Jersey City

MERKT QUESTIONS LACK OF RESPONSE ON REQUEST FOR JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER AUDIT

Assemblyman Richard Merkt, who two weeks ago requested a copy of a recent audit of the financial activities at Jersey City Medical Center, today said he is tired of the stonewalling on the matter and that he fears the reluctance to release the audit may be a result of an effort to hide its findings from the taxpayers.

"I am tired of the cavalier attitude and stalling tactics by the Department of Health and Senior Services on this matter," said Merkt, R-Morris. "In light of the millions of taxpayer dollars that Jersey City Medical Center is receiving every week, they have an obligation to make this audit public so that we can find out how these dollars are being spent."

Read More >

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...

HE CAN'T DO BOTH JOBS

The Star-Ledger, Editorial, October 18, 2006

It's time for Education Commissioner Lucille Davy to give Assemblyman Charles Epps Jr. an ultimat: He can either be superintendent of schools in the state-run Jersey City school district or be a member of the Legislature, but not both.

Read More >

MERKT SENDS LETTER REQUESTING FINANCIAL DATA FROM JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER

Assemblyman Richard Merkt today sent a letter to officials with the Jersey City Medical Center requesting financial data with respect to all hospital expenditures on public and community relations, lobbying, and legal services provided by, or on behalf of, the hospital.

Read More >

DORIA INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO HONOR FALLEN POLICE OFFICERS

JERSEY CITY - Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr. announced today that he would introduce legislation that would rename the Lincoln Highway Bridge as the "Shawn Carson and Robert Nguyen Memorial Bridge" in honor of the two Jersey City police officers who died when their patrol car fell off the bridge last December.

"The accident that took the lives of Officers Carson and Nguyen last Christmas night touched all New Jerseyans and brought our state together to mourn for the families of these two selfless individuals," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "These two men died as they lived every day - working to serve and protect those in their community. There is no greater sacrifice."

Read More >

WOLFE ASKS FOR INFO TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF ABATEMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS ON PROPERTY TAXES

TAX EXEMPTIONS TO DEVELOPERS ARE COSTING THE STATE & POOR NEIGHBORHOODS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Read More >

GOVERNOR CORZINE ANNOUNCES ANTI-GANG INITIATIVES

HAMILTON

– Governor Jon S. Corzine today announced legislative proposals to complement Operation CeaseFire and help reduce gang activity. The measures would use existing racketeering laws to prosecute gang members and impose stiff penalties for those who try to intimidate witnesses to gang-related crimes. Read More >

McHOSE: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD LOOK INTO MISSPENT SCHOOL FUNDS

NOT ENOUGH FOR JERSEY CITY SUPERINTENDENT TO RETURN MONEY SPENT ON LAVISH LONDON TRIP

Read More >

McHOSE: MISUSE OF TAX DOLLARS IN ABBOTT DISTRICT "JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG"

Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose today praised the Department of Education's (DOE) decision to recommend that Assemblyman Charles Epps reimburse the state for outlandish personal expenses he incurred while traveling in London as Superintendent of Schools in Jersey City, a state-run school district.

Read More >

DOE Must Investigate Assemblyman / Superintendent Epps' 'Excellent Adventure' to London
GOP Asks Roberts if $13,000 Trip to London Would Be Eliminated Under CORE (O is for Overriding Waste in Schools!) Proposal

Read More >

Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria is viewed as the favorite in the June 13 Runoff Election against former Municipal Court Judge Patrick Conaghan, but his failure to achieve the 50% needed to avoid a run-off last night could spell trouble for him next year if he chooses to seek re-election to his State Senate seat. The Hudson County Democratic Organization awarded the seat to Doria in 2004 after the death of Jersey City Mayor/State Senator Glenn Cunningham, whose slate defeated Doria -- then an 11-term incumbent and former Assembly Speaker -- for re-election to the Assembly seat in 2003.

Doria now faces a dilemma if he runs for re-election next year against his likely opponent, Sandra Bolden Cunningham, the former mayor's widow. Doria's local archnemesis, former Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone, who was the high vote getter in Bayonne yesterday, was on the Cunningham slate in 2003 that deprived Doria of his Assembly seat. Chiappone lost his re-election bid last year after the Hudson County Democratic Organization supported Jersey City School Superintendent Charles Epps for his seat. If Chiappone were to run for his old Assembly seat on the Cunningham slate next year, he can harness his support in Bayonne to deliver a victory to Cunningham, who could do well in the heavily African-American Jersey City portion of the district.

Doria wanted out of Trenton last year, when then-Governor Richard Codey sought to secure his appointment as President of Ramapo College. This morning, some Democrats are wondering whether he (or his friends) really wants another fight next year.

Read More >