The Jersey City Independent "

- Will City Switch to a Calendar Year Budget Schedule? Business Administrator Jack Kelly is asking the City Council to move from a fiscal year budget to a calendar year budget, saying it will help the city get its financial house in order. As part of the discussion at yesterday’s caucus meeting, Kelly also said the city was looking to eliminate its Police Academy, reduce its work force and vehicle fleet, and institute more furloughs to close its budget deficit.

- Chiappone Will Resign Soon: Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone, who represents Bayonne and part of Jersey City, says he will likely submit a letter of resignation from his seat on July 16 to become effective on July 18. He pleaded guilty last month to campaign finance fraud, and will be replaced temporarily by the Hudson County Democratic Organization. A special election for the seat will be held this November.

- Medical Marijuana via Jersey City Medical Center: New Jersey’s teaching hospitals are campaigning to be the sole dispensers of medical marijuana in the state by touting their secure buildings, connection to patients, and “legitimacy” in the community. If the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals’ proposal is adopted, medical marijuana would be dispensed from the 16 largest teaching hospitals, including Jersey City Medical Center.

- Lopez Residency Case Back in Court: The state Appellate Division will hear oral arguments today in the case of Ward C councilwoman Nidia Lopez’s residency. Former Ward C candidate Norrice Raymaker continues to fight the case, contesting that Lopez is actually a resident of Florida, not Jersey City. In December, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli ruled in favor of Lopez.

- Donnelly Fighting Kearny Heliport: Ward B councilman David Donnelly has sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration asking the agency to cancel approvals that would result in helicopters flying at low altitudes over Jersey City en route to a heliport in Kearny.

- Lack of Progress on the ’100 Steps’: Despite a public groundbreaking in April 2009, no work has been done to restore the historic “100 Steps” on the Palisade hills near the border with Hoboken, as promised by the developer of the Cliffs Lofts. Now some Heights residents are pushing for action (if you are interested, there is a petition here).

- More Tests Needed on Woman Who Died in Home: Although an autopsy has been performed, further tests are needed to determine the cause of death of the bedridden and mentally disabled Jersey City woman whose corpse was found in a roach-infested, garbage-filled home in last week’s sweltering heat.

- Parole Violation Leads to Arrest of Man Who Killed JCPD Officer in the 1970s: The sniper who murdered Jersey City Police Officer Casper Buonocore Jr. in 1973 is back behind bars after being tracked to a Newark residence yesterday and arrested for his most recent parole violations.

- Men Robbed at Starlite Motel: Two men at the Starlite Motel on Tonnelle Avenue say they were forced to strip and were robbed by three men after they allowed a “blond female wearing a blue dress” into their room to use the bathroom.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Lots of stuff going on today. There’s an opening reception for a new street art group exhibition at City Hall (6 pm), and a special screening of Fresh being put on by the Jersey City Food Coop at Art House Productions; the screening will be followed by a discussion of fresh, local and organic eating (7 pm). If its live music you’re after, look no further: John Christian brings the top 40 pop to the Summerfest outdoor concert series in Liberty State Park (7 pm) NOTE: This has been canceled due to rain; Pillow Theory and Jorge & Aliah will play a free show at Lucky 7′s (9 pm); and the Crosstown Country Allstars are at the Lamp Post (10 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Property Tax Cap Bill: The state Assembly has passed a compromise bill that halves the state’s property tax cap from 4 percent to 2 percent. The measure, which was approved by the state Senate on Thursday, now moves to the desk of Gov. Christie, who is expected to sign it today. The provision may lead to annual school budget votes being scrapped, as long as they fall within the 2 percent cap. However, many residents remain skeptical that the cap Gov. Chris Christie plans to sign will actually fix the underlying problems, according to a new poll.

- Teacher Retirements: This month, according to the state Department of Treasury’s Division of Pensions and Benefits, retirement applications have been filed by 5,444 teachers — that’s more than double the figure from last July. Many teachers are choosing to leave before Gov. Christie tries to change laws governing pensions for public workers. Speaking of those changes, Christie said yesterday he will try this fall to scale back pensions and health benefits for current employees, which would go a step further than changes put in place earlier this year.

- Transportation Trust Fund: Whether or not the state fully funds the troubled Transportation Trust Fund, it doesn’t need to leave $1.6 billion in federal matching funds on the table in 2012, since the federal transportation financing law allows capital expenditures by toll road authorities to count as part of the state match. This, NJ Spotlight says, could change the tenor of the debate over transportation funding and a potential gas tax increase.

- Language and Breathalyzers: New Jersey’s Supreme Court has ruled that police must inform drunken driving suspects in their native language that they are legally required to take a Breathalyzer test.

- Turnpike Authority Layoffs: Nearly two dozen New Jersey Turnpike Authority employees have been notified they could be laid off in September when their positions are eliminated, part of a plan to abolish a total of 67 this year in a budget cutting move.

- Christie & Reform Jersey Now: Gov. Christie is appearing as the “special guest” at events with big-money political donors that skirt campaign finance limits the governor has advocated, according to a fundraising solicitation obtained by the Ledger.

- Christie Won’t Join Fight for Sports Betting: Gov. Christie says he will not sign on to a legal battle to bring sports betting to New Jersey, damaging efforts to reverse a 18-year ban on wagering in the state.

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