Jersey City mayoral candidates Jim McGreevey, a former governor, and Bill O’Dea, a Hudson County commissioner (D-2), released quarter 1 fundraising tallies last week and their campaign finance reports are now available for public consumption.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
McGreevey raised $523,493.92 and spent $291,859.17, good for $1,078,545.41 cash on hand, his April 17th report filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) says.
ATU Local 823 contributed $16,400, the Associated Construction Contractions of NJ PAC gave $5,200, as did former Gov. Dick Codey, Daniel Antonelli, a partner at Livingston-based law firm Antonelli Kantor Rivera, gave $5,000, and the Carteret Democratic Committee wrote a check for $2,500.
Similarly, International Longshoreman’s Association gave $16,400, the campaign account of Carteret Mayor Daniel Reiman pitched in $10,000, the District Council of Northern NJ Ironworkers PAC got involved at $8,200, state Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32) gave $6,400, and Jon Corzine, a former governor and U.S. Senator, chipped in $5,000.
The Iron Workers Local 399 PAC contributed $8,200, former Jersey City Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis chipped in $4,066.92 as an in-kind contribution and another $1,160 from his own checkbook, ex-Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy donated $2,500, and the Middlesex Somerset County PBA Conference donated $1,000.
Furthermore, Michael Perucci, a founding partner at law firm Florio Perrucci Steinhardt Cappelli & Tipton, gave $10,400 (Doug Steinhardt also gave $5,000), New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association PAC wrote a check for $10,000, and the Woodland Park Republican Committee came in at $1,000.
He also received countless others donations from politicos and developers throughout New York and New Jersey.
McGreevey has spent heavily on consulting: campaign manager Pablo Fonseca’s firm received $30,400, Brooklyn-based Relentless Campaigns was compensated $30,000, H&P Consulting, the fundraising company of Ray Ferraioli, was paid $19,500, Ninyo Productions, also of Brooklyn, earned $16,300, and the Metuchen-based Wolfe Group LLC received $7,000.
Finally, West New York-based Royal Printing secured $109,136.73 for direct mail.
As for O’Dea, he raised $229,171, spent $36,251.01, his April 17th ELEC report says, and including his commissioner account, has $665,063.48 cash on hand.
Spring Street Development Urban Renewal LLC and Albany Street Development Urban Renewal LLC, both of New Brunswick, combined to give $20,000 between the four Boraie brothers: Hiam, Omar, Sam, and Wasseem.
UA Plumbers Local 24 PAC chipped in $15,200, Vijay and Urmila Gupta, who own the Jersey City-based Diamond Hut, contributed $5,000 a piece, as did IBEW Local Union No. 164, and Sonia Marte Dublin, who works for the Jersey City Department of Public Works and is also O’Dea’s treasurer, donated $1,225.
O’Dea’s expenses were relatively low, with his largest by far being paying Staten Island-based political consultant Paul Casale $17,500.
The other two declared candidates in the field thus far are former Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali and Council President Joyce Watterman.
Ali said he raised $100,000 within the first 24 hours of announcing his candidacy last week, while Council President Joyce Watterman has $102,393.97 cash on hand, as HCV first reported.
While he hasn’t announced his plans for next year yet, Ward E Councilman James Solomon has a respectable $175,245.27 cash on hand.
The non-partisan Jersey City mayoral race is on November 3rd, 2025.
