City budget: Taxes down half a percent; some unhappy
The Hoboken City Council introduced their amendment to the administration’s municipal budget last week and scheduled the public hearing for Wednesday, March 17.
If you cannot attend the meeting, watch it live at www.hudsonreporter.com, and comment along with your neighbors.
The budget is $98.9 million, according to outgoing Finance Director Nick Trasente, down from $124 million in 2009. However, that budget was bloated by roughly $24 million as an outgrowth of the budget debacle in 2008.
As of now, taxpayers can expect a miniscule decrease in taxes, around 0.5 percent.
Some items are still being ironed out, like whether the city will owe the state $4.2 million for pension payments.
City officials have said that they will challenge the fee, which was charged to the city following their mishandling of an early retirement incentive plan.
Councilman Michael Russo, a self-proclaimed budget hawk, voted with the majority to accept the amendment, although he said a 0.5 percent decrease is far short of the 25 percent promised by Mayor Dawn Zimmer on the campaign trail last year.
He also said that he will not support any budget addenda in the form of temporary emergency appropriations between now and the end of the fiscal year, June 30.
Councilwoman Beth Mason was the only council member who didn’t vote for the amendment, claiming the reduction “doesn’t come anywhere close” to the 25 percent decrease to which Zimmer committed.
$121K slip-and-fall at City Hall
A 61-year-old Hoboken resident won a $121,000 lawsuit against the city last week for a slip-and-fall incident that occurred in City Hall in 2007, according to attorney Ed Florio, an attorney for the city.
A jury found that the woman was 20 percent at fault, a therefore will only receive roughly $96,000. Florio said the woman was seeking closer to $300,000 for the incident.
The fall happened in a ground floor of City Hall, by the Parking Department, but Florio said there are no conditions that the city needs to address at this time.
He said the lighting was found to be sufficient, and that this was the first and only such incident that he is aware of in that area.
Talking chocolate with Chef Presilla
Culinary historian Maricel Presilla, the chef and co-owner of Zafra and Cucharamama, two pan-Latin restaurants in Hoboken, will discuss the second edition of her book “The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes” at the Hoboken Public Library on March 18 at 6 p.m.
Presilla is the president of a Gran Cacao Company, a company specializing in heirloom cacao beans trade; a food columnist for the Miami Herald; and her food articles have been published by Gourmet Magazine, Food and Wine, Foods Arts and other major food publications.
Last October, Presilla was invited by First Lady Michelle Obama to cook at the White House for 400 guests on the occasion of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Presilla will discuss the latest trends on chocolate and cacao research through images and will offer a tasting of some of the country’s best artisanal new chocolates as well as the collection of Latin American-inspired chocolate truffles that she now sells at her new Latin kitchen market Ultramarinos, also in Hoboken.
Latin American savory foods laced with chocolate and cacao and hot chocolate will be served. Copies of her latest chocolate book will be available for sale and signing.
Youth Arts Month
I n honor of Youth Art Month, the city will display artwork from the students of Urban Arts at Monroe through March until April 8.
An opening reception will be Friday, March 12, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the main floor of City Hall. Contributing artists will be present.
Urban Arts at Monroe, 720 Monroe Street, Suite E206, has been offering youth art classes since 2006.
For more information on Urban Arts, call (201) 222-5400.
Hudson School’s scholarship benefit
On Tuesday, March 16, the Hudson School is hosting their School Spring Auction with a spectacular array of goods and services to bid on; everything from $20 goodie baskets to spectacular art work by renowned local Hudson County artists Kathryn Parker, Nancy Cohen, Richard Pasquarelli, and Bob Piersanti.
All auction proceeds go to The Hudson School’s Scholarship Fund, which supports the school’s “needs blind” admission policy, based on academic accomplishments and motivation to learn, not on ability to pay tuition.
This year the auction will take place at Lua Restaurant, 1399 River Road, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with buffet dinner and complimentary wine, beer, and soda.
For those who cannot attend, bids can be placed through an online auction.
Tickets are $75 per person and may be purchased onlinewww.thehudsonschoolpa.org or by calling Jahna Balk 201-659-8335.
For a sneak preview of auction items, please visit http://thehudsonschoolpa.org/Auction.aspx.
For information about the admissions process, please contact Suellen Newman, founder and director, at (201) 659-8335 ext. 107.
Gulf War-inspired play
Hudson Productions will present the play “9 Parts of Desire” by Heather Raffo at The Hudson School, 601 Park Avenue, on Saturday, March 13 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 14 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10. For reservations, please call (201) 659-8335 ext. 317.
Raffo was inspired to write the play after a life-changing trip to Iraq shortly after the Gulf War. The play features faculty, alumni, and students of The Hudson School.