Tuesday night was the first of the council ward forums with candidates debating various issues.

The event was hosted by Stevens at the DeBaun Auditorium with the Quality of Life Coalition and moderated by Hoboken resident Bob Bowden and Hudson County View publisher/editor John Heinis.

First ward candidates: Councilman Mike DeFusco, Migdalia Pagan-Milano, third ward candidates: Councilman Michael Russo, Ron Bautista, fifth ward candidates: Nicola Maganuco, Phil Cohen and Tim Crowell.

Talking Ed Note: One of the big issues is the massive redevelopment being pushed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla who attempted to see a final vote with no public notification. Listen to the candidate’s answers about it very carefully. Read More...

Official release:

Dear Friends and Neighbors
I want to talk about Monarch with you like we have been doing since 2011…
…when we learned that a developer was reneging on their promise to deliver open space to our community and aiming to build two luxury residential towers.  Everyone has their issue that gets them off the couch towards activism and mine was Monarch.  It started me on a path of advocating not only against the Monarch project but for continuing our community’s decades-long fight to protect our waterfront from irresponsible development.  This path expanded to include acquiring Union Dry Dock.  Importantly, while I have been on this path for the past eight and a half years, where was my opponent?  She has never been anywhere on this and now suddenly wants to take all of our work together and call it hers.  
Let me get right to the heart of what matters.  Not only will I continue the work with my Council colleagues and the administration to ensure we get an outcome that will receive unanimous support…
You can count on my vote next year for the final development agreement for the Monarch/DPW Garage.
My opponent is telling you the opposite as a way to garner support, but it isn’t her decision.  It is, and always has been mine and I’ve based my decisions on what was right for our community.
I have always been in this fight with you and for you and always will be.  I have a long history of fighting against the Monarch as the leading public activist back to 2011.  As co-founder of Hoboken Residents for a Public Waterfront, as party to the litigation as a Hudson Tea condo board member and as a resident stakeholder like my neighbors.  Previously HTB’s role in the litigation made voting on the City Council more complicated.  But now with the litigation fully adjudicated (except for one outstanding ruling) and me leaving my condo board at the end of the year, my path of advocacy is more straightforward.  As you know, I am personally impacted if Monarch is built, which I have always been forthcoming as it relates to all actions I have taken whether as an HTB board member or Council representative.  But also as you know, the impact is not unique to me – I share a view impact with over 500 2nd Ward neighbors and the overcrowding effect in our neighborhood with thousands.  And it was because of our shared circumstances that you asked me to lead you in this fight and elected me to represent you in 2015.  As your council representative, I will continue our fight against the Monarch and I will be voting on the final Monarch settlement next year.  

Now, about my opponents’ plan to build a $50M park on an extended version of the Monarch site – it shows she doesn’t know our ward or how to advocate for us. Read More...

In a long, defensive email to a list collected by former Dawn Zimmer, Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s makes a desperate gambit to stem the backlash from both his and his big construction PAC allies’ gigantic NJ Transit plan for downtown Hoboken.

The original political plan to force the City Council to approve the Bhalla – Stronger Foundations redevelopment backfired as community activists recoiled at the attempt to shove it down their and the Hoboken public’s throats without so much as a single public meeting or public notification. Read More...

In two weeks, Hoboken will see six of the City Council seats up for election. Hoboken’s very own mayor Ravi Bhalla is out and about leading an attack on behalf of his do-nothing slate of candidates he calls “activists.”

Ever see any of these people even show up once at a government related meeting speak on a public issue of concern?

Yesterday, Hoboken took a peek into the sixth ward where City Council President Jen Giattino is facing an onslaught of falsified attacks against her sterling record on and off the City Council. Those attacks are yes, false and defamatory, designed to do harm to her reputation. Read More...

Official release:

Dear friends and neighbors – 
Yesterday my opponent was a no-show for the 2^nd Ward Candidate debate.  

What should have been an opportunity for you to hear from both candidates, their stance on important issues turned into an opportunity for me to address nineteen questions by longstanding Hoboken political reporter Al Sullivan on topics important to 2^nd Ward and Hoboken residents.  I am including the entire “debate” (broken into 1^st half and 2^ndhalf) as well as links to each individual topic (below).  I hope you watch all or part as I believe it will give you a sense of what I stand for and how I am always focused on putting you and Hoboken first.   We covered a LOT of ground, I had a lot to say (shock!) and a few too many “um’s”, but I am thankful to the Hudson Media Group and Al Sullivan for the opportunity to discuss so many issues that are affecting Hoboken.  
The list was long and broad and includes the following topics, in the order they were asked.  You can click on any to take you directly to the video (each about 2-4min in length):   Opening Statement, Over Development, “What is a Reformer”, Jobs vs Affordable Housing, Monarch, Hoboken’s Pay to Play, 2^nd Ward Issues, Transportation, Politics/New Alliances, Water Main Breaks/Infrastructure, Union Dry Dock, Special Improvement District, Parking, Building Trust, Honest Elections, Vision for Weehawken Cove, Residential Parking Permit, EBikes/EScooters, Keeping Taxes Stable, Closing Statement.  
I have also listed each question below (verbatim, after my signature), including links and the minute markers for each, so you can scroll to the topics that are most interesting to you.   I hope you will take away from this that being your representative on the City Council requires a lot of focus and effort on many issues, small to big, simple to complex.  It is a job I take seriously and one I really love to do for you.  
Please help me get out the word about this important election and forward to anyone you think may be interested in watching.  And feel free to email me at hoboken2nd@gmail.com or call me at 201/208-1674 to discuss this or anything else that is important to you.  Reminder to visit MY WEBSITE where you can find the 

DONATION Read More...

This fifth ward debate with the three candidates: Tim Crowell, Phil Cohen, and Nicola Maganuco is courtesy of the Mile Square Theater and “The Pulse with Peter B.”

Questions are presented by moderators Peter Biancamano and Joshua Sotomayor Einstein.

Talking Ed Note: A wide variety of topics is covered in this discussion. Among them: taxes, transportation, housing, Hudson County and its relationship to Hoboken.

Of note, this is the only ward forum where any of Ravi Bhalla’s backed council ward candidates have shown up. In three earlier council debates, one being set a month in advance, none of the Team Bhalla candidates appeared. Read More...

Official release:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,  Many thanks to all who attended both the above important rail yard community event and the 5th Ward Debate on Tuesday.  It’s too bad these occurred on the same night.

The Debate was planned well in advance, but the rail yard meeting was pulled together at the last minute due to concerns expressed by a number of City Council members including me.

I am also writing to reaffirm my statement that Union contributions are driving this railyard project.  In fact, the Unions recently announced their support of Mayor Bhalla’s city council candidates.  In turn, there will be an absolute expectation of 100% support on their part, if elected, of the Mayor’s agenda. Read More...

Official release:

  Dear friends,   Together, we are moving the city forward thanks to our hard work and advocacy. I am always eager to listen to residents and work with different stakeholders to get things done for Hoboken. Below are some of the projects that we have been working on for a long time that will soon be coming to fruition.     Improved Timing for Paterson Plank/Light Rail Traffic Light  

For so many of us that regularly commute into and out of Hoboken the drive can be terribly frustrating. Having to sit at the Light Rail crossing in South West Hoboken while traffic builds up, especially during morning and evening rush hours is a nightmare.  Read More...

After Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s retreated on his efforts to shovel through the Railyard Redevelopment plan late yesterday, a series of official releases have followed from the City Council.

Official release: Councilman Peter Cunningham

Councilman Cunningham: Bhalla, Russo Attempted to Rush Railyard Development to Appease Union Political Donors 

At the October 2 City Council meeting, the administration had requested a vote to approve amendments to the Hoboken Yards Redevelopment Plan, which include the construction of two 300+ feet buildings and improvements to Warrington Plaza. Seeing that the Mayor had not sought community input on the project and failed to produce traffic and feasibility studies, the City Council voted to table the matter until a citywide public hearing could be held so all residents could be afforded the opportunity to have their voices heard and ask questions about the redevelopment plan.  Read More...