Pauline Rappilly Ferniot and Ilya Arbit have both worked for Charlie at the bilingual community newspaper New Brunswick Today, but their latest assignment had them covering his campaign to lead the city government.
Here’s some of what these talented reporters had to say in the most comprehensive article yet about our historic campaign:
Kratovil proposed to create an effective & user-friendly public transportation system based on a plan he presented to the city earlier in the year. This plan would allow for connections between the people who aren’t able to afford a car and potential job opportunities. However, Kratovil also vowed that it would help with his other declared goal – “make the air we breathe cleaner by eliminating pollution from our mass transit system.”
Kratovil criticized the New Brunswick Parking Authority which he believes to be the primary obstruction to an effective public transportation system in the city. Kratovil called for the immediate dissolution of the existing authority and instead proposed to form a transportation division charged with creating a more robust and comprehensive transportation system, one that will focus more on alternative means of transit such as pedestrian traffic, bicycle traffic and other forms of transport in demand by the public.
“Jersey City, the second most-populated city in the state, saved almost a million per year by getting rid of their Parking authority,” said Kratovil.
Kratovil’s well-publicized investigative reports into the New Brunswick Water Utility led to prompt action being taken by the government. Kratovil stated that if elected, he was making a promise to residents that if there would ever be a problem with the drinking water in the future during his term, “everyone will be informed immediately, no more cover-up.”
Kratovil further went on to describe a proposal to create an anti-corruption task force to investigate each municipal institution. As watchdog editor of New Brunswick Today, Kratovil regularly investigated and reported on allegations of corruption in city government.
The New Brunswick Housing and Redevelopment Authority is another entity that Kratovil vowed to drastically reimagine. He pointed out that the authority does not act in accordance with fulfilling its original mission. If elected to the office of the mayor, Kratovil indicated that he would separate the housing authority from the redevelopment authority in order to allow the NBHA to refocus on the mission of providing affordable housing for the residents of the city without mixing its business with the interests of developers.
Kratovil also indicated that if elected as mayor, he would “advocate and abide by a two-term limit for all officials at the municipal level.” Kratovil said that he believes that many problems the city has had “would be solved by getting fresh faces and new blood in the system.”
Kratovil’s final point of his platform was a call to establish a system of civilian review of the New Brunswick Police Department, similar to the one currently in existence in New York City.
Residents and supporters gathered outside of City Hall appeared impressed with Kratovil’s announcement and platform.
Click here to read the full article, which includes great quotes from several supporters.
