RENT CONTROL QUESTION -- Mayor Dawn Zimmer spoke out in a letter this weekend. (PICTURED: File Photo.)
Some property owners have responded to the fact that Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer has taken a stand in the upcoming rent control debate. She revealed her position in a letter to the editor Reporter this weekend.
Also, a letter about Councilman Stephen Fulop, who intends to challenge Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy in May of 2013, has elicited some comments.
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Come out from the shadow and debate the ISSUE!
My comments were appropriate especially when directed to a Mayor who tauts her reformist agenda and commitment to sound fiscal policies for the city; but then propagates the same unsupported fear agenda of tenant advocates without any reason or support behind it to adress this important public question. It is a fact confirmed by the City's own tax assessor that condo owners and small property owners are bearing a disproportionate tax burden do to the depressed values placed on rent controlled property. A leader should protect the interest of the City and not pander to vocal tenant advocates.
It is not complicated.
How about you list the real names of your clients and how much they are paying you.
I have a feeling they wish to remain in the shadows.
Too complicated??? Really???
Residents may be glad to see that you finally have taken a position about something. However, every condominium owner, single family homeowner, and the entire multifamily industry in the city are surely disappointed by your shortsighted and politicized opinion on the Hoboken Housing Improvement Initiative. These taxpaying groups know this issue is one of fairness and only in your world is it “too complicated.” It is interesting that you have no difficulty with complicated election law issues to favor the adoption of those public questions. I guess when it comes to an issue of extending your term of office…it’s just not too complicated.
It is not too complicated to know that every rent controlled tenant in the city is protected for as long as they want to stay in their apartments.
It’s not too complicated to know that you are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in unnecessary legal expenses to defend a law that has been declared unconstitutional.
It is not too complicated to know that tenants in Hoboken and the state are guaranteed their rights to continued occupancy of their apartments by one of the strongest tenant protection laws in the nation.
It is not too complicated to understand that most vacant apartments are rented by people coming from outside Hoboken---often leaving more expensive housing to come into the city that depresses rents.
It is not too complicated to know that property owners will invest in and improve their property if they have incentive to collect a fair rent from a tenant that benefits from improved housing space.
It is not too complicated to listen to your own tax assessor who confirms that condo owners and single family owners are bearing a disproportionate burden of property taxes because rent controlled properties have depressed valuations.
This issue may be too complicated for you. Perhaps that is why you tried to stop it from being on the ballot. You have never taken the time to understand rent control and the devastating impact that it has on vital city communities. While you profess to head a cabal of ‘leaders’ that favor progressive views and reformist attitudes, you are being left behind by every other city that has long ago departed from the most restrictive rent control laws like the one in Hoboken. From Santa Monica to Cambridge, every city looking at the issue has implemented the changes proposed in Question #2. Thankfully the taxpayers have taken this issue to the public. It is not too complicated for Hoboken taxpayers to know that their leaders are failing when it comes to protecting the fiscal health of the City.
You are not deciding this on the merits of the issue or the long term interests of the taxpayers. You are doing what all Hoboken politicians ultimately do---pander to vocal radicalized tenants. You even appoint them to the rent control board! Taxpayers will surely take notice of this when you ask for their support---that’s not too complicated is it?
Charles gormally
Brach eichler LLC