Dear Editor:
I hope you’ll allow me an opportunity to discuss the upcoming City Council race in the 3rd Ward. As this campaign begins, it is clear that my opponent will be pulling out the same old playbook of lies and innuendo that has been used against me in the past with no success.
Here are a few facts. My surname is Russo. I am the son of a former mayor who went to prison for corruption. His last year in office was 2001. This is old news, but that won’t stop my opponent from bringing it up every chance he gets. I’m used to it by now, and the residents of the 3rd Ward have heard it all before.
Here are a few more facts my opponent has either forgotten or simply chooses to ignore.
I am the councilman who initiated the investigation that removed several individuals who were receiving city health benefits incorrectly. Mayor Zimmer, then a councilwoman, did nothing on this issue.
I am the councilman who first asked questions about close to a million dollars in missing income at the Parking Utility. It was the mayor’s office at the time that called the discrepancy “a mistake.” It was my questions that ultimately uncovered the missing funds.
I am the councilman who raised the alarm when the administration was considering moving the municipal garage to Jackson Street. The only reason the municipal garage wasn’t moved to Jackson Street is because we joined with 3rd Ward residents to stop it. These residents will be surprised to learn that my opponent calls their efforts “a lie.”
I am the councilman who took the political heat and held out for a promise of a 3rd Ward park to be included as part of the recent $20 million bond issue.
I am the councilman who has forced this administration to spend tax dollars conservatively, forcing municipal budget cuts that trim fat from the budget and focus spending on needed services. I chair the council committee that will present amendments to the municipal budget that will result in real tax relief for Hoboken.
I’m confident that the voters of the 3rd Ward will see through the lies my opponent will tell during this campaign. It’s one thing to attend a few City Council meetings for a few minutes and call yourself a concerned citizen. It’s quite another to actually do the important work that affects the lives of Hoboken residents. I challenge my opponent to tell 3rd Ward residents what exactly he has ever done for them.
Councilman Michael Russo