After more than a year in office, Mayor Jerramiah Healy said in an interview last week that he still believes the city is going well, and will get even better.
Healy discussed crime, development, and other issues.Crime
The issue of fighting crime was a hallmark of Mayor Healy's run for office during the elections in November 2004 and in May 2005. Healy said he is looking forward to the Police Department implementing COMPSTAT, a police management system created 12 years ago, in 1994, by the New York City Police Department.
The system utilized the latest tracking technology along with constant meetings between police top brass and precinct commanders to focus on crime problems in each area. Healy became enamored with the system from recent visits to Baltimore, the most recent coming over two weeks ago when he visited with Police Chief Robert Troy, other police officials, and City Council President Mariano Vega.
As he has done in numerous interviews about crime, Healy brought up the number of new police officers - 152 at the end of January - that have joined the police force since he came into office, with another 45 currently going through police academy.
But he conceded that the impact of the increase will not be felt immediately since about 190 officers are expected to retire this year after 25 years of service.
Two weeks ago, Ward E City Councilman Steven Fulop called for Jersey City Police Chief Robert Troy to step down from his post, citing the highest amount of homicides in Jersey City in over 20 years, and a general rise in the city's crime rate. Healy, when asked about Fulop's request was dismissive, saying that he fully supported Troy.
Healy also pointed out that of the 39 homicides committed last year, he estimated that 75 to 80 percent of them were solved and arrests were made by the JCPD based on information provided by the police. The Hudson County Homicide Squad said last week that 29 arrests have been made regarding 2005 homicides.
He placed the blame for the homicides on issues beyond just the policing in the city, such as the proliferation of illegal guns into the city.
"This is a federal plague; it's not a federal problem - it's now a plague," said Healy. "Proliferation and trafficking of guns in all of our cities throughout the United States is a federal problem that requires a federal solution."
Healy also said that the city is looking to join in the near future with Operation Ceasefire, a program that was created in Boston in the 1990s to deter gun carrying in high-crime hotspot areas.
Healy cited the accomplishments of the Police Department; in particular the Street Crime Unit that was set up after Healy came into office to combat drug-related and gang-related crimes.
He read from a letter addressed to Police Chief Robert Troy by Captain Kenneth Teschlog, Commander of the Street Crime Unit, reporting that as of Jan. 25, the unit made 3,242 drug-related arrests and 291 gang-related arrests (with 64 confirmed gang members caught).
Healy spoke about what makes this unit effective at a time when there are calls for more community-based policing such as foot patrols in crime hotspots.
"A gang squad, a robbery squad, a narcotics squad, these are specialists, specialist police operations most of which are in plainclothes," said Healy. "You can actually conduct surveillance, conduct investigations, and make real progress and important arrests and getting a hold of problem areas."
Healy continued, "You have to have some kind of a happy medium between patrol officers walking the beat and plainclothes." Finances
Recently, the City Council approved a debt refinancing plan that would save the city $26 million in payments for the 2006 fiscal year (ending June 30) and a total of $112 million over the next six years. The plan would also even out debt payments to be in the $40 million range from fiscal years 2008 to 2026.
But the downside of this plan is that the city will lose $137 million in the long run from deferred debt payments.
But Healy saw only the benefits, as the plan would help the city now with plugging much of an estimated $40 million budget gap, which he said he inherited from previous administrations. For now, it will keep the coming tax increase low.
"I have this debt service charge, which was $60 million this year, and it's going to be like that for the next three years unless we take advantage of this refinancing plan," said Healy. "If we don't do that, then we we're going to have to pay that extra $20 million this year, the next year, and the year after that."
When asked how much the property tax increase for the 2006 calendar year will be, Healy did not venture a guess but said it would be a "modest" amount, with the average property owner paying from $300 to $400 more this year.
Residents have already received this year's first quarter tax bill, with an increase of 10 to 50 percent from last year's fourth quarter bill.
On the issue of considering a tax increase for fiscal year 2007, Healy did not see it happening. But he did admit that he would consider hiring freezes and salary freezes for the next fiscal year.
The pending tax increase for 2006 has been projected to raise the overall tax rate from $46.06 per $1,000 of assessed value to an estimated $52.33 per $1,000. This includes county and school taxes. But a final rate has not yet been struck.
Healy believes that the second, third and fourth quarter tax bills this year will see no increase at all once the city is able to remedy any shortfalls in their budget. Development
Healy has sounded the mantra of development bringing "more ratables," or increasing the city's tax base, to ward off any future financial problems and tax increases, and continue to enhance the "Gold Coast."
He still gives accolades to Donald Trump for coming lending his name to the Trump Plaza: Jersey City, the two-tower, 862-condo project to be constructed on Washington Blvd.
early this spring. And he also cited the future development of the old Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Powerhouse, located across the street from the Trump site.
The powerhouse, built in 1906, is co-owned by the city and Port Authority. There have been discussions with Baltimore developer David Cordish to develop the property, and the Port Authority to consider allowing development of the Powerhouse.
He also said development has been good for not only bringing in other investors but making sure they stay in the city.
'I think the investment community; the business community is very comfortable with this administration," said Healy.
Healy also looked forward to the Tawil family, owners of several dilapidated buildings near Journal Square, starting the demolition in March. He credited his administration with bringing this about.
"I think the city is going very well," he said, "and my job is to keep it going very well." Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com
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