HOBOKEN – A $25 per child, per sport, recreation fee for Hoboken kids was repealed last night by the City Council by a 5-3 vote. The legislation was sponsored by Councilman Tim Occhipinti.
The fee was debated between members of the public and council, but the tax, imposed by the Zimmer administration earlier this year, was repealed by the new anti-Zimmer council majority. The ordinance passed on first reading on Dec. 1, and became effective for 2011 after the reading passed for a second time.
Supporters of the fee said municipalities all across the state impose a recreation fee, and asked the new council majority to be the “budget hawks” that they said they wanted to be.
Those who opposed the fee said it should be repealed because the fee hurts the children in the city. “I’ve gotten tons of phone calls from parents,” said Councilman Michael Russo. “It’s in my humble opinion that we should repeal it.”
Councilman Ravi Bhalla believes those who support the repeal are hiding behind the children. He said the fact that the issue is about the children is “simply an illusion.”
“This is a usage fee, like when you go on a road, you pay a toll,” Bhalla said.
Children were able to apply for exemptions from the fee based on their family’s economic situation, but Councilwoman Theresa Castellano said that system singles those children out, and said the application of the fee could be “extremely hurtful and divisive.”
Director of Health and Human Services Leo Pellegrini spoke out in favor of the fee, and provided statistics which showed the city did not experience a drop in participation once the fee was imposed.
For the full story see the weekend’s Hoboken Reporter. – Ray Smith