Dear Editor:
I am writing to you today because there is a freeholder election this June 3rd. As I walk around Hoboken and Jersey City, I noticed that most of my neighbors do not know that there is a primary election nor do they know who is running. This is a missed opportunity for people because this is an election that will determine how someone will represent Freeholder District 5.
I know for a fact that Freeholder Anthony L. Romano has been working hard for us for the last six years. As a life-long resident of Hoboken, a captain of the Hoboken Police Department, and a member of the NJEA, he is truly a fixture of the Hudson County Community. He is a member of the Dante Alighieri, a lector at St. Lawrence Church, runs in 5K races for charities, participates in the law enforcement softball teams, and volunteers and sponsors various youth sports leagues. He is also the Chairman of Hoboken Municipal Alliance Against Alcohol Abuse. To most people, that would mean a commitment and dedication to the community.
However, Freeholder Romano’s record on its own speaks for itself. He was part of the driving force to the most comprehensive ethical reform measure in county history. Now, county employees are required to perform annual ethical training. He was in charge of the largest infrastructure rehabilitation in the history of the county with the 14th Street viaduct project. He is always fighting hard for Hoboken and Jersey City to receive services from the county. He is an advocate for decreases in the county budget and introduced a measure to make 5-10 percent departmental cuts without layoffs by cutting budgeted vacant positions and not filling positions when someone retires. He was instrumental in the largest road resurfacing in county history.
He is a supporter of the Living Wage Ordinance and Project Labor Agreements for any county contracts and is a proponent of sustainable energy. Recently, Freeholder Romano brought in $124,000 to the Hoboken Public Library, $500,000 in Open Space funding for the Hoboken Cove Refurbishment Project. He also sponsored $3M to be used for a park in southwest Hoboken.
It was clear to me who my choice for freeholder will be. On Tuesday, June 3rd, I will be voting for
Freeholder Anthony L. Romano.
Eileen McInerney