Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to make clear to the public exactly why it is that I am voting for gubernatorial candidate and current Mayor of Woodbridge Jim McGreevey over past running-mate and former Mayor Jersey City Bret Schundler.
Imagine for a moment, you are at your daughter’s soccer game. It is early Saturday morning and you have traveled quite some distance to play. There was traffic, construction, and no time for coffee. You turned back twice to retrieve shin guards and socks, both left behind. Sound like a typical soccer horror story?
Now, picture the tension in the air when the Ref makes a bad call. The neck hairs rise, breathing shallows and frustration mounts. Everyone feels the stress of the morning-waking up, packing the car, traffic-until someone bursts out. He yells and yells that his daughter does not deserve that red card, etc. Bret Schundler argues that every person has the right to carry a concealed weapon. I shudder to think what a parent could do with a concealed weapon at a time such as this. Any parent who has experienced this kind of behavior would agree. In this manner, Schundler is out of touch with the central values of New Jersey.
This is not all. Just as easily as Schundler defends the right of secretly armed men and women, he rejects the right of a woman to choose. McGreevey is pro-choice. His beliefs, as well as mine, acknowledge women as being able to decide for themselves exactly what their options are. Clearly, Schundler’s views are out of the mainstream. How will he be able to represent the growing diversity of New Jersey if he doesn’t share the same values as the general population?
McGreevey is out to improve public schools. He understands that they may not be up to par. But he also believes in free, public education. It was one of the building blocks upon which this nation was based. Bret Schundler refuses to help public schools. Instead he works against them by peddling his voucher program as a cure-all. I am not against alternatives in education. I believe a parent should be given options. However, when Jersey City was granted a billion dollars in capital budget, Bret Schundler argued that the general public should decide whether or not Jersey City should replace its century-old, dilapidated schools. As the former President of the Jersey City School Board, I know full well how unconstitutional funding to urban districts has shortchanged Jersey City and its children.
We need a governor who will ensure quality public education. Working families do not have the time for a governor who plays games with their taxes. Jim McGreevey knows what has to be done and prioritizes-he insists that schools be accountable to taxpayers and parents! We need a governor who will rid the state of educational slums and strengthen public school infrastructure. Jim McGreevey can do just that.
He is on the side of the working family. He believes in the need for more affordable housing. In the ever-growing state of New Jersey this is a necessity. He supports the Mount Laurel Decision-developing communities need to contribute to their fair share of affordable housing. Bret Schundler does not support the Mount Laurel Decision. While Mayor of Jersey City, Bret could have built more affordable housing, but he chose not to. Instead he focused on the luxury end and left many of the local old time Jersey City citizens behind. Jim McGreevey, however, is on our side. He will not leave anyone behind.
Finally, Jim believes in a Liberty State Park free of unnecessary commercial development. This is a topic dear to my heart upon which I could not yield. Bret has suggested using the valuable green space of Liberty State Park for traffic-inducing commercial sites. Jim McGreevey would not ignore the people of New Jersey when they insist the park be left free and for the public. He shares my values and has the capability to get things done. Jim McGreevey has my full support in his run for Governor off New Jersey.
Mariana Vega
Councilman-At-Large
Jersey City