‘Proudly Unaffiliated’ from now on
When I was a little boy, I was told that I had two choices. I could root for the Yankees or the Mets. So, I rooted for the Reds.
Then, they told me I could choose between the Giants or the Jets. So, I began rooting for the Cowboys.
Finally, they instructed me to pick one of two teams again. It was the Knicks or the Nets. Of course, I became a Celtics Fan.
When I turned 18, the same people told me to become either a Democrat or Republican. I chose Democrat.
Thirty-five years later, I decided to do some time traveling and revisit that platinum blond-haired, tanned little boy inside me. I changed my political status to Unaffiliated.
It felt good. I felt young again, and from here on out, I will always be “Proudly Unaffiliated.”
James Francis Waddleton, Jersey City
Stop taking away needed parking spots
I’m in Jersey City and all of sudden after an areawide (near my home) uptick in accidents (whether vehicle on vehicle or hit-and-runs with pedestrians), 42 crashes in the past five years which resulted in an injury, with 11 crashes involving pedestrians (three were classified as suspected serious injury), according to the missive they’re sent out, the city in its infinite wisdom decided to remap the area with new paint signage on the pavement in order to curb this activity. But in tandem with this, they’ve decided to take away key parking spots from the neighborhood.
I have reached out to the councilwoman behind the action: Mira Prinz-Arey.
With her assistant replying to me almost immediately (I’ll give them credit there) with the usual boilerplate to justify their actions instead of a simple visit to the area or a Q&A with the actual inhabitants who live here to see what the situation actually is.
It’s especially important now since within spitting distance a new rental building has been erected (and is starting to let apartments) with another four — count ’em, four — going up very soon.
If parking will soon be at a premium, why take it away (especially since mine is literally inches from my home)?
If the rationale was to curb speeding-car crimes, wouldn’t speed cameras or some sort of clandestine police sting be the order of the day, not this?
Alex Mangual, Jersey City
How is MUA allowed to raise rates?
Jersey City residents will have a 7% water/sewerage hike. Why is there an increase? Previously, we were told in 2022 that removing lead pipes would not cost homeowners money. The money would come from federal and state grants.
I Googled the program, and it is “The Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan,” which would help communities remove lead and replace old water pipes. Some $350 billion would go to the State and Local Recovery Fund in the American Rescue Plan for this purpose.
Besides the grant, there are other revenue sources as new water/sewerage customers are given a bill every year due to the constant construction happening all over Jersey City for the last four decades.
It would be easy just to blame the Municipal Utilities Authority, but City Hall is just as responsible. They approved the $50 million transfer from the MUA to go into the city’s budget. Instead of being cozy with the MUA, they should be investigating their spending.
Our city council thinks their job is to agree with the mayor’s spending, attend parades, give awards to community groups and be in every photo at public meetings. In reality, their true job is to balance the city’s budget without tax gimmicks and to keep autonomous agencies honest. Their lack of leadership is the reason the budget is always late, taxes go up, and we now have an increase in our MUA fees.
I hope neighborhood groups that invite council members to local meetings ask them why they allow the MUA to get away with rising rates for no reason. Unfortunately, unpaid water/sewerage bills are used to put liens on property. Yet the city council is always saying they want to keep housing affordable but do the opposite instead.
Yvonne Balcer, Jersey City
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