DeMSTAfying rent control/vacancy decontrol in Hoboken

Dear Editor:
“Landlords and owners are better readers than tenants” Did he, Charles X. Gormally a twinkle in his eye, a smile perhaps a smirk, really say that? I felt a stab to the heart, sadness in my soul, a disappointment that this is what the MSTA hirelings think of the ordinary Hobokenite. How many of these highly paid, highly educated, intelligent lawyers did it take to draft the initiative? I signed the petition that put this question on the November 6th ballot. I didn’t agree with everything but it seemed reasonable to me that, as it was open for “discussion”, solutions could be found that would be fair to tenants and small homeowners/landlords alike. I’m not sure that it was an unintended oversight that no one mentioned that the City Council was under a gag order not to discuss the issue because of pending litigation. It was later pointed out by Councilman Russo that Ron Simoncini, smiling maybe smirking, had been disingenuous as he urged the Council to discuss the issue. We used to have smurfs now we have smirks. These are not benign little blue cartoon characters, they are big, bad men who are being paid to destroy this little community that I love.
The language is intended to obfuscate/muddy the meaning. Mr. Simoncini, a proud man, has been successful in defeating Rent Control in other cities but he doesn’t know Hoboken. We are a diverse population with a long history of living and working together. We, newcomers and old timers, have been through the suspicious fires of the 1980’s when 51 individuals, including children lost their lives. People came together then and will once more. Ordinary people with extraordinary leadership preserved the Waterfront and we can do this as well.
Wake up Hoboken! Talk to your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers. Talk to everyone. Register to vote and help others to register. Contact HFHA (Hoboken Fair Housing Association) @ hobokenfairhousing.com, for more information. If this passes our Hoboken is lost. When it fails, working together as a community of caring individuals we can try to resolve the issues that potentially divide us. “You may never know what results from your action but if you do nothing there will be no result.” Mahatma Gandhi.
On November 6th, walk into the voting booth; show these folks that we can read. Vote no on Hoboken Public Question No. 2. Remember what Dorothy said “There’s no place like home.” “There’s no place like home.” I love this town and its people.
Hoboken…“you’re my home.” (Billy Joel)

Rose Orozco
Proud resident since 1976
Homeowner since 1979
Open minded attendee of MSTA seminar

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