In Jersey City, Mayor Steven Fulop and his council slate have over $1.7 million cash on hand, with Ward C council candidate Tom Zuppa leading declared challengers with around $43,000 COH, according to reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Fulop, who is seeking a third term this fall, individually raised $18,742, but still has about $993,030 available after a strong final fundraising quarter in 2020, his April 16th ELEC report shows. He also does not have a declared challenger as of this writing.
Evidently the first quarter of this year, January 1st through March 31st, was dedicated to raising money for his nine candidates for the city council – which includes seven incumbents.
Team Fulop brought in about $369,901 during that time frame, with a closing balance of roughly $719, 976, their April 14th filing shows.
Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano, along with his daughter Katrina, donated $2,000 a piece on February 16th, with the city’s executive director of the municipal utilities authority, Joe Coviello, chipping in $1,000 on March 1st, the campaign finance report says.
Additionally, MUA Finance Director John Folk gave $2,000 on February 22nd, with Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-33) donating $4,300 on January 29th, and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise writing a $1,000 check on March 1st.
DeGise’s daughter, Amy DeGise – the chair of the Hudson County Democratic Organization – is running at-large on Fulop’s ticket.
The Friends of Daniel Rivera, a councilman-at-large, contributed $2,000 on January 29th, with Sheriff Frank Schillari following suit on March 1st, offering $500. Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh also donated $2,000 on February 24th.
Furthermore, the city’s Office of Emergency Management Coordinator W. Greg Kierce, gave $1,000 on March 1st, while former Councilman Steve Lipski, the husband of County Commissioner Yraida-Aponte Lipski, put forth the same amount on the same day.
On the labor side of things, the UA Political Action Fund contributed $64,800 on March 5th, the New York Hotel Trades Council Non-Federal Cope gave $31,300 on March 17th, and UA Plumbers Local 24 wrote a check for $25,000 on March 1st.
As for the independent council challengers, Zuppa raised $13,210 in the first quarter of 2021, with $43,332 cash on hand, his April 16th campaign finance report says.
The New Jersey Citizen Rights Initiative gave a max donation of $2,600 on February 26th, with all other contributors giving $500 or less.
The third candidate in Ward C, Kevin Bing, raised around $9,368 and has $7,553 cash on hand, his April 14th filing says.
Over on the west side of the city, Ward B council hopeful Joel Brooks raised $30,158 and still has $27,842 available to spend, according to his April 13th ELEC report. All of his donors got involved at $1,000 or less.
In the Heights, Ward D challenger Danielle Freire banked $12,871 and mostly hasn’t begun spending yet, with $12,100 still available, her April 15th filing shows.
Last week, Ward E Councilman James Solomon, who is facing a challenge from Chief Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut, proactively released his April 14th ELEC report, revealing $86,276 from 1,016 different donors and about $90,879 cash on hand.
Hudnut is running on Fulop’s slate of candidates.
As for Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, who has not announced his intentions for November yet, a campaign finance report filed on March 1st shows an available balance of $11,058.
Declared candidates Frank “Educational” Gilmore and Elvin Dominici, seeking a seat in Ward F and at-large, respectively, both did not file reports yet, according to NJ ELEC’s online database.
