New Jersey City Mayor Went Out With Crash

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 286, 1 August 1957, Page 5

New Jersey City Mayor Went Out With Crash

For hours a swelling, yelling crowd bellowed outside the City Hall in New Jersey. Speakers roared, rumours of an astonishing political upset flew from lip to lip, and finally came word that the rumours were fact. Then, a few hours before midnight, about 3000 people stormed up the steps of the City Hall, pushing through the corridors to batter at the door of the Mayor's ofRce. There, the old regime, fearful of what was coming, had piled the offiee furniture against the doors and escaped — just- in time.

When the rebels got in they gleefully took over the Mayor's chair and proclaimed themselves in power. But all this was not another French Revolution. It was merely a change of municipal administration in Jersey City, New Jersey. Jersey City, or part of it, was celebrating the downfall of Democratic boss John V. Kenny.

Eight years ago Kenny was hailed as a liberator for ending the 33-year regime of Democratic boss Frank ("I am the law in Jersey City") Hague. But soon Kenny, like Hague, was under fire for padding payrolls, demanding political contributions from city employees, and nepotism. At one time, Kenny's opponent.s accused him of having more than 100 of his relatives on the city payroll. The Kenny regime was unseated by a Democratic faction led by State Senator James Murray jr., a 38-year-old lawyer, who is one of the State's m©st promising figures.

Murray is a witty and skilful orator, descendant of a family that has been battling Jersey City bossism for generations. His ticket won at least four out of the five city-commission seats (pending a recount), more than enough to name the new Mayor. The city's taxpayers, who once paid the highest property tax rate in the U.S. and still stagger under an 86.68 dollars per 1000 dollar assessment, hoped that Murray might bring real reform.