Dawn Zimmer

Dawn Zimmer
38th Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey
Assumed office
July 31, 2009
(Acting July 31, 2009 - November 6, 2009)
Preceded by Peter Cammarano
Personal details
Born (1968-04-16) April 16, 1968
Towson, Maryland, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Stan Grossbard (2 children)
Alma mater University of New Hampshire
Religion Judaism (originally Unitarian (Christian))

Dawn Zimmer (born April 16,[1] 1968) is the 38th mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey. As president of the Hoboken City Council, she became acting mayor after incumbent Peter Cammarano's resignation on July 31, 2009 following his arrest on corruption charges. Zimmer is the first female mayor of Hoboken. She was first elected mayor in a special election for the balance of Cammarano's term on November 6, 2009[2] and was re-elected mayor for another 4-year term in November 2013. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, she was ranked #3, #4 and #5, respectively, on The Hudson Reporter's list of the 50 most influential people in Hudson County.

Early life

Dawn Zimmer was born in Towson, Maryland, and raised in Laconia, New Hampshire.[3] She is of German and Irish descent.[4] She attended public schools and graduated cum laude in 1990 from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in history.[5]

Early career

Zimmer taught English at a private language school in Japan from 1990 to 1993.[5] She worked at Sumitomo Corporation of America doing internal and external communications for four years and in public relations specializing in crisis communications at Edelman Worldwide for three years. She has also worked as a family portrait photographer and as marketing director for her husband's jewelry business.[6] She and her family moved to Hoboken from New York City in September 2002.[5]

Political career

Early civic work

Zimmer at the swearing-in ceremony of Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack, May 18, 2010.

Zimmer became involved in civic life in Hoboken in 2006 when she joined the Southwest Parks Coalition Steering Committee to advocate for more park space in southwest Hoboken's 4th Ward. She also served as a board member of the Kaplan Cooperative Preschool and as secretary of the Parent Teacher Student Organization for the Elysian Charter School.[6] In 2007, she ran for Hoboken City Council in the 4th Ward against incumbent Christopher Campos. In the first election in May, neither candidate reached 50 percent, necessitating a runoff election. Zimmer outpolled Campos in the June runoff by eight votes, but Campos challenged the results, charging that absentee ballots were improperly handled. Zimmer in turn charged that Campos had received votes from non-residents. A second runoff was called in November, with Zimmer defeating Campos by a margin of 1,070 votes to 956.[7][8]

In October 2007, Zimmer, as Hoboken's 4th Ward Councilwoman, supported a voter referendum to create an Open Space Trust Fund.[9] Originally this fund could have been used to pay maintenance on existing parks but Councilwoman Zimmer and other Councilpeople voted to ensure that it would only be used for the acquisition of new space and the maintenance of new space.[10]

Hoboken Mayor

Zimmer ran for Mayor of Hoboken in 2009. She lost to Peter Cammarano in the June runoff by 161 votes.[11] On July 1, when Cammarano was sworn in as mayor, the City Council unanimously elected Zimmer as Council President.[12]

On July 23, 2009, Cammarano was arrested by the FBI as part of a major corruption and international money laundering conspiracy probe known as Operation Bid Rig. Cammarano was charged with accepting $25,000 in cash bribes from an undercover cooperating witness.[13] The same witness approached Zimmer's campaign staff and was unsuccessful in setting up a meeting.[14] She joined other local officials in calling for Cammarano's resignation.[11]

On July 31, 2009, Cammarano resigned from office, and Zimmer was immediately sworn in as acting mayor.[11] On November 3, 2009, she won a special election to fill the rest of Cammarano's mayoral term. In the special election, Zimmer faced six opponents: City Councilwoman Beth Mason, businessman Frank Raia, former Hoboken Municipal Court judge Kimberly Glatt, Hoboken Republican Club co-founder Nathan Brinkman, management consultant Everton A. Wilson, and former corrections officer Patricia Waiters. She finished with 43% of the vote, with Mason in second place with 23% and Raia in third place with 18%. As it was a special election, no runoff was required.[15] Zimmer was sworn in as mayor on November 6, 2009, giving up her City Council seat.[16] In 2008, Hoboken City had come under State Supervision due to an 11.7 million dollar budget deficit.[17][18] By the end of her first term, Hoboken had a balanced budget, had cut taxes by 12%, and the city's bond rating had gone from BBB- to AA+, the second highest S&P rating.[19] Zimmer was re-elected as mayor along with her entire ticket in November 2013.[20][21][22]

Mayor Zimmer played a significant role in privatizing Hoboken University Hospital (formerly St. Mary Hospital), and keeping it from closing in 2011. The hospital—New Jersey's oldest—faced closure due to severe financial problems. The City of Hoboken had guaranteed $52 million of the hospital's debt, so its failure would have had been financially devastating for the city.[23][24]

Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

In 2012 Zimmer was widely acclaimed for leadership during the aftermath Hurricane Sandy. On September 9, 2013, she was recognized as "Hero of the Harbor" by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance for her work "to make her city a national model for preparedness, meeting with FEMA and state officials, urban planners, scientists and many others to create an 'integrated solution.'"[25] For her leadership during Hurricane Sandy Mayor Zimmer was appointed to the President's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force.[26][27]

In November 2013, President Obama named Zimmer to the Presidential Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.[28]

In December 2013, Mayor Zimmer testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on Thursday, December. She discussed the impact Hurricane Sandy has had on Hoboken and the challenges still faced with the recovery process. She met with Members of Congress to highlight the unmet needs of businesses and residents.[29][30]

She was invited to Geneva, Switzerland to present at UN Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Conference.[31][32][33]

Same-sex marriage

Zimmer has been a strong proponent of same-sex marriage and publicly urged Governor Christie to change his position in opposition.[34] On October 27, 2013 Zimmer performed the first same-sex marriage in Hoboken.[35]

Relationship with Governor Christie

In May 2010 Zimmer invited Governor Christie to speak in Hoboken in his first of a series of town hall meetings throughout the state supporting the 2% tax levy cap. She supported the property tax cap as the part of a package of legislation that includes changes to the arbitration process, shared services and the disciplinary process. "There is nothing partisan about being smart and responsible with money entrusted [to us] by our citizens", Zimmer said.[36] That September Christie was invited back to the city to speak at Elysian Charter School about his education reform agenda and the role of charter schools. Zimmer, whose two children attend Elysian Charter School, echoed concerns on the feasibility of funding charter schools, in light of the lack of state aid for facility-related expenses.[37]

On August 20, 2013 The Star-Ledger reporter Jenna Portnoy posted on Twitter that Zimmer had stated she would not endorse either major candidate in that November's race pitting Republican Christie against Democratic State Senator Barbara Buono.[38][39]

Allegations against Christie administration officials

On January 18, 2014, Zimmer appeared on Up with Steve Kornacki,[40] and said that Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Rich Constable had pressured her to support a Rockefeller Group development project in Hoboken in exchange for the city receiving additional federal Sandy relief aid.[41] On January 20 she went on a CNN program and stated that a month earlier, Marc Ferzan, Director of the Governor's Office of Recovery and Rebuilding had also pressured her to support more development in exchange for federal Sandy recovery funds.[42] Following her television appearances, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey met with Zimmer.[43] They also interviewed two of her aides and five other potential witnesses. Zimmer stated: “As their investigation proceeds, they have asked me to refrain from giving any additional interviews and I am respecting their request.”[44][45][46][47][48][49] The Christie administration officials categorically denied the allegations,[50][51][52] a spokesman saying "It is very clear partisan politics are at play here as Democratic mayors with a political axe to grind come out of the woodwork and try to get their faces on television." [53][54][55][56] Zimmer said she had not come forward until after the so-called Bridgegate scandal (which had broke 10 days earlier) because she thought her claims would be not taken seriously.[57] On January 31, the city acknowledged that it had received subpoenas from the US Attorney.[58][59] In April 2014 the Hoboken City Council adopted a resolution which allowed the attorney handling the matter to waive attorney–client privilege, enabling him to speak to the US Attorney.[60]

An internal investigative was commissioned by the Christie administration and conducted by Randy Mastro of law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. Zimmer declined to participate. A report released in March 2014 said that Mayor Zimmer's allegations were, "in material respects, demonstrably false."[61][62] and "whether intentional or not, it appears that Mayor Zimmer's subjective perception of events she has described do not reflect objective reality."[63] Zimmer dismissed the report as "sadly predictable" and said she was still willing to repeat her allegations under oath, stating, "Randy Mastro could have written his report the day he was hired and saved the taxpayers the million dollars in fees."[64][65] In editorials, the The Star-Ledger and The New York Times labeled the report a "whitewash".[66][67] as did 56% of New Jersey voters in an April 2014 survey by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.[68] After a 16-month investigation the US Attorney for NJ concluded that Zimmer's claims were unfounded.[69] In letters dated May 1, 2015 to Guadagno, Constable and Ferzan the US Attorney wrote: "Based on the evidence developed during the investigation and our review of applicable law, we have concluded that no further action is warranted in this matter. Accordingly, the investigation of these allegations have been closed."[70]

Influence

In 2012 the Hudson Reporter named Zimmer as #3 in its list of Hudson County's 50 most influential people entities, behind North Bergen mayor Nicholas Sacco and Union City mayor Brian P. Stack.[71] She was ranked #4 in 2013,[72] and #5 in 2014.[73] In 2015, various news articles pointed to documents showing a partnership with her spouse as an influential figure in her administration and Hoboken City government affairs. This prompted several residents to voice concerns at a subsequent City Council meeting, who were forcefully ejected by Hoboken Council president Bhalla.

Personal life

Zimmer is married to Stan Grossbard, who is President of the RCDC Corporation, a diamond manufacturing and wholesaling company that markets the Original Radiant Cut Diamond, which was invented in 1977 by his father, Henry Grossbard.[74] Zimmer converted from Unitarianism to Judaism.[4][75] Stan Grossbard and Dawn Zimmer have two children together.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Happy Birthday Hoboken Mayor Zimmer; Celebration in the Park". TheBoken.com. 2011-04-15.
  2. ↑ Baldwin, Carly (2009-08-04). "Zimmer's busy day: TV, policy chats, and a race". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
  3. ↑ Kleinfield, N. R. (2014-01-22). "In New Jersey, Claims Elevate Mayor's Profile". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
  4. 1 2 "The Dawn you don't know". Hudson Reporter. 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  5. 1 2 3 "Meet your 3rd and 4th Ward candidates". Hudson Reporter. 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  6. 1 2 3 "About Dawn". Dawn for Council. 2007-02-06. Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  7. ↑ "The final, final, official numbers". Hoboken Now. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  8. ↑ "First-Time Campaign Manager Runs Winning Campaign in a Vipers' Nest". Hoboken 411. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  9. ↑ "Open space, now and in the future". The Hoboken Reporter. 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  10. ↑ Mullins, Michael D. (2007-09-04). "Open space' tax will now go completely to new parks LaBruno, Ramos team up with Mason, Zimmer, Cunningham to pass resolution". Hoboken Reporter. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  11. 1 2 3 "Acting Hoboken mayor sworn in after Cammarano's resignation". The Star-Ledger. 2009-07-31. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  12. ↑ "Dawn Zimmer elected as Hoboken's Council president". Hoboken Now. 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  13. ↑ "F.B.I. Arrests Dozens in N.J. Corruption Sweep". The New York Times. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  14. ↑ "Beth Mason and Dawn Zimmer say they were also approached by a developer asking for special treatment in Hoboken". The Jersey Journal. 2009-07-24. Retrieved 2009-09-07. Councilwomen Dawn Zimmer and Beth Mason both said today they were each approached by a consultant they now think was trying to facilitate a meeting with Dwek, the FBI informant posing as a wealthy developer who promised campaign cash in return for favored treatment.
  15. ↑ "Hoboken election roundup: Zimmer wins by wide margin, Mason gets second, Raia a close third". The Jersey Journal. 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  16. ↑ "Dawn Zimmer sworn in as mayor of Hoboken". Hoboken Now. 2009-11-06. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
  17. ↑ "Hoboken's budget: The real numbers". NJ.com. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
  18. ↑ Schweber, Nate (2008-09-10). "Despite Successes, State Takes Reins in Hoboken". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  19. ↑ "Credit rating upgrade to save Hoboken estimated $1 million". NJ.com. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  20. ↑ "Hoboken Election Results – Mayor Dawn Zimmer and City Council Sweep – Kids First Sweeps BOE". TheBoken.com. November 6, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Dawn Zimmer re-elected mayor of Hoboken defeating Ruben Ramos, Tim Occhipinti". News 12 New Jersey. November 5, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Mayor Dawn Zimmer cruises to re-election in Hoboken despite a tough campaign". Hudson County TV. November 6, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Deal Reached To Keep Hoboken University Medical Center Open". CBS 2 New York. October 6, 2011.
  24. ↑ Hortillosa, Summer Dawn (October 8, 2011). "Federal judge approves $10.2 million settlement between Hoboken University Medical Center and its creditors". NJ.com; accessed January 24, 2014.
  25. ↑ "HAIL THE HEROES OF THE HARBOR". waterfrontalliance.org. 2013-09-09. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  26. ↑ "Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy Report" (PDF). Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force. 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  27. ↑ "About the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force". U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
  28. ↑ Hack, Charles (2013-11-04). "Zimmer named to Obama's national task force on climate change". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  29. ↑ "Mayor Zimmer Testifies at US Senate Committee About Sandy's Impact on Hoboken". Hoboken, NJ. 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  30. ↑ "Mayor Zimmer testifies before Senate on Sandy's impact on Hoboken". Vimeo. 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  31. ↑ "Building Resilience into Urban Planning and Investments". YouTube. 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  32. ↑ Hack, Charles (2013-05-16). "Hoboken Mayor Zimmer heading to UN meeting in Geneva on disaster risk reduction". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  33. ↑ "Life After Sandy: Interview with Hoboken, NJ Mayor Dawn Zimmer". United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  34. ↑ "Hoboken Mayor Zimmer urges Gov. Christie to change his mind and support Marriage Equality Act". Hudson Reporter. 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
  35. ↑ DeChiaro, Dean (2013-10-27). "Same-sex marriage comes to Hoboken". Hudson Reporter. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  36. ↑ "N.J. Gov. Christie pushes for property-tax cap at Hoboken town hall meeting". NJ.com. 2010-05-17. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  37. ↑ "Gov. Christie and Harlem school reformer talk charter schools in Hoboken". NJ.com. 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  38. ↑ McDonald, Terrence T. (2013-08-20). "Zimmer: 'don't expect' endorsement in Christie/Buono race". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  39. ↑ DeChiaro, Dean (2013-08-22). "Zimmer won't endorse in gubernatorial race, says tweet". Hudson Reporter. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  40. ↑ Kornacki, Steve (January 19, 2014). "Governor Chris Christie responds". Up. MSNBC.
  41. ↑ Friedman, Matt (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken mayor claims Christie administration held city's Sandy recovery funds 'hostage' to help developer". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
  42. ↑ Isherwood, Daryl (January 20, 2014). "Zimmer adds Sandy recovery czar to list of people she says pressured her on development project". The Star-Ledger.
  43. ↑ Baxter, Christopher (January 21, 2014). "Experts: Enough evidence to pursue Hoboken mayor's claims against Christie administration". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  44. ↑ Terkel, Amanda (January 23, 2014). "FBI Questioning Witnesses Over Claims Chris Christie Threatened To Withhold Sandy Relief: Report". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  45. ↑ Conte, Michaelangelo (January 22, 2014). "Zimmer declines to speak with Hoboken City Council about Sandy funding allegations". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  46. ↑ "FBI interviews Hoboken officials about Sandy aid allegations, report says". The Asbury Park Press. January 24, 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  47. ↑ Thorbourne, Ken (February 11, 2014). "Eye of the storm: Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer -- an 'accidental politician' -- has survived wave after wave of controversy". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  48. ↑ Gonzalez, Sarah (January 23, 2014). "FBI Investigates Allegations Against Christie Aides, Report Says". WNYC. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
  49. ↑ Benen, Steve (January 23, 2014). "Christie admin scandal draws FBI scrutiny". MSNBC. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
  50. ↑ Giambusso, David (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer's Sandy allegations 'categorically false', DCA official says". NJ.com.
  51. ↑ Giambusso, David (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer stands by her allegations against Christie". NJ.com.
  52. ↑ Stirling, Stephen (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer now becomes Chris Christie's foe". NJ.com.
  53. ↑ Chris Christie's Office Goes Off On MSNBC: 'A Partisan Network That Has Been Openly Hostile'. Huffingtonpost.com.
  54. ↑ Hoboken, N.J., mayor claims Chris Christie camp held Sandy money hostage. U.S.News.
  55. ↑ Guadagno, Ferzan dispute Hoboken Mayor's allegation about Sandy funds. NJ Spotlight.
  56. ↑ Magyar, Mark J. (February 5, 2014). "ANALYSIS: U.S. ATTORNEY'S TRAIL SHOWS HOBOKEN CHARGES MORE SERIOUS". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved 2014-10-29.
  57. ↑ "Dawn Zimmer, Hoboken mayor, says Sandy aid ultimatum came from Chris Christie". Newsday. January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  58. ↑ Hayes, Melissa (January 31, 2014). "Christie scandal: Hoboken documents subpoenaed by U.S. attorney". The Record. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  59. ↑ Freidman, Matt (January 31, 2014). "U.S. Attorney subpoenas Hoboken in Hurricane Sandy funding investigation". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  60. ↑ Brenzel, Kathryn (April 3, 2014). "Hoboken council says attorney can testify about Zimmer's Sandy aid allegations". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  61. ↑ Gibson,Sunn & Crutcher (March 26, 2014). "REPORT OF GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP CONCERNING ITS INVESTIGATION ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY INTO ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE LANE REALIGNMENT AND SUPERSTORM SANDY AID TO THE CITY OF HOBOKEN" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  62. ↑ "Christie lawyers: Mayor's Sandy claims 'false'". The Trentonian. March 27, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
  63. ↑ Magyar, Mark J. (April 16, 2014). "CHRISTIE'S MASTRO MISTAKE: REPORT BACKFIRES POLITICALLY, LEGALLY". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  64. ↑ Hutchins, Ryan (March 27, 2014). "Christie scandal: Hoboken mayor's claims 'demonstrably false,' internal report says". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-09-30.
  65. ↑ DeChiaro, Dean (March 30, 2014). "Christie report picks apart Zimmer allegations". The Hudson Reporter. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  66. ↑ Editorial (March 27, 2014). "A Whitewash for Gov. Christie". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  67. ↑ Editorial (March 27, 2014). "On Bridgegate, a million-dollar whitewash: Editorial". The STar-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  68. ↑ "New Jersey Bridgegate Probes: Whitewash V. Witch Hunt, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Gov. Christie's Approval Is Down, Bully-Meter Is Up" (Press release). Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. April 9, 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-06.
  69. ↑ . CNN Politics.
  70. ↑ . NJ.com.
  71. ↑ Adriana Rambay Fernández; Stephen LaMarca; Gennarose Pope; Ray Smith; Al Sullivan; E. Assata Wright (2012-01-11). "They've Got the Power". Hudson Reporter. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  72. ↑ Cruz, Vanessa; DeChiaro, Dean; Rambay Fernandez, Adriana; Palasciano, Amanda; Sullivan, Al; Wright, E. Assata (January 13, 2013). "Power Surge". The Union City Reporter. pp. 1, 5-7, 10.
  73. ↑ DeChiaro, Dean; Sullivan, Al (February 2, 2014). "The 'Power List'". The Union City Reporter. p. 6.
  74. ↑ "About Us". RCDC Corporation. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  75. ↑ "Odds are next Hoboken mayor will be Jewish". The Jewish State. 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2009-07-31.

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