Thursday Morning News Roundup

By • Jan 14th, 2010 • Category: Blog, News

- As we reported last night, the city council introduced a draft budget at yesterday evening’s meeting, to the tune of a bit more than $500 million. The budget was a last-minute addition to the agenda, as the council was pressed to include $14 million in special municipal aid from the state Local Finance Board — a sum that incoming Gov. Christie would revoke if given the chance. Check back tomorrow for our full council report, which will also have details on how Ward E councilman Steven Fulop’s proposed tax relief plan was voted down.

- Political consultant Joe Cardwell became the 12th official indicted in connection with the wide-ranging federal corruption sting that got rolling in July 2009 with dozens of arrests. Cardwell is charged with accepting $30,000 in bribes from informant Solomon Dwek in exchange for special consideration of a fictitious development project. His attorney told press yesterday that he intends to plead not guilty.

- Former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler, who was appointed in November of last year to Gov.-Elect Christie’s transition team subcommittee on education, got the brass ring yesterday when Christie named Schundler as his pick for state Education Commissioner. The move is also considered a win for charter schools, of which Schundler has been a strong supporter.

- Jersey City’s Haitian and Haitian-American community continues to organize relief efforts and help people contact or get information about loved ones affected by Tuesday’s devastating earthquake there. Last night about 50 people, including local elected officials, gathered at the Haitian Evangelical Church. The Jersey City Medical Center is planning to send a team of doctors and nurses to Haiti to assist in relief and recovery efforts there.

- Did you know that if ocean levels rise by just two feet, much of Liberty State Park would be underwater? As part of a project sponsored by the Museum of Modern Art and its affiliate P.S.1, the NYC firm LTL Architects has a plan for what to do with what’s left, transforming it into finger-like bits of land that jut out into the ocean, maximizing the amount of coastline and making it more absorptive.

- Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise was elected second vice chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, a position that puts him in line to become chair of that organization by 2014.

- In a letter to the Journal, local activist Bruce Alston bemoans the lack of African-Americans represented in citywide leadership positions.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The opening reception for “Sirens Song,” a new exhibition of work from John Besante, is at the 58 Gallery, while Manouche Bag will do its weekly “gypsy jazz” thing at Madame Claude’s.

In statewide news:

- Bob Martin, a retired utility consultant from Hopewell, is Gov.-Elect Christie’s pick for commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Early reactions from state environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club — which endorsed indpendent candidate Chris Daggett in last year’s gubernatorial race — have Martin pegged as a question mark.

- A consortium of East Coast commercial fishermen, including some in New Jersey, are protesting a proposed cut in scallop harvest by about 25 percent the next fishing season, as mandated by a council that oversees fishermen.

- Six private beach clubs in Sea Bright have agreed to allow public access to their beaches under agreements reached yesterday with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

- Newly-minted state Senate President Steve Sweeney, who took that position on Tuesday, gets his first run as acting governor today.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Like what you've read here? Please consider making a donation or becoming a sustaining member. As a grassroots news organization, we rely on community support -- as well as paid advertising -- to survive.

is the managing editor of Jersey City Independent.
Email this author | All posts by

  • http://onejerseycity.org Dan Levin

    re: Bret Schundler appointed as education commissioner

    interesting pick. one should not discount Bret Schundler’s experience living and serving in Jersey City. he is accessible and will be more than just another bureaucrat in Trenton. this might just be the silver lining of the dark cloud of the Chistie administration looming over Jersey City.

    while I do not believe in vouchers and the public funding of private school, I look for him to provide charter schools with equitable and sustainable funding while taking on the inefficiencies of the Board of Educations here and around the state.

    regardless of his impact, the city (both the public and city government) need to take ownership of our schools. without question, JC public schools can and do provide an academically rigorous education. however, we need to broaden that experience to more and at risk children while cutting the costs of administration. one of the critical first steps should be opening our doors to Teach for America.

    when looking to government and politicians for the answers, keep in mind that the city and county’s premier charter school was founded and driven by parents.

  • casual observer

    Forget the “silver lining” and remember the “Golden Door”. Schundler rammed through some
    $9M for his own personal community center (all six wards were supposed to get them – how many did?) and then established his own personal charter school as the only tenant. Talk about “equitable and sustainable funding”. He did have to resign from the board when the obvious conflict of interest became too obvious. The school’s performance was mediocre and I recall there was a problem between the board and the staff. Bret had his shot in the education arena and the result was FAIL. To think he’ll be accessible to anyone who can’t help him as he attempts to revive his dead political career is folly. This is nothing more than Christie getting in the NJEA’s face. If you think that’s a good thing, then maybe it’s enough. If you were hoping for more, sorry.

  • Donna Randall

    Regarding Teach for America, I have to agree with Dan Levin that this would be an excellent first step. From our family’s experience with a beleaguered public school system in the south where test scores and environment were very similar to Jersey City’s, the saving grace was one teacher who came by way of Teach for America. He fought for more inspiring reading material for the students who in turn were highly motivated to read no matter the skill level, was a motivational speaker who engaged the students, took a genuine interest in the child’s well-being in class as well as outside the classroom, always had time after hours to meet with parents and was an effective liaison between parents and administration. He was a former Wall Street banker and I feel his experiences as such are what brought fresh teaching techniques and innovative ideas to the school at a fraction of the cost.

    On a related issue regarding our public school system and unacceptable test scores, it could very well be that Jersey City is no different from other urban areas throughout the United States because many children with learning disabilities either go undiagnosed or have an Individualized Education Plan that is not being adhered to. In school districts that are under-funded, have mismanaged budgets and poorly managed staff, there is an unwillingness to suggest diagnosis or follow protocol when IEP’s are in place. This is exactly what caused us to pull our child from the public school system, where as a family we were quite dedicated in improving the system, volunteered a great deal of time to reading programs, fund-raising and extra-curricular activities. If Jersey City Public Schools haven’t realized this mass exodus of involved parents and their students yet, they certainly will in the future if parents cannot be assured that their children are provided an excellent education with positive results.