Dear Hoboken Neighbors and Friends,

As a two term Councilman who helped usher in a decade of good governance, transparency and openness in Hoboken, I’m writing to encourage my friends and neighbors to support the Independently Together slate this Election Day.  

After spending nearly nine years in City Hall, I have a deep appreciation for the benefits that spring from an independent take on community service. To be a councilperson at large in Hoboken means to serve our entire 60,000 strong community. This effort can’t be sidetracked by concerns about how a mayor will react, politically, to your every move. This is why I’m so hopeful for a ticket that answers to nobody but us – the people of Hoboken.  It’s not the job of a council person to be contrary for the sake of being contrary, but they should also never be hyper-focused on a mayor’s every wish. I’m confident Cheryl Fallick, Sheila Brennan, and Paul Presinzano are the right people to put Hoboken first.
I’ve known Cheryl for over a decade. She’s the single most involved Hoboken community member I know. Cheryl absorbs council agendas, within hours of being published online. She’s the greatest champion of affordable housing our city’s ever had. Further, she’s always been a voice of reason for dozens of other issues that affect Hoboken. Cheryl’s attended more council meetings than anyone, yet she’s never sat on the City Council, at least not yet. I genuinely believe she will be the best, most effective, and hardest working councilperson Hoboken has ever seen.

I’ve met Paul Presinzano and Sheila Brennan more recently. In the short time I’ve known them, they have impressed me with their passion, work ethic, and understanding of the issues facing Hoboken today and moving forward. It is so refreshing to see two residents stepping up and wanting to represent Hoboken only and I’m confident they will be the strong, independent thinking council people our city so desperately needs.

What you may not know about me is that I successfully ran for office alongside now-Mayor Bhalla twice. My concern with Mayor Bhalla, who I know well, is he often seems more driven by personal career ambitions than by serving Hoboken – a deep concern at those times when his interests come in direct conflict with Hoboken’s. An elected official’s personal interests should never win out in these scenarios. Therefore, I implore my neighbors to resist supporting council people who will not stand up for Hoboken first, Hoboken always, and Hoboken only.

As a social studies teacher, I help my students in their efforts to become scholars of American democracy. A key to our democracy has always been elected officials and public advocates working together, but approaching problems independently.  We need representatives who tackle each day with Hoboken being their top priority and only priority; leaders who work together, think independently, and who represent and serve all of Hoboken. Please help our Hoboken community to continue moving forward on Election Day by voting for the entire Independently Together team.

Dave Mello
Councilman At Large, Hoboken
2009-2017