Laboratories of Democracy, a national anti-corruption watchdog group, is backing Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon for mayor.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement from Laboratories of Democracy, a new national organization dedicated to electing true public servants – not machine cronies and party bosses,” he said in a statement.
“I got my start in Jersey politics by standing firm against the corrupt county line ballot system, which gerrymandered our ballots to keep corrupt, entrenched special interests from both parties in power. Now, the county line is dead, and I’m running for Mayor to deliver a government that truly works for us, the people — not the powerful.”
Back in February, Solomon rolled out his anti-corruption plan, which includes appointing a municipal inspector general with subpoena power to investigate allegations of local malfeasance, as HCV first reported.
” … New Jersey, Hudson County, Jersey City has a culture of corruption. That culture of corruption leads to developers building higher than they otherwise might, getting to build more luxury housing versus affordable housing than they should,” he said at the time.
“It leads to worse city service with unqualified and incompetent folks getting contracts because they made a donation to the right account.”
He added that having residents pay for this sort of culture is a “corruption tax.”
The non-partisan November 4th contest after features former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Council President Joyce Watterman, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), ex-Board of Education President Mussab Ali, Police Officer Christina Freeman, and Kalki Jayne-Rose.
