor were put back into Jersey City at 100%. Just imagine the kind of mayor we could have had. Imagine Mr. Fulop's time not spend pandering to county and other city Democratic power brokers and attending fundraisers were spent on, well, US.
Another disturbing story this morning from Terrence T. McDonald at the Jersey Journal. Our mayor, according the the story personally told former Police Chief Robert Cowan to stop investigating a Jersey City police sergeant for being REALLY drunk while driving. The video we've linked to is awful. When Cowan found out that Robbinsville PD had extended Sgt. Vincent Corso a "professional courtesy" ride home and no mention because you can't drive drunk but cops can Cowan was mad and wanted internal affairs on it. But, OUR Mayor and Public-Safety Director James Shea according to reports:
Cowan alleges that Fulop repeatedly asked him to "get rid" of an internal affairs investigation into the January 2014 incident, and when he wouldn't, Fulop and Shea moved to put the internal affairs unit under Shea's control instead of Cowan's.
Mr. Fulop, as the former victim of a drunk driver, run down from behind on his bicycle which cost Johnny a shattered elbow, a nice gash across his chin and a few teeth, if you in any way shape or form intervened as to not get this officer in trouble after he was clearly driving intoxicated then you're an asshole. Yes, asshole. Yeah, that's why this is called an editorial. The police force has become an utter hash it would seem since Mayor Fulop took charge. Crime goes on as it has lo these many decades and all we hear are the internal squabbles and petty power plays going on around city hall with regards to our police force. Not your police force Mr. Mayor, OUR police force. We'd love to see the Jersey Journal run a poll and ask if the citizens of our fair city had the same faith in you running the JCPD as they did when Mr. Healy ran it.
So yes, Mayor Fulop, what? It's obvious you have already set your mind to bigger offices than the one you have or the whirlwind that was candidate Fulop, with seven councilmembers on his side could have done amazing things. Fun runs and ribbon cuttings at the odd small shop are great but if you want to run for governor you need some big ideas, bigger than the ones you're ignoring in Jersey City right now you once couldn't wait to tackle.
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