How Paul Presinzano 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 Paul Presinzano's answers to questions Patch has sent to all 10 council candidates.

Other candidates profiles are linked at the end of this story, and there are more to come.

Readers should pay attention not just to which answers candidates give, but which parts of the question they avoid answering.

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Name: Paul Presinzano

• Campaign website, if any: www.it4hoboken.com
• Age as of election day: 49
• Party affiliation, even though Hoboken elections are non-partisan: unaffiliated
• Family information (Names, ages, or any details you wish to share) Wife, Ritu Solanki; Son, Aiden Shiv
• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Where? no
• Educational background: BA Kutztown University ’94 Economics/Finance
• Occupation, years of experience: 25 years International finance … Now consultant to Crypto firms
• Previous or current elected or appointed offices: Kutztown University Alumni Foundation Executive Committee

Questions

• Why are you seeking elected office? (Please keep these answers to 250 words or we may automatically truncate your answer) Since I moved to Hoboken 25 years ago, I have seen the community change for the better but there are still some fixable issues that remain that need a new approach and independent voices like spending tax dollars more wisely, improving our culture of road safety, and building a stronger recreation program. Many times decisions are made before the community has a chance to weigh in and I want to make sure that all vested parties are represented at the table and that we use a common sense approach to solve problems and avoid the political quagmire that plagues Hoboken. This is why I chose to run for City Council.
• What is the single most pressing issue facing Hoboken, and how do you think you can help solve it? The most pressing issue is flooding which then automatically falls into the infrastructure problems. The current and past administrations have not done enough to address everyday flooding that impacts too many Hoboken neighbors. Blaming this solely on global warming is not a solution. A solution is to find out what we can do to free up capacity in our pipes and equip residents with flood mitigation tools so we can keep water out of our homes and businesses and keep the sewage at the sewage plant.
• Do you believe national political issues are relevant to Hoboken? City elections are about quality of life issues.
• 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? I did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020.
• Do you believe it's relevant or irrelevant, and why? Not relevant at all. Our city election is non-partisan.
• 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? This is a simple common sense solution: Move our City Hall and our recreation into the 21st Century. Our lives pull us in many directions at once, and we need simplicity and a simple app where we can log on, register, see schedules, fields usage and where you have to be when you sign up for recreation programs. Increasing low cost recreation is easily achieved by having vested parties coming to the table and giving input on how the recreation program can make families lives better. A parent advisory board is paramount so problems can be addressed and presented for review leading to better outcomes for everyone.

• Some believe that running for local office is only meant as a stepping stone, particularly in Hudson County. Do you plan to someday run for any other political office besides the one you are currently seeking? My only focus is on becoming an elected member of the City Council
• What is the best thing about Hoboken My neighbors and the community
• and what is the worst thing? Sewage in the floodwaters
• What are critical differences between you and other candidates? I bring a unique perspective to the issues ranging from budget constraints to recreational programming as both a finance professional and father of a young son. I am not tied to any agenda and bring an independent voice that will advance all good policy, but have the freedom to push back where necessary to put Hoboken first. I have always listened to both sides of an argument and used common sense to solve problems and I am not afraid to stand up for what is right.

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.

See other candidates' questionnaires below:

• Candidate Ian Rintel's Answers To Our Questions
• 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 Our Questions

Election Coverage:

• 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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