Op-Ed: I’m running for Hoboken council-at-large since ‘it’s time for the BS to end’

In an editorial, Hoboken resident Joshua Sotomayor-Einstein explains why he’s running for council-at-large, including that “it’s time for the BS to end.”

I am running for Hoboken City Council, not because I think it will be easy – it won’t. Nor because I deserve your vote – a vote is a sign of trust and trust must be earned not demanded, nor should it be given freely for cheap promises.

I do not promise to “fight for the people” or any other platitude some other office seekers say when they somehow manage to agree with everyone while not taking a position on anything. I promise to listen even when we disagree and that you will know where I stand.

I promise to be open and honest about the problems our city is confronted with. Hoboken has problems, least of all the one commonplace across democracies, that of politicians telling you what you want to hear. I will tell you what you need to know.

Hoboken is rodent infested. Hoboken’s sidewalks are infested with speeding e-bicycles. Hoboken’s parks are infested with tokers getting high next to playgrounds and as the nice weather continues our parks will once again become open air homeless shelters.

City Hall is infested with virtue signaling political hires (including and especially elected ones) and is a place where good public employees must pretend to care about which special interest group flag to raise this week and which company to give a contract to, that wastes our money, the next.

While city “leaders” are painting sidewalks, raising foreign flags, and yelling into microphones (few listen to) about being a “sanctuary city” and other federal issues, all to gain attention for their next political step, the question arises – what about our town?

What about our current residents? Who will support our seniors, families, children, and the average person when they are dodging the weed smell of the pot heads polluting our parks and the insane e-bicyclists as they barrel down the sidewalk?

Where is the sanctuary for longtime residents, owners and renters, who are getting pushed out of town by ever increasing costs, in part driven by City Hall?

It’s time for the BS to end. City Hall isn’t our family, it’s not about whether the council agrees with us on global issues.

I love Israel, support Ukraine, want illegal aliens with violent records deported, and don’t care if the mayor or council agree because none of that is their job.

The job of City Hall is to fix the city, stop reaching deeper in the pockets of residents, and provide basic safety and security. They are failing.

From marijuana induced public intoxication to ever increasing taxes, sidewalk safety to porch piracy, the rodent revival to spending like drunken sailors, it’s time for the BS end.

I may not agree with you on most topics, but you will know I am not blowing smoke up your rear and telling you what I think you want to hear.

I will vote no on every tax increase, I will vote no on the many needless wasteful contracts our city has engaged in, I will vote yes on ticketing and arresting e-cyclists when they break the law, I will vote yes to ticketing people for public intoxication – i.e. public weed smoking (especially in parks), I will vote yes to banning camping in public parks, I will vote yes to poisoning the rats.

Together we can end the BS and clean up our town!