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Bret Schundler Media Archives

Building the Beloved Community

The 1996 State of the City Address

By Mayor Bret Schundler

Good evening. It's great to see you all here. It really is!

Gathered together tonight are leaders who represent the manygreat communities that make up Jersey City. Our city is comprised of awonderful array of people whose backgrounds are as varied as the shapesof a snowflake. We are white, yellow, red, brown and black; rich andpoor; native and foreign born -- drawn from the far reaches, not just ofNew Jersey, but of the world.

Still, beyond our superficial differences of ethnicity, race andreligion, class and party, we are the same on the inside. We share the samehuman dream of a city which is stable, safe, happy, prosperous, and filledwith good people who love one another.

This shared, human dream of the Beloved Community was set inour hearts at the Creation, and shall endure therein forever. Therefore, ourcoming together this evening is a sacred thing, because it is a reflectionand a celebration of the divine faith that by coming together and seeingeach other as fellow children of God, we can move our city closer to thatuniversal ideal of the Beloved Community; closer, indeed, to a small"Slice of Heaven" here on earth.

A State of the City speech is typically about a local government'sdoings. But in reality, it is not solely a local government's doings whichdetermine the state of a city. The private doings of citizens are just asimportant, if not more so. It is important that a police department worksto keep the peace, but more important that people respect one another andtry to get along before the police are involved. It is important that a publicworks department maintains clean and beautiful streets, but moreimportant that people clean and beautify their community on their owninitiative.

Perhaps most important of all, beyond all these public and privatedoings, is what a city's people believe, for it is belief which motivatesaction!

I am pleased to report to you, tonight, that the state of our city isgood. It is good not solely because of what our government is doing, butbecause the responsible people of this community -- public officials andprivate citizens alike -- have begun faithfully affirming that what we sharein common is greater than what separates us superficially. It is goodbecause many of us have begun to examine what we individually can doto serve the common interest. It is good because many of us have begunworking together, as a family, to advance in our city that universallyshared vision of the Beloved Community.

Jersey City is far from perfect. We remain burdened by enormousproblems and challenges. But our city has begun moving in the rightdirection, and these positive developments -- private as well as public,developments of faith as well as of action -- bode well for our future, andoffer hope. They represent real progress from our past, when our unitywas not always so great.

The Past: Divided We Fell!
Indeed, in the past there were persons -- private citizens as wellas public officials -- who sowed seeds of division and causedus to forget our common humanity. Some divided us unintentionally, butothers pitted us against one another on purpose in pursuit of personal gain.

These "Dividers" viewed government NOT as public service, withits mission to provide necessary services at the lowest possible cost to thetaxpayer; rather, they viewed government as a tool to serve their singularinterests,and the result of this self-seeking could have been predicted.Every year the city's patronage rolls grew and the budget grew. Everyyear, taxes soared, yet the City's debt and structural deficit soared stillhigher (ultimately peaking at over $40 million on a $300 million budget). Our citizens were crushed down until few could shoulder the weight. Relief was no where in sight -- and as the City's financial death seemedimminent, our municipal tax collection rate fell, property values declined,and "For Sale" signs sprang up like tombstones.

Every municipal department was affected, as a culture of comfort-seeking replaced professionalpride. Police officers moved from streetpatrol to desk jobs, and accountability was diminished to the point thatsome felt it acceptable to behave in improper ways. Our streets becamemore littered and chaotic while recreational facilities deteriorated and wereshuttered. Reading scores and graduation rates declined, prompting theState to take over our schools. Unemployment rose.

So much is now changing in Jersey City for the better, all becausewe are no longer allowing ourselves to be divided and conquered for thebenefit of the few. Instead, we have come together for the common good.

The Present: Financial Improvements
For instance, because you have given us your solid support,we have been able to get control of city spending. Ournationally acclaimed Bulk Lien Initiative in 1993 reduced Jersey City'sReserve for Uncollected Taxes dramatically, and ever since then, hassaved the City over $30 million per year in wasteful spending thatprovided absolutely no public services. Attrition and early retirementprograms have enabled us to reduce unnecessary, full-time, city positions. Competitive bidding has helped us save on contracts. Instituting MedicalSavings Accounts has reduced our health insurance costs. Forming apublic-private partnership with United Water Resources has reduced thecosts of operating our water utility. Time after time, because you havebeen willing to give us your support, we have been able to reduce spendingwithout cutting services, through intelligent, innovative initiatives, someof which have become recognized as national models of good government.

Your steadfast support has allowed us to develop new revenues aswell. For instance, our lien initiatives have enabled the City to collect over$69 million in overdue taxes, so you no longer have to pay more thanyour own fair share of taxes to make up for delinquent taxpayers. Oursale of surplus water from the Boonton Reservoir in Morris County isearning us millions of dollars each year, all for water which was justrunning out to the sea. Our sale of some of our Reservoir's watershed landto Green Acres has brought in millions of dollars, eliminated our need topay property taxes on that land to Morris County, and strengthened ourability to keep this watershed from being contaminated by development. You deserve the credit for these intelligent initiatives because not a singleone of them could have been completed without your support. Because ofyour help, Jersey City's financial health is dramatically improved!

Municipal spending and taxes are no longer soaring out ofcontrol. Indeed, since 1992, spending has been cut by $56 million or16% in real dollars -- representing the largest spending reductionin the entire State of New Jersey! Our tax levy has also been cut. Since 1992, it is down over $25 million or 22% in real dollars --representing the biggest property tax cut in the entire State of NewJersey!

You should be proud of this, because it is your support which hasmade this progress possible. All over the State, municipal property taxes,school district property taxes, and county property taxes have been rising. But here, in Jersey City, the municipal portion of your property tax bill hasbeen falling. Our ability to cut the municipal portion of your property taxbill has helped many local property owners get back on their feet, asevidenced by the dramatic improvement in our property tax collection rate,which, since November of 1992, has risen from 78% to its current level of96% -- our highest collection rate in forty-three years.

All of this has been accomplished while also reducing the City'sdebt, and the combined debt of its various agencies. Unlike past years,when the City's total debt soared higher and higher every year, yoursupport has helped us bring Jersey City's debt burden under control!

The naysayers may criticize individual policies we have put intoplace, but can they deny the results we have achieved? In contrast to thestate of our city four years ago: spending is down, municipal propertytaxes are down, our debt is down, tax collections are up, property valuesare up, and the "For Sale" signs are down!

These are enormous achievements, with tremendous significancefor the future, so let me repeat: spending is down, taxes are down, our debtis down, tax collections are up, property values are up, and the "For Sale"signs are down!

Let me also share this with you. The last time water rates wereincreased in Jersey City was way back in 1991. In other municipalities,water rates have been risingevery year. But here in JerseyCity, Water Director AdorEquipado and I have taken thesteps necessary to keep our waterrates among the lowest in theState.

But that's not all. In theyear before I was elected, theprior administration more thandoubled the sewerage rate. Since that time, with the help of the SewerageAuthority's Board of Commissioners, we have cut the sewerage rate twicefor a total reduction of 29%. Today, I am happy to report to you thateffective February 1st, we are going to cut the sewerage rate another 8cents, to $2.25 per 100 cubic feet! And we are going to continue workingto reduce your sewerage rate until, like our water rates, it too is among thelowest in New Jersey!

We should all be proud of what you have helped us achieve. Byworking together these past four years, we have put Jersey City on theright track. We still have a long way to go, but if we stand united together,Jersey City will prosper!

Policing Improvements
Beyond Jersey City's improved financial situation, yoursupport has also made a huge difference in our PoliceDepartment. Because of your support, we were able to get control ofpolice contract costs, permitting us to increase the size of our police forceby 35 officers. Because of your support, we were able to civilianize manystation house desk jobs and put an extra 40 police officers on street patrol. Because of your support, we were able to change the Department's workschedule in a way which had the same effect as putting an extra 50 policeofficers on the streets, while also improving the continuity of theirsupervision. Because of your support, we were able to put scores of extrapolice officers in our business districts, financed with Urban EnterpriseZone funds instead of property taxes. In short, your support has enabledus to put the equivalent of over 160 extra police officers on Jersey City'sstreets. And your support has also enabled us to improve PoliceDepartment operations.

For instance, the City, in partnership with the YWCA, is going toimplement a new pilot program to combat domestic violence. With thehelp of a $182,000 grant from the US Department of Justice, we are goingto create Crisis Intervention Teams, made up of specially trained policeofficers and social workers, that will be able to improve the policedepartment's response to repeat incidents of spousal and family abuse.

To cite a secondexample, Community Policing isnow a reality in Jersey City, withtwo or three police officersspecifically assigned to patroleach City neighborhood by foot,bicycle, or scooter. Manymembers of the PoliceDepartment were originally veryskeptical, and did not believe inthe program. But you wanted it; we put it in place; and it's working! Crime in Jersey City has been cut by 15% since I took office. Robberiesare down 28%, car thefts are down 27%, and burglaries are down 25%.Many officers now acknowledge that this brand of preventative policingis the only hope we have of reversing the youth violence that has long beenplaguing our community.

Indeed, if we are to make our streets safer, we MUST continue tobuild partnerships between the Police Department and the neighborhoodsthey serve. We are now in the process of establishing regular monthlymeetings in every Neighborhood Improvement District, so that you can getto know the police officers assigned to patrol your neighborhood and forman effective working relationship with them. We are also supporting theprivate initiative of retired Police Commander Jim Shamburg, who isputting together an organization he calls the "People & Police Partnership"that will demonstrate support for officers who do a particularly fine job intheir assignments. Rank and file police officers have a tough job. Theydeserve our appreciation!

Quality of Life Enforcement Improvements
Reducing crime is the most important way we are trying toimprove the quality of life in Jersey City, but it is not theonly way. The City is also stepping up its efforts in other areas. Forinstance, we are also trying to make our City cleaner and more orderly --and here too, your support has been, and will be, critical.

We have sent letters to every home in Jersey City asking parentsto educate their children about the importance of not littering. We havesent letters to our school principals asking them to involve our children inactual clean-up efforts around their schools. We have put up "NoLittering" signs, put down additional trash cans, and assigned codeenforcement officials to every neighborhood, all to encourage our citizensnot to litter. But these initiatives will only be successful if our fellowresidents respond positively.

I believe they will, just as residents have positively responded toour new curfew ordinance. We put together a massive effort to educateparents about the dangers of allowing their young children to loiter on thestreets late at night. Then we amended a decade old curfew ordinance tomake it stronger, assembled an effective enforcement unit, and establishedCurfew Centers to process the young children who get picked up at night. The reason this program has been so successful however, is because youhave been helping us get the message out to parents, with the result thatfewer young children are now being allowed out late at night. What awonderful reward we all enjoyed recently when Jersey City experiencedits quietest Mischief Night in years!

The support you are giving the Neighborhood ImprovementDistrict program is also encouraging. Instead of civilian code enforcementofficials driving all over the city, each enforcing only a very narrow partof the City Code, we now have most of our code enforcement officialsassigned to specific neighborhoods, and fully trained to enforce the entirebreadth of the City Code. They get to know those who diminish ourquality of life, and take the action necessary to change the offenders'behavior. We have organized our code enforcement personnel moreefficiently, but the reason this program is working is because you aregiving your NID Managers the information they need to stop people frombreaking the law.

For example, with the help of her neighbors in Country Village,NID manager Caryn Moraga makes sure that Thomas McGovern Park isa safe place for local children to play. And then there's Eileen Hart,Heights NID manager, who took it upon herself to respond to aneighborhood tragedy. When a fire ravaged 3 homes on Milton Avenue,Eileen raised over $1000 from her neighbors so that the dislocated familiescould afford to buy new clothes and toys for their children. Caryn andEileen, on behalf of the people of Jersey City, I want to say "Thanks for"walking the extra mile."

Educational, Recreational and Cultural Improvements
Now, in addition to stepping up our enforcement of theCity's quality of life ordinances, we are also workinghard to improve the educational, recreational, and cultural programmingthat the City offers so that as we close the door on various negativebehaviors, we can open doors to more positive behavior.

The tremendous interest you have expressed in charter schools isone example of your initiative. You don't want to just sit back and waitfor the State to expand choice within Jersey City's public schools. Rather,you have decided to take the bull by the horns and bring parents andteachers together to create alternative schools of your own. Anotherexample of your initiative is the central role you are taking in planning theconstruction of new public schools, to decrease the district's classroomover-crowding. And what goes for education, goes double for recreation. When I was first elected, not a single one of our public schools was openafter-hours for city youth programs. Now, because of your insistence, anumber of public schools have opened their doors and are working withthe City to offer our children one hour of after-school tutoring, followedby diverse recreational programs; from sports, to arts, to helping ourchildren develop their computer skills. Spring, Summer and Fall, we nowhave programs ensuring that there is always something for our children todo -- all thanks to you!

Private corporations are helping to fund the Earning By Learningliteracy program I introduced through the City Library. This program paysyoung children two dollars for every book they read. Several religiousinstitutions are working with us to open six new Community YouthCenters. Volunteers are expanding our local sports leagues. Meanwhile,Jersey City's cultural scene is absolutely exploding with new excitement,assisted by the City, but driven by your vision, your talent and yourenthusiasm.

We just completed our Candlelight Concert Series, showcasing thearchitectural wonder of Jersey City's houses of worship and the incredibletalent of our local choirs. During the summer, we put on a concert almostevery two days: whether at Exchange Place, Liberty State Park, or at oneof our neighborhood parks. Our Department of Recreation and CulturalAffairs coordinates all of these concerts, but it is the sponsorship of ourcorporations, your musical talent, and your support as an audience whichmakes it all possible.

The same holds true for our wonderfully successful "Slice ofHeaven" Festivals, which begin with the American Day Parade and ourFourth of July Spectacular, and extend right through the Fall withcelebrations of Jersey City's ethnic diversity almost every weekend. Youmake these events possible.

Thanks to our arts and culture community, the Loew's Theatre isbeing restored, a new Jersey City Museum is being built, the African-American History Museum isgrowing, a new Hispanic Cultural Centerand Museum is being founded, an Artist's Work and Live District is takingshape in our Warehouse District, and the largest mural east of theMississippi will soon adorn Christopher Columbus Drive. None of thiswould be happening without your involvement.

Indeed, Jersey City hasbeen blessed by a new spirit -- anew faith in our future -- that isreleasing private energies whichare allowing us to accomplishmuch more with our limited cityresources than any localgovernment could everaccomplish alone.

And speaking aboutprivate energy, you should seewhat is happening within our senior community. The City has built arecord amount of new senior citizen housing. The City has increased itssenior health and recreation programs. The City has initiated a newsletterto keep seniors informed of important developments affecting them. I canlist the things that we have done, but I could never enumerate all of thethings going on in our senior community on our seniors' own initiative.

There have been days when I have received invitations to five or six seniorevents all going on concurrently. Today, there are more opportunities thanever before for seniors to find fellowship, friendship, courtship -- and evenmarriage!

This is what elevates the state of a city; not just what itsgovernment does, but what each of us do, individually and corporately, injoint effort with government, or solely on our own, to make our city abetter place to be!

A Rebuilt, More Beautiful City
Now, I've spoken at length about Jersey City's improvedfinancial state, and the improved state of our policing,code enforcement, educational, recreational, cultural and senior services,but beyond all these financial and service issues, Jersey City has alsobecome a better city physically!

What we have done to stabilize the City financially and to improveservices has caused an explosion of private investment along ourwaterfront. New rental developments at Avalon Cove and Portside areleasing up faster than the new units can be completed. New, first-classoffice buildings, hotels, retail structures and restaurants are indevelopment. The waterfront has increased from being 3% of the City'sratable base to being 17% of our ratable base. The area is an absoluteBoomtown, with growth accelerating constantly. You all know that. Butwhat is even more exciting, and what I want to focus on tonight, is thatJersey City's inner-city business districts and neighborhoods are also beingreborn!

We've directed over $16 million in federal, state, and local fundstowards the revitalization of Martin Luther King Drive. Its reconstructionwill kick-off this Spring, featuring a new shopping center, communitycenter, police station, post office, and business incubator.

Journal Square will also be rebuilt; not just the public spaces, butthe Hotel On The Square and its surrounding stores and offices. We'rehoping to put a Tower in its place with retail space and a short-termparking deck occupying its lower floors, new Community Collegeclassrooms above, the City Library's new main branch above that, and theCity's economic development offices at the very top.

We have already improved the sidewalk, lights and benches alongCentral Avenue, and we will be doing the same along West Side Avenue,Newark Avenue, Old Bergen Road, Ocean Avenue, and in McGinleySquare. But what will really bring back the beauty of our inner-citybusiness districts is the facade program we kicked-off two years ago.

Some work has already been completed along Monticello Avenueand Newark Avenue, and the facade of the Central Avenue Post Office isbeing renovated now. Over the next three years, facade work will be donealong the entire lengths of every one of our inner-city business districts,funded not by your property tax dollars, but rather with Urban EnterpriseZone monies that can only be used in the business districts. The result willbe utterly beautiful. Visitors from out of town will be impressed by ourlovely business districts, but the most stunned of all will be formerresidents who pass through. They won't believe their eyes. And combinedwith the improved security and sanitation services being funded throughour Business Improvement Districts, the total impact on our ability toattract quality stores back to our inner-city business districts will besignificant.

We are not allowed to use Urban Enterprise Zone funds outside ofthe business districts, and so we are having to be very creative as we alsotry to finance the rebuilding of our residential neighborhoods, but here toowe are making progress. An enormous number of empty lots have beenredeveloped with attractive new housing. In fact, last year alone, the Citycompleted 300 units of housing, and private developers completed manymore. Abandoned, dilapidated, old buildings are either beingrehabilitated, or are coming down and being replaced by new, non-taxabated housing -- some funded wholly with private dollars, and somefunded partially with our Community Development Block Grant dollars. We are also using CDBG funds to dramatically expand our HomeownerRehabilitation Program, which provides grants to help financiallyconstrained residents perform needed home repairs.

All over the city, streets are being repaved and sewers are beingrebuilt, using capital dollars that in former years were mis-directedtowards operating expenses. The residents of Garfield Avenue no longerhave to suffer a deplorably rutted street. The residents of WegmanParkway can celebrate the removal of that inconvenient road divider. Newpump stations will soon dramatically decrease the after-rain flooding inlow lying areas of the City, such as in the Montgomery Gateway WestNeighborhood. And by the end of this year, we hope to have renovatedalmost every park and recreational facility in the City.

In Greenville, we have renovated Audubon Park, Columbia Park,Triangle Park and Thomas McGovern Park. The Stevens Avenue Parkwill be renovated this year. We are working on the College Little LeagueField right now, and are determined to have the project completed by Aprilfor the opening of the season. The Caven Point football field has beenrenovated, and new soccer and softball fields have been constructed. Wealso completed a 300 foot regulation Babe Ruth baseball field at MetroPark, complete with irrigation, dugouts and fencing, and will soon beginconstruction of a bocci court to its rear.

In the West Side area, we have renovated the West Side LittleLeague Field and improved the neighboring basketball and bocci courts. We re-opened Pavonia Pool, and will be rehabilitating the adjacentchildren's play area this Spring. In addition, we have developed extensivenew recreational fields at Lincoln Park West.

In the Journal Square area, aside from the greening of JournalSquare itself, we have renovated Sergeant Anthony Park and developedCueno Place Park. A brand new Academy Street Park will be constructedthis year. And we are planning to build a whole new recreational complexat Reservoir Three, with a new competition baseball field, softball field,little league field, and football-soccer field.

In the Heights, River View Park has been renovated; its boccicourt refurbished, and its playground landscaped. Pershing Field has beenrenovated; a spectacular children's playground has been constructed, anda brand new public ice-skating rink has been opened. The fence at TerraceAvenue Park has been replaced, and Leonard Gordon Park will have itsplayground renovated.

In the Downtown area, we have rehabilitated Wayne Street Park,and reconstructed the Hamilton Park Bandstand. We are currentlyrehabilitating the Roberto Clemente Little League field, and constructinga new Dr. Lena Edwards Park. Later this year, more significantrehabilitation work will begin at Hamilton Park, Van Vorst Park, andGateway Field. And Enos Jones Park will be almost entirelyreconstructed.

In the Bergen-Lafayette area, we have renovated Arlington Park,Bayside Park, and the Garfield Avenue Playground. This year, we will berenovating Lafayette Park and Wilkinson Avenue Park, constructing abrand new community center on Martin Luther King Drive, and re-habilitating the old YMCAbuilding. We are also looking to construct anew outdoor swimming pool in the area.

Let me tell you about a few other developments that are probablynews to you. First, we are looking at relocating the City Car Pound andworking with a private company to build a combination ice-skating arenaand concert hall in its place. Second, we are working with a group ofproperty owners to develop a championship golf course on the unusedindustrial land south of Liberty State Park and north of Caven Point. Boththese projects will be financed totally with private funds. Both willproceed on land adjacent to Liberty State Park, instead of within it,thereby complementing the greening of Liberty State Park, instead ofsubtracting from it. From the marina that is being developed on the Park'snorthern edge, through Liberty State Park, past the Liberty Science Centerand arena/concert hall, through the golf course we will build, all the waydown to Caven Point, there will be one long belt of green space andrecreation!

It frustrates me, that the State is so lacking in vision. Theycurrently have just ten million dollars of improvements planned forLiberty State Park in the immediate future. Still, you and I can dream ofwhat Liberty State Park could look like if the State did have vision. Therecould be horse stables for those who ride; a petting zoo for our children;a world-class botanical garden; passive, natural spaces with strolling pathsand bird blinds; at the Old Cabana Club, some tennis courts and a newpool; new fields; in the train shed, a railroad museum, perhaps. So muchcould be done, and some day, I'm convinced, it will be done.

Now, on a different subject, one of our most controversialinitiatives this past year had to do with City beautification: in particular,the placing of flower planters in the City's business districts, and theplanting of trees along local residential streets. Critics claim that suchbeautification efforts are a waste of scarce property tax resources. Butthese two beautification programs, aside from being inexpensive, were notprimarily funded with property taxes in the first place. The commercialdistrict flower planters were totally funded through the Urban EnterpriseZone program. They didn't cost local property owners one cent. Meanwhile, our Clean and Green Initiative, which last year resulted inalmost 1,600 trees and shrubs being planted, was largely under-written bylocal corporations.

The City initiated a program, last year, which honors residents ineach ward who cultivate the most beautiful front yard gardens and windowboxes. Presently, we areinitiating, a program aimedat encouraging communityorganizations to plant flowergardens on empty lots. Thismonth, as part of ourcontinuing Clean and GreenProgram, we are going tooffer you a tremendous dealon flower planters for yourhomes. Come April, we are going to hold two Flower Fairs at PershingField and at Audubon Park, where we will invite all of our florists andnear-by garden centers to set up stands for you to browse and buy flowers. These initiatives all cost the City next to nothing, but their impact on localspirit could be priceless.

The same holds true for our efforts to clean-up litter. We nowhave high school students, Occupational Center workers, City and CountyWorkfare workers, and even prisoners from the Kearny Jail, cleaning uplitter along our streets every day, as part of our NeighborhoodImprovement District Program. The workfare workers cost us nothing. The prisoners cost us $5 per day. Our critics say these beautificationinitiatives divert our attention from our crime problem. But the truth isthat pride is essential in our war against crime!

Maintaining a clean, green, and beautiful city is not a luxury. Itis one of the basic services that people charge government with providing. Together with lower taxes, improved policing, improved enforcement ofquality of life ordinances, better schools, better recreational programs, andincreased job opportunities for the unemployed -- beautifying our streetsis one of the primary ways that we can revitalize Jersey City.

When we beautify Jersey City's streets, we encourage every citizen to have pride in our community and to strive to make it better. When we plant a flower, we defy the despair of the past and exhort everycitizen to look forward in hope for the future.

So, if you didn't like the flowers, I'm sorry; but if you did like theflowers, great, because you ain't seen nothing yet.

More Jobs, Less Poverty
We also intend our people to have jobs! In the threeyears prior to 1992, Jersey City lost 10,000 jobs. Inthe three years since 1992, Jersey City has gained 10,000 jobs. Indeed,since 1992, employment in Jersey City has grown 17.6% versus Stateemployment growth of just 5%. Employment in Jersey City is now at a 20year high, at the very same time that employment in New Jersey's otherfive largest cities is at a 20 year low. Unemployment and poverty inJersey City are both falling. In fact, a Rutgers University study says thatJersey City is the model that other New Jersey cities should look to follow.

As Jersey City booms -- not just the Waterfront, but all of JerseyCity -- we are committed to ensuring that Jersey City's residents share fullyin this boom. Last year, the Jersey City Office of Employment andTraining placed over 500 city residents in new jobs. This year, our goalis even higher. A judge has ordered the City to re-write our strengthenedFirst Source Ordinance, and re-write it we will, but surrender, we will not. We will persist in working to put our people to work, so that the blessingsof Jersey City's budding prosperity are shared by every citizen!

Conclusion
These have been very tough years for America's cities, andmany are dying. But here, in Jersey City, we have passedthrough that dark valley and are now on the other side. The ascent is steepand difficult, but we are ascending!

Our mission, now, must be to keep moving forward. To keep oureyes on the prize, and not to let those who would once again divide us stallour progress.

That will take discipline and great faith. Discipline- because thetemptation will always exist to pursue the apple of personal interest at theexpense of our shared interests. Faith- because the only way to maintaindiscipline is to believe strongly that by pulling together we can move ourCity closer to our ideal of the perfect community, and benefit all of ourcitizens.

This is the fork in the road which eternally stands before us: lovefor one another and community progress, or social division and communaldeath.

Hence, while the state of our city is good, to make it still better,each of us must have faith that by coming together for the common good,we can move Jersey City forward.

Those running for office must work to bring the people of JerseyCity together, instead of working to divide us.

Those who work in government -- whether police, fire, or civilianpersonnel -- must put the public interest ahead of self interest. Those working in the private sector must consider how they toocan build up our community.

All of us, together, hold the fate of Jersey City in our hands. Onlyby coming together, and not letting ourselves be divided, can we morefully realize that vision of the Beloved Community which we share in ourhuman hearts. Let us recommit ourselves to this sacred task, knowing, as John F.Kennedy said, that "Here on Earth, God's work must truly be our own!"

God bless every one of you -- and may God bless Jersey City!

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