The Hoboken City Council didn’t have any further Suez related matters last night to consider but how to handle a grant to bring on firefighters?  How do you manage a grant when you have to pick up the tab later?

Hudson County View filed this story:

Although the Hoboken City Council approved a $667,539 grant to hire four new firefighters, it remains unclear if the city will take on the other $1.3 million in costs associated with the potential new employees. Read More...

Another local endorsement came in yesterday with Councilman Ruben Ramos making it official getting behind Mike DeFusco.

Hudson County View published its story:

After being a staple of his campaign for months, Hoboken Ward 4 Councilman Ruben Ramos has formally endorsed colleague Mike DeFusco for mayor.

Councilman Ruben Ramos who represents Hoboken’s fourth ward officially endorsed Mike DeFusco for mayor.

Talking Ed Note: The pieces on the chess board in the Mile Square City begin moving to the inevitable endgame on November 7th, Election Day. Councilman Ruben Ramos who holds strong support in the fourth ward and across Hoboken with his solid 2013 mayoral run lends solid support to Mike DeFusco. Read More...

Official release:

Our government run social safety net system was created to use government to help people in need ascend out of the immediate and temporary problems they were confronted with towards self-sufficiency. It failed. From the inherent problems of a functional monopoly with an institutional incentive to regulate competing models out of business rather than out-serve them on a level playing field to the intrinsic desire of status quo politicians to create long term stable voting blocs to support their eternal re-election campaigns, the government social safety net system has always faced many existential issues which undermine its original and noble purpose. One such example, and a local one that relates to our city, is the public housing authority aka the projects. Our fellow citizens living in the projects are served by a system in dire need of reform. This is not to impugn the residents, nor the trustees and staff, but it is an indictment of a system that de-facto warehouses people and is intuitionally ripe for abuse. The projects are governed by a board of commissioners appointed by a mix of the mayor, city council, and the state government who together hires a director. Each one of these people have to fight the urge to use their position as the de-facto mix of condo-board, landlord, and mini-government of the projects to build a political base. Aside from the ever-present danger that the politicization of the basic needs and services for our fellow Hobokenites represents, there have been few residents of the projects on the board, further infantilizing residents as wards of the board for the political leadership care for. Across the country this system of patronage has created a disincentive for the political appointees who run public housing to engage with residents as stakeholders as well as to attempt to give a hand up rather than a hand out. The system needs transformation in order to achieve its original goal. That reform is a Community Land Trust (CLT). A CLT is a non-profit that seeks to keep lower income housing in perpetuity, maintaining that safety net for those economically less fortunate, while at the same time allowing its members to strive for more while taking a leadership role in their own destiny. CLT’s have a co-owning model, not dissimilar from co-opts or condo associations, in which they the own land and residents can own the housing unit they live in. CLT’s keep units for rent substantially below market rates for the working class as well as offer to sell units to their current residents as highly discounted and low rates (as has been done in public housing in Britain). The then owners of a unit can sell it onwards at a CLT agreed upon formula which keeps the unit significantly under the market rate but allows the selling resident to make a small profit. This keeps units affordable and allows residents more opportunities to build a better future. Just an importantly, CLT’s destroy the ability of local political factions or a potentially bad board member from using their influence for political gain by having a board that is made up of CLT residents (unit owners and renters) and neighboring community members. It integrates, rather than segregates, the CLT residents into the local neighborhood community by building bridges across economic divides and communities and it empowers the residents to be the stakeholders they can be when not being lorded over by political appointees. The path to transform Hoboken’s projects to a Community Land Trust will be long and arduous. It will not be easy as partisans often fight for the status quo but building a better city for all is why I’m running for City Council. Joshua
Einstein is the independent candidate for Hoboken City Council, the Republican
State Committeeman from Hudson County, a member of the Hudson County Regional
Jewish Council, and has been published in over 13 papers and websites.

In a story reported on Hudson County View earlier today, Councilman Michael Russo endorsed Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano for mayor.

Today’s decision to endorse Anthony Romano for Mayor of Hoboken, along with his slate of council candidates, is the best decision we can make,” Russo said in a statement.

Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo (l) endorsed Freeholder Anthony Romano for mayor earlier today.

For the complete story, see the Hudson County View:
http://hudsoncountyview.com/hoboken-councilman-russo-endorses-freeholder-romano-for-mayor/

Talking Ed Note: HCV correctly notes in its story, this is not a surprise being that Michael Russo “came out from the cold” and finally threw in behind Romano showing up at his recent fundraiser. It’s a blow to the Old Guard backing Mike DeFusco who sought Russo’s political support. Read More...

Official release:

I’m taken aback this morning by my former running mate’s comments regarding her proposed Suez Water contract extension. First, to say that this proposed contract is better, is not saying much. The existing contract is horrible, and it does not take much to improve on the existing agreement. To say that I should vote for this contract extension because it is an improvement, is not saying much at all. If a football team went winless last year, and they win one or two games this year, they’ve improved, but their coach will probably still get fired. Second, regarding the $8.35 million liability, it is surprising to read that the administration still doesn’t know what this amount is. To quote the Mayor, “The reality is we don’t know exactly what the amount is.” How, exactly, can this point of leverage for Suez Water, be clearly understood, if the amount of this supposed liability is still unclear, AND this “liability” was never properly billed. I’m shocked that this liability wasn’t more accurately pinned down, and that there was no legal challenge to this “liability” not being billed in a timely manner. Third, to my knowledge, the City’s hired negotiator still has never looked into other possible water providers, to comparables across the nation, or to whether we could take some of these services back in-house. When I specifically asked about these potential sources of leverage for the City at the August meeting, I was told that these things had not been done. I was also, surprisingly, told that there aren’t “comparables” that exist. This is so shocking, because everyone drinks water! I lose faith in our hired negotiator/consultant when he tells me he can’t develop comparables (note ==> Councilwoman Fischer’s questioning about whether this contract was “at market” or “above market” speaks to the lack of comps as well). Fourth, nobody has explained the urgency here. Councilman Russo has requested insight into these negotiations for over a year now, and was consistently rebuffed. It’s understandable that he would make such a request, since the administration seemed more focused on blaming his father for the existing contract, rather than renegotiating it at any point during the eight years my old team has been in office. For some odd reason, there was no sense of urgency in assuring Councilman Russo that negotiations were proceeding thoroughly and expeditiously. Yet, once an intense election season was set in motion, an inexplicable sense of urgency was also created. As Mike Lenz wisely stated recently, “Slow down. Get the facts. We’ve owed the money for years, we’ll still owe it in January. Let the next Mayor and Council decide. They, and we, will have to live with those decisions.” This is a contract extension that is being proposed. People are so focused in on the purported $8.35 million liability, because it makes it appear that this proposed contract extension is a last minute attempt to get out of trouble. It’s akin to one of my students trying to hand in a pile of late assignments right before the marking period ends, so that they won’t get in so much trouble with their parents, and will give their GPA a boost. This should never be the basis for committing to major policy decisions. I have always tried to do what is best for Hoboken. I have also always rejected attempts to escalate political discourse in a mile square city of approximately 55,000 people to such irrational and hyper levels. This proposed contract is a better deal for the Hoboken taxpayer, ONLY if the taxpayers weren’t all also water ratepayers. The reality is, they are one in the same (the further reality is we are not inundated with car washes in our city). We on the City Council need to ensure that we are finally considering a fair deal for the Hoboken taxpayer/ratepayer – for our neighbors, friends, and families. To do anything else would be an abandonment of the duties that I was so honored to be trusted with eight years ago. Councilman Dave Mello

In an interview with the Hudson County View on Friday, City Council President Jen Giattino explains how her unexpected mayoral candidacy occurred, the Suez $8.35 million liability uncovered in recent days and why she will win in November and become Hoboken’s next mayor.

Talking Ed Note: In this interview, Hoboken learns why Jen Giattino is surging among the main mayoral candidates. She’s a straight shooter. There’s no “political speak” or the usual hedging one sees in political candidates. Read More...