IN STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, MAYOR ZIMMER PROPOSES INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND $20 MILLION FOR NEW PARKS, ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL TAX CUT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS
During her first State of the City address, Mayor Dawn Zimmer emphasized her three priorities for her Administration: to operate as fiscally responsibly and cost-effectively as possible in order to reduce and stabilize taxes for the long term, to address Hoboken’s significant infrastructure challenges, and to improve the quality of life for all Hoboken residents.
The address was streamed live online and is available for viewing in its entirety at the link: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/12875366. It will also be played on Channel 78 on Cablevision and Channel 47 on FiOS.
Mayor Zimmer proposed bonding $20 million, to be paid for completely from the Open Space Trust Fund, to purchase land for new park space for the underserved areas along the western side of Hoboken. In addition, the City has developed a capital investment plan to improve parks and is developing a master plan for the maintenance of the City’s neglected water main system and a maintenance manual to cost-effectively maintain the City’s waterfront for the long term.
The mayor emphasized that the upcoming budget will contain another tax cut in addition to the 5% tax cut in the 2010 Transition Year budget and highlighted the importance of maintaining a responsible surplus. She noted that the City has made significant progress towards the goal of selling the Hoboken University Medical Center in a way which would both preserve the facility as an acute care hospital while also removing the City completely from its $52 million bond guarantee.
New quality of life initiatives announced include an online and text message-based system that will notify residents when “temporary no parking” signs are posted near their cars as well as a text message-based virtual cab hailing system. The City will also soon launch a web-based service request system that will enhance accountability and provide residents with a one-stop location for submitting and tracking service request.
Mayor Zimmer highlighted a variety of ongoing pedestrian safety initiatives and announced that the City achieved a 30% reduction in car/pedestrian crashes and a more than 60% reduction in car/bike crashes in the last year.
Under a new single-stream (co-mingled) recycling system which will begin some time this spring pending City Council approval, residents will be able to place all of their recyclables in one container – including paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum - and through increased recycling, the City will save money on disposal fees.
The full remarks of the State of the City address as prepared for delivery are included below.
Link: http://www.hobokennj.org/news/state-of-the-city
Link to full remarks: http://thehobokenjournal.blogspot.com/2011/02/remarks-of-mayor-dawn-zimmer-state-of.html ◦
