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<\/p>\nNEWARK, NJ – Mayor Ras Baraka\u2019s second\u00a0inaugural address took on both local and national issues after he was sworn in for a second term with Gov. Phil Murphy at his side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a local strategy that has a global view,\u201d Baraka said after he denounced federal policies, including the separation of undocumented families at the border and the possibility of an incoming conservative Supreme Court justice.<\/p>\n
The mayor afterward said he doesn\u2019t have his sights set on a higher office beyond the city right now and that his \u201cfocus is completely and totally on Newark.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens nationally affects us locally,\u201d he said, adding that issues such as voting rights of city residents could be impacted by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n
Baraka called on county and state leaders to help with school funding, road repaving, health care and affordable housing for city residents. The mayor\u2019s relationship with state leadership was marked by the governor\u2019s surprise appearance during the inauguration at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.<\/p>\n
The two stood together\u00a0much like they did at a city hall press conference earlier this week, where\u00a0Baraka announced support for Murphy\u2019s state budget proposal.<\/p>\n
At today\u2019s ceremony, Murphy praised the mayor as well as a last-minute budget deal with state lawmakers that avoided another government shutdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to thank him profusely for his support,\u201d Murphy said of Baraka. \u201cOur budget is for the entire State of New Jersey, but there’s no mistaking the importance of Newark throughout it.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Baraka had a landslide victory in May’s municipal elections against former Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins. Elections for the West, Central and East wards were\u00a0decided in a June runoff.<\/p>\n
All three victorious candidates in the runoffs had the backing of Baraka. Central Ward Councilwoman LaMonica McIver, a newcomer, said her ward is “expanding rapidly, and we must benefit and take part in that expansion.”<\/p>\n
“With all praises to God, I stand before you today, even in a time when women like me are not supposed to run for office,” McIver said. “I was not born to a wealthy or powerful family. I was born in a place where you have to determine quickly each and every day what your destiny will be.”<\/p>\n
At-large council members Mildred Crump and Luis Quintana were selected as council president and vice president respectively during a reorganization meeting immediately following the inauguration ceremony.<\/p>\n
By Rebecca Panico<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEWARK, NJ – Mayor Ras Baraka\u2019s second\u00a0inaugural address took on both local and national issues after he was sworn in for a second term with Gov. Phil Murphy at his side. \u201cWe need a local strategy that has a global view,\u201d Baraka said after he denounced federal policies, including the separation of undocumented families at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":909,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2,21],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n