Dear Editor:
The following is an open letter to Commissioner Richard E. Constable III, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs regarding the proposal of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop to abolish Jersey City Parking Authority
Dear Commissioner Constable:
I am communicating with you in regards to a serious matter which was presented before the Local Finance Board, an agency under your oversight and supervision. The matter involves the proposal presented by current Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop to abolish the Jersey City Parking Authority.
Commissioner, may I respectfully request that you review all of the circumstances and information contained in the audit of 2012 and other documentation concerning the necessity of this authority to continue and the issues of the financial stability involved.
There is another matter which I believe requires your immediate attention. The law firm utilized by Fulop and paid for by the taxpayers of this city is the firm of New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak. Although I have a deep respect for the senator I believe that there is certainly a conflict of interest when in fact the law firm of the senator is the moving force in the recommendation orchestrated by Fulop to abolish the authority. I question the direct conflict of interest of this firm and the Local Finance Board within your department as the funding for all government entities is derived through the approval and vote of the state legislative bodies.
In regards to the issues of maintaining a transparent atmosphere, it is noted in a recent journalistic investigation that Fulop met with Senator Lesniak at a conference in Atlantic City but redacted this meeting from his schedule which is open to the public under the Open Public Meetings Act (OPRA). Was the meeting concerning the Jersey City Parking Authority.
Sir, I respectfully request that you review this information concerning the issues surrounding the move by Fulop to abolish the authority. At the very least the decision of the Local Finance Board should be placed on hold pending a full review and investigation.
Respectfully submitted,
John Tarantula
Chair, Jersey City Parking Authority Board of Commissioners