Isn't it a New Jersey State law that after two hours of parking at a meter the vehicle must be moved from the spot?

There is no NJ statute that defines parking meter limits--that is done at the municipal level.

Laurie

They want you to use the municipal garage for the day at a rate of $5 which is a good idea for business owners, it takes cars off the street so all our customers have a better chance to park. While the garage is great, many people do not want to walk a paltry few blocks. The real problem on Washington Street is delivery vehicles that take up spots meant for those that want to shop and eat here. Ive seen the HPU on over 15 occasions give drivers a break as long as they go to machine and buy a time ticket. The indian guy is the worst he does it to all the delivery guys, this allows other businesses to cheat the parking situation. Ive told Ian Sachs twice and it still happens so why should i tell him again, I'm just wasting my time. My best advice is "it is what it is". When you open here you have to know what you're dealing with, like the bars. You can't prevent your own success. Bars get popular and with that comes noise and retail becomes successful and people need a place to park.

Municipal garage for $100 a month and the spots are opened up for residents and visitors to come, park and go to stores and SPEND money.

Isn't that the point of a store in Hoboken? You know to get customers to visit.

As usual, I agree with Michael Lenz.

Agree that residential street parking is pretty much a zero-sum game.. but parking as a whole is a bit more complex, because the 'players' may not be informed of all of their options.. e.g., I don't think that visitors, customers (and even employees) are properly informed of their parking garage options.

If the city ever bothered to crack down on all the illegally parked cars on Washington, those drivers would have to switch to bikes or mopeds.

Red

You couldn't be more correct. The police get behind a double parked car and turn on their sirens to tell people to move, they've been doing this for 20 years and people still double park, create traffic hazards and the cops still turn on their sirens, which is annoying to both businesses and neighbors. If they for once would get of their ass, write a few tickets it would be a start to positive enforcement and may make a dent. The cops in town are a joke. 7th Street to Newark along Washington is a nightmare, town has done ZERO to fix it. In 20 years they done nothing but add muni meters and the HPU is letting people slide on those. Complete joke!

By Benny Tudino's is the absolute worst. They could write tickets there all day if they wanted to. But of course they don't b/c that is just too much work.

It's a mess all over but Benny's is right on the money, most HPU people do not write tickets because they fear retaliation from one of the Drishti's. Most of the HPU employees are from Hoboken, and they don't want problems. Another hot mess to deal with. Ian can you respond to all of this? Tell us how you're going to fix this?

Several things would happen if every car/truck that double is parked on Washington Street was ticketed every day.

The business owners would complain, some will fight it and try to score political points, BUT double parking would stop, Washington Street traffic would flow better, pedestrians and vehicals would be safer and Hoboken would function better overall.

I think the City have given the business owners enough options to try to make things better and now it is time to for them sit down work out the details and then have the City fully enforce the laws.

I don't think the HPU employees ticket double parked cars. It is the cops who never ticket those cars that are double parked on both sides of Washington right by Benny Tudino's pretty much every night of the week and a good part of the day on weekends.

Here is a thought, have a PD supervisor in civies watching what goes on up there. Any cop that drives by while on patrol and ignores the double parked cars gets suspended w/o pay for a week. That will encourage them to get the job done.

Hobbs

All of us business owners want that to happen, Ive wanted it to happen for 11 years, none of us will complain, the only ones that will complain are the ones that benefit from it and thats the places that insist on using it for delivery. Furthermore when you double park, you block in the people that actually paid to park, people that patronize our businesses. Id like to see changes,mayor Zimmer and her staffers need to step it up, if they don't you will see Frank Raia posters in every store front on Washington in 2013 or someone else that is not Zimmer. We're all in agreement that she needs to step it up or take a hike.

HobokenBiz.

Frankly I don't see business owners stepping up to the plate on this or any other issues. While the City can and has helped in many ways, the Hoboken business community needs to do more that whine and bluster, it needs to actually work with the Administration and yes even reach into their own pockets to get things done.

That is the way it is done in other succesful communities,

The nearly nonexistent Hoboken Chamber of Commerce who should be looking to nuture and increasing business has IMO and many others become little more than a political pawn of the anti-Administration Old Guard and as such has rendered itself ineffective to do much of anything constructive.

I don't see any other Hoboken business organization that has filled the need, do you ?

What exactly has she done that is anti-business? Aside from the double parking enforcement which you feel should be stepped up

I think this post gives everyone a clear idea as to what is your real agenda.

Thanks for clearing that up. :-)

"she has been anti business since she came in and has done very little to increase business."...can you cite some examples of this? i think your assessment sounds a little extreme but i'm willing to hear your evidence. remember, an administration's job is to represent all constituents, not just businesses.

also, as mentioned above, why don't businesses demand some (any?) support from the chamber of commerce?? does the chamber do anything anymore?

The bars and restaurants, while facing many economic struggles like everyone else, have made it clear that they are always going to look for an easier way. Couple this with the fact that many Washington Street landlords and food and bar industry leaders are in bed with the Old Guard and looking for any reason to tear down the mayor, and the rest can be seen playing out here for what it is. Fact remains that the party is over for the "look the other way" largely free ride the bars and restaurants have enjoyed for time immemorial when compared to other areas. Free daily garbage pick-up? Free recycling? Largely unenforced recycling regulations? Matter-of-fact overserving of patrons? You know that is unheard of in 99% of the nation.

This "blame the mayor" mantra is so disingenuous, it's just insulting to any thinking person who isn't getting a taste. Hoboken Biz, we already know who you are voting for: anyone who says go back to bars and restaurants getting over as usual.

As you were.

Hoboken1653

Can you name 2 things she has done pro business? If you can I will give you 4 anti's in return

She is very much pro-business when you keep in mind all those Hoboken based businesses depend on Hoboken residents spending their hard earned money in their establishments and she is making sure we have more money in our pockets to spend than if someone less friendly towards the taxpayers had been elected.

We got it. HobokenBiz wants businesses to have a free ride and has a problem with those who think that business should live in a reasonable context as it has rarely been asked to do in the past. I assume the screen name will disappear as fast as it appeared after venting rudely for a few more posts.

rtrux

I have heard many ideas through chain emails from local business people that have come to the attention of the administration and have not been addressed or have been left hanging. One idea was to place the booths at the arts and music festival in the middle of Washington Street, rather than on the sidewalk sides. Allowing people to walk down Washington Street and see the shops and restaurants will get them to return in the future, the arts and music festival brings in so many non residents and they can't see the picturesqueness of Hoboken. Other ideas have included various bazaars down near Lackawanna station on weekends to draw people from NYC and around NJ, weekend events with vendors that the will get people walking around more. There was even an idea to bring a visitors booth near city hall but the city wanted the business owners to do all the work and not hire someone to do it. Laurie Michelson is a big part of the women in business, a recent addition to the COC. While some members of the chamber have not taken on the role of leading, others have but you're blaming the chamber as a whole here.

plywood

Yes as I was, I hope the thousands that read this thread that do not comment will take notice and realize what is happening to our city. I prefer their consideration for a better Hoboken versus 5 paid political bloggers out here responding to me.

As you were...

Biz, I don't know what the city has done that you would consider pro or anti business. Don't follow that angle of the city too closely. That's why I asked. Glad you have some things loaded up though on what she has done wrong in your eyes

At the very least she has not shaken down businesses for bribes like Russo or Cammarano. That should be helpful

Good idea on the arts and music festival. Would be nice to see that set up differently so Washington st stores could be featured.

HobokenBiz,

Again thank you for making it very clear your anti-Administration, Old Guard political agenda for posting here today by repeating their usual misinformation almost work for word.

As we can also like many previous attempts anti-administration posters (or the same one under different screen names) you started out fairly rational and then went out of control to repeat their usual hate rants.

I

Duh, where is your all mighty head of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce? People who live in glass houses.....

So enabling residents to get around and shop more, does not help businesses. Or are you only interested in out of town customers.

Let me know what business you are with, that does not want to do business with a Hoboken resident, and I would kindly oblige you.

If you are going to use the Old Guard script, what should we suspect? If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...

Just to show folks that we're not the least bit kidding about ratcheting down the vitriol on these boards, HobokenBiz has been suspended for the "typical lesbian" comment. That has no place here. It's the third suspension we've had to make in four days.

Good call.Tom. :-)

Is that suspension for his/her IP address or just the screen name ?

agenda? yeah sure dude!

when you email each other, you are made aware of events. But if you want to help out join yourself?

LOL ! So it's a members onlt secret Chamber of Commerce.

I guess that must really brings the customers running in !

I just checked the business directory on the Chamber of Commerce site and it only lists a few businesses. Someone alert Franz Paetzold. A strongly worded letter will need to be written tot he Hoboken Reporter. This will not stand!!!!

Well naturally if you can't figure out how reducing the tax levy reduces how much you would be paying in taxes vs. if the levy remained flat, people are going to question your ability to reason.

Enough, you better say nice things about the emperor's new clothes from now on.

It's been explained to Enough countless times how the tax bill is broken out. He/She just refuses to be educated or to accept the facts.

The obvious beneficiaries are all the businesses with an updated 21st century handling large trucks delivering a new service. There's something done here that you may find objectionable; it's called a balance.

Established Hoboken businesses pay enormous overhead to operate. They should not have to compete for customers with a competing business parked outside their door.

If you think Old Guard mayoral wannabes Ruben Ramos or Frank Raia will institute better policy, you are by all means free to support them for mayor. Those emperor's will certainly be wearing clothes - new ones - courtesy of the Hoboken taxpayer. Ramos' mom certainly will. She had a patronage job to hang out and collect a check for nothing courtesy of the Hoboken taxpayers.

Bet you're good with that too.

I disagreed with that one. The trucks would be beneficial but a few people had to make a scene.

here i make a point about how the Zimmer administration SUPPORTED the local businesses at the expense of citizens (who have fewer dining choices) and you somehow think i'm an old guard stooge? Answer, you might want to consult a doctor about your wildly jerking knee.

I will likely vote to re-elect Zimmer as her administration has done a number of good things. But, meaningful tax relief is not one of them.

Don't agree with the idea of dining choices being limited by City Hall. Silly.
The mayor's being undermined by the usual suspects on taxes. What she's been able to do in lowering spending is clearly on the record and she's lowered taxes and cut spending significantly.

The $4.5 million flushed down the toilet because four people on the City Council feel it's more important to harm the mayor and Hoboken than do the basic, decent thing.

Take a guess where this year's tax cut went? Down the toilet courtesy of the Old Guard's Mike Russo, Beth Mason, Tim Occhipinti and Terry Castellano.

They did it intentionally for no reason other than spite. That was their consultation prize for failing on their plan to kill the hospital sale.

Thank you, Scott Siegel. You have now confirmed for me that the only people who have seen a significant tax reduction are those who have filed for tax appeals. I would not call that just "uneven," I would call it misleading and unfair to the average taxpayer.

When my paraents come to see our little one, I get them a visitor parking pass. I keep a few in the odd-n-drawer and they just go in, get the hang tag, scratch off the date, and done.

Residents are going to be able to order $5 visitor permits online shortly. That plan is being rolled out and should go live soon based on comments by Director Sacs at the last City Council meeting.

That permit will not be limited to 4 hours.

To Mr Mayerowitz: have the person you are visiting get you scratch-off visitor permits at 94 Washington Street in the basement. The customer windows are open until 9PM. Anyone with a valid driver's license with a Hoboken address can get up to seven scratch off hang tags at a time, they are $5 each and good for the entire day. They can return to the window in a few days and get another seven if you like. Or, of course, park in a garage, or stay less than four hours. It's really not that convoluted once you understand the rules and the ins and outs. As well, there is an online process in the works too.

Your son/daughter can buy you a visitor pass for $5.

The scratch-offs are handy and reasonably priced. I'd like to see them explicitly state that they are valid till 8 am (or whatever) the next morning. An HPU clerk told me our overnight guests "probably wouldn't get a ticket", but that isn't very reassuring.

Second to KenOn10's recommendation.

Bring it up at a CC meeting. Makes sense that the scratch of permits should expire at a reasonable hour in the morning instead of the middle of the night. I suspect if you bring it up, you can get the CC to consider changing that and making it the law.

@HobokenOwl--that approach must require a good deal of faith and trust (or something).. what is the penalty? a ticket or a boot or a tow?

It has never been clear to me when the scratch off hang tags would need to be replaced.

Normally when my family visits they grab one in the evening, then in the late morning we pile in the car and do something fun. We have never stress over replacing the hang tag until the evening, and have yet to get a ticket. We got one once but that was for street cleaning or being on the resident side of the street.

Obviously you can ;-)

I think when HobokenBiz went out of control and got suspended your posts may have been attached.

What is the next step for the Reval? When you say the city has completed the process, what do you mean?

Scott, what exactly do you mean with "they completed the reval process"? To my knowledge, nobody re-assessed the building I live in. Also, I remember from a discussion with the Mayor a few months ago that the reval hasn't even really started yet since some state approval has not been granted yet.

It's just on the 4-hour visitor side; bringing the price in line with washington st is a plus (hopefully results in fewer visitors hunting for parking in the residential area as their first choice)..