Thirteen candidates running for six Hoboken City Council seats clashed over questions last week about the city’s Washington Street redesign project, rent control, which businesses to bring to town, and even what they’d do if a giant chicken terrorized Hoboken. There were loud arguments, laughs, and someone even invoked late pizza restaurateur Benny Tudino.
You can watch the debates, arguments, and all on hudsonreporter.com early this week, and leave comments on the site.
With all in attendance, six candidates sat in for the first session: 1st Ward incumbent Theresa Castellano and her challenger, Zoning Board Commissioner Michael DeFusco; three 2nd Ward candidates — Zoning Board Commissioner Tiffanie Fisher, Hoboken Board of Education Trustee Peter Biancamano, and Bonnie Murray; and 3rd Ward incumbent Michael Russo running unopposed.
The debate will be posted for the public online next week.
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The debates, held Wednesday Sept. 30 at The Hudson Reporter’s headquarters in Hoboken, arrive with less than a month until the Nov. 3 election. Six out of nine seats for four-year terms are up for election. The other three seats are at-large seats and are up in 2017.
Big issues
Candidates were asked what kinds of businesses they’d like to see in their ward, and for their views about the city’s proposed Washington Street redesign. The design would add a two-way bike lane separated by a sidewalk and dedicated loading zones that would be restricted to truck parking before 2 p.m. Some fear the proposal too severely restricts traffic.
Both incumbents Russo in the 3rd Ward and Occhipinti in the 4th Ward referred to narrower streets possibly hindering response vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks. The majority of the candidates agreed about the urgent need to repave the street.
Some of the pitches for new businesses in the wards included a “Restaurant Row” proposed by Ramos, and more Mom and Pop shops throughout the city.
“I would say if we could find some sort of a lower-priced option for families that have a couple of kids in the house…it would be great to have another supermarket alternative [in the 2nd Ward],” said Murray.
The candidates also faced off about what they might do to keep low and middle income families in town, and whether they would alter the city’s rent control laws and existing affordable housing.
Colossal clucker
In order to keep the debate interesting and see how candidates thought on their feet, the Reporter asked, “In 1977, Daniel and Jill Pinkwater water published a children’s book called the ‘Hoboken Chicken Emergency.’ If a giant chicken terrorized Hoboken, what would you do first?”
The answers varied.
Candidates were also asked what the best and worst thing was about their opponents, which drew some snide comments and arguments. To see more, watch the debates.
Russo ruffles feathers
Prior to the debates, two candidates requested that 3rd Ward Councilman Michael Russo not participate since he was running unopposed and could use his time to shoot barbs at other candidates. He is running without an adversary after wealthy developer Frank “Pupie” Raia filed to have his name removed from the ballot last week. Russo is sometimes critical of the policies of Mayor Dawn Zimmer and her allies.
The Reporter decided that he had the right to participate and be on the hook to answer the questions, and there was no telling if all other candidates would show up or be there unopposed as well. But he was advised to stick to the issues in his ward.
When Russo attacked two candidates he wasn’t running against, they fought back, and arguments ensued. To keep things far, Russo was not allowed to give a rebuttal after future answers, as he did not have an opponent in his ward to rebut.
Fisher said, “Because you [Russo] are unopposed right now, you are in a situation better than the rest of us where you can say whatever you want because you’re not accountable to voters in this voting season.”
Russo said, “I’m always accountable to voters. You’re absolutely wrong.”
Contention built between Garcia and Giattino, with each candidate saying the other doesn’t spend enough time in the 6th Ward and bringing up thorny issues. Giattino made a reference to Garcia’s secret taping of the mayor’s husband, Stan Grossbard, and former state Sen. Bernard Kenny in 2013, in preparation for a discrimination lawsuit.
Cunningham and Gonzalez argued over the best way to maintain open space, referring to a proposed park at the BASF property in their ward.
Steven Rodas can be reached at srodas@hudsonreporter.com.