Major charge against Manzo brothers dropped
A federal appeals judge has tossed out influence peddling charges against former state Assemblyman Lou Manzo and his brother, Ronald Manzo. Although the brothers still face other charges, this was the most serious one, and the ruling could have a far-reaching impact on their upcoming trials, scheduled to begin later this year.
The Manzos were among 46 political and religious leaders who were arrested in the summer of 2009 in a massive corruption sting operation.
After being arrested in 2006 on bank fraud charges totaling about $50 million, a Monmouth County real estate developer named Solomon Dwek cut a deal with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and became a government informant. In 2009, acting on behalf of the FBI and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Dwek posed as a developer interested in Hudson County real estate and offered cash donations to public officials who were running for office, including Lou Manzo, who ran for Jersey City mayor in 2009.
When he offered the cash, Dwek told the officials that he wanted future help with approvals for his development projects.
The Manzos ultimately were charged with taking $27,500 in illegal campaign contributions to Lou Manzo’s failed mayoral campaign. Ronald Manzo worked for his brother as his campaign manager. Lou Manzo did not hold office at the time the brothers allegedly met with the government informant, so there was a question as to whether a charge related to corruption in public office should stand. The prosecutors argued that Manzo tried to sell an office he hoped to have in the future.
According to a Feb. 18 news report, however, Judge Jose Linares ruled the pair could not sell influence to an office neither of the Manzos actually held.
Lou Manzo was one of the few people to publicly point a finger at the investigation itself. He has complained that the sting operation helped Gov. Christopher Christie, who was the local U.S. attorney when the investigation began, get elected governor. Christie’s Republican colleagues helped investigate the Democratic politicians who ultimately were snared in the probe.
Jersey City moves ahead with civilian layoffs in JCPD
Effective Tuesday, Feb. 15, seven civilian employees in the Jersey City Police Department were laid off in an effort to save more than $276,000.
According to Jennifer Morrill, spokeswoman for Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, five civilian employees assigned to the city’s Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) neighborhood watch program “were laid off in reverse order of seniority,” per requirements of the state Civil Service Commission.
Two managers, a deputy police director, and the director of the police academy were also officially let go as of midnight.
The layoffs are part of Jersey City’s ongoing budget cuts to plug an $80 million budget deficit.
These terminations will likely receive less fanfare than the proposed layoffs of 82 police officers – layoffs that were averted last month when the city and the Police Officers Benevolent Association, the local police union, hammered out a labor deal that will save $3.4 million this year. The Jersey City Council approved the contract amendment on Feb. 9.
To save additional money, the city has also proposed the demotion of 12 senior police personnel. The Healy administration continues to negotiate with the Police Superior Officers Association to reach an agreement regarding these officers.
Morrill said the director of the police academy had been earning $67,000 annually. The deputy police director had a salary of $79,000 and each of the CCTV employees who were let go earned $26,000. These figures do not include health care costs and other benefits the employees received.
Two Jersey City schools to benefit from Christie’s $584M capital plan
School 20 and Elementary School 3, both in Jersey City, are among 10 schools in the state that will see capital improvements as a result of Gov. Christopher Christie’s 2011 Schools Development Authority construction program.
The plan, announced last week by the governor’s office, represents a state investment of almost $584 million in capital improvements to selected public schools.
A new building for School 20 will go up on Ocean and Cator Avenues.
“We all know that the prior program was associated with the absolute worst kind of government waste, mismanagement and lack of supervision, where much was promised, too much was spent, but too little was returned,” Gov. Christie said.
“The completion of the Capital Plan Review marks a new day for school construction in New Jersey,” said CEO Marc Larkins. “With a statewide prioritization in place, new project delivery processes planned, and a full understanding of the SDA’s capacity, the authority is poised to move forward with an efficient, responsible school construction program that will address the needs of our students and communities statewide.”
Warehouses may get landmark status
Jersey City’s Historic Preservation Commission has approved the nomination of five properties in the Powerhouse Arts District as local landmarks. The properties include the Butler Brothers Warehouse on Warren Street, two A&P warehouses on Bay Street, and the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse. The move is designed to help preserve the city’s important industrial past. The nominations will now go to the Planning Department and then to the City Council for approval.
Bogie and Bacall at the Loew’s
The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre will be offering Bogie and Bacall screenings Friday Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26. On Friday at 8 p.m., To Have and Have Not will be playing, and on Saturday The Big Sleep will show at 6 p.m. and Dark Passage at 8:30 p.m. The Lowe’s is at 54 Journal Square. Call (201) 798-6055 or E-mail loewsjersey@gmail.com
Feed the meters!
D ue to the nearly 40 inches of snow that fell this winter, you may have been able to park without feeding the meters. The Jersey City Parking Authority did not strictly enforce parking meter payment because they were concentrating on snow removal. But now that temperatures are rising, that unofficial suspension of parking-meter enforcement is back in force, the JCPA said last week. So all parking rules must be followed.
Jersey City stars in transit film
An online video “Streetfilms, Transit Oriented Development,” uses Jersey City as a positive model for public transportation and sustainable development. The film, shown on Streetsblog Los Angeles, demonstrates how the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, NJ Transit buses, and NY Waterway ferries combine to spur dense, mixed-use transit-oriented development and cut down on car use. Jersey City is being used as a model for Los Angeles as it considers how its transit boom will affect growth. Visit www.la.streetsblog.org/moving-beyond-the-automobile-transit.
Jersey City traffic alert
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) announced last week that traffic will be shifted to the newly constructed Route 1&9T southbound viaduct, and three new ramps will be opened in Jersey City. All Route 1&9T southbound motorists will be shifted to the newly constructed section of the viaduct between Tonnelle Avenue and the Charlotte Circle. The old roadway will be closed off for demolition. Three new connector ramps will also be opened, providing new traffic patterns throughout the area.
The new ramps will connect Route 139 westbound to Route 1&9T southbound, Route 1&9 southbound to Route 1&9T southbound, and Route 1&9T southbound to Route 7 and Charlotte Avenue.
The $250 million federally funded project is replacing the Routes 1&9 viaduct over St. Paul’s Avenue with a new structure on a new alignment north of the present structure. The existing Route 1&9 viaduct was constructed in 1928 and is structurally unsound and obsolete.
Construction is currently focused on the new Route 1&9T northbound roadway and the new Route 1&9T northbound flyover bridge over the Tonnelle Circle.
NJDOT is building new approach roads to safely connect to Route 1&9T, Route 7, Pulaski Skyway, Route 139, Route 1&9 north of Tonnelle Circle, and local streets in Jersey City. The project will ease traffic flow and ensure safer connections to the roadways that form a vital link to this region’s transportation network. Completion is expected in spring 2013.
NJDOT will employ Variable Message Signs to inform motorists of the new traffic patterns. Visit www.511nj.org