Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to the political column entitled “County Jobs: a fringe benefit” printed in the March 23rd Hoboken Reporter. As an interested resident living in the 4th Ward, I have had the opportunity to meet and become acquainted with my councilman, Chris Camps. Contrary to common perception, as a 24-year-old Ivy-League graduate, I, like many of my peers, have a keen interest in the direction of my neighborhood and my community. I can say with conviction that Chris Campos shares this interest, and it is with this interest alone that he works for the betterment of our Hoboken community. Because of my belief in Mr. Campos, I have been disturbed by the unfounded insinuations in the Reporter concerning his new position in the County. The allusions of impropriety are nonsensical. Campos is an individual who is exceedingly devoted to public service and the community in which he lives. It is, therefore, quite reasonable that he would seek a position within the community that will enable him to improve the quality of life for its residents. His entire career has shown such a dedication, and his move to this position with the county is a mere extension of that desire.
Campos obtained this position on his own merit and I have no doubt that he will serve Hudson County in the same manner in which he has served the Hoboken community. Instead of a bone of contention, the residents of Hoboken should look upon this situation as an asset and an opportunity. We should be proud and encouraged by the fact that we now have a talented, devoted and energetic resident working for the betterment of our Hudson County region. As I read the criticism in the Reporter over the last few weeks, it seemed evident that the “story” was a forced attempt to defame his character, and turn an otherwise positive development into a controversial one. I can only assme that other readers were equally unmoved by such attempts as myself. I hope that others were able tosee the unscrupulous motivations behind the misplaced criticism. However, the above-referred column was the most disturbing of them all. Firstly, the fact that serves as the basis of the column is entirely false. I know with certainty that Campos does not own a new BMW (as the result of his supposedly lucrative position with the County), and I am disappointed that such an untruth would be printed in the Hoboken Reporter. It leads me to distrust the paper’s more legitimate reportage. Secondly, even if Campos were to own a BMW (which he does not), it has no place as a news item in this forum. The utter ridiculousness of this story further clairifies the manner in which the “issue” of Campos’ county job is being manufactured as propaganda for a political foe.
It leads me to believe that those who are against Campos have no legitimate topics on which to criticize him. I trust that the residents of Hoboken are astute enough to recognize that the attempts to create uproar over such absurdities are, in actuality, a testament to the fact that Campos has served this community remarkably well. Campos has been instrumental in many of the positive developments that have occurred in Hoboken over the last two years. Moreover, he has worked specifically to improve the quality of life in the 4th Ward, fighting to secure $1.2 million in state funding for a variety of projects in our neighborhood. The residents of the 4th Ward now enjoy increased safety because of Campos’ fight for increased police presence on our streets and in the housing authority. We will enjoy more open space and improved streetscapes because of Campos’ resiliance. It appears that Campos’ foes have such a low opinion of our residents as to believe that we would be swayed by their baseless attacks. In these final weeks before the election, I hope that the focus returns to where it should be — the legitimate issues concerning the quality of life in Hoboken — issues in which Campos’ record speaks for itself.
Kerry Sheldon