Hoboken Mom 'Terrified' By Arrest Warrant For Putting Out Trash Early
HOBOKEN, NJ — The city of Hoboken stepped up its enforcement of trash rules last year in response to a rodent problem — but now a local mom said things have gone too far.
The mom and yoga teacher, who asked that her name not be used, issued a plea to neighbors for help on Friday after she got an arrest warrant in the mail, with potential fines.
The mom said that recently, she put boxes from furniture outside her Hoboken home two hours early because they were too big to fit inside.
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She got a court date in the mail, but couldn’t attend, and thought she’d have to pay a fine.
Instead, she got an arrest warrant in the mail.
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“I am terrified,” said the woman, who noted that she’s lived in Hoboken for 15 years and never been in trouble. “I spoke to my friend who was a police officer today. I was out in Morristown at a doctors’ appointment and he goes, ‘Don’t get pulled over on your way home because they could put you in jail.’ ”
She said, “I understand the need to control garbage in a small city. I don’t want my streets cluttered with garbage all the time. But this was a one time thing because I couldn’t fit the boxes in my house. A warning message would have been effective. I would have never done it again.”
She said that on Friday, she heard from both Councilman Paul Presinzano and Councilman Michael Russo, offering help to try to resolve the situation.
“I am hoping they change the laws and give first time offenders a warning before issuing a court date,” she said. “The warrant is for $2,500, the bail is $250. So I could potentially be paying over $500 for putting my cardboard boxes out two hours early one time.”
The mom said she is waiting to find out what she should do next.
Councilman Presinzano said Friday that recently, the council updated the rules for people violating trash ordinances, so that they aren’t first hit with a court date. He said that now, they’ll get a warning before they’re compelled to go to court. But he said that the second offense will be a mandatory court appearance and fine.
He noted that people who don’t respond when they get a notice to appear in court could end up facing larger penalties. He has reached to the mom to help her navigate the process.
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