Yo, Editor! Don't waste our time

The choice is clear in Tuesday's City Council election in Hackensack. Vote for independent candidate Victor E. Sasson and other reformers. Don't bother voting for any of the Open Government candidates, also known as "the Zisa slate."

Did anyone do more than glance at the headline and text of that huge waste of space about Prince Harry on Page 1 of The Record today?

Editor Marty Gottlieb came to the Woodland Park daily after many years at the august New York Times, and apparently threw out all his standards for good journalism.

Why trot out one of The Record's burnt-out columnists, Bill Ervolino, one of the unfunniest men around, and put his "open letter" to Harry on the front page?

If you're looking for something else to read on Page 1, try the scintillating "ANALYSIS" -- down to tenths of a mile -- about bill padding by the politically connected hauler hired to remove Superstorm Sandy debris.

Hackensack news

Rare Hackensack news appears on the front of Local today, but Editor Liz Houlton's sleepy copy editors screwed up the sub-headline (L-1).

It seems a state appeals court ruled in favor of property owners and against Hackensack's attempt to redevelop 2 blocks of Main Street, but the city has decided to appeal that unfavorable decision to the Supreme Court.

The sub-headline is bewildering, exactly the opposite of what the city is doing: 

  

"Hackensack plans to appeal redevelopment"  

The story describes the 2 blocks in question as "a high profile part of the city near the Bergen County Courthouse."

That's strange. Those 2 blocks aren't included in the zone that has been promoted since 2004 by the Upper Main Alliance, a public-private partnership.

Second look

I'm sure I'm not the only reader who wanted to know what Governor Christie, former Gov. James E. McGreevey and an inmate were laughing about in that photo at the bottom of Page 1 on Thursday.

But there's no clue in the blurb with the photo or the complete story on A-3.

Vote against Hackensack's politics of greed

Some of the best lawns in Hackensack are sprouting a new sign from independent City Council candidate Victor E. Sasson, above and below. The non-partisan election is Tuesday, and Sasson is urging all city residents to get out and vote for reform.

Euclid Avenue in Hackensack.

Spring Valley Avenue in Hackensack.

Today's edition of the weekly Hackensack Chronicle is filled with stories, essays, photos and a letter aimed at voters in Tuesday's City Council election -- a day after The Record ran a Page 1 story about one of the most important contests in the city's history.

Whether you are affiliated with a party or not, you can vote in the non-partisan election. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here is the 300-word essay from independent candidate Victor E. Sasson, editor of Eye on The Record (Page 3 in the Chronicle): 

"If elected to the Hackensack City Council, I will work tirelessly to return the focus to the property tax payer, and reverse the trend of rising taxes and falling services.

"I am independent and honest, and owe no favors to the special interests that have controlled Hackensack for so long. I want to restore pride in a city that is widely mocked as 'Zisaville.'

"I am financing my own campaign, and will return $2,500 of my salary as a councilman to the city or a charity.

"I will do so to encourage Hackensack University Medical Center, Fairleigh Dickinson University and other tax-exempt entities to follow suit and give back to Hackensack -- a city that has squandered so many of its tax dollars on insider deals with the politically connected.

"Mine is the original 'quality of life' platform, emphasizing changes city residents can feel -- from smooth streets to less aircraft noise to saving money by running the city more efficiently with hybrid cars and solar panels.

"As the parent of a Hackensack High School student, I am disturbed by the divisiveness on the Board of Education, and believe term limits should be imposed on school trustees.

"I am also troubled by the low quality of food served to students.

"I love Hackensack, but deplore the politics of greed that have been practiced by the Zisa family and their powerful allies for decades, and how they are trying to perpetuate their rule by backing a slate in this election.

"I urge voters to go to the polls on May 14 in one of the most important elections in city history. If you haven’t voted in past municipal elections, you have only yourselves to blame for the crummy government we have."

Sasson, who is financing his own campaign, miscalculated the impact of lawn signs, and didn't order them right away.

This morning, Sasson went to Hackensack Market to add his signs to those of the other candidates, but managers of the market refused.

Sasson is trying to contact the owner.

Open Government City Council candidate Kenneth Martin, a former police detective, will stand trial on charges he removed opponents' lawn signs at Hackensack Market on Passaic Street.

Employees of Hackensack Market complained of all the trouble Open Government candidate Kenneth Martin caused when he allegedly removed opponents' signs, and was caught red-handed on the store's surveillance camera.

Martin heads "the Zisa slate," which is  trying to hold onto power in Hackensack.

Say it isn't so, Joe

Three public forums for the 11 candidates were held in high-rises on Prospect Avenue, where residents have joined a coalition to stop the construction of a 19-story hospital, with 5 floors of underground parking, near Golf Place.

The Hackensack zoning board rejected the plan, 5-0, but Prospect Avenue residents fear a Superior Court judge will rule in favor of the developer, who has appealed.

So they want whomever gets elected on Tuesday to retain City Attorney Joseph C. Zisa Jr. and former zoning board attorney Richard Malagiere, who are defending the city.

Malagiere resigned from the zoning board after he was cited for owning homes with alleged building violations.

Now, there are rumors Joe Zisa may be leaving Hackensack.

Zisa is the cousin of Ken Zisa, the disgraced former state Assemblyman and police chief, and father of Lauren Zisa, editor-in-chief of The County Toilet Seat, a weekly paper. 

Joe Zisa has made major improvements to his shore house; and his building at 77 Hudson St., where his private law office was located, is listed for lease, not sale.

He also has spoken to a Realtor about listing his home in the city's Fairmount section.   

The Record

There is big news on Page A-2 of The Record today: no corrections, clarifications or retractions.

A good laugh

Hackensack residents don't have much to laugh about, but Sasson can recommend a photo essay on Hackensack Scoop that features the Zisas, city officials and others:

Separated at birth 

In Hackensack, our property tax dollars simply disappear

The City of Hackensack gives residents who pay property taxes a 10-day grace period. Independent City Council candidate Victor E. Sasson paid his 2nd-quarter taxes on Tuesday, depositing a check for $3,953 in a lock box behind City Hall, below.

What will Sasson get for his money? Paved streets? Fewer insider deals? Not if residents remain cool to voting in Tuesday's City Council election, as they have in the past, ensuring a continuation of our crummy government.

Independent City Council candidate Victor E. Sasson asks, "Do you think it's fun to live in Hackensack?"

Sasson worked for 29 years as a reporter, copy editor and food writer at The Record on River Street, then bought a home in the city's Fairmount section in August 2007.

Since then, he has written increasingly higher property tax checks four times a year, the latest on Tuesday, triggering another bout of heartburn.

Where does money go?

He still doesn't really know where all of his tax money goes.

Long-time residents say Sasson's street hasn't been paved since 1979.

Business jets roaring overhead keep him up at night, and the city wakes him up by collecting garbage and recyclables before 6 a.m.

The city is one of the most inefficient around, operating a huge fleet of gas guzzlers, including as many as 15 driven home by city employees, and is just getting around to installing solar panels on city buildings.

No solar panels are planned for schools, however, and the district spends more per pupil than Ridgewood, with little academic success to show for it. 

Dreaded 'Zisaville' 

Most of the city officials who rule Sasson's life were installed by the corrupt Zisa family, making  "Zisaville" a dirty word.

All but one member of the current City Council have been in office for nearly 8 years -- plenty of time to rape the taxpayer with insider deals worth millions of dollars that have favored a select group of lawyers, landlords and developers. 

Disease of apathy

Thanks to apathetic voters, these autocratic council members were elected by only about 20 percent or less of the registered voters in 2005 and 2009. 

Many of the voters who don't want to get involved are living in Hackensack's large number of apartment buildings, where they pay property taxes passed along to them in their rent, although they might not realize that.

A good argument could be made that city officials adopted a policy of destroying single-family homes to make way for apartment buildings, knowing largely apathetic tenants would not seek reform at the polls.

Curse of the tax-exempt 

Living in the county seat, with a major medical center nearby, has proven to be a curse.

Hackensack University Medical Center owns $130 million in property that, as a non-profit, it pays no taxes on, shifting the burden onto homeowners and renters.

Several years ago, the hospital took over the city ambulance service and EMTs -- in an official sleight-of-hand that was another bad deal for taxpayers.

Bergen County owns tens of millions of dollars of tax-exempt property, as does Fairleigh Dickinson University, which has a Hackensack campus.

In the past 8 years, city officials have demanded little in lieu of all those unpaid property taxes.

Mordaga changes

However, on Feb. 4, Mike Mordaga took over the demoralized Police Department, and began asking county law-enforcement agencies for help in fighting crime.

Mordaga, the city's first civilian police director, also has asked HUMC to staff a room in the county shelter to cut down on the time and expense of taking homeless people to the emergency room.


NJMG and The Record

North Jersey Media Group and its flagship daily paper, The Record, abandoned Hackensack in 2009 -- dealing the final blow to a struggling Main Street.

And compliant city officials have done nothing to pressure the wealthy Borg family into redeveloping their 20 acres.

Some residents think the Borgs have abandoned the property, which has become an eyesore. 

Why no pool?

Hackensack, the most populous community in Bergen County, doesn't even have a city pool, and long-time residents blame racist officials who don't want black children to have any fun.

Last year, former state Assemblyman and Police Chief Ken "I Am The Law" Zisa was convicted of official corruption and insurance fraud, and sentenced to 5 years in prison.

But he has been allowed to remain free pending his appeal, and his cousins still serve as city attorney and head of the Building Department.

$6M in legal fees

Ken Zisa's legal problems, both civil and criminal, have cost Hackensack taxpayers $6 million in legal fees in the past 3 year, and most of that wasn't covered by insurance.

Still, the Zisa family political dynasty, backed by Democratic Party boss Lynne Hurwitz, was perpetuated by City Council members, who should have fired the police chief years ago to limit the city's liability. 

Sasson won't have to write another property tax check until August, but already the knot in his stomach is beginning to grow.

Front-page news

After largely sitting on the sidelines during Hackensack's City Council campaign, The Record today publishes a Page 1 story on the 11 candidates in Tuesday's election:

"Factions battle for control of city"

"Hackensack Council

race turns nasty"   

    

Sasson is identified on A-1 as the "one candidate running on his own, calling for lower taxes and better quality of life."

Here is a link to the story on North Jersey.com:


Six reform candidates battle corruption 


Below the story on the Web site, most of the candidates answer three questions from The Record's Hackensack reporter, Hannan Adely:

Q. What steps will you take to improve openness and transparency in government?


Q. The city is dogged by the perception that favoritism and cronyism are prominent in government. How will you ensure fairness and restore the public’s trust?

Q. What can and should the council do to improve the city’s downtown?