Labrosse Team: HUP Team’s False Attack is a Desperate Attempt to Score Headlines, Distract from Zisa Associations
HACKENSACK, N.J. — A letter released yesterday by the Zisa-backed Hackensack United for Progress slate is nothing but a desperate, politically-motivated attempt to distract from their team’s clear associations with the disgraced Zisa machine. The letter alleges that city newsletters sent to residents were somehow illegal, despite the following clear facts about the mailing:
– The mailing dealt only with legitimate municipal business and was designed to inform residents about the highly successful Downtown Redevelopment plan that is transforming the city
– The mailing contained no political content whatsoever — it did not mention any election or any candidates
– The mailing was sent prior to the 90-day window where ELEC regulations prohibit taxpayer-funded communications that mention candidates for office
– The database used for the mailing was a publicly available list of registered voters that allowed it to be sent in the most cost effective possible manner, reducing the total cost to the city significantly
– The city mailer program was budgeted at $50,000 over two budget years for four mailings — if the mailing list was expanded to all 45,000 residents the cost would be at least twice as much due to higher postage and printing costs
– The list used for the city mailings will not be used by the Labrosse Team Campaign in any way
– Voter lists are commonly used for governmental mailings and their use is absolutely legal
– The mailing was approved by the City Manager through all normal channels
– Vision Media voluntarily recused itself from the firm’s city contract in order to work on the Labrosse Team campaign to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest and notified the City Manager of this by email on January 30th
“The Hackensack United for Progress Team is so desperate to distract from their obvious ties to the corrupt Zisa machine that they are blatantly lying about these city mailings and clumsily trying to misuse the legal system for their political agenda,” said Labrosse Team spokesman Philip Swibinski. “This letter was clearly prepared by Richard Salkin, the Zisa attorney who makes his living trolling City Hall looking for opportunities to sue Hackensack taxpayers. The letter has no legal weight and its credibility is zero coming from the Zisa team, a group that made its living ripping off Hackensack taxpayers for decades before they were finally defeated by the Labrosse Team four years ago. That’s what this election is about — a desperate attempt by the Zisa machine to claw their way back into power by any means necessary.”
About the Labrosse Team
Mayor Labrosse and his team of Deputy Mayor Canestrino, Councilman Leo Battaglia and Councilman David Sims won the 2013 municipal election, and since that time their leadership has resulted in the city’s downtown redevelopment and revitalization, adding nearly $1 billion in new real estate value to the city, and in Hackensack’s first tax rate cut in a decade. They announced their re-election campaign recently along with their running mate Council candidate Stephanie Von Rudenborg.
For any additional information please contact Philip Swibinski at 201-864-0600 or philip.swibinski@vmmi.net.
