PLUM JOBS/DEALS - PAY BACK
for SCHUNDLER'S POLITICAL WORKERS/ SUPPORTERS
"Several months ago Schundler visited the Jersey Journal for an editorial board conference. At that time he remarked about columns and stories that appear in the Jersey Journal concerning raises and promotions given to insiders despite the financial crunch the city is experiencing. The mayor essentially said it's something the people really don't care about. They only care about their taxes going up, he said. But sooner or later, they'll figure out there's a connection." (Earl Morgan's column "City Hall ties protect favorites from agency budget cuts", 4/28/00)
" Director delivers heights grandmother, gets votes, heads Human Services Department" headlined the Jersey Journal on May 14, 1998. Nancy Harrigan, who headed up the Ward D Civic Association, delivered the votes for Schundler so he put her in charge of the Health and Human Services Department. Her prior job title with the City was Clerk Typist. The Human Services department has "150 staffers running the Board of Health, AIDS Task Force, a health clinic for women, Meals on Wheels, senior citizen affairs and animal control. After building a reputation as a reformer, the mayor seemed to be turning toward the first principle of Hudson County politics: Reward a top neighborhood vote-getter with a plum job." (JJ 5/14/98)
Updated 8/31/01
September 1996- College Towers is a middle income, garden apartment multi-building complex made up of 320 two Bedroom apartments located in the Greenville section by the New Jersey City University. Hence it's name. They enjoyed a 43-year tax abatement that expired in July 1996 when their mortgage insured by HUD was paid off. College Towers is NOT senior citizen housing but is a Limited Dividend Housing Corp regulated by the State. In 1992, when half the city was in foreclosure, the land and buildings had a book value of $5.6 million, per their financial statements. It's probably doubled by now.... For a multi-racial city such as JC, it's amazing how white and middle class College Towers has remained. The current tenants pay $360/ month for a 2 bedroom apartment and once you're in the income limits do not apply! You can't rent a 2 bedroom in a crime ridden local JC street for $360/ month.
The College Towers complex pays $91,149 in property taxes annually, JC's FYE2001 Budget! Each apartment pays $285 per YEAR in "Payments in Lieu of Taxes", abated taxes. That doesn’t even cover the cost of picking up the garbage let alone pay for the schools, police, fire, roads, Senior Affairs events and other City services. At $8,000+ per home, my side of my block alone pays that in taxes! Mayor Schundler extended their abatement for ANOTHER TEN YEARS to 2006 so as to buy votes. Councilman Bob Cavanaugh still beat the Schundler incumbent, Cathy Machi. Cathy being a good soldier for Bret was rewarded with a Director's position in Senior Affairs, while demoting the Director, Joan Young, at that time.
UPDATE: College Towers, which is at least 95% white, applied to the state to allow them to rent their 2 bedroom apartments to single occupants. College Towers IS NOT SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING, the excuse Schundler used in extending their 43 year tax abatement by 10 more years! Jersey City has thousands of Hispanic, Black, Asian families who can barely survive in the current housing crisis- lack of affordable housing. Those families have a need for those 2 bedroom apartments, not more white singles. The College Towers management has applied to the state for this waiver and an increase in the annual income limitations from $18,000 to $31,000. Remember once you're in, including those who inherit an apartment from a parent or grandparent etc., you can make $200,000 and remain in the complex. Many of the long term tenants have houses down by the shore or in Florida!
A year or two ago the Tenant's Board considered converting the complex to condos but voted against when they realized they would be subjected to full taxation..... end of hand-out! During that time, dozens of apartments were warehoused in anticipation of the conversion. The new renters who qualify for those vacant apartments will pay $450/month, while the current tenants pay $360. Remember College Towers still pays the city $285/ YEAR per apartment in property taxes!!!!! There should be an INVESTIGATION into the discrimination aspects of those selected for apartments!!!! In my opinion, this bylaw modification is their attempt to keep the complex white! Why is the State concurring on this when so many JC families need affordable housing?
In November 1995, Stuart Koperweiss, President of JC's Economic Development Agency, his wife Elizabeth Giaquinto, Martin Cicchino, and several other neighbors/ partners formed the Wayne Street Group, a cooperative, to rehab 3 small properties on Wayne Street for senior housing even though none of the principals had any development experience. They were awarded their first installment of $250,000 of (Community Development Block Grant- federal funds) CDBG funds for buildings they didn't even own! They wanted the City to take the properties through eminent domain. At that time, the award was the largest to any group in the history of the City! They projected a total cost of $1.2 million, for three small brownstones and the Schundler people agreed to all of the financing through CDBG funds with NO CASH invested by the principals! What a sweet heart deal! Eventually, after a number of years, they would take title to the properties. Only after several of us went to the County Prosecutor's office and Earl Morgan of the Jersey Journal wrote a front-page story, did Schundler kill the project.
A year later, in December 1996, Stuart Koperweiss, filed for Chapter 7. " Economic chief is bankrupt… Schundler pal owes $109,000, read Brian Donohue's JJ story, (1/7/97). "The EDC, a nonprofit corporation created by the city, funds a variety of economic development and business improvement projects with about $40 million a year in federal community development (CDBG), state Urban Enterprise Zone and other funds." Citibank foreclosed on the Koperweiss's primary residence on Wayne Street in May 1996. With their 3 children they then moved into an apartment owned by Padovano, the recipient of $127,000 of JCEDC (JC Economic Development Corp.) funding. Padovano Construction had "convert(ed) a former karate studio over the post office at 392 Central Avenue into the home of the Jersey City Parking Authority, a project that is more than a year behind schedule." The additional $127,000 funding was for the façade work for that building.
September 1996, Joseph Cardwell, former Deputy Director of a city job training agency who was fired by former Mayor Gerald McCann, owner of CET Technical Institute, was awarded a no-bid $182,000 contract to run a new job registry. The registry was to support the City's First Source Affirmative Action agreement but the agreement was later challenged in court by the unions and they won. First Source was seen as union busting. CET's bid was higher than another firm, WIB, and they already had the JC Employment and Job Training program so were experienced unlike CET. In addition to the contract, Cardwell received CDBG funding so the cost was closer to $500,000.
On April 27,1999 Kabili Tayari now Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity fired CET. "Bobby Jackson, a major player in Glenn Cunningham's JC mayoral race in May, a former City Council President and another principal in CET, was equally dismissive of Tayari. "'They had to do something to justify his salary,"' said Jackson. '"He's a phantom director."' Kabili was raised to $75,000 as Director when he was promoted from his made up, $48,000 administrative analyst position in the municipal court. (See MUNICIPAL COURT)
In a May 1999 Jersey City Reporter article " The price of placement, Why does it cost over $600 a person to place the city's poorest into jobs that require little training?"
" According to a report submitted to the city's Management Review team (MRT) by the private agency doing the placement, that is how much it costs them to place an applicant in places like Starbucks, Sears, Home Depot, or Kiddie Korner."
"Family values means helping the poor, the unemployed, and the needy. Battered mothers with children would fall into that category. But in Jersey City, family values means helping the people who campaign for you.
Bret Schundler behaves like the character Elmer Gantry, a movie about the wheeling and dealing in evangelic religion. Mayor Schundler is treated as a guest preacher in some Protestant Churches, he cultivates "preachers". One particular preacher, Reverend Tyrone Chess, was hired at city hall, has this flamboyant style.
Reverend Chess's services are on Comcast television. As in the scenes of "old time religion" the anointed churchgoer faints and falls when Reverend Chess anoints the believer.
Mayor Schundler rewarded Reverend Chess in 1997. The city instituted an ordinance 97-050 that only allows the good reverend to buy 9 Bayview Avenue. At one time this two-family building was a residence for battered women and their children. A few years earlier, this building received public funding to make this place habitable for women and children.
Now I am confused, scripture says to shelter the needy or reward your friends?
In an article titled "Christmas in July" published by the Jersey City Reporter on February 6, 2000, the Good Reverend again benefits from Schundler's generosity. The article states, "Rev. Tyrone Chess, a mayoral aide, runs the Lincoln Center program, which will receive more than $500,000 in federal aid this year.
Council members questioned whether there is a conflict of interest for the administration." Of course, there is, but that doesn't stop this administration from awarding their friends."
Rev Tyrone Chess is running for Ward F on Council President Tom DeGise's slate!
From Yvonne Balcer's web site, LINK . Yvonne Balcer is runing for City Council-at-Large on Louis Manzo's ticket..
August 1994, City Council OK'ed 30 year tax abatement to the Fairmount Hotel Urban Renewal Associates for senior citizen housing at the Fairmount Hotel on Kennedy Blvd. The renovation costs averaged $145,000 per one bedroom apartment of which the City contributed $47,000/ unit plus awarded the developers a $400,000 CDBG federal grant to buy the hotel and pay for architectural and legal services!!! The developers, Laurie & Brad Ingerman from the Ingerman Group have been major contributors of Mayor Schundler.
In 1998, "City fines developer - again … Ceiling falls on tenant's head " describes the problems the city had with the Salem Lafayette housing development . The developer selected over the objections of the community was the Cherry Hill-based Ingerman Group. "
In other developments, the project's general contractor, Brad Ingerman, president of the Cherry Hill-based Ingerman Group, said he should not be responsible for creating a dump in city-owned Cornelius Parker Park on Madison Avenue. " (JJ 1/17/98)