Author: SmartyJones

News

City Council rejects Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s tax increase a second time

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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In Trenton, the City Council budget amendment reducing a three percent increase proposed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla to approximately one-percent is under review.

That won’t change based on the failed attempt by Team Bhalla to undo it with a budget amendment rejected last night seeking to reinsert much of the reduced spending.

The City Council overwhelmingly rejected the Team Bhalla budget amendment 7-2 upholding the previous budget amendment and retaining most of the earlier spending reductions of less than a million. Read More...

News

On the front lines exposing Hoboken voter fraud

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Over the past decade, Hobokenhorse.com exposed voter fraud in Hoboken, breaking the biggest stories on the subject earning statewide attention and eventual federal prosecution and convictions.

Here’s a gem from the archives featuring an exclusive interview with Frank “Pupie” Raia and naming Matt Calicchio for alleged voter fraud in 2010.

Last week, Calicchio pled guilty for his role involving voter fraud bribery schemes in the 2013 and 2015 Hoboken elections in federal court. Raia faces a federal criminal trial with sidekick Dio Braxton on June 11th. Read More...

News

Ravi Bhalla goes to the mattresses… for his tax increase!

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Ravi Bhalla – going to the mattresses for
his higher tax increase.

Never say die when it’s your tax increase at stake. Mayor Ravi Bhalla is summoning all the powers of the mayor’s office and its bloated staff in an effort to reinstitute his tax increase of three percent.

The City Council voted at its last meeting to reduce Ravi Bhalla’s proposed three percent tax increase down to one-percent cutting spending by less than a million.

That vote passed overwhelmingly 8-1 but the pushback from the mayor’s office to take back the tax reduction is underway. Read More...

News

Sign of the Times: Who’s sorry now?

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

In less than a month, the celebrated Hoboken “tradition” of voter fraud moves front and center at trial in an ‘On the Waterfront’ stylistic tragicomedy.

The main characters, Frank “Pupie” Raia and his alleged soldier Dio Braxton face trial with the FBI Boys of Summer in Newark swinging for the fences.

Who do you think knocks it out of the park and who’s sorry now?

Matt Calicchio and Frank “Pupie” Raia enter Our Lady of Grace auditorium for a May 2011 City Council forum.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019
Former Councilwoman Beth Mason departs a 2012 “State of the City” in a waiting car with her “Chief of Staff” and
paid political operative Matt Calicchio.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019 
Beth Mason shows love for her employee Matt Calicchio departing the 2012 event.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019 
Beth Mason and Matt Calicchio at 220 Adams St. awaiting a Hoboken Housing Authority meeting in 2013.
Calicchio would confess to the FBI his participation in a voter bribery scheme in the same year.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019
Beth Mason and Matt Calicchio at the Hoboken Housing Authority senior building Fox Hill Gardens for her 2012 event.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019
Matt Calicchio and Beth Mason at a 2012 BoE meeting, (Frank Raia front center) when the BoE contemplated joining
other NJ municipalities moving to November elections. The Old Guard was vehemently against it.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019
Matt Calicchio gets loose removing his tie and clenching his fist as he stares down a potential foe.
Dio Braxton is sitting front left as Councilman Michael Russo (l) looks on.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019
Matt Calicchio on his way to the Mason Civis Leage at 12th
and Washington after a Union City judge called him a liar
at a trial for his alleged harassment of a BoE trustee and her daughter.
Copyright Hobokenhorse.com 2019


Related: The 2012 Hoboken Horse exclusive: “Day in the Life, an encounter with a Beth Mason political operative.”  Read More...

News

When dictatorial power comes up against constituent service

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

This Jersey Journal cover photo is modified as Mayor Ravi Bhalla was in City Hall during the incident.

The Hoboken council ward races are months off in the distance but not everyone thinks to wait is a good thing.

Last week, the Hoboken City Council led by a budget amendment sponsored by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher reduced spending $836,000. The bloated Office of Mayor with increased spending 40% higher since Dawn Zimmer’s 2017 departure, saw a paltry $115,000 reduction.

If anyone thinks reducing Ravi Bhalla’s planned three percent tax increase down to almost one percent is a good thing; you won’t find them among Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s praetorian guard inside his office where the political fat is high on power and the political operations are easy. Read More...

News

The Hoboken Sopranos meet the House of Cards

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Courtesy of the Boys of Summer and your friendly neighborhood Horsey?

It’s happening. After years, decades and generational Hoboken voting “tradition,” the time is nigh for voter fraud in the Mile Square City.

Back in 2010, Hobokenhorse.com broke the big story elevating the issue of Hoboken voter fraud across the state. In subsequent years, more exclusive stories and revelatory analysis followed but the practice although feinting and weaving did not die but morphed before completing a full 360-degree circle.

As the Jersey Journal published yesterday on NJ.com, the mechanism typically pays $50 for votes: Read More...

News

Ravicams in City Hall lead to illegal ejection of City Council President Jen Giattino & Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher?

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

Official release:


Joint statement by Council President Giattino and Councilwoman Fisher

Bhalla Administration Orders Removal of City Council President and Councilwoman from Hoboken City Hall Hoboken, N.J. – Yesterday Hoboken City Council President Jen Giattino and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher were at City Hall looking into a matter involving the potential eviction of a Hoboken resident from his home.  As they finished, the councilwomen were approached by City Hall security who said they were instructed by the administration to escort the two councilwomen out of the building because “they had no business in City Hall”.   

“It is alarming that the administration ordered our removal from City Hall while we were helping a Hoboken resident at risk of losing his home. As duly elected representatives and active members of the city’s government, we will continue to be a presence in City Hall and we will not tolerate nor be intimidated by this attempt to prevent us from doing the job we were elected to do – representing and advocating for the residents of Hoboken.  This level of bullying has no place in our city let alone from within City Hall and everyone should be concerned by this misuse of power exhibited by the mayor’s office.” 



 Read More...

News

BREAKING: Beth Mason political operative Matt Calicchio admits promoting voter bribery schemes

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
Former councilwoman Beth Mason and her political operative Matt Calicchio as seen in this 2014 photo.
copyright Hobokenhorse.com
=&0=& =&1=& HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, MAN ADMITS PROMOTING VOTER BRIBERY SCHEME
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hoboken, New Jersey, man today admitted promoting a voter bribery scheme in two city elections, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. 

Matthew Calicchio, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with using the mails to promote voter bribery from 2013 to 2015 in municipal elections in Hoboken.  Read More...

News

NY Waterway and Mayor Ravi Bhalla in public row over Union Dry Dock

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

A war of words erupted after Mayor Ravi Bhalla attempted to entice New York Waterway into a “town hall” meeting.

Hudson County View reported on the public fusillade erupting which comes after NY Waterway has taken possession of the former Union Dry Dock site intended for ferry refueling and maintenance.

New York Waterway has rejected an invitation by Mayor Ravi Bhalla to present their Union Dry Dock plan at a public town hall-style hearing, escalating their feud over a potential new ferry refueling and maintenance station.



New York Waterway responded noting public comments predicting their failure at the location:

“We do indeed plan to discuss our plans openly and transparently with the people of Hoboken and with the tens and thousands of people who ride our ferries. We shall do so tirelessly and rigorously,” NY Waterway Chairman Armand Pohan wrote in a letter to Bhalla today. We have already begun to do so. Thank you very much, but we hardly need the feigned ‘assistance’ of someone who has publicly proclaimed that we will only occupy our own property ‘over my dead body.’”

Mayor Ravi Bhalla returned fire on Twitter:

Surprise! NYWW doesn’t have the guts to meet w/ residents w/ their own plans. Instead they’d rather continue spreading misinformation & running scared from the public. We won’t be fooled by a NYWW- a morally bankrupt actor prioritizing corporate profits, ruining our environment pic.twitter.com/qY6eHMKn4y

— Ravinder S. Bhalla (@RaviBhalla) May 6, 2019 Read More...