Dear Editor:
When Mayor Fulop announced he was giving land worth $20 million to Liberty Science Center, he reminded me of other Jersey City mayors who have done foolish things.
First, there was McCann who bonded $128.9 million for missing state funds (city should have bonded $30 million) that we are still paying for today. Then, there was Schundler who privatized water and rates shot through the roof.
This is foolish because the gift is under assessed. Fulop said, the sixteen acres are worth $20 million, which is $1.25 million per acre. But open space is selling for twice that amount in other parts of the city and the property is worth more near Liberty State Park. In 2012, the developer, Peter Mocco, agreed to a settlement of $21 million on a 3.4 acre property near Liberty State Park after he was sued, so our mayor is giving away a valuable asset.
The city is not in position to be that generous. It bonds every year for terminal leave, pushing that debt off to future taxpayers, plus Fulop took $31.5 million from the MUA that should have been given to ratepayers.
Finally, the contract that was settled with the police union gives cops at step 10, a salary of $100,000. How will taxpayers pay for that?
Ironically, Councilman Fulop blasted Mayor Healy for giving a loan of $2.5 million to the Liberty Science Center, citing it is a private organization in 2008.
The land belongs to the public; the public should decide the future of that parcel, not a politician who is running for governor and wants the publicity of that gift.
Yvonne Balcer