Dear Editor:
I am a candidate for Councilperson-at-Large for the City of Jersey City on the Manzo Team. At present time, in Jersey City is out of control; our streets are ruled by gangs and filled with drugs, armed robberies and muggings. A casual walk on the street at night has become a thing of the past. As a lifelong resident of Jersey City with over 32 years on the Jersey City Police Department as a Deputy Chief and the Sheriff of Hudson County for 12 years, I know what it takes to build relationships between the police and the community to stop crime before it starts. As your representative on the council, I can be your watch dog over public safety issues. It’s time to crack down on crime and restore order in Jersey City. It’s time to take back our streets.
Regarding taxes, I like most other homeowners, felt the recent increase in our property taxes; however, unlike the council candidates on Healy’s ticket, I believe we can better address the problem. Tax bills are based on several components, one of which is the assessment for county services. At many of the county budget hearings in the past, there would be representatives from other municipalities who would question items in the county budget. However, your representatives from Jersey City have remained silent. It’s no secret why they don’t object to the county tax levy on the citizens of Jersey Cit; six of the candidates and the spouse of one other candidate on Healy’s ticket have county jobs with an average cost of over $100,000 each. With benefits, it costs the county almost one million dollars for thee seven employees. While most city residents have a difficult time finding and keeping one job, these individuals have two. How can they possibly represent us? Who do they owe their allegiance to – their lucrative jobs or the taxpayers of Jersey City?
Finally, I believe that the present administration has put a shameful spotlight on the City of Jersey City. To use an analogy, City Hall is like a large cruise ship with Healy as the captain, the council as shipmates and the citizens of Jersey City as passengers. For the past four years the ship has been adrift in the ocean with no one at the helm. Where are the captain and his mates? Well, everyone knows the answer to this question. They’re below deck, having a party.
Some people may think that my comments are too harsh. Let me remind them when President Harry Truman was critical of some of his opponents, one of his supporters said to him, “Give ‘em hell, Harry.” The President’s response was, “I don’t want to give ‘em hell; I am just telling the truth and it hurts like hell.” Well if the truth hurts like hell, so be it.
Vote the Mango Team on Mary 12th.Why? Because Jersey City deserves better!
Joseph T. Cassidy