Steve Fulop in The Newark Star Ledger

On Drugs: Transition addicted inmates to outpatient drug treatment

By creating a community apart from the general incarcerated population, the addict adopts new healthy behaviors. Within the daily ritual of the therapeutic community, the addicts mimic new behaviors.

The addict moves from jail to structured, sober housing. Through Mayor Steve Fulop's foresight, at Martin's Place in Jersey City we offer intensive outpatient treatment for addicts and co-occurring treatment for addicted persons with mental health disabilities. If a person fails to abide by the requirements of the addictions treatment protocol, the client is subjected to judicial monitoring or sanctions.

On Gun Control: Reward "socially responsible" gun distributors

Last week, the city announced it plans to award a $500,000 contract to Lawmen Supply Company to provide weapons and ammunition to the police department after a bid process that involved the city quizzing potential vendors about their business practices. The city asked bidders how they would handle firearms returned by the city, whether they sell assault weapons to citizens and whether they agree not to sell certain models of firearms for civilian use.

[One gun rights spokesperson said Fulop is trying] "to advance his gun-control agenda by politicizing the purchase of law enforcement equipment."

On Jobs: Jersey City first to raise the minimum wage to $15

In October 2015, I was among the first elected leaders in New Jersey to advocate for an increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour. And last week, after months of careful planning, I signed an executive order making Jersey City the first city in New Jersey to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for municipal workers. Over 500 adult city employees--full- & part-time, seasonal & non-seasonal--will be impacted by this increase.

And, because we've managed our budget responsibly for the past 3 years with no tax increase, we were able to accomplish this without putting an extra burden on taxpayers. In fact, the minimum wage increase is already in 2016's tax-neutral budget.

On Tax Reform: No municipal tax increase for third year in a row

Assemblyman Ciattarelli linked Fulop's crowing about the city budget to the heavy subsidies Jersey City's public schools receive from state taxpayers. The school district in 2016-17 will receive $420 million in state aid for its $673 million annual budget; Jersey City schools have been under state control for the last 30 years. "The mayor's boasts, which only add insult to injury to taxpayers across the state, call attention to just how terribly flawed and blatantly unfair the current distribution of state school aid is," Ciattarelli said.

On Tax Reform: We make government work well with no municipal tax increase

Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, R-Somerville, linked Fulop's crowing about the city budget to the heavy subsidies Jersey City's public schools receive from state taxpayers. The school district in 2016-17 will receive $420 million in state aid for its $673 million annual budget, a fact that irks Republican and even some suburban Democratic lawmakers statewide.

Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) have both said they want to change the distribution of state aid to schools across New Jersey.

On Technology: Congestion pricing leads to "race to zero" for NYC vs. NJ

"We can do the same thing," Fulop said, adding that, rather than engaging in a "race to zero for both sides," he would rather see New York working with New Jersey on long-term transportation planning. Problem is, all of the revenues will be going toward New York, not to additional trains and infrastructure improvements in New Jersey.

This concerns Fulop. "There's a lot of different-type transit issues that are under-funded, not just the MTA," Fulop said, referring to the agency that oversees the subways.

Under the plan, drivers using the Lincoln Tunnel and Holland Tunnel would receive a credit based on what they pay in tolls. However, no break would be offered to motorists taking the George Washington Bridge.