The Park is indeed open

The lock on the dog areas comes off tomorrow and the park is now open as it should be. Later in December the mayor said the city would hold a ribbon cutting. The hell with that. That's why Johnny has told this story from the beginning, so when the truffle sniffing glory hounds show up in two weeks you'll know who did the work to get the park back up and running, Candice Osborne and Johnny. If not for the combined efforts that place would till be a shitwreck, it would.

By Johnny's reckoning the people who live at The One should be able to walk through it or bring their dogs in March of 2020, about the time the rest of the PAD was denied use of their park for over two years.

Hallelujah and pass the Tylenol -- UPDATED!

Finally. Some 2 and 3/4 years in the making and Johnny got confirmation his #1 priority is finally opening, yes, he got a message from Ward E councilwoman Candice Osborne that Mayor Steve Fulop wasn't aware the park hadn't opened (Surprise!) and told Parks and Rec to open it TODAY! Friends, Johnny took the dire wolf by and they are putting down the final line larkers and pulling some fencing away.

Not to be a glory hog but Johnny worked almost tirelessly, writing, cajoling, whining, yelling and stomping his feet or sadly this could well have run on into 2018 with no end in sight. The important thing is it just became must easier and safer to traverse from the Harsimus Cove HBLR to the Grove St. PATH and the PAD finally has a park again, something they're not had for almost three years.

Thanks to Councilwoman Osborne, about PAD's only champion in this when it came to the city.

10:25 PM UPDATE -- Johnny just checked his Twitter messages and Councilwoman Osborne says the park opens Thursday.

Welcome you are Jersey City

Johnny working on his Yoda this morning...

When you speak of Johnny, do speak well; The failed EV parking program that encompasses the block between Marin & Provost on First St. has now turned most of those EV spots over to actual parking people actually use. With the parking crunch downtown from all the construction, residents have been forced into 'streets away from home parking.' It made no good sense to take an entire block of prime city parking, you know, the kind that pays the city back with permits and fines, and turn it over as part of Shuster's abatement "giveback" for the Art House and Jokeman. Johnny railed on this ridiculous plan from the hop. He did his research on how many EV's were sold in Hudson and Essex counties that might just need to come park on a one block section of First St. in downtown Jersey City, and not all that easy to get to. Just about the only cars seen charging were owned by Maven, the company that partnered with General Motors on the chargers. Johnny wondered that almost every time he sent his research to the city and showed how poor the plan was he'd see Maven cars charging over the next couple days. This idea comes straight from the playbook that if a McDonalds isn't selling enough cheeseburgers at a location Ronald McDonald comes in and buys 100 to get the numbers up.

Time and time again Johnny posted pictures and showed councilwoman Candice Osborne as well as Rolando Lavarro, council president, of an empty street that could certainly be used. Since this wasn't any kind of 'We'll do this for one year and see how it goes program' rather than just a bad idea for an abatement give back we're going to go ahead and say the squeaky wheel gets the grease and Jersey City gets some badly needed parking back.

The UCLA basketball team can thank Johnny now.

Ward E just got one candidate lighter -- but for the right reasons

Take it away Terrence T. McDonald:

Michael "Billy" Bisogno is dropping out of the crowded race to succeed Candice Osborne as Jersey City's Downtown council member, shaking up a key council election just 42 days before Election Day.

While the Jersey City Desk does not endorse candidates as that is simply playing one resident who cares about the city vs another, the reasoning for Bisogno's dropping out of the race is a good and true one, not anything to do with politics;

Dropping out of what was a six-person race is "not a choice I make lightly," Bisogno said in a statement issued by his campaign. He linked suspending his council campaign to his new role as executive director of Hudson Pride Connections Center.

"This role will allow me to advocate on behalf of Jersey City's LGBTQ community and serve as a voice for them as we all work towards making our home the place we all know it can be," Bisogno said. "I would rather do one job well than do two adequately."

We're really happy Bisogo is following his heart and helping in a more tangible way than often even city counsellors cannot.

More on the race here and also why you may or may not see Bisogno's name on the ballot you use.

Johnny will back the first candidate for Candice Osborne's seat IF

They are cool with Johnny calling them 'The Usurper' for no other reason than it sounds cool and like Johnny will have his revenge.

Jersey City Desk headline from the future: "Today the Ward E Usurper voted against a 20 year tax break for a 20" by 20" plot of dirt"

So there you go, Seems fair to Johnny anyway.

Sad to hear Candice Osborne won't run for re-election

Her reasoning for not wanting to run for a second term are solid, spending time with her son as he graduates high school and begins looking at colleges. Johnny's reasoning for wanting her to stay is personal, he's been able to make his little area of Jersey City better working with the Councilwoman. Yes, Johnny has and does disagree with her love of abatements but she's also been the only voice of reason when it comes to a sane parking/pedestrian policy. She's acted when Johnny's had enough stupidity downtown when it comes to construction nonsense. She worked with Johnny to give Lloyd Goldman and BLDG, builders and executors of The One, a bill north of one million dollars for their destruction of a city park in fines and holding up their certificate of occupancy. Osborne also didn't just show up at events for bad builders who we know she saw as bad actors in Jersey City. She tried promoting, rather than being negative. She was accessible. She followed up. She's also one of two people who know Johnny's real identity.

Johnny will miss her. Best to Councilwoman Osborne in her future endeavors. As Johnny said on Twitter, he'll now put a bucket on his head and run for her seat.

Getting things done with those you may disagree with sometimes

Johnny can be a rough cuss. No, really Johnny, we uh, heh, never noticed. He has certain opinions that he's probably not going to meet someone halfway on some, one being abatements and spending. Do understand when Johnny digs in his heels on the budget for the future; he grew up on welfare and food stamps and sans a generous set of grandparents might have been homeless. That's true. When Johnny talks budgeting and making sure things are set for the future as we navigate the now he means it with a passion. 3/4 of the buildings are now abated. You know he holds mayors and governors and councilpeople to account by name. This is such a story. Johnny has held out Candice Osborne as someone he thinks votes too friendly with Mayor Fulop on monetary matters. He's gotten emails from her after certain articles with oftentimes solid pushback. We talk. It' s not personal. Smart people get that.

Last Friday Johnny was taking pictures of his dog looking at the park being rebuilt he's often spoken on. That was until he heard a scream and a car locking it's brakes and he whirled around to take an image of a Mercedes SUV being selfish and turning right onto a one way (the wrong way) to then turn left into the BJ's parking lot, (a distance of about 30 yards) to get back out to Washington and avoid going out to Marin. A little girl was almost hit and killed as the Mercedes gave itself no wiggle room going the wrong way and just missed two cars and missing the girl by a foot and a half to two feet (note car to Mercedes left, almost unseen):

Johnny posted this pic to the city and Councilwoman Osborne on Twitter. She was immediately upset by it and within a few minutes she was asking to meet and take time from her weekend and do a walk around so she could better explain to T&E what was happening and suggestions on how to fix it. Offering her personal weekend time when one of the residents in her ward was put in harm's way. That's the best response you can get Jersey City. Let me get personally involved. Weekends being what they are and since Johnny lives closer to the intersection than the Councilwoman he went over and took a full video of how it happens, where the danger is at and his own suggestions. That video, through the councilwoman, is being used today to make a part of the city safer and that's a great weekend story, no?

Place your bets, place your bets

As mentioned yesterday, all the city council seats are up for grabs this November and just whom does Johnny think will win in which ward and who exactly will win? Let's take a look:

Ward A: If there is to be some big surprise it may well come from Ward A. Councilman Frank Gajewski told the Jersey Journal said he remains undecided. He'd be getting a late start. He's not the most social media friendly guy, what has he gotten passed? Not that Gajewski won't win if he runs, he'd more than likely be the biggest name in the race in Ward A but warning signs are there if a new hot candidate came forward. A real firecracker. Like most races though, the question before us is who will challenge these incumbents and have a real shot.

Ward B: Councilman Chris Gadsden won in a special election last November after Chico Ramchal was forced to vacate his seat for legal reasons, will face another race this November and has told the JJ he's in. We'd like to see what his new energy will bring. All noobs elected anywhere are most vulnerable in that first re-election run so that one needs watching.

Ward C: Councilman Rich Boggiano, despite signs around the Shop Rite Plaza on Marin, has not yet decided if he's going to run again, seek an at-large seat, or if he may also run for mayor. We'll know when Boggiano tells us. Like Johnny has said before, Boggiano gonna Boggiano.

Ward D: Councilman Michael Yun is tossing around a serious bid to challenge Steve Fulop for Mayor but hasn't made up his mind on the mayoral run yet. We'd expect Yun to run again and win Ward D as he has become quite popular in his stands (with Boggiano) against the otherwise rubber stamp council towards the current administration.

Ward E: Councilwoman Candice Osborne has said she's running again and if you want to waste a lot of time, effort and money, you can challenge her. Lock.

Ward F: It's up for grabs as Diane Coleman stepped down from the job. While council will name a new member, it'll be a quick turnaround with less than a year to defend the seat before November's elections.

The three at-large seats held by Council President Rolando Lavarro, Joyce Watterman and Daniel Rivera have all said they are running again for their seats. Rivera seems safe, Lavarro seems safe but with him you never know. That sheen wears off pretty quick. He leads a protest at Bay St. Towers (dba Trump Towers) but has he followed up or been back? He started to take a stand on spending but that was before Mayor Fulop smartly bagged his run for governor and the job of mayor was never going to be Lavarro's in 2017. Will he continue on his newfound penny-pinching mindset or will he now revert to another yes for Fulop spending? If Joyce Watterman can avoid running her campaign out of her office again, we'd say she's the favorite.

The JCPD took officers off active duty to stand around construction sites, no REALLY

How about that, no burying the lead on this one. The Jersey City Police Department felt it was actually OK to pull active duty police, ie they were cruising around the city trying to prevent crime....until they got a call to pull them off actual duty and go stand around a construction site. Who the fuck thinks this is EVER OK?

Backstory, Terrence T. Mc Donald, take it away:

Eight police officers tasked with distributing off-duty jobs to cops — called pick masters or job coordinators — were abruptly stripped of that power last week, according to law-enforcement sources who asked not to be identified discussing personnel matters. The change led the administration to pull officers off patrol to cover off-duty jobs that had gone unfilled, the sources said.

See that people, see how important you are in the eyes of the JCPD administration? Not at all, you're not important to the JCPD in any way shape or form or this wouldn't have happened. Who the fuck made such an asinine decision? Why do they still have a job (oh right, police unions).

Johnny has been ranting and raving about this utter waste of JCPD resources for years. He's written letters to Steve Fulop (Who actually agreed with Johnny you'll recall, when he was running for mayor Steve Fulop too said the police standing around construction sites should be ended with volunteers -- until he won the election then nothing from Fulop), Candice Osborne, the usual channels. When nothing there happened he's taken to the Jersey City Desk to point out what an absurdity it is this is allowed to continue, and now the JCPD has a scandal over it break wide-open. An embarrassing scandal where we find out, yeah, they actually pulled cops from street duty to do nothing for developers.

Johnny has tried people, he'll keep trying. He'll keep posting pics of cops doing nothing, playing on their phones, sitting down and of course, sleeping in their fucking cars until things change. It'll be a hard fight against greedy cops who would rather line their pockets than serve and protect.

SHAME ON THE JCPD. A house cleaning is now in order, beyond pick masters.
(Jersey City Desk file photo of a JCPD officer sleeping while on construction site "duty")

Bridgegate hits Ward E; Christie's minions approached Candice Osborne for support

We'll end any and all speculation -- she told them NO.

The best political reporter anywhere, Terrence T. McDonald points out Osborne's name came up when Christie operative Matt Mowers asked to meet with Osborne around the same time Christie was trying to get Mayor Fulop's support (Which Fulop did not give) to see who in a big city like Jersey City they could get support from:

Mowers said he and Christie campaign staffer Pete Sheridan sat down with the Downtown councilwoman in August 2013 on the recommendation of Fulop and the mayor's political advisers.

"They believed she was going to endorse Gov. Christie's re-election campaign," Mowers testified. "And they thought Mayor Fulop wanted to be helpful towards the governor's campaign, or seem helpful while also not endorsing himself."

Johnny wonders why the hell they'd think that, as Osborne herself pointed out to them but you'll have to click this handy link to see her response to Mowers and Sheridan. Couple questions do arise, why Fulop would send them to Osborne if he wasn't planning on endorsing or supporting Christie, the Candice Osborne Johnny knows would have no interest in helping Chris Christie. Also, did Osborne know her name had the possibility of popping up in Bridgegate at any point? Inquiring minds and all. If so that info is best gotten out ahead of moments like this.

The real story here though, and as usual in this story, is just how bad Christie's people were at reading people.

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...

Jersey City and FuHo lock horns over bike sharing

A feud has erupted between the city governments of Jersey City (Yeah!) and Hoboken (Boo Hiss!) over bike sharing programs. Johnny has read what each side has said, the timelines, and here's his analysis. Hoboken better learn it's place. That's right, you chose Hudson Bike Share despite Jersey City making the easy NYC choice in Citibike. Jersey City residents have been rightly complaining since last fall that Hudson Bike was dropping off, ne, dumping clusters of their bikes at public bike racks at Exchange Place making it impossible for taxpaying residents (or renters) to park a bike because a subsidized private entity doing business with Hoboken thought they could simply pile bikes here to get people to use them between the cities. Our own Candice Osborne tried working out a plan wherein in the idea of partnership in spite of dueling bike share companies, Jersey City would put in three bike racks dedicated to Hudson Bike Share at Exchange Place if Jersey City could put three Citibike dedicated racks in Hoboken, one near the train terminal to make it that much easier for JC residents commuting there.

FuHo Mayor Dawn Zimmer said no to that plan. So in essence at this point FuHo wants full Hudson Bike access in Jersey City but no Jersey City linked bike program there. To hear The Mayor Zimmer tell it Jersey City is out to crush all kinds of ride sharing:

"What’s next? Will ZipCar drivers be barred from using public parking in Jersey City?"

Well if you choose to fill up all the Jersey City lots waiting for your contracted company to make you money here while JC residents can neither park here nor in FuHo then YEAH, DUH!

We understand all your carz and bikez are regular flooding victims but if you want to use up our higher ground make a deal, Jersey City isn't your parking lot.

Again Hoboken, you better learn your place in the county power structure and fast. If you keep dumping Hudson Bike Share Bikes here we're going to start dumping them into the Hudson River. No Starvin Marvin those are Jersey City's bike racks.Think of it as a tea tax revolt where your business deals don't extend here without a signature on a piece of paper.

What a weak Jersey City Council

The Jersey City council, it what should be a slam dunk revocation of a law firm contract in CLEAR violation of Jersey City's pay-to-play law, is having all kinds of difficulty in either learning about, caring or commenting on this clear violation:

The Jersey Journal first reported on Friday that the contract — worth $50,000 and awarded in December to Morristown firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter — was given six months after a managing partner of the firm contributed two $300 donations to Fulop's re-election campaign. Critics, including a man who helped to craft New Jersey's pay-to-play ban, say the city's ban requires the city to revoke the contract.

Now Fulop could have returned these funds before 30 days were up and everything is jake, except he didn't and trust us, nobody on this green Earth should have known the law better than Steve Fulop:

When Fulop was a councilman, he attempted to pass a pay-to-play ban first by a council vote, and when that failed, he qualified the measure to be put on the November 2008 ballot, which spurred the council to act. At the time, he said the law would "eliminate the conflicts of interests and at the same time create a council strictly to serve the public."

When the council unanimously passed the measure in September 2008, Fulop received a standing ovation from a crowd of about 100 at the council meeting.

So, the law firm's contract should automatically be forfeit except Hudson County's slickest politician isn't moving to void it.

Good thing we have a city council to revoke it right taxpayers?

Yeah, pretty much weaklings. Johnny's picturing the former football coach at Florida State Bobby Bowden when learning of some of the serious transgressions of his players used to look down, kick a rock or two and give us the "Well shuckins' there isn't much I can do watch all these kids and their shenanigans, I'm just one man" routine. What does the Chilltown Council think of this slam dunk revocation? Awwww shuckins':
Daniel Rivera didn't return calls asking about it.
Rolando Lavarro, Joyce Watterman and Chico Ramchal? Whatever are you talking about, we don't read local news n stuff.
Frank Gajewski reads the news, he just needs more of it.
No word from Councilwoman Osborne on revocation, just that she trusts everyone turns in truthful paperwork.

It shouldn't matter all or part of the money was returned. This one is easy. The contract gets opened back up and everyone at 280 Grove St. gets a free civics lesson.

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.

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...

Mayor Fulop selling out the city again, more tax breaks for downtown

For a guy who started at Goldman Sachs we'd expect more economic understanding. When you look at what Goldman Sachs has done to the American economy maybe this shouldn't be the surprise it seems to be for Johnny.

Mayor Fulop, who railed against former Mayor Healy's "Johnny Appleseed" idea of downtown tax abatements is doing exactly the same. Yet, Fulop announced, well his schoolmarm spokesmodel announced, Fulop wants to give the many towers going up in the BJ's, Pep Boys lot downtown off Second St. and Marin  TWENTY year tax abatements. See Fulop somehow thinks instead of a long-term tax base with large developers paying the going tax rate for OUR land, Fulop would rather let developers (and this goes on again and again and again with him) take a cheap payout by paying a pittance into JC coffers. Terrence T. McDonald has more on this sweet deal for developer

The abatement would allow Forest City to eschew normal taxation in exchange for paying the city 7 percent of its annual gross revenue on the $449 million project. The amount the developer expects to pay the city in its first year of operation is about $920,000 for each tower.

What economic madness Mr. Mayor. Where the hell did you get your econ degree? Moreover, where did you lose your backbone? Certainly Mr. Mayor you'll remember this comment YOU made:

“Until now, all the market-rate development has been limited to Downtown because of a lack of a policy,” Fulop said in a statement from the city. “These one-off deals have created a culture of artificial competition with parts of the city, abatements based on who you know, and no foresight for future development in those parts of the city where it is needed most.”

A lack of policy. Yes Steve Fulop, YOUR lack of policy.

So the mayor with one foot out the door is not protecting Jersey City's economic long-term development and health. When Healy did it you could make a case jumpstarting downtown was necessary. In no way, shape or form does downtown need ANY MORE tax breaks but Fulop simply can't stop himself giving YOUR money away. Where are the groundbreakings at Journal Square Mr. Mayor? Where are your new big digs in Greenville? You said, you out and out said downtown was done getting breaks while the rest of the city was rehabbed on your watch. Liar. Your new and more tax breaks downtown despite your hollow words now have gone beyond stupid Mr. Mayor and they are starting to smell of patronage, you know for when someone needs campaign contributions for governor.

Don't worry though, no doubt this deal will get passed on Tuesday night as city council has their marching orders. Candice Osborne claims she hasn't read the plan and this is her ward. You know, millions upon millions of business deals going on in her ward and she hasn't had time to worry yet. It'll probably make her vote Tuesday (not Wednesday this week kids) that much easier. Rolando Lavarro hasn't met a proposal to build in someone else's ward and fuck them over he doesn't like. Joyce Watterman is in Fulop's hip pocket. Oh this deal is going to pass alright, with your city council proving they are as economically challenged as the mayor.

Of course we'd also like to give a shout out to the mooch who wants all your tax monies, The developer, Abe Naparstek. Naparstek has a funny idea about how business should work but luckily he found the Jersey City mayor and council who seemingly have no idea how it works:

"...the city tax break and the redevelopment bonds as a package deal that, together, make the project viable. Without one of the three components, he wouldn't be able to build the towers, certainly not with 172 affordable units, he said. "All work in concert together," Naparstek told The Jersey Journal in a phone interview this morning. "You can't have one of these things without the other."

HA! Does anyone think that number, if any, will be "affordable units"? City Planning will, as they always do, give a variance to affordable units and the developer will then say they are to be built in Secaucus or Hopatcong (with some of your tax money) and developers still get tax breaks. There will be NOWHERE NEAR the number of "affordable units", trust Johnny, look around you if you don't believe him. Lloyd Goldman, BLDG, Toll Brothers, all have agreed to affordable units to get tax breaks only to decide it made them no money and they kick the can down the street and the city allows it.

So fuck you Abe. Know what we as a city would rather have? NO buildings and our tax money in our pockets. These buildings don't HAVE to be built yet you act like it's a city necessity. Maybe for your bankbook Abe but that's why you want to work with Jersey City government, they don't ask the tough questions like Johnny does you fucking mooch.

The other shoe has fallen in the 'Invasion of the Park Snatchers' caper

As you well know if you've been within a half mile of Johnny this week what took place in what we'll simply call PADNA Park. Developer BLDG thought they had approval to dig up a city park because they got some input from some people in the neighborhood and sent plans to the Jersey City zoning department. BLDG (Previously referred to as Lloyd Goldman's building - which it is) TOLD zoning they'd just go ahead on this in early March.

Isn't that something? TOLD a city department. That''s cute. This obviously came as surprise to Johnny who has been following this issue since long ago and who knew Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne expected a full city planning and city council review. City planning sure thought they'd be taking a look at the plans as well.  So yes, Johnny is the whistleblower here and he contacted the office of Councilwoman Osborne who got to the bottom of this pretty quickly and acted absolutely in the best interests of the city. While we wished Mayor Fulop had commented on this personally he sent out city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill to address the issue from the city's point of view. Terrence T. McDonald, stand back with that notepad because here it comes:

"We are disgusted with their actions," Morrill said. "This developer will see hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs and losses at his building, as it will now remain vacant until we feel his actions have been corrected."

Ouch. No certificate of occupancy until the residents needs are met on the park? How about that Jersey City? The plans that were out there can be improved upon with public commentary (Johnny thinks the dog park part was pretty skimpy size-wise but then again he loves pups) and city planning assistance we'd hope. Maybe new plans arise, perhaps it's a hybrid. The important thing is that the city acted and acted fast and yes, stood up and told a big developer we don't do business the old way in Jersey City anymore. It's not just a shrug and a nominal fine.

We're giving the famous Jersey City Desk last word to Councilwoman Osborne on this because of all her GREAT work:

"The law means everything in Jersey City," Osborne told The Jersey Journal. "Developers and their professionals who brazenly ignore the law here will suffer the consequences."

Private interests plowing under a city park for fun and profit

Yes Jersey City, the sleazery has come to this. Johnny knows this story inside out and backwards but can get a bit wordy so let's review. Lloyd Goldman knocks down old Powerhouse Arts District Arts building and helps defy neighborhood height limits in building his 110 First St. Building, the POS Building so named by a gal walking down Warren St.. Gets tax abatements to include affordable housing and art space units. Check clears and suddenly Goldman says no poors and no artist hippies. City Planning backs down right on schedule. Ugly building goes up with the help of alcohol and pills (Johnny has those pics as you know). City owned dog park and small green space located between HB Light-Rail and POS building. Walkway from Harsimus Cove towards Grove St. PATH runs alongside. Goldman wants to redo the park his way though there is nothing wrong with park. Plan gets pushback from neighborhood.

Today Pavarini-McGovern, who are Goldman's contractors on the job, GUTTED A CITY OWNED PARK! They must have heard there was pushback from the neighborhood and simply went ahead and tore into, again, CITY PROPERTY belonging you and you and you and you and Johnny equally. On what authority? Johnny has been talking with people high up in the Jersey City government who are quite simply outraged. City Planning did not know they were going to do this. Candice Osborne was blindsided by this. This was supposed to go before planning and city council replete with all the public input you'd expect.

Except these contractors, they don't see city property like you and I do because they are rich. They figure a few thousand in fines, whatever. A couple things have to happen here or when other developers get wind of this, dig first apologize later becomes the norm and every green space is a goner.

1) The mayor should say something. He has not. He spoke long and loud about his disdain for Goldman's plans when he was Ward E councilman.

2) The mayor and city council should NOT turn up at the grand opening photo ops. Why enable this kind of shit?

3) They have to be moved off the city property post-haste and ANY plan they bring to redevelop it must be denied. There is a penalty for such stupidity.

4) After of course they set it back to exactly what it was.

5) People looking to rent downtown should avoid at ANY COST renting from 110 First. There are plenty of other places right near there that don't behave like this. Don't even consider them. If they'll do this to a neighborhood and a city imagine how seriously they'll take your needs as a renter.

Johnny's heard that #3 on that list is almost a given at this point which makes him very happy. Sometimes the biggest wars start over the smallest plots of land.

FINALLY, someone willing to hold big contractors and PSE&G accountable

Yes, Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne is right as rain (or snow today) in her call for contractors and utilities like PSE&G to make damned sure they got what runs under the city right the first time after we pay to have the road paved back over:

The ordinance requires contractors to repave block-to-block any road that has been resurfaced by the city within the last 10 years.

"Jersey City invests heavily to maintain our roadways, only to see them torn up by utility contractors months, weeks and sometimes even days after the work is completed," Councilwoman Osborne said in a statement. "We've seen this idea work in other cities and from now on when we spend millions of dollars to repave our roads, they are going to last or be replaced by those who destroy them."

Right? Sit down. Take a Xanax, Jersey City, somebody is actually doing something to protect your tax dollars. Know who likes this good idea, besides everyone? The Mayor:

This ordinance will go a long way to ensure the positive investments we are making into our City are preserved."

It's called cost of doing business folks and we sure hope this idea becomes a Jersey City law post haste. Plus this is something "City Planning" can't just turn around and give back to developers at the first sniffle of complaint. More on this smart idea can be found here.

Jersey City residents will now vote on when they vote

By a 7-1-1 vote the Jersey City Council is going to put on the ballot the date of citywide elections; Should they continue to be in May or should Jersey City vote on council members and mayors etc in November when the general election is held. The one city council member against putting this up to a vote, Michael Yun, said he's concerned it may help Mayor Fulop both run for governor AND run for Mayor should he lose the big job:

“This is a bad idea,” remarked Yun, while also bringing up the notion that moving the elections would create a safety net for Mayor Steven Fulop, who, if the elections were moved to November, could run in the Democratic primary for governor in June 2017 and, if he loses, run for re-election as mayor five months later.

No, it's a good idea said Ward E councilwoman Candice Osborne:

“It’s so refreshing that we are giving the residents of Jersey City the option to choose when they want the elections,” she said. “Let’s let the public decide.”

So what say you Jersey City? Do we keep the elections in May or do we move them to November? We'll know by next year.