Hoboken residents know that one of our city's blessings is it's close proximity to Manhatten.
Our short commuting distance should allow folks to sleep a little later, get home a little sooner, giving us more precious personal time.
Well... it should work that way.
Unfortunately, many Hoboken residents run a gauntlet of long lines at the bus stops and packed PATH platforms, over-crowded buses and PATH trains. Many residents who might otherwise take the Ferry, can't afford it. Residents on the west side of Hoboken have no direct service to Manhattan.
In short, this HELL dissipates enough time and energy to seriously degrade the quality of life for Hoboken's commuters.
So, GA is relieved to see that one candidate, Ravi Bhalla, recognizes that relief is doable (unlike floating pools and beach fronts on privately-owned property).
These are not grandiose pie-in-the-sky ideas. These are recognizing ESSENTIAL NEEDS. To repeat, these are doable.
Take a look at Bhalla's proposal.
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Upgrading & Expanding the NJ Transit 126 Lines
It is critical that NJ Transit provide relief to riders on the 126 bus line, which are often packed to the brim during rush hour. I’m asking New Jersey Transit to take the steps to add an additional bus line in Hoboken, west of Clinton Street, as well dedicating additional buses on the current 126 line for uptown Hoboken. While an overhaul of the Port Authority Bus terminal in New York City may provide relief decades from now, Hoboken deserves better in the short term, and NJ Transit should reexamine their bus services throughout other parts of the State to reappropriate services to those areas, including Hoboken, that need them the most.
New Train Station in the North End
Another critical investment that I am urging NJ Transit to make is a commitment to a new train station in the North End Rehabilitation Area of Hoboken. Recently, I testified at a public hearing concerning the $13 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, urging that a Hoboken train station stop be included in the project, which could coincide with an additional Light Rail stop in northwest Hoboken. The Hudson Tunnel Project envisions constructing a new train tunnel that would pass under the Hoboken/Weehawken border, but without any stop in Hoboken. I strongly believe we must advocate for an actual train station connected to the tunnel so current and future Hoboken residents can have access to another option to get to and from New York City.
PATH Service
The PATH will be the first transit agency in the NY/NJ area to have a new, federally-mandated signal system that increases safety and enables increased train capacity. But, as you may know, in 2015 the Port Authority reduced PATH service in Hoboken and shifted those PATH trains to other locations. I believe it is critical that we advocate with the Port Authority to prioritize additional PATH service for Hoboken during rush hour, whether those investments are to come from developers or mass transit agencies.
Ferry Service
While the ferry is a pleasant option for crossing the Hudson River, it is currently far too expensive for many commuters to consider as an option, particularly the uptown ferry. New York City has worked in certain areas to lower the cost of a ferry ride within New York City to $2.75, the same price as a subway ride. As Mayor, one of my priorities will be to work with state and federal officials, and New York Waterways to identify opportunities to subsidize or lower the cost of a ferry ride from Hoboken to New York City. If New York can do it, so can we.
GA believes Ravi is the only candidate who can handle the kind of complexity and who has the organizational skills required to get these things done for Hoboken.
Call me whatever you want- what's in the best interest of Hoboken is all that matters to me.
Oh, and Ravi needs more loot to keep his campaign going... he doesn't have Mike DeFusco's bottomless well of "help" from developers and North Bergen buddies.
Mayor Zimmer is holding a fundraiser for Ravi on Thursday- that's TOMORROW!
And YOU are invited! With your WALLET!
Holding back the developer-funded, corrupt forces that want to take Hoboken BACK takes a considerable amount of LOOT.
Please consider how you can help to keep Hoboken govt in Reform hands. If you've got loot, it is needed in this epic effort to protect our City!
hmm, this all sounds suspiciously like a LOCAL issue to me. something doesn't compute, do mean ravi's not NATIONALIZING his campaign?? the crew at CHV (crazy horseshitville) will need a serious reboot this morning...c'mon guys, what's the next BS spin you can put on this?? ravi's talking about commuting, maybe you can get away with how he's REGIONALIZING the campaign! a regionalist is kinda like a globalist, right? yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!
ReplyDeleteIn your ear, Mr. Me! Not-Kurt is 12 steps ahead of you Backroom Bhalli Baton Botchers as usual! I was already wondering what the spin doctors at Camp Bhalli would be Sikhing to pass for spin and slap on his bhirth certificate, and you didn't disappoint! Bhalli is talking about communiting - that affects EVERYONE! What's next, comments on Hurricane Harvey? That's a NATIONAL issue and Hoboken has NEVER experienced a hurricane. Why doesn't he drop some surefire crowd pleaser like the flood-alleviation plans he supported when not-so-bad-in-hindsight Occhipinti was cracking jokes about the Weather Channel?
DeleteRemember - we here at Team Jen are only pro-flood relief when it entails being pro-not-Kurt for NHSA. Backroom Bhalli didn't pass that test. And you know what else didn't get passed? The baton! Nice Bhaton Bhotch job by Stab the Shadow and Puppet Lady Mayor.
Mr. Horsey is determined to expose and stop the left-wing violence behind Charlottesville as well as the Bhackroom Bhaton Bhotchery that poses a High Alert Danger to Transparency!
Do yourself a favor, Bhalli lovers! Stick to local issues - who's got the best muzz? Which of my limericks is the most clever? When did Mr. Horsey coin the term Old Guard and found Hoboken while he was at it?
DeleteThese are the pressing questions that a truly local, not-outlandish candidate would be focusing on.
oh they are already hating that he is making so many statement....i guess we want a candidate who says nothing??
ReplyDeleteDon't you know? What's good for Hoboken is bad for the #Resistance.
DeleteI wouldn't mind seeing more of The Hop running around with more shuttles, longer hours and on the weekends? It could be another part of the solution??
DeleteGA thanks. I will say that this proposal is ambitious but a strong identification of issues and solutions as a starting point for further public advocacy and negotiation. In truth, NJ Transit and the Port Authority are chronically underfunded, particularly the former.
ReplyDeleteAs discussed here, under Governor Chris Christie, NJ Transit's subsidy has been reduced a whopping 90% and it shows here in Hoboken. (See: Christie Lies Low, but Can’t Avoid Wrath of Commuters
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/nyregion/chris-christie-nj-transit-derailment.html).
As you note, Ravi is essentially setting a marker here and publicly saying this is a priority for him. What's not discussed but needs to be discussed is that the next Governor of NJ will have an outsized say in what happens with mass transit in Hoboken and the rest of the state. By law, the Governor appoints all seven NJ Transit board members and has veto power over the board's decisions. NJ's Governor also appoints 6 Port Authority Commissioners.
Unlike Jen, Anthony, or Mike, Ravi (and critically Dawn who was an early supporter) has a relationship with the likely next Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy. As reported here and elsewhere, Phil was the headliner at a fundraiser for Ravi in the Spring. A relationship with the Governor is critical to the fate of mass public transit in Hoboken. Assuming he becomes the Governor, Ravi does not need to build a relationship with Phil, he has one already. It's another indication that Ravi has the sophistication to not only have ambitious goals but also the wherewithal to get there with time.
Last note, I really hope the Hoboken Dems come out strong for Phil (hello, Tiffanie, do your job) and actively work to get him elected with wide margins in Hoboken. I'm not entirely sure that they get that having a strong relationship with him could directly help address our transit challenges.
It's ironic that a person using the monicker "some better ideas" supports the only campaign that so far could be called "bereft of any ideas."
ReplyDeleteSome campaigns have put forward good realistic ideas. I'm biased but I think Ravi's ideas have been we'll thought out and at a minimum worthy of serious consideration.
Other campaigns like DeFusco's have put forward stupid or realistic ones.
Only one campaign has put forward no ideas at all.
Maybe Giattino should try to poach a certain extent councilman from the DeFusco campaign. Whatever his faults at least he is a font of ideas and ideas seem to be in short supply over there.
can someone clarify why the Florio Perrucci law firm Keeps having NJ transit as one of their clients ? And Ravi as their partner ?
ReplyDeleteIf it is not true anymore .. someone should update their website .. if it is true .. there is a conflict of interest .. again !!
Boy, you are a dope. The firm has hundreds of clients. Ravi is not counsel for all of them and if there is any conflict on a particular vote, he can recuse himself. Does Mike have a conflict of interest when CBS covers a Hoboken political story? No, he doesn't. Are you drinking again?
DeleteHO, you're not using the new CHV-approved talking point: ravi's a REGIONALIST! he opines about issues like commuting, which involve people traveling between NY and NJ, can you imagine??!! that's neither 100% local nor VIBRANT, and should permanently disqualify him from running. well, that and the whole "his law firm has lots of clients, which means ravi can't possibly serve as mayor" or something. also don't forget the baton!! and bump out, what about the g_ddamn bump outs, huh??!! c'mon, get with the program.
DeleteIn addition to SUEZ, Ravi Bhalla's law firm also represents NJ Transit, I'm not sure that he has the residents' best interests in mind. Every single turn there's another conflict for Ravi, it's insulting how little effort he makes to even pretend that he's doing anything more than profiteering.
ReplyDeleteGive it up, Troll. Ravi has no equity interest in his firm and gets NOTHING for the clients you named. If he's elected he makes a clean break from his firm, quits. Why are you backing that loser DeFusco?
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ReplyDeleteThe trolling on Suez and NJ Transit reflects Mike's (and Kurt's) own ethics. The truth is, as I have gathered here and in various social media posts:
ReplyDelete1. Ravi is a salaried employee, not an equity partner of his firm. As noted above, he personally does not receive a share of profits from representing either client;
2. Ravi has never represented either entity;
3. Ravi quits his salaried job
to be Mayor if he is fortunate enough to be elected Mayor. Any perception of a conflict, much less an actual conflict, ends there;
4. In fact, Ravi takes a pay cut to be Mayor of Hoboken.
This is the opposite of profiteering as written above. Those who make the charge willy nilly are the opposite of ethical.
Please don't pin this trollery on not-Kurt! I serve up a different brand of trollery. My themes are easily identifiable and generally pious and ego-fueled.
DeleteSome common themes:
1) I am a giant reformer and part of Reform Resistance.
2) Bhalli didn't bow to me when I applied for NHSA
3) Bhalli is a Backroom Baton Botcher with Stab the Shadow and Puppet Lady Mayor
4) Bhalli is "unelectable"
5) Bhalli poses a "danger"
6) Bhalli lacks transparency
7) Bhalli, Stab and Lady didn't defer to the REAL REFORMERS when the outgoing mayor decided to endorse the person she thought would make her best successor
8) Bhalli is a contract Sikher
The Suez and NJT stuff is fine for me to piggyback on as needed, but these are political smears of a sophiticstion that's several stories about my level (GIANT status notwithstanding and not necessarily pertaining to intellect)
No, these types of consultant-driven smears beat the fingerprints of the DeFusco campaign, with whom Team Jen has a non-aggression pact. Hatfield McVictim is particularly good at this type of thing, particularly when it involves projecting ethical improprieties onto others in a manner that reflects deep personal experience with the precise sort of ethical failings of which he likes to accuse others. Backroom Bhalli has not done any of the sorts of things McVictim likes to accuse him of, but McVictim's accusations are so meticulous and precise that it does beg the question how this fellow became so intimately familiar with the wrong side of ethical boundaries and why he's so eager to deflect such moral failings onto others.
Please get your smear tactics matched the the appropriate smear artist, All Hoboken, and let me know anytime you need another lesson in how to dust for smearprints.
"...DeFusco campaign, with whom Team Jen has a non-aggression pact." LOL! this and the HatMcV description are golden. kudos, SGIggy stardust!
Delete