Dear Editor:
I was not surprised to read Mayor Zimmer’s endorsement letter for my opponent, Michael Lenz, the councilman she had appointed. I can understand that she wants to keep her rubber stamp on the City Council. But when the mayor perpetuates the same cynical and divisive themes of the Lenz campaign, she diminishes her office and serves to distract voters from important issues facing the 4th Ward.
Once again, Mayor Zimmer makes reference to former Mayor Cammarano and tries to smear anyone who opposes her hand-picked candidate for City Council as corrupt. Make no mistake; this is a coordinated effort on the part of the mayor, Michael Lenz, and a handful of vicious “anonymous” bloggers in their political pocket. These cyber bullies incite homophobia and ethnic intolerance targeted personally at opponents of the Lenz campaign. I call on Mayor Zimmer and Michael Lenz to denounce them and to apologize for allowing these types of blogs to be used in their political service.
As for actual issues, Michael Lenz supported the $150,000 contract for “flood sensors” that engineers say will be of no use in Hoboken and the North Hudson Sewerage Authority would not fund. My public comments on the contract were contained in a video, which was heavily edited to distort my position, and then distributed through the Michael Lenz blog squads. I’ll state my position again. I opposed that contract then, and I oppose it now. It is a cynical waste of taxpayer money.
Mayor Zimmer served two years as 4th Ward councilwoman before she vacated to run for mayor. Her appointed successor, Michael Lenz, has been sitting since then. In that time, the administration has done nothing for the 4th Ward. The pump plan they trumpet started long before Michael Lenz and Mayor Zimmer began taking credit for it. Meanwhile, what has been done to alleviate conditions in the 4th Ward? Storm drains overrun with weeds. Not even a sign to let someone know their car is parked in a flood zone. No southwest park. Higher taxes. More crime. They distract voters by name-calling because they have no accomplishments of which to speak.
It’s ironic that Mayor Zimmer mentions that I haven’t been in town as long as Michael Lenz. When Zimmer ran for City Council, she said the fact that she was a newcomer to town was a virtue. Well, you don’t have to be in town for 20 years to know that it takes all of us – newcomers and born and raised – to make this city great. What has Michael Lenz ever done for the 4th Ward in his 13 years here?
I will continue to press the issues in this race, while my opponent can continue with his cynical, divisive, and bullying campaign. In light of the recent collapse of our waterfront, another round of flooding, water main breaks, and deteriorating parks, many residents are right to ask whether the mayor should be spending less time on partisan politics and more time on running the city.
Tim Occhipinti
4th Ward City Council Candidate
http://hobokenhorse.blogspot.com/2010/10/hudson-reports-snubs-mayor-zimmers.html
Dear Editor,
Tim Occhipinti’s letter published last week provides the strongest possible argument for supporting his opponent, 4th Ward Councilman Mike Lenz. While I have no reason to believe Mr. Occhipinti is not himself well meaning, his letter, and his performance in the debates last week, make clear that he lacks the requisite understanding of important issues to be able to properly represent my neighborhood - the 4th Ward.
For years, 4th Ward candidates, including me, have promised to move forward on flooding solutions. All 4th Ward residents know that a solution is not (as Mr. Occhipinti said to the City Council), is not merely something we we want, it is something we desperately need. During my short time as Mayor, we have finally, for the first time, made real strides toward solutions. The wet weather pump on Observer Highway is the most important pump and the one which by far will have the most impact on 4th Ward flooding. I fought hard to make certain that this crucial pump was built FIRST not LAST, as originally proposed by Councilman Ramos and others. Under the original Roberts/Ramos plan the first pump built would have been uptown on 15th street and would have done absolutely NOTHING to reduce flooding in the 4th Ward. The new 4th Ward pump should be operational in time for next spring’s flooding season, providing enormous relief to the 4th Ward. Mr. Occhipinti seems not to know that this pump was scheduled to be built last, or else finds it politically inconvenient to acknowledge this fact.
The three additional pumps recommended by the North Hudson Sewerage plan will cost at least $36 million not one penny of which will be paid for by the Sewerage Authority. It is the Hoboken taxpayer who is expected to pay this enormous cost. By a 9-0 vote, the City Council approved the use of Emnet Sensor technology which could help Hoboken craft more effective and less expensive solutions, potentially saving the taxpayer millions. In the only example of independence he has shown from the Russo obstructionist agenda, Tim Occhipinti has opposed Hoboken’s investment in this technology, making him the only candidate in the history of the 4th Ward to run AGAINST a flooding solution.
Mr. Occhipinti blames various blogs for publicizing his ties to his political patrons who are the same people who misled Hoboken about Peter Cammarano and who have worked on the City Council to obstruct positive change. Mike Lenz and I don’t always agree, but we are proud to be on the same team. Mr. Occhipinti is on a team too, but instead of proudly acknowledging it he denies it and blames others for letting people know. The voters of the 4th Ward have a right to know who the major backers of each candidate are so they can cast an informed vote on Election day.
Mike Lenz and the rest of the Zimmer Team have started to deliver real positive change to our City, after years of corruption, irresponsibility and neglect. Please support Mike Lenz on November 2nd to enable us to complete the job.
Mayor Dawn Zimmer
President Barack Obama himself champions Vote By Mail as a reform. Sorry Lenz elitists. Everybody has the right to Vote By Mail. Even those who don't support your machine candidate for City Council. Maybe Lenz's bloggers will try to bring back the Poll Tax, too.
Campaigns always involve a certain amount of mud-slinging. But in view of these remarks I must question your honor.
This country has a long sad history of voter suppression. To raise that awful specter simply to support yet another ill-begotten publicity stunt is just plain despicable.
You, and whoever wrote the letter for you, know full well that the intent of that campaign is to root out voter fraud, not get the names of people voting by mail.
You are sinking to unacceptable lows playing the race card on someone you know does not deserve it. I was not going to actively campaign before I read your letter.
I've changed my mind.