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 Group, not Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and ProStars like it was for most other kids.

“Politics was engraved into me at a young age,” said Shurin, now 25-years-old, about his political roots. “It’s why I didn’t have too many friends growing up; I always loved politics.”

After watching the talking heads-shows, Shurin would then peruse the newspapers his father kept around the house – the Times and the Wall Street Journal in particular. Perhaps the news of the day resonated so strongly with Shurin because he grew up with the knowledge of political struggle from birth. Shurin’s parents emigrated from the Soviet-bloc, and growing up he would hear stories about their former home in Belarus, where political rivals were killed and their children “re-educated.” Politics wasn’t on the periphery of life, explained Shurin, it landed squarely in the middle of it. Now he looks locally at problems that aren’t sufficiently addressed by the powers that be, such as “what’s going on our own streets, the gang activity, the incarceration rates in the state,” said Shurin.

While Shurin, a St. Peter’s College graduate, wants to avoid being pigeonholed as stressing one single issue, there is something he can relate to in a very personal way: his dismay over the government’s struggles with the so-called war on drugs.

A reformed drug abuser, Shurin can reflect on the unfortunate benefit of past transgressions to understand the government’s struggle to address a problem that took years of life from him. On his website’s biography, Shurin recalls getting surprised by police during an attempted purchase of drugs, only to get arrested and watch as the African American teenager he was trying to buy from was beaten by the police while he was merely questioned. It opened his eyes, he said, to the problems of enforcement and treatment of different people. It also resulted in his barely finishing school with poor grades.

Not incidentally, drug crimes is an issue that Jersey City can relate to, with the the so-called “Hillbilly Heroin Highway” of Route 80 just 15 miles away. In fact, Former Police Director Samuel Jefferson reportedly called the area the home for some of the “purest” heroin back in 2004. The Drug Enforcement Agency also has a smattering of big time arrests in Jersey City, including 26 people arrested in 2010 for selling significant weight in various drugs including PCP, heroin, and marijuana. Before that there was a big bust for the selling of crack cocaine. The convicted felons, perhaps unsurprisingly, all have gang affiliation in Jersey City.

A former user and seller of opiate-based pharmaceuticals, Shurin maintains the government “should be concerned with harm reduction” rather than incarceration. “Local juvenile gangs’ top financing strategy is selling drugs,” he explains. “If we can break that up we can help a lot of kids. We need alternatives to juvenile centers, we need education.”

So far Shurin has not been in touch with the Republican party about getting on the ticket’s primary for the 2012 election, but the process of rubbing elbows with the right people to jockey his way into contention hasn’t interested him much. Rather, he explains, it’s a matter of personal importance.

“I saw all the problems with our [drug policy], not just the product itself but from the prohibition side,” said Shurin. “The main reason I’m running is to alert people of the effects of our drug policy.”

A former computer programmer, Shurin has opted to resign from his job to make campaigning his “full-time focus.” Running for office is “not a job to me, because I’m not in it to make money,” he said. “If I were to be elected, a congressman’s salary and benefits would be more than enough for me.”

Photo Courtesy of Michael Shurin.

The bill, according to its sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, would update the “Sunshine Law” to modern times. Jersey City already does an excellent job of falling on the right side of the Sunshine Law as currently written, thanks to the work of ACLU-NJ award-winning City Clerk Robert Byrne, but the bill would go further by limiting private communication between public officials such as by e-mail, instant message services, or other means such as texting. To put teeth in the measure, the bill would force a politician to be removed for two or more violations of the open public meetings law.

“When the Sunshine Law was written, the term ‘Internet’ hadn’t even been coined yet,” said Senator Weinberg in a statement. “The way we communicate with the world has changed so much since the original Open Public Meetings Act was enacted, and while the law may have been revolutionary for its time, the letter of the law doesn’t match the spirit of the law. Through this bill, we would be bringing the 20th Century’s most important government transparency legislation into the 21st Century, and would be able to realize the promise of open government for a new generation of New Jersey residents.”

And for Jersey City residents with a propensity for requesting documents via the Open Public Records Act, there’s another bill of interest: S-1452. The proposed law, along with renaming the Open Public Records Act after longtime transparency activist Martin O’Shea, would allow for more access of government records by permitting documents be OPRA-ed by any citizen, not just a New Jersey resident, and by no longer restricting a public record be requested on official form.

“In this day and age, if I submit an OPRA request on a cocktail napkin, so long as it contains the necessary information, that should be enough,” continued Weinberg in the statement. “The guarantee of transparency under OPRA shouldn’t stop at our borders, nor should it be dependent on pro forma mechanics.”

The law would also broaden the scope of OPRA to include “quasi-governmental organizations” that are “engaged in service to the public, such as the New Jersey League of Municipalities, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and joint insurance groups or funds for political subdivisions of the State.”

“The public has a reasonable expectation to transparency from government, and while New Jersey has, in the past, led the charge nationally in adopting public records and meeting laws, it’s time that we update and expand those laws to stay ahead of new trends in technology,” Weinberg added. “In the Digital Age, our current laws governing public meetings and records requests have fallen behind the times, and have created large gaps in transparency. It’s time to correct the deficiencies in the law, and bring OPRA and the Sunshine Law into the 21st Century.”

The bill will also now permit OPRA request be made by e-mail and redefine the standard for violations from “knowingly and willfully” to “gross negligence” of the law.

“While many records custodians are living up to their responsibilities under OPRA, there are some who feel they need to be the gatekeepers of public information,” said Senator Weinberg. “By simply failing to produce documents in a timely and appropriate manner, these officials are shirking one of the most important responsibilities of government – to be accountable to the governed. In those instances when a records custodian is defying the spirit of the law and the goal of transparency, it’s my sincere hope that their misconception about the role of government be corrected, or the person be removed from the post.”

Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez had proposed a similar measure regarding cell phone use at Council meetings only to withdraw it when it became clear that the state law would make it meaningless.

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 stolen off of a neighbor’s car that had been parked in a driveway. The organizers of the rally have long criticized Mayor Jerramiah Healy, and have gone so far as to start a recall campaign.

Healy took issue with the reporting of that piece (written by this very same journalist) and wrote a letter in response outlining the city’s actions since he’s taken office.

Meanwhile: elsewhere in the city, other concerned residents have taken to the streets to form neighborhood block watch groups. The action, which will have a representative from the Jersey City Police Department on hand, will help citizens partner with the police to let would-be criminals know people are watching.

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 will be a good 10 years older than the youngest speaker. But when it comes to issues of substance, of a concern well beyond the years of most pre-baccalaureate degree holding types – crime, crony-ism, or taxes, not to mention layoffs, government transparency or various other public interest concerns – Terry stands alone as the youngest resident ready and able to address the Council.

But Terry’s interest in politics isn’t the idle speculation of a student curious how governments function – though he is studying political science at Seton Hall University – nor is it simply the acting out of civic responsibility as envisioned by democracy-idealists. Rather, it’s the proactive involvement of a young man with large ambition. Terry, in fact, expects to see his name in print next year, and not just in the newspaper. If all goes according to plan, his name will be in the same column as current Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano’s on next year’s City Council ballot. At the time of the election, Terry will be 20, seven years younger than Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop was when he was first elected. He’ll also be running as a Republican, a rarity in the heavily-Democratic leaning city.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to sit on the council,” said Terry. “What the council in Jersey City needs is some new fresh young blood. I will bring new fiscal ideas to the table and solutions to problems facing our community everyday: crime, education and taxes.”

He looks to answer the question, “Where are our elected leaders? There have been many times I’ve talked to residents in Greenville and they have no clue [who] their councilperson is.”

Although now firmly in the GOP camp, Terry, the chairman of the Hudson County Teenage Republicans, took a roundabout route to his conservative leanings, one that has seen him make an about-face from his one-time political inspiration, President Barack Obama. And yet, like many of the president’s audiences during his 2008 campaign, Terry cites hearing Obama speak at St. Peter’s College on January 11, 2008 as the reason he got involved in politics.

“From that evening on, I knew public service was destined for me,” he says. “I was very intrigued by the way he spoke and the vision he had for the United States of America. During the time, I really had no clue what politics was about but I knew I wanted to get involved.”

At first Terry thought the Democratic party’s interests aligned with his own, and he joined the Hudson County Democratic Organization to help Obama’s campaign. But like some erstwhile ardent Obama supporters, the years that followed his election – when no simple fix for our ailing economy appeared, with economists split (and still split) over the size of the bailout (if not the necessity), with a massive national debt compiling, and continuing trouble in the global financial market – Terry’s infatuation with the president faded.

“I’m very disappointed by President Obama,” says Terry. “If you just look at his spending record and the economy, how can anyone really be happy with a President like that?”

From this disappointment, he looked to the 2009 gubernatorial race here in New Jersey, and saw that Republicans “stand for lower taxes, less government, less regulations, school choice and fiscal responsibility. All of those characteristics what something I believed morally in.” He says he’s found these values at the state level in Governor Chris Christie, and then nationally in Mitt Romney as he continues to establish himself as the so-called inevitable candidate in the Republican primaries.

While Terry says he has “respect” for Sottolano, presumably his biggest challenger come 2013, it comes down to the need for new points-of-view. He recently wrote a letter to JCI expressing disappointment with Ward F Councilwoman Michele Massey’s recent decision to vote against ousting Council President Brennan from his leadership position.

In the time until the election, Terry will continue to make appearances at Council meetings and posting on Facebook’s Political Insider page – a Jersey City-centric, keep-in-the-know forum for activist-residents – and to work as a part-time model at Hollister Co. at Newport Mall in Jersey City.

Whatever his political fate, Terry says he hopes to inspire the area’s youth by becoming “the biggest advocate for the youth in my ward. The youth are our leaders for tomorrow and they need to know there is someone out there who cares for them,” he said.

In a city of old-hands and so-called political machines, Terry’s candidacy is a hopeful sign for youthful Americans too often described as disaffected no matter one’s political affiliation.

Photo Courtesy Demetrius Terry

Once the election is switched, it stays in place for at least four years. Residents would not be allowed to vote on a school budget in November if it does not exceed the state’s 2-percent spending cap.
 
Trustee Suzanne Mack said restoring a ninth board member could be instrumental in deciding on the election date. Mack has endorsed the possibility of switching the election partly because it could save money; vice president Carol Lester cited one estimate that the switch could save about $178,000.
 
The board split 3-3 with an abstention on Lester’s motion to further discuss the issue at an upcoming caucus. The stalemate, however, does not stop board president Sterling Waterman from scheduling a discussion on the issue before a Feb. 17 state deadline.
 
But unless the city council or residents step in to approve the switch before that time and the board fails to act, the election stays in April.

Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop announced yesterday that he would propose a referendum on the vote date, saying he was in favor of a switch to November “because it will increase turnout and cut costs, but I understand both sides of the argument.”
 
Mack noted that the board of education voted in a tie, and could act to prevent that by filling Connors’ seat.

Just last year, the board opted not to replace Peter Donnelly, who resigned in February almost two months after Connors left, leaving a board less prone to tie votes. Other recent ties included a 4-4 deadlock to hire a superintendent search firm in January, causing board member Carol Harrison-Arnold to switch sides and break the deadlock, and, while Connors was still serving, two other votes on picking the firm in December (with Patricia Sebron abstaining). Those moves delayed selection for about another three weeks until an exasperated Harrison-Arnold ended the stalemate. Sebron was absent Thursday.

Board member Marvin Adames initially wanted to cut off Mack’s discussion, criticizing the timing.

“I don’t want to discuss it here tonight for the first time,” he told her. “There are a lot of questions from all board members. I don’t think it’s a good idea for the board to put it up for discussion at this particular time.”
 
Mack countered the new state law makes it critical for the board to consider the move. She said that in addition to having a full board in place, trustees cannot allow a vacancy to carry until January if the switch is approved.
 
Still, Mack assured Adames she was not trying to ram the move through. “I was just trying to bring it up to others on the board to see if they wanted to discuss appointing a replacement.”

Under Mack’s motion, approved 5-2, a board committee will initially evaluate replacing Connors. Joining her were Waterman, Harrison-Arnold, Lester and Waterman. Though he did not object to further discussion, Adames joined Angel Valentin in opposing the final resolution.

On the new election law, the board will only have about two weeks to make a decision if Waterman posts the matter for discussion. If he doesn’t and the council does not intervene, the April election stays in place. If it is switched, the non-partisan board contest will be incorporated into the national presidential and congressional races.
 
Yet the prior two April contests have proven to be highly successful locally, particularly in 2010, when there was a record turnout. This success prompted the board to extend the voting time this year from 7 am to 9 pm. If the date is switched, the polls will stay open for 14 hours, but they would open at 6 am.

The politically hot issue of finding a new superintendent could be taken out of play if the board sticks to its desired timetable and hires someone by July 1.
 
The prospect of including the board race with partisan races rankled Arnold B. Williams, head of Keep Our Schools Public. Williams claimed the Hudson County Democratic Organization would eagerly use the occasion to politicize school issues.

“It’s important that the board not vote on this tonight,” pleaded Williams, who lost to the organization last year in a primary for county freeholder. “Take a year. Take two years, if you will.”
 
Further, he charged local allies of Christie (who initially favored forcing the change statewide before compromising) hope to see political advantages as a result.
 
“It’s partisan and it’s not in the interests of children of this district,”said Williams. “Keep Jersey City’s public schools public.”

Mack insisted the board is obligated to examine the issue carefully.
 
“I think we need to study it,” she said, claiming the board received incorrect information indicating it had to vote on the switch during a discussion at its Jan. 23 caucus. “I think we need to look at it very carefully for the sake of our children. Why am I going to committee meetings, as an elected board member, if I don’t have the right information?”
 
Valentin made clear he didn’t need to see any more data. “To me, the school year doesn’t start in January,” he said. “It’s ridiculous… I think if it has to be considered, it should be in June.”

Lester, who won in the record-setting April 2010 election, seemed most interested by the potential to save $178,000.

“I usually have a single-track mind when it comes to chunks (of money) that could buy a new lab for kids somewhere,” she observed. “So I want to learn more about the financial implications of moving the elections.”
 
While a frequent critic of how the district spends its money, watchdog Riaz Wahid, told board members he doubted any savings from the switch will make a dent in tax bills given a near $631 million budget.
 
“We don’t want be ‘columnized’ — pushing Column A or Column B,” he told the board, regarding all the partisan office seekers board candidates would have to compete with for the public’s attention. “We want the people to be educated on Board of Education issues.”

Following the vote, Waterman would not specifically commit to scheduling the matter for further debate, saying only, “It will be my decision.”

File photo by Steve Gold 

“I am personally a proponent of changing the date to November elections because it will increase turnout and cut costs, but I understand both sides of the argument,” said Fulop in a statement. “Nevertheless, I think the residents deciding themselves rather than the politicians making this decision is the best approach always.”

By law there are three means of changing when this vote will occur, either by City Council ordinance, the board of education vote, or a public referendum.

“I have been one that thinks April elections are better however this is a positive approach to working through a tough decision. Empowering residents to decide the direction of the City is always best,” said BOE Member Marvin Adames in the statement.

BOE president Sterling Waterman agrees that putting the decision in the hands of the voters is a good one, but the decision should be made sooner than later to give more time for voters to familiarize themselves with the issues facing the BOE.

“While I agree that a referendum for public vote is a good idea, I think the earlier its done the better,” said Waterman. “So many folks are for and against the election moving to November and it behooves the Council and the BOE to allow folks to be heard now. If we are to do a referendum, it should be done, asap, as in April.”

If successful, Jersey City would join the more than 50 New Jersey municipalities that have opted to switch their election to November.

Although we can’t post a picture of the proposed map until it has been voted on, the map will only have slight modifications that reflect the population boom in Ward E.

According to Byrne, wards must be contiguous and split along compact borders, each within a deviation of 10 percent of the average of 41,266, a number derived from the total population divided by six. The range of acceptable population is between 39,293 and 43,329.
The ward map, as presently constructed, has only two wards in compliance with the state’s requirements – Wards A and D – with populations of 42,130 and 40,074, respectively. The remaining wards are underpopulated with the exception of Ward E, which has a population larger than legally permitted.

The biggest change to the ward map comes in Wards E and F, where about 5,000 residents who live west of Jersey Avenue and south of Christopher Columbus Drive will be re-districted out of Ward E and into Ward F. While this move splits the Van Vorst Park neighborhood, Byrne explained that his priority was to utilize natural boundaries – as outlined by the rules governing a ward map – to ensure ward borders would be more obvious to residents.

Other changes include Ward F will losing an area located from Lexington Avenue down to Audubon Avenue between JFK Boulevard and Bergen Avenue, while Ward C’s border will move down to Montgomery Street.

Byrne says he expects the map to be adopted, and that none of the 5 council members who attended Tuesday’s meeting called to complain – in part, perhaps, because Byrne specifically told them not to bother making any “recommendations.”

In previous maps, Byrne says he had to accommodate sitting council members’ homes with far more finesse than was required this time. In fact, the old ward map had At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson’s home just four addresses from the border of Ward F, the ward she had been representing at the time.

“I told her that when she goes out to collect petitions,” says Byrne of the signatures needed to run for office, “when you leave your house, don’t turn left.”

A letter explaining the rationale behind the required changes can be seen here.

A view of the changing demographics in the city can be found here.

Although Jersey City is in the process of appealing the 2010 Census count, which counts 247,597 people in the city, Byrne says the city has decided not to postpone the February 3rd deadline for the ward map. Social Compact, the firm responsible for handling the appeal, projects population increase spread throughout the city and would not significantly alter the balance of residents in the wards.

“The City Council’s action is illegal and as stated in two opinions rendered by the Corporation Council violates the rights of Council President Brennan,” says Mayor Healy. “This ordinance was arbitrary and capricious, serves no purpose, and was created solely for political motives. It does nothing to better the lives of the residents of Jersey City and only serves to expose the taxpayers to the costs of a lawsuit. For all of those reasons, I will veto this ordinance.”

With the City Council’s 5-4 vote at last night’s council meeting, the new majority faction on the council appears to be one vote short of overriding the mayor and enacting the legislation introduced by Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez. At-Large Councilwoman Viola Richardson, At-Large Councilman Rolando Lavarro, Ward B Councilman David Donnelly, and Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop also voted in favor of the measure.

Following the vote – and ostensibly before he knew of Healy’s intention to veto – Brennan made it clear that he would be following through with his promise to sue the city, saying the law tramples on his Constitutional rights. To allay voter fears that they would be stuck footing the bill, however, Brennan said he would cover his own legal expenses.

The Council President found support from both Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano and Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan. More surprising for some was the support he received from newly-appointed Ward F Councilwoman Michele Massey, who said she could not vote for the measure since she had not been provided with “documentation” showing “just cause” for why Brennan should be ousted.

“On behalf of the taxpayers,” said Massey, referring to the potential cost of Brennan’s threatened lawsuit, “and without documentation, I have to vote no.”

Lavarro, on the other hand, did not require similar documentation and said his vote aimed to better reflect the will of the voters. Noting that there are three new council members and Richardson has moved to an at-large post since the organization meeting where Brennan was elected president, “as far as I’m concerned, it’s a new council” and a new president would be appropriate, he said.

“The people of Jersey City spoke on election day, and they made a very loud and clear message that the city should move in another direction,” Lavarro added.

The vote went ahead despite a legal memo written by Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis, which maintained the ordinance would likely be rejected in court as “illegal,” an opinion the unconvinced majority on the council rejected as “convenient.”

“We lose focus that for all nine of us sitting up here, it’s not a god-given right, it’s a privilege,” said Fulop. “Policies change, perspectives change.”

Before voting no, Ward A Michael Sottolano said ousting Brennan “is totally without merit and without cause. It reeks of [being] self-serving and of political machinations at their worst.”

The “self-serving” argument resonated with resident Esther Wintner, a council mainstay who frequently criticizes the Healy Administration, but who in this case maintained that politicians who change the law for their own benefit are far more dangerous than “bad decisions” by those in charge.

“If members of the council are frustrated and unhappy with the rules that govern their body, there is an organizational meeting to fix it,” she said of the meeting where a council president is elected at the start of each four-year council cycle. “While I understand this is an extraordinarily unusual [council] term given the change of council members, stepping outside the rules to change the law, either out of frustration, expedience, or personal aggrandizement, sends the message that you think the law should be bent to your will, not you to the law’s.”

Still, the majority of speakers were far more enthusiastic at the prospect of new leadership on the council, such as Police Officer Benevolent Association representative Mark Razzoli, who noted the city’s double standard when it comes to contracts. Razzoli likened changing the council president’s terms of office to the city’s decision to change health benefits of retirees despite the existence of a written contract, a move Brennan had supported.

Perhaps articulating the frustration best, Imtiaz Syed, a Jersey City doctor and one-time At-Large Council candidate, said the need for leadership change was due in large part to what he described as spiraling crime in the city, of which he has been a victim twice. First his office was broken into, he said, and more recently the wheels of his daughter’s car were stolen. The Healy Administration’s response, he says, was pathetic.

“If I knew the state of affairs was going to be like this in Jersey City, would I have asked [my children] to come back to Jersey City?” Syed asked. “What kind of message are we sending to professionals, that they should leave Jersey City?”

Photo of Peter Brennan by Eric Schkrutz

“As a nation that imprisons more of its residents per capita than any country in the world, we should continually evaluate our penal justice system to determine if our current policies provide protection for the safety of our residents and are cost-effective, or if changes are needed,” said Senator Lesniak in a statement. “The four bills we are announcing today are designed to reduce waste and inefficiency in our criminal justice system and redirect resources to better protect the public by reducing repeat offenses. We have asked that these bills be moved in both houses prior to the budget break, so we can get on with changing our criminal justice system to make it more cost effective and to provide better safety to our residents.”

As of 2009, the United States’ incarceration rate was the highest in the world, with 743 of every 100,000 citizens seeing time in prison. And although New Jersey’s rate was far lower than the national average, with an incarceration rate of 291 residents out of 100,000, the problem is not only numbers but also re-integration.

“This is a matter of fairness and fiscal sense for nonviolent offenders currently serving in the criminal justice system, and a matter of public safety for the rest of the State of New Jersey,” said Senator Cunningham in the statement. “Under the current system, nonviolent offenders are warehoused with violent offenders, and often learn to become better criminals, rather than receive treatment for substance abuse that they so desperately need. These four bills will ensure that we direct our corrections spending to make a difference in the lives of nonviolent offenders, and that we ensure access to a job and the opportunity to support themselves upon release.”

The package of bills seek to correct what criminal justice reform advocates see as misdirected parole policies that fail as a long-term strategy to re-integrate former convicts into society. The bills are as follows:

• S-907 – a bill which would require the State Parole Board to release offenders at the time of parole eligibility, unless the offender has committed a serious disciplinary infraction while incarcerated or has not participated in rehabilitation programs offered in prison;

• S-881 – a bill which amends the existing statute to give judges and prosecutors additional discretion to admit certain offenders into a “drug court” program to emphasize substance abuse treatment over incarceration;

• S-876 – a bill which amends the liquor licensing law to allow licensees to employ ex-offenders without a special permit. Currently, licensees have to get the permission of the State to employ ex-offenders;

• S-878 – a bill which would prohibit public and private employers from automatically disqualifying ex-offenders from employment.

“I am optimistic that the legislation proposed by Senators Lesniak and Cunningham will have a positive impact on recently released non-violent prisoners, who have paid their debt to society and are willing to now contribute to the greater good,” said Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow in the statement. “This legislation aims to stop the cycle of crime and permit parolees to take an important first step toward productive lives. Commitment to these men and women returning to society should benefit us all and offer them the opportunity to reconstruct their lives in a productive way. I also consider expansion of the drug courts to be an important part of this entire package. Non-violent offenders who suffer from mental illness and addiction should be considered for treatment and diversion from the criminal justice system, when warranted.”

Assemblyman Joe Cryan, D-Union has introduced equivalent legislation in the Assembly.

In fact, Governor Chris Christie’s State of the State address affirmed a desire to move in a different direction for some drug offenders.

“I am not satisfied to have this merely as a pilot project,” said Christie. “I am calling for a transformation of the way we deal with drug abuse and incarceration in every corner of New Jersey.”

“As long as they have not violently victimized society, everyone deserves a second chance, because no life is disposable,” he added.

For more on the bills continue reading here

According to Byrne, the wards must be split into contiguous, compact borders within a deviation of 10% of the average of 41,266, a number derived from the total population divided by six. The range of acceptable population is between 39,293 and 43,329.

The ward map, as presently constructed, has only two wards in compliance with the state’s requirements – Wards A and D – with populations of 42,130 and 40,074, respectively. The remaining wards are under-populated with the exception of Ward E, which has a population larger than legally permitted. Byrne says Ward E will have to lose an area to another ward, though it is unclear where that will come from. Ward E, however, will still likely see some population growth should the appeal go through, according to projections by Social Compact.

Byrne cites numerous challenges to map-drawing, a process which he knows will not please everyone.

“Nothing is sacred,” says Byrne, “and the Council shouldn’t call with suggestions.”

The census appeal is being undertaken by Social Compact, and the firm says the appeal may net as many as 19,000 housing units. The final number may still be months away, as Michael Cook, the media relations branch chief for the Census, says the turnaround on an appeal can take 180 days. The city appealed 4 months ago. Still, the city remains optimistic about the census appeal despite the low-percentage of successful appeals.