The Jersey City Independent "

- The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) yesterday acknowledged that earlier in the week a cartoon making fun of people concerned with eminent domain was posted on the blog of its executive director. “It appears that this agency was victimized by this city’s penchant for political mischief,” Bob Antonicello writes. “The lesson learned is that even the ‘all powerful’ Redevelopment Agency, and I say this facetiously, is not insulated from those forces who wish to exert both the time and energy to misrepresent the agency and the administration’s positions.” During a public hearing two weeks ago, a number of residents expressed concern that the JCRA’s Journal Square Redevelopment Plan would include eminent domain. The JCRA says it doesn’t. Though it was removed shortly before JCI visited the site (after a reader sent us a tip), you can click here to see the cartoon that we’ve been told was on the JCRA site.

- A number of Heights residents are upset over traffic changes that have come to the Western Slope due to construction on the Pulaski Skyway. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) has changed the one-way direction that Liberty Avenue flows and made a previously one-way section of Carlton Avenue a two-way street to help offset the closing of Spruce Street. Residents are collecting petitions protesting the new traffic pattern and they’ll hold a meeting with Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan tonight. For its part, the state DOT says city leaders were consulted and community meetings were held before the changes were made.

- The Hudson County freeholders will decide today if they’ll offer to purchase the building they’ve leased for 17 years from local developer Panepinto Properties. Freeholder Bill O’Dea says they should offer $7 million for the property, and if Panepinto balks, they should move to the new facilities currently being constructed at County Plaza. The freeholders lease the building at 567 Pavonia Ave. for $1 million a year.

- A 43-year-old Jersey City woman has been arrested on charges of counterfeiting government documents and forgery as part of an alleged side business of making and selling fake IDs out of her home.

- A fire on Lafayette Street yesterday displaced 22 residents and injured two cops and one firefighter.

- The schoolkids whose trip to see the “Max and Ruby” musical was in jeopardy due to a lack of buses will go to the show after all — buses have been reserved for them, with the help of schools superintendent Charles Epps.

- Homebuilders Toll Brothers and K. Hovnanian have introduced a program offering a bit of a cushion for people fearing job loss. If a new buyer is laid off up to two years after closing — following a 60-day vesting period — a policy pays up to $2,000 toward the mortgage in the K. Hovnanian program and up to $2,500 through Toll Brothers. It’s no wonder — both builders need the business as they struggle through the recession. Hovnanian reported its tenth consecutive quarterly loss yesterday while Toll Brothers recently reported a continued slump in sales. Both builders have projects in Jersey City.

- NJ Transit’s Board of Directors has approved a $2.9 million contract for construction work at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, including new message sign monitors and public address systems.

- A burst pipe disrupted service in Jersey City Medical Center’s emergency room for about 35 minutes yesterday.

- A letter to the editor in today’s Journal takes the paper to task for allowing anonymous and pseudo-anonymous letters to the editor or Journal on the Line “letters,” saying “the editorial page needs to be revamped, re-formatted and scrutinized in its policies.” (The letter is not available online.)

In statewide news:

- More budget news: State treasurer David Rousseau defended the administration’s property tax proposals yesterday and challenged critics to come up with alternatives instead of attacks. Leaders of arts organizations across the state are angry at a line in Corzine’s speech when he defended cuts to arts by saying the state would rather cut arts than hospitals. The co-founder of Arts Education Research calls it “a fallacy” and “disingenous.” A Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday finds NJ residents split on the budget’s call for cutting property tax rebates and furloughing state workers, but finds that there is overwhelming support for additional taxes on wine, liquor and cigarettes and for raising income taxes on those who make more than $500,000 a year.

- As we noted yesterday, Assemblyman Joe Vas was indicted yesterday on corruption charges. The specific allegation turned to be that when he was mayor of Perth Amboy, he conspired with municipal employees to bill the city for $5,000 worth of clothing, sneakers and other personal items.

- The number of foreclosure filings in NJ was down in February by 34.5 percent, while the national foreclosure rate was up six percent, according to the national real estate website RealtyTrac. The year-over-year numbers for the state are even more promising, with a 41.4 percent decrease in the number of foreclosure filings from February 2008. Meanwhile, state officials are scheduled to announce today the prosecutions of more than 10 lawyers, mortgage brokers and others suspected of preying on home and property owners.

- Lobbyists spent more than $54 million last year trying to influence policymakers in Trenton — nearly as much as the record $55.3 million spent in 2006.

- State school aid figures released yesterday show a $304 million increase in spending, rather than the deep cuts expected just months ago, largely due to federal stimulus money.

- U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Frank Lautenberg are defending their earmarking practices in Congress.

- A new poll shows Gov. Corzine trailing GOP gubernatorial hopeful Chris Christie by 9 percentage points.

- Blue Jersey has the rundown of what Assembly committees are doing what today in Trenton.

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