HELPING HOBOKEN BUSINESSES RECOVER
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted each of us in one way or another, but after three months of staying home and doing our part to stop the spread of this virus, we finally reached a positive new milestone on Monday with our restaurants and small businesses reopening their doors for business. Early on, it became abundantly clear that even when stay at home orders would be lifted, the hospitality industry was going to need every resource available to them to adapt in a new era of social distancing.
That’s why I was incredibly proud to put forward an innovative plan that creates unique opportunities for our restaurants and small businesses to expand their operations outdoors. Because of the collaborative work done with Council President Jen Giattino, the City Council and the administration, we were able roll out a Small Business Recovery Plan that permits the expansion of sidewalk cafes, allows businesses to create parklets in front of their brick and mortars and will begin the process of intermittently shutting down streets to create more space for dining and retail.
Check out my interview with CBS New York discussing our business recovery plans.
In addition to the Small Business Recovery plan, I’m excited to have sponsored two pieces of legislation that moved forward at the last Council meeting:
Riverfront Food Truck District: The Riverfront Food Truck District we are forming would relocate food trucks that currently idle near our largest residential complexes just north of the fishing pier on Sinatra Drive and create a pop up dining experience. This is a location that is still heavily trafficked, has more space for additional vendors and limits the environmental impacts on neighboring residents.
Pop Up Markets: This new law will allow property owners to activate spaces, like vacant parking lots, and transform them into pop up markets, creating unique temporary experiences for businesses and residents alike. I often discuss what we can do as a city to activate underutilized space for new uses, and now more than ever it's necessary for us to capitalize on every square foot of outdoor space in Hoboken.
This package of pro-business legislation has undoubtedly created a blueprint that neighboring municipalities, and towns across the entire state, are following. Though we’ve been through some dark days, the future's looking bright in Hoboken. If you’re heading out for a meal with the family or visiting your favorite small business, please continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask and wash those hands. Let’s continue to set the stage for recovery and not make the same mistakes we are seeing in other states throughout the country.
SECURE BICYCLE PARKING IN MUNICIPAL GARAGES
With more residents relying on bicycles as their primary mode of transportation, it’s important for us to properly activate space in Hoboken that reflects this shift. The truth of the matter is that we live in a city where a majority of residents live in smaller apartments without a safe place to park their bikes and we need to do better for bicycle owners in our community.
On Wednesday, Councilwoman Fisher and I advanced a plan that will allow Hoboken residents to safely store their bicycles in designated areas within Municipal Garages for just $1 a week. To be clear, this is not a blanket fee for every bike owner, rather just for those who wish to park in our public garages. As someone who rides their bike everyday (and has had his bike and tires stolen) I know how important it is to have access to safe storage locations. I’ve spoken with various stakeholders over the past week to make this legislation work for everyone and I look forward to working with my council colleagues and the mayor before the final vote next meeting to optimize the rollout.
DEMANDING A FAIR AND HONEST BUDGET
Today, 169 days into the year, the mayor, shockingly, has still not presented the City Council with a municipal budget. Instead, he continues to rely on temporary appropriations to fund the city’s daily operations.
Back in early January, before COVID-19 was even a discussion, the mayor advised the City Council that we were facing a roughly $7 million dollar deficit this fiscal year. Later that month, it was estimated by the budget committee that number was closer to $14 million and that layoffs would be necessary to move forward. It was after all of this when the pandemic hit Hoboken.
Despite these existing budget issues, the mayor chose to blame the pandemic, and has delayed presenting a budget. Last week, the County approved sending Hoboken $1.4 million in federal grant money to defray a significant amount of what we have spent in our COVID-19 response. I thank County Executive Tom DeGise and Freeholder Anthony Romano for helping secure this reimbursement. Now that we know we will be recovering these costs, it's time for the mayor to stop using the pandemic as a smokescreen and present us with a budget.
Ironically, the mayor continues to misuse city and taxpayer funded resources to attack those who do not agree with him politically and who stand up to speak truth to power. As a matter of fact, some of the top paid employees in City Hall either ran the mayor’s 2017 campaign or unsuccessfully ran on his ticket. Instead of cutting political appointments, he forced the retirements and terminated 26 hardworking City employees, including those essential to the daily operations of Hoboken.
Further, the mayor has asked the Council to accept $4.7 million dollars in cash from the library, a board he appoints, in exchange for bonding that same amount to pay the library back over the next 20 years. It’s important to know that under state law, municipalities are not permitted to use bonds to cover budget expenses, yet our law department has sanctioned this massive money switch, as legal.
This borrow now, worry later, mindset is a quick fix to a long term budget problem and artificially covers up the administration’s blatant misspending. Approving this bond could reduce a tax increase this year, which is a top priority for myself and my colleagues, but it will also burden future taxpayers for 20 years to come. I am open to considering lending my vote to this massive bailout, but only once we are presented with an honest and gimmick-free budget to review.
STANDING FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY
Earlier this month I helped raise the LGBTQ+ Flag over City Hall to mark the beginning of Pride Month. As the first openly gay man elected to municipal office in Hudson County, one of my priorities has always been to create a community that is welcoming to everyone, regardless of who you love or the color of your skin.
As bigotry again raises its head across the country, now more than ever, it is up to each of us to take a stand against the injustices we see in our communities. This is the very reason why I was proud to join thousands in Hoboken who rallied in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I’ve always believed that our voices are our strongest power, but it also takes more than just words to create a world that embraces a culture of acceptance.
I strongly support policies that will hold our law enforcement officers accountable and to a high standard of ethics, but at the same time I’m concerned about Mayor Bhalla’s statements indicating he would potentially support looking to defund the Hoboken Police Department. While we’re facing a major budget deficit, we need to ensure every tax dollar is used responsibly while also making investments in social justice causes that give everyone a voice.
As MLK once said about morality and inclusion: “from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice” and now, more than ever, we must remind our neighbors that love is universal.
NEWARK STREET SAFETY UPGRADES
When I first ran for City Council in 2015, I advocated for streets that meet the realities and needs of a city that relies on multi-modal forms of transportation. One of the first changes I envisioned was finding a way to make a stretch of Newark Street, one of the most traveled corridors in Hoboken, safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Though it took nearly four years, the County finally finished a “Complete Street” redesign this spring, creating bump outs at intersections to slow traffic, adding additional stop signs, rain gardens and bike lanes to make Hoboken more walkable and bike-able.
With the weather getting warmer, I’ve enjoyed biking and running through my neighborhood and already feel the positive results that these investments are yielding. Hoboken deserves safe streets and I am thankful for the County’s leadership in helping secure the necessary funding to accomplish this.
As always, should you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to me directly on my cell: 646.372.4341 or via email: mike@mikedefusco.com.