Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The councilman announced his withdrawal on Wednesday, following a Supreme Court ruling to leave Carmelo Garcia on the ballot.
Councilman Ravi Bhalla will not be running for State Assembly. The councilman-at-large announced his decision on Wednesday in a press release. "My decision is driven by yesterday's refusal by the New Jersey Supreme Court to consider a challenge to Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) Director Carmelo Garcia's candidacy to serve in the State Assembly, while simultaneously serving as Executive Director of the HHA," Bhalla wrote. "As a result, it is not prudent to expend substantial resources in continuing my candidacy now." Garcia was sued last month by five Hobokenites challenging the legality of his candidacy. While Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ruled last month that — under the Hatch Act — Garcia was not eligible to run for public partisan …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
An appellate court ruled that Garcia is eligible to run for assembly after all.
Carmelo Garcia, the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, is back on the ballot this June. Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ruled earlier this month that — under the Hatch Act — Garcia was not eligible to run for public partisan office. An appellate court overturned that decision on Tuesday afternoon. The decision was first reported by PolitickerNJ. "I am gratified," said Garcia, in response to the decision. "I am just really really appreciative of all the prayers and love and energy that I’ve gotten." Garcia was picked by State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack to run for the office of 33rd District Assemblyman on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line. Ruben Ramos Jr., the current assemblyman who will not seek …
Monday, April 22, 2013
Hudson County Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ruled on Friday afternoon that Carmelo Garcia, who serves as the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, cannot run for state assembly.
Carmelo Garcia, the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, will not be able to run for state assembly, according to a ruling by a Hudson County Assignment Judge on Friday afternoon. Garcia was picked by State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack to run for the office of 33rd District Assemblyman on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line. Ruben Ramos Jr., the current assemblyman who will not seek re-election because he's running for mayor of Hoboken, endorsed Garcia and the rest of the ticket. Shortly after the announcement, five Hobokenites challenged Garcia's candidacy. Previously, Garcia said he was eligible to run under an amendment to the Hatch Act. In a previous interview, he said that, because his salary …
Friday, April 12, 2013
Barbara Netchert, Hudson County Clerk, can't print Carmelo Garcia's name on the ballots for the June primary until a judge has ruled on it.
Following a law suit that challenges Carmelo Garcia's eligibility as a candidate for state assmebly, a Hudson County Superior Judge has ruled that ballots can't be printed until the case comes to court next week. Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso ruled that the parties will have to appear in court on April 17. Until then, he ruled, Hudson County Clerk Barbara Netchert is prevented from printing ballots that bear Garcia's name. Flavio Kumoves, the attorney representing the five Hoboken residents who are suing Garcia, wrote in an email that "the Court, in reaching its decision, determined that the legal issues warranted the entry of an Order to restrain the printing of the ballots, until the issue is decided at a hearing next Wednesday." …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Hobokenites Carmelo Garcia (D) and Ravi Bhalla (D) have filed petitions for a seat on the state assembly and James Sanford (R) is planning to challenge sitting State Senator Brian Stack.
Three Hobokenites have filed petitions to be able to run in the primary elections in June. Executive Director of the Hoboken Housing Authority and current school board member Carmelo Garcia will be running for one of the open assembly seats. Garcia is running on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line, together with Jersey City Deputy Mayor Raj Mukherji and State Senator Brian Stack. Bhalla, who unsuccessfully ran for assembly two years ago, filed petitions independently. Bhalla, in a prepared statement, said that he has not made a final decision yet whether or not he will seek the Democratic nomination. "Over the next several weeks I will be speaking to residents of the 33rd Legislative District about their concerns," Bhalla said…
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
PolitickerNJ reported that Garcia is believed to run for the seat being vacated by Ruben Ramos Jr.
Carmelo Garcia, the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, is running for state assembly, according to PolitickerNJ. Garcia is also a sitting member of the Hoboken Board of Education. Garcia, a known ally of State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack, is believed to run on the Hudson County Democratic Organization's line together with Jersey City Deputy Mayor Raj Mukherji, according to Politicker. Garcia could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday morning. Earlier on, Hoboken council members Michael Russo, Ravi Bhalla and Beth Mason were mentioned as potential candidates for the 33rd District Assembly seat. Current assemblymen Ruben Ramos Jr. and Sean Connors are both not running for re-election. Connors is …
Friday, March 15, 2013
A last minute resolution was put forward at a Hoboken Housing Authority meeting on Thursday night, in which chairman Jake Stuiver and his allies on the board proposed to terminate Executive Director Carmelo Garcia's contract.
Hoboken Housing Authority Chairman Jake Stuiver and his allies on the HHA board proposed a resolution to terminate Executive Director Carmelo Garcia's contract on Thursday night, in what appears to be an ongoing struggle about who has the power to hire professionals at the Housing Authority. Ultimately, both parties agreed to renegotiate some terms of the contract in the coming 90 days, according to several people who attended Thursday's meeting. The executive director's contract — Garcia is currently two and a half years into his five year contract at an annual salary of $150,000 — can only be terminated unilaterally by the Housing board 120 days before the end date of the contract, Garcia as well as Commissioner Eduardo Gonzalez said. …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Hoboken Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is scheduled to meet on Thursday night.
Carmelo Garcia, the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, has received a Rice notice in preparation for Thursday night’s board meeting. A Rice notice is usually given out to employees to discuss the terms of their employment. Such matters can be discussed in public or in private. In this case, that’s up to Garcia. According to the Open Public Meetings Act, a Rice notice can involve “the employment, appointment, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, evaluation of the performance of, promotion or disciplining of any specific prospective public officer or employee or current public officer or employee employed or appointed by the public body, unless all the individual employees or appointees whose …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The resolution was added to Thursday night's agenda around noon on Thursday.
The Hoboken Housing Authority is considering hiring a deputy executive director, according to multiple board members. On Thursday night, the board of commissioners was scheduled to vote on the position. The resolution was added around noon on Thursday. The deputy executive director — which essentially would be the number two — would be in charge when Carmelo Garcia, the current Executive Director of the HHA, is out of town or otherwise unavailable. The deputy would be hired as a consultant, rather than a full time employee. Garcia said he was "suprised" by the proposal to hire a deputy on a consulting basis and called it "unfair and unjust." "I don't need one," Garcia said. "I was surprised." Furthermore, Garcia said, the housing authority…
Friday, May 18, 2012
Executive Director of the Hoboken Housing Authority responded to recent riots.
Hoboken police weren't prepared for the riot-like conditions during a recent brawl in the Hoboken Housing Authority, said HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia in a phone interview on Friday. When asked if the police was able to handle the large group that night, Garcia answered "From what I gather, no." According to the police report on the matter, police was unable to make any arrests, because they were outnumbered ten to one. The riots that night, which ultimately resulted in a cop car being stolen by a Jersey City resident involved in the riots, stemmed from a long-standing feud between two families who live in the Housing Authority, according to police reports. While some members of those two families live in the HHA, many of …
David A. Liebler
2:25 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Mr. Eric Kurta after reviewing Ravi Bhall's Elec report I have a few questions for you. Question #1: There is ONLY $54,000, where is the other $20,000 as Ravi said he had $250,000 ready to go. Question #2: He gave $500 to Friends of Dawn Zimmer Mayor campaign, is that LEGAL? Question #3: Corey Booker gave Ravi $1,000 WHY? Question #4: Does Ravi know that he can not use this money for his city … more ›