Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop being eyed for big NYC biz job — and yes, he’d have to move across the river

The Democratic mayor of Jersey City is reportedly a leading candidate to take the helm of New York City’s most significant business organization, according to sources cited by The Post.

Mayor Steve Fulop of Jersey City—who has previously defended mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s contentious proposal for government-operated grocery stores and remarked, “I don’t live in NYC nor do I want to”—is currently in talks to potentially become the next CEO of the Partnership for The City of New York.

If he secures the position, relocating across the Hudson River would be necessary.

Fulop is being considered to succeed Kathryn Wylde, who has led the group representing New York City’s business leaders since 2000 and recently announced her retirement, according to sources involved in the discussions.

Wylde reported earnings exceeding $1.5 million in 2023, according to tax documents from the nonprofit organization.

Now 48 years old, Fulop ran for governor of New Jersey this year but finished third, garnering only 16% of the vote in the Democratic primary. His background includes a stint at Goldman Sachs during the September 11 terrorist attacks, followed by service in the Marine Corps before his entry into politics.

The three-term mayor has publicly supported Mamdani’s controversial grocery store initiative in a statement on X, addressing critiques that deemed it economically unfeasible.

Fulop articulated, “The USDA, whether under Republican or Democratic leadership, has a history of facilitating publicly supported grocery stores, including co-ops and nonprofit retail models. These initiatives continue providing financial, technical, and planning support to ensure healthy food access for underserved communities while lowering costs.”

He noted that Jersey City—the second-largest in New Jersey, with a population of 300,000—has also trialed initiatives like the “Healthy Corner Store” program, assisting local bodegas and grocers to provide healthier food choices.

“We genuinely attempted the program. While it didn’t yield the results I anticipated, I appreciate the effort. A key takeaway: incentivizing store owners to alter long-standing economic practices is challenging, even when the community benefit is evident,” Fulop shared.

While campaigning for governor, Fulop protested the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s congestion pricing for Jersey drivers entering Manhattan and proposed that New Jersey implement its own reverse fee for entering the state, which could help fund public transportation.

According to sources, Fulop’s extensive 12-year tenure as mayor of Jersey City provides him with valuable experience for promoting business in New York City. Jersey City has taken significant steps in issues such as housing development, job creation, and the maintenance of low crime rates and property taxes.

Fulop has also supported progressive workforce policies, such as paid family leave and raising New Jersey’s minimum wage.

The Partnership for NYC counts 300 of New York’s major corporate, banking, investment, real estate, and technology firms among its members, all dedicated to enhancing the city’s reputation as a global hub for economic opportunity, upward mobility, and innovation, according to its website.

Among the group’s members is John Catsimatidis’ Red Apple Group, which owns Gristedes grocery stores and has expressed opposition to city-operated grocery stores.

Fulop is a lifelong resident of New Jersey, born to Romanian Jewish immigrants. His mother comes from a lineage of Holocaust survivors.

He graduated from SUNY Binghamton University in 1999 and joined Goldman Sachs after studying at Oxford University in the UK.

During the events of September 11, Fulop was working in lower Manhattan and witnessed the first plane strike the Twin Towers. Shortly thereafter, he made the decision to pause his career at Goldman Sachs and enlist in the Marine Corps.

Fulop’s Reserve Unit was deployed to Iraq in January 2003, where he served with the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, concluding his service with the rank of corporal.