Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

                Psalm 136:1-3

Throughout the day we choose whether to be grateful or ungrateful in matters large and small. To choose gratitude is an expression of faith, hope, and charity in and for ourselves and others.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          – reader submission     

Official release:

Dear friends and neighbors:   This update includes a recap of Wednesday’s marijuana meeting, some color on the 120 messages I have heard so far on the subject, and the first few seasonal mentions for the upcoming holidays.  An odd combination, but one that seems to work today.  11/19 Marijuana Meeting at Jubilee Center If you want to watch it, Hudson County View actually recorded the entire meeting.  Click HERE to watch.  As I mentioned before, this meeting was requested by me and other members of the City Council after seeing the mayor’s ordinance on the council agenda for the 10/17 meeting.  The meeting itself, however, was scheduled and organized by the mayor’s office. My recap could be really long, detailing all that was said.  Or short.  And for once I am going to opt for short.  The audience was heavily weighted with cannabis industry representatives and supporters.  And most of the non-elected officials on the panel were cannabis industry representatives and advocates.  The discussion was more about the related social and health issues and broad advocacy for legalizing marijuana, and less about addressing specific issues relating to Hoboken.   Some residents expressed their frustration that this was the case, given the premise of the meeting was to talk about the mayor’s proposed ordinance and law changes in Hoboken.  Both Councilman Russo and I spoke to this towards the end of the meeting.  My comments – which you can see if you skip to 1:30 of the HCV video– basically say that we still have a lot of unanswered questions and legwork to do relating to this issue.   The meeting last night was informative – I will give it that.  This is an issue that I myself need to learn more about, so a discussion on the more macro related issues I think is helpful.  But it fell short of moving the discussion forward in Hoboken which I think we need to do in light of the potential state legislation.  Assemblywoman Chaparro did let us know that there has not yet been any official hearing or debate at the state level and a vote is not yet pending.  Assemblyman Mukherji was not in attendance because he has a conflict relating to the legislation.  I mistakenly stated previously that he would attend and that he is a sponsor. This meeting is only the first, not the last, public discussion on the topic.  As I said at the meeting, we first need to understand what action, if any, the state is taking and then we will take whatever steps (and time) necessary to get this decision right for Hoboken.  The mayor was kind enough to end the meeting by handing off his ordinance to the city council to address.  Lucky us.  I have spoken with Councilwoman Giattino, and will speak with other councilmembers as well, about arranging the next community meeting to discuss this important issue.  We are targeting early December and will let you know when we land on a date.   Feedback I Received On The Mayor’s Proposed Ordinance –  I have received approximately 120 responses so far to my 10/23 email and they keep coming.  Thank you – the broken record in me says again, more voices are always better.  Right now, after logging in 80, the tally it is about 45% leaning “Yes” in the 2nd ward and still 50% leaning “Yes” in the rest of Hoboken.  I will finish and get these out to everyone asap.  I can tell you that along the way, as I tabulated, the vote generally hovered around 50/50 give or take – both for the 2^nd ward and separately for the rest of Hoboken.  About 2/3 of respondents are from the 2nd ward.  What does this mean to me?  It means that this is a complicated issue for all of Hoboken and that we need to work hard to ensure any legislation is more right for more people.   The specific responses really varied – and I think you will find them interesting when you see them.  In general, it is recreational marijuana that people are most concerned with; there seems to be a lot of support for medicinal.  And the one theme that seemed to be referenced the most from all sides was the concern about how Hoboken will effectively enforce what I will refer to as “Sidewalk Smoking”.  Concerns mentioned include children coming into contact with it, the lack of tolerance for the smell, the health concerns about secondary smoke or the possibilities for “contact high”.   So more to come and thank you to the many who are already engaging… please encourage your neighbors to do so as well.   First of Many Holiday Season Mentions Hoboken Shelter – Looking for donations of butter and coffee (and any other donations) for Thanksgiving!  Drop off any time from 9 – 9 at corner of 3^rd and Bloomfield, entrance on 3^rd. Little City Books Seasonal Pop Up in Choco Pain at Hudson Tea!  Come have a coffee and buy your holiday baked goods and reading gifts at the same time!  Books for kids and adults, toys and holiday cards.  Open 7-7 through 12/24! And speaking of Choco Pain’s delicious baguettes… Congratulations to them as they just won Best Baguette in the World Bread Awards USA!    Small Business Saturday in Hoboken.  Hoboken’s small businesses are the backbone of our community so go out and shop, eat and drink all while supporting your neighbor.  American Express, which started the effort in 2010 has a great summary on their website of what this one day has meant for so many.   Hoboken Thanksgiving Day Volunteer Opportunities.  If you are in Hoboken on Thursday and just feeling like you want to help make Thanksgiving special for others, there are three great places that would welcome your service and donations (list courtesy of hobokengirl.com):  

Hoboken Shelter Community Dinner {300 Bloomfield Street, Hoboken} welcomes volunteers to assist in serving dinner on Thanksgiving Day from 6:00PM-8:00PM. Volunteers are needed to help with serving dinner, sorting clothing and food donations and socialize with guests. All volunteers must contact the shelter to register. 

Mario’s Pizza Thanksgiving Dinner {742 Garden Street, Hoboken} Like every year, Mario ’s Pizza will be providing a free Thanksgiving dinner for those in need this holiday. The festivities will begin at noon on Thanksgiving Day. Volunteers are welcome to show up to help serve guests.

Zack’s Thanksgiving Dinner {232 Willow Avenue, Hoboken} While Zack’s will be closed on Thanksgiving Day to their loyal clientele, it will be open to those who are in need of a Thanksgiving dinner. Anyone interested in making a donation or volunteering on Thanksgiving Day can speak to staff at Zack’s.

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Official release:

Dear friends and neighbors, These are not my opinions but my take away from last night’s meeting. Social injustice issues:

• keep the price of licenses low to allow a level playing field in acquiring them. Not just wealthy individuals and companies should be able to obtain a license.
• a portion of tax revenues from the  sale of marijuana should go towards drug rehabilitation.
• expunge all distribution and possession charges for marijuana.

Benefits of medicinal/recreational marijuana for Hoboken:

• no answers (other than easier accesss for individuals). 

If Hoboken allows the sale of marijuana where should it be zoned:

a few residents expressed where it should not be but no conversation on where it should be.

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With the Thanksgiving holiday encroaching on busy schedules, last night was selected as Hoboken’s first meeting on marijuana catching many residents off guard.

More shocking to Hoboken residents, they learned Mayor Ravi Bhalla already has a plan for weed sales mapped out in multiple locations across the Mile Square City.

What?

Got the munchies, how about some Ravi Bhalla cheatos?

Councilwoman Jen Giattino released the detailed plan from the Bhalla Administration showing its selection of multiple areas for weed sales in Hoboken.

How’d that happen? Read More...

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The new 2018 Ford Expedition or Ravimobile as pictured outside Hoboken City Hall.

In a brewing controversy with exposure of a costly gas guzzling SUV “Ravimobile” exclusively pusblished on MSV last week, additional details have come to light.

The aforementioned Ravimobile was never disclosed to the Hoboken City Council as such. The 2018 Ford Expedition SUV in question ranges in cost with this one bearing a sticker cost of $63,000. Local observers first began to notice the SUV being used to escort Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s children to school uptown at Elysian Charter. This eventually led to a reader-submitted photograph of the SUV published on MSV Friday outside Hoboken City Hall. The SUV was reportedly used on a trip to Atlantic City last week by the mayor for the annual “League of Municipalities” shindig where politicos around the state come to play and hold informal discussions and meetings on various topics and rub shoulders. The actual purpose of purchasing the Ford Expedition SUV for approximately $63,000 was never disclosed by the Bhalla Administration last summer but inserted into the resolution pack making no mention of what the SUV was for and no one from the Administration gave the actual reason for its purchase. Late Friday, Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante offered details on the usage of the vehicle outlining various ways it was deployed by the Hoboken Police Investigations Bureau for “dignitary protection, transporting special victims and families” and “the Mayor’s Security Detail.” The Ford Expedition, however, came before the City Council for approval in August last summer unconnected to any request from the Hoboken Police Department. The cost was submitted in bills by the Bhalla administration and the resolution presented to the City Council seen below makes no mention of its regular use for the mayor. Members of the City Council were not immediately available for comment and the mayor’s office typically avoids answering questions. =&1=& =&3=&: While many in Hoboken will be uncomfortable questioning the basis of a vehicle for security purposes related to the mayor, other residents will be less willing to remain silent about the choice of a big expensive gas guzzler. Former mayor Dawn Zimmer, the first Jewish mayor declined any security detail and was often seen going to meetings around the Mile Square City unescorted on her bicycle.  Senior Hoboken Police officials differed with the former mayor and point to “American national radicals” who may be triggered by a Sikh holding office. Ravi Bhalla was a highly visible City Councilman for more than eight years prior without any known threatening bias incident.  Last year a controversial Ravi Terror Flyer appeared days before Hoboken voters went to the polls. The terror flyer was highly publicized by many in the media boosting Bhalla’s bid while creating a perception Hoboken is a racist bigoted town.  No evidence of any competing campaign has emerged with the Ravi Terror Flyer since and the Hoboken Police Department continues the pursuit.

Official release:

  Dear friends and neighbors:   I hope you can join me tomorrow – Monday – night for an important community discussion on marijuana in Hoboken.  It is at 630 pm at the Jubilee Center at 601 Jackson.  In my 10/23 email to you asking for your feedback on marijuana, I explained the specifics of the “Marijuana Ordinance” that the Administration had proposed to be heard at the November 7^th City Council meeting. I wont restate everything here, but I encourage you to reread my email to find out more color on the proposed legislation. At the meeting tomorrow night, there will be a panel comprising our State Assembly representatives including I believe Raj Mukherji, who is one of the sponsors of the State level legislation, a representative of the ACLU to discuss the social injustices of marijuana, Hoboken’s Police Chief Ken Ferrante and someone by the name of Sasha Huetz of Garden State of Mind (who I can’t find any information about although I assume she is a pro-cannabis advocate).  This is a great opportunity to ask any questions that you may have.   In response to my 10/23 email, I received almost 100 emails and messages from many of you.  I am compiling these and will send out a summary before the meeting tomorrow.  The responses range from definite no’s to definite yes’s and everywhere in between.  But based upon the feedback I received, and some of my own thoughts, here are some suggested questions for you to consider asking tomorrow night:

• What is the status of the State level legislation?  When do we think it will be voted on and what will be included?
• How is Senator Stack expected to vote on the legislation? 
• What research did the Administration do in preparation for their proposed ordinance?
• What commitments will Hoboken Police make in terms of enforcing the prohibition of smoking marijuana in public places?  How do we expect to keep it off our sidewalks?
• What do we expect the three proposed Marijuana Establishments to generate in tax revenue for the State and for Hoboken?
• What do we expect the additional costs of compliance and enforcement to be?
• What does decriminalization mean?  How many people in Hoboken are arrested for marijuana use annually?  What is the current enforcement practices?
• Why are the cost of the licenses only $15,000?
• Are child care and preschool locations included in the 1000 ft. exclusionary zone?
• Why would the I1-W zone be included in the inclusionary area if the area was recommended in our recently approved Land Use Element to be rezoned as a residential zone R-4? 
• How do we realistically expect our current unruly bar scene to be impacted by the sale of recreational marijuana?  Edibles in particular.
• Why does Hoboken have to be first?  

This is such a major change for our community and the Administration was pushing to move forward with no public meeting.  But I insisted that we have one prior to any vote.  Personally, I don’t see the rush and would prefer no vote is taken until the State level vote occurs.  Then we know what we are voting on.  But this is fluid, and we should all be trying to become as more educated as possible in the interim so I hope you will join me and other members of our local government at the meeting tomorrow night.

Official release:

    Dear friends and neighbors, The Administration had placed an ordinance for first reading on the October 17th agenda TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT CHAPTERS 196 “ZONING” AND 128 “LICENSES” OF THE CITY OF HOBOKEN ESTABLISHING LAND USE REGULATIONS AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS. 
It was removed from the agenda by Council President Ramos and me at our agenda meeting on October 11th to give both the Council and the Public the opportunity to understand what is being proposed by the Administration and get input from Hoboken residents.         The Ordinance would allow the sale of marijuana in certain areas:     I-1, I-1(W), I-2, CBD and Court Street Subdistrict.       In the proposed Ordinance:     

• Marijuana dispensaries and retail stores are NOT allowed in Residential Zones, although Court Street and I-1(W) are arguably residential.
   
• The maximum number of licenses in Hoboken is three and no more than one license can be in a district.

  Please attend the meeting on Monday, November 19th at the Jubilee Center, 601 Jackson Street, to be part of the discussion on what is appropriate for Hoboken with regards to the legalization of cannibas use.   Thankfully the social injustices in marijuana related arrests are being addressed by the State. The purpose of the meeting tomorrow is about if and where marijuana establishments should be located in Hoboken.

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The following story comes courtesy of the Hudson County View:

Two Hoboken men pleaded not guilty in federal court for their alleged roles in vote-by-mail fraud linked to the 2013 mayoral contest, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.  Frank Raia, 67, and Dio Braxton, both entered not guilty pleas in front of Newark U.S. District Judge William J. Martini this morning and were both released on $100,000 unsecured bonds, U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Matt Reilly told HCV.

Frank “Pupie” Raia back in happier days with his pal from the Hoboken 2013 election Beth Mason

Raia, a former mayoral and council candidate, and Braxton were both charged with conspiracy to execute an illegal vote-by-mail scheme in connection to the 2013 mayoral contest, where Raia was running for councilman-at-large, on Halloween. From October 2013 through November 2013, Raia allegedly instructed Braxton and other conspirators to pay certain Hoboken voters $50 if those voters applied for and cast mail-in ballots in the November 2013 Hoboken municipal election.

Dio Braxton

For the complete story, please see the Hudson County View: https://hudsoncountyview.com/hobokens-raia-braxton-plead-not-guilty-to-vbm-fraud-released-on-100k-bonds/