The state Department of Community Affairs is refuting a package created by a watchdog group critical of Union City Mayor Brian Stack, which alleges that the mayor/state senator added a fraudulent $2.9 million from the Port Authority to the 2013 budget.
Hudson County TV received an email from DCA spokeswoman Lisa Ryan, who tried to diffuse the controversial matter.
“Union City has not yet adopted a budget; the DCA’s Division of Local Government Services has not yet approved adoption of the City’s budget; and in the City’s proposed budget, the anticipated grant could not be used for general budgetary relief,” she said. She also stated that a letter sent to various media outlets by Union City Concerned Citizens Group Attorney Eric Dixon has “several inaccuracies.”
When Dixon spoke to Hudson County TV on Thursday, he indicated that he had been in contact with the US Attorney General’s office over the matter, thought the New Jersey State Comptroller’s office hastily declined to investigate the matter back in November.
Speaking to various media outlets after Governor Chris Christie attended the grand opening of the Colin Powell Elementary School on Thursday, Stack said that it is common practice to include any possible funding in a preliminary budget. He also stated that the Port Authority funding would have no bearing on the city’s general municipal budget.
A copy of Union City’s roughly $104.8 million budget (obtained by HCTV in October), has the Port Authority Grant listed on page 10 with the following heading:
“3. Miscellaneous Revenues – Section F: Special Items of General Revenue Anticipated with Prior Written Consent of Director of Local Government Services – Public and Private Revenues Offset with Appropriations (continued).
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