REVEREND ALLEN THROWS HAT IN MAYOR RACE

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REVEREND ALLEN THROWS HAT IN MAYOR RACE

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Posted by Urban Times News on August 03, 2004 at 15:57:00:

REVEREND ALLEN THROWS HAT IN MAYOR RACE

Urban Times News
July 30, 2004 - August 5, 2004

by Arnold W. Stovell

The Reverend Edward Allen has announced he is running in the November special elections for mayor of Jersey City. He is currently challenging Acting Mayor, Council President L. Harvey Smith, Councilman-At-Large Jeremiah Healy and Assemblyman Louis Manzo who have previously made their candidacy official.

The Reverend Allen is a former member of the Jersey City Board of Education. He holds advanced degrees from Saint Peter's College, Seton Hall University and the New York Theological Seminary. Reverend Allen is also the Senior Pastor of Philemon Missionary Baptist Church in Newark. He has been married for 27 years and has two children. In a statement released to the press, the Reverend Allen says, 'Mayor Cunningham was a respected leader and a good friend. His untimely death is a compelling force for me to answer the call for leadership of our great city. We cannot go back to the days of rogue politicians, but we must continue to move forward under the spirit of Mayor Cunningham's legacy.' The Urban Times News spoke with Reverend Allen.

"Unfortunately since his passing, the changes that he made and the good that he worked for on behalf of the people of Jersey City have been turned backward. The County Clerk position has been relocated to Union City. The state senate seat has been relocated from Jersey City to Bayonne. The office of the mayor now has a successor who spent the last year on the City Council fighting to derail every proposal offered by the late Mayor. Our Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham had the integrity, and the reputation and the clear vision to help turn Jersey City from a distressed city to a blessed city. Glenn Cunningham was purifying the government of Jersey City for the people of Jersey City, but the same hypocritical leadership that now claims him as friend are the forces who blocked his appointments and stifled proposals made in the best interest of Jersey City. The most notable example of this was the bond deal to refinance the long-term and short-term debt of Jersey City. Cunningham offered a plan that was endorsed by Goldman Sachs; that would refinance the $375 million dollar debt and allow the city to stabilize property taxes for the next four years. It could have insured that there would be no downsizing of critical municipal services and prevented layoffs of municipal workers. Instead of approving the plan, they voted against it, thereby forcing the city's government to spend the budget surplus."
Jersey City supporters at the time of this action perceived the City Council vote (7-2 against the bond proposal with Richardson and Lipski dissenting) as an attempt to tarnish Cunningham's reputation by driving him to actions that would be politically unpopular with voters. Council President Smith and Councilman Gaughan led opposition to the plan; Councilman-At-Large Healy added his vote to those against. "Jersey City faces $55 million in debt repayments that it can't meet without a tax increase," the Reverend continued. "They (the City Council) refused to refinance under Cunningham and caused this problem. Now they do not have the integrity to stand up and take responsibility for their actions."

Reverend Allen, whose slogan is, "A Jersey City for the People and Not the Politicians" wants to ensure that residents do not bear the burden of a possible 25% property tax increase, which will undoubtedly force senior citizens out of their homes, create financial burdens for the working poor and hurt the city's most vulnerable population: our oldest and our youngest. Reverend Allen warns, "While driving the tax burden up, we would most likely become a gentrified city of where only the rich could afford to live. This jeopardizes every working class Jersey City resident."

"In addition to restructuring our debt, we (Jersey City) need to be able to finance our schools when they are returned back to city control. The state froze our tax levy to $200 million at the time of the state school take-over. The school budget is now $700 million, leaving a $500,000 deficit, money that the city did not have to pay when the schools were under state control. When Cunningham was in the state Senate, he was working towards a solution, rallying support for the causes of Jersey City. With Joe Doria in the Senate seat, knowing that he is not raising Jersey City issues, we cannot trust him to provide the help we need like we could trust Glenn Cunningham. We don't know what Joe Doria will do."

"We are not only in a fiscal crisis, but a crisis of leadership where our supposed representatives operate with motives of selfish ego. Case in point, the Acting Mayor's actions at the dedication of Ercel Webb Park. The late Mayor Cunningham worked with citizens to design that park. He worked to get the money for the park. But the Acting Mayor had the original plaque removed and replaced it with another that had his name on it. It is a clear example of how he wants to take the credit but is not willing to step up to the plate and do the work."

"There is a lack of leadership in Jeremiah Healy. He has shown himself to be a follower. He has not distinguished himself from the other Council members. Lou Manzo is an example of ambition gone out of control. He is someone who was making deals to undermine Glenn Cunningham during his tenure. Jersey City can't afford the kind of leadership that will consider how they will look first and how Jersey citizens will suffer later."

"We want to keep the dream of Glenn Cunningham alive; keep his vision for Jersey City alive. We need a leader who will stand up to the malfeasance of Hudson County. None of those men fit that category. I am proud to say that like Mayor Cunningham, I am unbossed and un-bought. I was a friend of Cunningham. We disagreed sometimes, but he trusted me to work with and help him, and to stand with him side-by-side to work for Jersey City. Glenn Cunningham understood that the preservation of our neighborhoods was the preservation of lives. That is why he worked to make communities of neighbors working together. He was not just concerned about Exchange Place or Journal Square. He was concerned about Martin Luther King and Ocean Ave. He was concerned about the people in all our neighborhoods, and tried to bring them together. What the Council members did not understand was that while they tried to hurt Cunningham they were actually hurting the people of Jersey City."

During his bid to get on the ballot for the Democratic primaries, the Reverend Allen was not only outspoken about opponent Congressman Donald Payne, but his Congressional colleague, Congressman Robert Menendez. The Urban Times News questioned how the Reverend would respond to the longtime 10th district incumbent and National Convention delegate, as well as the ranking Hispanic and third most powerful Congressman.

"I believe that the importance of Jersey City in the big political picture, towards the election of John Kerry, in the scope of New Jersey State politics, and the replacement of Frank Lautenberg offers an opportunity for me to find the high road in unifying the Democratic Party in Jersey City and in Hudson County. Mr. Menendez is running unopposed, so he will win. It will be necessary to work with Mr. Menendez and Mr. Payne. I think in the political sense, Edward Allen and Robert Menendez can agree to reduce the number of things they disagree about for the good of Jersey City. It is in his best interest too, to see a mayor elected that can bring Jersey City back from the brink of financial ruin. Jersey City is a large part of his district. If he aspires to the heights that his presence on the Democratic Convention podium suggests, to be a Cabinet member or Senator, it is not in his interests to have his consideration tarnished by his largest district being declared bankrupt. Mr. Menendez is a smart politician. I think after we sit down and he sees that I have a plan of vision with provisions for the restorationof fiscal responsibility, we will find common ground."

"We have to keep our eyes open, our minds sharp, or we may wake up and find out we are heading down a road leading us back to a distressed-city designation with a state government takeover imminent, the same as what exists in Camden,' the Reverend added.

These words are perhaps more prophetic than we may know. Sources within City Hall claim the Acting Mayor Council President may be seeking distressed city status. The supposed move would reduce Jersey City fiscal rating to the depressed levels before the Cunningham administration and provide state funds to temporarily fill budget deficits.

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: REVEREND ALLEN THROWS HAT IN MAYOR RACE

: Urban Times News
: July 30, 2004 - August 5, 2004

: by Arnold W. Stovell

: The Reverend Edward Allen has announced he is running in the November special elections for mayor of Jersey City. He is currently challenging Acting Mayor, Council President L. Harvey Smith, Councilman-At-Large Jeremiah Healy and Assemblyman Louis Manzo who have previously made their candidacy official.

: The Reverend Allen is a former member of the Jersey City Board of Education. He holds advanced degrees from Saint Peter's College, Seton Hall University and the New York Theological Seminary. Reverend Allen is also the Senior Pastor of Philemon Missionary Baptist Church in Newark. He has been married for 27 years and has two children. In a statement released to the press, the Reverend Allen says, 'Mayor Cunningham was a respected leader and a good friend. His untimely death is a compelling force for me to answer the call for leadership of our great city. We cannot go back to the days of rogue politicians, but we must continue to move forward under the spirit of Mayor Cunningham's legacy.' The Urban Times News spoke with Reverend Allen.

: "Unfortunately since his passing, the changes that he made and the good that he worked for on behalf of the people of Jersey City have been turned backward. The County Clerk position has been relocated to Union City. The state senate seat has been relocated from Jersey City to Bayonne. The office of the mayor now has a successor who spent the last year on the City Council fighting to derail every proposal offered by the late Mayor. Our Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham had the integrity, and the reputation and the clear vision to help turn Jersey City from a distressed city to a blessed city. Glenn Cunningham was purifying the government of Jersey City for the people of Jersey City, but the same hypocritical leadership that now claims him as friend are the forces who blocked his appointments and stifled proposals made in the best interest of Jersey City. The most notable example of this was the bond deal to refinance the long-term and short-term debt of Jersey City. Cunningham offered a plan that was endorsed by Goldman Sachs; that would refinance the $375 million dollar debt and allow the city to stabilize property taxes for the next four years. It could have insured that there would be no downsizing of critical municipal services and prevented layoffs of municipal workers. Instead of approving the plan, they voted against it, thereby forcing the city's government to spend the budget surplus."
: Jersey City supporters at the time of this action perceived the City Council vote (7-2 against the bond proposal with Richardson and Lipski dissenting) as an attempt to tarnish Cunningham's reputation by driving him to actions that would be politically unpopular with voters. Council President Smith and Councilman Gaughan led opposition to the plan; Councilman-At-Large Healy added his vote to those against. "Jersey City faces $55 million in debt repayments that it can't meet without a tax increase," the Reverend continued. "They (the City Council) refused to refinance under Cunningham and caused this problem. Now they do not have the integrity to stand up and take responsibility for their actions."

: Reverend Allen, whose slogan is, "A Jersey City for the People and Not the Politicians" wants to ensure that residents do not bear the burden of a possible 25% property tax increase, which will undoubtedly force senior citizens out of their homes, create financial burdens for the working poor and hurt the city's most vulnerable population: our oldest and our youngest. Reverend Allen warns, "While driving the tax burden up, we would most likely become a gentrified city of where only the rich could afford to live. This jeopardizes every working class Jersey City resident."

: "In addition to restructuring our debt, we (Jersey City) need to be able to finance our schools when they are returned back to city control. The state froze our tax levy to $200 million at the time of the state school take-over. The school budget is now $700 million, leaving a $500,000 deficit, money that the city did not have to pay when the schools were under state control. When Cunningham was in the state Senate, he was working towards a solution, rallying support for the causes of Jersey City. With Joe Doria in the Senate seat, knowing that he is not raising Jersey City issues, we cannot trust him to provide the help we need like we could trust Glenn Cunningham. We don't know what Joe Doria will do."

: "We are not only in a fiscal crisis, but a crisis of leadership where our supposed representatives operate with motives of selfish ego. Case in point, the Acting Mayor's actions at the dedication of Ercel Webb Park. The late Mayor Cunningham worked with citizens to design that park. He worked to get the money for the park. But the Acting Mayor had the original plaque removed and replaced it with another that had his name on it. It is a clear example of how he wants to take the credit but is not willing to step up to the plate and do the work."

: "There is a lack of leadership in Jeremiah Healy. He has shown himself to be a follower. He has not distinguished himself from the other Council members. Lou Manzo is an example of ambition gone out of control. He is someone who was making deals to undermine Glenn Cunningham during his tenure. Jersey City can't afford the kind of leadership that will consider how they will look first and how Jersey citizens will suffer later."

: "We want to keep the dream of Glenn Cunningham alive; keep his vision for Jersey City alive. We need a leader who will stand up to the malfeasance of Hudson County. None of those men fit that category. I am proud to say that like Mayor Cunningham, I am unbossed and un-bought. I was a friend of Cunningham. We disagreed sometimes, but he trusted me to work with and help him, and to stand with him side-by-side to work for Jersey City. Glenn Cunningham understood that the preservation of our neighborhoods was the preservation of lives. That is why he worked to make communities of neighbors working together. He was not just concerned about Exchange Place or Journal Square. He was concerned about Martin Luther King and Ocean Ave. He was concerned about the people in all our neighborhoods, and tried to bring them together. What the Council members did not understand was that while they tried to hurt Cunningham they were actually hurting the people of Jersey City."

: During his bid to get on the ballot for the Democratic primaries, the Reverend Allen was not only outspoken about opponent Congressman Donald Payne, but his Congressional colleague, Congressman Robert Menendez. The Urban Times News questioned how the Reverend would respond to the longtime 10th district incumbent and National Convention delegate, as well as the ranking Hispanic and third most powerful Congressman.

: "I believe that the importance of Jersey City in the big political picture, towards the election of John Kerry, in the scope of New Jersey State politics, and the replacement of Frank Lautenberg offers an opportunity for me to find the high road in unifying the Democratic Party in Jersey City and in Hudson County. Mr. Menendez is running unopposed, so he will win. It will be necessary to work with Mr. Menendez and Mr. Payne. I think in the political sense, Edward Allen and Robert Menendez can agree to reduce the number of things they disagree about for the good of Jersey City. It is in his best interest too, to see a mayor elected that can bring Jersey City back from the brink of financial ruin. Jersey City is a large part of his district. If he aspires to the heights that his presence on the Democratic Convention podium suggests, to be a Cabinet member or Senator, it is not in his interests to have his consideration tarnished by his largest district being declared bankrupt. Mr. Menendez is a smart politician. I think after we sit down and he sees that I have a plan of vision with provisions for the restorationof fiscal responsibility, we will find common ground."

: "We have to keep our eyes open, our minds sharp, or we may wake up and find out we are heading down a road leading us back to a distressed-city designation with a state government takeover imminent, the same as what exists in Camden,' the Reverend added.

: These words are perhaps more prophetic than we may know. Sources within City Hall claim the Acting Mayor Council President may be seeking distressed city status. The supposed move would reduce Jersey City fiscal rating to the depressed levels before the Cunningham administration and provide state funds to temporarily fill budget deficits.

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