Dear Editor:
I would like to extend my congratulations to the Hoboken United for Education Team of John Raslowsky II, Frances Rhodes Kearns, and Carmelo Garcia on their elections this past Tuesday. Not only did they win, they won convincingly with an almost two-to-one ratio over those expausing the policies of spend more, deliver less. Armed with the innovative Steven Partnership proposal, these consensus candidates of Hoboken United, an amalgam of divergent constituencies that ended the politics of self-enrichment in City Hall, will revolutionize education.
Sadly, some in our community who openly endorsed the concept of the magnet school in word and deed chose to peruse a clandestine campaign against the only candidates in the race that championed this dramatic change in the way education is structured. Current and former officials choose to place their own selfish interests above those of our children by anonymously disseminating literature- advocating candidates steeped in the status quo. Insisting on perpetuating the politics of patronage, clocked in darkness they swarmed from seats at the card tables exposing their duplicitous nature and lust for power. Ilk such as this have never seen a pocket that couldn’t be picked, a cause that couldn’t be defrauded or a back that couldn’t be knifed. Even if cowardice prevents them from signing their name we know who they are and what they are all about; hypocrites such as these are credibility challenged.
Since Hoboken chose to rid itself of backroom wheeling and dealing last May, Mayor Roberts and his administration have faced down the obstructionist tactic of the former administration and succeeded in putting breaks on runaway over development, worked to clean up this city both figuratively and literally, and fostered accountability in all city agencies. At times it wasn’t pretty but it was done in the light of day and always in the best interest of Hoboken and it’s citizens. Now with a majority on the school board and a clear mandate for the Steven Partnership, settling for maximum results on minimum basic skill test will fade to choice in curriculum and cognitive development. These are exciting times in which to live and the future of our school system is limitless.
Thank you for your many courtesies. I remain, Perry Belfiore