Dear Neighbors,
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas🎄 on 11th Street!
COVID-19 Updates
The daily rate of positive tests in Hoboken is on the rise. The transmission rate for NJ had been below 1.0 for several months, reflecting that for each person who gets COVID, it is spread to less than one other person. Then, with the spike of the Delta variant, New Jersey’s transmission rate had been at or above 1.0 for some time before dipping back below 1.0 once more. But now, New Jersey’s transmission rate has jumped to 1.36.
As of December 9th, over 6.2 million New Jerseyans have been fully vaccinated with over 13.1 million doses administered in New Jersey. As of December 12th, Hoboken’s positive test results total 6,402 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic. Two weeks ago there were 6,089 positive cases. Please stay vigilant, practice social distancing when necessary, wash your hands, and stay safe.
In July, we celebrated an extended stretch of 60 days of having no COVID patients at Hoboken University Medical Center (HUMC). For the first time in over a month, HUMC again is hospitalizing patients with six people now admitted at HUMC. Five are Hoboken Residents with four being unvaccinated. If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to COVID, please quarantine and then schedule an appointment for a COVID test 5-7 days for those fully vaccinated and immediately for those unvaccinated after potential exposure. To find out when you should get tested, click here.
New Omicron Variant Identified in NJ
Omicron was recently designated as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. Although the WHO and CDC are conducting studies to learn more, we do not yet know if the new strain is more transmittable or more severe than the variants seen so far. Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli announced on December 3 that an Omicron variant case had been identified in NJ.
The City of Hoboken will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with state health officials, as it has done since the pandemic began. COVID-19, in whatever variant it exists, remains a serious disease, and the best way to prevent its spread is by getting vaccinated, and if you are eligible, receiving a booster shot.
I got my booster!
The Board of Education’s Ambitious New School District Plan
On December 7th the Hoboken Planning Board hosted a Zoom Meeting presentation on the Board of Education’s (BOE) proposed plans for constructing a new high school campus, as well as its long-range plans for the District’s facilities. The new high school project features amenities that will be accessible to our entire community — not just students at Hoboken High School, Middle School, or Elementary Schools. You can watch this presentation to the Planning Board here which is about one hour long. The public can also see and learn a lot about the BOE’s holistic plan in a helpful 10-minute animation video demonstrating the vision for the High School campus that you can watch here.
The Board of Education (BOE) is hosting an in-person meeting tomorrow night, December 14th at the Demarest School Auditorium (158 Fourth Street – Second Floor) beginning at 7 pm, which will feature a presentation on the BOE’s ambitious plans. This BOE meeting will allow for questions from members of the public and answers from the leaders of the District and the BOE’s architects about the plans and their vision for our community.
The Board of Education has announced additional public meetings regarding this plan where you can participate either in person or via a Zoom meeting:
Tuesday, December 21st at 7 pm @Hoboken HS Auditorium;
Thursday, January 6th at 7 pm @Hoboken HS Auditorium;
Thursday, January 13th at 7 pm via Zoom (and you can participate in that virtual meeting (Log-in TBD); and
Monday, January 17th at 7 pm @Hoboken HS Auditorium.
You can also review an informational FlipBook about this project at https://online.flippingbook.com/view/781450059/ or email questions or requests for more information to ProposedNewHHS@hoboken.k12.nj.us as we head towards a January 25, 2022 referendum on whether the community supports a bond issue to underwrite the cost of these improvements for Hoboken’s School District.
Salary Ordinance Passed
On December 1st, the City Council passed a salary ordinance that increased the range of salaries that the City of Hoboken’s directors may be paid. This ordinance was necessary because our Directors are significantly underpaid versus neighboring communities and we were at risk of losing our talented directors.
For instance, North Bergen, a Hudson County city with a population comparable to Hoboken’s, recently increased its salary range for its Business Administrator (typically the highest-paid Director in Hudson County municipalities) to a maximum of $231K. By comparison, Hoboken’s Business Administrator’s salary range now has a maximum of $199K. North Bergen’s salary range for its Director of Public Works has a maximum of $168K whereas Hoboken’s corresponding Director’s maximum salary range now has a maximum of $115K. While larger in population than Hoboken, Jersey City last year passed an ordinance that pays their directors compensation that far exceeds Hoboken’s compensation scale.
By another way of comparison, on a $1.7 million budget, the Hoboken Business Alliance (HBA), which is funded entirely by taxpayer dollars, recently hired a full-time Executive Director for $175,000 — almost $40,000 more than any director of the City of Hoboken is presently paid — and the City operates an approximately $120 million budget that dwarfs the HBA’s budget.
We’ve accomplished a great deal over the past four years during Mayor Bhalla’s first term, and our Directors have been instrumental in advancing an ambitious agenda. I supported increasing Directors’ salary ranges because I did not want to lose talented directors to attractive job offers from both the public and private sector when we can protect our talent by fairly compensating them. Our City should offer competitive compensation to our professionals and work to keep and retain the best talent to run our City. The salary ordinance we passed on December 1st allows us to do so.
You may have read that members of the City Council received raises in the salary ordinance and some have expressed concerns to me about that. I would like to attempt to address those concerns.
First, Councilmembers’ compensation of $24,500 has been fixed and unchanged since 2009. Second, Councilmembers work hard and dedicate many, many hours to serving our community. While the position is defined as a “part-time” position, Councilmembers work far more than part-time hours on numerous government initiatives and daily constituent issues. Third, by way of comparison, in Jersey City, Councilmembers will make $60,000 per year in 2022 (compared to Hoboken Councilmembers’ new salary of $35,000) and — significantly — Jersey City Council members are provided a salary for a staff member. Hoboken Councilmembers are not. (I pay the salary of my part-time legislative aide out of my Council compensation.) Fourth, I understand that for some of my Council colleagues, this additional compensation is meaningful. Fifth, I am not accepting compensation beyond my current Council salary and have notified the City that I am waiving, and giving back to the City, my additional 2022 salary. I understand that other Councilmembers will do the same.
Campaign Finance Ordinance
On the agenda for next week’s Council meeting are proposed changes to Hoboken’s Campaign Finance Ordinance, which currently limits union participation to $500 per candidate. These limits have been repeatedly flouted by certain Councilmembers, including Councilmember DeFusco, while other candidates have scrupulously followed the local campaign finance rules, as I have. Violations by candidates such as Councilmember DeFusco have been excused by Councilmember Fisher and others who refused to support a 2019 resolution in support of, and pledging to adhere to Hoboken’s existing local finance rules (before I was elected to the Council, however, I publicly supported the resolution as a citizen and as a candidate) which she derided as “unenforceable.” In fact, Councilmember Fisher and her allies not only refused to sign on to that 2019 resolution affirming our existing contribution limits - but they turned a blind eye, said nothing, and allowed Councilmember DeFusco to continue taking union contributions above Hoboken’s local limit, in excess of tens of thousands of dollars (see below). My Council colleagues, in my opinion, can’t have it both ways – claiming they support the limits as currently spelled out in our local ordinance - while allowing their allies to violate those limits with impunity.
Note, in contrast to Councilman DeFusco, that in my election in 2019 and in Mayor Bhalla’s election in 2017 and in his re-election campaign this year – along with Councilmembers Jabbour and Doyle, and Councilman-Elect Quintero – we fully abided by the current regulations and did not take a dime above the $500 limit from unions.
Here are some examples of Councilmembers, as recently as 2019, taking money above Hoboken’s present limit from various unions:
Councilman DeFusco in ‘19:
$8,200 contribution from UA PAC ($7,700 in excess of our ordinance)
$8,200 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ($7,700 in excess of our ordinance)
$5,600 from Plumbers ($5,100 in excess of our ordinance)
$4,900 from NRCC ($4,400 in excess of our ordinance)
$3,000 from pipefitters union ($2,500 in excess of our ordinance)
$2,500 from sheet metal workers ($2,000 in excess of our ordinance)
$2,000 from UA plumbers ($1,500 in excess of our ordinance)
$1,900 from sprinkler fitters ($1,400 in excess of our ordinance)
$1,300 from asbestos workers ($800 in excess of our ordinance)
$1,500 from NRCC ($1,000 in excess of our ordinance)
$1,500 from NRCC Education ($1,000 in excess of our ordinance)
Likewise, in 2017, Councilman DeFusco received tens of thousands of dollars of contributions from unions above Hoboken’s limits for his Mayoral campaign, while, as noted above, then-Councilman Bhalla and his Council slate abided by the $500 per union limit, to their substantial disadvantage. Despite Councilman DeFusco’s blatant violations of Hoboken’s Campaign Finance ordinance, the City’s best efforts to enforce the law have gone nowhere — tied up in court for years – and according to sound legal advice we have received are likely unenforceable. The only way to keep the $500 union limit is if all the candidates running voluntarily agree to adhere to the limits. Unfortunately, that simply hasn’t been the case in recent years despite our best efforts.
If any of my council colleagues have ideas about how to make our current regime have real “teeth” so current local limits on union contributions are observed and respected, I welcome them. To date, I have heard nothing but name-calling and hyperbole in response to the suggestion we roll back our unenforceable limits that are willfully ignored. Some have suggested that we strengthen the current limits, but the legal advice we received makes plain that the existing limits are vulnerable to challenge, cannot effectively be strengthened, and the local Campaign Finance ordinance should be completely repealed — a much larger step that this Campaign Finance ordinance does not take. Again — the legal opinion we have received concludes that our existing $500 limit on union contributions is not permissible and would not withstand challenge in court. To clarify, the $500 limits on PACs and Redevelopers in the Campaign Finance Ordinance remain in place and undisturbed. History has shown that the $500 Union limit is simply unenforceable and disregarded. The rest of the Campaign Finance Ordinance and all Pay-to-Play regulations will stay in place and I strongly support them.
So, what does this mean? Hoboken’s current “campaign finance reform” ordinance stands alone in New Jersey as the only municipality preventing unions from making donations to candidates up to the State’s legal limit — while rewarding candidates who ignore our local limits with no consequence. We should follow the independent legal opinion and advice given by the City, level the playing field for everyone, and not accept that only some candidates need to follow local campaign finance rules governing union contributions. If we had a level playing field, where all candidates followed the same set of State finance rules for union participation (like every other New Jersey municipality), then all Hoboken candidates would have the opportunity to champion pro-labor policies and equally compete for union support.
Amendments to the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan for 930 Monroe Site
On December 1st, the City Council passed on First Reading amendments to the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan, which would amend zoning parameters of the redevelopment plan to allow for a proposed development at the 930 Monroe site. The redevelopment agreement for this site continues to be negotiated between the developer and the Administration which will define the community benefits and developer obligations throughout the development process.
There have been a number of public meetings regarding this 5th Ward project. The property spans 4.3 acres and nearly 2 ½ City blocks running along the base of the Palisades opposite the ShopRite property. Part of the site is being utilized as an Amazon Warehouse facility and the developer is considering expanding its Amazon warehouse from one block of its property to the entire 2 ½ block parcel — an outcome which I believe is not in the best long-term interest of the 5th Ward, as the current Amazon use generates an extraordinary amount of traffic and congestion in this neighborhood, which would grow exponentially if this warehouse use was expanded and became a long-term tenant of this warehouse property.
The proposed mixed-use project proposes 675 units, including 68 units of affordable housing and approximately 45,000 square feet of commercial/retail in a carbon-neutral building that will achieve LEED Silver Standard. The project’s design received positive reviews from neighbors who attended the public meetings. Features of the project include no less than 40,000 square feet of open, public spaces creating passive and active uses on-site including a two-way multi-modal “Green Circuit” recreation path that will run along the rear of this property. Note that in its prior plan, the developer planned for the green circuit to be in the public right of way – not on its property – and oriented on Monroe Street and the eastern border of the property. This new green circuit alignment is consistent with the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan and feedback we received from Bike Hoboken and my Council colleagues who preferred the green circuit to run along the western edge of the City, near the light rail tracks.
Between 625 and 675 parking spaces will be incorporated, including approximately 100 spaces open to the public and free for retail users for at least the first 30 minutes, as well as electric vehicle charging stations and shuttle service to the Hoboken Terminal and Ferry stations.
A unique feature of the project will be the site’s 53,000 square foot amenity space that will include a gym/health/spa center, indoor basketball court, yoga studio, swimming pool, recording and screening studio, and abundant flex office space—all of which will be open to the public through membership or fee. The site will manage stormwater by providing a detention system with a collective capacity of at least 20% more storage than what is required by NHSA, as well as an extensive passive green roof system that exceeds 50% of the rooftop area. Finally, the Owners will build out a new resiliency park at 800 Monroe Street or contribute funds in the amount of $15 million towards the construction of the new public park with flood mitigation, the design of which will be subject to a future community visioning and park planning process led by the City.
These amendments to the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan will be up for final approval at our December 15th council meeting.
Ranked-Choice Voting
I am proud to co-sponsor with Councilmember Jabbour the State of New Jersey’s first ranked-choice trigger ordinance that will mandate our City Clerk to issue a Referendum to Hoboken voters on whether we want to implement Ranked-Choice Voting in Hoboken elections once the State Legislature authorizes NJ communities to do so. Our ordinance passed on First Reading on December 1st and is poised to become law after December 15th.
Ranked-Choice Voting is a remedy for an election system that falls short in so many ways. By having maximum participation on Election Day, ranked-choice allows voters to pick their 2nd, 3rd, 4th choices, etc., and then by eliminating the last-place candidate and automatically re-tallying the votes, voters ensure a winner is elected with a clear majority vote without the unnecessary time, fund-raising, expense, advertising, mailers, posters, door-knocking, phone banking, and endless campaigning required that otherwise would end on Election Day. The diagram below shows how ranked-choice voting works to pick a winner with a majority vote from the votes cast on Election Day – not a mid-December runoff.
Passing this trigger ordinance for a Ranked-Choice referendum is good for democracy because it empowers voters to have a say in how Hoboken’s elections are run. Ranked-Choice Voting is a tried and tested voting method. Other states, including our friends and neighbors in New York City, and countries around the globe enjoy Ranked-Choice voting, which is hugely popular with voters. By passing the first of what we expect will be many Ranked-Choice Voting trigger ordinances in New Jersey, we hope to send a message to our State legislators and Governor Murphy that we support Trenton’s empowering voters with the option of choosing Ranked-Choice Voting for their communities.
The Office of Constituent Services is Being Re-Established!
On December 1st the City Council voted to re-establish the Office of Constituent Services, which will open in 2022 to provide day-to-day assistance to Hoboken residents.
Mayor Bhalla first reinstated the office in 2018 in the first year of his administration, as one of the signature accomplishments of his new Administration. However, the City Council majority — over my objection and the objections of Councilmembers Jabbour and Doyle — abolished the office in 2020, overriding Mayor Bhalla’s veto.
During its almost two years in operation, the office served approximately 2,500 requests from residents, assisted with 50 cases in coordination with the tenant advocate, managed 1,050 requests through the Hoboken 311 system, and sent out more than 6,000 emails and correspondence in support of constituents.
Specifically, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the office assisted more than 1,000 residents, recruited 250 volunteers to feed more than 900 seniors with the Health and Human Services Department, connected food-insecure families to critical groceries from the Hoboken Food Pantry, assisted small business owners with PPP applications, and facilitated unemployment claims from the State for dozens of residents.
Councilmember Jabbour and I co-sponsored this ordinance which was also supported by Councilmembers Jim Doyle, Vanessa Falco, and Michael Russo. Councilmembers Ruben Ramos and Jen Giattino opposed re-establishing the office while Councilmembers Michael DeFusco and Tiffanie Fisher abstained from voting.
I look forward to Mayor Bhalla’s swiftly re-establishing this important office so that it can resume providing critical community services in 2022.
COVID and Travel
The CDC has issued travel recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. All travelers leaving the State should check with the travel destination and transportation carrier (i.e., airline, cruise ship) to see if there are additional health and safety protocols or requirements, such as proof of a negative COVID-19 test within days of departure. Travelers should also check with their employers, schools, and other entities that may have quarantine policies.
The CDC recommends delaying your travel until you are fully vaccinated.
Domestic Travel
The CDC advises that unvaccinated individuals should get tested 1-3 days before their trip, 3-5 days after travel, and stay home and self-quarantine for 7 days after domestic travel. Vaccinated New Jersey residents are no longer required to quarantine when traveling domestically outside the state. For more information, click here for the CDC’s guidance for domestic travel.
International Travel
The CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the US from a foreign country to get tested for COVID-19 no more than 1 day before their flight departs and present their negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 before boarding the flight. For more details on international travel from the CDC click here.
COVID Testing Updates
To get the current Hoboken COVID testing and hours click here.
Free Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
601 Jackson Street (Administered by Medicine Man)
Date: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Time: 9 am - 12 pm Monday, 4 - 7 pm Wednesday, 9 am - 4 pm Friday
Location: 601 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
605 Jackson Street (Administered by PromptMD)
Date: Wednesdays, Thursdays
Time: 8 am - 12 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Riverside)
Date: Tuesdays, Saturdays
Time: 9 am - 2 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: Rapid (15 Minute), PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
City MD
City MD at 231 Washington Street also offers COVID-19 tests. You can walk in without an appointment and get tested during regular hours.
COVID Vaccination News
As of December 9th, nearly 100% of our seniors (65 and older) have received their first dose, and nearly 100% of our seniors are fully vaccinated. Thanks to our seniors for stepping up and protecting themselves and our community!
90% of Hoboken residents 12 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 80% are fully vaccinated.
87% of Hoboken residents 18 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 77% are fully vaccinated.
97% of Hoboken residents 30 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 87% are fully vaccinated.
78% of all Hoboken residents have been provided with at least one dose, and 69% are fully vaccinated.
Mayor Bhalla and the Hoboken Health Department continue collaborating with local providers to offer a free COVID-19 vaccine and booster clinic this week for Hoboken residents and employees of Hoboken businesses at the following location and times:
Walk-in Vaccination Clinics
Where: 605 Jackson Street
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees, Hoboken students
Day: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
Time: 10 am - 1 pm (Monday, Friday), 4 pm - 8 pm (Tuesday), 4 pm - 7 pm (Wednesday)
Vaccine Offered: Pediatric Pfizer, and Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J boosters
Ages: 5-11 (Pfizer Pediatric), 18+ (booster)
Administered By: Medicine Man Pharmacy and Compounding
Where: 605 Jackson Street
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees, Hoboken students
Day: Monday and Thursday
Time: 4 pm - 7 pm
Vaccine Offered: Pediatric Pfizer and Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J boosters
Ages: 5-11 (Pfizer Pediatric), 18+ (booster)
Administered By: Hoboken Family Pharmacy
To get current Hoboken information on the City’s vaccination and clinic schedules click here as new information is posted daily.
If you are a Hoboken resident and would like a copy of your vaccination record, please contact LMedeiros@hobokennj.gov. Vaccination records are also accessible for all New Jersey residents through the Docket app.
CVS pharmacies in Hoboken Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown locations also supply the COVID-19 vaccine. Walgreens pharmacies in Hoboken Downtown and its two Uptown locations are also supplying the COVID-19 vaccine. You can also receive the vaccine at the County’s vaccination center in Kearny. Click here to make an appointment.
Coffee with Cohen . . . the home edition
Last year, to practice social distancing, rather than eliminate my monthly Coffee with Cohen events, I turned to the internet. At my last event, Geri Fallo, Hoboken’s Director of Cultural Affairs, discussed her time as head of Cultural Affairs, her favorite events, what goes into the events, and much more. Over 150 people have watched this event and you can check it out here.
My next Coffee with Cohen event will be today, December 13th at noon and I will welcome a special guest, Councilwoman Vanessa Falco. I hope to see you there with me and Vanessa. Do you have any questions? Send them to HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to address each one. These events are hosted on my Facebook page Philcohenforcouncil and you can watch them here.
You can always follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. If you have any questions or concerns, or if I can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com.
Phil Cohen
Hoboken City Councilman
Hoboken, New Jersey
HobokenPhil@gmail.com
(862) 234-9053
P.S. You can learn more about me and my ideas for Hoboken (as well as read this newsletter and my prior newsletters) on my website philcohen.org. 
