The next four years will define the future of Hoboken. During the 1980s and 1990s, Hoboken underwent a growth spurt that ushered in new residents and transformed the city’s dynamic makeup. From that transformation was born a divisive paradigm: Old Hoboken and New Hoboken.
Those who were here before the condo explosion and waterfront facelift have been defensive about what Hoboken was: blue-collar and diverse. Those who have come since then have adopted this city and tried to put their mark on the town.
Now the city is moving into a new era. None of the candidates for mayor were born here or grew up here, although some members of their council slates did.
Old and new must now work together to create Hoboken 2.0. Will large-scale developments – NJ Transit to the south and Rockefeller Group to the north – become massive bookends of the city? Will long-time residents suffer from a property tax revaluation? Will the city budget continue to grow?
Thanks to the past year’s large tax increase, many people are now paying more attention to Hoboken politics. On May 12 they will decide who should steer the ship through these stormy seas. However, runoff elections will be held on Tuesday, June 9 in any race where one candidate is not able to get more than 50 percent of the vote.
Mayoral profiles
Below are profiles of the three city council people who are currently running for mayor: Peter Cammarano, Beth Mason, and Dawn Zimmer.
Last week, we profiled the three independent mayoral candidates: Ryn Melberg, Frank Orsini, and Tom Vincent.
Each of today’s candidates has a slate of three council people (see second sidebar).
Each candidate was asked three questions, each with word limits.
The difference between the three
In their answers to our questions, the candidates mainly agreed that taxes are the biggest issue the city faces. But last year, they had differing opinions about how to deal with the city’s ballooning budget. Peter Cammarano voted to pass the budget, saying it would help the town avoid a state takeover. Mason and Zimmer were part of a 5-4 vote against the budget, saying they didn’t have faith in the numbers they got from city officials and that the plan was underfunded.
As a result of the budget failing, a state monitor was appointed to deal with Hoboken’s finances. The monitor forced a large tax increase to fill a long-standing budget hole.
Some believe the solution was too extreme, while others welcomed the state’s involvement. Cammarano says the city could have solved its own problems without forcing the state to come in with an immediate tax increase, and blames those who voted against the budget (including Mason and Zimmer).
While Cammarano has trumpeted this issue, Mason and Zimmer have become known for other issues. Mason rose to prominence filing several lawsuits to make city records accessible. Zimmer ran in a contentious council election two years ago, promising to take on the flooding in the 4th Ward.
Below are their answers to our questions about the issues.
Peter Cammarano
Personal: 31 years old; married with a daughter; Hoboken resident for seven years.
Professional: Attorney in private practice at Genova, Burns, & Vernoia in Newark specializing in election law and labor and employment law; former law clerk to a New Jersey Superior Court judge; former adjunct professor at Montclair State University; former speechwriter for State Sen. Garry Furnari.
Civic: Former member of the Hoboken Planning Board; sponsor of Healthy Tuesday program at the Jubilee Center; host of Novel Night dinners to benefit Hoboken Public Library.
Please tell us why you are more qualified than your opponents.
I campaigned on a promise four years ago to create open space in Hoboken and delivered on that promise, at Maxwell Place, 1600 Park, Pier C, the waterfront walkway, and the boathouse. None of my opponents has that record of achievement. I led the fight against the sale of the municipal garage to the lowest bidder; my opponents voted in favor of this one-shot revenue item to fund operating expenses. I voted to pass a budget last year and preserve self-government in Hoboken; my opponents voted down last year’s budget, triggering a state takeover of the city and a massive tax increase. As a labor and employment attorney, I have real experience negotiating contracts with unions that represent public employees. As an election lawyer, I have developed relationships with government officials at all levels across New Jersey. None of my opponents have professional backgrounds that prepare them for the mayor’s office.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing Hoboken right now, and how do you propose to solve it?
The most pressing issue facing Hoboken is its oversized municipal budget and unnecessarily large tax levy. I will cut the budget dramatically in a number of ways. The state takeover caused homeowners to pay millions of dollars into an uncollected tax reserve account; I will not continue to collect those millions of dollars, and I will return every penny in the uncollected tax reserve account to the taxpayers. The city spends far too much on legal services; I will reconstitute the Law Department and hire in-house staff attorneys at considerable savings, rather than continue spending millions of dollars on law firm contracts. Finally, I will set aside a percentage of new tax ratables every year in a dedicated fund whose only purpose will be tax relief. The government must stop considering every new dollar that’s collected as just another spending opportunity. These measures will reduce the tax burden for everyone.
What makes Hoboken great?
Hoboken’s greatness is found in its combination of urban amenities and neighborhood charm. It is a first-rate city, with its appeals and those of Manhattan readily accessible. But it’s also a tightly-knit community on a human scale, where you can walk anywhere, and where you’re sure to know your neighbors.
Beth Mason
Personal: 48 years old; married, two daughters; Hoboken resident for 25 years.
Professional: Management and organizational change consultant assisting more than 70 businesses, including many Fortune 500 companies such as MCI/World Com and TWA Airlines.
Civic: Founding member of People for Open Government (POG); former president and current board member of New Jersey Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG); co-sponsor of not-for-profit web site: WeThePeopleReports.com, providing records access and video recordings of city meetings; chairperson of the Hoboken Master Plan Sub-Committee; former board member and lifetime supporter of the Hoboken Historic Museum; former board member of the Quality of Life Coalition; contributing member of United Synagogue of Hoboken, the Jubilee Center, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Hoboken Rotary, and others.
Please tell us why you are more qualified than your opponents.
As a former senior executive, I bring a professional approach to my work with the city of Hoboken. I have demonstrated, through my work on the Master Plan Subcommittee and City Council, my ability to generate consensus and move an agenda forward for the benefit of the people.
I have also set precedent for transparency and open government that neither of my opponents comes close too. As a founding member of People for Open Government and President of NJ Foundation for Open Government, I supported and helped draft local and state-wide legislation setting standards for public access to government records. I’ve also used the powers of the courts to ensure access for all Hoboken residents and taxpayers.
My strength in these two areas makes me uniquely qualified to lead our city through the changes that are necessary to bring financial stability and economic prosperity back to the community.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing Hoboken right now, and how do you propose to solve it?
The most pressing issue facing our city at this time is, without a doubt, the city’s financial crisis and resulting tax hike. Getting the budgeting process on the right track is step one. I have already presented legislation, passed unanimously by the council, to initiate the 2010 budget and calling for public hearings as prescribed by state statute, but never adhered to in Hoboken.
We can no longer be short-sighted in our budgeting approach. The annual process must include a 1-5-10 year revenue and expense projection. Especially critical now, in this economic climate, with bonds coming due, is our financial exposure associated with the [Hoboken University Medical Center] hospital and the under-investment in an aging infrastructure under the current administration.
In addition to spending cuts and learning to live within our means, we as a community will establish a sustainable economic development plan that is in keeping with the Master Plan.
What makes Hoboken great?
Without a doubt, what makes Hoboken great is the diversity of our residents and the dynamic evolution of our community. We have come a long way, and together, as One Hoboken with One Goal, we will move this city forward making it an even better place to live and work.
Dawn Zimmer
Personal: 41 years old; married with two sons; seven years in Hoboken.
Professional: Crisis communications at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide; Internal and external communications at Sumitomo Corporation of America.
Civic: Southwest Park Coalition’s Steering Committee; council sponsor of disclosure resolution for PILOT agreements; sponsor of Open Space Trust Fund.
Please tell us why you are more qualified than your opponents.
I believe I am the candidate best able to set a new direction for Hoboken. I offer a sharp break from the failed policies and politics of the past 16 years – policies that have created the fiscal crisis and led to municipal taxes nearly doubling.
For example, I stood alone in opposing a blank check for the owners of Church Towers, voting against a 10-year extension of their PILOT tax abatement because it continued to provide [government subsidies to keep the rents artificially low] for people earning over $100,000 and provided no real safeguards for residents who need affordable housing. As mayor, I will work to ensure that affordable housing goes to those who need it, but only to those who need it.
Recently, I sponsored and gained adoption of a resolution that for the first time will require full disclosure of the true costs to taxpayers of PILOT agreements.
As mayor, I will deliver the change we need.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing Hoboken right now, and how do you propose to solve it?
The number one priority is getting the municipal spending, which is the cause of city taxes nearly doubling, under control. That means addressing the personnel costs that account for 80 percent of our operating budget. There is no painless way to accomplish this goal. I am the only mayoral candidate who has advocated for specific action such as furloughs and premium co-pays, and who has recognized that some layoffs, while painful, may be needed.
As mayor, I will employ a combination of strategies including wage freezes and reductions, demotions, health benefit co-pays, furloughs, and elimination of un-needed functions. To get spending under control and reduce taxes, I will use every tool in the toolbox.
As we negotiate new labor agreements, I will be tough, but fair. Taxpayers have already paid too much. It is time for everyone in city government to tighten their belts.
What makes Hoboken great?
Hoboken remains a diverse, unique and wonderful place with tremendous potential. Its close-knit neighborhoods and friendly people of many different walks of life give it the warmth of a small town in an exciting urban environment. Its greatest strength is its talented, committed, and caring residents.
Along with a new mayor, residents can vote for three council people on May 12. These candidates will represent the city at-large, rather than one of the six wards.
Last week we profiled the three council candidates who are running as independents. Below are the nine candidates who are running on tickets with a mayoral candidate.
Peter Cammarano’s ticket includes Angel Alicea, Mike Novak, and Frances Rhodes-Kearns. Alicea is a Union City detective and was a longstanding member of the Housing Authority board. Novak’s business, Atlantic Environmental Solutions, specializes in clean-up of contaminated sites. He was also recently appointed to the city Zoning Board. Rhodes-Kearns is a member of the Board of Education.
Beth Mason’s slate lineup includes Vinnie Addeo, Raul Morales II, and Anthony Pasquale. Addeo is a labor specialist with the AFL-CIO. Morales is a young lawyer whose father is a vice president at Applied housing. Pasquale is a former financial expert who also was once the volunteer chairman of the Hoboken Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
Dawn Zimmer’s slate includes Ravi Bhalla, Carol Marsh, and David Mello. Bhalla is a lawyer who previously did work for the city Rent Control Board. Marsh is former Goldman Sachs VP who lost to Mayor David Roberts in the 2005 election. Mello is a school teacher in the Bronx who recently received his law degree. – TJC