Hoboken As Good As Independent

TRENTON—Hoboken will officially be without a state fiscal monitor as of Monday.

The Local Finance Board at the Division of Local Government Services in Trenton handed the City of Hoboken almost all of its independence back Wednesday afternoon. Hoboken is still required to send monthly financial reports to the DCA. 

Mayor Dawn Zimmer said she expected Hoboken would regain its full independence in September.

"This is really an important day for the City of Hoboken," Zimmer said.

State officials forced the city to accept a fiscal monitor in 2008, after a previous mayor and council proved unable to manage Hoboken's budget. Fiscal monitor Judy Tripodi has had veto authority over all budget decisions, including vetoing city council votes.

Wednesday's meeting with the Local Finance Board was short, and the vote to remove the fiscal monitor was unanimous, Mayor Zimmer said. 

"We have moved beyond reasons to have a state fiscal monitor," she said. "We have a mayor and a council that can work together."

Zimmer was accompanied by Arch Liston, the city's new business administrator. State Fiscal Monitor Tripodi was not there. 

Zimmer said she will be going back to Trenton next month, when the board has to vote on changing from a fiscal year to a calendar year. 

With Tripodi leaving, Liston—in collaboration with the mayor and the council—will be in charge of the city's finances. The mayor, council and business administrator—rather than the state fiscal monitor—will also be in charge of future labor union negotiations. As of now, both the police and fire department contract negotiations will be going into arbitration.  

"We're ready to move on," Zimmer said. "Hoboken has been through a lot."