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Official release:

  Dear friends and neighbors –  Hope you all had a great weekend.  Today feels like an official break in the weather and a trend towards Spring… fingers crossed.  There is and was a lot going on this week, so here are a few quick reminders / updates:  

• Tonight! Budget Workshop from 6 – 9 pm at City Hall  
• Tomorrow night (3/27)! 
  • 7pm at Demarest – Adoption of the Preliminary School District Budget for 2018-2019 (rescheduled from 3/20)
  • ***RESCHEDULED TO 4/9 – 7-9pm at Wallace:  Northwest Resiliency Park Design Selection! 
  Wednesday night (3/28)!  Budget Workshop from 6-9 pm at City Hall   Budget Workshop Tonight:  Hoping we can beat last week’s record of 7 members of the public attending in person!  Tonight covers a lot of topics many of you frequently ask me about.  If you cannot attend in person, you can watch live at home by clicking here: 6:00 pm – City Clerk / Jimmy Farina – OPRA requests, elections, and all public records 7:00 pm – Corporation Counsel / Brian Aloia – Tenant Advocacy, In house / External Activities, Lawsuits, Redevelopment, Municipal Courts 8:00 pm – Administration & Finance / B.A. Stephen Marks – New Constituent Services Team, Debt Debt Debt, Ratable expansion, Washington St., Infrastructure, and Suez Reminder – the draft budget including parking utility increased $5.2M or 4.2% mainly driven by significant increases in healthcare and pension costs (excl parking, $4.1M or 3.8%). The tax rate remains flat (so the municipal portion of your tax bill would not change) due to significant ratable expansion and excess prior years surplus are to offset these cost increases.   School Board Meeting Tomorrow night (3/27) at 7 pm –              Schools account for approximately 24% of your property tax rate (Hoboken accounts for 30%).  Do you want to see the funding for our pre-k 3 and pre-k 4 program?  Are you interested in how much our schools invest in the curriculum?  This meeting is the first to discuss the budget.  There will be an official public hearing on May 1^st with a planned adoption of the budget on May 8^th.   ***RESCHEDULED TO 4/9 (No longer tomorrow 3/27) Northwest Resiliency Park Design Selection! Do you want sports fields?  Or meandering paths?  Or a little of both?  If you have been part of the process or are just eager to see what our new, biggest park will be, then definitely plan to attend.  The meeting will be held at the Wallace School from 7-9.  Click here to see the two alternatives that are being used as the basis for the final design.  I am on the Northern Community Development subcommittee (chaired by Councilman Cunningham) and provided input last week to the administration and am eager to see what the final reveal is…    Wednesday – 3/28:  

  If we cannot break attendance records at this meeting (remember, bar is currently only at 7) then I honestly don’t know what will get people to come out!  Parking and Safety!   Read More...

Last night the new mayor Ravi Bhalla, not three months into his term, announced he’ll seek absolute total control eluding him on the City Council.

The power play announcement came at a fundraiser at 10th and Willow Thursday night.

Apparently, the City Council approving more than 90% of the administration agenda isn’t enough so Ravi Bhalla will raise money and run a slate in November 2019 in search of rubber-stampers.

“Me and Michael Russo need two seats,” Ravi says. Not three months into the job of mayor, Ravi Bhalla announced he’s focusing on  council elections for November 2019. You read it right: November 2019.  Absolute power above all.

The targets officially are Peter Cunningham, Jen Giattino and Tiffanie Fisher with some cannon fodder to be named later but it’s the women who stand independently on good governance that he can’t stomach. Read More...

Official release:

=&0=& The community meeting to discuss the final design concept for the Northwest Resiliency Park originally scheduled for March 27, 2018 from has been rescheduled to April 9 from 7-9pm at the Wallace School. On February 27, 2018, community members joined the project team at the Wallace School to review the two design alternatives developed for the Northwest Resiliency Park. The presentation, video of the meeting, and more information on the two design alternatives are available at www.hobokennj.gov/nwpark. After the meeting, residents were invited to complete an online survey to provide feedback on the proposed design concepts. Nearly 1,000 residents completed the survey. The project team is currently using the community feedback from the meeting and online survey to create the final design concept, which will be discussed at the community meeting in April. For more information on the Northwest Resiliency Park, visit: www.hobokennj.gov/nwpark.

Former  Union City Deputy Police Chief & whistleblower Joseph Blaettler wrote a letter to the editor for Hoboken people to consider what has State Senator Brian State ever done for Hoboken?

Excerpts from the letter:

Yes, if you like a card for your Birthday, a free Turkey, hot dog or handout then yes, Brian is your guy. If you are looking for fair representation in Trenton, I suggest you look elsewhere.

While Stack is successful in securing hundreds of millions of dollars for Union City, what does he secure for Hoboken? When you go to Union City you will see new schools, swimming pools, parks and roads all paid for with state dollars.

Can anyone tell me the last time Brian Stack secured money for a new school in Hoboken? How about a swimming pool or new police station? Recently, I drove down Washington Street in Hoboken and I thought I was in Bagdad, Iraq. If Stack cares so much about Hoboken why is he not getting funds to redo Washington Street? Three years ago, Stack got Christie to give him a five-million-dollar loan to balance the Union City budget, how much of the loan did Hoboken get? Zero. Last week, the new school aid figures were released. Union City was awarded a 9 million dollar increase, increasing their overall funding to $190 million a year from state taxpayers. The levy to Union City taxpayers is 5%. What did Hoboken get? Zero percent increase with a total annual funding of $10 million from the state. Whereas Union City taxpayers only contribute 5% locally for education, Hoboken taxpayers are forced to pay 54.5% locally to fund their schools. Where has Stack been in fighting for school aid for Hoboken? Maybe this is one reason Hoboken taxes are so high. Stack seems to get a lot of state funding for Union City but nothing for Hoboken. Now that Brian Stack wants to take over the county he comes to Hoboken asking for support, and local politicians stand next to him praising him. Did any of them ask Senator Stack before we commit to you, what have you done for us lately? While Bhalla gets what he wants– Mayor of Hoboken and then a second high paying job with a politically connected law firm, and Stack gets to be the next Chairman of the HCDO, Mayor, Senator and King, what do the people of Hoboken get? As a friend once said about Stack “If you’re looking for a handout, Brian Stack is your guy. If you are looking for a hand up, don’t expect help from Stack.” Joseph Blaettler

Read the entire letter at the Hudson County View:
https://hudsoncountyview.com/letter-how-can-hoboken-democrats-praise-senator-stack-as-a-leader/


Read More...

The Hoboken Democratic Committee get together Monday night is typically a local story with a fascination not beyond political insiders.

Politico, however, is obviously reading MSV and picked up yesterday’s Sign of the Times and the linked story to HCV. In addition, it highlighted the MSV video of FBI informant Solomon Dwek with Councilman Michael Russo posted in yesterday’s comments section.

Politico added MSV’s Sign of the Times and its Solomon Dwek – Michael Russo video

With that, let’s toss another comprehensive excerpt on the barbie starring New Jersey’s most infamous FBI sting featuring the surveillance video of Solomon Dwek and Hoboken’s notorious clown prince of land-use variance applications for a price: intimate ally and special guest of Mayor Ravi Bhalla. It’s Michael Russo back in the lights. Read More...

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Mayor Ravi Bhalla speaks to a group of the Hoboken Democratic Committee with his special invited guest Councilman Michael Russo without the Chair Tiffanie Fisher, who he refused to invite.

The Hudson County View attended the event last night and confirms MSV’s “Sign of the Times.”
The Ravi paid political operatives and insiders are not taking the exposure of the Ravi-Russo alliance well. They’ve gone Ravi Robot desperate with a flailing freak-out attempting to change the subject.

It’s working on par with the attempted deflection on Ravi Bhalla’s second job with his Republican law firm employment contract. That’s a shame.

https://hudsoncountyview.com/bhalla-rallies-hoboken-dems-to-elect-stack-as-the-next-hcdo-chairman/ Read More...

The second and concluding vote to use eminent domain to acquire the Union Dry Dock for $11.6 million went off without a hitch yesterday.

That is until the chairman of NY Waterway Armand Pohan plead otherwise and concluded by saying the matter may need to be managed by “higher powers” among NJ officials.

“If we can’t stay where we are, higher powers are going to have to intervene in this to assist us and the city of Hoboken to find another place for us to operate … if there is such as place,” Pohan said. The Chairman rejected the idea of the NY Waterway business operations being stationed in remote locations such as Staten Island and Bayonne. Ron Hine claimed them reasonable options.

Councilman Michael Russo is sitting on a sixth vote on the Rent Level Board appointment changes passed by the City Council last night. He voted yes but Councilwoman Vanessa Falco flipped her vote voting no. A pending veto by Mayor Bhalla means the entire vote would have to be repeated two more times. Which way does he go?

=&0=&=&1=&: This story is nowhere near over. On a separate note, =&2=& The second reading passed with six votes but a veto anticipated by Mayor Ravi Bhalla would place the overriding sixth vote into the hands of Councilman Michael Russo. The City Council would have to redo the ordinance again. =&3=&

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Hoboken’s backbiting and ruthless political climate is back! Rank political power plays in the Mile Square City is combining with an emerging Hudco political civil war featuring the Senator up the hill attempting a double play of his own.

Brian Stack a State Senator who doubles as Union City Mayor has been thinking. After mulling over his current two jobs he’s added another to his potential list. Brian Stack is vying to be elected Democratic Chair of Hudson County while simultaneously launching a bid to overthrow the current County Executive Tom DeGise with a candidate to be named later. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop denies he wants to be the beneficiary of the office. Not everyone believes him.

State Senator Brian Stack with former NJ Governor Chris Christie as seen in this vintage photo. Stack had called Gov. Christie the best governor in the history of NJ. Now he’s working to become the Hudson County Democratic Chair and bump off County Executive Tom DeGise leading a Hudco insurrection. He has Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop on board as an officer and Mayor Ravi Bhalla signed up too.

But first, the uprising. Senator Stack will visit Hoboken on Monday and speak before a select group of the Hoboken Democratic Committee. The select group not invited includes 17 members; among them the Chair Tiffanie Fisher who is also the second ward councilwoman. Who delivered on this less than impolite courtesy? Mayor Ravi Bhalla. Hoboken’s new mayor has joined an insurrection against the HudCo County Executive Tom DeGise while the latter holds almost two full years ahead in office. Some political observers believe this places Hoboken in a less than favorable position, no matter the outcome of the HudCo hostilities. While Mayor Bhalla holds no title or official seat on the Hoboken Democratic Committee; he does have underlings who eagerly do his bidding. For months they’ve been attempting to overthrow the current Chair who is guilty of 1) being an effective Chair 2) being the Chair who didn’t bow to Ravi Bhalla last year nor this one 3) selecting after analysis who’s the best candidate to back for Hoboken mayor (Jen Giattino) 4) being proven correct she made the right decision all along in the non-partisan mayoral race (as Hoboken voters are now learning themselves). Attempts at overthrowing the Chair Tiffanie Fisher have been comical. In recent months, the Executive Committee (littered with fresh-faced Ravi Robots) made a play to get the full committee together to update the bylaws with “minor changes.” 

Hoboken Democratic Committee member Rachel Hodes

The minor changes proposed were fronted by Rachel Hodes who also doubles as the gal pal to the newly minted position in the mayor’s office of Chief of Staff number two held by Jason Freeman. Because when you have the grandest of political ambitions outside Hoboken as the new mayor, one Chief of Staff is not enough. The bylaws changes were hatched with the idea of sticking a fork in the eye followed with a knife in the back. The minor changes were a pretext for calling a committee of the whole where a coup in the form of a vote would see the Chair’s term suddenly end prematurely and then vengeance for lack of subservience to the Chair in the mayor’s office would follow. And there would be much Ravi Robot rejoicing. Hudson County View covered the story and reported on the laundry list of whining and less than factual accusations against Fisher by Ravi Bhalla’s would-be henchmen on the executive committe. Among them: “For example, (1) Tiffanie is unresponsive to inquiries, requests, and offers of help from Executive Board members; (2) Tiffanie has refused to share even the contact information for all Committee members; (3) Tiffanie has refused to initiate the process for making necessary changes to the by-laws, despite requests from Executive Members and Committee Members; and (4) Tiffanie has been unhelpful, and frequently uncooperative, with Executive Board members who have tried to do the work of the Committee.”