Perusing the news this morning Johnny is reminded of a Game of Thrones line

If you're not a Game of Thrones watcher do stick around as these issues we're dealing with today are important. For fans, remember the scene where Arya and The Hound find the dying farmer, talk with him and The Hound gives the farmer a merciful end only to be jumped from behind and bitten by two guys trying to collect the bounty on him? After he snaps the first attacker's neck with his bare hands he turns to the other now well aware of his coming fate and tells him "This day's really not working out the way you'd planned..."

Mayor Steve Fulop is having one of those weeks that's surely not working out the way he planned. As noted here earlier the Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association won a victory over a developer, LeFrak, and "City Planning" which if you're paying attention does what the mayor likes. More seriously however the mayor's SuperPAC is looking worse and worse when it comes to violating more pay-to-play laws championed and passed by Councilman Fulop. The administration seems pinned down by all the bad news coming out about it. Two new campaign finance watchdog groups are calling on the FEC to look into the mysterious SuperPAC that will mostly be supporting Mayor Fulop in his run for governor yet had over $1 million in a single donation less than 24 hours after the PAC paperwork was filed. Fulop won't say who is behind the donation (Johnny's got an idea, follow the casino munneyz) and it stinks to high heaven for someone who ran on a platform of being a champion of open government and good governance. It stinks to high heaven for someone who didn't run on a platform of being a champion of open government and good governance. But, seeing as how most of the big Fulop contributions have been from developers who either do business with Jersey City or get tax abatements from Jersey City, you can only guess who wants to give Mayor Fulop a million in secret cash.

Also not on the mayor's list this week Superior Court Judge Francis B. Schultz brought the Fulop Administration one step closer to a state-mandated reval whether Fulop likes it or not, and with yesterday's ruling certainly opens Jersey City up to a huge lawsuit by the company performing the reval that was 95% complete at he time Fulop stopped their work, (Fulop's admission) Realty Appraisal Co. Judge Schultz had this to say about the city's flimsy filings in why Realty Appraisal Co. shouldn't be allowed to finish the job:

But Superior Court Judge Francis B. Schultz this afternoon ruled that witness testimony did not back up the city's claims that O'Reilly had any significant role in the city's selection of Realty Appraisal in 2011. The testimony by city employees showed O'Reilly recused himself from any role in the selection process while he was still employed by the city, Schultz ruled today.

"There was no conflict," he said.

This was one baaaad week at 280 Grove St. kids. If Fulop is running for governor (he is) he's already compiling a lot of baggage on his own and giving Steve Sweeney and anyone else running in the Democratic primary plenty of mud to sling.

Dear LeFrak, Go piss up a rope

"This is a sad day for Jersey City," the statement says.

LeFrak's statement actually said that, insulting Jersey City residents as LeFrak was on the losing end against the Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association over required parking spaces, a one spot for one unit plan that's been set in stone since 2007 as part of the neighborhood redevelopment plan. You know these shithead developers though, if a neighborhood association were to want to reopen one of these deals their spokespeople would be all over the contract nature of it. You just can't tear those things up when you want to...only WE developers can tear those up by running hat in hand ala Oliver Twist to Bob Cotter and his Cocoa Puffs planners and city hall to get whatever they want. You homeowners and neighborhood groups can't do this, only developers as they smirk their little smirks knowing the game had been rigged.

Only last night it wasn't. Last night the planning board overturned the Cocoa Puffs Factory of Sadness unanimously and didn't let LeFrak out of their obligation to give one parking spot for one unit, units they are being well abated for by the Jersey City taxpayers.

LeFrak sounds stunned don't they? Before the meeting they tried to allay the fears of those in and around and traveling through Hamilton Park about the lost parking they were trying to reneg on. They didn't mention the good Earth or trying to keep things green by doing this, no, they had an answer all ready for those upset by them trying to change the rules again; "Well shucks folks, if you go just down the street to Newport there are a lot of parking sports there. Well yes, they ARE owned by our business BFF's and yes you will have to pay now for what you're getting for free but it saves us LeFrak millions in not doing what we're supposed to be doing, but hey, at least it's parking." Just give us our abatements and shut up. We told you where to park, if you don't like that then too bad they seemed to say to the very residents they didn't seem all the concerned with through the process.

Then they lost...UNANIMOUSLY. That didn't sit well. It never does when dealing with toddlers:

"The requirement for 'one to one' parking imposes on future development in Jersey City an accommodation of car ownership and desire for parking in front of one's home that is based on a suburban lifestyle, and not on the lifestyle of transit-oriented sustainable urban development," the statement reads. "The frustration expressed by residents about the lack of free street parking reflects both unrealistic expectations as well as unhappiness with the city's residential parking permit program."

Somebody call LeFrak a waaaaambulance.

You stupidheads are truly not seeing our genius here. You should have just let us tear up your neighborhood redev plan any way we want to, look, NATURE!

Yeeeaaaaaah, suuuuure that's what you were all about. That's what you wanted all along right? Just to save the earth and if you pocketed a few more million from JC taxpayers over deals you don't want to hold to and get parking dollars in perpetuity that's just a happy accident right? Pull this one it plays Jingle Bells.

Know what's NOT sustainable LeFrak? Your attitude. Things are changing. A lot of pressure will be put on Mayor Fulop by ALL the neighborhood associations to look well outside Jersey City to find someone TRULY interested in a workable, walkable green city where the first thought isn't of Lloyd Goldman, Toll Brothers, KRE, Silverman, and LeFrak among others. The mayor will get on board with this new way of doing business Johnny thinks.

Or these same neighborhood groups will rally and ensure May elections for Mr. Fulop going forward.