Can Hoboken’s youngest politician overcome a storm of controversy and retain his Council seat on May 8?
They’ve talked about him on CBS-2, ABC-7, and NY-1 News. He’s been discussed on the pages of the Jersey Journal, Realhoboken, and The Hudson Reporter. Normally a local councilman would welcome this kind of relatively-high exposure, but in the case of Councilman Chris Campos (4th Ward-Hoboken), the light being cast has not been sunny one, particularly with election day less than two months away.
In an interview conducted March 8, Joe Concha posed the following questions on issues such as flooding, development and issues surrounding Campos’s personal life:
Concha:
Do you see your January 20th arrest in Manhattan being turned into a major campaign issue in your bid for re-election? If so, do you think it will be an issue raised more by your opponents or the media?
Campos
: “I believe the residents of the Fourth Ward are more concerned with who presents the better vision for our community, than my personal issue. The residents know who I am, and how hard I have worked on behalf of our beautiful neighborhood.”
Concha:
Now over two months later, what do you most regret about what happened that evening?
Campos:
“My faith in God teaches me that everything happens for a reason. This is and has been a life-affirming event that will help me for the rest of my life. Although, I wish I would have accepted an invitation to attend the Seton Hall-Georgetown basketball game at the Meadowlands Arena.”
Concha:
Why do you think the NYPD called the Hoboken Police Department while you were being held that night?
Campos:
“I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speculate as to the reason for another’s action, however, I believe the tape speaks for itself.”
Editor’s Note: As of March 8, The NYC Highway Patrol officer who made the “courtesy call” to the Hoboken PD has been reassigned from street duty to desk duty and he was stripped of his badge and gun until the outcome of an internal affairs investigation is completed, New York City officials said on Thursday.
Concha:
Flooding is a growing problem in Hoboken, particularly in the 4th Ward. What can be done to prevent some streets and basement apartments from becoming small ponds seemingly every time it rains heavily? 
Campos:
“Unfortunately the 4th Ward is below sea level which adds to the problem of flooding. I recommend a large capital investment in the infrastructure and definitely more interagency/intergovernmental cooperation between NJ Transit, North Hudson Sewage Authority, City of Hoboken and the County of Hudson.”
Concha:
One of your opponents, Dawn Zimmer, has stated on her web site that, “Chris Campos says that the flooding has gone on for a long time in the Southwest, so there’s no need to address it before we commit to building 1,500 new units. Does the fact that Chris grew up with flooding make it O.K.?” How do you respond?
Campos:
“Once again, Ms. Zimmer misrepresents my opinion. To achieve a genuine solution to this problem we need substantial funding, and should seek funding from the Federal, State and County governments. Also, I believe developers seeking to exercise their rights as property owners should be made to contribute towards the funding needed to solve this problem and not be given a free ride as was done by past administrations.
When you really analyze the area under the proposed SW Plan today, what do we have? Numerous parking lots and underutilized buildings that provide no protection against flooding. The new development proposed in the plan will in-fact reduce the impact of storm water we experience today.
Let me get specific:
(1) Surface parking lots and older buildings allow for NO water to penetrate the soil.
(2) New building standards capture water on the roof and store it in tanks beneath the building prior to being discharged into the system. It holds water back and allows it to be released slowly, thus reducing backups.
(3) The Plan proposes green roofs and open space that will help reduce the amount of water that ends up in the system. Again, reducing backups.
4) New development will also be required to provide additional upgrades that currently are not in place.
I recognize that this solution cannot be achieved overnight so some short term plans are:
(A) Unclog our sewers more frequently
(B) With the use of modern technology we know when a storm is approaching so we must make sure the Hudson County Sewage Authority is ready with its equipment before the storm hits.”
Concha:
What are the benefits of the SW Development plan you advocate?
Campos:
“Creating a comprehensive plan that is inclusive of all of our residents, so as to turn an aesthetically challenged gateway of our community into a vibrant and beautiful destination place. The proposed plan calls for investments in park space, infrastructure, affordable housing, and traffic alternatives which is unprecedented. Without the plan, development will occur. With the plan we will have development which will include substantial public benefits.”
Concha:
According to the Southwest Parks Coalition website, “…the current redevelopment plan gives no specific requirements for park space. Should it? Or do you feel there is enough park space in the 4th Ward and the town in general?
Campos:
“Park space is the centerpiece of the plan and contains strict criteria for how it should be designed. We are looking to create a minimum of a four-acre park in the Southwest section of town. It will be one of the largest parks in the City of Hoboken . I believe that we need more active recreational opportunities for our residents—not just lawn space.”
Concha:
What is the biggest issue facing the 4th Ward today?
Campos:
“Because of our social/economic and cultural diversity, we must find the way to build a more inclusive neighborhood and remove the “us” vs. “them” mentality. In so doing, we will then be able to harness the creativity of our residents to solve the problems of traffic, flooding, lack of open space and affordable housing.”
Concha:
And what is the biggest issue facing Hoboken today?
Campos:
“Establishing a more balanced public/private/academic partnership is the biggest challenged facing Hoboken today. Government alone cannot solve all of our challenges. However, with a cohesive relationship between the appropriate stake holders we will be able to improve the quality of life for all of our residents.”
Concha:
What is your proudest achievement during your years thus far in city government?
Campos:
“Establishing a public-private partnership at the Jubilee Center which transformed an 
unsafe backyard where children played…into a modern basketball court with a state of the art surface— at no cost to the taxpayers.”
Concha:
Some have called for you to resign if you are found guilty of DWI/DUI. If a guilty verdict is handed down, would you consider doing so?
Campos:
“The residents of the 4th ward are very sophisticated and will have the opportunity to be heard on May 8th. I believe that my neighbors will recognize that the sum total of a person indicates who they are, not one incident.”