Happy Election Day!!!

I have received several emails asking who I am going to vote for, and even though it is a secret ballot something is driving me to tell you.. sort of.

I don't pay much attention to State politics. (I know, I know act local..) Governor Corzine should have stayed Senator Corzine, and he heard from this IP address about that. He has been lack luster as Governor of New Jersey. Not too bad, not too good. Not that it's easy to take over a State when the Country's economy is tanking. Christie has rooted out corruption, on both sides of the aisle, but he's a man with a plan that no one has, or maybe can, see. The main factors for me are his "relationship" and enthusiastic support of bush jr , the fear that he would have New Jersey opt out of the public option on health care and/or turn away additional stimilus monies like other bush republican governors have said they would, only to take it and take credit for it. And Christie is a union buster. Now I know unions aren't what they used to be, but I believe that this country favors the management (upper especially) in so many ways that workers still need and deserve protection . All that being said, New Jersey goes back and forth from Democratic to republican every couple of elections. If Christie does pull this squeeker out, our property taxes will go down by Spring, right? Oh yeah there's a third party candidate, Chris Dagget, from the middle (expect to see more of them) who can't win, but might be a good protest vote, especially if your republican.

On a local level, Hoboken may finally have an official Mayor again, hopefully hanging on for a full term. Full disclosure, my position with the City of Hoboken has improved under Acting Mayor Dawn Zimmer (see the Greening of Hoboken), though I do fear for the positions of other City workers once she is made Mayor of Hoboken tomorrow (More of a prediction than an endorsement). Acting Mayor Zimmer has been met with a few reality checks since she has taken her chair in the Mayor's office (see balanced budget), but has not made any glaring errors. Her hiring practices have not been as outside the box (or loop) either, which doesn't really surprise me. Her top three opponents are vying for the same pile of peter "the indicted" cammarano votes. Councilwoman Mason may have a reformer or two, but Acting Mayor Zimmer will not shed any of the votes (almost exactly half the voting public) she received in the last Mayoral election. Councilwoman Mason's campaign has been brutally nasty. Former Judge Glatt is the candidate no one has heard of, unless you're part of the Hudson County Democratic machine. And Developer Frank "Pupie" Raia is a glimpse at old "Hey oh, How You Doing?" Hoboken, that would be a step backward. Truthfully though, looking at what Hoboken continues to turn into (men's spas, sushi, and national chains) backwards isn't such a bad way to look.

So that's what I got a squeeker in the Governor's race and Zimmer winning Mayor. What's important is that you vote and take part in Our Democracy. How else will you be justified in comp[laining about it?

To Us!
dave calamoneri
Hoboken, NJ USA