Dear Editor:
As a student at Stevens Institute of Technology I have become an adopted citizen of Hoboken. Not only does Stevens offer a world class education, it also offers one of the best cities in the country to live. However, the affordability of Stevens’s residents has been put in jeopardy by the recent 47% tax increase caused by the City Council’s failure to pass a budget. This tax increase does not just affect homeowners; it also has a trickledown effect on renters throughout the city. This means rent increases for the large majority of Stevens students living in Hoboken. As any former college student may know, a higher education is an expensive proposition, and an increase of rent is the last thing the Stevens Student Body needs.
Peter Cammarano is the only candidate running for Mayor who opposed the State takeover and worked to pass a budget last year. Cammarano predicted that the failure to pass a budget would result in a massive tax hike, and he was right. The Cammarano Team-Michael Novak, Frances Rhodes-Kearns, and Angel Alicea-will bring the fresh perspectives needed to bring real reform to Hoboken city government. More importantly, they will work to lower city taxes, which mean lower rent for Stevens’ students.
Cammarano’s main opponents for City Hall, Councilmember’s Beth Mason and Dawn Zimmer, both opposed passing a budget, and are directly responsible for the increased taxes, and the eventual increased rents we will be forced to pay for apartments and fraternity living space. Cammarano has been a vocal supporter of the conclusion of the Babbio project, and is supportive of smart development to improve the Stevens campus. With Mason or Zimmer in City Hall, the improvement and development of the Steven’s campus will be stunted. This would be bad for Hoboken, and bad for Stevens.
Stevens’ students are an important part of the Hoboken economy, supporting local businesses and restaurants through various programs and investments. If students are dissuaded from coming to Stevens because of the high cost-of-living expenses, the Hoboken economy will be hurt. Higher taxes are bad for Hoboken, and for Stevens, and Peter Cammarano has been working to keep taxes low throughout his whole tenure on the City Council and will continue to do so as Mayor.
Stevens’s students are an integral part of the Hoboken economy and community, and The Cammarano Team will be a strong partner in promoting the Stevens Institute and keeping costs of living affordable for its students.
Keith Rosso
Stevens Institute of Technology Junior