NOTICE FROM COUNCILWOMAN-ELECT GIATTINO
A friend who's never lived in the 6th ward and moved out of Hoboken in 2008, received Councilwoman Giattino's latest ward newsletter, and forwarded it to me: "Not sure how I got this..."
The newsletter informed its recipients (not me!) that LCOR-NJ Transit would be holding a public meeting on Monday, November 25 from 6-8 PM in the waiting room at Hoboken Terminal. The agenda: a public information session on the November 2019 Amendments to the Railyard Redevelopment Plan approved on First Reading at the November 6 council meeting. Councilwoman Giattino's newsletter describes the approval as follows:
"At the November 6th council meeting I had removed the first reading of the Amended LCOR Redevelopment Plan at the request of Councilman DeFusco. Unfortunately, Councilman Russo made a motion to overturn my decision which was seconded by Council DeFusco. The supporting votes were as follows:
Doyle
Jabbour
Falco
DeFusco
Russo
This led to the council voting on first reading for the amended plan even though the public had been told it was removed from the agenda. I was disappointed that 5 of my council colleagues felt comfortable with that choice."
FEED A MONSTER, GET EATEN
The Council President's pique at five council colleagues (curiously omitting Ramos, who abstained) is comically misplaced.
Not only don't Councilman DeFusco and Ramos "need" the "good government trio" anymore, it's safe to assume both have begun their respective 2021 bids to unseat Mayor Bhalla. It's also safe to assume that the "good government trio" got played by far more politically-savvy, cunning, devious colleagues who benefited from the two year alliance while it lasted. The "good government duo" doesn't get them to a majority anymore.
See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.
Who didn't see this coming? Stupidly, foolishly, Councilpersons Giattino, Fisher and Cunningham looked away when Ruben slipped his political crony Eduardo Gonzalez into an HUMC Board Seat (for example), lent their clean reputations to Dark Side council allies for a punitive anti-administration, anti- Jabbour/Doyle majority voting bloc. The "good government trio" gave political cover to and empowered people who played them like fools. And you know, if you keep feeding a monster, one day it will eat you.
Michael DeFusco, Ruben Ramos and Michael Russo are playing the long game. If Giattino thinks that she was not set up by Mike DeFusco to table the ordinance prior to the election with every intention to bring it back, Pollyanna just got schooled. If Giattino and Fisher think they weren't played for the past two years, both Pollyannas are in for a treat. If either think that Mike Russo hasn't been working with DeFusco and Ramos all along, waiting out for a new political landscape, the Pollyannas might need therapy.
All bets are off. The three who understand each other: DeFusco, Ramos and Russo will be dealing like there's no tomorrow, while the Pollyanna-duo reminiscence about the good old days, when they were five, happily-hating the Bhalla administration together.
Where does this leave Hoboken? Good question. Doyle, Jabbour and Phil will be independent reform voices that work constructively with City Hall. Vanessa Falco has always been independent, voting with and against the former majority. Russo votes tactically. That leaves three 2021 mayoral candidates (counting Fisher) plus Giattino who will be ripping the administration on a daily basis.
As for the LCOR-NJ Transit proposal, stay tuned.
FEED A MONSTER, GET EATEN
The Council President's pique at five council colleagues (curiously omitting Ramos, who abstained) is comically misplaced.
Not only don't Councilman DeFusco and Ramos "need" the "good government trio" anymore, it's safe to assume both have begun their respective 2021 bids to unseat Mayor Bhalla. It's also safe to assume that the "good government trio" got played by far more politically-savvy, cunning, devious colleagues who benefited from the two year alliance while it lasted. The "good government duo" doesn't get them to a majority anymore.
See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.
Who didn't see this coming? Stupidly, foolishly, Councilpersons Giattino, Fisher and Cunningham looked away when Ruben slipped his political crony Eduardo Gonzalez into an HUMC Board Seat (for example), lent their clean reputations to Dark Side council allies for a punitive anti-administration, anti- Jabbour/Doyle majority voting bloc. The "good government trio" gave political cover to and empowered people who played them like fools. And you know, if you keep feeding a monster, one day it will eat you.
Michael DeFusco, Ruben Ramos and Michael Russo are playing the long game. If Giattino thinks that she was not set up by Mike DeFusco to table the ordinance prior to the election with every intention to bring it back, Pollyanna just got schooled. If Giattino and Fisher think they weren't played for the past two years, both Pollyannas are in for a treat. If either think that Mike Russo hasn't been working with DeFusco and Ramos all along, waiting out for a new political landscape, the Pollyannas might need therapy.
All bets are off. The three who understand each other: DeFusco, Ramos and Russo will be dealing like there's no tomorrow, while the Pollyanna-duo reminiscence about the good old days, when they were five, happily-hating the Bhalla administration together.
Where does this leave Hoboken? Good question. Doyle, Jabbour and Phil will be independent reform voices that work constructively with City Hall. Vanessa Falco has always been independent, voting with and against the former majority. Russo votes tactically. That leaves three 2021 mayoral candidates (counting Fisher) plus Giattino who will be ripping the administration on a daily basis.
As for the LCOR-NJ Transit proposal, stay tuned.
A bit of lyrical wisdom:
ReplyDeleteAll the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
Why did Ruben Ramos feel the need to abstain on the vote ?
ReplyDeleteDoes he have a conflict of interest ?
Ruben had no conflict. He wouldve voted with the majority but didnt want to piss off Jen.
DeleteI think you can be pretty confident that Ramos would have voted "yes" if his vote had been needed.
DeleteAs this vote demonstrates pretty clearly, this will likely be a pretty complicated City Council.
Anon @12:56, Ramos has conflicts everywhere. But he also knows that Giattino, like Fisher, is vengeful, so he probably didn't want to provoke her. But like numberscruncher said, he would have voted yes if necessary.
DeleteWhen Giattino figures out that not only does she not have a place at the table, but she and Fisher are on the menu as unwanted leftovers, her true colors will show.
Trouble is, she's not smart, but neither is DeFusco, so this will be a hot mess when it happens.
Taking bets on their next move which is likely to be to replace her as president.
Interestingly, she listed the names in what I presume to be the order of greatest to least disappointment.
ReplyDeleteDoyle
Jabbour
Falco
DeFusco
Russo
Working up from the bottom, Russo is a known quantity. Being "disappointed" in Russo is about like being "disappointed" in the raccoon that tipped over your trashcan. Defusco is a walking pay-to-play violation. Putting the item's sponsor and co-sponsor at the end of the list is both odd and intentional.
Falco, the wild card. No one seems quite sure what to do with her. Middle of the list therefore.
Doyle and Jabbour are her firsts. No matter who sponsored or co-sponsored the item, those two would lead any Giattino list of backstabbers, notwithstanding the absolutely shitty way she has treated them for two years.
I too am curious to know what's behind their support of the item. But I don't expect to be appalled by it when it's disclosed. I trust them.
I'm more curious about the sponsor (and secret union meeting buddy) being listed 4th most shame-worthy as though no more should be expected of him. Did the light finally go on?
I still think the "good government duo" would rather hand the city to Defusco than see Bhalla win again; much as Beth would rather see the hospital bring the city to financial ruin than work across the aisle. But we'll have to watch closely for little cracks in this godawful alliance. And exploit them. Because the GGD are a long way from doing the right thing for the right reason. They'll need to be led through the portal of their own narcissism.
Anyone on the council thinking that brokering your "5th Vote" gets you ahead... I have two words for that council person : DAVE MELLO. He played the 5th vote card during a year when Dawn depended on reform support, yet he cornered her many times. It's no wonder he was cast out when Bhalla picked his slate... when Giatinno picked her slate ... DeFusco Picked his and finally had to take a last place seat on the Romano-Old Guard slate.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteLime scooter expriment is scheduled end in two weeks.
What apparently has been lost on a number of people is that Jen Giattino had NO AUTHORITY to remove the NJTransit ordinance from the Nov. 6 agenda prior to the last meeting. There were three sponsors (only two are needed), and she directed the clerk on Monday to remove it after it had been properly proposed and published on the City web site as up for first reading. She cannot just remove matters that other council people properly propose. Even when Tiffanie directs her puppet to do so. Then, after taking that improper action, she told many people that it had been removed (and told the clerk to report that too) and that there was no need for the public to come to the meeting and comment on it.
ReplyDeleteThen, she asked DeFusco, the day of the meeting (two days after she removed it), if he as one of the sponsors was ok with its removal. But there were still two other sponsors, mind you … Apparently DeFusco said yes, hours before he then changed his mind at the meeting and stabbed her in the back. Heh. Then, when Russo asked at the meeting why it had been removed, she said that she did it and it could not be put back on because people had been told it was off the agenda. A genuinely unfortunate situation that she created with her improper conduct. Hence the slap in the face for her poorly thought out, improper action.
DeFusco certainly seem to very much agree with Giattino and Fisher to remove the NJT ordinance at the public meeting. He may have just been looking for some political cover as many of the audience were attacking him and the plan he, Ramos and Russo worked on with NJT for months.
DeleteThat public meeting was before the election.
DeleteTrue. DeFusco's huge ego made him think he could take a victory lap at the meeting before the election at the meeting.
DeleteRamos and Russo wisely took a step back let DeFusco make an ass of himself and said almost nothing understanding this issue was a live grenade.