A coalition of community groups from the Jersey City Heights hosted an 8th District congressional forum last night featuring all four candidates on the June 4th primary ballot, discussing issues such as the turnpike widening, corruption, and Gaza.
By Daniel Ulloa and John Heinis/Hudson County View
On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez is defending his seat against Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla and first time candidate Kyle Jasey. For Republicans, former West New York commissioner and school board candidate Anthony Valdes is unopposed.
“I’m not a politician. I’m just fed up and sick and tired of the nonsense in our nation’s capital,” Valdes said during introductory remarks.
He criticized President Joe Biden’s (D) administration for what he believes has been a mishandling of immigration at the southern border, as well as imposing mandatory vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The opening question was about helicopter traffic, an issue that Menendez has championed, with Bhalla stating that his administration has communicated regularly with the Federal Aviation Administration on this.
Both Jasey and Valdes admitted they weren’t experts on the topic, with the former stating non-essential traffic in all forms should be cut down, while the latter said there are more pressing issues to be concerned about.
Things became a bit more lively when the candidates were asked about what they could do about traffic safety and providing green alternatives for commuters.
Menendez again highlighted his work securing federal funding for local infrastructure projects, as well as coming out against New York’s congestion pricing plan.
The incumbent also noted his role in ensuring Jersey City commuters impacted by the closure of this past fall weren’t left without an alternative.
“We should be increasing PATH and ferry funding. It’s certainly better than expanding the Turnpike,” Jasey said to applause.
Valdes called for more buses, trains, and ferries, noting that Hudson County is one of the most densely populated counties in the country.
“I would do everything that Congressman Menendez said, I don’t disagree with anything he said, but I’ll do more and this is exactly what I’ll do that’s in addition: We need to stop the New Jersey Transit Turnpike expansion. Full stop. And we need to advocate for that vigorously,” Bhalla exclaimed.
” … Wider lanes creates more cars, more cars creates more congestion, and more congestion creates more ill health effects in environmental justice communities in Bayonne and Jersey City. Stop the New Jersey Turnpike expansion, reinvest that money into mass transit.”
He also asserted such a move would not have necessitated the recent 15 percent fare hike approved by the NJ Transit board.
Menendez, who has previously called for a compromise on the plan, was happy to engage with his opponent on this topic.
“Of course the turnpike project, we agree that we don’t want in our communities,” he began, noting that the two-part question began with asking about federal funding.
“I talked about federal funding for mass transit, how we’re bringing resources back … Yes, we’ve engaged the Turnpike Authority and said ‘yes, there are problems here you need to engage with the community with. We also wrote an Op-Ed two years ago about if you’re gonna go forward with this project, one lane has to be dedicated to the RT mass transit system.”
Jasey and Valdes both succinctly said they were against the project, taking less than 10 seconds each to answer the question before Bhalla pressed forward.
“What we heard from the incumbent was a non-answer with respect to the expansion of the lanes,” Bhalla stated before the congressman decided to counterpunch.
“This project was proposed years ago. You were the mayor of Hoboken, so you had the opportunity to engage on this issue and you didn’t … I don’t like the widening that’s proposed in Hoboken and Jersey City, that’s a fact, but there’s also challenges that Bayonne and Newark have and they’re part of the district we’re all running for so we need to listen to those stakeholders as well.”
On the issue of gun control, all three Democrats called for stricter gun laws, with Menendez noted he has signed on as a co-sponsor for all relevant legislation.
Valdes unabashedly said he is pro-Second Amendment, stating that a criminal “can always get one,” as well as that violent crime in open carry states like Florida and Texas is not as prevalent as states like New Jersey.
Bhalla also mentioned that Hoboken is hoping to launch a gun buyback program in the wake of 21-year-old Damon Murray’s tragic fatal shooting last month.
A question that drew some notable responses asked how they would halt corruption, cronyism, double/triple dipping, and other other practices that abuse the public trust.
“It’s pretty much impossible to get rid of corruption … As far as getting rid of corruption and fraud and things of that nature, I think it would be very difficult, especially in New Jersey,” Valdes said.
As he noted last month, Bhalla said he would support the GUARD Act. He explained it “prohibits anybody who’s been accused of certain crimes, espionage, trading foreign secrets, from having access to classified information, such as for example Donald Trump or our U.S. Senator (Bob Menendez).”
Senator Menendez is currently on trial for a litany of corruption charges including accepting gold bars and cash as bribes and acting as foreign agent to Egypt.
Nonetheless, Congressman Menendez noted he would work to expand voting access, preserving the integrity of our elections, and touted an A grade from Citizens United on his voting record.
“With respect to pay-to-play, that is definitely a challenge here in New Jersey, something that often happens at the local level. I know the last week or two, especially in Hoboken, that’s been made evident,” he said, referencing the recent lawsuit filed by former Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini making allegations of quid pro quo.
Bhalla and Menendez both committed to protecting the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) in New Jersey, with the challenger also committing to do the same with its federal counterpart, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
“Sp I also have not accepted any money from any PACs or developers, but in fairness to the congressman, none have offered,” Jasey joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.
He called for public financing for elections so that candidates can spend time engaging with the public like they were last night, rather than attacking each other via TV commercials and mailers.
Elsewhere, Bhalla and Jasey reiterated their positions on Medicare for All (Menendez didn’t commit to the current version of the bill, while Valdes said he couldn’t since it would cost $4 trillion a year), while everyone was in agreement to codify Roe vs. Wade.
“I am pro-choice .. I don’t believe in Medicare for All. We need to scale back on regulations,” Valdes said.
On the question of whether or not they would support funding for Israel (and whether or not it be with contingencies), Menendez noted he supported the recent foreign aid package before the House
“We did vote for sending aid to Israel and Taiwan and granting humanitarian assistance as part of that package. No one wants to see what’s happening going on today happen one day more,” the incumbent said, also advocating for a two-state solution.
“We need to have a plan for how we build an endurable future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Both Jasey and Bhalla reiterated their positions for calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Jasey saying he would not support any more military funding for Israel under the current set of circ*mstances.
“At some point, we need to just stay out of it. They need to come up with their own resolution … We need a way to stop the killing,” Valdes declared.
The event was sponsored by the Riverview Neighborhood Association, Heights Community Coalition, Pershing Field Neighborhood Association, JC Heights Parents, the Sgt. Anthony Park Neighborhood Association, the Knitty Gritty JC Social Club, the Leonard Gordon Park Conservancy, Washington Park Association, Action 21, and the Western Neighborhood Slope Association.
