Steve Fulop 
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Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 04:15:00 PM EST
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It's always something in Jersey City. The latest dust up is over a selection by the Mayor to serve on a City Authority. Councilman Steve Fulop criticized the pick made by Mayor Jeremiah Healy to put ex Mayor Gerald McCann to a position at the Incinerator Authority:"The idea that the City would hire a convicted felon to its payroll during the same time period that key members of the administration are being tried in Federal court is incomprehensible," said Fulop. McCann was Mayor from 1981 to 1985 and again from 1989 to 1992, when he was terminated from office following his criminal conviction. Fulop wants to withhold funding from the authority until Healy removes McCann from the position and that prompted this response:"I'm totally going to sue him. I'm going to make sure that every single nickel that he gets to run a campaign against anybody will be my nickel," said McCann. "...I'll have him in court for years. And since he's doing it as a political candidate, I will sue his campaign fund." McCann says some of Fulop's charges amount to defamation. Fulop didn't seem very concerned by the threat because he sent the article out as a tweet himself.
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Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 12:29:12 PM EDT
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Ken Thoorbourne says that Jersey City is moving the goal post for a referendum proposed by City Councilman Steve Fulop to get on the ballot.
For months now, Fulop and a crew of activists have labored under the impression they needed 1,506 valid signatures of registered voters to qualify each of the two ballot initiatives.
Now the city says he needs 12,227 signatures, and Fulop would rather fight than pound the pavement for more signatures.
What happened? Well, first he got the 1,506 sigantures. Then the city finds a potential way to wiggle out:
Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis told Byrne yesterday the Faulkner Act doesn't apply when it comes to initiatives involving salaries.
Based on case law, Matsikoudis said, those petitions are governed by a broader state statute that requires 10 percent or more of all the registered voters in the city.
As of January, Jersey City had 122,271 voters. So to qualify his salary initiative, Fulop would need to turn in 12,227 valid signatures - and do so in 10 days.
I'm not a lawyer, so I can't comment on the technicalities. What I can say is that Matsikoudis was given his job by Mayor Healy. Mayor Man-of-Principle has regularly opposed such measures. I'll let you decide why he would do that. More after the jump.
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Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 11:53:53 AM EDT
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In light of the new dual-office ban in New Jersey (hurray! We've caught up with the dawn of the twentieth century!), City Councilman Steve Fulop is calling for a more comprehensive ban in Jersey City. But his proposal shows how a good idea can turn into a very bad plan.
First, let's review why having two elected positions is a bad thing. Let's say you have a mayor who is also a state senator. That mayor's job is to advocate tirelessly for his/her city. The state senator is supposed to represent his/her entire district - which includes making sure that one city doesn't dominate the political landscape. That's a basic conflict of interest from the start.
More to the point, it opens the door for excessive personal gain from both positions. For example, as state Senator, our hypothetical person withholds a vital vote for a budget in order to get a state law passed that allows a mayor to sell real estate below a certain value without city council approval. Said hypothetical then goes back to his/her town, put's on their mayor hat, and sales a vacant lot or two to a personal friend or family member for just a skooch below the legal limit. Family member/friend then turns around and sells the property for a windfall.
Let's say that our hypothetical office holder is also an attorney. As state senator, they push legislation that requires cities of a certain size to retain legal counsel with specific legal background. As it happens, the dual office holder is one of only a handful - or maybe the only - lawyer in town with that background. What a coincidence! Now he gets to negotiate with himself for a contract to provide legal advice that he would have simply given as mayor for free.
Or maybe the State Senator makes sure that the Mayor's political opponent's ward, district, or city is on the wrong end of state spending.
There are limitless examples of how the inherent conflict of interest can operate. You'll hear a lot about double-dipping boosting pensions, of course, but I happen to believe that everyone - elected official or not - should have an adequately funded pension. I'm not saying it isn't a real issue, it's just not as high on the charts for me.
Make the flip with me.
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Mon Aug 28, 2006 at 11:21:07 AM EDT
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NJ Tammany has been following the crusade of Jersey City Mayor Jerry Healy to impose his will on the city and build a warehouse on overcrowded Rt 1&9 between the Pulasky Skyway and an antiquated draw bridge that connects Jersey City to Newark. The County wants to buy the property and build a golf course - as Hudson County is the only county in NJ without a public course (although you can join the Country Club at Liberty State Park for a paltry $300,000 a year). As with all things political in Jersey, there is no point too tangential to work for everything it's worth. We've now reached that part in the PJP Warehouse Epic.
From the Jersey Journal's Jarrett Renshaw, we get this story:
Downtown Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop believes his council colleagues Mariano Vega Jr. and Mary Spinello should sit out further votes on the controversial warehouse proposed for the old PJP landfill in Jersey City.
Fulop said yesterday he plans to ask the Jersey City Ethics Commission to render an opinion on the subject since both Vega and Spinello have full-time government jobs connected with the site.
Well, that sounds reasonable:
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Thu Jun 29, 2006 at 06:50:58 PM EDT
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With all the bad news about our political leaders these days, it's nice to get stories like this:
Downtown Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop talks a lot about giving back to the community, and now he's putting his money where his mouth is.
The freshman councilman announced yesterday that he's donating his roughly $23,000 City Council annual salary to the Kenmare High School, an alternative high school that gives women a chance to earn a high school diploma.
Thank you, Mr. Fulop, for restoring our faith in our public leaders. I know Kenmare will put the funds to good use.
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Thu Dec 15, 2005 at 10:45:44 PM EST
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While 7th District Democrats battle just for the chance to take back the House in 2006, there's also that little matter of our safe seats:
In the 13th District, a seat so safe that no republican is likely even to run (not even Bret Schundler), Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas is announced, Assemblyman Albio Sires is annointed, and Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop is angling.
Hey, I guess it's hard to resist taking a shot when all you have to do is win the primary.
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Wed Nov 30, 2005 at 05:32:36 PM EST
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Soft Warning: This is only sortof another story related to Jon Corzine's decision on who will take his place in the US Senate.
When the good Governor-Elect does make his decision (and he will soon), and if he chooses a congressman (which remains the most likely scenario), NJ will very suddenly have an open house seat - in a decidedly democratic congressional district.
So, why isn't anyone talking about Congresswoman Barbara Buono or Congresswoman Watson-Coleman or Congressman Steve Fulop or ....?
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