If you are Jerramiah Healy, the new mayor of the second largest city in the state – with only four months until another election in May – there is a bit of urgency in carrying out your goals..
Healy became mayor of Jersey City after winning in the special election in November that was held to fill the remaining months of the late mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, who died last May from a massive heart attack. An election will be held this May to elect a mayor for a full four-year term. So far, former Councilwoman Melissa Holloway also has announced her candidacy (see inside story).
Last week, Healy sat down with the Jersey City Reporter to discuss what he hopes to accomplish this year.
Being mayor
Healy said that his first month and a half in office resembled being on the campaign trail. “When I go out and meet the people as mayor, it’s the same as when I ran for mayor,” said Healy. “You shake hands, you listen to people’s concerns, travel all parts of the city, and learn about what needs to be done to make the city better.”
Healy then cited his accomplishments as mayor since he took the oath of office on Nov. 12.
“I have created with the Police Department an anti-gang task force that has combated gang crime in this city, working to take drugs off the streets, and making people feel more comfortable with walking the streets at night,” said Healy.
On the issue of the gun buy-back fund that he proposed during his election campaign, Healy said that there were some legal issues that needed to be settled before the fund can put into effect, which he did Thursday at a press conference. (See sidebar.)
Healy said, “I, Jerramiah Healy, cannot give amnesty from prosecution for people who bring in their guns. Only the Hudson County Prosecutor, Edward DeFazio, can do so, and also the state Attorney General, Peter Harvey. So there were legal issues that had to be handled before we can go forward.”
Healy did note that there’s an account set up with Provident Savings Bank where the monies donated to the fund will be held. He estimated that at least $25,000 has been pledged by corporate donors and private citizens, including $1,000 of his own money.
As far as what he hopes to accomplish in the next five months of his initial term in office, Healy echoed the mantra that helped get him elected.
“We are working on getting more of our police officers deployed on the streets,” he said. “More uniformed officers on patrol, and we are looking for those bikes that were utilized a few years ago and to get the police bike patrol unit running again. And there are the potholes that need to be filled. Right now there’s temporary fill, but when the weather gets warmer, we hope to do major pothole work because it is a major problem for the drivers of this city.” What the future holds
Healy has made no secret about wanting to run for re-election, as evident from a fundraiser held last month.
When asked if he raised an amount in the vicinity of $275,000 to $300,000, there was a raise of the eyebrows, with Healy answering that he has raised “a substantial amount.” He also added that there was another fundraiser coming up later this month.
Healy also said that he would make an announcement on his running for re-election possibly in February. He also estimated that at least $600,000, if not more, will be needed for this campaign.
Already, Healy has a challenger for his seat, as Melissa Holloway announced recently that she will run for mayor in the May election (see story, inside).
On the issue of what his plans are for the city if he is re-elected to a longer four-year term, he said that there was no ambitious vision as far as what he wants to accomplish.
“The people want to see you do the same work that you had been doing as mayor all along,” he said. “I didn’t get elected because I came up with grand plans, but instead on a platform of what needs to be done immediately.” Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com Sidebar Guns and money
At a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Mary McLeod Bethune Center on Martin Luther King Drive, Mayor Healy unveiled his new anti-gun program, known as Operation Lifesaver.
Healy was joined by Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio, and city officials for the announcement. Richardson, a former Jersey City Police officer, spoke first about the program as an initiative that she had tried to get started for over a year, but she found a staunch supporter in Mayor Healy.
Afterwards, Healy spoke for a few minutes about the importance of getting guns off Jersey City streets at a time when gang activity there has increased.
Then DeFazio spoke of the difference that a program such as Operation Lifesaver would make in deterring crime in the city, as he pointed out that 60 percent of homicides that occurred in Jersey City last year were gun-related.
The program is a gun buyback program where members of the public will receive $150 for surrendering handguns, rifles or shotguns, and $250 for surrendering automatic weapons. Those surrendering guns will not be prosecuted for owning them.
Mayor Healy said last week that one of the primary reasons that he couldn’t start the gun buyback program sooner was that as mayor, he couldn’t give amnesty himself. It had to be handled by the Hudson County Prosecutor and the State Attorney General’s office.
The program will take place on consecutive weekends, Jan. 21 to 22, Jan. 28 to 29, and Feb. 4 to 5. Surrender sites will include various churches around the city and other community centers, with the times for surrendering the guns slated to be 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Each surrender site will have two Jersey City police officers, as well as members of the Jersey City Emergency Squad. Residents who return guns will not be questioned by police personnel.
The announcement also prompted a number of dignitaries who attended to donate money. According to Councilwoman Viola Richardson, at least $6,000 was collected.
There is at least $50,000 that has been pledged, including $25,000 from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. – RK