Dear Editor:
A few weeks ago, I announced my candidacy to represent the residents of the 4th Ward on the Hoboken City Council. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tim Occhipinti. I am 32 years old, hold a degree in government from the University of Virginia and work in Manhattan for an asset management company. I sit on the advisory board of the Boys and Girls Club of Hoboken and am also the founder of Hoboken Volunteers, a non-profit organization which connects residents with organizations, foundations, and groups who require the assistance of volunteers.
Through my community work, I have found a troubling pattern facing Hoboken’s 4th Ward – the lack of a dedicated representative on the City Council. This seat has been held by three individuals over the past three years and the residents of our ward are craving stability and leadership. We desperately need a voice on the council who is going to be dedicated to our ward by providing constituent services, improve parking and traffic related issues, fight for parks, champion ward based community activities and ensure the safety of our families.
As many of you may know, there will be a special election in November where residents of the 4th Ward will finally be able to democratically elect their council representative. The seat is currently filled by Michael Lenz, a man who holds two paid government positions and was appointed by the council, not elected. I respect Mayor Zimmer and her council majority but believe that true democracy and solid legislation flourish in an environment where people work together, collaborate and create, even if they don’t always agree with one another. Progress is not having an administration that formulates policy and a council that rubber stamps it. After giving this troubling cycle much thought, it is with great pride and sense of duty that I stand to represent the people of the 4th Ward.
Neighbors, this is your seat and the individual who fills it reports to you, not the council majority, not the mayor. If elected, I would work tirelessly with both bodies to find smart and practical solutions to the many challenges facing our ward but ultimately report back to my fellow citizens. Let’s work together for a better Hoboken and stop pointing fingers at past mistakes or blaming political rivals for our common problems. Although Election Day is months away, it is important that I made this announcement early on. I will not have the backing of the majority in power or the financial resources of my politically-connected opponent. However, what this campaign lacks in physical resources it will make up for in spirit, passion and dedication. With all of your help I’m ready to embark on this journey and give our ward the representation we deserve.
Sincerely,
Tim Occhipinti
4th Ward Council Candidate
www.occhipintiforcouncil.com
Yes, and Zimmer had the Amatos, Drayton, Lenz...
Why don't you just give up and admit that the hypocrisy is overwhelming? Of course Tim O needs some people with political knowledge to even come close to beating a political animal like Lenz. If any of these people (Mauriece et c) were behind Lenz youd have a million and one explanations for why it was OK.
You're going to run out of ways to justify this.
He has a very powerful political machine behind his ambitions.
Multi-millionaire developer and political gadfly Frank Raia, is but one of the former Cammarano entourage that is working and supporting his campaign.
Sounds like what's good for the goose is suddenly not ok for the gander.
Three years is a long time in Hoboken politics.
A lot of people thought Beth Mason and her people were working behind the scenes for Campos and perhaps we should credit them for Zimmer's eventual victory.
The 4th Ward is certainly not what it was three years ago.
This same group of backers were old school political operatives that were behind Peter Cammarano. They can and apparently have already called on their significant political and financial resources to bring him this far.
These same men can turnout the machine vote for any candidate. The vote they must again try to cultivate is the newer residents of Hoboken to win like they did previously for Peter Cammarano.
After all we have learned it is fair to cast a wary eye on anyone they endorse.
After his blatant fumble at a political smear over the B&G Club pool this week he seems to be going down the wrong path.
And your excuse for Mikey Ls attempts to push for any political seat he could find over the last 20 years, includ his failed attempt to be parking director, can be xplained away by "mike is what he is."
I'm hoping for better.
Your post is way too funny. I certainly do not live breathe and eat Hoboken politics. I just own a house here and pay an exorbitant amount of taxes and am sick of the blood sucking leeches that have inflated my tax bill, expecting me to subsidize their lives.
You obviously have a lot to learn about the recent history of Hoboken. Following is a quote from polticikernj.com which explains why I, along with many friends and neighbors, are sick of the current political situatiuon in town.
"As Peter took the oath of office, I had this sinking feeling that I didn't have a Plan B," said Hoboken native Perry Belfiore. "For a while now I've felt that I was about to surrender to someone who was not born and raised. That turned out to be Peter. I felt comfortable. But now it's a South African situation where the disorganized majority will be ruled by an organized minority".
Plan B is TIMMAY! The reincarnation of Peter Cammarano, a toally fake and manufactured candidate who will be anything but independent, if elected. Either Timmay! is too stupid to know that or he is so cynical that he thinks that anyone who has lived in town more than 3 years will believe his crap. Either alternative is more than enough for me to point out his shortcomings.
I could care less what self congratulatory things ML says, as long as he does not wrap them around some faux charity that was coceptualized to foster his political ambitions.
ML is a polarizing figure -- many like and many hate him. But he is what he is. No real pretense and he has been around since the early 1990's. TIMMAY! is a fraudulent and phony candidate, invented by Hoboken politicos who have a stake in maintaining the gravy train upon which they depend to fund their lifetyles. Given the choices, I will likely vote for someone who doesn't pee on my leg and try and tell me that it is raining.
And what is up with the latest "I don't speak for the H&B Club, I am just a private citizen garbage?
He has now told so many different versions of the "important" pool story that it is hard to keep them straight.
So typical of someone who eats, breathes, and lives in exclusively political circles (you) to look down on anyone who does things to help people, that aren't for an election. If you need to remember this well YOU were the one who said that the local organization shuold suddenly shift its resources to the 4th Ward pool, now are trying to take it back by casting a shadow on regular young people in our community who joined Tim's organization to make a difference. I'm sure you don't speak to any of them because they aren't part of your campaign.
I suppose Lenz won't be saying anything self congratulatorty during his campaign.
No one was bragging about their volunteerism until you attacked the very idea of it, from your computer, probably between blowing up balloons for the next Lenz kickoff five months early. Make sure you replenish the hot air. It won't be hard.
Good tidings.
Am getting nauseated by all the self congratualtory drivel about "volunteering", along with the photo ops prominently dispalyed and constantly referred to in every Timmay! comment or press release. If you want to do good deeds, then just do them and shut up about it already. Every time you open your trap about how great you are you only diminsh any thing that you have done. The Facebook page full of Timmay@! shots is cheesy. Look at any other serious and self respecting chrity on line and and you will never see such self congratulatory crap. Doing chartibale tasks to promote a poltical agenda is pretty lame and despicable. Why not volunteer at the Mike Russo Civic Associaiton?
Welcome to yet another new screen name! The more the merrier!
Surely you jest to suggest that I am paid by anyone to post. But I am sure that some would love to pay me NOT to post.
If you read posts on line, you would know that I am not the author of the Timmay! nickname. Feel free to take a stab at expressing some wit and come up with an appropriate name that you think fits ML. Does not bother me in the least. But why do I think that it will be a cold day before you come up with anyting remotely witty or funny.
Silly. I do not work for ML in the real sense or the sense that I am any part of his campaign. Again, if you read enough posts on line that would not be very difficult to figure out. Hard to be wrong on so many counts, but you are certainly giving it a good run.
I love the repeated use of "professionals" to to describe the "memebers" of Timmay!'s charity. Condescending - pot meet kettle.
Who is crying? What "political position" are you rambling on about?
Tricks are for kids, silly rabbitt and the tricks are on you. Your entire post is completely and utterly off base. So much for discussing any issues with yet another in a long line of freshly minted screen names. Keep up the good work
300 or more professionals have joined the organization, because it serves as a clearinghouse to help them volunteer. So if someone does something good and its not lenz you just decide it has bad motives. You come across very condenscending yourself (no wonder you work for mike l.)
Since youve given Tim the name Timmay (not too condescending ar eyou?) it makes me wonder how bad Mike L's record really is that you have to resort to that.
Since Tim has a nickname lets research some for Lenz. How about Double-Dipper Lenz. Or how about ran Roberts Campaign, Took a Political Appointment from Roberts, then After Robrts Got Rid of Him for Just As Bad REasons Lenz Sued And got the taxpayers to pay.
If you take a political position then dont cry and make us pay when you lose it, fair or not. I dont remember any sort of open process for that do you? Same as the process for his current 4th ward seat.
Nice to get you talking about some real issues. Have a great day. You can sling all the mud you want or say I work for whoever, tell me what above is NOT true!!! Im waiting.
Almost as despicable as the "professionals" (what is there an entrance requiremtent that a volunteer has to be a "professional")trying to take credit for the homeless shelter and the Jubilee Center. Do you realize how smug and condescending that statement comes across - as if the real charities that operate - without the crass self promotion - would flounder and not be able to attract volunteers without Timmays! efforts.
Just as I thought, the charter of the "Charity" was filed on 12/9/09. 6 months ago. ANd what exactly is the stellar track record of this charity? Held any fundraising, actually done anything? This "chairty' was formed for no other reason than to further Timmay's political aspirations. Actually, pretty despicable.
Visit the Timmay for Council site. He touts that he was STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT! ROTFLMAO! That is a reason to VOTE for him? He has truly earned his TIMMAY!
What is the smug "separate policy for a friend" crack about in regards to Dual Corn Cob Mike? First, I have no "policies", I just have a check book that is bleeding money becasue of Hoboken's bloated government. Second, all of my "friends" work in the private sector. Third, I don't like that ML works for the County. But he does and I will evaluate him accordingly. Fourth, tell me that Timmay is going to donate his council check to his Charity (no, I take that back - just don't take a salary) and then maybe he would begin to have some credibility.
Glad to share some thoughts with you. Keep them coming.
You say that I rasie some good quesiotns, but then don't even offer any repsone - asking "well what abnout Lenz?" Childish. Take your own advice and search the interent, you will find www.lenzforcouncil.com. I am not part of his campaign and do not pretend to speak for him. But I do see him addressing parking issues on the first page.
The pool fiasco and moving all of his "resources" to the pool when he politicized thie issue in a very dumb and clumsy attetmpt to grab some headlines? BTW, what resoources are you talking about? And what does the reference to three blocks away mean? HHmmmm.
The whole we need stability thing. Are you nuts? The seat has traded hands because Campos was caught drunk driving, and Cammarano went to jail. Do you really think that has some bearing on what is going on in town? Hoboken could use some stability, certainly, but it needs some more change before that happens.
I use Timmay! because he is a cartoonish candidate at this point. He solidified that position in the crass and stupid "important" pool issue, which you now seem to sya does not merit the commitment of "resources" of the "charity. I actually started out neutral on him, but he has quickly shown himself to be a clown, no really a hand puppet of Maurice and the Crude that brought us Petey boy and who thought that Bet Mazin would be a good mayor.