Running in the Fifth Ward

Peter Cunningham is running for a second term as city councilman, "because the job is not done," he said during a recent interview at his Garden Street home.

Standing in his kitchen, preparing food for his Burmese Mountain Dogs Hayden and Phoebe, he discussed issues such as the budget surplus, corruption and public safety.

Although there has been much discussion on the budget surplus, to Cunningham the number is clear. The total reserve, he said, is $25 million. Of that money, $14 million is left in cash, of which $9 million has already been allocated. The rest, he added, should remain in the city's coffers, to fund unexpected events and emergencies. Part of the surplus, Cunningham explained, still has to be used to pay the city's debt, from when it had an underfunded budget.

“It’s ridiculous,” Cunningham said about the discussion about the budget surplus, “it’s so clear.”

In 2008—during the administration of former mayor David Roberts—Cunningham voted against Roberts' budget, because it was underfunded. The budget didn't pass, which caused the state to come in and take over the city's finances.

“It wasn’t anybody’s finest moment,” Cunningham recalled. 

Although things headed in the right direction, he said, “the city’s finances are still a concern today.” One good year is not enough, Cunningham said. “You have to have several good years."

Cunningham, who is endorsed by Mayor Dawn Zimmer and has served on the city council for four years, said another point on his list of priorities is the city’s public safety.

About last Fall’s proposed police —which the mayor announced but —Cunningham said, they were designed to restructure the, what he called, top-heavy police department.

“We got to have our guys in the street,” Cunnigham said. “We have not have the civilianization we need.” Cunningham added that Police Chief Anthony Falco’s redeployment plan still needs to be fully implemented. In the Fifth Ward, Cunningham said, “we don’t need two (officers) driving around.” He said also that too many police officers are still sitting behind desks.

During a recent council meeting, Cunningham voted in favor of , for a lower rate than regular cops. ().

Cunningham, 47, who switched from being a Republican to being a Democrat in 2009 and voted for President Barack Obama, described himself as a “moderate Democrat.”

“Finances always continue to be a priority,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham said he would like to see an audit of the city’s finance department ("where all the money is coming and going"), done by a forensic accountant to fully evaluate the city's operations. 

Cunningham works for a global financial services company in North Jersey and has lived in Hoboken for roughly 20 years. Four years ago, Cunnigham also ran against his current opponents and . This time around, City Historian is also part of the race.

As far as some of the difference in opinions in town, and between him and other candidtes. are concerned, Cunningham said he’s baffled by some issues.

“How could you have a disagreement on finances and infrastructure?” Cunnigham said. “How could you be against bycicles?”

Lastly—as dogs Phoebe and Hayden wobbled back to the back yard after slobbering up their dinner—Cunningham touched upon the issue of corruption, which he said he sees invariably linked to development in town.

“Development is critical. It’s tied to corruption,” Cunningham said. “The culture of corruption in this town has stifled our opportunities to be world class.”

During the last council meeting, Cunningham voted for an ordinance, introduced by the mayor, that would tighten wheeling restrictions, meaning that it would prevent moving money from one donor to another to avoid campaign finance restrictions. (The ordinance didn't pass.)

With less than a month left until city-wide ward elections, Cunningham said the new law came too late and should have been introduced a year ago.

So why wasn’t it done, then?

“I don’t know,” Cunnigham said. “The water front was falling into the river. There were so many things we had to address.”