Congratulations on your new position. You now have the perfect opportunity to show everyone that petty corruption is no longer the norm. All it will take is the revocation of each and every “OFFICIAL CITY BUSINESS” parking pass. Turn it into a photo op as you personally shred some of them.
Some might criticize this as small potatoes. But it’s not. When seeking federal funding, wooing corporate citizens, or proposing new development, Hoboken sells itself as a pedestrian friendly city. For the most part, that’s true. And it’s only true because driving and parking is frustrating and inconvenient. If more people could drive while doing their errands around town, they would. But they can’t, so they don’t.
And that, really, is a good thing. It forces people to walk. People bump into each other on the street. They talk, they flirt, they fall in love, they argue, they become enemies, etc. It’s city life. It’s why suburban-reared professionals have paid a premium to move here over the past 25 years. Hoboken is different. It’s an alternative to most other places. That’s good.
But those with “Official City Business” permits live in an alternate universe. How many Hoboken residents who work in the Wiley building drive to work? Probably none, because they’ll need to pay hundreds of dollars a month to do so. They walk or take a bus or call a cab. City employees have the incentive to drive. Parking is free and it’s never illegal. They don’t need to walk to lunch. Why would they? They can double park on “Official City Business”.”
People on “Official City Business” think driving everywhere in Hoboken is normal. And people on “Official City Business” make the decisions around town. People on “Official City Business” limit the number of taxi medallions because they don’t have to let the phone ring for twenty minutes before getting an answer. People on “Official City Business” park in crosswalks and bus stops because crosswalks and bus stops serve no practical purpose for them. People on “Official City Business” see pedestrians as obstacles so they don’t enforce moving violations.
People on “Official City Business” are exempt from laws. That, in turn, degrades respect for the laws. As a result, regular pedestrians are threatened with violence and cursed at if they try to assert their very legal right of way. Pedestrians are supposed to know their place. Back off, shut up, or be killed. Laws be damned.
Let’s change that. Post signs at every road leading to Hoboken. “Maximum speed: 25 MPH. Cars yield to cyclists and pedestrians; cyclists yield to pedestrians. $100 fines. No exceptions.”
Enforce it mercilessly. Is there a reasonable argument against any of those rules?
The public is angry about corruption. Use that anger to end bad practices and make Hoboken a saner, safer, better place.
Pat Calligy