Dear Editor:
When my husband, Michael Lenz helped Mayor Roberts win in 2001, and again when he took the position of CFO of Hoboken, he assured me David Roberts, with allies like Carol Marsh, Tony Soares and himself, would be strong enough to do the right thing. Michael was wrong.
Michael promised to never get trapped by a city government culture which remains silent out of fear — and I’m proud that he kept his promise. It would have been easy to endorse the mayor’s weak council ticket, to ignore the police contract which the city had no funds to pay for, to allow the illegal but routine budget over-expenditures this city has used for years — and much else you’ll never hear about. He could have kept his good salary, great benefits and 9-4 work-day (on paper, at least). With a new son and layoffs at my own firm, he might have been tempted. But he spoke out and was fired.
So thank you, Mr. Roberts. I didn’t know until now how I’d react when standing up for change had a personal cost — but I’m simply proud that Michael, unlike you, could do the right thing, and that feels great!
Laura Keating