Anthony Romano takes office as Hoboken's county freeholder
January 02, 2009 Jersey Journal

Hoboken Police Capt. Anthony "Stick'' Romano was sworn in this morning as the city's representative on the Hudson County Board of Freeholders, the county government's legislative body, The Jersey Journal is reporting on Hudson County Now.

Romano replaces Maurice Fitzgibbons, who decided against running last year for a sixth three-year term as the representative for the 5th Freeholder District.

It looks like Romano will already cast a deciding vote when the freeholders get together next week for a "sticky'' situation: picking a chairman.

The current holder of the seat, Freeholder Jeff Dublin of Jersey City, wants another term and says he has four votes on the nine-member board, veteran Journal reporter Earl Morgan writes.

Sources told Morgan that County Executive Tom DeGise is backing Bayonne Freeholder Doreen DiDomenico and has four votes for his pick.

That mean Stick represents the swing vote.

Romano told Morgan he hasn't made a decision, nor has he heard from either faction.

"I'm open to talking to everyone and then making a reasoned, rational choice," Romano said.

Asked what hopes to accomplish during his term, Romano said he would like to see improvements in county services delivered to his constituents, improvements in county parks and more attention paid to the conditions of the streets both Hoboken and the Jersey City Heights.

"I'm also concerned about the taxes in Hoboken," Romano said, "and I'd like to see better lighting along some stretches of Paterson Plank Road."