Dear Editor:
As president of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce, I have testified before the City Council on various topics and also shared thoughts with all the currently elected officials vying to become Hoboken’s next mayor. Consistently I emphasized that proper process is the cornerstone to effective governance and cultivating a favorable business climate.
In that vein, I write to ask each mayoral candidate to publicly agree that if elected she or he will adhere to legal principles even if doing so is against popular sentiment. More succinctly, I am asking that all the candidates step forward and say that as mayor they and their administration will be aligned with the teachable moment set down by the New Jersey Appellate Court in its Monarch Development/Shipyard decision where the unanimous three judge panel cogently observed: “If there is a lesson to be learned from this case, it is the rule of law is paramount and cannot be sidestepped to avoid unpopular land use application.”
Following that advice will prevent costly and lengthy legal battles, and foster business confidence in Hoboken.
Richard W. Mackiewicz, Jr., Esq.
President,
Hoboken Chamber of Commerce
