Jersey City fundraising race is not even close

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has raised 10 times more money than his closest opponent, according the latest filings with the State Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).  

Healy’s campaign has raised a total of almost $3.1 million and has spent just shy of $2.3 million for his reelection in this city of 240,000, along with another $443,000 in donations to other campaigns and local non-profits.  Of the total raised, $620,000 was left over from Healy’s previous campaign, while $2.49 million was taken in during the current cycle.  

No report was available online for former Assemblyman Lou Manzo, but he said he raised about $300,000 as of the filing deadline, and has spent somewhere between $270,000 and $280,000.  Manzo said he was not daunted by the mayor’s huge fundraising advantage.  

“Bring it on,” he said.  

Assemblyman Harvey Smith (D-Jersey City), a former Acting Mayor and City Council President, filed a joint return with his council running mates.  In total, his slate took in $67,295 and spent $41,415.  

Jersey City Police Detective Phil Webb said that he raised about $10,000 and spent most of it.

Dan Levin, a good government activist who founded the group Civic JC and led a number of other community organizations, said that he filed on Monday, having raised and spent approximately $7,000.  His three council running mates on the One Jersey City slate, he said, raised and spent approximately the same amount.

Levin said he would be able to run a better campaign with about $100,000, but “the notion of $3 million is just obscene.”

“When you think about what that money could actually do for our community, it’s just horrendous,” he said.