Ruben Ramos

CRYAN/RAMOS/CRUZ-PEREZ/SCHAER BILL TO PERMANENTLY DESIGNATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH SIGNED INTO LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Joseph Cryan, Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Gary S. Schaer sponsored to designate each October as “Hispanic Heritage Month” in New Jersey has been signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

“New Jersey’s Hispanic and Hispanic-American communities deserve to be honored,” said Cryan (D-Union).

NEW BILL TARGETS JOB OUTSOURCING TO TRY TO PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS

Measure Would Prohibit State from Doing Business with Firms that Send Work Overseas

(TRENTON) – Assemblymen. L. Harvey Smith, Ruben J. Ramos Jr. and Nelson Albano today announced they’ve introduced legislation that would prohibit the state from doing business with and investing in companies that outsource jobs overseas.

Smith (D-Hudson) said the measure (A-3516) sends a strong message as New Jersey workers and businesses grapple with the global economic meltdown.

CRYAN/RAMOS/CRUZ-PEREZ/SCHAER BILL TO PERMANENTLY DESIGNATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH PASSES ASSEMBLY

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly members Joseph Cryan, Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Gary S. Schaer sponsored to designate each October as "Hispanic Heritage Month" in New Jersey today unanimously passed the General Assembly.

HOBOKEN - Councilwoman Beth Mason tabled her proposed salary Assemblyman/Councilman Ruben Ramos: Politicker file photoand benefits ordinances at tonight’s council meeting, a move that likely did nothing to diminish the prolonged stare-down from now until next year’s mayoral election between Mason and her opponents.

Broken into two reform pieces, the freshman councilwoman’s proposed ordinances would scrap benefits and limit to $1 the council salaries of council people who hold more than one public job.

She sent them to committee tonight, but not before rousing her opposition.

Mason’s antagonists see the prospective mayoral candidate’s measures (backed up by Councilman Peter Cunningham) as an attempt to bait At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano and humiliate Assemblyman/At-Large Councilman Ruben Ramos, the governing body’s lone dual elected office holder.

Cammarano was out of town. Ramos fought back.

Hoboken Councilman Michael Russo: Politicker file photoHOBOKEN - Councilman Michael Russo won’t vote for Councilwoman Beth Mason’s salary ordinance at the Hoboken Council meeting tonight unless Mason amends the ordinance.

Patterned on Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop’s reform initiative, Mason’s ordinance would restrict to $1 the salary of any councilperson who already draws a public salary.

"I would vote for it if it only pertained to restricting elected officials from receiving two or more salaries, absolutely," said Russo. "But I would never say a person who’s a janitor or policeman shouldn’t receive an additional salary as a councilperson.

"Let’s take a janitor," Russo said. "Maybe he makes $25,000. You think I’m going to restrict him from making another $25,000 as a councilman? No, I’m sorry, I couldn’t do that."

HOBOKEN - Councilwoman Beth Mason will introduce an ordinance on2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason: Politicker file photo Wednesday night that would limit public salaries of city council representatives who already hold public jobs to $1 apiece.

The Mason ordinance would also prevent council members from receiving healthcare benefits.

A Hoboken elected official who receives health benefits from employment outside the city would be given financial compensation in lieu of the city’s health benefits to a maximum of $2,500 per year, according to a release issued by Mason.

At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano: Politicker photo 

HOBOKEN - Even members of his inner circle swear that they don’t yet know whether Mayor Dave Roberts plans to run for a third term in 2009.

Whatever his intentions, other Hoboken diehards are surfacing. No one’s announced yet, but fierce political battles now will undoubtedly have political consequences next year in this city stung by the embarrassment of a state takeover of its finances.

There are all of the usual speculations surrounding possible candidates. A sighting of former Councilwoman Carol Marsh at a municipal meeting provokes the conclusion in come corners that she’s definitely running. A recent inundation of photos of Mayor Roberts on the Hoboken website prompts someone else to opine that Roberts is running - bet on it.

Businessman and neighborhood kid made good Frank "Pupie" Raia?

Of course, he’s running, say Hoboken insiders. He always runs, and no doubt he will perpetuate his longstanding animus this year with Councilman Michael Russo, who clubbed him last year in their 3rd ward showdown.

At-Large Councilmen Peter Cammarano, left, and Ruben Ramos: Politicker photo 

At-Large Councilman Ruben Ramos today responded to Second Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason in a letter in which he addressed the self-styled government watchdog as "Boss Mason."

"As a lifelong member of the Hoboken community, I am appalled that Ms. Mason thinks she can mask her intention to be a political boss, by having the audacity to call herself a reformer," Ramos said of the likely mayoral candidate.

Hoboken Councilwoman Beth Mason: Politicker photo 

HOBOKEN - Taking a nod from Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop, freshman Hoboken Councilwoman Beth Mason intends to introduce an amendment that would ban city elected officials from receiving more than one public salary or pension.

"I am sure that Councilman Fulop recognizes, as do I, how difficult it is to create a more responsive and responsible government when the primary interest of many elected officials lies in perpetuating a cumbersome, costly bureaucracy that rewards the few, at the expense of the many," Mason said.

Elected last year to fill a vacant seat in the city’s second ward, Mason - like Fulop in Jersey City - is a likely 2009 mayoral candidate.

COHEN/CRYAN/RAMOS/CRUZ-PEREZ BILL TO PERMANENTLY DESIGNATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ADVANCES

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Neil M. Cohen, Joseph Cryan, Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., and Nilsa Cruz-Perez sponsored to designate each October as “Hispanic Heritage Month” in New Jersey was released by the Assembly State Government Committee.