It was all part of a preplanned sabotage by MORTe - Beth Mason, Tim Occhipinti, Michael Russo and Terry Castellano. Mason's paid political operative was caught saying aloud what they did - before they did it!

Story, video on all of the antics including evidence of the earlier attempts to interfere with the FBI interference by MORTe.

http://hobokenhorse.com

My sentiments exactly. It's time for the city workers to participate in the pain they have been inflicting on Hoboken taxpayers for decades by perpetually voting for the Russos and their ilk.

Here here! I'm on board with this as well. Maybe if it finally hits their pocketbooks they'll start thinking before they vote.

redrider take a hike--stupidity is what you're displaying in your comments and even sounds like one of them idiots.....smart n up.....if they pay the price so do you if you even live in hoboken...smart n up.....

I am willing to have less services if it means that the people who voted for the 4 clowns pay for the stupidity exhibited by those 4 clowns. It won't impact me that much. It will impact those who voted for Russo and who got laid off b/c of Russo's stupidity a hell of a lot more.

Nice spin. I give you credit for this one, I think it sounds reasonable to anyone who didn't watch the meeting and doesn't understand what's really going on. The council minority is trying to force the city into fiscal monitoring or tax increases. That's the real deal.

Actually, not terribly good spin b/c this screen name is hopelessly damaged. This person needs to find another Lame name to use b/c we all know this is a bought and paid for spin post.

Wish the lame name would answer Bob's questions already. Tired of seeing Bob ask all those very pertinent questions only to be ignored by Mason's lackey.

Hello prosbus, if you would be so kind, would you please consider answering some of the questions I have posed? I stand in tremendous deference to your keen insight into Hoboken politics and intellectual perspective of various occurrences.

Do you have any knowledge of whether in this FBI investigation, any political-operative efforts perpetrated by this Lane Bajardi fellow have led to any interest in Elizabeth Mason? Is she "Municipal Official"? Has Mr. Bajardi been interviewed by any FBI agents? Have his activities been the subject of any FBI interviews? Is it true that Lane Bajardi and his wife Kim sought to parlay their political support for Elizabeth Mason and Peter Cammarano into City Hall employment? Have either of them collected any monetary compensation for any of their political-operative efforts?

Thank you very much, prosbus.

What a load of crap! Not paying the firefighters that we have now, will create a climate where new hires will be made? WHo exactly, do you think will buy this?
Mason and Russo were complaining about the overexpenditure, in the FD, which occured due to extensive use of vacation time, by multiple employees, within this particular year.

The correct this one time issue, Probus, would be to regulate the amount of usable vacation during a 1 year period, within the FD contract. Is that what you are proposing? No, I wouldn't think you would.

Bottom line- the FD isnt getting paid- they will be banging down Russos door. Let's see if they buy into his lies, especially with the holidays rolling in. Have a feeling htere willb e a few knocks on his door, when the paychecks dont come in.

"Quite effectively I believe". Good one, HQ.

I think it is time for the layoff letters to go out. Tell everyone who is getting let go on 1/1/12, how much city services will be curtailed and make it clear who is to blame for this entirely preventable mess.

And their lack of attendance at this meeting.

Wrong. Do you think that the lawyers were calling city hall daily giving updates? Most firms that we work with send us monthly bills. Some send us quarterly bills. Law firms aren't the most efficient billers in my experience.

Hello prosbus, if you would be so kind, would you please consider answering some of the questions I have posed? I stand in tremendous deference to your keen insight into Hoboken politics and intellectual perspective of various occurrences.

Do you have any knowledge of whether in this FBI investigation, any political-operative efforts perpetrated by this Lane Bajardi fellow have led to any interest in Elizabeth Mason? Is she "Municipal Official"? Has Mr. Bajardi been interviewed by any FBI agents? Have his activities been the subject of any FBI interviews? Is it true that Lane Bajardi and his wife Kim sought to parlay their political support for Elizabeth Mason and Peter Cammarano into City Hall employment? Have either of them collected any monetary compensation for any of their political-operative efforts?

Thank you very much, prosbus.

HobokenOwl, with all due respect-- legal bills went almost $700,000.00 BEYOND the "to not be exceeded" limits the council approved previously. The council minority is simply conducting their due diligence and I am glad they are. Nice to know the entire council is not made up of lemmings. If a super majority vote wasn't needed-- these issues would not even be coming to the attention of the people of Hoboken.

Good morning, weasel. Today's our 1-year easel-wesel-versary!

For our special day I've arranged a platter with some of your favorite foods: rats, roaches, gophers and small birds.

Now for MY present, I'd like a 'greatest hits' selection of pilfered emails- the ones you kept telling your employer to ask for. You know, the ones Patrick Ricciardi squirreled away in his personal archive on his computer and forwarded to you either directly or indirectly. Could you please put some in a gift box for me? That would be so special.

Now, I heard our friends in Newark are coming for you... in fact, that you can be sure.

Have you ever showered with gang members before?

With all due disrespect, I could care less about what the people who tried to kill the hospital think when it comes to paying the legal bills associated w/ successfully selling and saving the hospital. Every $1 we spent on lawyers saved the taxpayers of this town over $100. Time to pay the bill.

If the CC had a problem w/ how much those lawyers were charging per hour, perhaps next time they should speak up before approving their initial contract. Everyone knew they'd go over the initial limit and those lawyers had an obligation to keep working so long as the case progressed. They can't stop every 4-5 days and wait 2 months for the minority on the CC to go find their brains and vote to extend the contract. They keep working and keep racking up bills. Case is over, bills are in, time to pay them and time to thank those lawyers from saving this city from having to pay far far more b/c of the stupidity and irresponsibility of Mason, Russo, Occhipinti and Castellano.

I have to laugh at how propuss thinks the minority is doing their due diligence. When I do due diligence, I don't ask for more information at the meeting where I am asked to make a decision so I can avoid making a decision. I do my digging for information before the meeting and come fully prepared to make a decision. But those 4 fools constantly say "I need more information". That is their default excuse for not doing the smart thing time after time.

The minority Old Lard is too funny. On one hand they always need more information about process in financial matters they obviously aren't even close to understanding. One the other hand, they can come in with handwritten multi-million dollar budgets on a scrap of paper and expect them to sail through amongst their irrational bleeting.

Isn't the higher legal bill because the minority dragged out the process so long?

Reform Secaucus. My best to your Mr. Raia!

Name me one town in NJ that doesn't do transfers? It does not change the budget line and is typical not only in government, but in business as well. I'll ask you the questions I always ask on this topic:
1) How much will you clothing bill be next year?
2) How much will you pay in gasoline?
3) How much will you pay for electricity?
BTW: The firefighter overtime is the single largest line item 45%, that is why it is important.
4) How much will you spend on food?

Would ex-guard be better?

How about mandatory lie detector tests for CC members to see who knew about the email hacking?

I certainly think it's way beyond the time for Terry Castellano to GO. She's been on the Council for 20 years and hasn't learned a damned thing about meeting etiquette, proper procedure and, more importantly, municipal finance. Not only do I think term limits are in order, but in view of the outright stupidity of the idiots comprising the Council Minority, an IQ test score of at least 120 should be a mandatory qualification for running for public office.

I'm not sure she can disappoint me at this point. I know she's a moron. I know she's going to shriek and act like a banshee. And I know that she's going to vote against my best interests. So I just watch for the kabuki theater.

I too have no expectations that Mason will do the right thing which is why she can't disappoint me at this point. Expect the worst from her b/c that is exactly what you will get.

2-3 years with a year and a half served if he doesn't have an anger management problem in the clink. So that's at best a 50-50 shot.

That requires that he actually flips with useful information and not the pusbus he puts up here.

I am sure he worked hard, but I also know from my time at a large billable hour firm that attorney legal bills are ALWAYS overinflated. If you were to look at his billabel hour invoices I assure you a client could reasonabley shave a good 20% off the top. A half a million in legal fees is quite substantial for this kind of work.

If they were rasing an objection to the bill then yeah I think they have a point. But you gotta pay the firefighters and police on their new contracts. Even if the administartions past and present messed up on not setting aside enough for the overtime paybacks they all knew would have to be paid upon signing a new contract

can you imagine how well off hoboken would be right now without the last 15 years of castellano on the council?

The people who buy elections will just put forward another puppet to do their bidding. Not sure term limits will help much.

I'm sure Terri's sons will run. But I'm all for term limits.

Hoboken would be a vastly better place without the last 15 years of Terry "Thick as a Post" Castellano. She's just coasting along, acting like the class clown at Council meetings, lobbing the occasional verbal bomb when it's least appropriate. She's keeping the seat warm for her son, John. Hopefully, the voters in the First Ward will smarten up before the next election and stop listening to her outrageous lies designed to scare the aged, infirm and otherwise vulnerable among them

Yes, another brilliant performance from the Self-Styled King of Church Square Towers who's lived his entire life in subsidized housing. And he's damned proud of it, don't you know!!! I continue to be totally mystified as to the huge number of folks in Hoboken casting their pearls of votes among the Castellano, Mason, Russo and Occhipinti Swine who will stab them in the back every time.

Pure subterfuge. MORTe already had their plan in advance of the meeting to vote down and not allow a sixth vote on either of the two simple financial matters.

The two most common subterfuges they use on all matters is: I didn't get the information in time and I need more information.

Mason's political operative spoke in the room saying they would not vote for the simple budget line item transfer before the issue was underway with the council. The comment came when the public was commenting.

It's up in horseyland:

http://hobokenhorse.com

The budget guy went into painful detail last night on every line item they asked about. It was at the point they were asking about 10K transfers in a 100 million dollar budget.
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They have no real questions they're just trying to posture after their Hospital debacle.

Their repeated requests for more information at every single council meeting and their consistent use of this as a rationale for voting no at every single council meeting is nothing more than excuse to justify voting no. This is their pattern.

Personally I think if they need more information before making a decision, they should ask for it ahead of time and be prepared to vote at the meeting. You need info, get your lazy fat ass down to city hall and ask for it. Pick up the phone and make a call. Do your homework and be ready to vote yes or no at the meeting w/o any excuses. Correct me if I am wrong but Russo has no FT job. Mason has no job at all and Castellano likewise has no job. None of these 3 have any excuse for not spending some of their time getting the information they seem to think they are lacking in order to make a decision.

It has become clear that both Ms Mason and Mr Russo need to be removed from the City Council. They literally NEVER have enough information about any matters they don't sponsor, yet never take appropriate steps to get the information before the meeting. If they said that once or twice maybe someone would buy it, but EVERY TIME? They need to find another line of work they can be prepared for.

Let's start by Recalling Beth Mason so we can get a super-majority when needed from six people who can come prepared.

Do you really expect a rational answer to explain irrational behavior?

BTW - part of the problem is they don't ask until the meeting. And even when they get detailed answers ad nauseam at the meeting they still demand more minutia

I completely agree. There is nothing wrong with debating Russo when he gives one of his ridiculous speeches but the reform members of the council must not reduce themselves to his level. The mayor should make sure the minority members have every piece of information well in advance of those meetings.

BTW, can someone explain to me what our city's CFO does? He never speaks at the council meetings. I have never heard his opinion on any financial matter.

Actually the SOP for for the Council minority is not to ask questions until they get on camera at the City Council meetings. That said for over an hour the Council minority's question were answered in detail. When they resorted to making things upthey were corrected.

Still not enough information. I doubt that they really want more information .

Their response was

The CFO opens the mail.

The standard refrain is one of the three: a) I don't have enough information b) I didn't get it in time to read c) the dog ate my email and all the emails the FBI came to my computer for.

Wheely. The dog ate my emails.

On a serious note, there was a gentleman who would have provided another gazillion details in addition to the painful line by line inquisition gotcha game Russo was playing but he had a death in the family.

This isn't about information though. That can be a real issue at times. This wasn't one of them.

And what details did they claim they weren't getting? They ask for details constantly at meetings, get them and still say they need more information. Calling BS on their claims. It is an excuse, a never ending excuse that they repeat over and over again.

But I agree on shutting them down. Zimmer should put out an information packet listing every piece of information these idiots ask for, make the information public that can be made public, redact what must be redacted and explain what can't be shared and why. That would shut them the hell up b/c I guarantee you that once the mayor starts doing that, these people will start looking real stupid when they keep asking for more trivial information.

Mason indicated she asked for the information just last week and there were two Holidays last week plus the staffer who would work on the request had a family member pass so was out. Combine that with the meeting being held on a Monday due to the League of Municpalities convention and it gave ratther little time to gather any data.
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However the budget professional answered every question last night. Down to transfers under 20K.
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However forget the transfers what about the fire fighters salaries are Russo and Occhipinti claiming the figherfighters lied about over time?
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What we saw last night was a cheap political stunt and people are getting tired of it, both BnR and long time residents.

Be careful in taking anything, and I mean anything at face value from MORTe. It does take some skill to realize the layers of lies they will deploy at each and every meeting.

You might even believe there's a somewhat rational argument going on when in fact there is absolutely none.

They are given information all the time. They even elect not to get information and insist on discussing it only in the meeting. BA Liston has invited this be done outside of the meeting via email.

Oddly, one MORTe member, Terry Castellano who is tech adverse actually does so.
Tim Occhipinti the Petulant on the other hand refuses to send an email to ask any question.

I was too busy rolling my eyes and saying "not again" when they were asking more stupid questions to take notes......lol

Oh prosbus, how I miss that dreamy velvety poo filled voice of yours. I miss my little educationally challenged turd in a punch bowl uttering such sweet nothings at Council meetings like "potentially pathological narcissists". Have you been self diagnosing again? What were you told by those nice people at 1010 WINS who pay you? Weren't you to refrain from "politrickery" while you read traffic reports to those technologically deprived folks who still listen to AM radio? You really are a romantically hopeless and helpless sociopath.

Theater John? The layoffs which will result from the failure to refinance the garage bond will not seem much like "theater" to the real live families who will lose their livelihoods thanks to the intentional malfeasance of the 4 boobs. The CC was clearly told by the director that without the transfers the FD payroll could not be met. I don't think those firefighters will be enjoying the "theater" when they don't get paid until next year because the 4 boobs think they can turn other people's suffering into a political sound byte. Your statement that everyone knows the FD will be paid and that "non-essential personnel feel it first" reflects a woeful lack of understanding of the issue at hand. Mrs. Mason and Mr. Russo understand the issue - perhaps you should ask them to explain it to you. They'll tell you it's the mayor's fault but they fully understand that their no vote on transfers will prevent firefighters from getting paid this year without special dispensation from the DCA and they simply don't give a damn. That's real world John - and people being told its "theater" are going to be awfully pissed off at the people who've lied to them saying it "theater."

No, they will not get paid if the CC doesn't approve the appropriation. Nobody can get paid if the money isn't appropriated to pay them. That is the law. Since only X ammount was appropriated to pay FD personnel this year, once that money is gone then nobody at the FD gets paid. But if there is money leftover over at some other department, those folks will continue to get paid b/c they still have money appropriated to them for payroll.

Well right now it is the FD in the line of fire, not someone else. And since the 4 morons in the minority voted no, they won't get paid til at least 1 of those idiots gets a clue. I suggest the FD union start edumacating the idiots ASAP.

John - the FD incurred more overtime than was anticipated in the budget. The reason for that seems to be unclear - hopefully an audit will be conducted to accurately determine the reason so much overtime was needed and the issue will be addressed responsibly. The unforeseen level of overtime resulted in insufficient funds having been appropriated in the budget for FD salaries. This leaves two choices. The CC can add funds to the line item either by transferring funds from a line item with extra funds. This is a simple routine option that costs nothing and which would allow the FD to be paid as scheduled. Or the FD can not be paid until next budget year. The CC said no to the first option, simply because saying no to fiscal responsibility is what they do. This leaves only option 2 - the FD not getting paid on time. This has nothing to do with other personnel who will get paid as expected since they are funded under line items that did not have unanticipated high levels of expenditure. The money is there to pay the salaries - the 4 boobs just aren't living up to their fiduciary responsibility to make the necessary budget adjustments to make the funds available.

I hope this helps clarify the issue for you. As I said,this is real world, not theater, and totally unnecessary. The 4 boobs are continuing to treat city workers and taxpayers as collateral damage in their never ending unsuccessful war against the mayor.

There's something going on with how the vacations were stacked. I don't have details but I can say this, the crisis is artificial true and it's being induced with the intent to sabotage Hoboken.

They are whistling as the toilet is being flushed. Tim Occhipinti is actually enjoying this. He seems to regret not going along and destroying the hospital. He's been apologetic that he flipped on that.

It looks like he is solid to take people out now as part of MORTe's cynical ploy.
Occhipinti has the perfect makeup dense, petulant and an inability to listen to his mental superiors which is just about everyone.

They need to change the vacation policy then to minimize the need to use OT then.

Course if we have to lay a bunch of them off b/c we can't pay them, not sure changing the vacation policy will help. Bit too late to do that at this point.

CWA Local 1040. Not PFRS.

Thanks. Google told me what CWA is. Interesting. I wonder how this came to be and what the angle is.

Are you suggesting the irresponsible actions of then majority, led by Councilwoman Beth Mason & including Castellano, Timmy, Russo & Giacchi, have consequences? Who knew??? Oh right, EVERYONE. Too bad we didn't get Greeney or Kurta in office.

oops, or Lincoln or Rami.

Or some random drunkard on a park bench instead of Mason, Russo, Occhipinti or Castellano. Even Randy the bum would be better than one of those four.

My friend has a dog, and he seems pretty smart. Everyone vote for Ernie next election!

Who is at fault doesn't change the fact that if the minority doesn't get their act together, there won't be enough money appropriated to pay you folks by year end so you won't get paid.

Whitey - what caused staffing to fall below those levels? Was more overlapping vacation taken than anticipated by the audit? Did sick time or personal days overlap with vacation? Were there more retirements than anticipated bringing staffing below audit levels? None of these would be the fault of rank and file, some would be noone's fault and some would be management's (the chief's?) fault. Hopefully the data will be evaluated by the responsible people (mayor, public safety director, chief?) and issues corrected so that overtime can be brought back to more reasonable and predictable levels.

That said - the most important issue at the moment is that the FF's may not be paid because the 4 boobs are playing politics with our fire fighter's paychecks. We should be taking the necessary steps to get these men and women paid and then address the problems with OT going forward, not hold those paychecks hostage as part of a misguided political game of gotcha.

Wasnt a plan submitted from the fd to eliminate the OT/differential pay at all ranks, it was said at a council meeting?. Also, dont you have to be a resident to be a city employee, especially in civil service??

How do YOU know this, you little roach-snacking weasel? Are you the self-appointed ambASSador from the Land of Stupid ? Negotiating the City's business for elected officials under a screen name on an internet message board?

Poor prosbus. This is what it's come to.

I'm afraid Miriam-Webster needs to think of a new word to describe the kind of vain, silly imbecile you are. If you need to feel important, how about calling yourself 'Mr President'? Or would you rather be a king? Then call yourself 'Your majesty'. I mean 'MY majesty'.

You truly are a moron. Playing hostage negotiator for 4 elected officials on Patch Did they give you permission to do this or are you freelancing.

Yes, you may call me a 'cyber-bully' or in other words, "WAAAAAAAH! Boo hoo! The girl was mean to me!"

Go on, AmbASSadope. Continue your hostage negotiations.

And how would you know that? Were you in the meeting when Mike Russo told Beth Mason that is the extortion play he wanted to make? I mean after all Mike Russo told us, and the FBI, on tape that he makes the decisions for Beth Mason. So many Russo cousins need jobs?

Sounds like extortion to me.

Yup, extortion is about all criminals know how to do. Let them play their games. Their stupidity and unethical behavior is why the FBI is here. Sooner or later it will be why the FBI hauls them out of town at the pace they are going.

GA dedicates this post to the most ham-handed, delusional hostage-negotiating easel-weasel to ever disgrace Hoboken: prosbus the untalented political operative.

http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2011/11/message-board-extortion.html

A roadblock?? At least fill the higher ranks, that is the more costly expense. When the man spoke at the meeting the cost was an annual savings and it was for a ten year period.

Well that is a discussion worth having but not like it matters if we run out of money to pay firefighters and have to just let you folks all go on furlough b/c the idiots you voted for won't agree to appropriate the money to pay you.

Because if you do not need them in the future you cannot get rid of them. People go in an uproar about laying off firefighters

Well since we can't pay the firefighters we have, I just don't see that happening. I also don't see the mayor caving into extortion. How about some good old fashioned layoffs and furloughs until you guys do some good old fashioned yelling and screaming at Russo and get him to pay you. Then next year in the next budget after hopefully a few of those 4 idiots are either indicted or recalled, we can talk about hiring more firefighters.

The old guard extortion game. I don't think they realize this Mayor doesn't play.

Screen shots live forever.

http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2011/11/message-board-extortion.html

Cassandra - the 4 idiots you support who are directly responsible for voting down this measure can't be recalled until summer. But don't worry, we will hold you to your desire to recall them then and expect you will sign the petition to recall Mason, Occhipinti, Russo and Castellano.

"proposal"? You scurried out of your hole in the ground to conduct City business in cyber-space?

Who AUTHORIZED you to pitch this "proposal" for elected officials on an internet message board, anonymous weasel? How are you empowered with this authority and by whom, to come here and post your shakedown? How is this lawful and appropriate by any measure?

Go back to suckling off Beth's checkbook. Yum- yummy!

Let's be clear, nobody has patience for the games you people are playing and we are tired of you folks holding the whole city hostage so you can extort Zimmer for something.

Time for the layoffs. Let them reap what they sow.

I'm sorry, I need more information before I can read your comment.

In short, your argument is a
red herring (noun)
An observation that draws attention away from the central issue in an argument or discussion; an informal logical fallacy.