Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Newark council for budget transparency, urge accountability on Delaney Hall and utility work
Summary
During the public-comment period, residents and local activists criticized the pace of the budget process, questioned costs tied to policing at Delaney Hall and FIFA events, urged the city to press PSEG on poor gas-line work and cleanup, and called for better governance and timely access to financial records.
Residents used the council’s 30-minute public-comment period to urge greater transparency and accountability from city leaders on several fronts: the budget process, policing at Delaney Hall, utility work by PSEG and access to financial records.
Donna Jackson, council-elect at large, was sharply critical of the speed of the budget introduction and said the council must restore meaningful public hearings. “It’s going to be difficult for me to be a team player if we gonna keep rushing stuff,” she told the council, and said hearings should be scheduled at times when working homeowners can attend.
Public commenters and several council members raised policing and cost concerns tied to protests at Delaney Hall. Action Jackson and others questioned who would pay for overtime when out-of-jurisdiction police are used, and Business Administrator Eric Pennington confirmed the city is currently covering overtime costs and has requested state reimbursement: “the city is” paying for police overtime, and the administration has asked the governor’s office for funds after noting the state police received $66 million for FIFA coverage and the city had received none so far.
Several council members and commenters pressed for better utility performance by PSEG (PSE&G). Council members described repeated problems with long work windows, dust, street closures and poor cleanup where PSE&G crews have done gas-line work; one councillor asked the administration to send a strongly worded letter and to require utility representatives to appear before the council.
Members of the public also requested fiscal transparency: Andre Santana asked for a 'data dump' of the city general ledger for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 and said he had not yet received it. Community organizers asked for support for neighborhood events that they said build cohesion.
Next steps: The administration said it will provide requested budget-related backup, meet with individual council members and pursue state reimbursement for overtime costs. Council members signaled intent to invite PSEG (and other utility contractors) to a future meeting to address ongoing construction and cleanup concerns.
