After attending the Citywide Public Safety Rally last week, I was very upset to read the article in another publication on 3/9/07 covering the rally. The story twisted the facts and defended no-show Mayor Healy. The Jersey City Reporter did a much better job of covering the story and reporting the facts like professionals.
If the Mayor didn't want to attend the rally he should have never committed to being a guest speaker. Mayor Healy's decision to support a local high school basketball team instead of addressing the public's concerns with safety was a slap in my face because I am a senior who attended the meeting in spite of the bad weather we had that night. Did his support for the youth basketball team benefit Jersey City more than meeting with concerned taxpayers to address a fundamental issue, police protection?
I listened to everyone who spoke that night and I saw many new faces. Contrary to the other publication's article, this meeting was citywide and not confined to the Heights. Michael Yun did a great job hosting the event by making sure everyone stuck on the issue of public safety. I don't know what meeting the Mayor's spokesman attended but this meeting was not an "ambush" as he suggested.
People from all over the city came to the rally in hopes that some elected official would hear their concerns about public safety. The fact that the Mayor is from the Heights only adds to the insult that he didn't show up. If he walked away from a citywide public safety meeting in his own backyard, then what else would he walk away from? In my opinion, he has either lost touch with the people of this City or he just doesn't care.
Sincerely,
Daris Cappelluti
Post a Comment