In an editorial, Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon, a candidate for mayor, explains why local corruption “is a financial burden on every taxpayer.”
It’s no secret that New Jersey has been rocked by corruption scandals. Over the years, we’ve seen parades of our leaders get indicted, tried, convicted or resigned for corruption as lurid as gold bars in closets or cash stuffed in cereal boxes.
Beyond embarrassment, this has a real, tangible impact on our lives. That’s why this week I rolled out the most robust anti-corruption platform in Jersey City history.
What it will do is simple: ensure our city government works exclusively for the people, not for special interests.
Corruption in our city is not just a political issue; it is a financial burden on every taxpayer, manifesting in the form of higher property taxes and subpar services.
So when developers receive tax breaks for luxury towers with no affordable homes, or contracts are given to underperforming yet politically connected vendors, it is Jersey City’s residents who pay the price. One recent example of this in action is Millennium Strategies – a contractor who cost the city a $1 million grant and who poured money into the political system.
I am the only candidate for Mayor who stands unbought and committed to eradicating these corrupt practices.
How to do it? First, we must end corrupt practices that serve the interests of a select few at the expense of the city. This involves closing loopholes in the City Ethics Code to prevent nepotism in city hiring and public contracts.
We will ensure that every violation is met with appropriate consequences. Furthermore, I will establish New Jersey’s only independent municipal inspector general.
This office will be empowered to uncover and publicly disclose corrupt practices, as I have done in the past with the illegal “boat payments” to political allies costing taxpayers dearly.
Protecting our civil servants is paramount, which is why my administration will prevent their coercion into political activities while safeguarding whistleblowers. And – too often – they are forced to support a boss endorsed candidate.
Additionally, I will fight to overturn the state law that significantly weakened our “pay-to-play” protections for public contracts. Developers seeking city approvals and corporations bidding for contracts must disclose their political contributions comprehensively.
Second, transparency is the cornerstone of accountable governance. I am committed to providing residents with unparalleled access to city government proceedings.
Public records should be just that—public. We will publish essential public records automatically and oppose efforts by major donors to shield these documents from public access.
We will stream all public meetings online and facilitate virtual public comments, ensuring all meeting minutes are posted online in a searchable format. I will also introduce the state’s first online database for local public contracts.
We will support independent local journalism by partnering with academia and nonprofits to fund journalism through grants and fellowships, granted independently to prevent political retaliation.
Given the closure of the Jersey Journal, this investment is more important than ever for Jersey City residents.
Finally, it is crucial to disentangle our politics from the grips of special interests. I propose establishing New Jersey’s first municipal public matching funds program for small-dollar campaign contributions.
This program will empower residents from all walks of life to run for office by amplifying the impact of small dollar donors.
We must end the corrupt cycle of dependency on large donations from developers and contractors, who often expect political favors in return.
To protect public funds, candidates must demonstrate viability before accessing matching funds, with a sensible cap on funds each candidate can receive.
This is our moment in Jersey City, to rally for a future unmarred by corruption. By implementing these comprehensive reforms, we can ensure a government that truly reflects the will and best interests of its people.
I invite you to join me in this movement towards a transparent, fair, and accountable city government. Together, we can lift the burdens of the corruption tax and reclaim our city’s promise for all its residents.
