Dear Editor:
Earlier this week, the H1 Wet Weather Pump Station officially opened in Hoboken. Unfortunately my duties as a full-time teacher precluded me from attending the grand opening. I did, however, want to take a moment and remind the residents of Hoboken about how this project cost them very little. I’m very proud that this pump was able to come online this week and thank the North Hudson Sewage Authority for their hard work. Residents of the City of Hoboken will soon start benefiting from this project that has been years in the making.
It’s no secret that flooding is a major issue in Hoboken. It was almost 10 years ago that this plan was first conceived, and it was through my efforts as Hoboken’s State Assemblyman, to ensure that state funding was used to build the Observer Highway pump, not municipal funds. Congressman Albio Sires also fought for Hoboken and secured $10 million in federal funding. Senator Bob Menendez was also able to secure funding from President Obama’s American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, and it provided much needed support towards the end of the project. The City of Hoboken only had to fill in the pieces after the federal, state and county government all put their hands in first.
Call it what you will, but that’s good government and effective representation. As Hoboken’s state and federal representatives, we provided for the health and safety of our people. This pump station represents a huge step forward in Hoboken’s long-standing flooding issues. We created jobs, saved taxpayer’s money, but most importantly, showed that government can work when everyone works together.
This pump station won’t alleviate flooding entirely in Hoboken, but we’re certainly on the right track and we should start to see the impact of this project soon. The North Hudson Sewage Authority has done a tremendous job and this is a major step forward for the City of Hoboken.
Sincerely,
Ruben J. Ramos, Jr.
Assemblyman, 33rd Dist.
It was only until then Council Candidate Dawn Zimmer made flood remedeation in southern Hoboken an issue and question why a decade had past without anything being done was it dusted off used to counter her.
It is said that success has many fathers but failure is an orphan.
This success will have many claiming to have fathered this pump but we also have to thank Dawn Zimmer for adopting it while it was still an orphan, nuturing it and finding a good home.
The subtext of this letter is to diminish the city's role. Why is that necessary? "The City of Hoboken only had to fill in the pieces after the federal, state and county government all put their hands in first."
The mayor isn't even mentioned. Does the city not have a mayor? Did she plan no role?
Are you now simply incapable of acknowledging the contributions of others if they don't fit with the PERMANENT CAMPAIGN you people are running, Ruben? Lying ads on my TV, push polls on my phone, lies and deception in my newspaper. When does it end?
Come and get 'em, FBI. Clearly, they can no longer help themselves.