Although Hoboken politics is nothing new to Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo, one thing has fundamentally changed since the last time he ran for council four years ago: he is a father now. “I’ve grown so much,” Russo, 36, said over pancakes recently, “I’m a husband and a father.” Russo is running for his third term on the Hoboken City Council. Like many of his council colleagues and fellow candidates, Russo said he wants to add more park space to the city. One specific is the tow yard—otherwise known as “the Pino site”—in the Third Ward. “That’s something I want to see happen,” Russo said…

Although Council President Beth Mason has only been on the council for one term, she's not new at campaigning. Mason, 50, first got involved with Hoboken politics in 2003 when she was asked to run for the Second Ward seat. Although she lost that race, she said remained active in Hoboken's public life. Among one of the things she did was co-found the organization People for Open Government. In 2005, Mason helped Councilwoman Carol Marsh on her unsuccessful mayoral campaign against former Mayor David Roberts. Two years later, Mason ran for the Second Ward council seat for the second time and …

After roughly six months on the Hoboken City Council, Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti is running again.  After defeating then-incumbent Michael Lenz in a special election in November, Occhipinti said in a recent interview he has made improving the quality of life in the Fourth Ward one of his priorities. This time he is running for a full four-year term. His first point on the agenda, Occhipinti said, is bringing a park to the Fourth Ward. The city recently approved a $20 million bond to purchase park land. Occhipinti said he'd prefer to see all the money go toward a park in the Fourth …

Peter Cunningham is running for a second term as city councilman, "because the job is not done," he said during a recent interview at his Garden Street home. Standing in his kitchen, preparing food for his Burmese Mountain Dogs Hayden and Phoebe, he discussed issues such as the budget surplus, corruption and public safety. Although there has been much discussion on the budget surplus, to Cunningham the number is clear. The total reserve, he said, is $25 million. Of that money, $14 million is left in cash, of which $9 million has already been allocated. The rest, he added, should remain in the…

Perry Belfiore can’t sit on a street corner for more than five minutes before running into someone. His low full voice and boisterous laugh are unmistakable and recognizable from blocks away. “I have always lived my life out loud,” Belfiore said recently, sitting outside at Dunkin’ Donuts on Seventh and Washington Streets, sipping tea. Belfiore is running to become Fifth Ward councilman for the second time in a row. Four years ago, Belfiore ran against Councilman Peter Cunningham and Scott Delea (both of whom are running again this year). “I think we’re backsliding,” Belfiore said, adding …

Former corrections officer Patricia Waiters, a recognizable member of the public at city council and board of education meetings, is known for her bold remarks and for being an advocate of the underserved. “I want fairness and I want integrity,” Waiters said. “I want corruption out of Hoboken.” And, she added, she’ll run for any office that might help her achieve her goal. So, after failed attempts for mayor and councilwoman-at-large, Waiters is now aiming for the second ward seat. She is also running for a seat on the Board of Education. “Flooding, taxes, the surplus: All of that is an issue…

You probably won't find Franz Paetzold's face plastered on billboards or flyers around the Second Ward. Nor will you see a professionally edited commercial on cable TV.  Paetzold, a bank auditor, said he is running a grassroots campaign to make Hoboken's interests top priority. Under the slogan "Hoboken First," Paetzold is fighting for the Second Ward council seat on May 10.  "If elected, I’m not going to ally with any political faction, if such allegiance comes at the cost of doing what’s right for the city," Paetzold said.  Paetzold moved to Hoboken 10 years ago, after graduating from …

On April 27, Hobokenites will cast their votes for three seats on the Hoboken Board of Education. The seats are for three-year terms. Battling two slates, including three incumbents, independent Patricia Waiters has decided for the second year in a row to throw her hat in the ring. Last year Waiters ran for school board, too. Hoboken Patch caught up with the Waiters during a recent election debate and asked her—among other things—about her plans, what she thinks of the governor and what her own grade point average was in high school. Attached to this story is the video interview with Waiters…

For somebody who says he didn't move to Hoboken to become  a politician, Fourth Ward resident Rami Pinchevsky is pretty involved.  Pinchevsky is running for the City Council's Fourth Ward seat—historically a highly contested one—against Occhipinti. "I'm just tired of the culture of corruption and incompetence," Pinchevsky said during an interview last week. He said also he wants to be part of the process of bringing a park to the South West part of town. "I have an idea of how I want the ward to be," Pinchevsky, 30, said, sitting in Northern Soul, one of the Fourth Ward's bars. The Fourth …

After living in several states and places abroad, second ward hopeful Tom Greaney settled in Hoboken. “Some people are born to a home,” he said. “Some people have to sort of find a home.” And he found his right here in the Mile Square in 2003. He left for a brief time to live in Jersey City and New York City but said he was missing “that sense of community and connection.” And now he says he's ready to serve. Although he has never run for any office, Greaney, a vice president at a life insurance company in Manhattan, is no stranger to Hoboken politics. He worked on Carol Marsh’s mayoral …

On April 27, Hobokenites will cast their votes for three seats on the Hoboken Board of Education. The seats are for three-year terms. Incumbents Carmelo Garcia and Frances Rhodes Kearns—both are running for their fourth term—have joined together with Peter Biancamano, born and raised in Hoboken, who now works at msnbc. Biancamano, 25, is running for office in Hoboken for the first time. The three candidates are battling the Kids First slate for the seats on the board. Hoboken Patch caught up with the candidates during a recent meet and greet at the Hoboken Public Library and before Monday …

On April 27, Hobokenites will cast their votes for three seats on the Hoboken Board of Education. The seats are for three-year terms. Among the candidates are Jean Marie Mitchell—who was first elected to the board last year—and newcomers Steven Feinstein and Clifford Godfrey, who make up this year's Kids First slate. Kids First has the support of Mayor Dawn Zimmer. Feinstein and Mitchell both have children in the school system, while Godfrey plans to send his 1-year-old daughter to Hoboken's public schools in a few years. All three attended public schools, but not in Hoboken. Hoboken Patch …

Incumbent First Ward Council Member Theresa Castellano, a local store owner and mother of two sons, said there’s still a lot of work to be done in the First Ward. And that's why—for the fifth time—she's running for Hoboken city council. “This job is my life’s work,” she said. Castellano, a Hoboken native, was first elected to the city council in 1995. Before that, she was chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment as well as the Historic Preservation Commission, of which she is still an active member. As for her proudest accomplishment while in office, Castellano said it would have to be her …

To political junkies from the Fifth Ward, this year’s council race may look familiar. “It’s a bit of a re-match,” said Scott Delea, 40, who is running for council for the third time. Four years ago he ran against Peter Cunningham (the incumbent) and Perry Belfiore. The only thing different this year, is that city historian Lenny Liuzzi has also thrown his hat in the ring. Last election, Delea was roughly 50 votes short of entering a run-off race against Cunningham. But, that doesn’t mean he’s not proud of the results of that election. “We couldn’t have worked harder,” Delea said. “We did it …

If he’s reelected in May, Hoboken native and incumbent Sixth Ward Council Member Nino Giacchi said he would continue to focus on quality of life issues and in particular, the parks. “I certainly always prided myself on the parks,” said Giacchi, 46. Parks and open space are important to city residents and especially critical to getting people to move to and invest in Hoboken. Since he has three kids of his own, Giacchi said he’s worked hard to maintain the parks while he’s been the sixth ward representative. He mentioned that a few years ago, when it was discovered that the turf at Sinatra …

Longtime resident and first ward hopeful Eric Kurta said he’s running for a healthier Hoboken. “I want to develop a community that’s more stable, that’s not so transient,” he said, adding that that means addressing the big issues that stand in the way of people staying in town and raising their families. “You have people in town who are here for a few years,” Kurta said. “They start getting involved in either civic groups or community groups. They become politically aware and they begin to vote. They develop an understanding of the issues and the people involved, and as soon as they get to …

Local real estate agent Jen Giattino said she loves showing potential residents all the quaint streets, shops, and restaurants the city has to offer. But, she said, “Hoboken’s best quality is definitely the community." And that, in a nutshell, is why she decided to run for the sixth ward council seat in May, against incumbent Nino Giacchi. Giattino, who is being endorsed by Mayor Dawn Zimmer, made Hoboken her home 12 years ago. Now she’s married with three sons. “I thought as soon as I had children I would leave,” she said, explaining that someone once told her that she’d probably have to …

Local soccer coach and father of two Greg Lincoln said he's ready to challenge incumbent Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo in the upcoming May elections. "We have serious disagreements on a number of issues," Lincoln said, "and that’s why I’m running." Lincoln, who is Hoboken's first Mormon to run for elected office, said he has no previous experience in politics "other than paying attention and being a vigilant citizen." He added that he supports the current administration and said he’s ready to help Mayor Dawn Zimmer get more done. "People have seen the progress that we’ve made and people…

City historian Lenny Luizzi, a 66-year-old lifetime Hoboken resident, recently announced his candidacy for the Fifth Ward Council seat. If elected, he said he would take a “common sense, realistic, simple, small homeowner approach” to the position. “I’ll listen and I’ll talk and I’ll help,” Liuzzi said. Luizzi, a transportation coordinator in the film industry, has lived in the fifth ward for 57 years. He’s raised his family there and plans to retire soon and focus on other endeavors, potentially official duties. He was given the honorary title “city historian” in 2001 by former mayor Anthony…