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| Last week Mayor Bhalla signed an Executive Order (EO) making all public bathrooms gender neutral. |
DEFUSCO DISCOVERS LGBT COMMUNITY LACKS CITY SERVICES IN HIS 3RD YEAR ON THE COUNCIL
The same week that Mayor Bhalla signed his second 'civil rights' Executive Order making all public bathrooms gender-neutral, is the same week Councilman DeFusco discovered missing city services for Hoboken's LGBT community!
On tomorrow's council meeting agenda:
Of course, GA supports equal rights and equal access to city services for ALL no matter race, gender, sexual preference- or for those who prefer not to have sex or have sex often.
So what city services are not provided for the LGBT community that this legislation will address?
I can't tell you!
DeFusco's resolution is AWOL. Not in the 230 page pack. Is it under legal review? Or, is the plan to sandbag the council with a live resolution?
I choose "sandbag".
Think about it. DeFusco is in his 3rd year on the Council. In 3 years, has he ever sponsored a single piece of civil rights legislation to help any discriminated group in Hoboken, including the gay community? NO. I am sad for my gay brothers and sisters who deserve a real advocate, not a phony baloney.
Bhalla has been mayor for 4 months, and already signed (2) EOs addressing civil rights.
DeFusco's had 3 years to craft one piece of civil rights legislation.
According to City Hall sources:
My guess is the doc isn’t ready. But he made a statement about it at the Exec Order signing so he is on the hook. The way he said it at the EO signing was that Ravi’s EO was a nice start, but not enough. It was a prick move. After Ravi allowed him to speak and then he basically made it about himself and tried to one up Ravi. DeFusco said he is introducing these additional resolutions with Jen... who was a Republican five seconds ago. I could not believe she was there.
GA wants to read this legislation. If we waited 3 years, I suppose we can all wait a few more days.
DON'T FORGET OPMA! ("OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT")
GA likes Vanessa Falco because (1) her heart is in this job, and (2) she has shown that she will work collaboratively with everyone on the council and with the Mayor's Office.
Last night her Affordable Housing subcommittee met at the Multi-Services Center. However, the meeting did not comply with OPMA because:
(1) she did not notice the meeting,
(2) she hosted a quorum-- (5) council members (4 maximum allowable)
(1) she did not notice the meeting,
(2) she hosted a quorum-- (5) council members (4 maximum allowable)
Last night, Afforable Housing subcommittee members Giattino and Fisher were there, but... councilpersons Ramos, DeFusco, Doyle and Jabbour showed up.
Jim Doyle and Emily Jabbour recognized the OPMA violation and left. Ramos was allowed to be there as Council President.
That leaves DeFusco, the 5th councilperson. .He knows the rules, he should have left, too. He did not.
Next time, Councilwoman Falco! .
Not surprised, as the DINO council members, like their fearless leader in Washington, couldn't pass a 9th grade civics class. If the interlopers didn't leave, I hope the meeting didn't go forward as violations of the OPMA carry with them mandatory fines.
ReplyDeleteGive the pompous ass the fine to pay since he is the one who caused the violation by not leaving.
ReplyDeleteThe affordable housing subcommittee should rightfully be the first 3 city council members at any meeting focusing on the issues to be addressed. Clearly, any city council member on that subcommittee would not be an interloper, but rather first an foremost an appropriate attendee. The affordable housing subcommittee consists of Vanessa, Jen and Tiffanie leaving one place for another city council member if the meeting isn't advertised as required for OPMA. Surprised that no one in city hall mentioned this to Vanessa and took care of the proper advertisement since it is a meeting that it made sense for all city council members to attend if they were interested.
ReplyDeleteWell lookee here, another round of spin from Kellyanne IndieComway.
DeleteIf this is true, then the sub-committee should have been the only councilmen in attendance, I don't think that the OPMA allows Ramos to remain just because he's the president, and DeFusco didn't leave even after understanding that his presence was a violation of the OPMA? Great leadership, if you're a lemming.
DeleteShe is basically trying to blame the mayor for the incompetence of the city council members who should know the rules and know who should or should not be present at meetings not properly noticed. BTW, if the CC members who are not members of the committee wish to attend, it is up to them to either make sure the meeting is properly noticed or that they leave if their presence would cause a legal problem for the city.
DeleteClearly one moron has no idea what his legal responsibilities are as a CC member.
It isn't the mayor's fault there are morons on the CC. The CC is a completely separate branch of government that runs their own affairs.
As an almost 30 year gay resident of Hoboken, I'd like to know exactly what "services" I being denied? We have statewide job protections. Marriage Equality is nationwide.
ReplyDeleteNow in my experience, there are more than a handful of city employees that could use some mandatory LGBT sensitivity training and we could do a better job of making LGBT folks feel welcome in some of our businesses.
Now for the trans bathroom issue.
ReplyDeleteHoboken has its own history here that seems to have been forgotten.
Janet Aiello transitioned while employed as a Hoboken police officer in the 90's
The city handled it very awkwardly, the HPD was shitty to her... and it was a media circus. The Hudson Reporter covered it, the Jersey Journal, talk shows (I seem to remember segment on Janet on 20/20), news vans at the PATH station looking for public opinion.
Douché!
ReplyDelete