Year: 2013

News

Jessica Coco crime saga: another attempted break-in

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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A group of men distributing flyers advocating “vote yes” to “protect” rent control was the cover for another break-in attempt into Jessica Coco’s apartment late Saturday night.  (Voting yes on the ballot question Tuesday removes rent control from homes of four units or less and would institute de facto vacancy control on others.)

A friend was in the apartment and was present when the lower lock was opened with a key followed by an attempt to pop the door off the upper deadbolt lock.  The friend began yelling at the unknown men in the hallway they better not enter or there would be violence. Read More...

News

Beth Mason doubles down on dirty defamation of Councilman Ravi Bhalla

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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After Councilman Ravi Bhalla issued a cease and desist to his council colleague, the litigious Beth Mason, any idea he would see an apology or an end to the attacks on him end before Election Day failed to materialize as a paid attack ad is repeating the same video locally on YouTube.

Bhalla had followed with a statement saying he had retained legal representation to pursue a defamation suit against Mason after the election and urged voters to counter Mason’s attacks by voting for the Zimmer Team on November 5th. Read More...

News

‘Join me in supporting Mayor Zimmer and the Zimmer Team’

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

The Zimmer Team announces:

Blog      Volunteer      Contribute
Dear Horsey & MSV readers —

Recently, at a meet and greet for Mayor Zimmer and her Council Team, a long-time supporter of the Mayor asked how I got involved with her campaign. The exact question was more like, “How did you discover Dawn and the Zimmer Team?”

Discovering Mayor Zimmer and her great work wasn’t difficult.  Immediately, her response to Superstorm Sandy comes to mind and to be fair that’s when the Mayor secured my vote. But beyond my vote, what really pushed me to get involved is pretty simple—I love Hoboken!

Two years ago, I moved to Hoboken from Philadelphia in order to pursue a career in marketing.  After landing a great job, I started searching for a community which I could make my home.  I knew what I was looking for.  I wanted a young, vibrant, urban community in which I could pursue my interests: running, a shop-local culture, exciting night life that goes beyond just bars, and a place where I could be safe as young female professional.

Now, two years later, I know I found my home not only for my post-college days, but a home for my future.  As I invest more and more in this amazing community, I am confident that this is the place where I can raise a family, open a business, and make a life.  
I believe that Mayor Zimmer and her Team will provide the leadership that will make all of these goals a reality. Please join me by volunteering a few hours on election day to help re-elect Mayor Zimmer and the entire Zimmer Team.
I am inspired by the commitment that the whole team — who I now know as just Dave, Ravi and Jim— share on addressing critical issues, like quality of life, family housing, parks, the hospital, and most important of all their clear plan to protect Hoboken from the next storm.
See you out there!
Madelyn Sminkey
 
News

Horse Sense: A Call to Arms – Protect This Island!

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The shouting, the grandstanding and noise is almost over.  Hoboken is entering Get Out the Vote time – except if you are part of the Raia-Mason VBM (Vote by Mail) Army – then you already got your “assisted” paper ballot vote in or shuttled to the Board of Elections to cast for the Old Guard.


Many have done their part, others are planning to do more.  The mayor made a call for assistance on Election Day and asked the grassroots to help get out the vote. 


In 2009, a sea of Hoboken citizens took back this city for the residents from special interests, back room deals and monied interests from outside of town.  It was a sea tide change in Hoboken heard throughout Hudson County and all of New Jersey.


Hoboken became an island of populism among a county continent of one party control.


Read More...

News

Assemblyman Ramos pitches his Vision for Hoboken

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

The Ruben Ramos for mayor campaign announces:

I will never give up

Dear Friend, 

There are only three days remaining in this campaign that will determine the future of Hoboken. I thought it was important to remember where this campaign began. But I can not do it without your help. Watch this video to hear my plans for a better Hoboken and my vision for a brighter future for our city.
I love Hoboken. I was born and raised here and now my wife and I are raising our children right here. I have friends in every community in this city, and I can’t just sit back and watch it stand still. We need to fix the problems that confront our city like reducing flooding, creating more parking and building parks. Our public schools must be improved with modern facilities, and we need to work with the Board of Education to get the job done. 
 
Hoboken needs a new direction with real solutions and a better vision. My team and I have that vision and we are ready to get our city back on track. 
 
I want to be your Mayor because Hoboken needs a real vision for a better future. Thank you.

-Ruben
News

A day that will live in ringworm history: Here’s Pupie

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

And Beth Mason’s cheap carnival of parlor tricks. Here’s a phony “interview” from the benevolent humanitarians who would like you to think what these contents contain is really true.  As aired originally on Halloween – Be afraid, be very afraid.

This should rattle your senses appropriately to get out and vote Tuesday.

Talking Ed Note: Be careful up there when leaning over your rooftops.

News

Former Councilman Michael Lenz: ‘Voting “No” on rent control helps keep taxes down’

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading
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Rent control is complicated; there are plausible arguments on both sides.  Most economists assert rent control actually raises rents for new tenants.  But even so, Hoboken’s population has nearly doubled since I moved here in 1981.  You see the crowding for buses, backed up traffic, and jammed parks. Is making rents a little cheaper for new residents really a pressing concern?  I’m skeptical.  Or take taxes: It sounds logical when rent control opponents say that if some pay more, the rest of us will pay less.  But often, when a rent controlled building is vacated it is renovated or replaced to maximize density, bringing more people to town, increasing demand on city services, parking and the rest.  Studies have shown new residential construction actually adds more to the cost of city services than it brings in in ratables.  If taxes are your issue – and they are one of mine—the most important thing to do in this election is vote for Kid’s First:  Gold, Sobolov, Evans; they’ve held the line at the Board of Education.  And then re-elect Mayor Zimmer and her team who did the same for city taxes.   The impact on our tax bills from any change in rent control will be negligible compared with the cost of reverting to the old ways of doing business.  Read More...

News

HFHA – Beware of false information on ballot question

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

HFHA announces:

=&0=& =&1=&=&2=& Ø  =&3=& Ø  =&4=& On
Election Day, November 5th, you will be asked to vote on the only Hoboken
Public Question which proposes major changes to Hoboken’s Rent Control law.
It starts
off with:
“Shall
the City of Hoboken continue annual rental increase protections for current
residents of rent controlled properties …” If you=&6=& =&7=& =&8=& Once a
current tenant vacates his/her unit either “voluntarily” or by court ordered
eviction:
1.    Rents
are DECONTROLLED
and can be increased to whatever the landlord wants to charge for every new
tenant.    In Hoboken, that can mean doubling or tripling the rent.
2.      All 1-4 unit buildings and condos
are PERMANENTLY
EXEMPTED FROM RENT CONTROL. NJ state
law makes it easy for a landlord to obtain court-ordered eviction of tenants
from 1-3 unit buildings and condos and from all rental buildings through condo
conversions or other means.  Even when an eviction is illegal, the tenant
may be unaware of NJ Eviction Law and/or too afraid to contest it in court.
Thus, if
this DECONTROL ballot question is
approved by the voters, landlords will have the means and incentive to evict
current tenants or otherwise “convince” them to move “voluntarily” and then
jack up the rent to whatever they want for new tenants.    MANY HOBOKEN RENTERS WILL LOSE THEIR HOMES. =&16=& This=&17=&, when a majority of 16,444=&18=& that 114 “displaced Hoboken voters” were not allowed to vote on=&19=& =&20=&=&21=&=&22=&=&23=& To volunteer, contact: hobokenfairhousing@gmail.com

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