Fisher chides Bhalla for no Hoboken budget still, admin blames cuts by Trump

Hoboken 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, a candidate for mayor, is chiding Mayor Ravi Bhalla for still not introducing the budget, with the administration blaming it on cuts by the President Donald Trump (R) administration.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“We are now more than six weeks past the legal deadline for the mayor to transmit the budget. Because we’re already behind, the City Council needs the budget as soon as possible to do our job — to provide transparency, evaluate tradeoffs and make informed decisions that protect taxpayers,” Fisher said in a statement.

“At this point, Mayor Bhalla just needs to be brave and introduce the budget. I’m committed to working together to address any challenges, but the process has to start. Residents and taxpayers deserve better.”

While the administration said at the beginning of the month that the budget would be introduced on April 16th, shortly after Fisher questioned the status of it, Bhalla said in an April 9th letter to the council that circumstances have changed.

” … We are already beginning to feel the effects of arbitrary and abrupt funding cuts from the Trump Administration. Just this week, the City was notified that our New Jersey Association of City and County Health Officials (NJACCHO) grant has been cancelled. This grant was used to partially fund our health department,” he wrote.

He also specifically mentions a potential $300,000 clawback of COVID-19 relief fund previously allocated to the fire department, as well as the FEMA funds utilized to fund the Southwest Resiliency Park expansion and Rebuild by Design being cancelled.

The Mile Square City mayor also mentions that he took a 10 percent salary cut and is asked the council members to do the same.

Nonetheless, Fisher is citing the recently approved eight-year Hoboken Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) contract (she abstained) and the call to expand the police department’s table of organization irresponsible budgeting, since it could cost taxpayers nearly $100 million.

“These are major decisions with long-term consequences. And yet they’re being pushed forward without a financial plan and without transparency. That’s not how responsible government works,” Fisher concluded.

“The longer this drags out, the fewer tools we have to govern responsibly. Delays compress public input, limit oversight and increase the risk of rushed or costly decisions. Hoboken deserves a budget process grounded in transparency — not politics.”

City spokeswoman Marilyn Baer cited that Bhalla’s letter explained the particulars in detail, as well as that Bhalla had texted Fisher to meet about the budget, where she responded with another press release.

“As it has already been explained, the federal government is assaulting taxpayers nationwide, including Hoboken, where FEMA is trying to claw back hundreds of thousands of dollars. This situation requires thoughtful discussion and collaboration,” Baer told HCV.

“The Administration is reevaluating the City’s needs to explore every possible option to mitigate the burden on taxpayers and it is working to make thoughtful and appropriate adjustments for the City’s financial stability, rather than making rash, hasty decisions with taxpayer dollars during these uncertain times.”

Fisher responded that Bhalla sent a group text, which she provided a copy of, to the four city council members running for mayor to meet on Monday, April 21st at 4 p.m., to which she said she did not want to have a private meeting before the Finance Subcommittee met.

Bhalla is seeking a state Assembly seat in the 32nd Legislative District rather than seeking re-election, with Fisher, 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo, 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos, Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour, and Dini Ajmani running to succeed him.