City of Hoboken announces:
=&0=& =&1=& The Hoboken City Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 7:30pm for the presentation of the Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan and the Washington Street redesign conceptual plan. No action will be taken by the Council at the meeting.Following an extensive community-driven design process that included multiple public meetings and stakeholder groups, the City conducted an updated economic analysis and incorporated post-Sandy flood mitigation measures as well as feedback from the community and the City Council in creating the revisions to the City of Hoboken’s proposed Redevelopment Plan.
Last November, MSV exclusively reported the US Department of Justice arrived in Hoboken for the big dance on election day.
Word of the investigation hit squarely in the fourth ward and soldiers of the Vote by Mail fraud.
None of it received a word of media coverage anywhere else.
| With an election on tap in Hoboken, every day between now and November is the “big day” for Hoboken’s notorious Vote by Mail fraud in the upcoming Board of Education race. |
The following is a guest of the stable article submitted under the pseudonym John Witherspoon.
Why do I think that most of the commenters that post here are not really plugged in to the local business community and have never had the responsibility of running a business and have no experience with entrepreneurial risk. It is funny how over educated desk jockeys or risk adverse employees love to blather on about how nasty and avaricious business owners ”should” spend their money and run their business. As an aside, even the hated real estate folks are business owners; I know a few that failed miserably in that industry.
And yes, it is a responsibility to run a
business. In any successful business, the owner gets paid last. All expenses come first. Rent, utilities, costs, technology hardware and software and business insurance (make sure you have employee theft and business interruption riders in your CGL policy or suffer the consequences) have to be paid, along with license fees, entity filing fees, accountant, bookkeeping and payroll services. On top of that is the initial startup equity plowed into the business. Now consider health insurance options and possible profit sharing or 401k plans to retain key and valued personnel. Employers actually worry about hiring and keeping good and honest employees. I am well aware of the theft rate in the hospitality business, especially in the smaller cash driven restaurants and bars. Let’s not forget the building code and fire inspections that can kill a business.
At least Hoboken has finally put the past blackmailing, City Hall code enforcement employee-built inspection dynasty in its rear view mirror.
Then there is a line of credit to even out the sales season. Perhaps a small business loan to factor inventory, as you have to buy it first and then figure out how to sell it at a profit (even liquor). Both are tied to your personal credit and almost always require a second mortgage on your home. If a business fails, almost every business owner not only loses their business (and their income) but their financial security and their home. Now add in the salaries of employees. The unemployment insurance, sales taxes (which are personal, non-dischargeable liabilities of the owner if not promptly paid), state and federal income taxes and don’t forget the tax that each employer pays for the privilege of having an employee. If you are in the hospitality arena, the cost of a liquor license is not cheap. And that license can be taken away (and your business shut down for a period of time) if you don’t run it correctly and your bouncers don’t do their jobs. Every night-time establishment has essentially placed the success/failure of their business in their security employees. Try that one on for size and see how easily you sleep on any Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Spare me all of the moaning and groaning about how business owners should spend their money. Spare me the moaning and groaning about what businesses on Washington Street are or will or should be successful. If you don’t like the mix of businesses, put your big boy/girl pants on and start a business that you want to see exist. Take the risk, and according to the old adage, “Put your money where your mouth is.” Most businesses in Hoboken are on 20 year leases, generally a five year initial term and two five year extensions ( which have rent escalation clauses). Most leases have real estate tax pass-throughs or percentage rent clauses. That is typical in any commercial lease. If you think that landlords on Washington Street should be more benevolent, then buy up a building or two and then rent it out on a charitable basis.
Grow up, we live in a free market economy. Consumer preferences drive businesses. Product driven business are reeling from the onslaught of internet sales, even hardware stores. Check out Amazon. Anyone notice the fleet of UPS and FedEx truck in town – all day, every day? Ever check out the lobbies of most condo buildings and the sea of packages that appear every day, disappearing during the evening rush hours into the ever increasing in value condos of the recipients? It is 2014. Commerce is undergoing a technology revolution. A business is guaranteed to fail if it does not adapt to that reality and find a way to provide goods and services that consumers want and will pay for and still make a “profit” at the end of the year.
Even putting up a website to generate sales and revenue, even in food delivery, eats into every business’ bottom line, but the internet has become ubiquitous in commerce because of the ease of on line ordering in the comfort of your home and tracking “points” with credit card usage.
As to zoning issues, Washington Street is part of a designated Historical District and any alterations, modifications, rebuilding must first have applications presented to the Historical Commission Baird approval. However, that approval, thankfully, is discretionary and not binding on the Zoning Board. The past two to three years has witnessed, IMO, a serious overstepping of boundaries by the Commission, which has added unnecessary and expensive delays and costs to applications pending before it. 300 Washington is just one example. I am familiar with the facts regarding that application and am aware that a lot of stuff happens between professionals that does not see the light of day in the public hearings.
There are many more examples other than 300, and most businesses dread having to appear before the Historical Commission. There is more than one architectural firm that will no longer appear before the Historical Board simply because the approval process has become too bizarre. Since the log-jam of Zoning Board appointments finally was broken with the election of Jim Doyle, the Zoning Board has been effective in plowing through the significant back log of applications. Not everyone is going to agree on all applications, but having any application take 2 years to get through the Historical Board is unacceptable. Every small business is a love/hate affair. It is 24 hours a day. It can become a demanding mistress. Worry about the phone not ringing or not enough orders coming in online, not enough seats in the seats or competition down the block (or even next door) or that midnight call of a fire or natural catastrophe wrecking your inventory is part of the deal. But then there is the reward (financial and personal) from successfully running and owning your own business, having some greater sense of control over your own destiny. Dealing with the changing technology driven economy affects every part of the business community, large or small. Car rentals, taxi cab owners, taxi cab drivers, restaurants, retail stores, nail salons, hair salons, laundry and dry cleaners, liquor stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, real estate brokers, newspapers, magazines, professional services; each have their own issues with adapting to 2014 and surviving.
Most of the simplistic and overwrought comments are amusing in their naivete and lack of practical real world experience in owning and operating a successful business.
Hoboken can expect to see a new flood pump after the North Hudson Sewerage Authority and the City have come to an agreement for the second installation.
The agreement was finalized with the approval of the City Council Wednesday night.
Richard Wolff, the Executive Director of the NHSA appeared before the City Council and estimated installation underground below the island at 11th and Hudson will take approximately 18 months. Bids will go out end of year and be finalized the end of January.
The second pump for Hoboken will be focused on the western area of Shoprite and is anticipated to make strong gains as part of the overall plan to protect Hoboken from flood events.
Hoboken is an all out quest for civil rights. Or at least it would appear that way if an alien dropped in and said, take us to your leader and said leader would be a council member arguing for mandatory sick pay in Hoboken City Council.
Beth Mason was a no show last night hardly a day after her stupendous lady in red appearance in Hoboken Municipal Court. We’re sure the Honorable Judge Mongiello was suitably impressed with her power outfit and long, pointy Halloween shoes. (If you ever want a little free entertainment, go spend an hour or so in Hoboken Municipal Court. MSV has seen the judge on numerous occasions and he runs a very impressive court. Hoboken is lucky to have him but we digress.) This November Hoboken will see another election. Locally, there’s the Board of Education with three seats up. Al Sullivan said “the old guard” are the favorites to hold two of the three with Peter Biancamano who ran for council on the Frank “Pupie” Raia and Beth Mason backed Occhipinti Titanic and “Bubbles” re: Ms. Francis Kearns. The estimation is correct with three slates and the two incumbents appealing to the “we’re one of you” inhabitants who vote regularly. Of more interest, the throw in last November on the same slate, Brittany Montgomery was in for a BoE seat and now she’s out leaving one slate incomplete. Who benefits from a third lever option? Last year a similar scenario took place and the Old Guard had an oddball combination too. The person who was receiving those third seat votes on two different slates turned out to be Patricia Waiters. Yes, that Patricia Waiters. Now, renouncing racial remarks is usually a form of redemption to figures in the public domain as here but in Hoboken it’s taken another turn: renouncing your apology. Grafix Avenger broke it down when the former fourth ward councilman and alleged Patricia Waiters letter writer was thrown under the bus in a blatant appeal for the worst kind of votes. https://hobokenhorse.com/2014/09/he-was-for-it-before-he-was-against-it.html Oh Meshugana!| Hey, there’s Hoboken’s satirical columnist GA known to others in Hoboken as friends related to jackals. Fido bequeathed Jewish offspring? Who knew? |
https://hobokenhorse.com/2014_05_06_archive.html
(There’s a presentation on Hoboken parking early in the meeting worth viewing)
Hoboken’s business community often beleaguered based on pronouncements in recent years will be facing another challenge when regulation is proposed mandating sick pay in firms of ten or more.
The controversial regulation found itself on the agenda without any committee meetings or community outreach according to multiple independent sources. Grafix Avenger issued analysis stating it’s driven by political purposes to impress Governor candidate in waiting, NJ State Senator Steve Sweeney.
Related: The original MSV story covering the HHA June meeting: “Insubordination mounts as the Banana Republic unravels.”
In August, MSV was targeted during a special HHA meeting at City Hall, avoiding assault but was robbed of a camera bag containing equipment and wallet. None of the stolen items were returned and the story with unedited video was captured in “The Fracas.”
From the June 16th MSV story:
| Beth Mason with her political operative Matt Calicchio at the HHA meeting. Coordinating an alleged victim claiming harassment while MSV was moving a chair to take notes he approached on the early recess repeatedly saying, “How’s your dead brother.” |
Next: More on the four hour meeting marathon. During the meeting, as MSV moved an empty chair from the rear of the room to the front and sat three feet from the HHA Board dais, a charge of being shoved filed as “harassment” was claimed by a Hispanic woman. Working in tandem standing directly to her right, Beth Mason political operative Matt Calicchio. This with dozens of people and the HHA board in sight and a police officer standing not seven feet away.
The Hoboken police took the false allegation and a ticket is slated to be mailed in yet another court action against this editor.
An earlier 2012 harassment charge was lodged by Matt Calicchio himself, claiming he was repeatedly contacted by MSV against his will. Calicchio’s false claim he requested the alleged contact cease was thrown out of Jersey City Municipal Court.
During an early recess prior to the phony harassment claim, Calicchio came within three feet attempting to take a dozen photos on his cell phone claiming MSV was “an elected official.”
He followed repeatedly saying, “How’s your dead brother.”