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

I’m writing this letter to express my concern about the ordinance to remove Council President Brennan. On Wednesday, the council voted 5 to 4. Council members David Donnelly, Nidia Lopez, Steven Fulop, Rolando Lavarro and Viola Richardson voted in favor while Michael Sottolano, Bill Gaughan, Peter Brennan and Michele Massey voted against. It was quite obvious Sottolano, Brennan, and Gaughan were going to vote against but I’m surprised at Councilwoman Massey. In the previous council meeting, she abstained. Now, she voted against the ordinance. I hope she is not falling in the hands of the Healy Administration because it’s the wrong team to join.

Although I’m an advocate for the Ward A Greenville community, this really disturbs me. We need new direction in Jersey City and your voting against the ordinance shows that you want the same status quo in Jersey City. The people of Jersey City especially in Ward F, which you represent, are tired of the same old politics and politicians not putting them first. If in this case Mayor Healy vetoes the ordinance, which most likely he will, the council needs six votes to override it. I would hope you have talked with the other five council members who voted for it to get more clarification. I would say, you should go talk to the residents in the community to see how they feel. I’m quite sure they want this city to finally move in a different direction.

- Demetrius Terry
Ward A Greenville Advocate

I’m tired of being ignored about this issue from City Hall. I still remember, to this day, what the Police Chief told me; he said “There isn’t enough money.” While I was speaking to him at the city address, I couldn’t believe he told me that. In my head, I’m thinking children/teens are so important to society. By him saying that it seemed as if he didn’t care.

There are some nights I walk home from light rail and I see young kids out. Once I saw a little kid get drugs from a grown man. What is going on in our community? Does anyone care?

Jersey City needs to do whatever it takes to save our youth. This summer Newark is really enforcing its curfew law with help from the community and churches. Jersey City needs to follow.

I do understand some kids/teens are on streets for a reason; they could be in an unstable environment at home. Each ward in Jersey City should have a 24-hour shelter for kids/teens to go to for help. This is another plan I will be looking into.

Lastly, I’m thrilled to run in 2013 in Ward A. I’m ready to lead, reform and inspire Greenville.

Demetrius Terry
2013 Ward A City Council Candidate

I’m a Marist High School senior who will be attending Seton Hall University in the fall. I want to bring change and reform to my ward. I’m sick and tired of seeing the neglect. People in my ward have high taxes, high crime rate, dirty streets, high unemployment, and a super high school dropout rate. I care about all residents of Jersey City, especially in my ward, Greenville.

People deserve representation that is fair and honest. It’s time for Michael Sottolano to go. He has destroyed Ward A and he doesn’t care about the safety of our children. We need a leader who will stand up for Greenville. I believe my ward needs a conservative leader who will balance a budget and fight for what is best.

I’m proud to say I will be attending Seton Hall University this summer majoring in political science. My motto is “Conservative on the move in the inner city.”

Demetrius Terry
Interim chair of the Hudson County Teenage Republicans

- The Assembly Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved legislation that would allow cities and towns to implement their own residency restrictions for convicted sex offenders. The bill is essentially trying to undo a recent state Supreme Court ruling that struck down more than 100 local ordinances — including one in Jersey City — that dictated where sex offenders could not live. The bill, in its current form, does not have the support of local officials or the state public defender’s office.

- A 28-year-old Jersey City man was shot and killed in a park off West Side Avenue yesterday afternoon. Detectives said they had identified a person of interest and were trying to track him down last night.

- Is that a cashier from the A&P supermarket on Marin Boulevard in the promos for NBC’s America’s Got Talent? Several Hoboken411 readers seem to think so.

In statewide news:

- The Assembly Judiciary Committee also passed a bill that would require ignition interlock devices to be installed in the vehicles of those convicted of drunk driving.

- Political sparks are flying over a revised state worker contract as Gov. Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie trade blows over whether Corzine’s agreement with New Jersey’s largest state worker union amounted to “timid” leadership.

- Meanwhile, it looks like Christie is going to fight Corzine on the environment.

- An email has surfaced showing that big pharma lobbyists specifically targeted Sen. Bob Menendez to help them pass an amendment that would effectively kill any attempt to allow cheaper drugs to be imported from other countries.

- A host of elected officials and union members participated in a ceremonial groundbreaking of the ARC Tunnel — a second tunnel to transport NJ Transit and Amtrak trains between NYC and NJ.

- The Assembly Human Services Committee has passed a bill that would allow state officials to force people with a serious mental illness to attend outpatient treatment if a judge finds they are a danger to themselves or others, despite warnings that the state doesn’t have the money to enforce it.

- Franklin resident John Paff is an open-records advocate who sues towns throughout New Jersey, accusing them of violating the Open Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act.

- A Newark community center is set to become the first site in the state to offer the GED exam exclusively in Spanish.

- The Insider calls Tuesday’s Ward A runoff “the best of the undercard” (Hoboken’s mayoral election being the main event, natch). He talks with Rolando Lavarro about his candidacy and notes that Andre Richardson, who came in a close third in the ward’s May 12 election, has been campaigning for incumbent Michael Sottolano. For more on Lavarro and Sottolano, check out our Q&A with both of them on the issues facing Greenville.

- U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, who represents most of Jersey City in D.C., is among those rumored to be on Gov. Corzine’s list for lieutenant governor.

- The Reporter has a report on the potential Turnpike extension that would run straight to Washington Boulevard via 11th Street (the embankment on the the northern end of Hamilton Park neighborhood). The off-ramp’s supporters say it would ease Holland Tunnel congestion and also reduce the number of Newport and NYC vehicular commuters that cut through Downtown Jersey City’s neighborhoods every morning.

- The owner of Walsh Dodge in Jersey City talks to the Associated Press about his last days selling Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler vehicles. Walsh is one of the nearly 800 car dealers that Chrysler has asked a bankruptcy court for permission to terminate franchise agreements with.

- A 24-year-old Jersey City man, already serving an 18-year prison term for aggravated manslaughter, will have to serve out that sentence before he begins serving a life sentence handed down Friday for the murder of an Asbury Park pet shop owner.

- A Jersey City man involved in the hit-and-run of a 6-year-old will serve only the 99 days he’s already spent in jail for his crime. The victim’s mother shares her outrage with the Journal.

-  The New Jersey Business & Industry Association has awarded a 2009 New Good Neighbor Award to Hudson County Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center.

- The New Jersey Association for Lifelong Learning will honor Jersey City Assemblywoman Joan Quigley with its Leadership Award this Thursday, recognizing Quigley’s longtime advocacy for adult education in New Jersey.

- The Jersey City Police Department held its annual award ceremony last week at the Liberty Science Center.

In statewide news:

- New Jersey’s potential medical marijuana law could be the strictest in the nation if adopted, according to advocates. Prescriptions would only be allowed for people suffering from AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and seizure disorders; only registered patients may pick up the drug; and no one would be allowed to grow their own plants.

- Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) acting commissioner Mark Mauriello says the new law allowing the department to outsource site remediation to private contractors marks “a cultural change” for DEP. The change has been criticized by many environmental groups.

- Two-thirds of New Jersey’s hospitals stand to lose money under a proposal that would change how the state doles out $400million for patients on Medicaid.

- Some 1,000 PSE&G customers have been overcharged since March due to a computer glitch.

Lavarro, who ran with mayoral candidate Lou Manzo, has a background working in the nonprofit sector. He has been executive director of the Philippine American Friendship Committee-Community Development Center and coalition director for the Jersey City Communities that Care Coalition. Lavarro is currently the assistant director for the Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs at New Jersey City University.

Sottolano, who was first elected to council in 2005, ran on Mayor Healy’s slate this year. Prior to serving on the council, he was a 37-year employee of Jersey City. His last position for the city was Assistant Director of Information Technology. He retired in September 2004.

They both recently answered questions from JCI on crime, economic issues, open space and constituent services.

Your ward has been one of the areas hardest hit by violent crime. What would you do as a council member to try to reduce the level of crime?

Lavarro: We should all feel outraged at how bad it’s gotten in our neighborhoods. I’ve been knocking on doors and meeting residents over this campaign and have heard countless horror stories from hard-working people trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. Stories of mothers clutching their child for fear of losing them to senseless violence in the streets; terrified children caught in the crossfire at Triangle Park; seniors mugged at their doorsteps and afraid to leave their homes; parents who hear gunshots in the middle of the night and race to their kid’s bedroom to make sure a stray bullet hasn’t shattered their lives. It breaks my heart, and it gets me angry.

We have to realize that there’s no one person or agency to blame. Also, we can’t expect our police or residents to change things on their own. Our only solution is to have everyone working together to stem and reverse the tide of violence. We need to bring in community policing and have police officers walking the streets of Greenville. We also need residents to get more involved in the day to day policing of our community. Residents see the wrong doings going on, but either don’t have a working relationship with law enforcement or live in fear of having criminals turn their attention on them. When JCPD recently asked residents to volunteer for Operation Ceasefire, only seven residents applied. Either that’s bad advertising, fear holding people back, or a lack of trust. But hiding behind rails and locked doors won’t work; I’m not willing to concede the streets to gangs and criminals.

Seven volunteers are an unacceptable outcome. I will take action to renew our sense of community and build trust among our residents, law enforcement and government officials. I will walk the streets of Greenville and bring the police officer with me that should be walking the beat. I will knock on people’s doors and introduce myself and the police officer to each resident and let everyone know that working together we can make our streets safer. We will build the relationships that are absolutely necessary to fight and prevent crime. We need to make relationship building a priority and we should begin a campaign immediately to do just that. I won’t sit back passively and talk about the problem. No more empty promises: I will back up my words with action.

Sottolano: Public safety has been my top concern while serving the residents of Ward A. I have attended the Ward A captain’s meeting each month to hear directly from the public about their concerns. I know they are the eyes and ears of our community, and it is them who I serve. I have worked through my office to have their safety issues addressed, which is something I will continue to do as their councilman. I have continued to work with the police leadership and have advocated for increased community policing. I also have supported initiatives to increase the number of officers on the force, and to find grants and outside funding, such as the UEZ funding, to pay for their salaries. I will continue to support these types of public safety programs while serving on the City Council.

Your ward has also been hit hard by the foreclosure crisis — what would you do as a council member to keep people in their homes and also mitigate the effects of foreclosures on your neighborhood?

Lavarro: There were almost 800 foreclosures in the 07305 ZIP code last year, and it’s only gotten worse this year. Our ward has been hit so hard because a large number of new home owners bought their homes with subprime mortgages and working-class homeowners in our neighborhoods have been hardest hit by job losses, loss of equity in their homes, the inflation of prices for food, gas, baby formula, and almost everything else.

We need to make residents aware of the various services and counseling available to them at the federal, state and local level. We have to actively engage the community and bring these resources — the Hudson County Housing Resource Center, Northeast New Jersey Legal Services, and other nonprofits — to the community. We can’t afford to our current councilman’s approach of throwing his hands up in the air and simply saying that the city isn’t equipped to deal with the scope of the foreclosure problems. We need to bring all of the resources available to bear. We also have to closely monitor and make changes to the use of our funds that are available to address foreclosures, such as via the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. We can’t simply demolish blighted homes; we have to rehabilitate and redevelop foreclosed properties.

Second, we need to talk to banks and lenders in our area about the investment they are losing when they foreclose on people, kick them out of their homes, and then leave a big gaping hole in the neighborhood that becomes filled with vandalism, theft, drug dealers, etc. We have to let them know about the human cost to our city and the practical loss to them as businesses.

I’m certain we can’t afford to stand pat and take a hands-off approach. We need to roll up our sleeves and work hard to save homes and revitalize our community.

Sottolano: First of all, I would not describe Ward A as being in a “foreclosure crisis.” There have been a number of foreclosures, and I have been working with the Division of Community Development to advise them in how to best address the needs of Ward A and those individuals who are at risk of foreclosure. The city has received $2.1 million in federal funding through HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program as well as state funding to rehabilitate foreclosed properties and improve communities. I will continue to work with the Division of Community Development and the city administration to address this issue.

Do you believe there are enough parks and open space in your ward? If not, do you have concrete plans on how to create more?

Lavarro: I do not believe we have enough parks and open space in our ward. The current councilman touts all of the renovations to the parks in the ward that have come under his watch. I would respond with the words of a mother who said, “What good is a park if you have syringes in it?” We can also point to Triangle Park, which has been the location of recent shootings with tragic results. This councilman’s response to these shootings in the park has been to remove the benches in the park — putting a band-aid on a problem rather than getting to the root cause of our problems.

I say all of this to make the point that renovations are moot if families and seniors don’t feel safe enough to enjoy the parks. The issue of crime, safety, recreation, parks and open space go hand in hand. We need to ensure the safety of our community and then we will see our parks used more frequently.

I also support the establishment of a Recreational Trust Fund, which could finance the creation of a community center or more open spaces, renovations of parks, and recreational programs. The Recreational Trust Fund could be funded by requiring those receiving tax abatements to contribute to the fund. Those who receive tax abatements will then be investing in our city by providing jobs via project labor agreements and open space/recreation via the trust fund.

I will not be a “Yes” vote for more tax abatements for waterfront developers hoping for it to trickle down to the working people of Greenville. As councilman, I will fight every day to make sure the priorities for the people of Greenville are at the table in City Hall.

Sottolano: During my first term, we have made improvements to several parks, including the Victoria Anne Horvarth Playground at McGovern Park, a new basketball court at Audubon Park, a new club house at Metro Field and a new turf field at Caven Point. Plans are already underway for renovations at Columbia Park, Bayside Park and Muhammad Ali Park. We are also pleased that Ward A will see the creation of 20 acres of new open space, which includes two new public parks.

Jersey City’s unemployment rate, particularly in your ward, is the highest it has been in the last decade or so. First, what would you advocate for, in terms of policy, to help get more people working, particularly at living-wage jobs? Second, how would you work with community groups to make productive use of the people that are unemployed in your ward?

Lavarro: I will support tax abatements that invest in the people of Jersey City in real, living-wage jobs. As councilman, I will enforce our Project Labor Agreements and demand accountability. Furthermore, I will push the City to utilize every tool at the government’s disposal — New Market Tax Credits, the UEZ Program, the Hudson County CEDS Committee and Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credits — to stimulate economic development that provides jobs to Greenville residents. Finally, we need directors, commissioners and board members on our economic development organizations to represent the diverse needs and economic interests of the people of Jersey City. We need advocates in those key positions whose priority is creating living-wage jobs for the people of Jersey City.

I know people are hurting financially and many are living pay check to pay check. I will bring energy and vigor to creating jobs for the people of ward A that matches the urgency of our challenges.

Partnership has been and will be a key to my work as councilman. Community groups — churches, nonprofits, civic associations, etc. — will be an important voice in developing and implementing policies. The unemployed person sometimes goes to their pastor or priest for comforting words and prayer before they come to their councilperson or even the unemployment office. I will reach out to community groups and seek their assistance in assisting those that are unemployed. We can create a network of support — comprised of community groups — that makes already existing services more readily available and accessible to those that are unemployed. Job training programs, services and counseling can be shared via these existing networks with little or no cost to the taxpayer. By increasing our collaboration and working with those who care, we can bring opportunity to those that may have already given up all hope.

Sottolano: The entire country is dealing with rising unemployment, and in Ward A we are working to address those needs. The city’s Office of Employment and Training is helping match constituents with jobs and I am proud to have supported the state’s first ever Project Labor Agreement, which requires developers to hire Jersey City residents are union apprentices in the building trades. We also have the AMB warehouse which will bring 300-500 jobs to the city for Jersey City residents, including residents of Ward A.

What would you do to encourage small business development in your ward?

Lavarro: First of all, we must address crime and safety in our streets. No one will setup a businss if they feel their investment is threatened. Again, these issues are all tied together and we need a holistic answer to our challenges.

Secondly, I will push the city to use every tool at the government’s disposal — New Market Tax Credits, the UEZ Program, the Hudson County CEDS Committee, the Urban Fund, and Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credits to name a few — to stimulate economic development, which encourages small business development and provides jobs to Jersey City residents. We need to look at the use of the resources and funds and use them to create a pipeline of small business development. We can utilize our UEZ and stimulus funds to invest in small businesses — providing technical assistance via the Urban Fund or Rising Tide Capital, micro-loans, or grants — and double our impact by leveraging the tax credits that are available to businesses investing. We need to create public and private partnerships to stimulate economic and small business development. As councilman, I will turn over every stone that has a resource available to create living-wage jobs and build small businesses in our neighborhoods.

Sottolano: In Jersey City we have a very active plan to encourage small business development. Our Economic Development Corporation and our Urban Enterprise Zone program are two of the most active in the state, helping businesses get certified as UEZ business and helping with business improvements. We also help small businesses that are opening with ribbon cuttings and through our UEZ market all the advantages of our local businesses, whether it be retail or service-oriented. As a councilman, I have been extremely supportive of the work being done by the UEZ and will continue to help our small businesses when re-elected. We also have Rising Tide Capital, a nonprofit organization that works to train individuals in what it takes to be an entrepreneur. They are truly a remarkable organization and receive support from the city through CDBG funds and they provide a great service to our residents.

Do you feel that your ward is adequately served by mass transit?

Lavarro: No, I do not feel our ward is adequately served by mass transit. We have seen the closing of bus lines that were necessary to so many people in the area. Not coincidentally, we saw the closing of Greenville Hospital, the post office and benches removed from Triangle Park. Our loss of mass transit is a result of the neglect of our community by our current councilman. We need representatives on transit planning committees who will report back to the community and have a councilman who will demand such accountability. I will serve as a watchdog to make sure that future mass transit plans, decisions and actions represent the needs of the ward.

Sottolano: The downsizing of service and the elimination of bus lines by private carriers has left a void in bus transportation. As a member of the North Jersey Transportation Authority (NJTPA), I have helped secure $250,000 in funding and another $250,000 from NJ Transit to do a complete study of all mass transit in Jersey City and hopefully a recommendation will be released soon.

Do you feel that your ward has a sufficient amount of affordable housing?

Lavarro: We need a councilman who isn’t simply a “yes” vote that caters to developers by providing big tax breaks and supporting condo conversions that deplete affordable housing stock. As councilman, I will review all federal stimulus money coming to Jersey City and fight to have those funds used for affordable housing units.

Sottolano: Ward A has a tremendous amount of affordable housing, but nevertheless we continue to add affordable housing to the ward’s stock. Currently under construction is an affordable senior housing development on Dwight and Ocean, as well as numerous in-fill affordable housing throughout the ward, particularly by entities such as Jersey City Episcopal Community Development Corporation.

How do you, or would you, handle constituent services? How can residents of your ward get in touch with you to voice concerns and how can you, in turn, reach out to the community to make sure your finger is on the pulse?

Lavarro: Constituent services will be the hallmark of my service as councilman. I know that no one else will be able to match my level of responsiveness and I have proven that in my work as an aide to councilwoman Mary Donnelly and director of constituent services for Assemblyman Bob Gordon (currently Senator). I will be the most accessible and available councilman this ward or city has ever known. I will do it by reaching out to community groups — churches, block associations, civic associations, etc. I will schedule regular meetings with them to report what is going on in City Hall, get input and receive complaints. I will not simply hold a meeting and expect everyone to come to me. I will come to the people who elected me because they deserve no less. Since I started this campaign, I promised that when the campaign was over I would walk the streets of Jersey City again and make myself available. I will make it a point to walk the streets of Greenville regularly and not just during election time. If anyone wants to reach me, my home phone is 201-377-0387 or cell phone: 201-320-2128.

Sottolano: As a full-time councilman with an aide who devotes 30-35 hours a week, someone is available five days a week to address constituent needs. I respond to emails and phone calls and attend  numerous community meetings and block association meetings as well as the monthly police captain’s meeting.

- Ward F City Council candidate LaVern Webb-Washington, who fell just two votes short of second place (and the chance to enter a runoff with incumbent Viola Richardson), will challenge the results in Superior Court. She says she is challenging second-place finisher Ron-Calvin Clark’s residency, on disputed ballots and on a broader claim of election fraud.

- Ward A runoff candidate Rolando Lavarro, who will face off against incumbent Michael Sottolano, says he’s proud of the work his team did during the general campaign but that there’s obviously more to be done. “My very worn out shoes tell the tale of how hard we walked the streets and neighborhoods,” he tells the Asian Journal. If elected, Lavarro would become the first Filipino-American elected official in Jersey City.

- JCPD chief Tom Comey says that crime is declining, and he is upset that the media and some candidates running for office in recent months implying the police were not doing enough to stop crime.

- A Jersey City building inspector was fired this week after pleading guilty in federal court to using his position in a scheme to extort money at construction sites.

- Two men were shot early Saturday morning near Exchange Place.

- A man wearing a hat and shirt with JCPD logos and wielding an Uzi robbed a man of more than $10,000 on a Downtown street Friday.

- Two more cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Hudson County.

In statewide news:

- Republican gubernatorial frontrunners Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan both oppose a proposal likely to be on November’s ballot asking voters to approve borrowing $600 million to preserve open space. Christie says the state should fund such purchases without debt, while Lonegan opposes the concept itself.

- Meanwhile, Christie and Lonegan have both thrown out ideas on the trail about how to dramatically remake state government, but insiders say most of the ideas can’t be accomplished by a governor alone — even in a state with the most powerful chief executive in the nation.

- Smaller pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms are flourishing in New Jersey even as the big pharma companies struggle.

- Most observers say that businesses at the Jersey shore are likely to struggle again this year as the recession shows no real signs of ending.

- While the state’s financial situation is grave right now, some say its not nearly as bad as the 1936 crisis that sparked the “Siege of Trenton.”

- More cash-strapped New Jersey public schools are joining their private brethren in the hunt for public and private money to expand programs or fill holes.

- As handfuls of car dealerships are being closed across the state, what will become of their real estate?

- Troubled automaker Chrysler filed a plan in bankruptcy court Thursday to eliminate 789 of its dealerships nationwide. One of them is Jersey City’s Walsh Dodge, which is located off of Route 440 by the Hudson Mall.

- Unnamed sources tell Politicker that Jersey City may consider a change to its form of government that would change May non-partisan elections to partisan elections, with a June primary and a November general election.

- A new report from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign calls on the Port Authority to do a better job of enhancing bus service from New Jersey to New York City and accommodating existing and future bus passengers.

- A Jersey City man has been charged with “death by auto” after allegedly running into a man driving a motorcycle on JFK Boulevard yesterday.

- Cops have charged a Union City man in the fatal stabbing of a Jersey City resident outside his Journal Square apartment earlier this month.

- Officials at the Harsimus Cemetery say a tombstone wouldn’t have fallen on a woman this week and broken her leg if funeral attendees hadn’t been sitting on the tombstones.

- The cleanup of PCBs from the Hudson River is finally set to begin today in upstate New York, where General Electric legally discharged more than a million pounds of the chemical for decades.

- Need to dispose of hazardous household materials? Sunday’s the day.

- Mack-Cali’s Harborside Plaza One at Harborside Financial Center recently won an Office Building of the Year award in the renovated building category from the New Jersey Chapter of the Building Owners and Managers Association.

In statewide news:

- With fewer than seven weeks until the close of the fiscal year, Gov. Corzine says weaker than expected revenue collections will require $1.2 billion in reductions in the current state budget.

- A new poll finds Republican gubernatorial hopeful Chris Christie leading Gov. Corzine by nine points, (47-38 percent).

- NJ Transit has reached an agreement to operate a new 8.3-mile rail system between Hackensack and Hawthorne.

- The economic meltdown means good deals are available for New Jersey shore rentals.

Shouts, hugs and handshakes filled Casino in the Park Tuesday night as supporters of Mayor Jerramiah Healy relished their candidate’s victory. With 30,657 votes cast, Healy won — and avoided a runoff — with 52.9 percent of the vote. Absentee and provisional ballots have yet to be tallied.

Supporters began gathering in front of a screen showing live results from Hudson County shortly after the polls closed at 8 pm. Healy’s percentage of the vote never dropped below the crucial 50 percent mark as the crowd steadily grew.

Healy celebrated with by his winning council At-Large running mates, a who’s who of Hudson County officials such as Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise, and prominent state Democrats including state Democratic Chairman Joe Cryan and Gov. Jon Corzine.

“As America was on the cusp of change, Jerry Healy stood up for Barack Obama, now you stood up for Jerry Healy,” said Corzine, who faces his own bid for reelection this fall.

Unlike Corzine, Healy was an early supporter of Obama during the presidential primary. Obama was featured in a Healy campaign commercial that, among other spots, repeatedly played on big screens inside and outside of Casino in the Park, located in Lincoln Park.

Healy, who is also Hudson County Democratic Organization chairman, thanked supporters including those gathered around the podium.

“Working as a team with all these people, we’ve done a lot for Jersey City,” Healy said. “You look forward to working hard over the next four years to do much more and to truly make this city, as Ronald Reagan used to say, the shining city on the hill.”

As often is the case in municipal elections here, turnout was low, with less than one-quarter of registered voters casting a mayoral ballot.

Lou Manzo’s campaign manager Sean Connolly said he was “astonished” that so many people “stayed home.” Manzo, who finished in a distant second place with 26.3 percent of the vote, blamed “voter apathy” for the low turnout. “People give up because thy don’t think they can beat a machine,” he said.

Manzo appeared disappointed by the loss, but said he was “not deterred.” When asked if he would run for mayor a sixth time, Manzo laughed and said he will definitely keep working with his Office of Public Advocacy.

At third-place finisher Harvey Smith’s Monticello Avenue headquarters, the mood was somber. By 9:30 pm, supporters were already taking down campaign signs and looking for any kind of encouragement from the incoming numbers.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Smith, who received 12.9 percent of the vote, said. “But I wish Jerry (Healy) a lot of luck. I commend them and their campaign”

Smith, whose entire slate was defeated yesterday, said his campaign spoke about “change and things that matter to everyday Jane and John Doe,” of Jersey City, including getting more police on the streets, fixing the local housing problems, and trying to get federal stimulus dollars into the city.

“I want to thank all the people who supported me,” he added. “We did the best we could with the resources we had.”

When asked what was next on his plate, Smith said he needed a much-deserved break. “I want to go fishing,” he said.

At Downtown bar the Golden Cicada, Dan Levin was optimistic, saying his loss in the campaign didn’t constitute failure. “The campaign was started to get regular people involved in local politics,” he said. “The end result was not the vote, but getting more people involved in the community building process in order to move towards a more accountable and responsive local government.”

A little after 10 pm, Levin, who came in fourth with 5.6 percent of the vote, spoke to the group, expressing pride in all that his One Jersey City team had accomplished — and reaffirming that the volunteer effort was just beginning.

“We knew we were the little guy, but we weren’t doing it for us — we were doing it for everyone,” he said. “One Jersey City is not a political movement; it’s a community.” A few attendees wiped away tears, applauding Levin’s efforts in forming both an alternative political candidacy and in bringing together people from disparate parts of the city under a banner of reform.

Ultimately, Levin said the moment was a special victory, even as it was a loss. “It’s inspiring,” he said between smiles. “Regardless of the outcome, we built an organization, a movement. We got together and did something really good.”

Two City Council Seats Up for Grabs

The City Council will be welcoming a few new faces and many familiar ones when it’s new members begin work in July. Last night, Healy candidates and incumbents Phil Kenny (Ward B), Bill Gaughan (Ward D), and Peter Brennan, Willie Flood and Mariano Vega (At-Large) all secured victories. They will be joined on the council by running-mate Nidia Rivera Lopez, who won the Ward C seat vacated by outgoing councilman Steve Lipski.

In Ward A, all four candidates finished with more than 10 percent of the vote, which puts first-term incumbent (and Healy candidate) Michael Sottolano in a tough spot. Despite the fact that he leads the pack with 39.3 percent of the vote, he will face a runoff opponent. What is not yet clear is who that opponent will be.

Currently, Manzo’s candidate Rolando Lavarro is in second place, with 1,260 votes (24.5 percent). However, independent candidate Andre Richardson is only 21 votes behind Lavarro, with provisional and absentee votes yet to be counted. Those ballots should be tallied by the end of the week.

Lavarro said the result in Ward A showed that “we desperately need change in this city,” and expressed his “great pride in [the] hopes” of the Filipino-American community. If elected, Lavarro would be the first Filipino-American to serve on the City Council. However, he was quick to add that he is “running to be the councilman for all people” of Ward A.

Ward F is also a nail-biter for the Healy team, with incumbent Viola Richardson heading towards a runoff.

Richardson seems to have been plagued by a multitude of candidates. While she maintains a commanding lead of more than 1,000 votes, with four other candidates receiving more than 10 percent of the vote, she falls far short — at 39.6 percent — of the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Like Ward A, the runoff opponent here is not yet clear. Only five votes currently separate Manzo candidate Ron-Calvin Clark (656 votes, 15.1 percent) from independent candidate LaVern Webb-Washington (651 votes, 15 percent).

Clark said he “look[s] forward to the runoff” and was hopeful that with the support of the other Ward F candidates, “we can achieve our goal to put a new person in office.”

Healy pledged to work hard for Sottolano and Richardson in the next month. The runoff election will be June 9.

“We think we can bring them home to victory, and put the team back together once and for all,” Healy said.

At Casino in the Park, Healy didn’t mention any of his mayoral opponents but congratulated Steve Fulop, who cruised to victory in Ward E with the night’s most commanding victory, garnering 63.2 percent of the vote.

At Fulop’s campaign headquarters, spirits were high as by 9:15 pm it was obvious that he had been reelected to his post. On Newark Avenue, Fulop supporters could be seen heading from the headquarters to LITM restaurant where the victory party was already underway. Fulop himself walked, with his family, to the headquarters of Guy Catrillo, his closest competitor, to congratulate him on a good campaign.

Shelley Skinner, Fulop’s campaign manager, attributed their victory to an outstanding voter turnout in Ward E. In an election where voter turnouts were, overall, disappointing, voters in Ward E came out in force and helped Fulop to his victory.

Fulop agreed that turnout was the key.

“The fact that we were able to achieve 63 percent in a field where the mayor spent a lot of money and sent out countless mailers, speaks to the residents of Ward E,” he said. “They understand the issues. It’s a very educated bunch down here.”

On his way to the victory party, Fulop greeted supporters and talked of a “stressful and concerning” campaign.

“We try to run a good campaign, a positive campaign,” he said. “We made a decision as a team, that I’m kind of happy about, that we’re not going to engage in anything personal about any of the candidates and it turned out to be a good thing. In hindsight I couldn’t have asked for a better team.”

Nancy Benecki, Irene Borngraeber, Jonathan Fitzgerald, Shane Smith and Jon Whiten also contributed to this report.