hobokenhorse.com

Greg Lincoln for Council announces:

LINCOLN DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM RUSSO ON ILLEGAL HEALTH BENEFITS   Greg Lincoln, Hoboken 3rd Ward City Council candidate, demands an explanation for why Councilman Michael Russo overlooked the health benefits that his father, former Hoboken Mayor and convicted felon Anthony Russo, has been illegally collecting from the City. These benefits were supposed to have been cancelled following former Mayor Russo’s conviction and imprisonment for taking bribes and illegal cash payments.    On March 11, 2011, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer released a letter to City Council stating that a recent audit uncovered that former Mayor Russo was still receiving health benefits on the City health care plan even though he was not qualified to receive them. “It is outrageous that at a time when people are struggling to pay their own health care costs the Russo family is caught yet again taking care of themselves at the expense of the Hoboken taxpayer,”  says Greg Lincoln.  Does Councilman Russo expect the residents and taxpayers of Hoboken to believe he had no knowledge that his father was illegally receiving health benefits from the City of Hoboken? In the December 3, 2008 City Council meeting, Councilman Russo boasted that “it was very simple to calculate” the former employees who were illegally receiving health benefits from the City. If it was so easy, how did Councilman Russo overlook the name of his father on the list of those illegally receiving health benefits? “Third Ward residents and Hoboken taxpayers have had enough of Councilman Russo constantly putting his family’s interests ahead of the City’s. It’s time for the dishonesty and hypocrisy to end,” says Greg Lincoln. LINKS Campaign Press photos:  Campaign website: http://LincolnForCouncil.com Campaign phone: 201-468-0605 Campaign email: LincolnForCouncil@gmail.com SOURCES Mayor Zimmer’s letter to City Council, March 11, 2011, stating termination of former Mayor Russo’s health benefits, in “Ethics Ordinance” on page 2 of: http://www.hobokennj.org/docs/council/respack11/respac-3-16-11.pdf Video of Dec. 3, 2008 Hoboken City Council meeting where Councilman Russo claims to have uncovered evidence of employees illegally receiving health benefits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps4CmBwRuGE Hudson Reporter article, March 2, 2006, by Tom Jennemann, stating former Mayor Russo’s termination of health benefits: http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/2408422/article-Russo-s-pension-cut-in-half-Jailed-former-mayor-receives-no-credit-for-time-spent-as-chief-executive Hudson Reporter article, January 25, 2009, by Tim Carroll, explaining Councilman Russo’s confusion over the number of employees illegally receiving health benefits: http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/1821809/article-City–It-was-a-mistake-Five-not-qualified-but-receiving-city-benefits–two-others-under-review-

UPDATE: The logjam of silence on this Russo taxpayer ripoff in Hoboken outside of MSV and the Hoboken Journal has finally ended with a story up now at the Hudson Reporter, usually slower and more geared to their weekend paper.

Nothing though on the Jersey Journal or Hoboken Patch.

The Reform movement’s City Council candidate coalition announces unified unqualified support for Mayor Zimmer’s open space bond ordinance up for vote tomorrow at Wednesday’s City Council meeting:

In anticipation of tomorrow’s City Council meeting, the 6 candidates running with Mayor Zimmer’s endorsement have come out strong for her Parks plan. “The people of Hoboken want more parks, they need more parks, and there is no excuse for standing in the way of the Mayor’s $20M parks proposal,” said 1st Ward Candidate Eric Kurta. In Hoboken’s first State of the City address, Mayor Dawn Zimmer outlined an ambitious plan to acquire more park space with a concentration on the underserved western neighborhoods through bonding, but Councilmembers Theresa Castellano, Mike Russo, Tim Occhipinti, and Nino Giacchi voted against it. The dissenting councilmembers have been claiming there are leftover funds that need to be returned to taxpayers, a claim which seems hypocritical considering the need for additional park space. “So long as kids have to practice soccer at night, we need more parks and playing fields for our children” said 2nd ward candidate Tom Greaney. “We need to ensure that all residents of Hoboken have access to open space and are able to enjoy our city”. “Parks are an important quality of life issue for Hoboken residents. Making the city more family friendly is part of the reason I’m running,” said 6th Ward Candidate Jennifer Giattino. “The City Council behaved like a circus at the last meeting. Trying to table the bill so that the majority could wait on their poll results shows a lack of real leadership and vision,” said 3rd Ward candidate Greg Lincoln. The bond ordinance comes up for another vote at Wednesday’s council meeting, and council majority members have indicated they will switch their votes to pass it. “I am glad the Mayor’s Parks plan will pass, but if our councilmembers had been more knowledgeable about the law and their responsibilities, they would have supported the ordinance from the beginning,” said 4th Ward candidate Rami Pinchevsky. The ordinance passed the first reading, but not with the 6 votes necessary to pass it at tomorrow’s second reading. Mayor Zimmer recently met with the council majority to talk about her proposed Parks ordinance. “I spoke to them about what the law requires for bonding and the legislation as it was proposed. When they realized that this ordinance was a necessary step before specific park sites could be brought before the council, they came around,” said Mayor Zimmer. =&0=&  The Hudson Reporter today did a story where Tim Occhipinti announced he will now vote in favor of the introduced open space bond of $20 million.  As MSV noted earlier, he seemed stunned when several other motions all related were tabled until Beth Mason voted not to table the final related item. Now the Hudson Reporter does an interview where Tim Occhipinti claims it was changes in the Mayor’s position for him switching his vote.  As if. No word on why the Hudson Reporter only featured quotes exclusively by Tim Occhipinti never explaining why he voted not once but twice to kill the bond ordinance for open space right out of the gate.  The more you know…

From the desk of Councilman Peter Cunningham early today:

Good morning… Budget meetings held last night – Environmental Services, Community Development and Health & Human Services.I pushed for continued use of new technologies, shared service arrangements and career development to support efficiencies; and we are moving in the right direction. Another 5% in this year’s 2011 Calendar Year budget as proposed brings taxes down by at least 10% in the last 12 months, as we are all focused on LOWER TAXES.

My concern is that we need to maintain at least 5% in cash surplus for prudent fiscal stability.   Read More...