Author: SmartyJones

News

Hoboken’s youngest council candidate focused on local transportation issues

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The uptown fifth ward of Hoboken covering the northwest portion of the Mile Square City is suffering growing pains as any other.

The long bus lines in the morning with people trying to make their way to work is a recurring problem; one that prompted Nicola Maganuco to begin the twitter account HobokenCommuter more than a year ago.

Seeing no solution or as he notes, since no one on the City Council or the mayor’s office lives with the issue, Nick, as he goes by with friends, decided to throw his hat in the ring last July via his Twitter account. Read More...

News

9/24 Vote Jen Again Fundraiser! And new Vote By Mail legislation

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Official release:


   
Dear friends and neighbors, Please join me for some fun at my re-election launch fundraiser!
  • WHEN: Tuesday, September 24
  • WHERE:  80 River Hoboken (in the location of the former Cadillac Cantina) 80 River Street, Hoboken
  • TIME: 6pm – 8pm

As many of you know the hardest thing for me to do is to ask for money but campaigns cost money. You have always been so generous supporting me. Each and every one of you makes a difference.  Will you support me with a donation of $25 or more? Checks payable to Jen Giattino for 6th Ward or you can DONATE ONLINE.  Read More...

News

Campaign Kick-Off Event for 3-4-5 for Hoboken School Board!

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Official release:
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We hope you can join us as we kick off our campaign for Hoboken School Board!  We are excited to share with the community why we feel 3-4-5 is the right team to serve our school district.  

Monday, September 23rd, 2019
6:30-8:30pm
Frankie and Ava’s Italian Eatery
208 Washington Street

We look forward to seeing you all,
Alex De La Torre (#3)
Joyce Simons (#4)
Sheillah Dallara (#5)
News

EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Ravi Bhalla calls for partisan special meeting for non-binding resolution

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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Weeks leading into council ward elections, Mayor Ravi Bhalla called for a special meeting this Thursday for a partisan campaign-driven resolution claiming to “enforce” the 2011 Pay-to-Play ordinance.

Last week’s non-binding resolution calls for enforcement of the 2011 pay-to-play ordinance Bhalla’s Corporation Counsel Brian Aloia previously declared unenforceable.

Neither the mayor’s office nor Aloia has offered any new analysis of how the 2011 ordinance can be enforced in the balance of 2019. Read More...

News

City of Hoboken to take Academy Bus property downtown in latest eminent domain

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Hoboken Patch reports the newest city land acquisition “Hoboken Will Use Eminent Domain to Seize Bus Company’s Property.”

The sub-headline states former mayor Dawn Zimmer accused Academy Bus of trying to force Hoboken into an “out-of-scale, traffic-generating development deal” on the City.”

On Wednesday the City of Hoboken filed legal documents to take the land currently owned by Academy Bus for $5.3 million. The eminent domain process, however, will determine the final price. Read More...

News

Councilwoman Fisher Thanks Colleagues for Unanimously Backing eScooter Restrictions at Public Parks, Waterfront Walkways

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Official release:
Councilwoman pledges to continue working for pedestrian safety

The Hoboken City Council voted unanimously last night in favor of a resolution sponsored by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher restricting eScooters from all city parks as well as the Northern and Southern Waterfront Walkways. A steadfast advocate for pedestrian safety, Councilwoman Fisher has been an outspoken critic of the eScooter program, relaying constituent concerns about unsafe operations by riders, lack of effective enforcement and safety issues. Councilwoman Fisher led the efforts for a revised contract with Lime, the city’s lone remaining eScooter provider, that guarantees more revenue for the city to be used for enforcement actions. Read More...

News

Lime on the Line

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Tonight the City Council will examine additional restrictions on the very popular and widely used e-Scooters introduced in a six-month pilot by Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

It’s the last of the two companies in the pilot as the mayor revoked the other, Ojo, when a reported underage or “undocumented” user rode on the sidewalk and crashed into a woman. The woman also had a baby stroller. Ravi Bhalla revoked the contract of Ojo the same day as his prerogative.

Lime is now alone facing more regulation from the City Council tonight. As of August, Lime reported the e-Scooters were a huge success in Hoboken registering over 250,000 rides. Read More...

News

Horse Sense: Dark Money & Hoboken dirty deeds done dirt cheap

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

It’s election season in Hoboken and sadly, the time of year when the bad character of individuals comes to the fore among those who seek or hold power.

Dark Money is being sounded in ever-louder warnings and there’s a significant basis for it with a Hoboken vendor alleged at its center.

As Mayor Ravi Bhalla attempts to fulfill his desire for absolute power over all aspects of Hoboken governance, the before, during and after patterns of behavior is revealing.

In the 2017 mayoral election, one of the dirtiest witnessed in these parts in some time, dark money blew in days before the election in a big way. Read More...

News

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher: “E-Scooters – More Enforcement Coming’

by SmartyJones3 Min Reading

Official release:

  Dear friends and neighbors –    This week the discussion on the future of E-Scooters in Hoboken came to a head when one of our neighbors was pushing her 3 month old in a stroller on a sidewalk near 8th and Clinton and was hit by an Ojo E-Scooter driven by a teen.  Thankfully, she had no serious physical injuries other than a bruised leg and the baby was ok.  It goes without saying that this paints the worst picture (with the best possible outcome) that we all fear.   Although mom and baby are physically ok thankfully, the entire family is still dealing with the aftershock and the many “what ifs.”  In response to this accident, Mayor Bhalla announced first on Twitter that he was terminating the contract with Ojo.  Although I think there is more and different that needs to be done, I applauded this decision because we needed a bold move to happen.     IMPORTANT WEDNESDAY VOTE ON PARK AND WATERFRONT WALKWAY BAN   Before I continue with more EScooter updates below, I would like to invite you to the City Council meeting on Wednesday night at 7pm at City Hall.     The City Council will be voting on 2nd reading to ban EScooters from all City Parks as well as the Northern and Southern Waterfront Walkways (the areas where there are adjacent bike/multi use lanes where EScooters can and should be ridden).  If you can’t make in person, you can watch live on Facebook or online.  You would think this is an easy law to get behind – given EScooters and kids don’t mix well – but because of the upcoming elections/political environment, I have less confidence that this is the slam dunk it should be.  So write your council person, come to the meeting, and let us know your views – whatever they are – on this.  I understand Ojo’s CEO will be at the meeting, and as of this writing, our neighbor who was in the accident described above plans to attend as well.   Back to the update on EScooters….   MY POSITION ON E-SCOOTERS   Let me start by saying that my position continues to be informed by the feedback I get from many of you.  I believe:

  • We need to do as much as possible to try to make E-Scooters work in Hoboken, but in order for them to work residents need to feel safe.  And currently they just don’t.
    • Read More...