Ravi Bhalla declares war on Gov. Phil Murphy over NY Waterway
An oddly timed release leading into a summer Friday out of the Hoboken mayor’s office officially declared war on NJ Governor Phil Muprhy.
The release on behalf of Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced restarting eminent domain efforts again to seize the site of the former Union Dry Dock, now NY Waterway.
The cold war now will run hot, at least politically, as Bhalla makes an eminent domain run where Hoboken is subservient to the same eminent domain law held over it via NJ Transit.
Citing “the lack of any real progress in negotiations with the Governor’s office,” the release contradicts recent discussion held in Trenton only last month. Those discussions between Ravi Bhalla and Phil Murphy were declared “productive” by Vijay Chaudhuri, communications and 2017 Bhalla campaign manager.
NY Waterway countered another recent statement by Bhalla where he said ferry refueling property operations on the land would only occur “over his dead body.” NY Waterway heard the message and after obtaining the needed permits for operations filed a lawsuit in Hudson Superior Court against the City last week.
The mayor’s office release says it has compromised with Governor Phil Murphy but “now is the time to once again begin eminent domain proceedings.”
NY Waterway ferries thousands of Hoboken residents and thousands more daily to Manhattan. They are an essential element in the regional transportation hub for both the area and city residents.
The City Council as previously requested in late 2017 is likely to muster the votes needed a second time for any eminent domain action. Hoboken’s eminent domain action was later withdrawn at the urging of the NJ governor’s office.
Hoboken’s eminent domain action, if taken would be nullified with NJ Transit taking ownership of the property. The City of Hoboken would have no standing at all in such a scenario.
NY Waterway flies its flag over the former Union Dry Dock. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon, no matter what political statements are made out of the Hoboken mayor’s office. |
Talking Ed Note: The real question here is what’s changed? Is this part of a grander strategic plan or is it political grandstanding for Ravi Bhalla leading into an election come November? Maxwell Place residents are starting to get the whiff of being played.
At least it beats a “midnight” terror flyer tossed on the streets of midtown at dinner time on a Friday night before Election Day, right?
As a reminder, official releases are not published out of City Hall here due to the mayor’s office refusal to comment when given every opportunity to do so on simple questions. Hobokenhorse.com continues its years-long policy where local elected officials may have official releases published here without comment. Most of Hoboken’s officials do so over many years.
On a troubling note, another recent political operation out of the mayor’s office is revealed against the First Amendment and this website over mere satire from a movie comedy starring a white Jewish male leading an imaginary country called Wadia.
It failed. No press in the area would dirty a finger touching the absurdity.