Jersey City Council Election Profile: Kevin Bing

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.

Kevin Bing is running for the Ward C council seat, which is currently held by Richard Boggiano. Bing will be running against the incumbent under the slogan "A New Day for Ward C."

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 Bing's profile:

Age (as of Election Day)

34

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

n/a

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

n/a

Education

George Washington University BA in Economics

Occupation

Small business owner, family manufacturing business that’s been in operation for 70 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

n/a

Campaign website

https://www.bingforjc.com/

Why are you seeking elective office?

For too long Jersey City has been told by our leadership that everything is being done to address important issues that impact all of our residents. Despite this, there is always something in the way from making real strides in affordable housing, traffic safety, and improving our quality of life. I am running to advocate for our community as an independent, progressive and responsive city councilperson.

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

Traffic safety: Our streets are not safe for anybody trying to get from point A to point B. Hudson County has seen fourteen dead in this year alone and many more seriously maimed, often with life-changing injuries. We need to follow through on our Vision Zero commitment to eliminate all traffic deaths and injuries by 2026 and build complete streets that promote walking, cycling, and mass transit use.

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

I am running to improve this community, not further a political machine or pad my resume. That is why I am not accepting campaign contributions from real estate developers and running as an independent progressive. Jersey City deserves leadership that is accountable and responsive to this community: that is what I bring to the table.

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

What Ward C faces is a lack of independent leadership. When a homeless shelter or affordable housing is proposed, there is always someone to shoot it down as we are told to “think of the landlords”. When a life is lost from fatal car crashes, widowers get told that “there is nothing that can be done”. When the council passed a resolution condemning Trump for the January 6 insurrection, my own councilman was the lone vote to abstain. These are not actions that represent our community’s values.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Affordable housing: The price of a single family home in my neighborhood has doubled in the last ten years. Exclusionary zoning throughout our region means housing production doesn’t keep up with demand. As the next councilperson I will work with my fellow legislators to pass a comprehensive policy towards affordable housing that includes a new IZO without loopholes, accountability for tenants in rent-controlled units, and preventing displacement of longtime Jersey City residents.

Open space and parks: For each resident of Journal Square and Hilltop there is only 0.3 square feet of park space available. That is an iPhone worth of park space for each resident. It’s time for the council to reinvest in our park space not only for downtown but Ward C as well. I want to put more funding towards maintaining and building new parks, expanding our tree canopy, and making our infrastructure resilient against climate change.

Accountability: Over the next four years, I want to know that Ward C residents have a councilperson who will return their phone calls and emails. Jersey City has a swath of money from state and federal assistance programs for rental assistance, hurricane relief, and business loans. Ward C residents need to have a council person that can advocate for them in seeking assistance and deliver on constituent services.

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

I am a guy who looks for answers to problems I see in the community. Noticing that people I know wanted to get involved civically, I became a founding trustee of the Journal Square Community Association. Faced with an unacceptable streak of car crashes, I worked with Bike JC and other activists to bring Vision Zero to Jersey City. When I saw my neighbors standing uncomfortably by the bus stop on Palisade, I helped install a bench in front of my adjacent house. As a small business owner in an essential business, I know how to balance a budget and lead through tough times.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“You can’t be somebody important until you do something important.” A lot of people get into politics to give speeches and see their name around town. They think that’s the job. Wear a nice suit, show up to a few council meetings, and vote how they're told. Not me. I’m here to do the important things facing the community. I want to make a difference for the people who vote for me. I want to make a block cleaner, make crossing the street safer, and help folks stay in their community. Only until I’ve done that work can I say I’ve done my job.

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

My family first immigrated to Jersey City and lived on Tuers Ave in the early 20th century. I see Jersey City as the Golden Door of America, and we can’t lose that spirit of being accepting and building an inclusive community. I think a city like Jersey City can be the model of a 21st century city - clean, environmentally friendly, beautiful, and welcoming to all people.
Whether with our local community association or Bike JC, these are the types and projects and issues I’ve been working on. I have tried for a long time to advocate and make change from outside government but it’s clear that given the obstacles put in place by our current leadership a change on city council is the only way to make the type of progress that is essential to this city. On the city council, I plan not only to lead but to empower and work side-by-side with a new generation of leaders that have been ignored for too long.

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