HOBOKEN – The candidates for mayor get two minutes apiece to make their respective cases.
Database system designer Tom Vincent goes first. He anchors his candidacy on improving the city’s technological infrastructure.
He also injects a desperate tone of civility.
“The public dialogue is built on rumor and innuendo,” he complains.
Next goes Frank Orsini, a commercial mortgage broker and 19-year resident with compliance and operational experience in New York financial firms.
He’s tired of the whole gang at City Hall – and throws the gauntlet at the feet of the three elected officials on stage.
“Our social services are being cut, we’ve had public safety cut and it’s all because of politics – the mayor’s seat,” Orsini says. “It’s being down on our backs. …We need new government.”
Now here comes 2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason, a 25-year resident, former senior executive with a New York advertising agency, former Planning Board member and founder of Coalition for Open Government.
She sedately bashes fellow self-styled reformer 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer.
“My relentless pursuit of transparency and open government is unmatched by anyone on this dais,” Mason boasts.
Zimmer’s up.
“I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe in,” says the councilwoman, who opposed the development of Church Towers and supported the successful Kids First ticket.
“I’m also the only mayoral candidate to say everything must be on the table in cutting out wasteful spending,” she adds.
At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano goes.
“I am outraged and disappointed and something needs to be done in fundamental breakdown in City Hall,” Cammarano says. “Years from now, the city will look back and judge conduct of our government very harshly.”
He voted against the state takeover, which Zimmer and Mason supported, which ultimately resulted in a 47% tax increase, argues Cammarano, who gets his two minute message in just in front of the bell gong.
Ryn Melberg makes her opening statement last.
“What we need is an experienced financial manager to help us get out of this mess,” says the financial manager with global budget experience.
