Dear Editor:
After ripping Hoboken off for 50 years, fencing off the waterfront and using it as a parking lot, while violating its lease by letting the piers rot and fall into the river, the citizens of Hoboken voted twice to kick the scoundrels out. But instead of carrying out the will of the people, suing the PA and forcing them to repair the docks, our city government cut back room deals and gave them our best waterfront property. Somewhere in the process a number of historic buildings were torn down, voted for in a July 4th meeting and carried out during the summer when many people were on vacation.
Mayor Roberts, who was around for all of this, and ran for office in opposition to Russo’s big development deals, proceeded to dig up and install such vampires from the past as Steve Cappiello (remember the fires?) and Bob Drasheff. With such advisors, big development continues apace, with more giveaways in the form of PILOTS and variances — justified by Mr. Drasheff’s creative math.
In return, we are again promised lower taxes and better services, which of course, will never materialize. Our schools get cheated out of their share of the tax revenues which end up in the overstuffed pockets of the likes of Joe Barry, who throws a few crumbs around in form of political contributions and philanthropy. And now they want to compound the mistakes by doing more of the same on the northern waterfront.
In addition, they’re looking to build unneeded school buildings, probably on top of some former industrial dump so they can sell off the prime real estate adjacent to parks where the schools are currently located. What the schools really need are more teachers.
Where are the community pool, the perimeter parking and all the other facilities that improve the qualify of life? If Hoboken squandered its opportunities during the boom years, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any benefits now. Expect higher taxes, cuts in services, environmental degradation and a big drop in the value of your property.
Greg Ribot