Dear Editor:
Hoboken is a city in transition; a diverse mile square where ‘old’ and ‘new’ are no longer adequate definitions to define our community. These unproductive terms divide our city along imaginary political lines rather than effectively represent us. This is why we need to look beyond traditional electoral rhetoric and support candidates who want to unite Hoboken, people who are open to constructive debate and individuals who seek to safeguard our city against outside influence. For these reasons, I’m proudly supporting Phil Cohen for Freeholder in June’s Democratic primary. Over the past three years, Phil and I have worked together as Commissioners on Hoboken’s Zoning Board. We’ve sat together many a late night considering applications that deal with the very definition of what makes a community. Our work has seen neighborhoods flourish without selling the city, and our neighbors, short. Though we were appointed by opposite ends of the City Council, I have come to respect Phil’s opinions and appreciate his willingness to work together and engage in productive discourse and meaningful debate. Through our service on the board, I’ve come to know Phil as a leader whose ideals are logical, fair and heartfelt and if elected, I’m entirely sure he’ll bring the same intelligence and passion to the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
As a practicing attorney, Phil possesses a methodical legal mindset but also the ability to have heart, a compassion that is rarely found in the legal breed. I’m confident this ability to switch between business and relationship will aid in his representation of Hudson County’s 5th District, which covers all of Hoboken and part of Jersey City. Phil’s is a voice we desperately need; especially now, when Hoboken pays the most in county taxes and sees the fewest results. With the very real possibility of a fifteen percent rise in county taxes for Hoboken and seven percent for Jersey City, Phil recently stood before the Freeholders asking for an independent performance audit and an evaluation to determine the distribution of County services. His logic is, well … logical. If Hoboken and Jersey City taxpayers are going to help foot the bill, we should know how our tax dollars are being spent and what we’re getting in return. We need accountability at the County level and Phil is the right guy to lead the charge, but he needs all of our support to do so. Phil has shown himself to be a trusted member of our community, embodies the intelligence to productively legislate and the pragmatism to find problems and fix them. I’m glad to call Phil Cohen my colleague on the Zoning Board and on June 3rd, I urge all my Democratic neighbors and friends to nominate him as our candidate for County Freeholder. I assure you, our loss on the Zoning Board will be the entire County’s gain. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Michael DeFusco
1st Ward