Stack v DeGise: What's in it for Hoboken?

GA looks at the Stack v DeGise "Clash of the Titans" with a jaundiced eye-- two jaundiced eyes, in fact.

What matters to me is: what's in it for Hoboken? 

In a nutshell, the Clash of the Titans is a conflict over who will be elected as Hudson Democratic Committee Chairperson, the most powerful political position in Hudson County.  Oh yes, it's powerful!  Think of the HCDO Chair as the Zeus of Hudson County; deciding who will live (politically) and who will die.  The HCDO Zeus decides who runs on the Democratic line on the ballot, which is essentially picking election winners. (And losers, by default.)  

Union City Titan Brian Stack was the presumptive next Zeus of Hudson County until one day last March at Jersey City's Coach House Diner, Stack and Titan Steve Fulop informed County Executive Tom DeGise that he was getting the BOOT off the HCDO line in November! All predicated upon Stack winning HCDO Chair.

Ooops.

DeGise, who's been County Executive since the Big Bang, replied to Stack and Fulop "I'm running." 

DeGise, not ready to be put out to pasture,  declared his intention to run a candidate against Stack for HCDO Chair.

Thus, the Titans of Hudson County chose sides. 

Supporting Stack: Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, West New York Mayor Felix Roque,  Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, D-Jersey City, and Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, D-Hoboken. 

Supporting DeGise: North Bergen Mayor/LD32 Senator Nick Sacco, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, Harrison Mayor James Fife, Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli, Kearny Mayor Al Santos, East Newark Mayor Joseph Smith and Guttenberg Mayor Wayne Zitt, plus U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, D-08.T

(Note, the Hoboken City Council's Anti-Bhalla faction headed by Tiffanie Fisher, will support DeGise, and whomever DeGise chooses to run against Brian Stack). 

WHY THIS MATTERS TO HOBOKEN

Under the DeGise Administration, Hoboken taxpayers have been f*cked by the County- deeper and harder with each passing year. 

That is not hyperbole.  I am going to show you. "Funding formula" my ass. If the "funding formula" has not changed, why have Hoboken taxes skyrocketed in relation to other Hudson County municipalities?

Hoboken is the ONLY Hudson County municipality whose County tax levy is higher than its municipal tax levy. 

The following are the Total County Taxes apportioned - from 2009 to 2017.  Look what has happened to US.

2009
Total County Taxes: $39.8M

2010
Total County Taxes: $46.4M

2011
Total County Taxes: $47.5M

2012
Total County Taxes: $49.8M

2013
Total County Taxes: $53.9M

2014
Total County Taxes: $60.9M

2015
Total County Taxes: $68.1M

2016
Total County Taxes: $70.9M

2017
Total County Taxes: $74.7M

What do you think?
Hoboken taxpayers are being screwed by the County like there's no tomorrow. 

County Executive, Tom DeGise, and his merry board of Hudco Freeholders have done NOTHING to reduce the burden on Hoboken taxpayers. 

NOTHING. 

If DeGise had wanted to ease the burden on Hoboken taxpayers, he would have made hard choices called spending cuts.  Hoboken Mayor Zimmer did it. Mayor Bhalla is doing it. Our municipal  tax levy is flat again.  Our Bond rating is AA+.

DeGise and his cronies are fiddling while our wallets burn.

Figures that the Anti-Bhalla Faction has gone with the County cronies.

Let's see how our Mayor can work with NEW County leadership for tax relief.  That is what Hoboken residents WANT.

Stay tuned.