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You're Fired! The UEZ Could Make a Comeback
You're Fired! The UEZ Could Make a Comeback
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
By William E. Cleary Sr.
CNBNews.net
YOU’RE FIRED!—Gloucester City Solicitor John Kearney was notified last Friday that his
services were no longer needed. His contract was up for renewal on January 1, 2015. Kearney has served in that capacity for the last eight years. He is also the solicitor for the borough of Somerdale, and was the former solicitor for Haddon Heights, Lindenwold and Pine Hill.
Wondering why his contract wasn’t renewed we asked Kearney, via an email, whether he and the mayor had an argument?
“While the Mayor and I have had our share of disagreements I do not think any of those led to Council’s decision. Most of the time I spent in the City was enjoyable and challenging. The people are certainly unique and mostly big hearted. I am disappointed that I will not be able to complete some of the projects that I have worked on for many years, which I think will provide the City with a sound fiscal foundation for years to come.”
Our sources tell us that Kearney’s replacement will be Howard Long, of the Gloucester Township firm of Wade, Long and Wood. We asked Gloucester City Administrator Jack Lipsett for confirmation of that hearsay, but as of today we still are waiting for his response.
According to an OPRA document we obtained in 2012 and 2013, Long served as the solicitor for Cape May County MUA, Gloucester Township MUA, Pine Hill MUA, and Winslow Township Board of Education. For that same time period he was prosecutor for the boroughs of Brooklawn, Lindenwold, and Magnolia. Also during that time he was employed by the Camden County JIF, Gloucester Township Fire District 6, and Washington Township (Gloucester County) Special Counsel. His firm also represented a number of other communities in the South Jersey area. According to the same OPRA document the firm made a total of $1,051,769 in fees from those communities in 2012 and in the following year the firm received a total of $1,241,466 for their services.
Reporter’s Note: During his eight years as the City solicitor there were times when Kearney was the only one in the James administration that would respond to our questions. Thank you John for the respect you showed us over the years.
THE UEZ COULD MAKE A COMEBACK—Lawmakers in both the state Senate and Assembly passed legislation (A-3952) last week that would reinvigorate the Urban Enterprise Zone program, which assists in raising tax revenue in 37 economically challenged areas in New Jersey.
The city of Gloucester is one of those 37. Bob Booth, the owner of Gloucester Travel is named as the UEZ Coordinator/Treasurer GCEDC (Gloucester City, Economic Development Corp.). For more information go here
In the designated Urban Enterprise Zones (UEZ), according to the legislation, 30 percent of tax revenue collected by businesses will be deposited into that municipality's Enterprise Zone Assistance Funds and used by the municipality for different projects or programs.
This amounts to one penny on each dollar spent in designated businesses staying within the municipality. The remaining 70 percent will continue to go toward the state's general fund, according to the legislation.
The UEZ was created by the state Department of Community Affairs in 1983.Gov. Chris Christie diverted UEZ funds into the state budget four years ago and the program remained stalled until now.
The bill is sitting on the Governor’s desk waiting for his signature.
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Bill, Connie and Family