Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has signed the city council’s e-bike licensing ordinance, writing to the governing body yesterday that he was doing so “in the spirit of collaboration” despite some concerns.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I write to share with you that I have signed ordinance B-654 into law. It is with a measure of reservation that I affix my signature to this document recognizing its shortcomings, limited enforceability, and lack of practicality. However, I do so in the spirit of collaboration and with a sincere desire of reaching our shared goal of ensuring pedestrian safety on the sidewalks of Hoboken,” his letter says.
“Along with Police Chief Steve Aguiar and several members of the e-delivery bike working group, I have continued concerns regarding the enforceability and practicality of this ordinance. Nonetheless, I believe it is incumbent upon us to demonstrate good faith in our commitment to address this issue. While it is true that a veto may have temporarily halted the progression of this legislation, it would not have advanced us any closer to a comprehensive solution that truly serves the needs of our community.”
He continued that he supports certain aspects of the local legislation such as requiring deliveristas to wear fluorescent vests, but remains concerned about immigrant communities being hesitant or outright against obtaining the necessary registration.
Bhalla, also a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th District, thanked everyone for their efforts in crafting the ordinance and indicated that the work isn’t done prior to the new measure taking effect in June.
“It is imperative that we reconvene and engage in honest dialogue to develop an improved ordinance that not only addresses the concerns of our residents but also garners the support and cooperation of key stakeholders such as the Hoboken Police Department and Transportation Department,” he added.
The ordinance was approved 5-3 at Wednesday’s city council meeting, where Police Chief Steven Aguiar expressed concerns about enforceability, as did advocacy group Bike Hoboken, the latter who called for a veto the day after the meeting.
The sponsors of the ordinance, 1st Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano, 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo, and 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos expressed great satisfaction with the local legislation being signed into municipal law.
“I am really pleased to see Mayor Bhalla approve this ordinance that brings the kind of safety measures residents have been asking for,” Presinzano, the primary sponsor who said on the campaign trail that he would tackle this issue, said in a statement.
“I am now looking forward to transitioning the outlook of the E-Delivery Bike Task Force away from what we can’t do, to what we can do and how can we make it even better.”
Under the licensing requirement, individuals will need to familiarize themselves with state and local laws governing safe riding on Hoboken’s streets, complete a brief quiz, and pay an annul $5 registration fee.
Each deliverista’s vest will include their registration number and failure to adhere to the ordinance will result in a $50 fine, at the discretion of the Police and Transportation Departments.
“As a city, we have considerable experience in registration processes like resident parking permits and taxicab and bartender registrations. We can leverage this to set this new program up quickly and begin to make a real difference,” added Ramos.
“We have seen that e-delivery presents a growing challenge for cities. I am appreciative of Mayor Bhalla’s support and am looking forward to continuing to work with the Task Force, his administration and public safety so we can ensure a robust enforcement effort to deliver improved safety to Hoboken families,” noted Russo.
Bike Hoboken did not return an email seeking comment this afternoon, but Councilman-at-Large Joe Quintero, who voted no and called for a veto if the ordinance passed, said he had no issue with Bhalla signing the local legislation.
“While I was hopeful that the mayor would veto this ordinance I understand and respect his reasoning for not doing so. As I have attempted to do on other issues in my tenure on the council, making a demonstration of good faith to further a conversation is an important aspect of good governance,” he said.
“I continue to share the mayor’s goal of moving us closer to a comprehensive solution that serves our community’s needs. Through the e-delivery working group, which will continue to meet, I hope we can identify ways to enhance this ordinance in a way which address our concerns and moves us forward.”