To think Beth Mason complimented him on his intelligence last night. Then again, she isn't too bright either, not at least when it comes to getting real important issues accomplished. Ambition has affected her judgment greatly as of late.
The exclusion of Connors School on the list of schools receiving state aid for renovations a failure of the Zimmer administration. The 4th ward school has been in need of a major renovation and parents were extremely disappointed to learn that it was not included in Governor Chris Christie’s list.
Mayor Zimmer has gone out of her way to welcome Governor Christie to Hoboken on a number of occasions and supported his policies, but, so far, the children and parents of our city have very little to show for it. The students and parents of the 4th ward are right to be livid with this decision, especially when you consider that Dawn Zimmer is the former 4th ward councilwoman.
Mayor Zimmer should stop promoting a partisan political agenda – including a new public information policy that threatens city employees with dismissal if they speak to the press – and instead concentrate on important local issues.
Unfortunately, Mayor Zimmer is concentrating on promoting her candidates in municipal elections and grabbing onto some of the governor’s current popularity when she should be concentrating on delivering for families in the 4th ward. Renovations at the school were supposed to begin last June. What is the point of standing next to the governor and supporting his policies when he ignores the needs of 4th ward families.
Zimmer has supported Christie’s controversial “tool kit” for local government and other policies that hurt Hoboken. She can support the governor’s policies if she wants, but when the governor ignores our schools, she should reconsider whether her personal political fortunes outweigh the needs of our kids.
- Tim Occhipinti 4th Ward city Councilman
Hoboken Journal Analysis
Here is an article on Hoboken Patch that makes Tim either a liar or misinformed. In fact the Mayor did reach out to the Governor last year via a strongly worded letter and here is the story from Hoboken Patch.
Zimmer Reaches Out To Christie About Connors Funding - May 27, 2010
"After touring the Connors Elementary School building yesterday, Mayor Dawn Zimmer sent a letter to the Gov. Chris Christie's office urging that this project cannot be postponed for three more years."
........
"The foundation of the school is sinking and when it rains, classrooms are effected by flooding, Zimmer said.
The design phase of this project is complete, Zimmer said. The NJSDA's letter stated that the design phase of the project had not been completed yet."
http://hoboken.patch.com/articles/zimmer-reaches-out-to-gov-christie-about-connors-funding#c
Final Comment: Mayor Dawn Zimmer is on record for supporting some but not all of Gov. Christie's tool-kit recommendations. If she was against everything about the municipal government tool-kit that Christie favors and that Tim implies she should be against, how in the hell would that help her with getting Connors School funding? The binder reader has formed a pretty spurious argument here. Almost reeks of Lane Bajardi, almost.
Also worthy of note: Tim also refers to Zimmer's "new public information policy that threatens city employees with dismissal if they speak to the press" as not an important local issue. Very telling coming from Tim whose election reeks of all types of fraud yet remains for now just allegations with an investigation pending. Looks like you can't count on Tim for any real ethics reform. I look forward to seeing what chance Rami Pinchevsky has of taking out this clown come May. Hoboken needs the real relief. ◦
