In what turned out to be a minefield for candidates backed by the Hudson County Democratic Organization, six Democrats and one Republican engaged in a lively and sometimes raucous debate at Lincoln High School in Jersey City on May 22.
The public forum was touted as a “meet and greet” for all candidates running in the primary elections for the 31st Assembly District (which includes half of Jersey City and all of Bayonne) but at times resembled a playground brawl.
Each state legislative district has two state Assembly seats and one state Senate seat. In the June primaries, the Democratic candidates face off to see who will be their party’s choices to face Republicans in the general elections in November for those seats. The Republicans also face off in the June primary.
The six Democrats are vying for seats in the June 2 primary. While both Republican candidates were slated to take part in the debate as well, only one appeared.
The forum, held on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, was sparsely attended with less than 100 people in the audience, nearly half of whom were students supporting candidates Bruce Alston and Washington Flores.
These students, who became a cheering section for the two men, initially came in wearing red campaign shirts bearing the candidates’ names.
Organizers of the forum, who prohibited campaign literature in the auditorium, asked the students to remove the shirts.
The students complied by turning the shirts inside out so that the logos were no longer visible.
The candidates who took part were Nicholas Chiaravalloti, Bruce Alston, Angela McKnight, Washington Flores, Ray Regalado, Joe Conte, and Matthew Kopko. Republican candidate Herminio Mendoza did not attend.
The forum, hosted by Black Interest Team Enterprise (B.I.T.E.), a Political Action Committee, was divided into two segments. The debate portion was moderated by columnist Earl Morgan. The second portion, facilitated by B.I.T.E President Tinia Bland, took questions from the audience.
“One of my missions is to make sure that we have a community in Jersey City that becomes educated voters,” said Bland, prior to the event.
Confrontation
Some who came to the event expected a heated confrontation between the very outspoken Alston and Bayonne attorney Nicholas Chiaravalloti, who is running with Jersey City nonprofit head Angela McKnight backed by the HCDO.
Alston and Chiaravalloti have been exchanging barbs in online posts for weeks, although the most vigorous came from the Alston camp. Alston has waged a campaign against both HCDO candidates over school choice and development issues in Bayonne.
The confrontation came when Earl Morgan, the moderator, asked the candidates their position on a resolution passed by the Jersey City Council asking the governor to provide equitable funding for charter schools. Regular public schools currently get nearly 50 percent more funding than charter schools.
Joe Conte, who is running with Ray Regalado, was particularly critical of McKnight, who is involved with a charter school in Jersey City.
Conte works for the Jersey City Board of Education and serves as the vice president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 2262. Conte previously served five years as chairman for the Jersey City Democratic Party.
“Parents who do not want their children to attend public school should send them to private school and not drain resources from the public schools,” he said.
Already put off my what she claimed were last-minute rules imposed by the forum regarding bringing notes to the debate, McKnight went on the offensive against other candidates when they questioned her support of charter schools. She defended her position as a supporter of charter schools and her choice to send her own kids to one.
“I attended regular public schools. I’ve chosen to send my children to charter schools,” she said. “I can’t afford a private school.”
Chiaravalloti said he was not opposed to charter schools, but they have changed from when they first developed.
“Charter schools have become commercialized,” he said.
At this point, Alston criticized Chiaravalloti for sending his kids to a school in Staten Island.
Audience members who came to see sparks fly between Alston and Chiaravalloti were not disappointed when Alston leaped from his chair and charged to the center of the stage challenging Chiaravalloti to what appeared to be a physical confrontation.
Chiaravalloti did not respond but kept to his seat as others on the stage and in the audience erupted into mayhem.
Chiaravalloti defended himself saying that his kids attended a Catholic school.
While Morgan made it clear that charter schools are public schools, Conte and his running mate Regalado said charter schools do not follow the same rules that public schools do and often do not employ unionized workers.
Alston also questioned the lottery system that decides which students will attend charter schools and claimed that many parents found ways to get around the system to get their children placed.
Matthew Kopko, the lone Republican, said the school district needed to change its priorities and begin taking advantage of free online services of major universities.
Many issues
Born and raised in Bayonne, Chiaravalloti attended The Catholic University of America, and later earned his J.D. from Rutgers-Newark School of Law. Shortly after, in 1998, he became a member of the New Jersey Bar Association.
His role as executive director of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority has become one of the issues of the campaign, in particular, regarding the Military Ocean Terminal. He helped negotiate the city’s takeover of the 432-acre property in 2000 before leaving the BLRA. He later became a consultant for some of the firms hoping to redevelop the property.
While Chiaravalloti said he had no conflict of interest regarding the property or his later role, critics – including some during the second portion – questioned his role in the development of the lucrative property.
Born and raised in Jersey City, McKnight, who earned a degree in Business Management from University of Phoenix, heads Angela CARES, a very active not-for-profit in Jersey City.
When confronted by Morgan about her role in the not-for-profit, McKnight said she would not give it up even if elected. She said the organization receives no city, state, or federal funds that would pose a conflict for her.
Of the seven candidates at the forum, only two – Chiaravalloti and Alston – had read a 2011 report done by Jersey City on disparity between the richest and poorest residents of the city.
Chiaravalloti called the result “shocking,” but that the report needed to be updated to reflect current conditions in the city.
Conte said if elected he would do all he could to follow the recommendations for solving the issues in the report.
Flores agreed that something should be done, but found it strange that Hudson County – perhaps one of the most diverse counties in the nation – should have such disparity.
Kopko also agreed that the report should be updated.
“I attended regular public schools. I’ve chosen to send my children to charter schools. I can’t afford a private school.” — Angela McKnight
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McKnight said she was aware of the report, but had not read it.
“I’m committed to finding solutions,” she said.
Alston called the report and its recommendations “A bible for the south side of Jersey City.”
He said the report showed structural racism that needs to be addressed.
Of the roughly ten questions in the first portion of the debate, the candidates mostly agreed on such issues as the need for increased funding to the school district and a return to a funding formula that is fairer to urban districts.
Chiaravalloti said Gov. Christopher Christie came up with a funding formula to replace the previous system, and then did not fund it.
“We need to return to the old formula,” he said.
Flores agreed that the districts need more money, but also said schools need to develop a mentoring program that will keep kids in school.
The candidates agreed on the negative impact of tax abatements, although McKnight said senior citizens and veterans should get abatements.
Chiaravalloti said the state budgeted a $2 billion incentive program that is largely not needed, and the resources should be reallocated to other areas that have been short changed.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.