Jersey City Council Candidate Profile: Amy DeGise

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City's municipal election is set for November 2 and the candidate field is full.

With election season in full swing, 24 candidates filed and made it onto November's ballot. There are nine open spots on the City Council and the race of Mayor.

Amy DeGise is running for one of the three council at-large seats.

Patch sent a candidate profile form to each person who met the filing deadline. We will be posting them individually through the election season. Each one is published in the candidate's own words, but may be shortened for space.

Here is DeGise's responses:

Age (as of Election Day)

35

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Father- Thomas DeGise, 70
Mother- Helene DeGise, deceased; Bonus Mom Caren DeGise, 66
Sister- Linda DeGise-Kotowski, 39
Fiancé- Jack Collins, JCFD, 46
Jersey Girl- American Bulldog Rescue, 12

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My father is the County Executive for Hudson County and was the previous JC Council President 1994-2002

I am also the Hudson County Democratic Chairwoman

My Aunt Lois Shaw is the first democratic woman to be elected to Jersey City's Council

Education

Holy Family Academy 2003
Montclair State University 2008 - BA in Social Studies with Teacher's Certification, Women's Studies Minor
American College of Education 2012- MA Educational Technology
NJEXCEL- MA Educational Leadership- expected completion Dec. 2021

Occupation

Educator-
Social Studies and Gender Studies Teacher with Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) 2008-2018
Apprenticeship/Work-Based Learning Coordinator- HCST 2019-present

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

HCAVTEA (Local Teacher's Union) Vice President 2013-2018
JC Board of Edu. Trustee 2017-2019
HCDO Chairwomen 2018-present

Campaign website

https://www.stevenfulop.com/meet-amy

Why are you seeking elective office?

I want to represent my hometown and but apart of the problem solving measures to keep it the place I love.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

workforce development, I hope to build pathways for our youth and adults to pre-apprenticeships and mentoring programs that are inclusive and encourage more small economic growth.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

They point out the problems Jersey City has faced for years as if they know solutions no one has ever tried. They have no platforms that lead to action or change. I am a problem solver and will take action that leads to measurable change.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

One current member has spent more time publicly arguing with city administration than making relationships and negotiating terms for good policy.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Youth centered programming and policy to build our future workforce and keep them as Jersey City residents.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As JC Board of Ed. trustee, I assisted with private-public partnerships to improve special education learning spaces and supported teacher/educator driven initiatives and professional development. As my local union's VP, I oversaw grievances and negotiations learning how to maintain strong relationships and become a strong diplomat without comprising our working conditions or rights. As Chair of the Hudson County Democrats, I have worked to build our power locally and in Trenton as well as maintained diplomatic relationships between individuals and groups that are at times at odds.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be direct, transparent, kind, and honest; people will respect you even when they disagree.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My intentions are pure. I want to do right by my hometown and teach others how to mentor their community to improve quality of life for all.