The Hoboken Reporter mayoral debate featuring six of the seven candidates uncovered at least one thing they all agree on: The next mayor’s favorite Frank Sinatra tune is “My Way.”
Acting Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Councilwoman Beth Mason, candidates Frank Raia, Kimberly Glatt, Nathan Brinkman, and Everton Wilson attended the debate on Wednesday, while the seventh candidate, Patricia Waiters, could not attend.
The candidates fielded questions about taxes, rent control regulations, and development, as well as some off-beat inquiries.
They came to agreement when asked for their favorite Sinatra song, but differences emerged when the issues were pressed.
To watch the entire debate to find out which candidate thinks Vietnam is a good model for rent control laws and which candidate is fed up with negative ad campaigns by locally-entrenched politicians, follow this link.
The election is on Tuesday, Nov. 3 and polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Taxes, taxes, taxes
While cleaning up much of the mess from an underfunded 2007, the city’s budget rose to $124 million in 2008. Last year, most city officials agreed that taxpayer pain would subside this year and the budget would sink back to about $90 million.
But early indicators, like temporary appropriations, are painting a different picture and some members of the City Council think $100 million is a more likely starting point.
Candidates were asked if they could pinpoint at least one item that could be reduced to begin alleviating taxes for residents.
Some interesting proposals came from Brinkman, who has been promising a Taxpayer Bill of Rights and a city law limiting the amount the budget could increase from year to year based solely on population increase and cost of living increase.
He also said New Brunswick, a similar city to Hoboken in population (although much bigger geographically), has a city budget of $72 million. Brinkman thinks Hoboken can bring its budget in line with New Brunswick through governmental transparency – like listing each municipal employee on the city website with their salary – and by reigning in director salaries.
Mason agreed about the salaries, saying that Hoboken should not be paying top officials in the same range as New York City.
She said “start at the top,” claiming cuts to directors’ salaries and better negotiated union contracts would improve the budget.
Union contracts are currently being negotiated by Fiscal Monitor Judy Tripodi and Zimmer, which means taxpayers are not likely to see a proposed budget for 2009 by the time the mayoral election rolls around.
Zimmer is trying not to drag the negotiations into the public forum, and she repeated her claim that they are at a “sensitive point.”
She also said the unexpected cost of securing and rebuilding collapsing piers along the waterfront is now unavoidable, even thought the situation has been going on for years and previous mayors have failed to act.
Since there isn’t a proposed budget, Glatt said she can’t talk about cuts. Mason agreed that the city should introduce a budget now, but disagreed with Glatt’s position that analyses have to wait for a document.
“There’s a lot we know already,” Mason said.
But Raia was the only one making promises. He said he would work as mayor for $1 per year and hold the budget at the same level for four years should he be elected.
Wilson, who’s seeking his doctorate at Stevens Institute, said he couldn’t afford to do the same.
Alternatives to 70-story towers?
The candidates discussed what they hope to see built in the areas pegged for large development in Hoboken, namely the NJ Transit rail yards in the south and the large swath controlled by the Rockefeller Group in the north.
Zimmer touted her recent discussion with state Senator Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), who is trying to pass a bill expanding NJ Transit’s powers to include development rights. She said he agreed to include a clause granting public input into the process and give Hoboken final say on the bill, although critics say that community input is not enough when giving up local government control.
Mason called Sarlo “one of the strongest legislators in the entire state” and cast doubt on whether Zimmer’s attempts to derail the bill amounted to anything.
“We need to put forth ideas,” she said, like her baseball stadium proposal for the uptown section.
Brinkman said the city should solicit proposals much like New York City did for the World Trade Center area.
Most of the candidates recommended allowing the public to choose what should be built there, although Zimmer pointed out that the public did propose ideas for the NJ Transit site but the planners never incorporated them.
Raia, himself a developer, agreed that 70-story towers are very much out of character and said that he has never built a building more than five stories high.
For answers on rent control, parking, and what the candidates want their legacy to be, visit www.hudsonreporter.com.
Timothy J. Carroll may be reached at tcarroll@hudsonreporter.com.