Dear Friends and Neighbors –
The Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition announces:
The Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition is pleased to invite all Hoboken residents to its 2015 City Council and Board of Education candidates’ forums, a tradition the Coalition has maintained for over a decade. The forums give Hoboken voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates running for the six ward seats on City Council and three seats on the Board of Education in the November 3, 2015, election. Due to the number of candidates for office, the City Council candidates’ forums will be divided into two groups of 7 candidates: 2nd, 5th and 6th Wards and the 1st, 3rdand 4th Wards.
The dates this year are as follows:
- Uptown Candidates Forum (2nd, 5th & 6th Wards) – Wednesday, September 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 1005 Washington Street.
Board of Education Candidates forum – Monday, October 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace School Auditorium, Willow Avenue at 5th Street. This forum is co-sponsored by the Parish of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph.
- Downtown Candidates Forum (1st, 3rd & 4th Wards) – Thursday, October 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hoboken Multiservice Center, 124 Grand Street.
This report comes courtesy of the Hudson County View and John Heinis:
Hoboken Ward 5 Council candidate Eduardo Gonzalez hosted his campaign kickoff at the Brownstone Ale House, located on Willow Avenue, on Thursday night.
For the complete Hudson County View story, see:
http://hudsoncountyview.com/hoboken-ward-5-council-candidate-eduardo-gonzalez-hosts-campaign-kickoff
The interview here with Tim Occhipinti comes courtesy of John Heinis of the Hudson County View:
Hoboken Ward 4 Councilman Tim Occhipinti took aim at the council track record of old adversary Ruben Ramos while explaining why he’s seeking re-election, through the Ramos campaign seemed unimpressed by his remarks:
For the entire story by Hudson County View, please see the link:
http://hudsoncountyview.com/hoboken-ward-4-councilman-occhipinti-takes-aim-at-old-adversary-ramos/
Word of Frank “Pupie” Raia’s untimely exit from the City Council race has begun reverberating and one quake in the series: it’s bad news for Reform City Council candidates.
The breaking story first reported by the Hudson County View is morphing as additional details of a Michael Russo deal with Raia overspills through Hudson County and specifically Mayor Felix Roque in West New York.
The deal splattered over HudCo suggests the back end portion goes down next March when Frank Raia will retain yet another five year term on the North Hudson Sewerage Authority where he receives taxpayer paid health benefits. The health benefits are Raia’s motivation to continue in the role, one he’s held for about two decades. Raia solely retains the taxpayer paid health benefits as NJ withdrew them for all other sewerage commissioners but he was “grandfathered” by the state.
In a major development in the Hoboken City Council race, Hudson County View is reporting Frank “Pupie” Raia is going to court to withdraw from the third ward race.
According to the report, Raia claims his health is the reason for exiting the race.
Other reliable sources however point to a Russo deal having been cut with Mayor Roque to keep Raia on the North Hudson Sewerage Authority. (MSV was working on that story earlier today.)
The Hudson Reporter alleged repeatedly a rumor never confirmed said Raia sought to stay on the Sewerage Authority in a much a hyped Russo allegation of a deal with the administration.
Later today, MSV will publish an interview with Councilman Tim Occhipinti courtesy of the Hudson County View. Occhipinti is facing two opponents in Ruben Ramos and Dana Wefer for Hoboken’s fourth ward (southeast) City Council seat.
Ramos has not been seen much in recent days with the Carmelo Ticket but he and his mother were reportedly in attendance for the kickoff of fifth ward running mate Eduardo Gonzalez last night.
That kickoff held for Eduardo Gonazalez is eyeing incumbent fifth ward Councilman Peter Cunningham and took place at the uptown Ale House last night.
From the desk of first ward City Council candidate Michael Defusco:
Friends and Neighbors, I believe we can and must make improvement to Washington Street. Its current state is unacceptable. To us in the First Ward, it is more than a business district; it is our back yard. As our Councilman, I will:- Push for more regular repaving.
- Advocate for better lighting, trash cans n every corner and crossing signals at intersections
- Fight for filling potholes in real time.
- Stand up for better and more frequent street and sidewalk cleaning.
Addressing the flare up of reports Tiffanie Fisher City Council campaign signs were disappearing last weekend, the Biancamano campaign issued a stern rejection of any involvement.
In a phone interview, Pablo Fonseca speaking on behalf of the Biancamano campaign flatly stated of allegations surrounding disappearing Fisher campaign signs at upper Washington St. businesses, “We have no knowledge. We will not tolerate that and that’s not the way we’re going to move forward.”
Fonseca said the campaign’s focus would be “on the issues” but warned anyone “associated with us” involved in unauthorized activity stealing campaign signs would be “completely removed from the campaign.”
It’s not a Hoboken election until every Vote-by-Mail arrives. They are hitting mailboxes so sharpen your pencils and await the knock at the door from the usual suspects. It’s going to be another fun ride.
For most Hoboken residents the Vote-by-Mail ballot is a reasonable option if you’re traveling or not able to hit the polls on November 3rd. For others, it’s a way of life and a job. Turn in your ballot and report for campaign duty =&0=& consisting of showing up at a designated location and picking up $40 or $50. Uptown locations pay better, up to $75 per “campaign worker.” Most residents around town utilize the Vote-by-Mail in a perfectly reasonable, valid, legal fashion. Here’s confirmation of a sample ballot from a real voter in the November election: =&1=&: While the weather shows a cooler bite, there’s one campaign getting snakebit. The Tiffanie Fisher campaign confirms numerous campaign signs have disappeared over the weekend sometimes within minutes on upper Washington street at a number of local businesses. Grafix Avenger dives into the muck in an attempt to illuminate the mysterious, rapid disappearance of the Fisher camapign signs. It elicits a flurry of reactions from certain corners unhappy with the sunlight. The sentiment, by hook or by crook, Old Guard soldiers connected to the Peter Biancamano campaign are rumored enforcing a code, “Take the signs down or else.” Well, are we ready to tell the truth as Peter Biancamano offered just last week at his initial campaign event or is this “a war” as Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano declared. A request for comment from Peter Biancamano was referred to Pablo Fonseca on his campaign. MSV will update this story pending a response.| Photo indicating one among numerous uptown Washington St. businesses where Tiffanie Fisher campaign signs for second ward City Council have mysteriously disappeared in rapid order. |
Photo courtesy of Grafix Avenger