tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77443285384951732902024-03-19T08:35:58.620-04:00Yo Gregory! Watch the IssuesGreg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-86340095737837295492015-10-30T07:29:00.001-04:002015-10-30T07:31:17.382-04:00A Scary Get Out the Vote Story<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Low Interest Year</span></b><br />
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It's really hard to generate interest in a school board election, especially when there are no state or federal elections happening at the same time. But the school board has elections every year and this is one of those low interest years.<br />
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In 2011, the last time there was an election like this, all three reform candidates were defeated. Who defeated them? Candidates financed by people with a history of redirecting school funds to friends and family. And this year is shaping up to be a repeat performance.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Usual Suspects</b></span><br />
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The usual suspects, Carmelo Garcia, Frank Raia, and Michael Russo, have united to support a cobbled-together slate consisting of perennial candidate and Raia-favorite, Britney Montgomery (city council 2013, school board 2014, and now school board again), perennial candidate and <a href="http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2010/03/hoboken_police_blotter_candida.html">scary-angry</a> ex-school employee John Madigan (school board 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011), and newcomer Alanna Kauffmann who, judging by her debate performance, is far out of her depth.<br />
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I leave it to <a href="http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2015/10/guest-of-stable-hoboken-donkey-weighs.html">Hoboken Donkey</a> and <a href="http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2015/09/team-dark-sides-boe-ticket.html">GrafixAvenger</a> to provide an overview of the candidates. As for, Garcia, Raia, and Russo, volumes have been written (<a href="http://russocorruption.com/">here</a>, <a href="http://www.whatsupwithhoboken.com/2014/10/the-evolution-of-reform-next-wave.html">here</a> or <a href="http://www.whatsupwithhoboken.com/2011/10/yuppy-myth.html">here</a> for example) on how they tirelessly work to divert taxpayer funds from the city and schools to benefit themselves and their friends. Madigan himself was a recipient of one of these jobs, until it was deemed "inconsequential" and <a href="http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2010/03/hoboken_police_blotter_candida.html">eliminated</a> by a reform school board in 2010.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Scared Yet?</b></span><br />
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Which brings me to my video. The prospect of any one of Montgomery, Madigan, or Kauffmann being elected and sitting with the reform school board we've worked so hard to elect is appalling. Their role would be to disrupt board meetings (something Garcia himself was renowned for) with the goal of discouraging parents from participating in improving our schools. This, in turn, sets the stage for low parent interest in future school board elections, which leads to further election victories for the bad guys.<br />
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In no time they will regain control of the school board and start stealing from the classrooms to provide jobs and perks for friends and family. So if this isn't a scary enough story to motivate you to vote <a href="https://facebook.com/ReachHigherHoboken">2-4-6 Kluepfel, Dallara, Velez</a> for Hoboken Board of Education, you must be dead!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iNyFdmolBv8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-74160416035331144082014-11-12T19:28:00.000-05:002014-11-12T19:28:13.101-05:00Hoboken Critter Alert!!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Beth Mason, Hoboken's 2nd Ward Councilwoman, alerts Hoboken residents to its perilous critter situation.</span><br />
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Well, Hoboken's 2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason, seems to have <a href="http://www.politickernj.com/71830/elec-zaps-hobokens-mason-complaint">stumbled</a> in an elaborate dance with New Jersey's Election Law Enforcement Commission. Mason, her lawyer husband, <a href="http://abovethelaw.com/2014/03/non-sequiturs-03-05-14/">Richard G. Mason</a>, and a number of sundry Mason operatives, have been charged with <b>nineteen</b> counts of ELEC law violations, related to Mason's failed mayoral campaign in 2009, and her ward council campaign in 2011. Extensive coverage of this story is provided by Hoboken's plucky journalist-bloggers <a href="http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/">Grafix Avenger</a> and <a href="http://www.hobokenhorse.com/">Hoboken Horse</a> so I won't go into details here, except to mention two startling sums. These charges aren't simply about forgetting to submit a campaign receipt or two. Horse <a href="http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2014/03/uncovered-beth-ricky-mason-and-ines.html">tabulates</a> the total number of violations to be <b>387.</b> And, GA <a href="http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2014/03/mason-elec-violations-up-to-143-million.html">calculates</a> the total possible fine on all counts to be in the neighborhood of <b>$14M!</b> </div>
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There's more to this story than simple schadenfreude. Mason spends lots of money promoting her public face of good governance and transparency. But, as they say, actions speak louder than words. The ELEC charges against Mason stem from bad governance and opaqueness, and constitute <a href="http://www.yogregory.com/2014/02/i-sue-you.html">more evidence</a> of her true, not-so-hidden <a href="http://www.yogregory.com/2011/11/things-get-in-my-way.html">agenda.</a></div>
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<br />Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-22812229013007107782014-02-26T19:32:00.001-05:002014-02-27T19:45:20.910-05:00I Sue You!When your only tool is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail. Such as it is with Hoboken 2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason who is suing the City for the release of documents exchanged between the City and one of the law firms it's contracted in the past. Mason's tool of choice is the lawsuit - a great tool for depleting the resources, both time and finances, of its target. For this reason it's a terrific tool for revenge and obstruction. Of course, it's a terrible tool for carrying out the day-to-day duties of a ward councilperson. But when revenge and obstruction are all your councilperson is interested in, then that's what ward residents have to settle for. For the record, let's take a brief look at Councilwoman Mason's history of lawsuits against Hoboken and its residents.<br />
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Most recently, there is the <a href="http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2014/02/sue-happy-beth-mason-launches-new.html">aforementioned lawsuit</a> against the City of Hoboken that some believe is tied to politically motivated attacks against recently re-elected Hoboken Councilman-at-Large Ravi Bhalla.<br />
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There is also <a href="http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/20632825/article-Lawsuit-targets-Doyle-appointment-Mayor-accuses-council-minority-of-trying-to-deadlock-the-governing-body-">the lawsuit</a> filed against Hoboken Councilpersons Bhalla, Cunningham, Giattino and Mello that prevented newly elected Councilman Jim Doyle from serving as interim Councilman after Councilwoman Carol Marsh resigned in October 2012. This lawsuit blocked a reform majority on City Council allowing Mason and her fellow Council plaintiffs to obstruct city progress for more than a year.<br />
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Then there is the <a href="http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/19788674/article--Free-speech-or-libel--Hoboken-couple-files--2M-defamation-suit-against-bloggers-">sordid SLAPP-suit</a> (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) filed against two dozen Hoboken bloggers in August 2012. While Mason's name is not on the complaint, the names of two of her closest supporters are. More damning though is that Councilwoman Mason <a href="http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2012/08/beth-masons-legal-threat-slapp-at.html">publicly disclosed</a> the lawsuit's existence prior to its receipt by the targeted bloggers. Needless to say, the bloggers were not, and are not, Mason cheerleaders.<br />
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Prior to Councilwoman Mason's failed attempts for election as Mayor in 2009, Mason filed at least <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/nyregion/26litigate.html?_r=0">eleven lawsuits</a> against the city, the school board and the city's now defunct hospital board. Back then, these actions may have been viewed as heroic attempts to shine light on possible corruption. But, as I've written about <a href="http://www.yogregory.com/2011/11/things-get-in-my-way.html">elsewhere</a>, in light of Mason's behavior after losing these elections, all her actions are now suspect.<br />
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In 2008, the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/nyregion/26litigate.html?_r=0">estimated</a> that Mason's lawsuits cost the city about $200,000. Just imagine the total cost to her constituents, our city's bloggers, and the city to date.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/87724578?byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/87724578">I Sue You!</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/yogregory">Greg Bond</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-54530441998186168752013-10-30T23:05:00.000-04:002013-11-04T18:08:14.050-05:00Get Out the Vote!Don't be a Low Info voter. If you love Hoboken, then on November 5th get out and vote for the people who will keep making this city great: the <a href="http://kidsfirsthoboken.com/">Kids First</a> team for Board of Education, and the <a href="http://www.dawnzimmer.com/">Zimmer team</a> for Mayor and City Council.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/78236725?byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-85476671820682873412013-02-17T20:59:00.003-05:002013-02-18T10:27:29.416-05:00My Funny ValentineOn Valentine's Day 2013, I was present at the Hoboken Housing Authority public meeting to video the proceedings. Minutes after I had set up my equipment, Hoboken Democratic Committee-person Matt Calicchio, who is also an employee of Hoboken Second Ward Councilperson Beth Mason, began an evening-long campaign to obstruct my camera. When he wasn't blocking my camera he was handing out Valentine's Day chocolates to meeting attendees (but not me, unfortunately). The chocolates included a "Love Your Neighborhood" message from Councilwoman Mason. Mr. Calicchio's antics were no surprise to me. He has a well-known reputation for dirty-politics, the "low-lights" including alleged public harassment of a Hoboken School Board member and her young daughter last year, and alleged harassment of Hoboken Mayor Zimmer in 2007.
<br/><br/><b>Who's Your Mama?</b><br/><br/>
As I've written in the past, Councilwoman Mason once spent her ample personal funds bringing transparency to Hoboken politics, ironically including paying for videoing Hoboken City Council and Hoboken School Board meetings. Now that her attempts to become Hoboken's mayor have been thwarted, she hires the likes of Mr. Calicchio who intimidates those who seek transparency and good government in Hoboken.
<br/><br/><b>Why the Interest in the HHA?</b><br/><br/>
The Councilwoman's interest in the HHA would seem peculiar at first. Most HHA buildings are located outside of her ward. But the HHA is known to be a guaranteed block of votes and Councilwoman Mason, now having given up on becoming Hoboken's Mayor, is rumored to have set her sights on a seat in New Jersey's State Assembly. Since Hurricane Sandy, Councilwoman Mason has paid virtually no attention to Hoboken, and focused her attention on currying favor with New Jersey State Senator, and Union City Mayor, Brian Stack, who has a reputation for delivering votes himself. With her checkbook and her HHA votes, it is thought that Councilwoman Mason may convince Senator Stack that she is worthy of receiving his support (and his block of votes). This would explain Mr. Calicchio's presence at the HHA meeting, the Councilwoman's chocolates for HHA residents, and the fact that Councilwoman Mason also employs a relative of HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. As for interfering with my right to video the HHA meeting, this was probably nothing more than Mr. Calicchio improvising in a way he thought might please his boss, since anything to obstruct progress in Hoboken is bound to please her.
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<br/><br/><b>Links</b><br/><br/>
A nice summary, from the Hoboken Reporter newspaper in 2012, of Matt Calicchio's history with lawsuits, political dirty tricks, and Councilwoman Beth Mason. <a href="http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/18931247/article-‘This-is-dirty-Hudson-County-politics’-Young-politico-found-not-guilty-of-charge--but-judge-says-‘I-think-you-lied’-">Link</a>
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A 2007 TV news clip dealing with the interruption a School Board Meeting video that Councilwoman Mason was paying to record. In an interview, Mason explains how interrupting the video violates the spirit of open public meetings. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjRrMUBGMj0">Link</a>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-71787882569721529292013-02-05T20:23:00.000-05:002013-02-17T21:33:06.356-05:00On Hurricanes and Election Campaigns<b>Satire Feels Wrong After a Hurricane</b><br /><br />
Here's a very late video "treat", or perhaps "trick", depending on your political persuasion, that I had prepared before Hurricane Sandy's arrival for a Halloween release. Of course, that was before Sandy ruined Halloween, and everything else, for everyone in Hoboken. Immediately after Sandy, the satire seemed out of place when so many people were still trying to get back on their feet. So I decided that the video shouldn't be released. With the Kids First victory sweep now three months behind us, the video is irrelevant, but I've decided to release it anyhow because the tune is still catchy!
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<b>(The Original Post)</b><br /><br/>
What happens when a hurricane interrupts an election campaign? For me, the campaign instantly becomes a triviality. Making sure your family and neighbors are safe is all I've thought about since Hurricane Sandy struck Hoboken almost a week ago. And then we receive news, while we're still without power, on our wind-up radio, that the nation is determined to hold the election on Tuesday, despite the fact that much of Hoboken, is still recovering, still without power, still seeking refuge. With only two days until election day those of us who care about the outcome of the election find ourselves torn. Do we not campaign out of respect for our community's current predicament? Or do we turn our attention to an election that has been called without regards to our predicament?
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<b>Forced Into an Election</b><br />
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We're being forced into this election too soon. Nevertheless, I know that, hurricane or not, the outcome of this election has long-term importance for Hoboken Public Schools. If the Kids First reform slate of Ruth McAllister, Jean Marie Mitchell, and Tom Kluepfel lose this election then majority control of Hoboken's Public Schools will return to former School Board President Frank Raia's "Move Forward" slate. While the slate itself seems harmless enough at first glance, save for the slate's uniform unfamiliarity with Hoboken Public Schools, what is most alarming is who is behind the slate.
To anyone with even a cursory knowledge of Hoboken politics, a glance at the photos of the Move Forward's kick-off party says it all. A consolidated who's who of politicians and supporters responsible for raiding the coffers at both the School Board and the City. But three years ago Hoboken voters elected reform majorities to both the School Board and City Hall. And in that short time they've been cleaning up the corruption with a vengeance.<br />
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<b>A Litany of Atrocities</b><br />
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At the School Board, the Kids First majority has uncovered a litany of atrocities: rigging the results for state education tests in order to obtain "Most Improved School District" status, providing hundreds of no-show and no-bid jobs and contracts, and running enormous tabs at restaurants. Meanwhile, school textbooks were long overdue for replacement and school buildings were falling into disrepair. All of this and much more has been rectified under a Kids First majority.
Under Kids First the School Board has, for the first time, been honest about the financial and academic status of Hoboken's Public Schools. They've hired a new Superintendent, Dr. Mark Toback, who is implementing an aggressive plan to get Hoboken Schools back on track. They've eliminated the bogus jobs and canceled the contracts, successfully defending themselves against retaliatory law suits. Not only that, but our school district received an award for financial accounting excellence last year for turning the district's finances around and keeping Hoboken's tax levy flat for three years running, despite enduring severe financial cuts from the state.<br />
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<b>Vote to Continue the Progress</b><br />
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Those behind Raia's "Move Forward" slate are desperate to regain control of the School Board. There is no question that under their control, Hoboken's Public Schools will quickly "Move Backward" to the sorry state they were in prior to Kids First majority control. If we must vote on Tuesday, before we've recovered from the disaster that has visited us, then we must vote to continue the progress that Kids First has brought to the Hoboken Public Schools. To maintain a majority the entire Kids First slate has to be elected. On the ballot please vote columns K, L and M, for Tom Kluepfel, Jean Marie Mitchell, and Ruth McAllister.<br />
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<br /><br /><b>Links:</b><br />
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For a list of the financial atrocities we could have expected under a "Move Forward" majority, see the <a href="http://www.nj.gov/education/finance/kw/Hoboken.pdf">KPMG audit of the Hoboken Public Schools</a> from 2004 to 2006 that was buried when Frank Raia was President of the Hoboken School Board.<br />
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For an honest appraisal of the current academic state of Hoboken's Public Schools, I highly recommend reading Jason Yoon-Hendrick's two recent, <a href="http://hoboken.patch.com/users/jasonyh/blog_posts">extensively researched reports</a> recently published in Hoboken Patch.<br />
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Photos of the "Move Forward" <a href="http://hoboken.patch.com/articles/move-forward-fundraiser-kicks-off-school-board-campaign">kick-off party</a>.
<br /><br />Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-88766305117505308672011-11-27T18:01:00.003-05:002011-11-27T18:11:49.359-05:00Things Get in My WayWhat happened to Beth Mason? When Hoboken's 2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason began her political career in the early 2000s, she fought against corruption and fought for transparency. In 2003, she took the principled stand of resigning from the city's Planning Board, despite being Mayor Robert's designee for the position, because she disapproved of the direction Roberts was taking the city. She also co-founded Hoboken's People for Open Government (POG) which, in its early years, fought to release public records and fought to combat pay-to-play (contributing to a political campaign in exchange for future political favors). Finally, she decided to run for 2nd Ward Council, only to be defeated by a Robert's-backed incumbent. Mason persisted and, in 2007, she was elected as 2nd Ward Councilwoman. In a demonstration of her independence, she publicly announced she would forgo her Council salary and benefits.<br />
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<h3>Mason's Run for Mayor</h3><br />
Everything changed when Mason decided to run for Mayor in 2009. In the spring election, she lost by a significant margin to Peter Cammarano and Dawn Zimmer. Of course, Cammarano went on to beat Zimmer in a run-off election, but he was arrested only a month into his term for accepting bribes from an undercover FBI informant. That fall, a special election was held to fill the vacant Mayor's seat. Once again Mason ran against Zimmer and, once again, she lost by a significant margin. All told, Mason spent in excess of $1 million on campaign expenses; the majority of it her own money. Moreover, while her spending more than doubled Zimmer's, she received only a third of the votes that Zimmer did.<br />
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After losing the first Mayoral election, Mason, still holding her Council seat, reneged on her pledge to forgo her Council salary and benefits. Not only that, she demanded she receive "back pay" for the salary she had voluntarily forgone. Mason's public persona had changed and her supporters noticed it. Between the two Mayoral elections Mason lost many of her supporters, who defected to support Zimmer in the fall election.<br />
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<h3>The New Beth Mason</h3><br />
Since losing the mayoral elections in 2009, Mason has morphed beyond recognition. Just last year, she made large and ethically questionable campaign contributions to Tim Occhipinti's 4th Ward Council election campaign. Occhipinti was running as an opponent to a Zimmer-supported candidate. First, Mason and her husband each contributed the maximum individual amount of $2,600 to Occhipinti's campaign. Then, Mason's campaign committee, dormant since she ran for Mayor, contributed another $8K to his campaign. And finally, she contributed another $6K for "canvassing" expenses. By exploiting loopholes in campaign financing law, Mason's total contribution far exceeded the maximum legal individual contribution, making this a perfect example of the kind of campaign financing that Mason once fought so hard against.<br />
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Incredibly, Mason also contributed to Mike Russo's 3rd Ward Council election campaign this year. Mike Russo is a classic example of the kind of <a href="http://russocorruption.com">corrupt politician</a> that Mason once fought against. In fact, in the months leading up to the election, FBI videos were released showing Russo accepting a bribe from the same undercover informant responsible for Cammarano's arrest! <br />
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Most recently, Mason's voting record indicates that the welfare of Hoboken is the last thing on her mind. The most deplorable example is Mason's attempt to kill the planned sale of Hoboken's only hospital. Much has been written about this elsewhere so it is sufficient to point out that killing the sale would have resulted in the loss of Hoboken's only hospital, layoffs of thousands of hospital employees, and a bill to the city that would have forced the city to declare bankruptcy. Mason has also voted against maintaining a budget reserve, and she's voted against routine budget line item transfers even after being warned in a letter from the State that voting this way violated a Councilperson's fiduciary responsibility. Mason's votes jeopardize the city's financial well-being, which would appear to be precisely the point. The reasoning is that if the city is financially damaged, then it will be viewed as Mayor Zimmer's fault, not Mason's, and then Mason will be in a position to finally be elected as Mayor.<br />
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Finally there are the questions that have arisen regarding Mason's uncanny premonition of an email scandal at City Hall before its investigation by the FBI was made public earlier this month. With one arrest already, and others expected, this is a story that is still being told.<br />
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<h3>What Happened?</h3><br />
Mason's ever-worsening behavior has not escaped the public's notice. There is even discussion of organizing a campaign to recall her from public office.<br />
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So what happened to Beth Mason? Her behavior is consistent with a thwarted quest for power, lashing out at the person who bested her: Mayor Zimmer. In this context it's reasonable to ask if she was ever interested in the betterment of Hoboken. Was her early behavior just part of a cynical strategy to attain power? Or did she sincerely care about Hoboken at one time, only to abandon her principles in order to get ever closer to power? In any event, there is plenty of evidence that, today, she doesn't adhere to any of the principles that reformers would recognize. And that would seem to be a suitable introduction for a lament.....<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zSV83nwHsmk?rel=0&hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-91980074363322684372011-11-21T09:04:00.005-05:002013-02-23T15:04:54.292-05:00Hoboken High School Open House 2011On November 16 2011, Hoboken High School held an open house. Take a look and see all the great things that are happening at HHS.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-KGP_E8nGFs?rel=0&hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-35644119573361431862011-10-02T18:33:00.007-04:002011-10-09T22:43:52.864-04:00Soul PatchIn 2007, Hoboken Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo voted in support of a $52 million bond to finance keeping Hoboken's St. Mary's hospital open. Fast forward to 2011, the hospital now renamed Hoboken University Medical Center is on the verge of bankruptcy and Hoboken is faced with losing the hospital, along with over 1000 jobs, and taxpayers are on the hook for paying back the $52 million. <br />
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In an effort to save the hospital, the hospital board put the hospital up for sale with terms that ensured the hospital would stay open and that the buyer would assume the hospital's debt. The bidder selected by the board requested that, as part of the deal, $5 million be paid to them in order to assist with paying back creditors. Hoboken's Mayor Dawn Zimmer requested that the City Council vote to support bonding the $5 million in this last ditch effort to save the deal.<br />
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When it came time to vote, Councilman Russo launched into a rambling, disjointed speech, whose underlying message was clear: he would rather see Hoboken without a hospital than see the Mayor help save the hospital. He would not vote to support the deal because he hates the Mayor. <br />
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To read more about Councilman Russo's corrupt approach to politics, see <a href="http://russocorruption.com">russocorruption.com</a><br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/29937792?byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-36460983792591565392011-09-12T20:58:00.002-04:002013-02-23T15:01:58.267-05:00A Tribute to the Tribute in LightTen years ago I was walking down 6th Ave in Manhattan when I saw the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Not long afterwards I saw the second plane hit the South Tower. In the decade since then, I've been unable to come to terms with what took place that day. It was simply too immense. The death of so many innocent people. The destruction of two towering landmarks that I saw every day.<br />
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For me, the Tribute in Light is a haunting and beautiful memorial to not just those who perished that day, but also to the two towers themselves. <br />
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This is a time lapse movie taken of the Tribute in Light the night of September 11th, 2011. For those viewing the tribute from Hoboken's Pier A where I made the movie, the lights appeared to be partly obscured by motionless, low clouds. But the time lapse reveals a more dramatic and dynamic view. At times the clouds swirling around the towers unsettlingly evoke the moments before the towers fell. At other times, however, the clouds brighten and shine, and the towers rise heavenwards.<br />
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Music: Excerpt from "Da Pacem Domine", in Arvo Pärt's "In Principio." <br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28928031?byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-66671679418611219322011-05-07T19:23:00.003-04:002011-10-10T11:04:42.961-04:00Greg Lincoln Makes a Splash!Greg Lincoln made a splash at the HOPES Father's Group Block Party on May 7, 2011. The kids were clearly enjoying themselves on this beautiful spring day!<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KrpTy3zUoYo?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-79425557331554307222011-04-16T19:32:00.003-04:002011-10-09T20:49:53.743-04:00Greg Lincoln Speaks at the Rally Against Russo Corruption at Hoboken City HallOn Wednesday April 6, a crowd of people gathered outside City Hall prior to the City Council meeting, to protest the revelations of 3rd Councilman Mike Russo's corrupt behavior in the FBI tapes released by the authors of the Jersey Sting. At the City Council meeting that followed, Councilman Russo was forced to resign his positions as City Council Vice President and City Revenue and Finance Chair.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MZuivzYxNOY?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-82560477154544565252011-04-14T19:25:00.004-04:002013-02-23T15:02:22.038-05:00Mike Russo Agreeing to Accept Bribes from FBI Informant Solomon DwekAs described in the new book, The Jersey Sting, by Pulitzer Prize winning journalists, Ted Sherman and Josh Margolin, this video shows current Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Michael Russo agreeing to accept bribes from FBI informant Solomon Dwek, the same informant responsible for the arrest and conviction of former Hoboken mayor Peter Cammarano, and many others.<br />
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The complete FBI video, from which this video is an excerpt, includes other admissions of corruption by Councilman Russo, including how he made a backroom deal with current Hoboken City Council President Beth Mason to control City Council and the development approval process, in order to fast-track requests for favored developers. See the full FBI tapes <a href="http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2011/04/video_hoboken_third_ward_counc.html">here.</a><br />
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<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RqC5ZBG4MyM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-10660339634808244872010-10-24T20:06:00.000-04:002011-10-09T20:09:45.992-04:00Mike Lenz and Tim Occhipinti on TaxesAt the Fourth Ward Candidates Debate Tim Occhipinti proposes spending cuts that amount to a quarterly savings of 29 cents per taxpayer. Mike Lenz explains how cuts have to come from salaries, which constitute 80% of the City budget, and by maintaining a surplus to minimize interest payments.<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3jn_wrpEnwk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-19747317903212503802010-10-22T18:47:00.005-04:002011-10-09T22:44:09.552-04:00Tim SingsThe election for 4th ward council seat in the upcoming election is an important one for Hoboken. The reformer candidate Mike Lenz must win in order for reformers to maintain a majority on council. Mike Lenz's opponent, Tim Occhipinti, has proven himself at the recent candidate's debate to be thoroughly oblivious to the issues facing 4th ward residents and Hoboken at large. His only reason for being a candidate is that he was hand-picked by the same team that backed former disgraced Mayor, and now convicted felon, Peter Cammarano. The team constitutes the old political guard responsible for awarding contracts to friends, taking kickbacks and driving this city into near bankruptcy and its infrastructure to the point of collapse. It also includes developers intent on building over-sized buildings in a city that is struggling to maintain services and infrastructure for its current residents.<br />
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The 4th ward is notoriously ambivalent towards elections but perhaps the message will get out to residents whose cars and property have been damaged by the flooding problem that, only since reformers have taken control of council, has started to be solved. Perhaps the message will get out to property owners who were upset about last year's 48% tax increase. Perhaps the message will get out to parents who would like a nearby park for their kids to play in. If you live in the 4th ward please vote for Mike Lenz on November 2. If you know anyone who lives in the 4th ward, please nag them to vote and get them to nag their 4th ward friends to vote. Hoboken has come a long way in a year. Let's not step back into Hoboken's dark ages.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ux6a55kzXgE?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-54671572632191103922010-10-01T20:08:00.003-04:002011-10-09T22:31:31.068-04:00Tim Occhipinti on Flooding in HobokenTim Occhipinti questions the importance of dealing with Hoboken's flooding problems at a Hoboken City Council Meeting, June 22, 2010. Fourth Ward Councilman Mike Lenz thinks solving the flooding problem should be a high priority.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GdbNCN3MfVU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-43986791644083170382010-09-29T20:56:00.002-04:002011-10-09T22:44:45.260-04:00Buzzing Occhipinti<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z2GtGQbJwS8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-31476464154959378222010-04-14T18:51:00.004-04:002013-02-23T15:03:26.567-05:00The Road to the Penn Relays<i><b>Video Synopsis</b>: As a Hoboken High School student, Judy Burrell was scouted at the Penn Relays which got her a full scholarship at Utah State. Today she's a math teacher and the head track and field coach at Hoboken High. For the first time in 7 years, the Hoboken High track team has qualified for the Penn Relays, one of the biggest track and field meets in the world. But with a School Board election only a few weeks away the team finds itself the focus of a slate of cost-cutting School Board candidates.</i><br />
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I felt this video had to be made. I was in the audience at the Board meeting when Judy Burrell made her appeal and I was impressed that Hoboken students had qualified for such a prestigious event. I was even more impressed when Judy so eloquently told her own story. And then, I was completely dumbfounded when Maureen Sullivan decided to take issue with the track team's request and vote against funding the team's expenses.<br />
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Some may say that it's not right to involve the students in a video with a political message but these students know that it's politics that determined whether or not they would receive their funding. They were in the audience when Maureen Sullivan voted against them. And, with only a week to go in a hotly contested School Board election, the students also recognize that if Maureen Sullivan's tax-relief slate is elected then their future is threatened. So this isn't just a story about athletic accomplishments, it's also a story about politics.<br />
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The Kids First slate has done an admirable job of maintaining a positive message during this campaign. But Maureen's slate has been negative right out of the gate. Being a Kids First supporter, and knowing all the good they've done for the school system and taxpayers in just one year, it's been frustrating for me to watch Maureen and her slate endlessly spout mistruths and uninformed prescriptions for the school system.<br />
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After that School Board meeting I realized that this was a story that perfectly captures the danger posed by Maureen's slate. This was a story that perfectly illustrates what's at stake in this election. While her slate has been vague overall about about what they intend to cut if elected, Maureen's vote that night and her slate's website make it abundantly clear they intend to cut athletics. And this gets to the heart of the matter. While tax relief sounds like a great idea, tax relief without regards for the students is destructive. It strikes a blow at the heart of our city. This city will grow stronger as the city's public schools grow stronger. Making them weaker in favor of tax relief weakens the city and ultimately harms taxpayers. <br />
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In contrast to Maureen's slate, the Kids First slate is taking a sensible approach that balances cost-cutting and fiscal responsibility with the strength of the schools and the well-being of their students. This approach goes beyond the vague proclamations of Maureen's slate - it's a proven approach that's been in place for a year now. The budget has decreased, the schools are stronger, and Hoboken is all the stronger for it.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QcxG6qalDeQ?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-66987516841605940842009-11-04T19:18:00.002-05:002011-10-09T19:19:31.720-04:00Thanks!Thanks to everyone who supported Dawn Zimmer in the 2009 Hoboken mayoral campaigns.<br />
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XAXBO9S2iKw?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-24232937656905486042009-10-30T19:12:00.003-04:002011-10-09T22:44:26.628-04:00Zombies in Hoboken - The Musical<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k-WDk7iD-N0?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-14705862523986133692009-06-04T19:15:00.005-04:002011-10-09T22:44:57.984-04:00Zombies in Hoboken<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2eM-ijY3Ku0?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744328538495173290.post-82384035498977274952009-04-19T20:45:00.000-04:002011-10-09T20:48:41.769-04:00Vote Kids First on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 2-9 pm!Vote in the Hoboken Board of Education election Tuesday, April 21, 2 - 9 pm. Voting is the most effective way to express how you feel about the state of Hoboken's government. <br />
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Correction:The video incorrectly states that "In three years the budget has increased 50%". The correct statistic is that "In three years the per-pupil expenditure has increased 50%."<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1kFjUv8AYRA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Greg Bondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00934296487184997212noreply@blogger.com