To the Editor:
The great news about life in Bayonne is that development is starting to spread at a rapid pace. The developments around town are indeed exciting. Most of the development is residential and most received abatements but it is still creating jobs in town and that is a good thing.
I am very proud to see that the Better Bayonne campaign is spreading like wildfire. It is exciting to see new friends and neighbors get excited and feel energized. You see, the one reason that I joined the Better Bayonne Team is that none of us have any political connections. We are truly home grown Bayonnians and owe no one any favors. We are fresh faces yes but full of great ideas. It feels great every day.
My main reason for running for office, now, is that I know that I can truly dedicate the time to the citizens of Bayonne. As I see it now from recent conversations with citizens from each ward, their councilperson is practically absent. In addition to the absenteeism, when a citizen speaks at a council meeting, they are practically demeaned and embarrassed and then to boot, reprimanded by the Corporate Counsel that they will be removed after the five minutes, even if the room has three people in it and no one else is slated to speak! Each citizen concern should be heard and embraced. We, as citizens deserve better and I pledge and know that everyone on the Better Bayonne team will encourage all to be heard and embraced.
I am confident that I and our team will truly bring the unity back in our community. “How?” is the question that many ask and the answer is simple, we will all be proactive in our outreach to the citizens and become partners with the community. Our government cannot be successful without full citizen participation.
The present City Council has blamed (see council meeting Jan 2014) Bayonne’s woes on the economy and also on the State’s non-business friendly environment but look at our neighbors, Staten Island and Jersey City, they are booming and progressing. The answers are not misdirection and party rhetoric. The answer is having a City Council and Mayor with a vision, commitment, solutions, and imagination. I love Bayonne and it is full of great people and long term stable businesses. Why should the citizens and businesses suffer because of the few who offer nothing but a rubber stamp on the Mayor’s agenda? Where was the originality the last 4 years? Contrary to the daily feedback written by ghost writers, I have said nothing over the past 12 weeks that was a lie. I have written facts about the present administration and the sources are public knowledge. When the present administration runs on their record and that record is not good, the smear campaign starts with unknown people writing letters with zero substance. They will cherry pick information because they are not educated. It is quite laughable.
I urge all to join our Better Bayonne Team. We are the Only Team dedicated to being the citizens’ voice and will put our children and taxpayers first. Come feel the energy of our team. Questions or Comments? Email Sebik@zanowicformayor.com
JOHN MILAN SEBIK
Candidate for Councilman at Large