To the Editor:
I have been a resident of Bayonne all my life. I cannot believe what I am seeing with my own eyes. Joe Doria leaves his post as mayor. Terrance Malloy comes up to bat. He, I believe, did a pretty good job since everything was dropped into his lap. On Nov. 4, 2008, we get a new mayor – Mark Smith, Bayonne’s so-called “Royalty.” I have never seen more family members being paid at the taxpayer’s expense than his family is. How many of them are on the payroll between the city of Bayonne and the Board of Education?
There are a few things that I wish would get answered. Like, what position does Mark Smith really hold? Is he acting police director? Is he the mayor? Maybe he should be called the acting mayor because every single time someone has a meeting with the “mayor,” you usually don’t meet with Mark Smith. You are meeting with Jason O’Donnell, the fireman, and Steve Gallo, director of the MUA and the chief of staff to the mayor. You never know which hat he is wearing. I don’t know if anyone has ever had a meeting with just mayor or acting police director Mark Smith.
Jason O’Donnell probably isn’t sitting too well with his firefighter colleagues, especially since he is nice and cozy with the same people who are speaking of demotions, pay cuts, etc., among his own “brotherhood.” I wonder what Jason’s take is on that. I hope they are planning to do the same thing for the police department. You know you can’t do to one department and not to the other. It just wouldn’t be the fair thing to do. I must tell you that I went into the Water Department to pay my water bill and noticed Mr. Gallo, who was walking down the hall, looking quite disheveled. I guess all of his jobs within City Hall are wearing him down.
All this talk is good, but just remember, actions speak louder than words. I haven’t seen one definite thing actually happen in Bayonne. Mr. Smith, I do remember you telling people you were going to lower taxes. Well, I guess you lied!
ELIZABETH WEINGARD