Yesterday, just after former Mayor Ravi Bhalla was sworn in as one of two new Assembly representatives for Hoboken and Jersey City, his resignation as mayor took effect. Shortly thereafter, recent and now former Council President Jim Doyle was sworn in as the 40th Mayor of Hoboken. He will serve until Mayor-Elect Emily Jabbour is inaugurated tomorrow.

I attended Jim’s swearing-in completely by accident. I had an early lunch with Mayor-Elect Jabbour next door at La Isla, when she explained that instead of Ravi resigning at a set time, he had tied his resignation to his swearing-in ceremony in Trenton, with Jim quite literally waiting in the wings. While we were sitting there, she got the text that it was happening. So we walked over together to City Hall to witness it.

It was quiet. Just me, Deputy Clerk Jerry Lore, Director Chris Brown, and Communications Manager Marilyn Baer. But it was intimate, symbolic, and monumental all at once. Jerry administered the oath, Emily held the Bible, and Jim took his oath.

The change in City Hall was palpable.

Not necessarily because of Mayor Doyle, though he does bring an easy warmth and genuine smile. It was the absence of Mayor Bhalla. As the saying goes, Elvis had officially left the building. From security guards to department directors to office staff, the mood on the second floor was lighter, friendlier, and filled with laughter for the first time in a long time.

I know I have often been the loudest voice opposing Mayor Bhalla over the years. But I assure you, I am far from alone, and over the years many shared with me that they felt unable to speak openly themselves.  Until now. Just a few days ago, I met with community leaders who expressed hesitation and even fear about engaging with our soon-to-be mayor. Their concerns had little to do with M-E Jabbour and everything to do with how they had been treated over the past eight years. The word PTSD came up more than once. Even Emily herself referenced PTSD during our lunch, with a hint of surprise, but only a hint.

While Councilmembers Cohen and Quintero joined Hudson County leaders in Trenton for the legislative swearing-ins, Mayor-Elect Jabbour chose to remain in Hoboken. Hoboken is her priority. She wears it well.

I posted the photos above from yesterday on social media, and the many messages I received echoed exactly what we felt inside City Hall: relief and optimism.

Over the years, there were real successes, and it is important to acknowledge them. Mayor Bhalla fought hard to secure the former Union Dry Dock for Hoboken, a critical milestone in the decades-long effort to ensure a fully public waterfront. He can also say that Hoboken had no traffic-related fatalities during his tenure. Thankfully, we did not have many in the years prior either, but even one is too many, and no other mayor in three decades can make that claim. Open and recreational space expanded to meet the needs of a growing community. And our resiliency to climate change improved through continued investment in efforts started under Mayor Zimmer and championed on the City Council by Jim Doyle, who was the city’s original leader on green infrastructure and climate resiliency. We do flood less than we used to.

But those successes came with real costs.

The combination of headline-driven governing and the mindset that you can do a lot with other people’s money led to dramatic increases in municipal spending and taxes. Higher-office ambitions resulted in lawsuits and litigation that have already cost Hoboken taxpayers millions, with more still at risk. The parks-first political strategy delivered amenities, but often without responsible budgeting to support them. The obsession with positive headlines meant safety and quality-of-life issues like rats, recreation pressures, and parking were ignored because they were messy, controversial, or difficult.

The us-versus-them governing style sidelined many in our community, not just elected officials perceived as political opponents, but residents, advocates, and city employees who wanted to do more for Hoboken. Inside City Hall, fear of retaliation became part of the atmosphere. Former HPU Director Steven Weber, one of the best and most necessary hires our city has made in years, is often cited as an example. He disagreed with the mayor and is no longer with the city. That reality still weighs heavily on many who work there.

Our small businesses felt it too. Those who understood how to play the political game, often including campaign donations, received support. Many others, simply trying to survive and succeed, were left behind. The recent CLEAR camera rollout is a perfect example. One last headline about parking violations went out the door, while the real-world impact on foot traffic and small businesses went unmeasured and unaddressed.

As Jim - aka Mayor Doyle - and I walked out of City Hall together, he got on his bike, not into an SUV with a police detail, and we both agreed that Jen is laughing, in the very best way, down from heaven right now.

For me, seeing Jim end his elected service to Hoboken by serving as mayor, even for just two days, feels exactly as it should. If you missed it, you can read my note about him here:  

After my last newsletter, a neighbor wrote to say, “Stop talking about Bhalla.” I understand the sentiment. But like many in our community, I am still processing eight years of governance that often put personal ambition and political calculation ahead of residents.

I have mentioned this before, but it feels important to say again. In 2017, Peter Cunningham, Jen Giattino, and I met with then mayoral candidate Ravi Bhalla, along with Dan Bryan, former Mayor Zimmer’s Chief of Staff, who was working for Governor Murphy at the time. During that meeting, Ravi said plainly, “You know I don’t want to be mayor. I want to be a legislator.” And then, more directly to Jen, he added, “If you support me now, I will support you for mayor in four years.”

A difficult and deeply divisive campaign set the tone for what followed. But eight years later, after serving in a position he never wanted, he now has the one he wanted all along. And for that, I genuinely wish him well and look forward to seeing him fight for Hoboken in his new role.

I cannot promise I will never write about our former mayor again. But I can promise that my focus is forward, with optimism, on what our next mayor will bring. And here, I mean Mayor-Elect Jabbour.

Her early choices have been strong. Christian Duffy as Chief of Staff is an excellent pick. I have known Christian since my first campaign in 2015, when he ran the Team Zimmer slate. During that campaign, he gave me the best advice I’ve ever received running for office: ask the person who answers the door what matters to them. I have done that ever since.

Director Jen Gonzalez as Business Administrator is another great choice. The Business Administrator runs the city, and Director Gonzalez has led many of the most important initiatives in City Hall, from overseeing large infrastructure projects to modernizing internal systems. No candidate checks every box on day one, but she checks the most important ones, and her ability to grow into the remaining areas is unmatched.  And our current interim Business Administrator Caleb Stratton, a critical resource in City Hall, isn’t going anywhere, more to come…  

I met with Emily yesterday to check in, to again offer support, and to talk specifically about Rebuild by Design. Given my long history with that project, and the potential impact on our community - and the 2nd Ward specifically - over the next two years, I expressed my interest in continuing to help lead on it, which she welcomed. Our relationship has more good than bad, and I am certain it will only continue to get even better.

One more thing. Friday’s @ 5 returns for 2026 this Friday! At Shep & The Knucklehead on Willow between 13th & 14th. My dear friend and former running mate Liz Urtecho is joining me once again as co-host. The first drink is on us.  Hope you can make it!