Recently, Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla vetoed an ordinance designed to eliminate a position in the Office of the Mayor. The ordinance was determined by the City’s corporation counsel’s office to be unlawful, unenforceable, and inconsistent with New Jersey State law, and was sponsored by Councilmembers Mike DeFusco and Tiffanie Fisher.
The City Council failed to override Mayor Bhalla’s veto, with Councilmembers Mike DeFusco, Tiffanie Fisher Ruben Ramos, Jen Giattino and Peter Cunningham voting to eliminate the position in the Mayor’s office. Councilmembers Jim Doyle, Emily Jabbour, Vanessa Falco and Mike Russo voted against the ordinance. A veto override requires six votes.
Below is Mayor Bhalla’s official veto statement:
“The ordinance in question, which attempts to weaken the office of the Mayor, is unlawful, as per the determination of the City of Hoboken’s Corporation Counsel. Each of the Council Members who voted to adopt this ordinance were placed on notice by the Law Department that the ordinance they were attempting to adopt was unlawful. This advice was apparently ignored. The City Council Members took an oath of office to be lawmakers, not lawbreakers. I refuse to participate or be complicit in unlawful activity and therefore VETO this ordinance.
To be clear, this ordinance was nothing more than a petty attempt to weaken the office of the Mayor and attack the hardworking members of my administration. This staff which includes my Chief of Staff, John Allen and Deputy Chief of Staff, Jason Freeman respond to emergencies and help keep our City running at all hours of the day, among countless other responsibilities. They are true public servants who put Hoboken first and do not deserve to be attacked by vindictive City Council Members.
Instead of wasting time trying to settle political scores, I once again, as I did one year ago, invite the City Council to join me in working collaboratively on initiatives and policies that benefit the residents we have been sworn to serve.”
