Here’s a snippet from Grafix Avenger’s Deep Throated Uvula:

There are plenty of pissed off folks behind the scenes. That is why you saw the ones that are out in front so desperate – this could get ugly. 

Gotta love the excuses about her being a poor old disabled lady. And Russo said that crap with a straight face. Pretty impressive. 

You thought 300k for new floors in the elevators was wild, that is peanuts compared to what people are planning to take out of the tear down of the HHA. That is what last Wednesday was all about. 

Sure the votes had something to do with it as well, but the idea is to keep just enough HHA units spread out in the new buildings to keep the lock on the fourth ward. But it may not be for Occhipinti … 

Read More...

According to a story on Grafix Avenger, the act of desperation on behalf of former HHA commissioner Marianne Camporeale had nothing to do with her “disability” and everything to do with holding on to an area for the Old Guard’s skimming via a massive construction project and Tim Occhipinti’s “base.”

Camporeale not a shy violet after her screaming outbursts at the last City Council meeting was a sure rubber stamp for a “redevelopment” plan flying under the radar to the public and the HHA.  She’s believed to have thought of her HHA role as a way to support “her boy” Carmelo Garcia. Read More...

Office of the Mayor announces:

=&0=& (NEW JERSEY) –  44,998 New Jersey consumers will receive $7,670,066 in health insurance rebates as a result to the Affordable Care Act’s 80/20 standard. Checks will be in consumers’ hands by August 1^st – along with a notice that the rebate is a direct result of the health care law. Consumers owed a rebate will see their value reflected in one of the following ways: ·         a rebate check in the mail; ·         a lump-sum reimbursement to the same account that they used to pay the premium if by credit card or debit card; ·         a reduction in their future premiums; or ·         their employer providing one of the above, or applying the rebate in a manner that benefits its employees            The Affordable Care Act requires that insurance companies spend at least 80% of premiums on patient care. This 80/20 provision guarantees that consumer premiums are going back to the consumers themselves – and not use for CEO bonuses or corporate retreats. Insurance companies who do not meet this 80 percent threshold must pay rebates to consumers. The amount depends on the extent to which the insurer fell below the 80 percent.
Every New Jersey consumer will receive a notice from their insurance company informing them of the 80/20 rule, whether their company met the standard, and, if not, how much of difference between what the insurer did or did not spend on medical care and quality improvement will be returned to them. 

The 80/20 standard is just one of the ways that the Affordable Care Act increases transparency and extends new protections to American consumers. 
“This year, New Jersey consumers will actually be getting money back from their insurance companies,” said Joshua Henne, New Jersey spokesman for Know Your Care. “Such a rebate would have been unheard of just a few years back, but thanks to ObamaCare we can now come to expect this sort of transparency and consumer protection. It’s nice to have someone on our side who is looking out for the best interests of consumers.”
The average New Jersey family will receive a $300 rebate. New Jersey is also one of the states whose health insurers have the highest average rebate in the large group market – at $359. For those consumers who are not getting a rebate, it means that their insurance companies are already spending 80% of their premiums on patient care.
For many consumers, the 80/20 rule motivated their plans to lower prices or improve their coverage to meet the standard.  This is one of the ways the 80/20 rule is bringing value to consumers for their health care dollars.
For a detailed breakdown of these rebates by state and by market, please visit: 
http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/reports/mlr-rebates06212012a.html **** The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23^rd, 2010. Over the past two years, it has been a tremendous help to millions of Americans as this real reform lowers costs and guarantees more choice for consumers.  As additional provisions are implemented, ACA will continue to benefit millions more people.  ****

Talking Ed Note: With a Supreme Court decision due any day this week, this guest piece is timely. For many constitutional scholars – American ones now, the question is if the whole law will be struck down as unconstitutional or if the mandate itself will be struck down leaving other pieces if unfunded in place.

The national media was stunned with the Supreme Court’s critical questioning on the constitutionality of Americans being born not free but with a price tag attached to their toe in the delivery room. Read More...

The interest in the last story on former HHA commissioner Marianne Camporeale was off the charts but the story isn’t quite over. MSV will have more on that later but let’s look closer at Camporeale’s threats and MORTe joining in dirty dealing from the bottom of the deck.

Councilman Ravi Bhalla objects to “injecting age and disability,” into the State’s letter  announcing there is a HHA vacancy due to Camporeale’s failure to complete mandatory coursework with her last attendance going back to 2010. Read More...

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This is an APB to be on the lookout for a telephone push poll attempting to get useful information from you in order to “take back” Hoboken for the developers, the steak eaters who wish to dine on your dime at the BoE and those who want to go back to the good old days of “I do for you and you do for me,” back room zoning deals.

One MSV reader submitted the interesting news last night during the council marathon:

Just got a classic push call…all about development in the NW.

Started off as the previous election (related) ones, are you registered, do you like the mayor, are you happy with the direction that Hoboken is going in…

Knew something was going on when they asked me what I thought of the W Hotel (“meh”).

Read More...

HOBOKEN — Every resident of Hudson County knows the Pulaski Skyway.
But how many know the Skyway was the scene of a bloody labor war? Or
that the fighting led to a sensational murder trial? Or that legendary
political boss Frank Hague was a key player in the construction of the
Skyway and the first superhighway project in the nation?

Author and journalist Steven Hart will speak on these topics this
Sunday, June 24, at 4 p.m. in the Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301
Hudson Street, as part of the museum’s 85th anniversary of the opening
of the Holland Tunnel and the 75th anniversary of the opening of the
Lincoln Tunnel. Hart, a former Hudson County resident, is the author
of “The Last Three Miles: Politics, Murder, and the Construction of
America’s First Superhighway” (The New Press), a critically acclaimed
account of a little-known chapter of American history. Read More...

It’s the day after and the rumbles from the Hoboken Housing Authority still echo with one Lincoln arriving on the scene: Greg Lincoln.  Even the mayor’s twitter noting her pleasure with signing the ordinance beginning the effort on buying land for a park in the northwest has been overwhelmed by the echo of the HHA war zone. Hoboken Patch posted its story focusing more on Tim Occhipinti’s behavior in that battle.  It notes Occhiptinti’s more than little petulant behavior; how he went over to Lincoln on the break demanding to know if he’d ever attended an HHA meeting and angrily conversed with Councilman David Mello, eyeball to eyeball.

Tim Occhipinti upset at a grounded “safari?”  The HHA may be the point of the spear for reforms making for one very, very angry Timmy.  He left the dais after his vote for Joe Branco failed to see that lead to an appointment.  Greg Lincoln was appointed directly thereafter.

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Here’s a short 30 second clip of Councilman Michael Russo last night speaking on politics at the Hoboken Housing Authority where he says he’s never seen politics in the HHA:

Then there’s this Michael Russo speaking on the Hoboken Housing Authority in a surveillance video with FBI informant Solomon Dwek a few years back.

The private Michael Russo has a somewhat different perspective on housing politics:

Unbeknownst to Michael Russo, he’s sharing his view on housing politics with the FBI stating: Read More...

The mayor’s Administration delivered an ummistakeable message last night – it’s deadly serious  acquiring open lots for parks.  In this instance, add to the open to do list the Pino’s tow yard in the 3rd ward and the BASF owned site on west ninth street in the 5th ward.

Councilman Michael Russo led the fight against the ordinance putting the eminent domain tool on the table noting there’s been no negotiations to this point.  The council majority countered with Councilwoman Carol Marsh calling on the city attorney for the matter, Ed Buzak to explain how negotiations would fit into the process. Read More...