"Pretty sad state of affairs when 'ethics training' becomes a solution"

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on August 11, 2009 at 12:01 AM, updated August 11, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy wants a study of how the city does things when it comes to development. He also wants to train employees to be ethical.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said he plans to have an independent audit of the city's development process and for ethics training for city employees involved in development. This comes after the July 23 corruption scandal that included the arrests of City Council President Mariano Vega and other employees linked to the Healy administration. It also comes after citizen demonstrations calling for the resignation of Vega and the mayor.


By devil2002
He should be the first to sign up for Ethics training! lol

By smashmomma
Healy is an honest man.


By spacepunk
If you need ethics training to realize taking bribes is wrong you're too stupid to serve on council to begin with. NO Mayor Healy, WRONG, this will not placate the peps. The protests are to continue. This dog and pony show is a non starter. Mayor Healy was in the room where payouts were discussed, and HE is the one proposing this? ...

By baligirl
Thanks Healy for my laugh of the day.

By mickeg
When common sense won't suffice there's always the mandatory 'ethics' training by ethically challenged individuals. After decades of corruption it has been ingrained in politics. Nothing short of a complete change in administrations will eliminate many but not all of the corruption. And if that doesn't work then vote them all out again. In another decade maybe we'll be able to take back our communities

By GmanMOT
Mayor Healy were you in Bradley Beach when you came up with this idea.

By geeman42
Mayor Healy, you suspended all city employees without pay who were charged, why did you not take a similar stance with Council Crook Vega. We know you cannot suspend him, but you could take a leadership stance and request he step down, or back Councilman Fulop when he requested Vega to step down. Is it because you are afraid Crook Vega might incriminate you in some way if you force him out.

By JohnHanu
Until Healy is in fact indicted, I am willing to not insist for his resignation. However to your point GEEMAN42, he may not have the power to suspend or fire Vega or Lopez, he surely has the power to publicly ask for their resignation.

By 4getme2
Healy's seminar on Ethics; sounds like a lesson on "How not to get caught taking kickbacks." Where will the seminar take place - at a local watering hole?

By patmcc
It really show that Mayor Healy cares a lot about Jersey City to call for that. He shows the love for the city to keep it on the right track as it is the best growing city in the country with all the good workers in it making sure we remain number 1 also to all remember we are not the judge and jury so everything will be OK.

By JohnHanu
patmcc: Common sense dictates that someone about to be tried in an FBI case does not have the time for anything else. Vega is showing his lack of concern for the people that elected him by not resigning. Anything less than resigning is pure arrogance.

By punisher1
Healy and his administration is dishonest. Why didn't Healy call for an "AUDIT" while his bag men/woman was making their pickups for Healy. Healy should "RESIGN" and take his corrupt administration with him. Lets not forget how Healy hired his cousin from the Middletown PD who had an extremely checkered past. How about his deputy mayor who was making money off of people getting married and the deputy mayor driving the "stolen" car, the Bradley Beach incident which of course was the cops fault (LOL), talk about the lack of "integrity" ... The list of embarrassing incidents goes on and still continue's today.

By 8thstreetguy
JohnHanu, What makes you believe that Vega is about to be tried. First he has to be indicted which hasn't happened, may not happen for months or may never happen. If you read the U.S. Attorney's web site he makes it clear none of those arrested have been indicted and my limited understanding is that must occur before a trial. Since, Vega was suspended from his county job seems like he can use that time to prepare his defense and keep serving the public as he has in the past.

By westernmassf
JC Government already has the Ethics Board and Legal Counsel available to all officials. This is just fluff. There is probably a lot more going on behind the scenes than we are aware of on the charges. I do believe that all indicted need to resign. In the meantime, all of the charges folks are on a real short leash. If they do not resign and are ultimately indicted and even prosecuted that would be a said commentary on the state of affairs in JC Government. Makes the Councilwoman Lopez thing seem like old hat.

By jerseycity70
ethic's training?? a dub's only gonna teach people how to handle payoff's and bribes properly, as not to get caught.

By NJ999999
I hope this audit includes the Board of Education....Epps only goes to Europe and claims it is work related...oh and don't forget that he has a chauffeur!

By jackfair
Pretty sad state of affairs when "ethics training" becomes a solution.

By yellowsub123
Shouldn't there already be independent audits performed...on everything gov't related.

By ScarletRogue
If that ain't the pot calling the kettle black...He's next...

By mrbru
Next headline we will see: "Bernie Madoff Calls for Investigation of Ponzi Schemes"

By randyright
Anything this mayor says is not worth squat. and by the way with the upcoming future arrests coming( up to 100 more from what I hear) who's to say he's not going to be one of them. what really needs to be followed up on is that since this investigation started how much development in Hudson County was built illegally and should the federal govt. seize these building since they are the proceeds of an ongoing criminal enterprise. Ten years of development would add up to a lot of much needed revenue. Could you hear the auctioneer now taking bids on the goldman sachs building.

By cscbreaker
Does this audit include the independent redevelopment authority in Jersey City?

By mrdee42
Nice try of making you look like you not stealing from the citizens of Jersey City. You had nothing to do with building this city. But you did bring in so low life person to help you.

By baligirl
"Anything that will clear the air is welcome," Cotter said yesterday. Is he kidding? Only a massive hurricane taking away all the politicians and their paid phony law firms could do that. Even then they would still leave a trace of stink.

By 07isback
... Why not to call the FBI and let them do it ?? LOL ...

By No1worrier
Geeeeze...and I thought the "Sopranos" series was fiction. Sounds like Jersey has a lot to contend with, and the Mafia organization is alive and well, and has reached out to many non-Italian friends in local government. They'll all be "toast" soon when the FBI gets through with them. Ciao, La Famiglia.

By LeftJC
I find it amazing that the downtown development has gone so well. But, if the area is doing so well, why do developers need tax abatements?

By baligirl
LeftJC ,It is not doing do well and it is all an illusion. You may not see it in the Jersey papers but the New York papers are filled with auctions for property in Jersey City.
By itsoverjonny
Time for Healy and the gang to fire up the diesel powered paper shredder.

By exitstageR
Jersey City, and most of Hudson County has been handing out tax abatements like candy since the 80's with little to no oversight and little to no job creation... It's all about getting perks and benefits for themselves and the party bosses! If you want to clean it up, Tax Abatements have to go. Any that have been give, need to be voided as the majority of the promises that the abatements were based on "Job Creation" were in fact smoke screens Just go to Corslimes old firm Goldman Sacks in Jersey City and ask how may of the employees actually live there.... It's not even 5% ...

By flapjackfinn
"Healy also is expected to sign an executive order requiring all city directors and employees involved in development to undergo mandatory ethics training within the next month." Translation = My staff knows no other way to operate but by bribery, kickbacks, stealing, deception and lies.