HOBOKEN – Add Eric Kurta to the people who have thrown their hat in the ring for the Hoboken May Municipal elections, when all six ward seats will be up for contention.
Kurta filed paperwork with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on Jan. 11, establishing the “Kurta for City Council” committee. Kurta will challenge longtime 1st Ward Councilwoman Theresa Castellano.
Kurta has been involved in Hoboken politics for many years and has especially spoken out on campaign finance reform issues, but has never held elected office in Hoboken.
Kurta said in a phone interview on Friday that he’s been following Hoboken politics as well as the workings of government for the last 20 years, and has been “long frustrated with its inefficiencies and the lack of progressive vision for the city.”
He said that he only made the decision to run within the last month, but ultimately decided to file the paperwork to run for office.
“I feel that I could run a good campaign and that I would be a good councilman,” Kurta said. “I can be both responsive to the needs of constituents but also have an ability to work on big picture issues.”
Castellano has yet to announce her intention to run for re-election, but it is believed that all of the members of the council will run when their seats expire on May 10. In addition to Kurta, Councilman Nino Giacchi, Councilman Peter Cunningham, Councilman Tim Occhipinti, and 2nd Ward challenger Tom Greaney have filed paperwork to run for various seats in May.
Council President Beth Mason launched her re-election website this week, but has yet to submit ELEC records to the state. — Ray Smith
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