POG - People for OPen Government

Changing City Council procedures

The Board of Directors of People for Open Government (POG) invited you, and any council colleagues you chose, to meet with us in a public forum to discuss problems with the way the City Council conducts its business. In reply, you have said that, instead of such a meeting, POG should send you a list of remedies to the problems we have identified. POG expects the City Council and city administration to be willing to meet with citizen groups on public issues. Such meetings would foster the accountable and transparent government to which POG is dedicated. Inasmuch as you are unwilling or unavailable to meet with us, this letter will inform you of our thinking.

Cammarano under review

Hoboken Democrats for Hudson County raised $28,000 for City Council candidates Michael Russo, Richard Tremetiedi, Chris Campos and Nino Giacchi

Hoboken Councilman-at-large Peter Cammarano is currently under review by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission for what some allege is improper activity in this past June's state Senate, Assembly and Hoboken municipal elections.

Eric Kurta, a Hoboken resident and president of the reform group People for Open Government, filed the complaint against Cammarano and received a letter from ELEC stating it is opening a review to determine if Cammarano violated election law as the chairman of Hoboken Democrats for Hudson County.

One person is trying to find out what city is hiding

Dear Editor:

James Madison, chief draftsman of the US Constitution, wrote, "A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance. And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."