2017 HOBOKEN MAYOR CANDIDATE SURVEY

A lot of people have a lot of questions about the 2017 Hoboken Mayor candidates.

We are among those people… so we asked them. See if our questions are anything like your questions, and see how you feel about the candidates’ answers.

Here’s what we asked them:

• Can you please tell our readers your name (as it appears on the ballot), and how long you’ve lived in Hoboken?

• We recently saw a political campaign ad from 1981 that cites, “potholes,” “lack of recreation,” “sewers that cannot hold a simple rainfall,” “overworked police force,” and “enormous profits” for developers as being major issues facing Hoboken. Yet here we are—36 years later—having a lot of the same discussions. Why should voters have any faith in your campaign promises?

• Aside from the aforementioned issues, what else does the City of Hoboken need to address, and how will your administration do it?

• This campaign to date has certainly been spirited, some might even say divisive. Yet win or lose, many of the candidates will still be actively involved with the administration of Hoboken after November 7^th. With that in mind, how would your Mayoral administration work to move ahead the projects and services that Hoboken residents need?

• Everyone’s a critic. There’s no shortage of negative feedback on Hoboken’s various social media platforms—meanwhile voter turnout for municipal elections is routinely low. How would you encourage effective civic involvement in Hoboken?

• What do you feel is the chief criticism of your candidacy, and how would you answer that criticism?

• Say you win… congratulations. In four years, why would the people of Hoboken re-elect you?

• What’s the very first thing you’ll do after being sworn in?

• Last but not least, why you?

Here’s how they answered:

• Ronald Bautista
• Ravi Bhalla
• Michael DeFusco
• Jen Giattino
• Karen Nason
• Anthony L. Romano

Ronald Bautista

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla

Michael DeFusco

Council President Jen Giattino

Karen Nason

Anthony L. Romano

hMAG has never sought, nor would we accept political campaign ads. Nor will hMAG offer an “official endorsement” of any candidates. Our only objective is to educate our readers on the issues facing this town, and let them formulate their own opinions.