In the words of Johnny Rotten...

"...Oh Bollocks, why should I carry on?"

Those famous words are indeed from Johnny Rotten, playing what would be the Sex Pistols last ever show at Winterland in San Francisco. Rotten had watched things deteriorate among the band members and especially the management of the tour and in general and was just ready for it all to end.

So is Johnny Action Space Punk.

Why should Johnny continue to give two shits about a city that doesn't even care about itself? Elected officials and government employees (and their three or more government jobs) have been proving to Johnny over these last 8 years they don't give a shit. They are only there to enrich themselves while getting away with doing as little as possible. We have a person on council the Mayor treats with kid gloves who DROVE DRUNK and crashed a government vehicle. Yet the mayor or other council members say jack shit about Chico? Why? Are they afraid to tell him "Hit the bricks asshole you've caused us enough embarrassment. Why are you still here?" So city council and the mayor don't care, never have OR they'd speak out against such behavior as drunk driving and a no-show job. This is Jersey City and since Chico makes Stevie's job easier you'll never hear anything and that's beyond sad. Of course contempt for voters, graft and poor decisions are what 280 Grove St was built upon and it continues today.

That's another proof-positive reason the people in charge could give a shit, no-show jobs and government employees getting that third government job. Nowhere else does this happen. Johnny has lived in other places and nowhere is the money grubbing for government jobs so pronounced. 95% of these people can't do ONE government job well let alone a second or third. They bleed society dry of positions that should be effective in helping people and not hoarded but again, this isn't changing and likely never will and it shows again the powers that be don't really care. We're also now, since the police like it so cushy and cannot be bothered to answer calls or do anything not privateered, we'll make their lives miserable in posting and taking more images of steroid-infused sleeping Jersey City police in their cars. We'll even include one at the end just for laughs (hey, since actually working to improve the city isn't an option for these guys let's just go for the laughs).

The city doesn't care about sending cops when citizens call so why should Johnny care anymore? The most basic city service, I need a cop please send one is met with indifference and churlishness. Here's something you never knew about Johnny; He'd go out two and sometimes three nights a week around 2am, walk the dire wolf and make notes about missing manhole covers, detritus in the street or across the sidewalks, downed power lines etc. From Coles St. area to Grand to the River and through the PAD. He'd walk here and there and make notes of burned out streetlights and take all this info on his own time and send it to the proper departments with the picture documentation and where the thing that needed attention was located. Then he'd sit and watch as weeks and months go by and nothing gets done and as many of you know follow-up calls in this city are treated by dispatchers like YOU are the true problem. He's done with this. He's done trying to make a true difference with suggestions and ideas. He has better ways to spend his fucking time. He's not calling the police on suspicious people or drug users in cars. If the city officials and PD won't do something about it all, then yes, the city deserves it. He can only send the city departments five, six and seven videos showing someone WILL be run down by lazy, selfish drivers making a quick right into oncoming one way traffic on Second St. from Warren to cut through the BJ's parking lot to get to Washington. He's sent videos of people almost being run down there. Nobody contacts him or does anything about it. When someone does get hit and sues the city, Johnny will ensure all the emails and videos he sent the city will be made available to the victim. Again, yes, the city will deserve the lawsuit. They deserve to lose millions.

Johnny's done trying to make a difference with preventative measures and ideas. Instead Johnny is just going to point out the scofflaws and idiots, moron city workers, and sleeping cops. Plenty of that to keep us entertained but as far as investing any more time (or his own money) in trying to improve Jersey City, he's out because it's apparent from our city "leaders" and department heads and government employees they don't want anything to change and will work very hard to keep things in their current FAILED stages here in Jersey City.

Johnny's got the money, he can live and retire anywhere he wants and forever he thought it'd be right here. Now, after seeing, really seeing his city government and departments in inaction, he's just not that sure anymore.

Know this though, a city asset is taking a cue from the "leaders" and saying fuck it.

Protecting the city, one nap at a time, the JCPD...

As the stomach turns; Chico Ramchal charged with theft

Jersey City Ward B Councilman Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal stood mute when hit with theft charges related to an alleged "no show" county job. So a DUI AND a theft charge for a no show job.

Ward B can do better, much better. Let's think on this for a moment. If the charges are true, and Ramchal didn't say boo he merely stood there like the house by the side of the road, Jersey City has a serious issue inwardly and outwardly. This guy votes on bigger tax abatements (and outright loans to developers like Bruce Ratner of all people) all while, allegedly, stealing from all of us. He gives away money to rich developers at the mayor's behest (more on his sad part in this story in a minute) or just of his own lack of research all while getting free money. No wonder Chico doesn't mind paying down the higher taxes, he's paying for abatements he gave out using taxpayer money so in essence he cares so much about you Jersey City resident, he's happy to soak you twice so he can live on Easy St. He votes on city business to this very day.

Following a two-month investigation, Ramchal, 40, was fired June 23 from his job as an enforcement officer at the Hudson County Improvement Authority. 

The HCIA began its probe on April 8 after The Jersey Journal made inquiries into why GPS records from the car the councilman had been driving -- which was registered to the Jersey City Incinerator Authority -- showed him driving around Jersey City when the time sheets he submitted to the HCIA indicated he was working.

We haven't even talked about his DUI yet either now have we? So on top of allegedly soaking everyone for his lifestyle he then thought it'd be a good idea to drive drunk and wreck property owned by someone else AND injure innocent people. If you're a regular reader you know Johnny was a victim of a drunk driver at age 17 which altered his life in many ways. He has a very low opinion of people, especially where trains and taxis and Uber and Lyft are the order of the day here, who make this choice.

So yeah, ethically this guy still sitting on Jersey City Council makes the city look a lot like a big ugly Chet from Weird Science.

Resign Mr. Ramchal, for all of us. This is one time to not put yourself first.

As for the mayor on all this, well where IS the mayor in all this? Mr. Virtue and Good Government who has had nothing but nasty things to say when wrongdoing rears it's regularly scheduled ugly head at the Parking Authority or JCMUA has been publicly pretty silent. Like Mayor Goldie Wilson before him he was gonna clean up this town. Except the typical Hudson County pol will always look the other way when someone can do something, ie vote for all their programs and abatements. What does Steve Fulop have to say on this very troubling issue? Well, nothing, he sent Ryan Jacobs out again to deal with the important issues non ribbon cutting related. Jacobs assured us Fulop has privately met with Ramchal and told him if he goes to jail or is indicted he might want to think about stepping down.

Way to lead from the back Mayor. Did you privately meet with Oren Dabney's brother before court too? Oh that's right, he couldn't help you with Bruce Ratner or Lloyd Goldman.

The circus at 280 Grove continues it's amazing open-ended run...

More huge tax giveaways from the mayor as an inconsistent council just says yes

Yet another huge abatement of your money just went in a huge giveaway to KRE Group to build more uninspiring condos at Ninth Street and Marin Boulevard. Yep, right there on the way to the Holland Tunnel. Yeah the main route. Someone may tell you they'll try not to interrupt traffic meanwhile delivering muffins and more Cocoa Puffs to "City Planning" to close the roads. How much traffic can Erie, oh, wait, they'll block that too.

And you're gonna pay through the nose for it. In fact, if the mayor's team on this weren't in such utter disarray over this, it could have been much worse. Terrence T. McDonald, show everyone the level of dysfunction going on on a night millions of tax dollars are being voted on:

The city initially intended to award KRE a 30-year tax abatement, but the deal was amended to 20 years tonight. Asked why, Corporation Counsel Jeremy Farrell told The Jersey Journal to ask Deputy Mayor Marcos Vigil, who declined to explain.

Left hand meet right hand. And, if you'll remember Johnny's comment about Fulop's first term being a Healy's third term, well here's more proof he was right.

"Excuse us, why did that big giant thing just go sideways?"
"Whatever."

The level of inept is so prevalent it's spilling out of the barrel into public view. Know why it doesn't seem to get the ink it should? City Council puts their stamp of approval on everything Fulop says and his spokespeople of the month are free to hide behind council. The vote for the abatement (Luckily the city wasn't giving loans too like last month) was 6-2 with Councilman Michael Yun once again realizing money doesn't grow on trees, voting no as did Candice Osborne. Councilperson Osborne is all over the map on which abatements and projects she'll vote for. Votes against a plan to have a building going up in her own neighborhood have a higher floor allowance, votes for the further financial gutting of the city for the "Pep Boys" abatements, perhaps the worst deal this council has ever signed off on, and is back to no on this deal.

It's fair to say she's trying to hold the mayor to a deal he announced last week and promptly took a week to break (Hear that NJ voters?) but sure seems to want it both ways. The long-term financial heath of Jersey City is important to ALL the residents, not just those with children would be our advice to the Osborne.

Which brings us to the king of voting for anything the mayor wants, Council President Rolando Lavarro. He's Council President. He's touted the benefit of several of the abatements downtown and around PADNA as being good for the neighborhood. Know what a PADNA birdie told Johnny? Until the last month when Council President Lavarro took a walk around the neighborhood with a PADNA official, he'd never even been there. He's touting tax breaks for a large part of the city he's never been to.

Mt. McKinley anyone? Maybe the Mt. McKinley of spending. We're beginning to think that when Mr. Lavarro was a kid someway, somehow his toy bobble heads went up and down YES and not the usual back and forth NO.

Why is a guy being charged with a DWI and fired from a "no show" job voting on other people's abatements?

So as the inept spills out of the administrative branch all over the streets, the legislative branch looks for ways you the taxpayer can clean it up.

Yep, Johnny's back from vacation...

The bad kind of Throwback Thursday in Jersey City

Twitter as many of you know is a fun day of sharing throwback pictures. Jersey City is not enjoying another kind of throwback, arrests for apparent corruption at the Jersey City Incinerator Authority (JCIA), three to be exact at press time while Terrence T. McDonald tells us the Jersey City Police Department is currently seeking a fourth suspect.

McDonald's questioning would seem to have caught the chair of the JCIA Board of Commissioners off-guard this morning:

A phone call seeking comment from the JCIA's executive director, Oren Dabney, went straight to voicemail this morning. Maureen Hulings, the chair of the agency's board of commissioners, told The Jersey Journal she did not know about the arrests.

"Oh, God," Hulings said when she heard the news. "I have not heard anything. Oh, God.

Unlike the situation with Ward B Councilman Chico Ramchal who was recently fired from an alleged no-show county job, the Mayor's office through spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill wasted no time in calling for investigations and the rooting out of corruption wherever is appears:

"We will not tolerate individuals that have taken advantage of the city residents for years and today is just another step in that direction," Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement that noted the investigation was initiated by the city.

Convenient to have a comment on this other than letting the law take it's course. This is however another step forward for citizens and a strike against those who would use their city positions to steal and or profit at taxpayers expense. A neverending job in Jersey City it appears.

While we're on the topic of disappointing city officials...

...Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal must go as a City Councilman.

Many of you know, as it has been brought up a few times here, Johnny was the victim of a drunk driver at age 17. Run down from behind on a bike by a drunk. He does not suffer DUI drivers easily. The fact Mr. Ramchal is currently going through the court system for his own DUI accident (with a taxpayer funded vehicle) is NOT why Johnny thinks Mr. Ramchal should step away from his city council job. Johnny understands we all do make mistakes, however distasteful the acts (sans murder, rape etc) and people should have a chance to make amends and still be active in the community as long as they learn from their offenses. Councilman Ramchal will have his days in court and we hope he gets no special favors but again, this is not why Johnny thinks he needs to go.

A couple days ago we found out Ramchal was fired from his alleged NO-SHOW job. NO-SHOW. You're a city counsellor in the second largest city in New Jersey and you're sitting on council getting paid $49,923 to not work at your other job. That is beyond the pale for a city employee. You vote on contracts, you vote on city business dealings all while, let's call it what it is, stealing from taxpayers. That's just no good. You are part of the problem, a sleazy problem at that for no-show work. it would seem according to this story from our good friend Terrence T. McDonald you also LIED on your city time sheets:

The HCIA began its investigation of Ramchal on April 8, after The Jersey Journal made inquiries into why GPS records from the car the councilman had been driving showed him driving around Jersey City when the timesheets Ramchal submitted to the HCIA indicated he was working. Ramchal had been suspended with pay as the agency investigated the newspaper's claims.

Yeah, you gotta go councilman. We also understand you have a lot of support in your ward and a lot of those people want you to stay. That'd be fine if you only voted on Ward B business but you don't do you? No, you vote on ALL city business and Johnny simply does not want someone this dishonest voting on issues that affect HIS ward.

The DUI Mr. Ramchal is a personal failing, the no-show job and faked timesheets are another matter that show your contempt for Jersey City taxpayers and residents and for that you need to step down or be recalled.

Ward B Councilman Chico Ramchal pleads not guilty to assault by auto

Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal pled not guilty to his assault by auto charge after his alleged alcohol-fueled wreck in a JCIA Ford product March 14. If found guilty of this charge it carries a possible 18 months in the state clink. If you're a regular reader of the Jersey City Desk you know the rest of the story.

Johnny's of a couple minds here. As a victim of a drunk driver at 17 he has no tolerance for that shit. None. Accountability for that charge is essential. That being said Johnny's not one to just toss someone on their ear for one stupid thing provided it wasn't THAT stupid and the damage in this case to humans was minimal and property is all fixable. Yet a third mind wants some answers about where that JCIA vehicle was running all those "work related errands" late at night and at odd hours on weekends. THAT is what we need to know more about in all this and will probably help skew our final assessment in all this.

The JCIA might fast be running out of vehicles

A couple weeks after city councilman Chico Ramchal crashed his JCIA vehicle in an alleged drunken driving incident late at night, another JCIA vehicle has been in a late night accident after this time trying to elude police. Dajuan Clarke was arrested after a few blocks of a "chase" after just missing a marked JCPD car after running a red light:

At 3:17 a.m. the officer was entering the intersection of Bergen and Bramhall avenues when he had to slow for a car that ran the red light and made a right onto Bergen. He said a second car driven by Clarke did the same, coming even closer to striking the police car, a police report says.

The officer activated his lights and siren, but the cars did not stop. They turned onto Clinton Avenue where Clarke's vehicle struck a parked car before both vehicles crossed Kennedy Boulevard and turned onto West Side Avenue as backup units were arriving.

Here's the kicker. While Clarke was driving a JCIA vehicle and had worked for them in some capacity for three years BUT his name does not currently appear on any list of current employees and salaries.

Clarke's $25,000 cash-only bail was set as cash-only because he is currently on parole for a robbery conviction raising even more uncomfortable questions for the JCIA management.

Not much from the Jersey City Council tonight about, well, you know...

The Jersey City Council caucused tonight for the first time since council member Chico Ramchal's arrest for a DUI while driving a municipal vehicle the according to witnesses was running flashing red and blue lights before hitting a vehicle as part of a three-car pileup.

Was what he did wrong? All were in agreement yes it was. When asked the hard question as to whether he should resign, well...

Asked whether he believes Ramchal should step down from the council if he is convicted of drunken driving, Lavarro declined to comment.

"I feel bad that it happened," (Ward F Councilwoman Diane) Coleman told The Jersey Journal. "I would hope he would use more discretion in the future."

Ramchal himself had no comment after arriving thirty minutes late to the meeting.

While some are saying last week was a bad one for city council...

Johnny thinks it was equally bad for the mayor. Three of Mayor Fulop's solid votes on city council, Chico Ramcal, Joyce Watterman and Diane Coleman all got into a bit of trouble last week on differing levels. Of course Ramchal's was and is the most serious, being involved with an injury DUI by all account but his, of his making. Watterman was found to be doing campaign business for herself from city offices on city time and of course blamed an aide like everyone now does. Was it really the aide? We'll probably never know as that's the go-to answer and that's all they're saying. Coleman it looked like was hiding, if not being very forthcoming of a new county job making her yet another Jersey City official holding at least two government jobs.

Like we said all three are solidly behind Mayor Fulop. So why is this bad for him? Sooner or later there is going to be a vote where the three aforementioned council members are going to be conflicted. Right now they know to make things better they had better bend over backwards to listen to, help and support constituents who will be voting on their jobs soon enough. There's going to come that time their constituents are not going to agree with more money for downtown or a big tax abatement while their ward goes begging and then these council members will be over a barrel. A big barrel. Suppose the mayor say revisits the 95 story building and F-1 race track taking up part of Liberty State Park. If the voters are against it and giving away their tax dollars on it will those with some penance to do in their Ward be so likely to support Fulop? See there.

It was a bad week for council, make no mistake. Down the road this past week could bear sour fruit for the Mayor as well.

We don't hammer on people's personal issues here as a rule but this can't be overlooked

Jersey City Councilman Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal was arrested and charged with driving drunk last night after according to witnesses he blew through a red light and t-boned a cab forcing it into another car at West Side Ave near Communipaw. The Jersey Journal's Terrence T. McDonald gives more details including one very troubling one:

Ramchal, 39, was traveling southbound on West Side Avenue in a 2013 Ford Explorer when he collided with a taxi cab heading west on Communipaw Avenue, and then the cab spun out of control and hit a third vehicle, witnesses told police.

Ramchal had a blood alcohol level of .15, almost twice the legal limit, the report says. The vehicle Ramchal was driving had emergency lights that were on at the time of the accident, a witness told police.

We don't know if Ramchal was driving a personal vehicle though it sure sounds like he wasn't. Ramchal also works as a Hudson County Improvement Authority enforcement officer. Could it have been a county vehicle? We'll soon know more as the Explorer was impounded.

Ramchal is a supporter of Mayor Steve Fulop whose spokesperson Jennifer Morrill had this to say:

"appropriate consequences will be immediately issued" after the police complete their investigation.

Mr. Ramchal, the person Johnny knows you to be isn't a bad person. You care about your city and involve yourself. That being said Johnny was run down at age 17 on his bike by a drunk driver so his tolerance for those who do drive inebriated is pretty low and it's then quite easy to get on his shit list. If this charge is true you admit to it and take your medicine. There are a LOT of options for rides in Jersey City where you were enjoying the libations.