Conflict of Interest and Hoboken’s Elected, Appointed and Hired officials
Dear Editor:
One area where I think Hoboken needs to change is when it comes to embedded conflicts of interest that only set the town up for corruption and mismanagement.
Former Mayor Anthony Russo appointed his childhood friend Anthony Pasquale to the Hoboken Housing Authority Board in the 1990s. He also acted as Theresa Castellano’s campaign manager. Castellano is Michael Russo’s first cousin once removed.
Vincent Addeo lives in Church Towers making more than $96,000 a year (from his Union Organizing role alone as of 2006 records. Does not include what he makes as President of the NJ State Council of Machinist, his wife’s income (if any) and any passive income) and pays less than $1,000 a month in rent given the top rent with the surcharge is $930. This along with the Pasquale/Russo connection, is there any wonder why Beth Mason voted the way she did on the Church Towers resolution? Was this vote a show to old Hoboken that she will vote on policy that benefits the small but politically connected?
The public's recourse if an official votes on something where there is a conflict of interest is to sue that official and prove in court that there was a conflict of interest. Do we want to put ourselves in this position?
Here is a recent example: Dominic Lisa, current President of the Zoning Board, was advised by the Zoning Board attorney that having a business relationship such as the one Lisa has with D Variance applicant, Louis Picardo (Picardo is Lisa's tax preparer) was a conflict of interest and was reason not to participate in the vote. Ultimately, the attorney had to say that this was his legal opinion but it was up to Lisa to recuse himself since he does not have any authority to force him to do so. Lisa did not recuse himself and voted to approve the Picardo application. The application failed anyway. Picardo’s neighbors were ready to prove the conflict of interest in court if the application passed. Who has that kind of time and money?
Look at the Q1 Council Meetings. Michael Russo, a resident of Church Towers, said he would vote on the resolution related to the building if he had to. Why does the public have to put up with such a threat? Michael sent 'scare mail' to his neighbors basically saying show up at City Hall to push through the resolution or you'll get kicked out. Is that recusing oneself? These letters were undoubtedly frightening to the 60 percent who really need the subsidy.
Theresa Castellano didn’t recuse herself either presumably based on the argument that she is not closely related enough. Would you vote against a resolution where your cousins may have to surrender their apartments? She voted to pass the PILOT extension without a commitment from the building's owner to keep the building in an affordable housing program.
What happens when it is time to enforce the Church Towers resolution? What happens if the building wants to choose an affordable housing program where residents have to re-qualify? How would Addeo, Castellano, Russo and Pasquale vote? Would their vote be governed by personal and family interests? Would they recuse themselves?
Let's find people for office who don't have these entanglements.
- Donna Antonucci ◦
