In a letter to the editor, Hoboken residenst Eric Cohen and Rafael Cordova voice their opinions on why the city needs to level the playing field when it comes to campaign finance rules.
Dear Editor,
With the Hoboken City Council considering changes to our campaign finance ordinance as it pertains to unions, we should ask the question, what makes it necessary for the city council to do this?
Hoboken should be counting on its elected officials to abide by our municipal laws, but nothing has been further from the case, especially in Hoboken’s 1st Ward. It’s important that the public know the truth about this matter.
Let’s look at some of the facts:
The limit for unions, as per ordinance, is that each individual candidate can receive $500. Yet, First Ward Council Member, Michael DeFusco, in his run for re-election to the Hoboken City Council in 2019, took contributions from dozens of union PACs, thousands of dollars above the municipal limit of $500, which went to fund his campaign.
He did so knowing that he was violating Hoboken law.
DeFusco’s actions were unfair, as his opponent, Migdalia Pagan Milano, and other candidates running for city council, chose to abide by the rules.
This gave him a major, major funding advantage. Why did Michael DeFusco think the ordinance didn’t apply to him? How is that fair or ethical? The answer? It isn’t.
Had Michael DeFusco not taken this money, we would not be discussing this issue.
It is DeFusco’s violation of the ordinance, done so blatantly and without regard for consequences while others followed it, that makes these changes in the ordinance necessary in order to maintain fairness and balance in our campaign process.
If council member Tiffanie Fisher is looking for someone to blame these changes on, she should look no further than Hoboken First Ward City Council member Michael DeFusco.
DeFusco should refund his union donors for all monies he took above the limit.
As a sitting council member, his complete disregard for a Hoboken city ordinance is an unforgivable offense, and even if the regulations are changed, he should do what is ethical and right and return the money.
If not, he should definitely be held accountable at the ballot box.
Sincerely,
Eric Cohen
Rafael Córdova
Concerned Hoboken 1st Ward Citizens