Dear Editor:
Many voters in Hoboken are settling for the lesser of evils in this mayoral election because they feel an independent can’t win. This is groupthink and only true if you let it be true.
I’m offering a new approach to running our city. I’m offering to retool our government from the ground up. If you need to apply for a permit, you’ll be able to do it online. If you want to find out what business is pending, you’ll find it explained on the city’s web site. When you do business with the city, the person helping you will have your information on screen. You’ll be able to get email reminders. We’ll have an online map with current parking restrictions. We’ll get a reverse 911 system up and running to warn you when the water is brown or the power is browning out.
This is how you expand services without breaking the bank.
I’ve managed people and know that when you listen to them and involve them, it’s amazing what you get back. I believe that good people are underutilized when the environment is bad and that when you improve things you can start to awaken the true potential in everyone.
This is the way to get the most from city employees.
There’s a lot of fear in our government now. Fear of reprisals. Fear of powerful individuals. There are some people who got their jobs because of who they know, not what they know. I want to remove that. In a Vincent administration a strict merit system will be in place. A good performance is rewarded; a bad performance is dealt with. Department heads will have to prove their worth.
This is how you clean up city hall.
I want to wake up the talent in this town. I want to build bridges between the citizens who think no one is listening and the people in city hall who should be.
This is how you build communication.
We’re spending about $400,000 per year on gasoline. I want to trade the city’s vehicles in for electric cars. We’re spending money on outsourcing things we can do for ourselves. I want to bring these in house so we can control costs. We need to be the boss, not the client.
This is how you save money that’s now going out the door.
New development is destroying what we love about this town. Faceless buildings are crowding out the Hoboken we all love. We need to enforce the zoning laws we have instead of trading our city’s soul for give-backs.
This is how you save our city.
I’m told I’m crazy for thinking I can go up against the established power bases in town. But a crazy guy is hard to influence. A crazy guy will fight for the people no matter what.
So call me crazy, but I’m asking for your vote on May 12th.
Go to tomvincentformayor.org for all the ideas and plans.
Tom Vincent