HOBOKEN – 4th Ward council candidate Tim Occhipinti has blasted claims by Councilman Michael Lenz that electing Occhipinti will continue the legacy of now imprisoned, former Mayor Peter Cammarano.
“Michael Lenz wants to paint every one of the more than 6,000 people who voted for Peter Cammarano as corrupt,” Occhipinti said in a release. “This is cynical and divisive and serves to further discourage voters. For the good of our city, Michael Lenz should stop it now.”
The Lenz campaign has made attempts to tie Occhipinti with Cammarano through the former mayor’s supporters.
Occhipinti has previously criticized Lenz for having a job with the county, and echoed that stance in the press release. “You will hear my opponent, Michael Lenz, invoke Mr. Cammarano’s name many times during this campaign. He’ll do this in the hope that the public will ignore Mr. Lenz’s own 25-year record of incompetence and political deal-making… He receives two public paychecks and will benefit from two public pensions. Are these the actions of a reformer? This kind of cynical manipulation of public funds represents a personal ethical deficiency that, while not technically illegal, is certainly not in the interests of the people of Hoboken, and certainly doesn’t represent the actions of a reformer.”
Occhipinti accused Lenz of trading his political involvement for personal political gain.
“If elected, I will keep my private-sector job and not use taxpayer dollars to pay for my health insurance,” Occhipinti said. “I will put the integrity of my family name on the line every day and bring dignity and honor to this office, guided by the tradition of honesty my family taught me.”
Election day is Nov. 2.