Taxpayers rally again, look for action

Two community taxpayer groups organized another rally outside City Hall last week.
About 200 residents gathered a half hour before the City Council meeting last Wednesday, carrying signs that ask for action to lower taxes.
A tarred-and-feathered effigy of Mayor David Roberts was carried around and several news outlets covered the event.
Select members of the taxpayer groups Hoboken Revolt and Lower Hoboken Taxes spoke over a megaphone to the crowd.
Just months earlier, the groups held a similar rally; this time they wanted to know why, in their opinion, nothing had been done.
A resident named Sue said her taxes have doubled in over the past three years. She held a sign that said: “Cut spending or we’ll cut you.”
“I’m here to find out who’s actually going to take charge,” she said. “Who’s going to cut where we need to cut and stop the hemorrhaging of funds.”
Organizer Dr. Jonathan Metsch said, “The most important message is that the City Council understand we’re not going away.”
Speaker Bob Duval said the voters are to blame because they “keep voting the same losers into office.”
Brian Wagner addressed the crowd to explain that he was recently force to spend his small business nest egg on tax payments.
“Now I’m broke,” he said. Wagner then incited the crowd to have a “Hoboken Tea Party.”
“Let’s go down to Pier A and let’s tear up our tax bills,” he said to wild applause.
“Have we had enough?” asked emcee Richard Pasquarelli, to a resounding , “Yes.”
“What do we want?,” he asked. “Lower taxes”
“When do we want it?”
“Now”
“Alright, now go inside, stay involved, get out and vote, and let’s force change,” Pasquerelli said.