The Jersey City Independent "

The longstanding Saturday morning tradition of kids hovering around the television to watch cartoons wasn’t the case at the Shurin household, where Michael Shurin – aspiring Republican candidate for Congress and Jersey City resident – instead spent his childhood mornings absorbed in charged political discourse. For Shurin, it was Meet the Press and the McLaughlin [...]

A bill under discussion in Trenton would soon prohibit New Jersey politicians from using cell phones during public meetings – a complaint often levied at City Council members and that almost prompted a similar law at the municipality-level. The bill, according to its sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, would update the “Sunshine Law” to [...]

The same group of activist-residents who called attention to perceptions of high crime in Jersey City last week is holding a rally at the next City Council meeting on Wednesday, February 8th to protest what the group sees as insufficient action on the part of the city. The renewed concern comes after the wheels were [...]

At 19 years of age, Demetrius Terry isn’t always the youngest speaker during a City Council meeting’s public hearing, when residents, union reps, former pols, and business interests address the municipality’s legislative body, (often) airing concerns or (occasionally) applauding city actions. On some days, in particular when the cause is related to elementary schools, Terry [...]

Thursday’s Board of Education meeting focused on two immediate concerns: the possibility of filling the vacancy left by Sean Connors and potential shift of the upcoming election from April to November.

Huge sums of money have been spent to encourage voters to get to the polls during some of the most pivotal elections, and even then often too many fail to perform this most basic of civic duties — and getting out voters for Board of Education elections, when publicity and funding is at a minimum, [...]

Describing the methodology for devising a new ward map as “the least amount of change is the best change,” City Clerk Robert Byrne explained the makings of a map drawn up last Tuesday, January 24th at a public meeting ahead of a vote next week. The map will again be presented at a public hearing [...]

Calling the decision to strip Council President Peter Brennan of his presidency “illegal” and “arbitrary,” Mayor Jerramiah Healy has announced that he will be vetoing the newly approved law.

In an effort to address the state’s growing incarceration rate, State Senators Raymond Lesniak of Union City and Sandra Cunnigham of Jersey City have introduced a package of bills that they say will save tax dollars and reduce repeat offenses. “As a nation that imprisons more of its residents per capita than any country in [...]

A new ward map is expected to be submitted to the state by the end of January, says City Clerk Robert Byrne, despite Jersey City’s appeal of the 2010 Census count. Byrne acknowledges that if the appeal is successful it would significantly alter the map, but says the already-extended February 3rd deadline is forcing his [...]