Dear Editor:
I am troubled by a statement involving me that was printed on this page. My recent appointment to the Rent Leveling and Stabilization Board in Hoboken was not made by the "City Council with Campos," as stated by Mr. Soares, the Council President. In Hoboken, the law rests the responsibility of appointing citizens to the various volunteer boards solely on the Mayor. The City Council receives formal communication of the appointments but takes no action. The letter was misleading in that it suggested that all the individuals recently appointed to various boards in the city, and especially the ones mentioned in the letter, support Mr. Campos’ candidacy for Fourth Ward Councilman.
I realize that the Mayor considers input from trusted people (that may include Councilpersons) before he makes a decision. Board positions are public service positions, not political ones. I am truly honored that Mayor Roberts asked me to serve, and I do not take his trust lightly. But I certainly do not believe this carried any "strings."
If Hoboken United really wants to bring honest and responsive government to Hoboken, it must not allow the use of misinformation for political gain to become routine practice. We know all too well what happened when we lived under a government where appointments were based solely on political loyalty. I do not see dissent in the Hoboken United ranks a sign of weakness, but as a sign of democracy in action. The contested Fourth Ward election is but the first test of our true unity and respect for each other’s ideas. Another challenge will be to maintain a wide focus on issues that affect the whole city when one-third of the Council will be composed of residents of one Ward. This coalition is a work in progress, unprecedented in our city, and I believe we will thrive.
It would be a real shame to repeat the mistakes of the past because we forgot who we were when we were not in power.
Ines Garcia Keim