Are NJ voters getting their money's worth from their elected officials?

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 10:30am

Thirty individuals have been arrested this morning in a money laundering scheme, including the mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus, the Deputy Mayor of Jersey City and a state assembyman. Oh, and a good number of rabbis, just to make it interesting.



"The cars are four deep" Updated On: 7/23/09 at 10:30 AM

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 10:40am

Welcome to Jersey!

[Marianne2]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 10:44am

Stuff like this doesn't surprise me anymore.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 11:11am

Yet another reason why I need out of this state. Rutgers cuts classes to fund the football team that had one good season, Corzine wants to cut Arts funding, someone gets shot in Jersey City and people DRIVE AROUND THE BODY while the guy is bleeding to death and the corruption here is just getting worse and worse.
I know there's corruption everywhere, but if feels like this state is just getting worse and worse. I can't wait until I have enough $$$ to get out.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 11:46am

This is happening right around the corner from my town.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 11:50am

Big investigation in the town over from me, too. My cousin's husband owned his own business up until a couple years ago, and because of some projects that he had bid on and lost out to friend's of the current administration, the FBI recently paid a visit to question him about those jobs and his bid amounts, etc. It's a long time coming in that town.

[Q]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:23pm

"I can't wait until I have enough $$$ to get out."

Which begs the question, "To go where?" Not to put too fine a point on it, but everywhere has its issues. Frankly, despite all it has to offer, I'd be hard-pressed to invite anyone to move to California at the moment, as our government is on the verge of collapse, in spite of having one of the largest economies in the world.

Take the good, don't get bogged down in the bad and try to be a part of change where and when you can.

[MotorTink]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:30pm

It's not like these busts were made by mayors in quiet suburb towns....corruption in Hoboken, Secaucus, Jersey City?? oh my god, what a shock! *sarcasm* Hudson/Bergen county is NOTHING but corruption and this is not new news. If anything I'm just shocked things are actually somewhat starting to get done about it. These towns are all in my area and it does not make me want to move any more or any less. Like Q said, it's everywhere. may not be right, but it's just something I accept living in Northern NJ.

[danmag]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:31pm

Just saw this story on the local Philly news. I have to say, it was a little odd seeing all those rabbis being led away in handcuffs.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:34pm

I know nowhere is perfect, and I know trying to find a new job somehere else is a shot in the dark in this economy. But I grew up in NY and I want to go back to NY. I know they have plenty of their own issues, but I've lived in NJ for 20 years, and despite a handful of things I mentioned in a different post, I've not been all that happy here.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:42pm

So I'm assuming from all this that the rabbis cut a better deal with Tink than with Leia947.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 12:43pm

Like pretty much every thing else in life, it is what you make it.

Updated On: 7/23/09 at 12:43 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 1:17pm

In spite of my ridiculously die hard liberal views, I do wholeheartedly support the death penalty for corrupt public officials.

Did these crooks pay federal, state and/or city income tax on their gains? If not, then that is tax evasion.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 1:33pm

Meanwhile, the taxes in my tiny town are going up 400 percent.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:04pm

Not to mention that anyone born in Hudson County (Jersey City,Hoboken,Seacaucus) before Sept. 11,2001 must get a new birth certificate because before that date all are null and void. Seems someone that THEY hired to work in the J.C. Court house was selling our birth certificates to the terrorists. Now we must go to Trenton and pay $40 to get a new birth certificate. They can't even take responsibilty for their own mistakes. NOT like I hired this woman.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:04pm

Update to the original story: add the mayor of Ridgefield to the paddy wagon party. There were 44 arrests in all.

"The number of arrests was noteworthy even for New Jersey, a state that has seen more than 130 public officials plead guilty or be convicted of corruption since 2001.

"New Jersey's corruption problem is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the nation," said Ed Kahrer, who heads the FBI's white collar and public corruption investigation division. "Corruption is a cancer that is destroying the core values of this state."

On the other hand, youse guys also have Carlo's Bakery.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:10pm

Carlo's Bakery? Never heard of it. But then again, I go into Brooklyn for my pizza and baked goods rather than get it in NJ.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:12pm

It's the shop on Cake Boss. You must not watch TLC.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:15pm

Leia, maybe you should move since you hate it here so much.


ETA: And who were you before your current incarnation?

Updated On: 7/23/09 at 02:15 PM

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:20pm

No, I don't really watch TLC.... but I have seen Ace of Cakes.
And yes, as I stated before, I am saving to movie. The bitterness comes from being forced to move here when I was a kid and never went away, so I'm sorry if it annoys you.

But anyone who says NJ pizza is as good or better than NY pizza is delusional. Though, the corn and tomatoes out here are awesome, I must admit. Zucchini grows well too.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:24pm

You've been bitter since childhood? Good grief - that's not even healthy. Have a cannoli.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 2:27pm

Trust me. I'm Italian. We hold grudges and eat cannolis.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 6:31pm

By the numbers, NJ is only the 5th or so most-corrupt state, but by golly, they do it with style. International money laundering and organ selling? Not every political scandal gives you all that for your taxpayer dollar.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find a good wall to hit my head against.

[danmag]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 6:38pm

Organ selling AND counterfeit handbags???

It boggles the mind....

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/23/09 at 7:01pm

We in NY answered this question sometime ago.