On January 1 of 2018, the two Hudson county powerhouses put a ring on it, making official the elections that took place in November and the runoffs of December.  The tone of each inauguration was entirely different. The more demure of the two was the 2 p.m. ceremony for the entering elected officials of Hoboken.  Demure … and long, two hours to be exact, extending far past the Old Hudson mantra “Keep it short.” 

Hoboken’s stage sat both U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker,  Bergen County Prosecutor – soon to be AG – Gurbir Grewal, Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack and City Council members Jim Doyle, Vanessa Falco and Emily Jabbour.  Last, but not least, Historic Hoboken Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla.  Everyone spoke and it wasn’t a surprise as to why they would want to.  This inauguration was a benchmark in American progress and, if this event was to have a theme like a prom or sweet 16, progress and inclusion would be it. 

Also on the stage was Giani Ravghvinder Singh, who gave the opening prayer in the Sikh tradition – notably foreign to the vast majority of Hudson civic events and most notably, this religious leader prayed to shelter Bhalla from ego and temptation.  Later, we had prayers from a Catholic Priest and a Rabbi rounding out the religious inclusivity to match the racial integration. 

An overwhelming Sikh presence was there marking the occasion. 

One-by-one, everyone spoke.  They cheered and praised now former Mayor Dawn Zimmer, who secured the seat for Bhalla, emphasizing her focus on leadership through meritorious governmental administration, and the successful laying of foundation for further progress.  (Undertone:  white butterfly stroking against the current.) 

Of course, there were some uproariously funny jokes about how two leaders in turbans get confused by Hoboken residents, how NJ chose to send a “Latin Guy and a Black Guy [to represent NJ in Washington],” but mostly each speaker noted that Hoboken is now a flagship of progress. Bhalla spoke of what brought him to Hoboken and how it was once a hotbed of hate crimes towards Sikhs and others of Indian descent.  However, when stating what his goals were for Hoboken, Bhalla spoke of good government, infrastructure and removing blight bar crawls that cost the city thousands of dollars.  More bold than all other things was the unwavering commitment pledged to those of differing immigration statuses. 

Unity was well portrayed in the audience, former Challengers Freeholder Anthony Romano and Councilmember Michael DeFusco were present.  Assemblymember Nicholas Chiaravalotti and Mayors Fulop and Turner arrived to show support. Among all the scenarios, this is perhaps the healthiest, kale level, nutrient rich healthiest.  Given the need for the unity between county and city in a place like Hudson County, the fact that it was Bhalla and not Defusco implies faster mended ties and intergovernmental synergy.  It wasn’t horribly tense.  Not as tense as it could be in the battleground of Hoboken, where racially charged lit gets mailed and the occasional Santa dressed daydrinker from out of town still, on occasion, will call passersby slurs pertaining to sexual orientation or otherwise, according to sources. 

More traditional to Hudson County, however, the Jersey City was short and sweet with a great deal of cultural programming.  There was a video to encapsulate the term-in-review with the controversial Journal Squared development front and center with focus entirely on the Administration.  The increase in small businesses planting roots, LGBTQ inclusion.  Federal electeds if present, were not at all seen at the Jersey City Inauguration, however the HCDO Executive Director John Minella was in the wings and seated beside Jaclyn Fulop was Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. 

Unity in Jersey City seemed less well represented.  A Newark and Jersey City alliance was made clear through placement and location, location, location.   

Perhaps a comparison is unfair, but one note rings high and loud:  Hoboken is now the progressive epicenter of Hudson and Jersey City can veer towards or away from that at this point with ease.