City Council Votes to Repeal $25 Recreation Fee

Parents will no longer have to pay $25 per sport, per student for Hoboken's recreational league. 

City Council, in a 5-3 vote, repealed the fee. The ordinance was introduced by Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti. 

"This is nothing more than a backdoor tax," said Occhipinti. Occhipinti campaigned on the issue, he said, adding "I fully intended to repeal this."

Council members Carol Marsh, Ravi Bhalla and Peter Cunnigham voted against. Councilman-at-Large David Mello was absent. 

"This is a moderate fee," said Marsh, "this is perfectly reasonable." The minority council members also said that surrounding communities charge fees for their recreational programs. 

"When are we going to become the budget hawks that we claim we are?" asked Bhalla. The recreational fee is a user fee and brings in about $32,000 in revenue. 

Occhipinti said that he wants the department of Health and Human Services to have all the resources it needs. Occhipinti, who is not receiving health care from the city, asked to have $23,000—the cost that his health care benefits would be—moved to the department's budget.