Eric Kurta (active citizen watchdog) used to do research and periodically submit his findings to Hoboken 411 on a fairly regular basis. Eric had some great articles that were thoroughly researched and fact checked.
Two of my favorites were the research he did on some of Church Square Towers millionaires still living in middle income housing unit while owning really nice properties on the Jersey Shore and parking Mercedes in the lots.
The other favorite story that Eric Kurta did on Hoboken 411 was when he uncoverd the link to the mob with the firm United Textiles Fabricators John Corea brought in (via no bid contracts) to collect the money. In retrospect, this firm had little to do with textiles and more to do with fabrication (of the books that is)! Bada Boom! Bada Bing!
Here is the original story posted on Hoboken 411 where Eric Kurta gets credit for his contributions.
http://tinyurl.com/ybdbfsj
Here is the reposted story now where Eric no longer gets his proper credit for his hard work:
http://hoboken411.com/archives/9601
So what gives? Why would Perry Klaussen remove the attribution on Eric Kurta when Eric spent hours on that piece and gave his work to Hoboken 411 freely without any monetary compensation? I know Eric Kurta well enough to know he doesn't do his projects for fame or fortune but rather to shed some light on some of the bad things that have been going on in Hoboken for years. What a sign of disrespect from Perry Klaussen!
Eric was reluctant to give out any of his work to other blogs because H411 was where the traffic was and still is. Fair enough as I have always given Perry credit for tapping into an idea and growing it to what it was to up to 2008. I used to post on his site quite frequently as well as send him the occaissonal poem or two (http://hoboken411.com/archives/12496). At some point in 2008 the agenda for his site changed as many observers including me have noted.
Perry Klaussen recently used a piece of Eric's and changed his submitted content to be an attack piece against Peter Cunningham. This turned out to be the last straw. Eric, to his credit still offered Perry some really nifty election results analysis recently but let him know it was no longer exclusive. Perry declined but "da Horsey" at the Mile Square View and myself were more than happy to post his google maps masterpiece.
There is no way around this, Eric Kurta was one of the main reasons to go on Hoboken 411. His articles were not every day or even every week. When they were posted they moved Hoboken towards greater transparency and an understanding of the obstacles Hoboken faces given the culture of patronage and corruption in this great city. No doubt about it, Eric Kurta not posting on Hoboken 411 is a big loss for that site. Perry Klaussen's circle of friends (ad hoc website contributors) has diminshed by one, but what a big one indeed.
I for one look forward to Eric's future posts on this site as his time permits.
Editor's Note: This piece represents my view on the situation and not necessarily that of Eric Kurta. I am not picking a fight with H411 on Eric's behalf as that "blogger war" has already started and will continue for some time. I am, as Klaussen likes to say ad naseum "just calling it the way I see it". ◦
