JERSEY CITY – On the eve of the Nov. 8 special election for two at-large Jersey City Council seats, candidate Richard Boggiano lashed out at a comment made against him last week that he said goes against what he stands for.
After attending a candidates’ forum last Wednesday, voter Mike Selender told the Reporter that he would not support Boggiano because of the implication the candidate supported the development of Liberty State Park, a state-owned park in Jersey City for which the city does not receive property taxes.
But Boggiano, a former member of he Jersey City Historic Commission, said Monday nothing could be further from the truth.
“Between all the land that’s being taken off the rolls, the state of New Jersey should compensate the people of Jersey City for the 1,200 acres they’ve taken away,” Boggiano said. “The park is absolutely gorgeous, absolutely spectacular. It should be a tourist magnet. All I was saying [at the forum] was that it should have some shops and stores that promote the state of New Jersey and Jersey City, and the city should be compensated for all the land that was taken off the tax rolls. I’m not saying, ‘Let’s take away the park.’ What I’m saying is let’s use the park to benefit the people of Jersey City and give them some kind of tax relief.”
Similarly, Boggiano said the city should lobby the state to get the millions owed to New Jersey for Ellis Island. “We’re supposed to be getting approximately $7 million a year from New York State. But we’ve never gotten a penny and nobody has the guts to come out and fight for it.”
Boggiano is among 17 candidates on the Tuesday, Nov. 8 ballot. Candidates Adela Rohena, Jamie Vasquez, Nabil Yousef, Daniel Levin, Suzanne “Sue” Mack, Ihor Ed Ciolko, Omar Perez, Rolando Lavarro, Imtiaz Sayed, Brian Lane, and Juanita Lopez all took part in the forum. Fellow candidates Kalimah Ahmad, Radames “Ray” Velazquez, Viola Richardson, Melissa Alexander Clark, and Patrick Leonard did not attend.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. – E. Assata Wright