Check Out The Candidate Profile For James Solomon For Jersey City's November Election

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.

James Solomon is running for re-election on the Ward E council seat. Solomon is running under the slogan "Still Not For Sale."

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 Solomon's profile:

Age (as of Election Day)

37

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Wife: Gabriela Ramos-Solomon, 37
Daughter: Camila Solomon, 3
Daughter: Corinne Solomon, 1

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My spouse Gaby serves as the Chief of Staff to the New York City Public Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter.

Education

Pomona College ‘06 (BA), Harvard Kennedy School ‘12 (MPP)

Occupation

Current City Council Member. (4 Years)
Educator at Hudson County Community College, NJCU, St. Peter's University. (7 Years)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently: Jersey City Council Ward E

Campaign website

solomonforjc.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I ran for office to give back to the community that lifted me up during my toughest moments in life. Right after Gaby and I were married, I was diagnosed with lymphoma. It felt like life stopped. During my treatment, so many of my JC neighbors stepped up to support me and my family through that ordeal. I am alive today because of incredible medical care and because of this community. It is an honor to give back through public service to those who helped me.

During my treatment, I began to follow local politics closely, and I started asking questions. We all saw skyscraper after skyscraper go up, but to whose benefit? Why were developers receiving tax breaks for condos that sold for $1M? Why wasn’t housing built that longtime residents could actually afford? Where were the schools and parks our children could actually attend? And why was there a funny coincidence: that every developer with a newly approved project had a history of campaign donations directly to Jersey City politicians and their Super PACs?

So I ran on a promise to practice a new type of politics: No campaign donations from Jersey City developers - not because development is inherently bad; but because we need projects that serve communities, not campaign accounts. I am proud that in my four years in office, I’ve stayed true to that promise, ending tax breaks for real estate developers and getting core infrastructure to keep our community livable: an elementary school, a homeless shelter, and a new light rail station.

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

Correcting the decades of poor planning that strains our infrastructure, to ensure Downtown remains livable and equitable. Over the last two decades, we have seen a dizzying amount of development in Downtown Jersey City. Yet prior city planners never appropriately planned for schools and parks, as flooding got worse, streets became less safe, and PATH trains were more packed. All the while, housing prices soared.

I am fighting to correct those mistakes. In my first term, I pushed forward the first new elementary school downtown in decades, the first new homeless shelter downtown in decades and a new light rail station north of the Holland Tunnel. We still have much more work to do. We need to build more homes long-term residents can afford so the people who live here now can raise their kids and grow old here. Our city’s sewer and stormwater management system must be transformed into a resilient system of green infrastructure to mitigate flooding and the effects of climate change. The waterfront needs a great new park to provide recreation space. Our kids deserve another new elementary school to ease the overcrowding in our classrooms.

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

I am the only candidate running for the Ward E City Council seat who is independent from real estate developers and the political machine. In 2017, I made a pledge not to take donations from Jersey City developers, not because development is inherently bad; but because downtown residents need to trust that their councilperson will support projects that serve this community’s interest, not their own campaign accounts.

I kept that pledge. In the four years before Ward E voters put me in office, the City Council granted 39 tax breaks to developers, with 14 in downtown. During my four years on the Council, we approved zero. The only three projects that moved forward under my watch, each delivered a core piece of infrastructure without a tax incentive. I don’t just talk about responsible development, I’ve delivered it.

Four years ago, my opponent also ran saying he was proud not to take donations from JC developers. But he’s dropped that promise in this election now that the developers are backing his campaign. And that is the fundamental question of this election: Who can you trust? Who can you trust to serve you, first and foremost? I would urge voters to ask my opponent: Has he been true to his promises or does he rewrite those promises each election cycle to please a new set of donors?

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

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Downtown for Families - We need to build a city that encourages parents to stay and raise their children in downtown.

Racial Justice - As public servants in America’s most diverse city, Jersey City’s Councilmembers hold a special responsibility to build an inclusive, equitable city. I am proud to fight to fund our communities.

Safe Streets - Our goal is “Vision Zero” - the elimination of traffic-related fatalities in Jersey City. To accomplish that, we must transform our streets to improve access for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.

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

Two things:

(1) In 2019, when developers were buying up building after building to turn into AirBnb’s, I partnered with the Mayor and Councilwoman Prinz-Arey to pass regulations to rein in their behavior...and then to beat back AirBnB’s $5 million campaign to remove these better regulations. We made downtown more livable and affordable by winning that fight

(2) If you call my team or my office for help, you will be given our full attention, no matter who you are or how well connected you are. We deliver results for people on small and big issues. That isn’t always the case in Jersey City; I’m proud that it is in Ward E.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Rep. John Lewis spoke to my classmates and me and shared this advice: “Some people love the world, but they don't love people. You have to respect the dignity and worth of every human being. Love everybody.” While it might seem obvious, it is the best advice to give to anyone in public service. Public service puts me in front of every type of human being imaginable. I serve them best by loving each one - refraining from judgment, being open to their quirks and ideology, and seeing in each case how I can best use my role as a council member to resolve their concerns and make material improvements in their lives.

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

I will always fight for you because my campaign is powered by you. I have nearly 1000 grassroots donors from Jersey City with a median donation of $50. And, I don’t take donations from Jersey City developers.