Mussab Ali’s “Jersey City First” initiative would incentivize government contractors to hire locally via a voluntary bid credit system, which is part of his broader economic development plan he would implement if elected mayor.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Jersey City has always been a working-class city, and I’m running to make sure that our working class has the opportunity to thrive. We’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the well-connected,” he said in a statement.
Ali’s proposal highlights that only 17 percent of city residents both live and work here.
Therefore, his Jersey City First initiative introduces a voluntary bid credit system to incentivize government contractors to hire locally.
To that end, contractors who commit to hiring city residents can receive up to a 20 percent discount in the bid evaluation process, leveling the playing field for those investing in the local workforce.
The plan also includes a major investment in workforce development.
By expanding apprenticeship programs, launching 1,000 paid summer internships, and partnering with local colleges and employers, Ali aims to prepare residents for jobs in tech, healthcare, green energy, and the trades.
Furthermore, to support small businesses, Ali will triple the city’s lending capacity, launch startup grants and micro-loans for under-resourced entrepreneurs, and overhaul the city’s permit and licensing process.
His proposal includes express service options, digital tracking, and a dedicated liaison for small businesses to navigate city bureaucracy.
Ali’s plan also strengthens wage protections and enforces transparency.
Similar to how he raise wages for school employees while serving as the board of education president, he will require prevailing wages for any development receiving major tax breaks and expand enforcement of the city’s wage transparency law.
Finally, the plan lays out a vision to turn Jersey City into a regional hub for innovation and technology. That includes establishing new training pipelines, creating R&D tax credits, and holding large tech campuses accountable to local hiring and community benefit standards.
“Economic development doesn’t mean handing out subsidies to developers and hoping the benefits trickle down. It means building an economy that puts working people first. Jersey City deserves nothing less,” Ali concluded.
He is in a six-person November 4th contest that also includes former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Council President Joyce Watterman, and Police Officer Christina Freeman.
