How Joe Quintero Answered Questions: Hoboken Election Profiles

HOBOKEN, NJ — Ten candidates are running to fill three seats on the Hoboken City Council on Nov. 2, while Mayor Ravi Bhalla is running for re-election unopposed.

Below are candidate Joe Quintero's answers to questions Patch has sent to all 10 council candidates. Also check out other candidates profiles linked at the end of this story.

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Your name: Joe Quintero

Age as of election day: 42

Party affiliation, even though Hoboken elections are non-partisan: Democrat (3rd Vice Chair of
Hoboken Democratic Committee)

Family information (Names, ages, or any details you wish to share): Kim (42), Kara (5)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Where?: No

Educational background: BA History, University of Massachusetts – Amherst; Juris Doctor – Fordham University School of Law

Occupation, years of experience: Compliance Officer 14 years (Royal Bank of Canada, 9 years;
Goldman Sachs, 5 years)

Previous or current elected or appointed offices:

1. Why are you seeking elected office? From the moment I moved here, Hoboken has embraced me and my family. I love this City – and it’s my mission to ensure Hoboken remains the kind of place my daughter can grow up in. “Hoboken Born and Raised” should not be a thing of the past, we need to take care of those who came before us by keeping Hoboken safe, dry, and affordable, and make the necessary improvements so that a new generation of Hoboken Born and Raised can thrive.

2. What is the single most pressing issue facing Hoboken, and how do you think you can help
solve it? Hoboken needs to establish an all-in approach to getting a handle on its flood mitigation. While flooding has improved since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, due to the Climate Crisis, the equation has changed and it is time for us to double down on what we know works (resiliency parks, green infrastructure, flood pumps) and continue to innovate to empower our residents to develop their own flood plans. Which is why I have proposed a detailed three-prong approach to addressing flooding (full details at www.joeq4hoboken.com/detailed-flood-policy-statement):

• Preventing Flooding in Our Streets by expanding resiliency efforts City-wide (including resiliency parks, green roofs, and open spaces), adding a flood pump and resiliency park to the Hoboken Housing Authority, requiring new developments to evidence they will remove more water from the system than they will add, and seeking infrastructure funding to offset costs of resiliency efforts.
• Empowering Our Neighbors through reinstating the Office of Constituent Services, to include flood-dedicated resources. The Office would serve as the first point of contact for guidance when residents are impacted by flood events, facilitate flood insurance claim navigation, and enable residents to develop their own flood risk assessments and plans.
• Keeping the River at Bay during storm surge events by ensuring the Rebuild by Design project moves forward quickly and effectively and by establishing an infrastructure trust fund specific to ongoing maintenance of any flood resistance structures (to prevent politicization and ensure futurecosts are shared equitably local authorities).

3. Do you believe national political issues are relevant to Hoboken? During the last race, candidates cited their votes in the 2016 election. Are you willing to say for whom you voted
in the 2020 presidential election? Do you believe it's relevant or irrelevant, and why? Yes, with
respect to certain fundamental issues such as the climate crisis and COVID. Some national issues (e.g., climate crisis and COVID) directly impact Hoboken residents and it’s important that we operate from an agreed upon set of facts. If we have local leaders who believe COVID or climate change are hoaxes, how to we move forward with good local policies related to those subjects?

I voted Joe Biden in 2020 and led the Hoboken Democratic Committee’s Biden Virtual Field Office – where we coordinated with organizations in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio to make
thousands of phone calls and send over 20,000 postcards/letters in support of Biden’s election.
I do think one’s 2020 vote is relevant as a starting point to identifying a candidate’s belief structure – but perhaps not dispositive in whether they would be an effective City Councilperson.

4. An issue that often comes up on social media discussion boards is a lack of affordable
summer camp options and drop-off recreational options for kids in Hoboken, and a lack of
activities for teens, especially compared to other towns, some smaller. In the last few years,
parents have said they didn't get enough notice about baseball signups and had to register in
Union City for that town's recreation baseball instead of in Hoboken. Specifically, how would you increase low-cost recreation (and not just sports) programming for kids and teens within town, especially over the summer?
While Hoboken has some great and affordable summer camp options offered through the public school system (Leap), I agree there is room for improvement. As such, I believe we need to enhance our current parks and implement new facilities (including a long overdue pool) we Hoboken can begin offering a much broader range of affordable summer options for our kids. I see this as not only a smart choice for our kid’s continued development, but critical towards keeping Hoboken affordable for Hoboken working class families. Childcare is expensive, especially in Hoboken, providing quality affordable summer camp options is a must have to ensure our families can continue to thrive here.

5. Some believe that running for local office is only meant as a stepping stone, particularly in
Hudson County. Will you ever run for any other political office besides the one you are currently
seeking? Why or why not? Many children fantasize about growing up to be a baseball player, movie star, or President of the United States (amongst other things). I was no exception – so never say never (although I think that ship has said with respect of me playing short for the Mets). However, given the amount of work and intensity involved running for City Council, I am laser focused on doing what it takes to be successful on November 2nd – and can’t even begin to conceive of anything else. If I am lucky enough to win – my focus will be on being the best City Councilperson I can be and will never allow anything else to compromise that focus.

6. What is the best thing about Hoboken, and what is the worst thing?

The best thing about Hoboken is easy – the people. I’ve never bought into this idea that there’s an old Hoboken versus a new Hoboken, I know these labels gloss over the truth. The truth that despite our diverse origins, cultures, and languages, we ultimately share a bond unique to the Mile Square. A bond forged by a group of neighbors, living on the frontier of a metropolis, who’ve weathered storms together (both literally and figuratively), and share in each other’s celebrations. To put it simply, for our community, Hoboken is family.
The worst thing about Hoboken is also easy because of how hard it is – parking.

7. What are critical differences between you and other candidates?

My diversity of experiences is unique and positions me to be an effective and empathetic Councilperson. I’ve lived in 5 of Hoboken’s 6 wards. I’ve been a student, professional, renter, owner, driver, commuter, bachelor, husband, and parent. I’ve lived on a student’s budget with rents destroying my income. I’ve paid for a small condo what folks pay for a house in the burbs. I’ve driven endlessly looking for a parking spot.
I’ve taken the bus, light rail, PATH, and ferry all in one day. I taught my daughter to walk on sidewalks I used to party on.
As a child of Colombian immigrants, I’ve experienced being an “other.” As a kid I shared a bedroom with my parents and brother, as others were occupied by aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was on my own with math homework, SAT prep, and college applications, because I exceeded my parent’s schooling after the 8th grade.
I beat cancer at a young age (18) only to have medical bills eat into my income well into my 20s. I know what it is like to graduate with crippling student loan debt ($200,000) – and also know the feeling of exhilaration after paying them off.
I’ve experienced successes and failures and have overcome significant challenges. I know what it’s like to need help and also to provide it. My life hasn’t always progressed linearly, but it has taught me how to handle twists and turns. I’ll bring this all to the City Council.

More Information

Hoboken's municipal elections are non-partisan, meaning the elections aren't Republicans vs. Democrats, but various individuals and slates against each other.

• Council Candidate Ian Rintel's Answers To Our Questions
• Council Candidate Cindy Wiegand's Answers To Our Questions
  
• Candidate Cheryl Fallick's Answers To Our Questions
  
• Councilwoman Emily Jabbour's Answers To Our Questions
• Candidate Sheila Brennan's Answers To Questions
  
• Candidate Paul Presinzano's Answers To Questions
  
• Candidate Joe Quintero's Answers To Questions
  
• Candidate Jim Doyle's Answers To Questions

• Whom Did Hoboken Council Candidates Support For President In 2020?
• Hoboken Election: Jim Doyle Replaces Dini Ajmani On Mayor's Slate
  
• Citing 'Toxic' Hoboken Politics, Councilman Won't Run For Mayor
• I'm Running For Re-Election, Announces Mayor

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