Dear Editor:
If Ray Velasquez were Pinocchio, his nose would be taller than the Empire State Building. Velazquez’s dedication to public service couldn’t be farther from the truth. During his time when he took up residence on my block, I believe it was six months, he never made his presence known to the people he claimed to call his constituents. In fact, the only reason people knew he lived on the block was because I had told them.
Next, with the statement that “I’ll make myself available for whatever’s necessary.” I am amazed he can look at himself in the mirror. Back in the summer of 2011, when the McGinley Square Rehabilitation Plan was called a plan of redevelopment, I had asked to meet with him to discuss in depth his stance on this plan. What did I get? Crickets. Nothing. “I’ll make myself available for whatever’s necessary.” ?? Bull. And the one time I did manage to have a 3 minute conversation with him while I was walking my dog, to discuss how there are respectable residents in that neighborhood that do not want to leave, all he did was interrupt me multiple times by saying that “They will do well”. So essentially, he was perfectly fine with letting these people get kicked out of their homes by means of eminent domain. So Velazquez being “a man of character” as Mayor Healy put it begs the question: What kind of character?
Jersey City certainly does not need characters like this anywhere near Jersey City government. And to this statement, “..because of the “commitment” he showed to the city during his brief council tenure,” I believe I have done more as a committee representative all across the city in my tenure than he accomplished in his tenure as councilman, so spare me and supposed accomplishments.
Which leads to my next point: Appointing Velazquez to any city position when it was quite clear the residents spoke at the most recent At-Large election screams of a smack in the face to all Jersey City residents. We have already made it clear we don’t want him. Don’t force him down our throats. So why the appointment at all? Hmmm. Let’s look at a few things. Vega resigned his post after the deadline for an election to be held for his position. No doubt he was told to do this because if he wasn’t smart enough to be an honest politician, he surely didn’t come up with this himself. This was clearly to appoint someone with the intention of the appointee to have the incumbent-like advantage in the next election. Hmm. The 2013 election is coming up. Is Healy appointing deputy mayors in the hope of these individuals running in the At-Large seats next year? As the song says, “Things that make you go Hmm.”
John Hanussak