Dear Editor:
I have had the honor and privilege of serving the residents of Hoboken for the past four years as a member of the City Council. I certainly have grown from this experience and I am grateful to Mayor Roberts for giving me the opportunity to run for office with him in 2005. While I like to believe I am a good person who has tried to do good deeds, I certainly acknowledge that I am not a very savvy politician.
In the past four years, I am most proud of my support for our local hospital, the resolution I sponsored to televise all Council meetings, my vote to create an open space fund which barely passed by a 5 – 4 vote and my decision to vote to adopt last year’s budget which, sadly, failed by a 5-4 vote. In my opinion, that moment in June of 2008, when the majority of the City Council chose to abdicate their responsibility to the taxpayer, that moment when it was more important to bury David Roberts politically then to do what was right for the taxpayers, was the moment the taxpayers paid a very hefty price for the aspirations of a few. As the fiscal monitor, Judy Tripodi, has stated in this paper and other press, 31.4 million dollars is included in the 2009 budget because the City Council failed to adopt its budget in June 2008.
With that said, I wish to especially thank members of our City government who were most helpful to me as chairperson of the Parking and Transportation Committee. Joe Bucino, Signal and Traffic, Annette Chapparo, Division of Taxi and Limousines, and John Corea, Director our Parking Utility, were always professional and very available to our committee.
As we near May, I wish all those who seek office in Hoboken God speed. While I choose not to seek reelection independently, I will always be available to offer my services to the residents of this great community in any way I can. While I definitely will miss the Council Chambers, I look forward to spending more quality time with my family and friends.
God bless our residents and city workers, especially those who risk their lives for our safety and God bless all those who will have the responsibility to govern and lead.
Sincerely,
Terry LaBruno
Council-woman-at-Large