Jersey City Councilman Steve Lipski Will Not Seek Re-election

January 27th, 2009 | Leave a comment

Journal Square representative Steve Lipski decided not to run in the election this coming May. Lipski said he did not manage his life well — he’s a confessed alcoholic, and his recent booboo (publicly urinated in Washington DC in November 2008; he pleaded no contest on the charges) only worsened his reputation. It garnered national attention that even Jay Leno and David Letterman wrote jokes about it. Despite everything, Lipski’s supporters still showed their loyalty by backing him up.

The two-time councilman – who’s also the the director of a charter school called CREATE – mentioned that he wants to spend more time with his wife. That’s why he’s stepping back.

Read his full statement ….

Lipski says he won’t run for reelection

Jersey City Councilman Steve Lipski told the Jersey City Reporter officially on Tuesday that he is not running for his council seat in the upcoming municipal election in May.

Lipski said that he had told many of his constituents of his decision not to run at a neighborhood association meeting in the Journal Square area on Monday.

Lipski has represented the Journal Square area since 2001. He is also the president and founder of the CREATE Charter High School.

However, Lipski has been the center of controversy in recent months due to his arrest in November after he publicly urinated in a Washington D.C. nightclub.

Lipski issued the following statement:

“After much careful consideration and reflection, I shall not seek reelection. This is not an easy decision but one with which I am comfortable. I’ve served on the council for eight years, representing Ward C, the Journal Square section. It’s been a great honor and learning experience for which I shall be forever grateful. But it is time for me to take a step back. I need to step back because I did not manage my life well, and let alcohol at times become a fix for the stress I was experiencing. And my poor judgment resulted in numerous problems and indescribable embarrassment to the position I hold and my personal life. I am stepping back to deal with these issue. I am also stepping because I have a lot of responsibility at this time running the CREATE Charter High School, which I founded and direct. CREATE is looking to field a football team and open another middle/high school in the fall of 2009. Not since CREATE opened its doors in 2001, will these schools need as much of my attention, presence and direction, making it impossible to do both the council and school jobs successfully. The last reason I am stepping back is to spend quality time with my wife. I know that this might sound tri te or politically correct but for the last eight years, my wife and I have been running around a lot. So we would like to slow it down a bit to savor and enjoy the almost 18 years we have been together and 16 years we have been married. Again, thank you for allowing me to serve as a two-term councilman for Ward C and I look forward to continue to making Jersey City better.” – Ricardo Kaulessar

News Source: Hudson Reporter