Hoboken resident David Liebler follows up on an earlier letter to MSV surrounding Vote by Mail concerns detailing his experience working on Hoboken campaigns. =&0=&

Dear Horsey & MSV readers: The centerpiece of my Freeholder campaign, earlier this year, was to push for an independent performance audit of county operations, so that we can get a road map for achieving cost savings.  This year, Hoboken was hit with a 14.5% county tax hike and Jersey City was hit with a 5.8% county increase.  This is especially hard on Hoboken residents, as County taxes represent the single largest piece of the Hoboken taxpayer’s dollar. 
We all know that Hudson County can — and must — do better. I have attended a number of Freeholder meetings since the June primary, and advocated for the Freeholders to issue an RFP to retain an independent auditor, so that we can get an independent, apples-to-apples comparison of Hudson County’s operations to other counties, and learn how Hudson County (like other counties) can produce a budget with a flat levy, instead of one that increases, every year, by 3% to 5%.  I have been heartened by the Freeholders’ receptiveness to my proposal. Thanks especially to Freeholders Bill O’Dea and Junior Maldonado for your enthusiastic support of my proposal to move forward with issuing an RFP for an independent performance audit, and thanks to all the Freeholders for your willingness to entertain a new approach to addressing the county budget next year. 

-Phil Cohen

The following letter was sent to the Hudson County Board of Elections, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, City Council members and MSV. Dear Horsey & MSV readers: =&1=&

On Tuesday, November 25, 2014, starting at 7:00 p.m., the Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition will, for the first time since 2011, present five Thanksgiving Awards at St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Parish Hall, on Eighth Street between Washington and Hudson Streets.  These honors will be presented to citizens and groups that have freely given of their time and talent to make Hoboken a better place in which to live and work.  Read More...

If you don’t see your MSV Premium arrive in your email inbox, please let Da Horsey know @ smartyjones@me.com.

Beth Mason’s would be empire in Hoboken and at large in NJ is headed to a watery grave. No AquaMole can save her from the gates of Hades awaiting her arrival. In the interim, here it comes, courtesy of the Rolling Stones.

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Despotism is typically viewed through the lens of a single individual abusing power in an absolute and unjust manner. Hoboken finds itself in a rather unique aspect where individuals seeking despotic power or in this instance having lost it are eager to use the Courts as a tool of personal intimidation.

It’s a message sent to the entire Hoboken community and a stern warning. If you wish to participate in the public process of governance, you best mind your manners and steer clear of us and our money pot – or you will be destroyed using the civil and criminal courts. Read More...

Hoboken Housing Authority Chairwoman Dana Wefer statement on Carmelo Garcia’s latest lawsuit

Mr. Garcia’s lawsuit, his fourth attempt at relitigating the same issues that have already been dismissed by the court, is completely frivolous and meant to harass the authority and volunteer commissioners.  
The public record leading up to Mr. Garcia’s termination, including an independent audit that found $3 million in unlawful procurement, a HUD procurement review that found more than $3 million was doled out to contractors improperly by Mr. Garcia, and a budget overrun of more than $2 million just last year, speaks for itself.  The Hoboken Housing Authority is focused on recovering from Mr. Garcia’s tenure at the authority and is working to implement new programs to get the authority back on its feet.  These facts and more than a dozen more issues that have been uncovered since Mr. Garcia’s termination make clear that the termination was wholly justified and the only responsible action for the Board to take. It is unfortunate that the authority must devote resources and energy to fighting this meritless lawsuit at the same time that we are trying to recover from the mess that was left behind, but the authority will vigorously defend itself against this frivolity, let the facts speak for themselves, and continue to focus on recovery.  Any causes of action that the authority has against Mr. Garcia will be aggressively pursued.  

HHA Chair Dana Wefer came out blasting Carmelo Garcia after his latest lawsuit citing over a dozen more “issues” uncovered in the agency since his termination last August.

Carmelo Garcia’s attorney, Louis Zayas of “ethnic cleansing” infamy reportedly stepped away from the party this week in Atlantic City offering a statement after Wefer’s.

As stated on the Hudson County View, Zayas attempted to tie Garcia to another client of his, former Public Safety Director Angel Alicea who has a million dollar jury award locked up in an appeal saying in part: Read More...