It would be great if this sign stayed up and if Hoboken countered by putting a sign about JC crime rates somewhere in JC. Let's air out the problems and have the municipalities compete over residents, rather than brushing all the problems under the rug.

Honest, but rude, truth on billboard

Jersey Journal
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The cell phones burned hot yesterday between Hoboken and Jersey City over a billboard on Observer Highway at Hudson Street that suggested Mile Square City residents could escape their city's massive 47 percent increase in property taxes by moving to the county seat's waterfront, specifically the Newport section.

Mayor Dave Roberts called Jaime LeFrak, a principal of the LeFrak Organization, which is the developer of the Newport section of Jersey City, to complain about the billboard, which suggested that prospective condo buyers or renters from Hoboken could receive assistance in escaping high taxes.

"It's outrageous they're trying to use this as a marketing tool, which is totally inappropriate," said the mayor.

It may be bad cricket, but it is good marketing. The billboard message, put up by Metropolitan & Waterfront Residential Brokerage, is quite factual about the situation in Hoboken.

"I'm sure that our marketing people looked at it and said, 'What a hoot,'" LeFrak said.

This newspaper, long before city residents were bludgeoned by their tax bills, warned several times in editorials that the City Council was heading for trouble by not approving a municipal budget on time. Biblically speaking, they are reaping what they sowed.

Roberts did not get very far with LeFrak, who at first brushed off the mayor. The mayor did better by calling every political connection he knew, from U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez to Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. It is not known whether there was political pressure or requests, but eventually LeFrak decided to have the billboard covered on the same day it became public.

It is a good thing, because Hoboken sources said that some city officials wanted to retaliate with a bulletin board in Newport suggesting Jersey City residents could escape crime by moving to the safe and clean streets of the Mile Square City, where development and open space go hand-in-hand.

In these hard economic times, it makes sense if the two neighboring cities come up with regional solutions to promoting the waterfront and practice some d?tente.

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"We'll help you leave" Hoboken -- Controversy swirls around billboard

Tuesday March 24, 2009, 1:39 PM

This sign, which angered Hoboken Mayor Dave Roberts, will be taken down in about a week.

A provocative advertising campaign connected to major Jersey City developer the LeFrak Organization has Hoboken mayor Dave Roberts fuming.

A billboard outside the Hoboken PATH station today reads: "Cut your Hoboken property taxes 47%. We'll help you leave."

The sign, which is a reference to Hoboken's state takeover and subsequent massive tax hike, was put up by Metropolitan & Waterfront Residential Brokerage, an independent realtor. LeFrak principle Jaime LeFrak has one-third interest in the realtor company.

Hoboken Mayor Dave Roberts asked LeFrak remove the sign, which is technically on NJ Transit property. After receiving calls from others in Hudson County, in addition to Roberts, LeFrak said he ordered the sign to be taken down today.

"It's outrageous they're trying to use this as a marketing tool, which is totally inappropriate," said Roberts. "I'm outraged about this. I'm going to try to have this ridiculous advertising campaign taken down."
Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey JournalThe billboard on Observer Highway, outside the PATH station and Hoboken bus terminal.

LeFrak said that while Metropolitan Brokerage is responsible for the billboard, "I'm sure that our marketing people looked at it and said, 'What a hoot!'"

"This was a way to inform people in Hoboken who are considering their real estate options that there's a realtor who can help them," said LeFrak. "I wouldn't say its underhanded because property taxes are property taxes -- that's not an opinion. There's not anything scandalous about that."

"But if the mayor was unhappy about it and he was able to prevail to various people to change it, I'm happy to be a nice guy," added LeFrak.

LeFrak is bowing to several unnamed people in Hudson County, asking him to play nice and remove the sign.

"I received friendly requests from other people who kindly asked us to think of a different advertising campaign and we obliged," said LeFrak. "We don't legally have to take it down, but we're nice guys and if someone asks you in nice way to do something as a friend we'll do it."

Roberts called Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and the Hudson County executive Tom DeGise's office to try and get them to remove the sign, as well.

Roberts said he and LeFrak got into an argument over the sign today.

"This is totally inappropriate and we are demanding the sign be taken down," said Roberts. "I would not tolerate it if a Hoboken developer started printing the murder rate in Jersey City -- that kind of advertising would be despicable. But according to LeFrak, that would be fair game."

LeFrak said the sign would come down in seven to ten days, about the time it takes for the billboard company to remove it.

Is that soon enough for Dave Roberts?

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'Outraged' Hoboken mayor brings down billboard

Hudson Reporter

An "outraged" Mayor David Roberts was making phone calls to area officials today in ardent opposition to a billboard at the Hoboken PATH station from a Jersey City real estate company encouraging people to leave Hoboken because of Hoboken's high property tax hike this year.

The sign at Observer Highway and Hudson Street reads: "Cut Your Hoboken Property Taxes 47% ... We'll Help You Leave." It has the website for the Jersey City brokerage firm Metropolitan and Waterfront at the bottom.

Roberts said he called Jersey Citry Mayor Jerramiah Healy, County Executive Tom DeGise, and the office of Sen. Robert Menedez, among other people.

Roberts also said he had a "heated argument" with a real estate mogul from the LeFrak Development group, which has an interest in the firm. LeFrak is the company that developed the Newport section of Jersey City, right across the canal from the Hoboken PATH station.

"I told him how despicable it is, and I told him how despicable it would be would be if a Hoboken developer printed the Jersey City crime rates right in front of his building," Roberts said.

Roberts said that an hour after that conversation, DeGise called to tell him that the ad will be coming down.