Mike Lenz's website (
http://www.lenzforcouncil.com/) has a polished new look and he has now published his views on the issues for the 4th Ward City Council seat up for election on November 2nd, 2010. I had published Mike's opponent Tim Occhipiniti's yesterday and now it is his turn to have the mic:
Cut Taxes and Adopt Honest Budgets
Mike Lenz has long led the fight against reckless spending and budget gimmicks. “The key to controlling costs is honesty. Avoiding one shot revenues and financial trickery was the first step,” and Mike says,“now we have to get serious about cutting costs.” As Finance Chair he led the council to reject unaffordable contractual increases and bring down taxes. Mike asserts that, "we have enough money for everything we need but we have none to waste. The city must establish priorities and spend carefully." He continues to work with the council majority, Mayor Zimmer, and her administration to bring taxes down even more in the 2011 Municipal Budget.
Highlights:
• Led Hoboken’s first meaningful budget workshops and sponsored adoption of our first honest budget in close to a decade, making sure it was fully funded and had no tax increase.
• Stood with the City Council majority to reject unaffordable union contracts what would have increased costs and taxes at a time the city just can’t afford it.
• Supported the Council Majority in cutting 10% off the salaries and ending longevity pay for the Mayor, and Directors, and implementing a 1.5% healthcare contribution for all city employees, saving over $600,000 for Hoboken taxpayers.
• Took a strong position on the personnel reductions, the only way to make significant cuts to the budget. He is a strong supporter of the Mayor's plan to avoid police layoffs, increase patrols by 38%, and find significant savings for the taxpayer through retirements, redeployments, and a Hoboken/HHA shared services agreement.
• Working on a transitional budget with a 5% tax decrease. He’s leading the charge for more tax relief in the upcoming 2011 year budget.
Balanced, Hoboken Friendly Development
We need balanced development that strengthens Hoboken's neighborhoods because, “the way development happens in Hoboken will determine our future." Mike adds, "We must support new businesses, create jobs, and demand give-backs for open space, recreation, and affordable housing. Building yet more condos only increases traffic, parking and school crowding problems, further devalues existing units and costs us more than it brings in revenue.” Mike Lenz spoke out and cast the deciding vote as the council rejected an out of scale 12 story residential tower on Newark Street, but he supports development that provides jobs, enhances neighborhoods, and offers 'give-backs' for affordable housing and open space -- including a long overdue Southwest park.
Highlights:
• Is a strong voice against “zoning by variance,” the failed practice of granting approvals to massive projects when they are totally inconsistent with Hoboken’s master plan. Mike opposes development that forces out longtime residents and the artists and small business owners who make our town great, or stands in the way of building a long overdueSouthwest Park, while doing nothing to reduce congestion and bring jobs to our community.
• Was the deciding vote on the Council to reject an out of scale 12 story residential building on Newark Street and could be again on the next project. (Mike doesn’t attend Zoning Board meetings to protect his right to vote on appeal.He would rather be able to make a real difference with his vote, than to grandstand for a campaign soundbite.)
• Fought against the unrestricted use of PILOTs that give unfair tax breaks to some buildings while shifting the tax burden to other residents in the Ward. Fought in favor of a city-wide reval, which will reduce county taxes for all, and apportion city and school taxes more fairly.
• Spoke out to restore the Council’s power to appoint Zoning Board Members, which was an essential step in creating a the new “Hoboken Neighborhood Friendly” attitude on the Zoning Board. Mike’s opponent argued angrily that Mayor Cammarano should have absolute power to pick Zoning Board members the very night before Peter Cammarano was arrested for selling … zoning approvals.
Fixing the Flooding Problem for Good
Mike’s opponent says flooding solutions are ‘a want and not a need.' Mike disagrees. Fixing flooding IS a top priority for the 4th Ward; and it’s long been a priority of Mike’s.
Since the 1990’s Mike’s been fighting the flooding and he’s supported the Mayor's efforts to find flooding solutions from day one. “If it flooded at 6th and Hudson or 12th and Washington like it does at 4th and Jackson or 1st and Harrison, the Army Corp of Engineers would have been building levees here 25 years ago," Mike says, noting that, "the 4th Ward has been forgotten way too long.” Now construction is finally underway for the 100 million gallon/day pumping station serving the Southwest and Mike recognizes, "that’s a start, but there is much more to be done. The sewer needs to be fixed and maintained on a regular basis monitoring has to be utilized to find out what’s really going on. And once we have the facts, we must get action." Councilman Lenz sponsored the resolution to install state of the art sensor technology -- a key milestone in solving flooding for good.
Highlights:
• Supported Dawn Zimmer from day one in her successful effort to get construction started on the long overdue Southwest Pump.
• Sponsored resolution to install state of the art sensor technology – a key milestone in solving flooding for good.
• Raising the flooding issue – and making it a priority – since the 1990’s.
Improving our Quality of Life
The southwest is a diverse and wonderful part of Hoboken and Mike Lenz is working side by side with Mayor Dawn Zimmer to ensure the 4th Ward is forgotten no more. "City Government's job is to preserve and enhance our quality of life with effective, efficient and even innovative services to our citizens. From clean and safe streets, to recreation options for kids, adults and seniors, to a prompt and courteous response when you come to city hall, we are working to improve” Mike says. “After years of mismanagement, we are finally on track to build a sustainable city.” Councilman Lenz has led the successful fight for expanded police presence in the Housing Authority and worked with Mayor Zimmer and Chief Falco to ensure more cops on the beat. He strongly advocated for restoring the senior shuttle, and restoring and expanding the crosstown bus into the “Hop” And he has supported better communication technology in city hall and for emergency services, and supported innovated parking solutions such as the new ‘corner cars program,’ and advanced muni-meters.
Highlights:
• Stood with the Mayor in creating a Hoboken Public Transit System (The Hop) while still keeping the Senior Shuttle that many of the 4th Ward residents need.
• Worked with the Council Majority and the Administration to bring ‘corner cars’ to Hoboken, potentially taking hundreds of cars off the street while giving innovate car rental solutions to those in the Ward who can’t afford the high expenses of car ownership.
• Worked with the Council Majority and Parking Director Ian Sacs to get muni-meters installed in high traffic areas, increasing the number of parking spaces and making sure no quarter ever goes missing again.
• Joining the Administration in bringing improvements to pedestrian and road safety, including more stanchions to ensure cars don’t park illegally close to crosswalks, increased bike lanes and doubling the amount of bike racks, and making sure that crosswalks are clearly marked.
• Worked with the Mayor to redeploy the Police Force, increasing patrols by 38%, increasing the number of Officer's in our schools, reducing the top-heaviness of the department, and more than doubling the amount of officers in the critical 8pm-4am shift, all while bringing significant savings to the City and the Taxpayer."
Clean Campaign Pledge
4TH WARD COUNCILMAN MIKE LENZ CALLS FOR A CLEAN ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER 2nd
And Challenges Opponents to Join Him in a Pledge to Run a Race That
Follows The Law, Respects The Voters, And Won’t Litter Our Neighborhoods With Trash.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 20, 2010
Today ends a shameful chapter in Hoboken history with former Mayor Peter Cammarano III entering jail on charges of taking $25,000 in cash bribes in exchange for promises of Zoning variances during the 2009 Mayoral election.
Although the cash bribes were the most obvious violation of the law by the Cammarano campaign, there were many illegal and unethical activities, from paying for absentee votes, failing to file campaign spending reports, intimidating voters at the polls, distributing unsigned flyers and other dirty tricks. They even covered our beautiful town in campaign signs on public property and private property without the owner’s permission.
Residents of the 4th Ward deserve better. We deserve a race run on the issues based on respect for the voters and the law. To help make that happen, 4th Ward Councilman Mike Lenz is calling on his opponent, Tim Occhipinti, to join him is signing a clean campaign pledge which, if followed, would end the ‘tradition’ of dirty 4th ward elections. Together we can make this year’s election a model for the city to follow.
Tim Occhipinti has refused to sign the Clean Campaign Pledge. What does he have to hide?
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Mike Lenz for 4th Ward City Council - Platform Released on the Issues
