"I want to be known as the mayor of the neighborhoods," said Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham in his first state-of-the-city address Wednesday at New Jersey City University.
A crowd of nearly 500 citizens, including seniors and fire and police department personnel, heard Cunningham give the summation of the first-year accomplishments of his administration. Citing the repair of the historic street railings at Manila Drive and 10th Street, Cunningham said this was an example of how his administration was answering the needs of the people of Jersey City.
Pointing to the expansion of construction on the waterfront and increased police presence in high crime areas, Cunningham expressed his belief "that the state of our city is stronger, and getting stronger every day."
The mayor addressed a number of issues in his speech, including taxation, housing and forthcoming public works projects.
Cunningham said that for the second year in a row he would introduce a fiscally sound budget. "The budget holds the line on spending and does not increase property taxes," the mayor said.
Cunningham blamed the previous administration for "reckless bonding practices," adding he had been informed after taking office that Jersey City had a $54 million cash shortfall. Cunningham said this was due to a prior administration’s soliciting development by allowing the pre-payment of taxes.
"Soon, my administration will present a six-year capital bonding program which will insure that bonding is used for capital improvements and not financial gimmicks," Cunningham assured listeners.
Cunningham pledged his continued support to Jersey City waterfront development. According to the mayor, 16 new projects are underway on the waterfront, including the newly opened Hyatt Regency Hotel at Exchange Place.
"Ten of these projects are residential buildings with over 2,200 units," Cunningham elaborated. "Nine of the 16 are buildings scheduled to be completed within the next year."
In addition, Cunningham noted $60 million of affordable housing projects that are currently underway, including Lafayette Gardens on Grand Street, 24 new, two-family homes on Kearny and Orient avenues, and a multi-unit project on Monticello Avenue.
"Last fall, the police department began a comprehensive effort to take back our neighborhoods," said Cunningham, referring to the Sustained Anti Drug Initiative, which targeted high crime areas throughout Jersey City. Cunningham said the results were 2,950 drug arrests, including the finding of 6,660 bags of heroine and 27 handguns, in the last year.
"We even removed a machine gun from the streets of Jersey City," Cunningham said. "We will hunt drug dealers like the Taliban. Whatever crack they crawl into, a narcotics officer will get them."
Modernize the fire trucks
While congratulating the work done by Jersey City firefighters, especially during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Cunningham stressed the need to modernize the city’s fire trucks. "This year we will enter into a lease agreement to update the department’s fleet with six fire engines," Cunningham said, adding the fire department has not replaced a truck in three years.
In the area of recreation, Cunningham announced the one-year lease of the Jersey City Armory for use by city youth. Cunningham said the lease would cost the Jersey City taxpayer nothing.
"I am proud to announce that our Department of Public Works has filled more than 2,100 potholes throughout the city this year," Cunningham stated. "We have already begun a $6.8 million project to pave and repair residential streets."
According to Cunningham, construction on the new Martin Luther King Community Center and public library, both on King Drive, would be offset by grants from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, totaling $11 million.
Toward the conclusion of his speech, Cunningham said the city would begin the rehabilitation of Ercel Webb Park, build a new Police and Fire Communications Center, and upgrade city computers so citizens can pay taxes and fines over the Internet.
Cunningham finished his address by crediting past mayors with the establishment of a prosperous waterfront and noting Jersey City economic well-being was tied to New York City’s recovery from the Sept. 11 tragedy.
"Nobody knows for sure how New York will rebound from Sept. 11," Cunningham said. "I just have faith that it will, and I know that Jersey City will continue to grow."