Former Mayor Zimmer Blasts Fulop And Bhalla On Flood Protection

HOBOKEN, NJ — While former Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer supported current Mayor Bhalla as her successor in 2017, she didn't hold back this week in urging him to help move a federal flood protection plan forward in the mile-square city.

Friday morning, Zimmer — who had steered Hoboken through Hurricane Sandy in 2012 — said that Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is holding up approvals for easements that will aid Hoboken in implementing the federally funded Rebuild By Design program against storm surges. Zimmer Tweeted:

The Tweet came the same week that New York Times architecture critic wrote about Hoboken, saying that the progress of Rebuild By Design and related measures were the reason the city flooded only one day during heavy rains on Sept. 28. (That day, Hoboken flooded at 9:01 a.m. high tide; photos here. See a story on the city's flood recovery the week before: How'd Hoboken Do During 3-Day Tropical Rainstorm?)

The Times story largely credited Zimmer with helping Hoboken bring the federal program to the city, and for much of its progress.

After Zimmer's comment on Fulop and Bhalla this past Friday, Fulop's spokesperson, Kim Wallace-Scalcione responded:

"We appreciate Dawn Zimmer for weighing in from the Catskills, but the truth is, while Hoboken reaps the benefits from their perimeter wall, the Rebuild by Design plan not only increases flood risks for Jersey City but it also derails the long-established light rail commitment to serve an adjacent Housing Authority property — a priority for the low-income community that is being rebuilt there."

She added, "It is only fair to ask for the cost increases be covered that are directly caused by the easement, not the entire project, especially considering the mass transit expansion will service the entire area and redevelopment plans."

Zimmer has been largely inactive in Hoboken issues and politics since she announced in 2017 that she would not seek a third term, making a surprise endorsement of Bhalla.

Bhalla's spokesperson also responded: "Over the past several years, Rebuild by Design has moved from concept to reality, with the recent groundbreaking of a new and improved Harborside Park taking us one step further towards completion. This has only been made possible thanks to the robust partnerships on all levels of government, especially through the Governor’s office and the Department of Environmental Protection. A project of this magnitude has its share of challenges, however, each step along the way we have found a way forward to ensure Rebuild by Design comprehensively protects Hoboken for generations to come."

Bhalla's spokesperson added, "I appreciate the collaboration behind the scenes with Mayor Fulop and Jersey City to ensure Jersey City also receives benefits of flood risk reduction while avoiding impacts to their mass transit needs. There is no doubt at all that Rebuild by Design will be completed in the years to come and serve as a model for resilient coastal cities."

Read more about Rebuild by Design here and about other Hoboken anti-flooding measures here.