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An Important Message From Citizens For Responsible School Construction

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Jersey City / West Bergen - Lincoln Park Neighborhood Coalition Message Board

Jersey City Guide

Posted by David Casson on June 26, 2004 at 11:15:53:

The following message was sent to me from Mia Scanga:

TO OUR CONCERNED NEIGHBORS:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

To Discuss The State’s Plan To Construct An Early Childhood Center By Demolishing An Entire Block On Kennedy Boulevard Between Lincoln And Bowers Streets And Extending To Columbia Avenue

In Jersey City’s Heights Monday, June 28, 2004 From 6 to 9 pm at PS #25

(Nicholas Copernicus School, 3385 Kennedy Boulevard at Zabriskie Street)

Attended by Representatives from The Jersey City Board of Education, N.J. Schools Construction Corp. (SCC) and Officials of the City of Jersey City

Should this school be built, residential & business properties would be seized under eminent domain!

Over 300 blue collar, mostly minority jobs would be lost!

Senior citizens and families would be forced out of their homes!

A stable & vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood would be destroyed
– in contradiction of the State’s own policy!

Existing community day care centers may be closed!

The State plans to spend ONE BILLION DOLLARS building 30+ school facilities in Jersey City over the next few years. – How will this impact YOUR neighborhood?

On June 23 the City Council of Jersey City passed a resolution demanding that the State stop this senseless construction plan and consider alternatives. Acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith, Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan and Assemblyman Louis Manzo have announced their determination to stop this project.

Come to the June 28 meeting at PS#25 to learn more about the State’s plans, tactics and short-sightedness, and help urge more of our political leaders to join the fight to save our neighborhoods.

***Urgent News ***

Our Neighborhood . . .

Our Businesses . . .

Our Homes . . .

In Danger From The State!

A Block To Be Seized & Destroyed

The State’s Schools Construction Corporation (SCC) is a secretive but powerful bureaucracy that is conspiring with the Jersey City Board of Education to target and destroy neighborhoods in Jersey City. Right now, in order to build a big daycare facility, the two are preparing to level the entire block between Kennedy Boulevard and Columbia Avenue and Lincoln and Bowers Streets – home to a garment manufacturing business that provides jobs to more than 300 mostly minority blue collar workers, the Hudson Farmers Market which draws customers from all over the Heights and beyond, and over a dozen homes, including one that a 96 year old resident has lived in all his life.

Anti-Home Owner, Anti-Blue Collar, Anti-Minority

Incredibly, the SCC’s own policies emphasize the importance of maintaining stable, mixed-use neighborhoods around schools. The block on Kennedy Blvd is the very model of stability and mixed use, and is at the heart of the neighborhood of three schools – P.S. Nos. 25 and 27 as well as St. Anne’s. In targeting this block, the State is violating its own priorities. So by effect, if not intent, the SCC is adopting an anti-blue collar and anti-minority policy for neighborhoods around schools. And though the Board of Ed had publicly stated its intent to “stay away from residential property” in its search for new school sites, it is now targeting homes.

Mistakes & Misinformation

The Schools Superintendent recently tried to deflect growing concern and outrage by claiming that the SCC and Board were only “studying” the idea of tearing down the block and that nothing had been decided. But the facts clearly show this claim is false and that the SCC and Board of Ed consider their plans well beyond the “studying” phase: there are no alternative sites being “studied” even though the SCC plans to begin design of the daycare facility by the fall; surveyors are being sent without notice onto people’s driveways and yards – even though the SCC’s own policy requires ten days prior notice; most astonishingly, several Board members have now acknowledged that they did not know the block included a business employing more than 300, yet the SCC and Board refuse to take the logical step of halting their plans in the face of this serious error.

The only communication that residents have received from the SCC and Board was a letter telling them there was a good chance their property would be seized and a “helpful” pamphlet on relocation.

Many troubling questions obviously come to mind about the plan for this massive daycare facility, but the SCC has apparently never thought or cared about them. Among them: How can the Boulevard handle additional school traffic? What criteria was used to evaluate the site? Why is one big daycare center being built, rather than several, smaller centers that could more easily be fitted into existing empty lots around the city? What will happen to the dozens of existing, neighborhood daycare centers that the state currently underwrites (and which are far more convenient for mothers) when the State cuts their funding after the centralized facility is built?

Secretive & Undemocratic

The SCC has not responded to requests for information, even though it is required to by law. And the Schools Superintendent has made it clear that he feels he can do whatever he wants by simply insisting that he is acting for “the good of our kids”. No public hearings have been held on this issue, and none are scheduled. The Board of Ed privately discussed land acquisition during a recent “retreat” to Atlantic City. Clearly, the SCC and Board of Ed feel no need for public input and prefer to behave in secretive, undemocratic ways.

Our Kids Need Good Neighborhoods As Well As Good Schools

No one questions the need for better schools. Many residents have raised kids here and therefore know all too well of the problems facing Jersey City’s public schools. But as the State itself acknowledges, good neighborhoods are vital to good schools. You can’t help our kids by laying waste to our neighborhoods.

A Threat To Everyone

This problem goes well beyond the one block on Kennedy Blvd. The SCC plans to spend more than ONE BILLION DOLLARS building and renovating schools in Jersey City. Anyone’s block, business and home could be carelessly targeted next. That kind of money might do much good if spent wisely, but it will certainly do great harm when spent carelessly and arrogantly.

A Better Way

We need the SCC and Board of Ed to work with us – the people of the Heights and all Jersey City -- not against us in finding alternative sites and innovative designs for new schools that will not devastate the community those schools are supposed to serve.

What We Must Do

The SCC likes to operate with little public attention and tries to make the citizens whose property it wants to seize believe that they have no hope because it can act with impunity. But this is not true. The SCC was created by Governor McGreevey and, ultimately, can be controlled by him and the leaders of the State Legislature. And the Governor and Legislative leaders will act provided we keep the pressure up by focusing public attention on the mistakes and misbehavior of SCC. Both Acting Mayor Smith and Councilman Gaughan have indicated their support and intention to work with us. We need to thank them and encourage their continued support. And we must urge our other local leaders to join with us in pressing their fellow Democrats, especially the Governor, Assembly Speaker and Senate President and Majority Leader, to reign in the SCC and force it to abandon its secretive, undemocratic practices, and abandon the misbegotten and ill-considered plan to destroy the perfectly functioning block and school neighborhood on Kennedy Boulevard.

Call: County Executive DeGise (201) 795-6200; Acting Mayor Smith (201) 547-5200;

Ward D Councilman Gaughan (201) 547-6817; Councilman At Large Healy (201) 547-5319;

Councilman At Large Vega (201) 547-5108; St. Senate Majority Leader Kenny (201) 653-1466; Governor McGreevey’s Office in Trenton(609) 292-6000, in North Jersey (973) 648-2640;

US Rep. Robert Menendez (201) 222-2828; US Rep. Steve Rothman (201) 798-1366

-- and tell them we need and expect their help!

Sign: A petition is available at the Hudson Farmers Market. Take copies to distribute to your friends.

Attend: Our group is trying to organize meetings with local, School Board and State officials. Email your contact info to pgiordan@prodigy.net so we can let you know when & where meetings will be held.

Keep Informed: Watch for update bulletins or email HeightsNeighborhood@yahoo.com (or pgiordan@prodigy.net) for news & info.

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