Dear Editor:
I am proud to join Beth Mason in endorsing Dawn Zimmer for Mayor, while standing firmly behind Vinny Addeo and Raul Morales II for City Council. Like Beth, I am supporting Ravi Bhalla for the third open Council seat.
Zimmer’s and Mason’s platforms are more alike than different, and now is the time for all residents seeking change to come together. Let’s unite and support a good-government, reform-minded group that represents diverse pockets of the community. Beth may be out of the running, but the dream of “One Hoboken” is alive and well.
As a Fourth Ward resident, I supported Dawn enthusiastically in her City Council run in 2007. As a fellow member of the United Synagogue of Hoboken, I have spoken with her a number of times and can attest strongly to her character and values. I share her perspective on many issues, and believe she has the potential to be a great mayor. Working in alliance with Beth Mason will serve her well, given Beth’s years of experience and numerous accomplishments in the name of good government, along with her far-reaching network to different elements of our community.
Ravi an accomplished attorney whose track record indicates great concern for issues such as rent control and affordable housing which are important to all Hoboken residents, new and old.
The job of the next mayor will be challenging indeed. I believe a vital ingredient in the remedy to our city’s troubles is a council that includes Vinny Addeo and Raul Morales II. Hoboken is a proud community composed largely of people who were born and raised here, whose families arrived from overseas and set down their roots. They weathered many economic storms that made this city a more difficult place to live than it is today, and established customs and traditions that are the very fabric of our community.
Our current political climate contains a fundamental misunderstanding between people who were born here and those who arrived more recently. Working on the Mason Team for One Hoboken helped me better understand this divide. Many members of “Old Hoboken” fear newcomers have contempt for their traditions and rich history and want to do away with everything that came before they arrived. Many members of “New Hoboken” believe most of the born-and-raised community are connected to city government and benefit from it in ways that render newcomers second-class citizens.
These myths are wrong. I am here to tell newcomers that Addeo and Morales are gentlemen of impeccable character, and want government to function effectively for all residents. The time I’ve spent with them has been an honor and a privilege. I urge you to vote for them on June 9.
To people who were born here, I urge you also to look past the stereotypes and consider that Zimmer and Bhalla are fighting tirelessly not to change the culture of Hoboken, but to change its government, and make it work for everyone. Please vote for them on June 9, and help us build a real team for One Hoboken.
Jake Stuiver
Mason Team for One Hoboken Campaign Manager