Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy was sworn in for a second four-year term at an inauguration ceremony on Wednesday at New Jersey City University.
Healy gave what was an especially long inaugural address for him, approximately 30 minutes. He showed both his serious and playful sides in front of approximately 800 people, including Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, who serenaded Healy with his rendition of an Irish ballad.
Also sworn in were the nine members of the City Council: Michael Sottolano, Phil Kenny, Nidia Lopez, William Gaughan, Steven Fulop, Viola Richardson, Peter Brennan, Willie Flood, and Mariano Vega. Lopez and Kenny were the only newcomers to that group, as the others were incumbents who were re-elected.
A legal challenge to one candidate
However, Lopez has since been the recipient of a legal challenge by opponent Jimmy King, who is claiming that her primary residence is really in Florida. King filed his lawsuit in Hudson County Superior Court last week.
Eight of the nine successful candidates ran on Healy’s slate with the exception of Fulop, who ran as an independent.
Council President Mariano Vega was unanimously returned to that post at a reorganization meeting.
The next four years
Healy outlined his agenda for Jersey City in the next four years, ranging from more development on the west side of the town to suggesting voluntary furloughs for employees to reducing municipal spending. He also struck a hopeful note on the future of the city.
“Water? I don’t drink water.” – Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy
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The lighter part came when the mayor poked fun at his long speech and at various aspects of his personal life, including his reputation as a drinker.
“Water? I don’t drink water,” Healy joked when his wife Maureen brought him bottled water during his address.
WWJD: what will Jerry do?
Some political critics have suggested that Healy will serve his next term in office as if he is semi-retired or on an extended vacation, with much of the governing being delegated to others.
But during the address, Healy sounded like he will be busier than in his first term.
He made a continuing promise of safer streets and more police, and wants to implement a computer criminal database to interface with other databases across the city.
Perhaps mindful of the 30 percent municipal tax increase during his first term, Healy stressed fiscal responsibility in city government, saying he will ask city directors to cut their department budgets by 10 percent and will suggest voluntary furloughs.
Other key initiatives mentioned in his address included the redevelopment of Journal Square, the chromium cleanup in the Bergen-Lafayette section of the city, renovation of the city’s parks including the $5 million Hamilton Park project in downtown Jersey City, and construction of more affordable housing.
Corzine cited Healy’s persistence in advocating for Jersey City.
“When I first became governor, I gave this guy my cell phone number,” Corzine said of Healy. “Jerry uses that cell phone more than any other mayor in the state of New Jersey.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonrreporter.com.