Joseph Doria

Estimated Cost: $28 Billion Over 10 Years With No Funding Plan

Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-District 16) is calling on Governor Jon Corzine and Joseph Doria, Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, to clarify how towns will finance over 100, 000 newly required affordable housing units. The non-partisan Office of Legislative Services has estimated the cost to be $28 billion.

Sources say that U.S. Rep. Albio Sires will endorse Mark Smith for Mayor of Bayonne next week. Sires' support of Smith isn't a surprise: the Hudson County Democratic Organization is supporting Smith in the November non-partisan special election to replace Joseph Doria, and Sires is closely allied with the HCDO.  And Sires staffer Erica Daugherty has been working hard to help Smith win the mayoralty.

Judge Patrick Conaghan with Bayonne voters Terrance and Laura McLaughlin: Politicker photo 

BAYONNE - In a tie decorated with the faces of American politicians, mayoral candidate Pat Conaghan, lawyer, retired municipal judge, walks up the street in Bayonne’s third ward.

With him walks Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone, campaign manager Denis F. Wilbeck and other allies lugging yellow campaign signs, intent on electing Conaghan in a Nov. 4th special election.

Conaghan’s going against Deputy Police Chief Mark Smith.

"He seems like an energetic guy," Conaghan says of his opponent, "but he’s a cop. I’ve been on the Board of Directors of two banks, and spent 40 years as a practicing attorney. The most significant thing the next mayor is going to have to do is to wrestle with serious financial issues."

The Conaghan forces contend that former Mayor Joseph Doria blew it on the redevelopment of Bayonne’s Military Ocean Terminal. It should have been a job creator, not a mixed use plan with an emphasis on residential development.

Now Doria’s gone, the town faces a $22 million deficit, and there’s little way to muster property taxes.

"We need some good industry to bring in jobs," says John Budnick, who peddles his bicycle among the Conaghan forces.

From left: Leo Smith, operative Michael Embrich, and mayoral candidate Mark Smith: Politicker photo 

BAYONNE - The rain crashes onto the street and Mark Smith, deputy chief and candidate for mayor, welcomes the downpour with open arms.

"I love it," he says, on the tail end of his door-pounding tour of the First Ward.

In this neighborhood just north of the Kill Van Kull, Smith and his team have walked several square blocks once populated by some of Bayonne’s political legends, including former Mayor Dennis Collins and former U.S. Rep. Cornelius Gallagher.

A 27-year veteran of the Bayonne Police Department and family man, Smith now wants to be the man in his Nov. 4 special mayoral election showdown with former municipal judge Pat Conaghan.

Acting Police Director Mark Smith makes his announcement today in Bayonne County Park 

BAYONNE - Good feeling in Bayonne County Park for a vibrant native son who wants to be mayor, belied the fact that they’re gearing up for political war here in this fiscally troubled city.

A hero cop who followed his father into police work and served 25 years on the force, acting Police Director Mark Smith announced his candidacy today, surrounded by family and Hudson County Democratic Organization diehards.

Bayonne mayoral candidate Patrick Conaghan, flanked by councilmen Gary La Pelusa, left, and Anthony Chiappone. 

BAYONNE - Now that retired municipal judge Patrick Conaghan has lunged out of the gate as the first candidate to officially run for mayor in November’s special election, he means to keep an aggressive public schedule.

Both on the trail, and if elected.

"It’s a full-time job," said the 70-year old, lifelong Bayonne resident, referring to the office of mayor. "That was the problem with Mayor Joe Doria. He was in Trenton two days a week, and the inmates were running the asylum."

Having briefly appeased some conservatives, including Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen), with his budget address last month, Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration now faces an uprising from the green wing of the state’s progressives, including the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Sandra Bolden Cunningham took her seat in the State Senate todaySandra Bolden Cunningham was sworn in today to serve in the state Senate seat that her husband held until his death in 2004.

"I thank God for giving me the opportunity to fill Glenn's seat,” said Cunningham.

The seat was vacated by Joe Doria, also the former Mayor of Bayonne, who left both offices are being tapped by Gov. Corzine to head the Department of Community Affairs.

Sandra Bolden Cunningham won a Special Election Convention tonight to replace Joseph Doria in State Senate.  Doria resigned to become Acting Commissioner of Community Affairs.

Cunningham will fill the remaining three months of Doria's term.

Joseph Doria becomes the first former Assembly Speaker to serve in the Governor's cabinet since Joseph LeFante, also a resident of Bayonne, became Brendan Byrne's Commissioner of Community Affairs in 1978.  LeFante became Speaker in 1976 and helped Byrne shepherd the state income tax through the Assembly.