The councilwoman, who expected to win the Hoboken mayoral race, or at least qualify for a runoff election, finished a distant third to fellow council members Peter Cammarano and Dawn Zimmer.

"We were completely blindsided," Mason's campaign manager, Jake Stuiver, said of the 1,000-vote loss to the two candidates who will vie for City Hall in the June 9 runoff. "We had polling as late as over the weekend that still had (Mason) as the frontrunner by a significant margin, so I can't tell you how much we were taken by surprise."

Stuiver attributed Mason's loss to two things: Not building up her base and not getting Mason's message across to voters.

"This election clearly demonstrates that those are two things we didn't do well enough," said Stuiver. "And as campaign manager that's something for which I have to take responsibility."

Fourth Ward City Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer sent out the following press release regarding this morning's fatal fire at 1203 Washington St.

Dear Neighbors,

This morning I talked with seniors, single mothers, and families in shock from the trauma and loss of their possessions to last night's fire. Hoboken's Public Safety Director, Fire Dept., Police, and Emergency Management, together with the NJ Chapter of the American Red Cross are working together to address the immediate needs of the fire victims. There's no official number at this time, but there may be an estimated 35 homeless families as a result of this fire.

"My client realizes that this was a lapse in judgment and admits that he made a mistake. He will pay the appropriate penalty for this mistake and wants to assure everyone that this will never happen again," said the statement, released by his attorney, Francis S. Cutruzzula.

Seems like the big Hoboken news this past weekend was the New York City arrest of Hoboken Fourth Ward Councilman Chris Campos for DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

While Roberts Administration foes are no doubt experiencing multiple orgasms over the arrest of the pro-Roberts councilman, the fact remains that under our justice system CAMPOS is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a Court of law. 

No matter what your political opinion is of Mr. CAMPOS, give him the same respect and rights under the law as you would want for yourself or a member of your family.   

Dear Editor:

I would be remiss if I did not submit a letter regarding the controversy that is surrounding the coming special election in the fourth ward of Hoboken. The residents of this patch of the city have been behind the "Iron Curtain" for at least the last four decades.

Lynda Walker decided it was time to stand up for the people in government housing who have been the pawns of the chess game called Hoboken Housing Authority, and she was given the opportunity by being nominated as a commissioner to the board. All of this and she decided to run for the ward seat as well. I give her credit; she is a strong black woman who would have made a great addition to the council as a woman and a minority. She was pushed off the Hoboken United trolley metaphorically by a number of aggressive wannabes shortly after they arrived in office.

Residents here have been told how to vote and whom to vote for since their parents first settled here. Clearly, there has been minimal if any civic and civil interaction between the politicos and the residents for as long as I can remember, and I have lived here for over 40 years. The landscape proves this as it has been a mess until politicians and relatives bought up all the land that would be blighted and condemned and made "new cheaply constructed housing."

The article by Tom Jennemann recalls it all happening again with the appointment of Chris Campos to the interim 4th Ward seat on the city council. If truth were told, Mr. Campos has not nor has he ever wanted to be involved in Hoboken politics. He left the city to pursue his education and only came back to visit relatives who helped raise him. Not being very interested in Hoboken, he's never even registered to vote in city, state or national elections. This is unusual in itself as Hoboken High's politically involved staff registers you as soon as you turn 18. I guess he couldn't get out fast enough.

Now, the present politicos would have you believe that he is the next great thing that will "change the 4th Ward." I bristle over this, as these same people would have started a war if former mayor Anthony Russo and his supporters had perpetrated this hoax on Hoboken in the last election. You can't have selective democracy, folks; either you work for change or you are still part of the problem.

Karen O'Shea