Dear Editor:
The politicians and bureaucrats in City Hall are at it again. Currently, there are many different law firms with high dollar contracts all paid for with your money. But that’s still not enough. Now they hired another politically connected attorney to prevent you from voting on your City Council-at-Large representative.
As you may be aware, when Carol Marsh resigned from the City Council, Mayor Zimmer and Council members Cunningham, Bhalla, Mello, and Giattino twice cast illegal votes to appoint their political supporter James Doyle to fill the vacancy. This disregard for both the law and public inclusion is wrong. As a duly elected member of the City Council, I took an oath of office and swore to protect the rights of the public. As a result, I worked with three other City Council members, without the use of taxpayers’ money, to undertake litigation to enforce the law.
However, Mayor Zimmer and her City Council allies are spending taxpayer funds to hire a politically connected attorney to represent them.
After a Judge removed Mr. Doyle from the City Council the Mayor and her allies filed an appeal. Then they filed another lawsuit again using more of your money. However, the Appellate Court of New Jersey issued a restraining order stopping Mr. Doyle from being sworn in.
Serious questions remain regarding the appointment process, and any votes he cast could cause irreparable harm to the people of Hoboken. Why is City Hall putting the well-being of their political machine ahead of the well-being of our community? Why is the Administration afraid of you, the voter?
The Mayor and her allies claim the City Council will be deadlocked if Mr. Doyle is not seated immediately. Nothing could be further from the truth. My position has always been simple. I will support the Mayor when she is right and oppose her when she is wrong. Every single item regarding Hurricane Sandy relief and recovery efforts has passed unanimously.
In addition, I have been the deciding vote on numerous initiatives the Mayor has put forward. This includes a $20 million open space bond initiative to build and renovate parks throughout our city. I continue to stand with Mayor Zimmer in fighting to stop the Monarch project and other over development from eliminating the small town feel of our neighborhoods. However, I will not simply be a rubber stamp for the Administration.
I am calling on the Mayor and her Council allies to drop their lawsuit, reimburse the taxpayers for the cost of their attorney and allow the voters to decide in a special election who should fill the Marsh vacancy. This Administration has a record of repeatedly using taxpayers’ money for political purposes rather than to improve our parks and neighborhoods or to provide essential City services.
You work hard every day and make tough decisions on how to budget your money. City Hall should use that same caution and responsibility. And when they don’t, I will always be there to stand up for you.
Beth Mason
2nd Ward Councilwoman