WILL OLDHAM COUNTY BE THE NEXT HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

I recently read stories in the newspaper about political corruption in Hoboken, New Jersey and the surrounding area. The story that most piqued my interest was the one regarding Mayor Peter Cammarano of Hoboken. Cammarano is alleged to have accepted bribes from an undercover federal agent who was posing as a real estate developer. Allegedly, Cammarano needed cash to support his campaign for Mayor in a runoff election.

When I review the list of donors in the last race for County Judge-Executive and some of Magisterial districts, I cannot help but wonder if some of them were buying influence. Moreover, many of them were also tied directly to the development and real estate industries. Still further, it appears that the development industry has been given more than due consideration by the current Murner administration. One only needs to review many of Murner’s pro-development appointees to boards and commissions which have carried out his mission of repaying developers for their support.

As we enter another round of elections for county offices I cannot help but wonder if the developers will once again pour an extraordinary amount of money into the campaigns of those they believe will be obedient to them. I have already heard that people associated with development do intend to raise large amounts of cash for certain candidates, particularly Paula Gish. Let us hope that Oldham County does not continue down the path blazed by Judge-Executive Murner of becoming another Hoboken, New Jersey.