Monday Update: Freeholder Anthony Romano makes his announcement to run for Hoboken mayor official Tuesday morning.

Sources suggest the announcement will take place outside Romano’s office on Washington St.

Romano will enter the race for Hoboken mayor with Councilman Mike DeFusco, Councilman Ravi Bhalla, local businesswoman Karen Nason and local activist Ronald Bautista previously announced.

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According to a Sunday report on the Hudson County View, Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano will make it official on Tuesday he’s a candidate for Hoboken mayor. Read More...

The following is a guest piece submitted by long time Hoboken reformer Kurt Gardiner. 

=&0=&=&1=&=&2=& Ambition – if there is a word that describes the Hoboken 2017 election that is it.  Dawn Zimmer after two terms as Hoboken Mayor decided to move on up and fight global warming. That is ambition.  Mike Defusco after only a year and a half as an at times petulant, uninformed and unprofessional City Council person with little name recognition decided to run for Mayor because anything Dawn could do he could do faster without displaying the executive function necessary to do the job. That is ambition.  Also taking money from FBW phoney Jim Vance and being against the flood wall after voting for it takes a special brand of person. Bipolar is not just a trendy Arctic sexual preference, it is a state of mind for Defusco. Saying anything to get elected is ambition Cammarano style.  Anthony Romano wants to run for two jobs at once. He wants to Stick it to the Hoboken taxpayer twice. Once is not good enough; he wants to screw us in more ways than one. That is ambition Hudson County style.  It has been reported that Mike Russo will not run only if his numerous demands are met. Not sure if that is more of a shakedown but that could be a form of ambition.  My good neighbor Ravi Bhalla, known more as a Zimmer loyalist than a true reformer bided his time, got the passing of the baton from the dearly departing and before the campaign literature is even dry was out campaigning. That is both a super Sikh political **** block and ambition rolled into one.  Karen Nason appeared to run to critique the now departing Mayor. Now that the Mayor is gone, where is the impetus to continue to run? Maybe her only ambition now is to make a point to stay in race to take votes away from Defusco.  Jen Giattino may or may not run but will talk it over with family and friends before deciding. It won’t just be ambition for her if she decides yes. It will be to continue the reform movement in her opinion. Having a goal to a cause is a form of collective ambition.  I Kurt Gardiner am a job seeking job seeker and have a limited base and not much money but feel I can add a lot to the continued progress of Hoboken and my platform is simply one word: Ambition.  I have more ambition than any of these other candidates so I am throwing my hat in the ring for Hoboken Mayor in 2017. I would announce a slate but they can’t handle my ambition. Look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail. I will ambitiously be pursuing your vote, if I don’t cut a deal first.

Hi MSV readers, This Wednesday evening, please join me at the Turtle Club as we host an event to thank Mayor Dawn Zimmer for her years of service to Hoboken, and celebrate 8 years of good government.  What: Thank you celebration for Mayor Zimmer and good government When: Wednesday, June 28, 7:00 pm Where: Turtle Club, 936 Park Avenue Who: All members of the Hoboken community

Please click here to RSVP on Facebook.  The event is free of charge, we look forward to seeing you Wednesday! Read More...

We’re not a week from the post apocalypse Zimmer-Hoboken universe and the real campaign pushing and shoving has started.  =&0=&

From the desk of Second Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher:

Dear Hoboken friends and neighbors – 

What a week this has been for us…

It’s been a bit of a scramble the last few days as our entire community, myself included, reacts to the sudden and unexpected news that our Mayor Dawn Zimmer will not run for re-election this fall.  I met with her shortly before her announcement and I have no doubt that she loves this city and that this decision was incredibly personal to her and a difficult one to make.  I only wish her the best and equally great success on her new path. Personally, I believe she’s done an enormous amount of good for Hoboken as mayor and we all should thank her. Read More...

From the desk of Fifth Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham:

Dear Family, Friends and Neighbors,  I wanted to reach out to you on the major news that broke this week about Mayor Zimmer deciding not to seek a third term.  As a reminder to many of you, Dawn and I were elected to the City Council together in 2007.  We have managed to achieve a great deal for Hoboken with our current council colleagues Ravi Bhalla, Jim Doyle, Tiffanie Fisher, Dave Mello and Council President Jen Giattino. Unlike the trying times of 2007, we are a growing community facing an entirely new set of challenges.  The first one of course is to avoid seeing the “clock turned back” and allow old political elements to get their hands on the wheel of government again.  In those times, abuses and corruption were rampant.   The second is our challenge to identify the best candidate to win in November.  It should be as in the past, a collaborative process which is not only a core tenet of reform.  Many of the goals achieved in the last 8 years have been achieved by consensus and collaboration.  And in fact today, many of the nine councilmembers are working collaboratively. While Mayor Zimmer decided to endorse our friend and colleague Councilman Bhalla on Monday, a collaborative conversation among her team did not take place.  I, for one, think that process is warranted.   Based on these factors, I’ve decided at this time not to join the Mayor in endorsing Ravi.   Yesterday, Council President Jen Giattino issued a statement saying she is considering entering the mayoral race.  While some are feeling a sense of trepidation if that happens, I feel there is an opportunity here that can lead to victory in November. As we make this evaluation, I am asking you to keep an open mind and allow the voices of our community a chance to be heard.  We deserve it.  I  look forward to hearing from you on any aspect of this message and trust we’ll come to a decision together that’s best for Hoboken.  Thanks, Peter   Peter Cunningham=&0=&: As a matter of policy, editorial notes don’t follow official releases but the Hudson County View has a story including a response by Ravi Bhalla’s spokesman to Peter Cunningham’s letter to the Hoboken community yesterday.
Hoboken’s Cunningham, Fisher not endorsing Bhalla yet, open to Giattino mayoral run

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Last night, a second evening meeting followed an earlier midday meeting between friends and potential mayoral rivals in Councilman Ravi Bhalla and Council President Jen Giattino.

The daytime meeting didn’t resolve the friction where one campaign was launched in concert with Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s simultaneous announced departure and endorsement for Bhalla and any opportunity to present an alternative negated for Giattino.

City Council President Jen Giattino,: broadest and most crossover appeal to Hoboken voters? That’s one question.

With Jen Giattino’s statement issued last night she is weighing a run for mayor, much is changed in the Hoboken mayoral landscape and much remains the same, at least for the time being. Read More...

From the desk of City Council President Jen Giattino:

Like many, I was surprised with the series of events this week in Hoboken starting with our Mayor Dawn Zimmer opting not to run for a third term.  This week I have been humbled and honored by the outpouring of support from many friends, colleagues and people in our community who have expressed their support and encouraged me to run for Mayor.  I am passionate about the future of our town and giving this serious consideration.  


I plan to publicly respond soon.

Read More...