Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has revealed that he won’t seek a third term as mayor, with a Democratic state Assembly run in the June 3rd, 2025 primary now looking imminent even though he didn’t directly mention his next move.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Serving as your Mayor these past seven years has been and will continue to be the privilege of my lifetime. I am immensely proud of the historic improvements we’ve made together on everything from securing the former Union Dry Dock site for public use, creating a model for pedestrian safety through our Vision Zero campaign, opening what is likely the country’s largest resiliency park at ResilienCity Park, and so much more,” Bhalla said in an email blast.
“After conversations with my family, I have decided not to run for re-election this November for a third term as Mayor. While I plan to pursue public service through a different path, I wanted to let you know that 2025 will be my last year as Mayor of our great City.”
Bhalla was first elected in a six-person field with the backing of then-Mayor Dawn Zimmer in 2017 and then ran unopposed in 2021 largely on the strength of his track record managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s no secret that he has been considering the possibility of running for the Assembly seat currently occupied by his former Chief of Staff John Allen for months and he is expected to back Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, a two-time running mate, to succeed him.
Currently, there are no declared candidates in the mayoral field, but Jabbour, 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo, and 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos are all widely expected to run, with 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher also considering jumping into the field.
“I’m more than confident about the future of Hoboken, and the path our team has paved for whomever is elected as your next leader. Our waterfront is now, once and for all, free from development,” Bhalla further stated.
“We have adopted redevelopment plans that maintain the charm and character of our City, while providing needed revitalization. We’ve preserved over 10 acres of land for public parkland, without sacrificing major concessions. And we have continued a model of transparency for major city projects, that I am fully confident the public will press for going forward.”
His running mate would most likely either be Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-32), who is running on Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s ticket as part of his gubernatorial run, or community advocate Katie Brennan, who is currently running as an independent.
The Hudson County Democratic Organization is in the process of recruiting two of their own two candidates in LD-32, which includes Wards C, D, and E in Jersey City, as well as the entire city of Hoboken.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to extend my gratitude for the trust and confidence you have placed in me. It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve as the Mayor of Hoboken, and I’m confident in the coming years, the best is yet to come,” Bhalla concluded.
The non-partisan Hoboken mayoral race isn’t until November 4th, while the Democratic primary is scheduled for June 10th.
In light of Bhalla’s announcement, Ramos hinted that he could be formally entering the mayoral race sooner than later.
“While Mayor Bhalla and I have not always agreed on policy issues, I respect his commitment to public service and wish him well in his future endeavors,” he said in a statement.
“With the Mayor announcing that he will not seek reelection our community is about to be at a crossroads. I believe that residents want a new direction that prioritizes their needs above outside political interests, and I will be discussing my future plans with my family, neighbors and supporters in the coming weeks.”
Fisher and Jabbour both followed suit with remarks along the same lines this afternoon.
“Over the past seven years, Hoboken has seen significant progress and faced historic challenges, from transformative infrastructure projects to navigating the unprecedented difficulties of COVID-19. I thank Mayor Bhalla for his service and leadership during this time,” Fisher said.
“Looking ahead, Hoboken stands at a pivotal moment, with opportunities to build on successes and address the challenges that remain to further strengthen our amazing community. I wish Mayor Bhalla and his family well as they begin this next chapter.”
She continued that she’s “actively exploring a run for mayor” to build on progress and address remaining challenges in the Mile Square City.
“I wish to thank Mayor Bhalla for his service to Hoboken. We’ve worked together to do what’s best for our city – whether that’s improving infrastructure, building park spaces, or implementing Vision Zero upgrades,” Jabbour stated.
“The next mayor has more work to do for better schools, safer neighborhoods, improved constituent services, public transportation that works for all of us, and real transparency and accountability in how decisions get made and taxpayer money gets spent. I look forward to continuing to get things done and keep moving Hoboken forward.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a comment from 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos, followed by comments from 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour.
After Joe Biden’s corrupt exit, this is the best news of 2024!
Bye, bye d-bag and take the Terror Flier with you.
Not a surprise.
His power moves to on the City Council to set up his replacement candidate further signaled his political path.
Before he tries to take more credit for Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s NW Resiliency Park (she originated the plan, secured the property and most of the build out funding before she left office) to advance his own political career it would be nice if he would make sure that the centerpiece spray area ice rink actually worked and the rest of the poorly maintained ground be addressed,
The only way this news would be more welcome by Hoboken residents who truly know Ravi Bhalla and his evil tactics – notably using Hoboken as a stepping stone for his own failed personal career ambitions by prioritizing national sensationalism like BLM, illegal immigration, and Baskin Robins gender ideology over local priorities of Hoboken residents like public safety, taxes, and development in the process – would be of Ravi were to have resigned outright
But we’ll take it as another win, and start our public awareness campaign to prevent Ravi from taking his boy John Allen’s seat in the 32nd and his puppet Emily out of Hoboken politics for good. “How cute!”
Let him go!
Any place but Hoboken…
Just not replace him with his clone Emily (Tax and Spend ) Jabbour
She is just a Bhalla puppet….
Jabbour Never votes against him, even cancelled her announcement for Mayor at his orders
We will have 4 more years of Bhalla only a different name.
Good riddance.
As his “accomplishments” over SEVEN he mentions:
1. “securing the former Union Dry Dock site for public use”’ – actually NY Waterways is currently operating a ferry maintenance depot and diesel refueling station there, something he promised would only happen “over his dead body.” The only public use was more perhaps more aptly phrase public *abuse* by Ravi suveying and holding planning sessions to scam his gullible liberal loons into believing Maritime Park will *ever* happen. Suckers.
2. “creating a model for pedestrian safety through our Vision Zero campaign”
Vision Zero is actually a global campaign started in Sweden back in 1997.
But Ravi created it!
And I think even the most brainwashed leftist will admit public safety in Hoboken is much worse than 7 years ago. From the random public attacks like the refent Church Square Park one, ebikers running into strollers on the sidewalk, body found in Maxwell Park who we were told to believe was a mentally ill man who committed stabbing himself to death multiple times, sidewalk groping of women, and multiple murders, Ravi touting his record of improving public safety in Hoboken is laughable. As for road safety, remember the scooter debacle? And simply Google “car flipped Hoboken” or “Hoboken road rage” or “Hoboken DWI” and enjoy.
3. “opening what is likely the country’s largest resiliency park at ResilienCity Park”
It maybe open, but it’s no where near resilient as there are no pumps nor generators running after 5+ years of construction, hundreds of millions in taxpayer spend, and two grand openings. There have been multiple serious injuries with children splitting their heads open on the concrete and getting stabbed by protruded metal from the egg climbing equipment, broken drinking fountains, out of service public restrooms, hole in pedestrian bridges, hundred of cracked and sinking pavers, and a basketball court that has already had to be resurfaced twice. There is no ice rink and the terrace fountains for the splash pool have been broken for over a year since the pipes burst when they froze last year due to maintenance neglect (not an earthquake). Oh, and the project was stated by Ravi’s predecessor, Dawn Zimmer before Biden was in office, even though Ravi erected a plaque saying it was funding by old Joe.
4. “and so much more”
Umm, yeah. Here’s his other track record:
a) Failed to deliver the Hilton hotel downtown above the post office, cost Hoboken taxpayers money after being sued for a backroom quid pro quo deal he made.
b) Failed to deliver the country’s most expensive public high school ($290M) which Ravi claims he had no idea was planned yet for which he feared giving the public “longer runways” to consider and an OPRA result which proves otherwise.
c) Failed to deliver a new park on either the Monarch land or 800 Monroe – both of which Ravi acquired by trading a developer a much more prime lot downtown which housed our DPW (and which we had to move uptown to a lot we had to acquire through an $84M taxpayer bond).
d) Failed to deliver new municipal complex uptown compete with brand new police and fire headquarters, a public pool, indoor recreation center
Ravi’s “so much more” is basically only more lies, litigation, and negative national exposure for Hoboken by holding polarizing events like the raising of the Palestinian flag at City Hall, grooming of Hoboken children by holding and promoting drag queen story hours and reading graphic novels to children about how to perform gay oral sex, and virtue signaling like declaring Hoboken a sanctuary city, blatantly falsely labeling his opponents “racists” and creating and spreading bogus racist fliers and death threats for which, unsurprisingly, no one was ever accused or prosecuted (since he was behind them all).
Good riddance, Ravi!
You are the absolute worst.
Thats some MAJAOR MAGA space laser crazy. Your last paragraph is totally whacked out, bigoted and vicious.
Equating LGBTQ…. members as groomers, pedos and such is sick
More Pedos are straight white males
Agree, MMI. My guess is “Gregory Thune” is either a political hack, or someone has probably spent too long in his basement watching far-right wackos on YouTube and now fancies himself an all-knowledgable authority and everyone else are just libtard sheep.
Hey “Greg”, why don’t you run for mayor? You have all the answers, you’ll undoubtedly solve all the city’s ills on day one, just like your orange Dear Leader. Go for it. Put your money where your mouth is.
Mayor Bhalla is pushing to put 25-30 plus floor residential towers on top of the municipal parking garages along River Street in an effort to keep the money from building Unions flowing into his political campaign war chest.
Ravi Bhalla ran unopposed because no one could match his out of Hoboken fundraising, not because voters liked him or his policies.