Earlier today, Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop and Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez said they want the city to explore consolidating services to save taxpayer dollars and eliminate duplication of services.
Both want to fold the Jersey City Economic Development Corp. into the Hudson County Economic Development Corp, while Fulop wants to combine the city's and county's cultural affairs departments, too.
Their proposal was slammed in a statement released by Healy, who said the plan was nothing more than a "self-serving press release" designed to further Fulop's "personal, political agenda."
The city's and county's cultural affairs departments are similar in name only, Healy said.
"The Jersey City tax dollars that are dedicated to the Division of Cultural Affairs go directly back to support Jersey City-based cultural events, programs and institutions, while the bulk of HCCA work is spent administering county-wide grants from the state and federal government," Healy said.
Merging the city's and county's EDC agencies, meanwhile, would "threaten Jersey City's position as the economic engine of our state," Healy said.
"Councilman Fulop has shown his ignorance not only for the basic principles of municipal government, but for the way our city works and how our communities thrive," Healy said.
Full statement below.
Statement of Mayor Healy Regarding Councilman Fulop’s Press Release on Merger of City EDC & Cultural Affairs with Hudson County Offices
Once again, Councilman Fulop is illustrating his ignorance of our city’s rich and lengthy history. Jersey City is a city of the First Class, the most diverse city in the County, and the economic engine of the State. Every year, we hold dozens of events celebrating our diversity and our civic pride and showcasing the variety and depth of our artistic community. It is these types of events that not only contribute to our pre-eminence as a cultural destination, but that serve to unite us as a community.
This measure by Councilman Fulop and Councilwoman Lopez would serve to strip the good people of Jersey City of their culture and identity, and would transfer the autonomy of our EDC – an independent non-profit that receives no funding from city property tax dollars – to a county agency that is responsible for several other municipalities. In fact, this proposal would dedicate Jersey City taxpayer dollars to funding arts and economic development in other towns aside from Jersey City.
Councilman Fulop has issued a campaign press release in the attempt of gaining political traction, but has instead turned his back on our varied cultural and ethnic groups, our visual and performing artists, and our small business community. This proposed consolidation would also threaten Jersey City’s position as the economic engine of the state, as we would relinquish our ability to market our city as a destination for new business.
Merging services between a city and county or two municipalities, for example, makes sense when in fact there is a duplication of services. It was my administration that took the lead on this by merging the City Office of Veterans Affairs and the service of weights and measures inspections with the County when duplications existed. My staff continues to meet with their counterparts in neighboring municipalities to discuss the potential for shared services and as we downsize government we are eliminating the duplication of services.
However, while the Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs and Hudson County Cultural Affairs have similar names, their missions are completely different. There is no duplication of services. The Jersey City tax dollars that are dedicated to the Division of Cultural Affairs go directly back to support Jersey City-based cultural events, programs and institutions, while the bulk of HCCA work is spent administering county-wide grants from the state and federal government.
Likewise, the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation serves to administer the largest and most successful Urban Enterprise Zone program in New Jersey and supports our four Special Improvement Districts, as well as a number of other programs. Both of these offices have served as a model for others around the state and in other parts of the country.
The preliminary research by our Law Department indicates that the City Council does not have the authority under the Faulkner Act to negotiate contracts; rather, that is a function of the Executive Branch of government. Councilman Fulop has shown his ignorance not only for the basic principles of municipal government, but for the way our city works and how our communities thrive, all to once again get a self-serving press release in the paper to further his personal, political agenda.
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