Neil Barton: about me
I grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey and have always had an interest in radio and politics as well as activism. I am a self described “hard core moderate” politically. I have worked for 15 years in technology, and am a graduate of New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree. I have been married for 10 years and still reside in Bayonne, where I own my home.
Past Advocacy Projects
Bayonne Public Advocate (Open Governance Advocate)
In January of 2008 I established the Bayonne Public Advocate website, a community weblog designed to facilitate the voice of the people and address political issues in my hometown of Bayonne, NJ. The primary purpose of the website was to challenge local government on the issue of Open Governance. The motto of the website is “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge amongst the people” John Adams.
- April 2nd, 2008, I filed legal action against the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority and the Port Authority of NY & NJ for a violation of the Open Public Meetings Act. The case was preceded by a case the city had filed under great public pressure. Eventually, the Port Authority & BLRA capitulated.
- October 24th, 2008, I published a series of video interviews with all Bayonne Mayoral candidates along with a Political Round Table
- February 27th, 2009, NJ.com & the Jersey Journal report on the Bayonne Public Advocate
Scootering Advocate/Evangelist
As an avid Vespa rider since 2003 in the New York City area, I have been an activist in motorcycle rights and forwarding the cause of motorcycle-class scooters for urban travel. I currently still own and commute on a Vespa GTS 250cc every day.
- July 1st, 2005, BusinessWeek “blogspotting”, Story Link
- July 2005 I was invited to write for Piaggio’s Vespaway blog (the parent company of Vespa).
- In the Fall of 2005 I was a cofounder of the New York Scooter Club
- December 29, 2005, NY Newsday, Story Link
- November 26, 2005, the NYTimes writes “As Corporate Ad Money Flows Their Way, Bloggers Risk Their Rebel Reputation” Here is the Story Link (archived), Also of note, is the scan of the print article including a pic of me with my scooter in the story
- August 4th, 2005: BBC World Business story on my vespaway blogging, here is the video in mp4 & wmv formats
- December 5, 2005, US News & World Report, Story Link
- Sept 17, 2006 I wrote a NY Times Opinion Editorial as a motorcycle & scooter activist. Link here for online, and here for print
