Late night open thread

I saw this wino, he was eating grapes. I was like "Dude, you have to wait."
 -- Mitch Hedberg

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tropical Storm Joaquin; Not so much if but when...

Newly minted Tropical Storm Joaquin, swirling up tightly off Florida's coast is expected to head northward along the Atlantic seaboard and MOST, not all projections but MOST have Joaquin hitting New Jersey. The fact that the storm will continue and quite possibly grow into a hurricane isn't in question. Seemingly neither is the path. The question is when does it get real sloppy around these here parts. Early Saturday things could get weird but Sunday is the day currently forecaster are taking a hard look at.

Johnny's not trying to panic you, the news media will do that. He's just giving you a few days heads up to plan for a wet weekend. How much wet and wind remains to be seen.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you read this story without knowing where it took place

If after reading it you were asked where it took place you'd probably say "Yeah, that just sounds like Jersey City." 

Allegedly Bianca Lockett hit a fire truck from Engine 5 at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Audubon Avenue in her Mercury while the truck had lights and sirens on. What happened next (allegedly) is what makes it so Jersey City. Witnesses told police Lockett grabbed her small child from the vehicle and made like a tree and leafed. Witnesses also said that two people jumped out of the vehicle and took the license plates and also fled the area. A witness followed Locket taking cell phone pictures and assisted PD with the info. Reached at her home by police Locket was issued summonses for driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to yield the right of way for an emergency vehicle.

No word on if she was issued a ticket for driving a Mercury as well.

Late night open thread

Johnny's prediction was off on the Jets to be sure but if you actually bet money on the New York Jets that's on you.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

New Jersey Jets football gameday!

With the Giants winning Thursday over the Washingtons, the Jets are the only local game in town and what a game. The reeling Philadelphia Sheagals venture north to the Meadowlands to see which city the Pope blessed better.

Genius Chip Kelly has turned the Eagles into a cornucopia of fail. His movement based offense is being run by the only player in NFL history whom Bernie Kosar could beat in a footrace. He shipped away all his best playmakers for reasons open to debate but in general turned a team from one getting better and maybe even getting ready to contend, into the East Philadelphia Browns. Oh, wait, the Browns have a win. The Sam Bradford Experience is a baaaaad trip kids. Twice as many INT's as TD's after two games is no way to play QB....for long. Darren Sproles is always a danger. He can simply go off and make plays that suck the life out of a defense.

If the Jets weren't so banged up we'd say this could prove relatively easy. No Revis is certainly not a reason for hope (he's listed as questionable on ESPN as of press time) as well as other injured Jets and in the NFL that is a great equalizer. Look up game manager in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Thus far that has worked well. Fitzpatrick's best friend, running back Chris Ivory is a game time decision. If he can't go suddenly a nickel back or safety shifts over to double Brandon Marshall. Fitzpatrick's task does become that much tougher.

Johnny thinks the Jets can still handle the Eagles today but it won't be pretty. Like the fans in the stands it'll be a fistfight. The Magic 8 Ball sees a low scoring game.

Jets 20
Eagles 16

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Rutgers 27
Kansas 14
Well done Scarlet Knights, now the real tests begin

Michigan State 30
Central Michigan 10
Sparty blocked two Central field goals in this one and New Jersey native Shilique Calhoun killed several Central offensive players like Wun Wun kills wights


Bowling Green 35
Purdue 28
The B1G has announced a trade: Purdue will be going to the MAC while Northern Illinois and BG will head off to the the B1G

UNLV 80
Idaho State 8
Would you believe Idaho State hasn't won a game yet this year?

Princeton 52
Lehigh 26
Princeton is undefeated

Yale 33
Cornell 26
Yale scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to get power up and win

Florida 28
Tennessee 27
You knew the second Tennessee threw that ball with a minute and a half left it was their doom for the 11th straight time vs Florida

Illinois 27
Middle Tennessee 25
The B1G was a late missed Middle Tennessee field goal away from trading Illinois as well

Army 58
Eastern Michigan 36
Army rolled the tanks trough EMU like warm butter

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
TCU 55
Texas Tech 52
What an amazing game. Right to the end. Back and forth all day. THIS is why we love Saturday football!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Rutgers football gameday!

Rutgers is really pissing Johnny off to no end this morning. As you all know Michigan State is his team. They are #2 in the country and trying to chase down one of those coveted four playoff spots.

Rutgers is playing moribund Kansas. Kansas is the team 1-AA teams schedule early in the season for a good looking win over a Division 1 school. This game gets FOUR Chets in fact:


Why is Johnny mad at Rutgers? Since Michigan State is also on the BTN Network but the Scarlet Knights, being a locally-sourced team are the game on Big Ten Network at noon. Now some Rutgers fans might counter that Sparty is only playing Central Michigan.

Kansas, the most awfullest team in the last 10 years not named Eastern Michigan versus Rutgers, Johnny just woke up but hasn't had time to check the police blotter to see who's playing.

Stupid local interest.

Now that we've dispensed with the unpleasantness of geography, today we're going to find out if Rutgers is a lost cause and are simply mailing it in a third of the way through the season. This is Kansas, even a team in crisis should beat them at home. This game can be broken down to "Is Rutgers still all in in 2015.?" If they are, they'll start B1G play at 2-2, if not, oh boy oh boy oh boy. Of course let's remember this is a full team effort of goofery. Both coaches AND players have contributed MIGHTILY to this mess. Today would be a good day to step up and represent your university in a fitting manner.

As bad as this game looks on paper there is an awful lot to play for if you're RU.

Fearless Forecast:
Rutgers 28
Kansas 21

Late night open thread

Johnny takes his rest now though it will not come easily. What to be for Halloween?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE TEMPTATIONS!

Go ahead, clear your throat for the part of this song, 'Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)' by The Temptations you really wanna sing...."And the band played on"

Let your freak flag fly friends. Get on with your bad self.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROBERT PLANT, PATTY GRIFFIN AND BUDDY MILLER!

Johnny caught this show, Live from the Artist Den on Palladia the other night and thought it was amazing. Robert Plant out front mostly singing with Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin playing (and in some cases singing) alongside. Tonight Johnny's got THE best version of the Led Zeppelin classic 'Ramble On' you're ever gonna hear. Sit back, put the headphones on and do enjoy.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with TALKING HEADS!

Every so often your parents surprise you. This song is proof. Johnny loves to tell the story about how fascinated his dad was by this song at the beginning of the movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills. He LOVED this song. Here's to his temporary bout with great taste ;) . Talking Heads and 'Once in a Lifetime'

Late night open thread

“Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.”
 -- Frank Sinatra

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Tonight is get outside and go to dinner night in Jersey City

Screw the Giants, don't watch that trash. Who are they playing? The Washingtons? Good God, if you cannot find something better to do, such as go and eat in any part of our fair city, you know, eat, talk, relax, then you need to get out of the shoebox with holes you live in more often. It's a glorious night and look, the game is gonna suck.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Six months on, a city park destroyed by private interests just rots

Back in March as you'll recall, a city park and the only dog park in the PADNA district was torn asunder by Lloyd Goldman's BLDG Group, the ones who built the aptly named POS Building at 110 First St. For reasons known only to Goldman, his workers utterly destroyed, from top to bottom, a city park.

Now, Johnny told Councilwoman Candice Osborne this WOULD indeed happen. She told him they had no indication BLDG and 110 First would do such a thing. What a JC noob. Goldman, if you believe neighborhood PADNA rumors used to send goons to try and burn down the old Art House at 111 First St., after he kept losing lawsuits to the city. But destroy the park they did. Johnny had to bitch or nothing would have happened. Nothing. If Johnny didn't complain and make quite a stink they never would have had their certificate of occupancy held up at all. In fact Councilwoman Osborne said she was going to hold up the C of O until Goldman's lackeys rebuilt the park. Yeah, so that never happened. Merrily the pariah's of PADNA move into 110 First St every day.

So what of the city park. You know, city property that Steve Fulop said he was gonna go to the ends of the earth to protect as mayor. Those small green spaces he spits out as what a friend to the environment he is all while tearing up swaths of green for more tax abated unneeded buildings. Here's one and now it just sits and rots. How a city can let an asset be treated like this and not burn down 110 First St. is beyond us here at the Jersey City Desk. Steve Fulop and his administration have completely and utterly failed on this. They city got slapped in the face by a developer they are giving tax breaks to and the city does nothing.

So, Mayor Fulop, Councilwoman Osborne, exactly WHEN are park improvements coming? It's been six months. The park just sits. Have either of you engaged PADNA on this? No, LATELY? Have you even tried to get the park back to where people from the Harsimus Cove Light Rail can walk to the Grove St PATH like they did for years and years?

This administration are the kings and queens of empty promises. If they weren't this park would be back up and running by now.

RIP Yogi Berra, 1925-2015

Late night open thread

On this day in 1862 President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation which set forth the process of freeing the slaves and changed the crux of the war to be solely about slavery and in this masterstroke kept France and England from recognizing and doing business with the confederate states. Smart man, that Lincoln.

Time for Jersey CIty, After Dark

Know who has been Governor of New Jersey the most this year?

Interesting article from Paul Mulshine at the Star-Ledger that starts over the comment Christie made at the last debate ..."When I was the governor of New Jersey..." and Mulshine found out he's not kidding. According to the NJ state Constitution, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno has been the Governor of NJ the most in 2015 thus far.

Click the link to find out how that happens.

Late night open thread

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.
 -- Thomas Jefferson

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Attention CitiBike riders

Johnny has the same deal for you he has with other bike riders around the city. Run into Johnny in the street or on a sidewalk, or worse yet hit his dog and Johnny will beat you to death with your own leg. Yes, he's more worried about the casual "I never ride bikes in cities so I feel safer on sidewalks" and this new generation of city biker than he is the regular crew who ride all the time because they love it. So, again, enjoy the bikes and enjoy your rides around the city, as long as you know the rules.

Looks like someone else heard about the McGreevey lifetime giveaway

Ladwy the New York Post has lit into Hudson County as the home of, well, you're just gonna go have to read what was said. It won't take up too much of your time but it is a good screed about what goes on around here spending-wise and how those who feed at the public trough keep you or the rest of us from having a say on it with loophole this and invisible change that.

We have this one coming.

Late night open thread

Game of Thrones fans tonight watching the Emmy's roll in:

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Like Maureen McGovern once horribly sang, "There's Got to be a Morning After"

Newark Ave early this morning after the big party yesterday and last night:

Late night open thread

It's the Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Penn State 28
Rutgers 7
The wheels have truly come off in Piscataway

Ole Miss 42
Alabama 36
Suck it, Saban

Michigan State 35
Air Force 21
For being a service academy Air Force were dicks, committing 5 personal fouls

Michigan 28
UNLV 7
Michigan fans ask if they are in the playoff yet

Ohio State 20
Norther Illinois 13
Whistling past the graveyard in Old Columbus Town

Lehigh 42
Penn 21
Another Patriot over Ivy victory

Yale 29
Colgate 28
Colgate lost by the skin of their teeth

Northern Michigan 32
Hillsdale 24
Hey, we check ALL the scores

Shenandoah 30
NC Wesleyan 17
ALL the scores...

Tulane 38
Maine 7
The pain in Maine was inflicted mainly by Tulane

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Missouri 9
Connecticut 6
People spent a perfectly lovely day in Missouri wasting it at this abomination. People paid real money, not Bitcoin to see this game. PU.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The All About Downtown Street Fair is today from 11-8!

Well, don't just stand there reading the Jersey City Desk, wake the kids and phone the neighbors and come from all points in Jersey City to the pedestrian plaza at Grove St. and Jersey Ave. for a day of fun, food, music, adult beverages and outdoor cafes on a solid Saturday weather-wise. In other words, no excuses. Eat lunch, walk around, enjoy some shopping and then hey, it's dinner time. See ya there!

Late night open thread

Is it football yet?

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROD STEWART!

OK kids, get those dancing shoes on and those silk shirts out of the back of the closet. Johnny's gonna kick things off on the Music Series tonight with a favorite at whatever bar or party you're at. Sure an amoeba can keep that disco beat time, but let's face it, it's a classic. 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy' getting things going tonight.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with XTC!

We haven't had XTC on the Music Series in a while, an error Johnny intends to remedy, well, now. "Senses Working Overtime' and XTC.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with OLD 97'S!

Johnny you ask, what are you gonna send us off into this big Friday night tapping our toes to our singing our lungs out with? Got ya covered my roaring cats. The Old 97's always sound good but there's something that really just hits that sweet spot to have on your mind as you get your groove on. Old 97's and "Victoria' and feel free to turn it up.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

One day, someone will look back online and find this very post

One day a smart editor of the one last surviving newspaper will look at what a wreck the long-term Jersey City finances have become and tell a young cub reporter, "Didn't anyone, anyone at all warn against this prolific spending over nothing?" The cub reporter will hopefully not only know how to use Google blog search but Google itself or LexisNexis or EMyth or Simmons or any one of a number of tools which will bring them to this place in time.

"Yes Mr. Editor, there was someone who stood up and made exacting pronouncements on not only when the collapse began but pointed out the seminal cracks along the way."

*Harp flashback music*

Then, the Beatles song "Fool on the Hill" will begin to play over the office Pandora and the crux of the article will become a "How did we not see this coming, the signs were all there" think-piece.

*End harp flashback music*

We mentioned briefly yesterday in the that News Roundup (That someone copied online thank you very little) former Governor and professional government employee Jim McGreevey, who while being a good guy was working on prisoner re-entry but just had a poor vision of how to do a vital job when it came to how residents would view it. However, after working four months for the Fulop Administration McGreevey will now get lifetime benefits from Hudson County. Privately some in the county offices are fuming but as you read yesterday a county spokesperson made a word salad about bullshit benefits to the county (after four months two of which were spent getting told to fuck off by taxpayers) and they left it at that. Spending friends. Spending is running amok because somebody wants to run for governor so we get a pile of people performing half-measures who are never held accountable because like McGreevey they didn't go through the normal hiring processes. They're just being paid top dollar to half-ass JC business but work hard on Fulop for governor is our analysis. Why else do corporate counsel show up at a huge citywide meeting on tax abatements where they wanted to ask for a 30 year abatement but dropped it to a 20 and when asked why refused to comment? The head of the Jersey City government is disengaged and it's showing. There are far too many people on payroll for the services we're being told we should be getting.

Giving away hundreds of millions of dollars that COULD be on the city books is no long-term planning. Raising taxes 4 percent one year and lowering them 2 percent the next year and claiming you're solving city tax issues when you're not is bait and switch. Did the state run schools get better in all that? Look says the administration, taxes have been kept low for the time being, life is good. What about in ten years when all the benefit is the developers' who write a small check to the city, far less that what they'd pay (all for as few as 10 going rate income units which as we know CAN be shifted elsewhere) in the long term. Who is going to cover the shortfall? Have we seen one great new anchor store go into a Fulop high-rise yet? Macy's? Target? A lot of the old units can't get businesses to stay. Any income projections from the city are just that, projections in their best interests.

Of course this is Steve Fulop, who made time to go give the glad hand at a Republican fundraiser so at this point going forward if this guy surprises you with his say one thing while doing another you need to get on that Google search or just keep your internet dial tuned right here Jersey City. When it comes to being the last outpost of reason on city business, if your internet it tuned here your internet is tuned RIGHT!

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a News Roundup (As promised!)

* Mayor Steve Fulop and Hudson County have found a new way to separate you from your money, give James McGreevey LIFETIME benefits for working four moths in JC. Yes, lifetime benefits for four months on payroll getting told by residents to fuck off.

* Mayor Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka had a joint press conference where they excoriated Verizon for not serving low-income areas as they promised to do yet found a loophole to hide behind.

* The Feelies are playing a sold-out show Saturday in Jersey City's Monty Hall. Sorry, Johnny can't help you, he's tapped out of scalped tickets.

* A Jersey City professor of handguns ran outside waving his around and then ran back inside to protect his alleged marijuana, you know, like ya do, only somebody saw him waving it and involved authorities.

* In what should be a very get hype kind of week for Rutgers football facing Penn State on Saturday, yeah, not so much excitement at player arraignments.

* In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the art exhibit "Emergence" will be on display in the Brennan Gallery in the Justice William J. Brennan Court House until Oct. 15. An opening reception for the exhibit is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Late night open thread

What are the only two G-rated movies to feature nudity? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Looks like a news roundup tomorrow

So don't kiss that. Johnny's got a couple meetings in the AM but there's enough 3/4 stories about to make up a good roundup tomorrow. It'll be just ripe with teh snark.

Late night open thread

If you're out on a boat tonight keep and eye out for reefs and rocks. There's been a complaint of local lighthouses not warning ships off Long Island.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Woman convicted with Sharpe James for bilking Newark now works for Jersey City

Johnny hates to feel like he's ever piling on but heavens the Mayor makes it so easy to ask questions about patronage and just what has changed from the last guy on personnel issues. Of course you'd remember the name Sharpe James, the disgraced former Newark mayor, convicted for trying to sell nine city owned lots to his mistress seven years ago. She was also convicted at that trial.

Guess where she works? Steve Fulop's Department of Recreation.

Tamika McReynolds, prosecuted as Tamika Riley makes $15 an hour for around 25 hours of work a week said Jersey City spokesmodel Ryan Jacobs who said, now pay attention because this is curious -- That yes the job was advertised but her background check turned up no problems.

Ryan Jacobs, please blame society and Jersey City taxpayers:
"It's amazing to me how some people are so in favor of the idea of giving our neighbors second chances ... until they are faced with a real-life example of it,"

Except Ryan, she already bilked a city government once. Who runs your background checks that came back, "without an issue" on her application? Please share with us.

What of Diane Coleman, you know, the Ward F councilwoman who said everyone in Ward F had a criminal record? Did she help McReynolds circumvent or get a leg up in the system? She DID testify at the Sharpe James/Tamika Riley trial and all. She does know her.

It's not just about a person trying to set things right with a job. It's a government job that she's already had issues with to that end. It's about Mayor Fulop again turning a blind eye to things he said he'd be hard on. Sure, he hated the leadership of the JCIA and the Parking Authority so he went after them. What about the myriad of others who act out and or commit crimes that can be of benefit to someone either trying to A) Run for governor and B) Pass dicey tax breaks. They get a pass.

Another day, another inconsistency from 280 Grove St.

Late night open thread

The G-men are battling for their lives tonight while the Jets took apart those Browns as predicted. Johnny's Browns sure looked a threat to stink all the way up to the #1 overall draft pick though.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jets and Giants Gameday!

Well NFL fans, the new season rears its ugly head today as both NJ teams are looking a bit thin this year. Sure Rex Ryan is gone off to Buffalo, sure Eli Manning has re-upped with the Giants, still, neither team brings much hope for any kind of playoff run this year.

The Jets start off with a must-win game right off the hop. Whenever the Browns come to your place with no real QB to speak of, an abysmal passing attack and a non-existatnt run game it's a must win or else look back in December one game light of making the playoffs and ask "How the hell did we lose to Cleveland?"

The Giants have a considerably tougher job, playing at Dallas on, "So THAT'S how Jerry Jones, a Texas oilman got a sweetheart deal at the new WTC site" night. No doubt bad sweater governor guy will be there with plenty of Jersey hugs for Dallas magnates.

Put us down for a Jets win and a Giants loss today;

Jets 27
Browns 13

Cowboys 31
Giants 20

Late night open thread

It's back! The Saturday Night Scoreboard Show!

Michigan State 31
Oregon 28
The big winners from this game are the scalpers in Columbus

Michigan 35
Oregon St. 7
The state of Oregon must now wash the state of Michigan's laundry for one week. What an odd scheduling quirk

Washington St 38
Rutgers 35
This could spin out of control after a team under siege loses a perfectly winnable game

Notre Dame 34
Virginia 27
Ask any Irish fan if they feel like they won today

Toledo 16
Arkansas 12
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema spent time this week whining about how easy Ohio St.'s schedule was compared to his own. The fact Toledo did the deed and is from Ohio is no doubt making Columbus laugh very hard tonight

James Madison 55
Lehigh 17
Lean times on South Mountain

Utah 24
Utah St. 14
Everyone who scored a touchdown was named Romney

Bowling Green 48
Maryland 27
Turtle soup

Auburn 27
Jacksonville St. 20 OT
Auburn whistles past the graveyard

The Jersey City Desk Game of the Week®
Eastern Michigan 48
Wyoming 29
Johnny has been around the EMU football program for a LONG time. He couldn't remember ever, EVER winning a non-conference road game against a Division 1 school in did he say ever? 27 years. Yep, ESPN confirmed this being Eastern's first non-conference road win since 1988. Party in Ypsilanti!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Late night open thread

I simply can't build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death... I think... peace and tranquillity will return again.
 -- Anne Frank

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE BUZZCOCKS!

One of Beavis and Butthead's favorite bands no doubt.

How about a little hard charging British punk to kick things off tonight? It can't hurt. No it can't. The Buzzcocks and the classic Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?)

You said "cocks" uh huh huh huh, uh huh huh huh...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SHERYL CROW!

We haven't had Sheryl Crow on in quite a while and so many great choices in the catalog from which to choose. Johnny's picking a live clip he was at the filming of because that's the kind of narcissist jackass he is. Sheryl's "Rocking the Globe" DVD came out in 1999 and Johnny was at the live taping at the Palace of Auburn Hills at the behest of his angelic voice'd professional singing friend (you know, show people) Maggie McCabe who had a luxury box. Sheryl did a couple takes on a couple tunes, clearly frustrated with the sound on some of the early songs. This was a redux as well. It's a great DVD maybe because you can't see Johnny anywhere on it.

Sheryl Crow with 'Anything But Down'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BOB SEGER!

What can Johnny say, the trip back to Michigan was a fond one for the music he grew up on. Bob Seger and 'Come to Poppa' to close up shop on another Music Series.

Late night open thread

A night that'll stay with Johnny forever, a booze cruise trip under the fabled Mackinac Bridge. Been over it a hundred times but never under. Pure Michigan.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

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...

Late night open thread

Johnny's back safe and sound and tomorrow we'll get back to the job of asking hard questions and listening to great music and having a few laughs.

Reveille is 0 five hundred.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark