Acronyms without translation. Sigh.

What does H.A.M. mean?

Hard as a motherfucker

This seems somewhat important:

“The courts ruled in 2008 that the Faulkner Act could not restrict this or put it on the ballot, and the mayor does not have the legal authority to restrict this,” Wallace-Scalcione said.

What is it they would like Fulop to do?

Start exposing the corruption above him

What’s the Solomon part? (Paywall.)

& what would that do?

A vocal critic of the Jersey City mayor is again asking him to fulfill a 14-year-old campaign promise of keeping “double-dippers” — people with multiple taxpayer-funded jobs — out of his administration.

Esther Wintner, president of the local good-government group CivicJC and a former city council candidate, singled out several city officials, including Councilwoman Denise Ridley and Business Administrator John Metro, in a press release critical of both Mayor Steve Fulop and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise.

As a city councilman in 2008, Fulop crusaded against councilmembers collecting a second public salary and suggesting barring the practice. The now three-term mayor once held a protest outside an ice cream parlor at which protestors held signs of double-scoop ice cream cones.

“What’s changed?” Wintner asks in the press release.

“CivicJC believes the public deserves to hear from Mayor Fulop as to why he would betray them on his promise by continuing an ugly tradition of Hudson County politics and to stand by the principles he peddled,” Wintner said.

The group has been silent for some time, but Wintner told The Jersey Journal Thursday “we need a group in Jersey City that talks and pipes up.”

Along with Ridley and Metro, CivicJC listed Fulop’s top aide John Minella, Cannabis Control Board Chairwoman Brittani Bunney and city council aides for councilmembers Daniel Rivera, Amy DeGise and Mira Prinz-Arey as double-dippers who currently hold jobs with both the city and Hudson County. Ridley, Metro, Minella, Bunney, Rivera, and DeGise could not be reached for comment.

In 2017, CivicJC lobbed the same accusation at the mayor after then-Corporation Counsel Jeremy Farrell accepted a role as the Municipal Utilities Authority executive director.

City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said Thursday the mayor does not have the “legal authority” to restrict people from holding multiple public jobs.

“The courts ruled in 2008 that the Faulkner Act could not restrict this or put it on the ballot, and the mayor does not have the legal authority to restrict this,” Wallace-Scalcione said.

She questioned why Councilman James Solomon was not included, since he is a former New Jersey City University and current part-time Hudson County Community College professor. “If you aren’t playing politics, then you should highlight every council person in a fair and balanced way,” Wallace-Scalcione added.

Solomon said he has earned $2,500 as an adjunct professor teaching Environmental Public Policy at (HCCC) this year.

“If the mayor’s spokesperson believes teaching at our local universities is the equivalent to multiple members of the administration and council “earning” tens of thousands of dollars in county jobs, I am happy to add a course in Local Government Ethics to my teaching load next year for her and the entire Fulop administration,” Solomon said.

Councilwoman Ridley earns $85,000 as a council member and $62,000 as a “confidential assistant” at the Hudson County’s Registrar’s Office. According to her 2022 financial disclosure statement, the councilwoman is also a sales representative for Sky Realty International.

Metro, whose annual city salary is $190,000, earns an additional income of $16,233 from the county as an aide for the Board of Commissioners and as a secretary to the insurance fund. Minella, a former executive director of the Hudson County Democratic Organization, earns $175,000 from the city and an additional $29,614 as a member of the county’s board of elections and as an aide to the board of commissioners.

Councilmembers Rivera and DeGise also have full-time positions with the Hudson County Schools of Technology. And both have council aides who earn six-figure salaries between their city and county jobs. Bunney, an aide for Councilman Yousef Saleh, makes $35,000 as an aide and $76,875 as an analyst trainee for the county.

CivicJC saved some criticism for the county executive, who is Amy DeGise’s father.

“County Executive Tom DeGise ... continues to perpetuate and enable double-dipping as he has done for years, completely tone deaf to the public’s disdain for these practices,” Wintner said. “There are numerous confidential assistants on the county payroll, positions without description.

“DeGise must be transparent with the public about why he allows this and disclose how these jobs were advertised.”

Jersey City officials are hardly alone as double-dippers in Hudson County. Prior to his retirement from the North Bergen school district, Nicholas Sacco was earning paychecks as a mayor, senator, assistant superintendent and the performance of weddings. Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner is receiving income as mayor, Rep. Albio Sires’ congressional manager and the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue.

“Fulop was the anti-double-dipper,” Wintner said. “The point is not to get little people trying to make a living … It was more about Fulop. This was part of his claim to fame when he soared.”

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Always the same with Fulop. He'll claim credit for shit like Smorgasbord but when it's actual governance he throws up his hands.

That's not an ask. Specifically, what should he do about this? He's not legally allowed to stop it, so he can't fire someone for it.

I suppose he could say, "Hey, stop that!" And then...

Given the outlined cases, it just seems like picking a fight for no good reason, one that can't legally be won and has almost no financial consequences.

I'd rather people spend their time fighting for things that will make more of a difference rather than burning political capital on this sort of thing.

When you start screaming about a $6k or even 22k part time job that can't legally be prevented, that makes me less likely to listen the next time you start screaming, and that next time you might have an actual point.

If the Faulkner Act doesn't apply, then draft legislation that does. Show a visible commitment to ending the practice. Rally state legislation. This would be a big step in the right direction.

So you want our mayor to draft legislation and fight a legal battle to stop a total of what, $100k of potential grift?

Does he use city resources for it, because I think that is a money loser overall.

I get it, and that is a real thing he could do, but I have a hard time thinking that is the sort of thing worth spending his time and resources on. But might be worth backing as a politician if a good government group drafted the legislation and did most of the heavy lifting.

Would the city be subject to a discrimination lawsuit if it declined to hire people already on the public tit? As for Solomon's "job" at HCCC, I'd say we can slice this knot by saying we're only talking about jobs that vest a government pension, which is actually what all the double dipping is about. ADG is the classic example. There was also the case of a full time HCST teacher also working (supposedly) full time as a supervisor at the Parking Authority.

All these patronage jobs are the political and literal currency the HCDO uses to maintain power. It's how they try and corrupt any outsiders who manage to take office. Fulop, with his ambitions, took the Kool-Aid. Dawn Zimmer, without further office in mind, did not, and remained a target of the HCDO her whole tenure.

This is the correct read. The issue of double-dipping was really about government jobs that resulted in multiple pensions. And, of course, the overlap of what were supposed to be FULL TIME jobs which meant holding two (or, more) was impossible and obvious fraud. That some people have a full time government job, and do one or two other ones that are just a few hours here and there? That's hardly news or even corrupt. Some of the examples cited were so benign as to actually detract from the overall conversation. This whole thing truly comes across as people desperate for relevance making a stink about a non-issue. Stay focused and go after the real corruption and not someone getting paid a few K for an advisory role or some other super small side gig.

Lets not forget that the Council pay was dramatically increased to make it a full time rather than part time job. Yet we still have people with full time jobs in office. Mission accomplished?

Thank you!

This is a very fair argument.

I mentioned in it in another post here, but remember when Jake Hudnut ran for city council a couple of years ago, while he's employed as the municipal prosecutor? He would've collected 2 full-time salaries from the city, and the mayor supported him.

I also remember (it wasn't that long ago) when the city council pay was around $35k a year, but now it's more like $65k... I can't remember, they keep voting themselves raises.

sorry i can't work today i have to fulfill duties at my other job , but i am totally collecting my pay in full from both jobs.

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Imagine being a normal person at a normal job telling your boss that.

This is exactly the problems with crusaders sometimes. Like a dude is doing tons of bad things and that more then enough to focus on and get all the support.

But they they tact on minor things or worse that they do it start exaggerating or blowing up minor things into major things. It detracted from the convo, it give their enemies ammo to be like see she it lying or exaggerating about this so she is lying about everything it confuses the situation . It rallies the supports into a frenzy .

When you catch someone doing something bad focus on the facts , review your argument etc.

Too many acronyms. Have hard time understanding your position!

HCCC: Hudson County Community College

ADG: Amy DeGise

HCST: Hudson County School of Technology

HCDO: Hudson County Democratic Organization

Clear now?

Besides jeopardize his next run for governor, you mean?

Crystal!

Agreed. Having a full time job and city council feels more like double dipping than a $8k thing on the side for the county.

Grifters always are one step ahead.

God damn, @dependend_map_3940 is right folks.

Let's pack it up, no point in drawing attention to issues anymore. Go home and watch the match in Qatar or something.

Let’s not forget Commissioner Anthony Romano who earns $49k as a county commissioner and $50k as a public safety advisor for the City of Hoboken. He is up for re-election in June and his district includes the Jersey City waterfront (Newport, Exchange Place, Paulus Hook).