In reviewing Franz Paetzold’s greatest hits at his YouTube channel, Da Horsey came across a treasured segment with Franz speaking in favor of the midtown garage refinance.  While MSV certainly agreed with that position, we didn’t take it too seriously knowing Franz’s odd consistency of never calling to account his own second ward councilwoman or MORTe on any of his stated 2010 candidate positions including the Mason-Russo threat to zero out last year’s surplus.

Back last November a simple no cost midtown garage refinance was going to save Hoboken millions.  (Does the number $4.5 million ring a bell?)  The financing savings alone would net $50,000 to the City while the bond payments concluding at the exact time as the existing bond – a true no brainer.

Here’s 20 seconds of Franz Kabuki Theater:

Back to our Franz romance.  As Da Horsey can smell out a vote better than an organic carrot in the neighborhood, we can see this simple refi is deader than dead even before the council discussion begins.  Franz Paetzold is up talking about its merits but we’ve seen that drill before too.  He knows the vote is going to go down the tubes and so it’s like free Ch. 78 commercial time.  He can pretend he’s speaking in favor of common sense to advance himself politically knowing full well it won’t make a bit of difference to the Old Guard who hold the votes to see it fail.  The vote is in the bag and this refi saving Hoboken a small fortune is deader than dead.

Knowing this, Da Horsey snaps off a few photos as Franz does his kabuki dance when we become engaged with Tim Occhipinti in non-verbal banter.  Signaling the refi is dead out of the gate we give Occhipinti the “it’s dead” thumbs down sign.  Occhipinti smirkily acknowledges its fate nonverbally back.  This has been decided in advance among MORTe – none of them are going to give the required sixth vote for passage so Hoboken can save millions.  That’s too useful for Hoboken and would help the mayor do her job.

Getting that feedback from Occhipinti, we acknowledge his confirmation and give him the thumbs up.  It’s followed with the old finger across the neck meaning you’re cutting Hoboken’s throat.  To this, Occhipinti merely smiles.

Neither Tim Occhipinti or Da Horsey knew the cameraman was shooting wide angle and captured any of this on film.  Without Franz’s kabuki theater YouTube channel none of this may have happened.

So thanks Franz for bringing this to Da Horsey’s attention on your YouTube channel.

Franz Paetzold has taken a number of reasonable common sense positions on issues.  Then he goes and hangs out with the people who oppose those same positions.  He’s spoken against moving to November elections at both the City Council and BoE, a core Old Guard position.  No feinting from Franz there.

Talking Ed Note: Friday evening Franz Paetzold showed MSV his Shipyard rental checks over months and his previous payments to his old rental at 333 River.  He’s clearly paying market rent so anyone who claims otherwise is incorrect.

Franz is of the stated belief he can inch the Old Guard toward common sense good governance.  That belief is wrong based on any objective review of recent events.  You don’t change the Old Guard.  You knuckle under aka Timmy Occhipinti and then they allow you to rubber-stamp their old, dark ways.  With enough obedience they may put you up for mayor to be their new Peter Cammarano.

There is no bridge to be linked.  It’s just a divide with Hades nestled between.  One day perhaps Franz Paetzold will accept it.  It won’t be today.

It’ll come after it’s too late when the Feds sweep Hoboken.