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| Meet the Banana Council |
COUNCIL TO STRIP EXECUTIVE BRANCH APPOINTMENT POWERS FOR PATRONAGE 'HIRES'
You know what they say: if you can't get the mayor to appoint your pals to a board, seize the mayor's power... then hire your friends.Actually, that's what they say in Banana Republics. Ask the leader of any authoritarian regime.
Hey Idi, what happened when one of your mayors made board appointments you didn't like?
Thank goodness we live in a democracy! Here in Hoboken we are governed by the rule of law, including separation of powers between our Executive (mayor) and our Legislature (9-member council). The jurisdiction of both branches is clearly delineated to achieve a balance of power.
Unlike Idi and his ilk, this division gives each respective branch jurisdiction over separate but equal powers, including choosing members for particular boards.
So, because democratic elections have consequences, Hoboken's council majority excluded the mayor's allies from participating in the council reorganization (so much for Councilwoman Fisher's credo: "more voices are better"). This majority faction chose not to reappoint Jim Doyle to the Planning Board nor Brian Assadorian to the NHSA. Doyle was replaced with pro-development Mike DeFusco (already rumored to be causing trouble on the board) and Assadorian with loyal DeFusco operative Tony Soares.
The Council board appointments were both rewards to friends and political payback to ex-Mayor Dawn Zimmer and her successor, Ravi Bhalla. Did the mayor or his allies like these choices? No. But, the Council executed its power in accordance with those darned rules.
So, what happened last night when it was the Executive's turn to appoint board members to the Rent Leveling Board- with pro forma approval required by the Legislature?
They took hostages.
BANANA COUNCIL TAKES HOSTAGES
(1) The Council majority denied a vote for two of the mayor's 7 appointments: Heath Urban and Warrren Hall (the "hostages").
(2) Council VP Jen Giattino introduced legislation to strip the mayor of (3) Rent Leveling Board regular appointments plus (2) Alternates giving them CONTROL of the 9-person Board... so that they could reappoint their POLITICAL ALLIES, Jen Giattino for Mayor campaign strategist Mike Lenz and Jen Giattino for Mayor uber-supporter Cheryl Fallick.
(3) Council Prez Ruben Ramos threatened the mayor that if he does not "rethink" reappointing Lenz and Fallick, the Giattino ordinance will pass, and they (the Council) will seize power to appoint Lenz and Fallick.
This is some serious Banana Republic shit. From now on, GA will call them the Banana Council in honor of their reckless disregard for the rule of law, including separation of powers, and their ETHICAL CORRUPTION: changing the rules to appoint your political cronies.
This Council majority has given every indication that they plan to seize control from the mayor and run the city in the manner of some Third World tribunal.
Good luck with that.
Here it is, people. Once again, if Mayor Bhalla does not appoint the Banana Council friends to the Rent Leveling Board they will put this up for 2nd reading, thus STRIPPING his appointment power so they may appoint their own political allies, Lenz and Fallick.
What a disturbing precedent to create in Hoboken government.
THE BANANA COUNCIL ORDINANCE
This is amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt's even worse than I thought!
DeleteThis POWER GRAB transfers CONTROL of the Rent Leveling Board from the Mayor to themselves... They are seizing 5 board appointments (3 full, 2 alternate) out of 9.
How is this legal? Can they seize ALL appointment powers from the mayor by ordinance? For any board??? What is there to stop them? This council majority has gone ROGUE.
I would like to hear what Corporation Counsel has to say about this!
It is time for Zimmer, Bhalla and other reformers to find candidates to take them on next election cycle. Find 1 good person per ward, start raising money now. They need to be removed.
DeleteLike the runoff elections, appointments to boards by city council was another of the corrupt, old guard's tools, so this should come as no surprise. It might as well be 1993 again. The difference now is that we have televised council meetings, and broader use of the internet, so their actions are very visible to those who don't have the time or patience to watch Cunningham, DeFusco, Falco, Fisher and Giattino waste the taxpayer's time and money, while they scheme and plot to take over. Much of it will backfire, and they'll need every trick to get re-elected.
ReplyDeleteWhereas we lost,
ReplyDeletewhereas we lost bigly,
whereas our butts still hurt,
whereas.... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
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ReplyDeleteMakes you wonder what kind of deals Lenz had percolating at his lunches with Cammarano before Zimmer's candidacy materialized and he hitched to her wagon instead, hoping for more leverage, only to come away bitter and vindictive that you can't get those kinds of deals out of someone who's an actual reformer.
ReplyDeleteA cynical person might observe that there was no problem with mayoral appointments (and would not be any today) if Giafusco insiders had not been booted.
DeleteThe issue here isn't legality - this is something the Council probably can do by Ordinance. The problem is the context. There isn't even the pre-text of a public policy rationale. It's openly all about forcing their two baggage laden political supporters back onto the board. They have even admitted the Mayor's appointments were actually fine choices.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that these guys don't even seem to understand why this is so wrong is the scariest part of this.
Worse yet, the "brains" behind the scheme is almost certainly Michael Lenz himself meaning this is pure self dealing - Lenz for Lenz. A pretty familiar picture for anyone familiar with his history.
This is the political corruption at its worst.
DeleteYes, it is clear this move is purely designed to help their political supporters get into positions of authority purely because those individuals desire to be there. These sorts of moves are exactly why we hated the OG so much. The level of self-dealing here is disgusting. These people should absolutely be shunned in real life and actively campaigned against.
Deleteapologies for going off topic: heard something about a major crackdown on bars with a number having licenses suspended for from 7-to-30 days (including on day of LeperCon) and, amazingly, 1Republic being closed down altogether!
ReplyDeleteWhat's I've heard:
Ainsworth 5 days starts april 1
Shannon 2 days Including March 3
Hoboken Bar and Grill 30 days starts tomorrow
Black Bear 24 days, broken in 8 day terms, plus march 3
Marty OBriens 5 days
Grand Vin 4 days
Green Rock must close March 3 Leprecon, then 19 days in May
i like to drink as much as anyone but ave to say i'm really glad the city is cracking down here.
Ah, you're breaking news now! My new story is up. Yes... big shockers! My neighbor is a new ABC Commissioner- sworn in last night, on the night of the strictest penaties on liquor licenses Hoboken has seen in memory. . Boy, that was some debut. The place was packed with police (witnesses) and NBC showed up! Whatever shade thrown by the Banana Council on this, Bhalla owns this, starting with the formation of his Public Safety Task Force in January.
DeleteThe proof of the pudding is in the eating. At the end of the day Ravi and the Council Members will rightfully be judged by the public based on their actual records of accomplishment (or obstruction).
ReplyDeleteHolding bars accountable for bad behavior vs. changing the law to keep your cronies on the Rent control board. Which accomplishment do you think the public will appreciate and support?
Hopefully council members will wake up and smell the coffee. Politricking instead of governing will not get them where they want to go anymore than it did for Mason.
I am very pleased with the mayor so far. The CC is useless. It is like a bunch of overgrown kids on the SGA. The level of pettiness is appalling.
DeleteBTW, this seems like a very Trump-like move. Remember when he couldn't get what he wanted he got the Senate to kill the filibuster of SCOTUS nominations?
ReplyDeleteIf people don't want to be compared to Trump - they shouldn't act like Trump. BTW, I expect the CC to keep pulling out this card whenever they don't get their way - just like Trump.