LaBruno: ‘I’ve watched my husband body-bag children’
Jan 22, 2009 | 701 views | 4 4 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print

Several issues erupted at a fiery Hoboken’s City Council meeting last night. Below is a summary. More to come later on!

LaBruno erupts at taxpayer’s suggestions

Councilwoman Terry LaBruno became incensed when resident Donna Antonucci wrapped up her presentation on Fire Department budget cuts at the council meeting last night.

LaBruno’s husband is a fireman. She exploded at Antonucci from the dais.

“I’ve watched my husband body-bag children,” LaBruno yelled. “Lives are not numbers.”

LaBruno jumped from her seat as she spoke, but police officers actually swarmed Antonucci, who was almost escorted from the building.

LaBruno later apologized: “I don’t think it was the intent of anyone to hurt the city.”

2009 parking permit fee may be reduced

Tickets for overtime parking meters went from $20 to $30 as the Hoboken City Council voted unanimously to increase parking fees as a way to avoid a resident parking permit hike last night. Other penalties also increased. The council will now work with Fiscal Monitor Judy Tripodi to rescind the resident permit hike, they said.

Parking Utility head John Corea said he will offer residents a credit or refund if they’ve already paid extra for a new permit.

No job for finance director yet

The council tabled a vote on an ordinance to create the position of director of the Finance Department. This position had already been filled by Nick Trasente, a former colleague of Tripodi, but the ordinance needs to pass for the position to exist. Tripodi does not have the authority to pass ordinances, so the council must approve the position.

Council members said they were poorly informed of the nature of the position before the vote, and tabled it until some questions could be answered by the administration.
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GaryGar
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January 22, 2009
No one should have to fear retaliation for speaking their mind. If the budget had been managed better no one would need these suggestions. I understand that the police and fire do a good job and often get unfairly attacked by anonymous people, but no citizen who speaks publicly should have to fear anything. Then again, if people in the audience shouted out they should follow the rules too. What's good for one is good for the other!!!
broken
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January 22, 2009
I was at the meeting. Donna was out of her seat and rasied her voice too - as was some insanely shrill donna supporter on the back bench. The Police immediately gravitated towards Donna to remove her - doubtless because they too have a "dog in the fight." I'm sure they know they are next on Donna's chopping block. The point was made: try and cut the bosses budget in hoboken - bad things will happen to you. I hope Donna doesn't walk around after dark or burn any candles in her house - she is a marked woman.
downtownobserver
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January 22, 2009
Its easy to tug at emotions around hot button issues as LaBruno tried to do last night, or as Russo did with the PILOT payments recently.

Unfortunately, hard decisions must be made given our current situation. Its time that our elected officials got off the political soap box, stop playing these games at our expense and start earning their pay by making the difficult decisions without the theatrics.
CDeVille
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January 22, 2009
I am sorry to have missed this one. Sounds like a barn-burner. Were they trying to escort Donna out for her own safety and why should they even need to do that?