Can Hoboken be saved from The CONs?

The Mayor's Public Safety Task Force

Oh, besieged Hoboken residents who are tired of costumed brats (by the thousands) invading our city to get sloppy, piss on our streets, scare our children, hurt our small businesses, damage our property, waste our tax dollars, and HIT our police...

Help is on the WAY!!!! 

Yesterday, Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced the formation of the Mayor's Task Force on Public Safety, "to address violence and quality of life issues resulting from intoxicated bar patrons."  

The Mayor's Task Force on Public Safety includes  Police Chief Ferrante, Provisional Fire Chief Crimmins, Police Capt. Pasculli, Police Sgt. Kucz, Police Sgt. Montanez, Health Officer Frank Sasso, Battalion Fire Chief Buoncuore, Fire Captain DiVincent, Business Administrator Marks, Corporation Counsel Aloia, and Environmental Services Director Pellegrini.

That's a great start! But... does it go far enough? 

Because once the brats are here, we already have a problem. How do we stop them from coming to Hoboken in the first place? 

As you can see from this graph, the problems associated with Santa-con (and other "cons") have grown each year since its inception.  

Hoboken residents have had to flee the City to escape the tidal wave of body fluids, vomit, and roving bands of drunken frat boys who spit and punch our HPD friends. 

Unacceptable!

How does Hoboken put the kibosh on these mass bar crawls? 

GA agrees with the mayor:

“We can no longer ignore the fact that a small number of establishments are creating a big problem for everyone else in the form of violence, property damage, and financial cost,” said Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla. “When a person comes from out of town and spits in the face of our officers, as has happened numerous times, that is unacceptable. When an officer is assaulted by an inebriated patron and receives a concussion, as happened to Officer Lombardi on Christmas Eve, I will not allow the status quo to continue."

That's all good. 

But Hoboken needs to create an ordinance to regulate and control these events and/or impose fees and/or penalties for participating establishments so stiff as to be prohibitive.  But wait...

Thanks to Hoboken's wonderful Assemblywoman, Annette Chaparro, the NJ Legislature is on its way to passing a bill allowing municipalities to regulate the "Cons."  

On May 19, 2016,  Assemblywoman, Annette Chaparro introduced Bill A-3720. which would give municipalities permission to regulate internet-organized events- it has already passed in the Assembly and has gone to committee in the NJ Senate.  Here's the bill's current status:

Here's the revised bill-- trimmed down from its original version. 

(So does that mean that each participating proprietor must pay Hoboken a registration fee of (maximum) $5/per estimated number of attendees to the event?   BOOM.)

So, let's get that baby through the NJ Senate!

Once A-3720 passes, the City Council is free and clear to craft  an ordinance which will (hopefully) end the frat boy bacchanals.

And thankfully, the Mayor's Task Force on Public Safety will be there to keep us safe, every day of the year and on "con" days.

GA would like a total "ban" if that's legal.  

Dunno if banning the "cons" would be a first-ever for a city, but Hoboken has seen a lot of 'firsts' this year, so why not?  New York City is much better equipped to handle the high tide of Bad Santas, but even some New Yorkers want Santa-con banned. 

Time is of the essence, people. 

Lepercon is right around the corner....