Dear Editor:
Steven Fulop has proposed an ordinance for Jersey City that would compel the city to broadcast council meetings and other important committee meetings live over JC1TV1, our community access TV channel on Comcast. This proposal is in line with what many municipalities throughout NJ are now doing. Newark, under Mayor Cory Booker, established last year in partnership with Cablevision that they would provide for municipal programming produced and administered by the City of Newark. Also, Newark provided opportunities in TV production for their high school and college students as they intern to produce original shows about local residents, local sports, and municipal programs.
We have a very capable person now in City Hall, Stan Eason, who would be happy to enlarge our intern program to include students from Snyder, Dickinson and other schools as well as NJCU. This aids in providing hands-on experience for students that will translate into jobs as they pursue their passions.
In addition, the new JC budget posts this line item as $2 million as projected expenses. With all the work being done digitally, that figure could be cut in half and in addition take on covering and broadcasting council meetings and other important planning board, historic preservation board, zoning board, etc., at a much reduced and effective budget cost.
Cablevision invested close to $2 million for Newark in digital infrastructure, including two fiber optic transmission lines for digital transfer and studio development as well as technical expertise. Jersey City might do likewise by approaching Comcast for a similar partnership to expand outreach to Jersey City residents.
The 2010 Census will soon show that Jersey City looms over Newark as the largest municipality in NJ. It’s time to let all of Jersey City have access to their city through this outreach so as to garner the feedback of everyone on ideas and issues to be explored and to see how our city government, particularly our elected city council and the Mayor, represents it’s citizenry through it’s actions and inaction.
Mayor Healy opposes the idea of putting city council and important committee meetings on public access cable. Steven Fulop stated, “I think an important step to solving the city’s problems is creating transparency into what is happening in City Hall. Elected officials should be proud of how they vote and should have nothing to hide.” Once again, our only Independent voice on the City Council, Steve Fulop, has shown why only transparency in municipal government will shine the light on those who through corruption and malfeasance commit odious misdeeds that fall upon us for decades. Fulop believes in transparency in government and is as respected in Ward E for his financial and fiduciary stewardship for not only our area downtown but that which extends unto all of Jersey City, and I hope his ordinance to broadcast city council meetings and more will give voice to us all.
Dale Hardman