Got this in my Inbox:
Behind A&P in the parking lot, overheard three Old Guard stalwarts- one a high-profile figure at City Hall- nodding in consensus about Mayor Zimmer as one says with hand gestures, "Come on, those are some BIG balls .... she's taking on Arezzo." All heads nodding in agreement.Well, well.
awesome. fascinating to know that behind the facade of bluster, they are actually impressed with -- and maybe even a little bit intimidated by -- the mayor. hats off, ms. mayor!
ReplyDeleteFor years, Al "Qaeda" Arezzo was thought to be untouchable by the previous administrations because they erroneously believed that he was an employee of the DCA and could not be fired, even for cause. While the DCA does afford him some protections, this is not the case and he was an employee of Hoboken.
ReplyDeleteHe appears to have been fired for cause and rumor has it he is suing, which is his right, but this seems as though his is just one in a long line of shake-down lawsuits brought by terminated city hall employees, supporters of the Old Guard, who wouldn't have lasted a second in the private sector.
Not every old-time Hobokenite is an ardent supporter of the Old Guard and their corrupt and destructive ways. Although they are currently a non-vocal minority, there are more than Russo, Castellano, Mason and Occhipinti know about.
Oracle, I'd suggest that was often used as the excuse to not take him to task, rooted in a combination of fear (including dirt he could hold over heads, separate from his obstreperous personality) & the culture of general laziness that "prevented" adequate due diligence.
DeleteAnd absolutely, there are many old time residents of enduring goodness who have long abhorred the corruption & suffered in relative silence.
Agree, MBB. The DCA was always the excuse publicly stated by previous administrations for why Arezzo was never terminated despite all of his abuses of power.
ReplyDeleteThe lawsuit he has brought will no doubt have a very narrow focus, but if it were to include statements of those he terrorized over the years, the depostions would never end.