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|alma_mater = [[University of California, Berkeley]] {{small|([[bachelor of science|B.S.]])}}<br/> [[London School of Economics]] {{small|([[masters degree|M.P.P.]])}} <br/> [[Tulane University Law School]] {{small|([[juris doctorate|J.D.]])}}
|alma_mater = [[University of California, Berkeley]] {{small|([[bachelor of science|B.S.]])}}<br/> [[London School of Economics]] {{small|([[masters degree|M.P.P.]])}} <br/> [[Tulane University Law School]] {{small|([[juris doctorate|J.D.]])}}
}}
}}
'''Ravinder Singh Bhalla''', often simply called '''Ravi Bhalla''', is an [[Indian-American]] civil rights lawyer and politician who has served in the [[city council]] of [[Hoboken, New Jersey]] since 2009. On November 7, 2017, he was elected New Jersey's first [[Sikh]] mayor, as well as the first elected mayor in the United States who is a Sikh and wears a turban.<ref name= firstsikhmayor>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/ravinder-bhalla-becomes-first-sikh-mayor-of-hoboken-city-in-us/articleshow/61557168.cms | title=Ravinder Bhalla becomes first Sikh mayor of Hoboken city in US | work=[[Times of India]] | date=8 November 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= profiles>{{cite web | url=http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/27496385/article-Profiles--Three-of-six-mayoral-candidates---Get-to-know-Bhalla--Giattino--and-Bautista-?instance=home_Most_popular | title=Profiles: Three of six mayoral candidates: Get to know Bhalla, Giattino, and Bautista | work =Hudson Reporter |location= [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] | first=Marilyn |last=Baer | date=22 October 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= historicwins>{{cite web | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/08/us/election-firsts-lgbt-minorities/ | title=Election night brings historic wins for minority and LGBT candidates | work=[[CNN]] | first=Madison |last=Park | date=8 November 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= diverse>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/41914221/trans-politician-and-sikh-mayor-among-diverse-politicians-chosen-in-us-elections | title=Trans politician and Sikh mayor among diverse politicians chosen in US elections | work=[[BBC]] | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><
'''Ravinder Singh Bhalla''', often simply called '''Ravi Bhalla''', is an [[Indian-American]] civil rights lawyer and politician who has served in the [[city council]] of [[Hoboken, New Jersey]] since 2009. On November 7, 2017, he was elected New Jersey's first [[Sikh]] mayor, as well as the first elected mayor in the United States who is a Sikh and wears a turban.<ref name= firstsikhmayor>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/ravinder-bhalla-becomes-first-sikh-mayor-of-hoboken-city-in-us/articleshow/61557168.cms | title=Ravinder Bhalla becomes first Sikh mayor of Hoboken city in US | work=[[Times of India]] | date=8 November 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= profiles>{{cite web | url=http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/27496385/article-Profiles--Three-of-six-mayoral-candidates---Get-to-know-Bhalla--Giattino--and-Bautista-?instance=home_Most_popular | title=Profiles: Three of six mayoral candidates: Get to know Bhalla, Giattino, and Bautista | work =Hudson Reporter |location= [[Hudson County, New Jersey]] | first=Marilyn |last=Baer | date=22 October 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= historicwins>{{cite web | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/08/us/election-firsts-lgbt-minorities/ | title=Election night brings historic wins for minority and LGBT candidates | work=[[CNN]] | first=Madison |last=Park | date=8 November 2017 | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= diverse>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/41914221/trans-politician-and-sikh-mayor-among-diverse-politicians-chosen-in-us-elections | title=Trans politician and Sikh mayor among diverse politicians chosen in US elections | work=[[BBC]] | accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref>


==Education==
==Education==

Revision as of 23:23, 10 November 2017

Ravi Bhalla
A picture of Ravinder Bhalla on a televised interview, the day after his win.
Bhalla on an MSNBC interview the day after his victory.
Mayor of Hoboken
Elect
Assuming office
January 2018
SucceedingDawn Zimmer
Personal details
Born1972 or 1973 (age 51–52)[1]
Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseNavneet K. Patwalia Bhalla
Children2
ResidenceHoboken, New Jersey
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley (B.S.)
London School of Economics (M.P.P.)
Tulane University Law School (J.D.)
OccupationCivil rights attorney

Ravinder Singh Bhalla, often simply called Ravi Bhalla, is an Indian-American civil rights lawyer and politician who has served in the city council of Hoboken, New Jersey since 2009. On November 7, 2017, he was elected New Jersey's first Sikh mayor, as well as the first elected mayor in the United States who is a Sikh and wears a turban.[2][3][4][5]

Education

Bhalla earned a bachelor of science degree in political psychology from University of California, Berkeley, a masters degree in public administration and public policy from the London School of Economics, and earned his juris doctorate from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans.[6][7]

Career

Bhalla is a civil rights attorney at the law firm of Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader.[8][9]

In one case in 2002, Bhalla represented three high school students at Hunterdon Central High School in Flemington, New Jersey. The high school had implemented a policy of random drug-testing of students participating in any extracurricular activities or who have a parking permit, and the three students filed a lawsuit in New Jersey State Court alleging the school's drug-testing policy violated their rights according to the New Jersey Constitution.[10] The New Jersey state court ruled that the random drug-testing was allowable under the state constitution, pointing to a similar case ruling by a federal court. Bhalla said he disagreed with the state court's ruling, saying that the New Jersey Constitution gives a wider protection against unreasonable search and seizure than the United States Constitution.[11]

In a case in 2003, Bhalla represented Amric Singh Rathour. Rathour had qualified for a job in traffic enforcement with the New York Police Department. Rathour's supervisors fired Rathour because he would not shave his beard or stop wearing his turban, both of which are required by Rathour's religion, Sikhism. On behalf of his client, Bhalla filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for religious discrimination.[12]

In another case, Bhalla represented Gurpreet S. Kherha. A car dealership in Little Falls, New Jersey, refused to employ Kherha because of its policy of prohibiting beards. Kherha's religion, Sikhism, forbids him from shaving his beard. Bhalla filed a religious discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a lawsuit in New Jersey State Court, stating that the car dealership had violated Kherha's civil rights by refusing him reasonable religious accommodation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined that had Kherha had indeed suffered religious discrimination, and the parties settled the case.[13]

Politics

Bhalla ran for an at-large seat on the Hoboken City Council in 2009 on current mayor Dawn Zimmer's ticket. During his campaign, he emphasized fiscal responsibility, slowing down development, increasing the amount of affordable housing, lower city property taxes, and transparency in government.[14] Bhalla won the election for a four-year term in office.[6] He was sworn in on July 1, 2009.[15]

Bhalla served as the chairman of the Hoboken Democratic Party from 2010 to 2011. He also served as vice president of the council between 2010 and 2011, and he served as president of the city council from 2011 to 2012.[16]

In 2011, Bhalla ran to represent the 33rd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly. During his campaign, Bhalla emphasized that New Jersey had the highest property taxes in the country, and he advocated for lowering property taxes, offset by an increase to state income taxes. Bhalla focused on creating jobs and strengthening New Jersey's hate crime laws. Bhalla opposed New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's $1.3-billion cuts in the state's education budget. Bhalla called himself an Independent Democrat.[17] Bhalla was defeated in the Democratic primary election, coming in third place.[18]

In 2012, folllowing Superstorm Sandy, Bhalla distributed food to people at multiple locations in Hoboken.[19]

Bhalla filed to run again to represent the 33rd District in the New Jersey General Election in 2013.[20] The following month, Bhalla withdrew from the election when Carmelo Garcia's candidacy was cleared.[21] Instead Bhalla successfully ran for reelection to the Hoboken City Council in 2013.[22]

Days before the election, a flyer was sent out around Hoboken depicting Ravi with the words "Do not let TERRORISM take over our town".[23] The fliers were modified versions of a piece of literature sent out by opponent and councilman Michael DeFusco, who condemned the racist message.

In 2017, incumbent Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer decided not to run for reelection, and endorsed Bhalla to succeed her. During Bhalla's campaign, he advocated for response development, open-space initiatives, defending Hoboken's citizens' rights from the Trump administration, fiscal responsibility, holding the line on local taxes, and building a surplus for unanticipated city emergencies.[24][25] Bhalla won the election of 6 candidates with nearly 33% of the vote; his first term of office will begin in 2018.[2][3][4][5]

Early life and family

Bhalla was born in Passaic, New Jersey,[14] and raised in Woodland Park (then called West Paterson.)[26] His parents, Ranbir and Harminder Singh, live in Montville, New Jersey, where they own and manage a company that manufactures high-pressure sodium street lamps that Ranbir Singh, a physicist, invented himself.[6]

Bhalla has lived in Hoboken since 2000.[14] He lives with his children, Arza and Shabegh, and his wife, Navneet (often known as Bindya), who is a human rights attorney.[6][7]

Electoral results

2009

2009 Council of Hoboken, New Jersey, At Large, General Election[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Carol Marsh 3,719 13%
Nonpartisan Ravi Bhalla 3,698 13%
Nonpartisan Dave Mello 3,361 12%
Nonpartisan Vincent Addeo 2,624 9%
Nonpartisan Raul Morales Jr. 2,576 9%
Nonpartisan Angel Alicea 2,534 9%
Nonpartisan Michael Novak 2,513 9%
Nonpartisan Anthony Pasquale 2,418 9%
Nonpartisan Frances Rhodes-Kearns 2,415 9%
Nonpartisan Chris Carbine 705 3%
Nonpartisan Timothy Occhipinti 672 2%
Nonpartisan Patricia Waiters 569 2%
2009 Council of Hoboken, New Jersey, At Large, Runoff Election[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Carol Marsh 5,853 17%
Nonpartisan Ravi Bhalla 5,857 17%
Nonpartisan Dave Mello 5,648 17%
Nonpartisan Vincent Addeo 5,560 16%
Nonpartisan Raul Morales Jr. 5,431 16%
Nonpartisan Angel Alicea 5,422 16%

2011

2011 New Jersey General Assembly, 33rd Legislative District, Democratic Party Primary Election[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ruben J. Ramos Jr. 13,564 46%
Democratic Sean Conners 13,438 45%
Democratic Ravi S. Bhalla 2,781 9%

2017

2017 Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, General Election[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Ravi Bhalla 4,976 33%
Nonpartisan Michael DeFusco 4,441 29%
Nonpartisan Anthony L. Romano 2,760 18%
Nonpartisan Jen Giattino 2,508 17%
Nonpartisan Karen Nason 233 2%
Nonpartisan Ronald Bautista 201 1%
Nonpartisan Write-in 5 0%

References

  1. ^ Tran, Claire (July 19, 2017). "Asian America New Jersey's First Sikh Elected Official Looks to 'Uplift' Community in Mayoral Bid". NBC News.
  2. ^ a b "Ravinder Bhalla becomes first Sikh mayor of Hoboken city in US". Times of India. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b Baer, Marilyn (22 October 2017). "Profiles: Three of six mayoral candidates: Get to know Bhalla, Giattino, and Bautista". Hudson Reporter. Hudson County, New Jersey. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b Park, Madison (8 November 2017). "Election night brings historic wins for minority and LGBT candidates". CNN. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Trans politician and Sikh mayor among diverse politicians chosen in US elections". BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Sohrabji, Sunita (26 June 2009). "Hoboken Gets First Sikh City Councilman". India-West (San Leandro, California). p. A29.
  7. ^ a b "About Ravi". Ravi Bhalla for Hoboken Mayor. 2017. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  8. ^ "Attorneys". Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader, LLC. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  9. ^ Venugopal, Arun. "Community concerns discussed at SAALT talks". India Abroad (New York, New York). April 15, 2005. p. C6.
  10. ^ Slack, Donovan (June 28, 2002). "Experts: Garden State case may carry more weight". The Times (Trenton, New Jersey). p. A1.
  11. ^ Reilly, Matthew. "School wins drug-test appeal: Expanded Hunterdon Central program called no denial of rights". The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey). August 13, 2002. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Sikh alleges discrimination by NYPD". The Statesman (India). March 5, 2003.
  13. ^ Joseph, George (6 December 2013). "Sikh man gets $50,000 damages in religious discrimination case". India Abroad (New York, New York). p. A10.
  14. ^ a b c Sohrabji, Sunita (3 April 2009). "Ravinder Bhalla Runs for Hoboken City Council". India-West San Leandro, California). p. A26.
  15. ^ Baldwin, Carly (July 1, 2009). "Hoboken". The Jersey Journal" (Jersey City, New Jersey). p. A4.
  16. ^ Joseph, George (15 November 2013). "Hoboken Councilman Ravinder Bhalla to sue colleague Beth Mason". India Abroad (New York, New York). p. A8.
  17. ^ Sohrabji, Sunita (27 May 2011). "Hoboken City Councilman Bhalla Runs for State Assembly". India-West (San Leandro, California). p. A10.
  18. ^ Sohrabji, Sunita (17 June 2011). "Ravinder Bhalla Loses Bid for New Jersey Assembly Seat". India-West (San Leandro, California). p. A10, A12.
  19. ^ Sohrabji, Sunita (9 November 2012). "Superstorm Sandy Decimates Homes, Businesses in Its Path". India-West (San Leandro, California). p. A2, A4.
  20. ^ Hack, Charles (April 24, 2013). "Hoboken Councilman Bhalla confirms run for state Assembly". The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey). nj.com.
  21. ^ Hack, Charles (May 8, 2013). "Councilman Ravi Bhalla withdrwaws from Assembly race citing state Supreme Court ruling". The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey). nj.com.
  22. ^ Dutt, Ela (15 November 2013). "New Jersey Assemblyman Re-elected for a 7th Term". News India-Times (New York, New York). p. 6–7.
  23. ^ Zauzmer, Julie (November 8, 2017). "Targeted by racist fliers, Ravi Bhalla becomes the first turbaned Sikh mayor in New Jersey". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  24. ^ "Indian-American Councilman Running For Mayor Of Hoboken, New Jersey". News India-Times (New York, New York). 30 June 2017. p. 8.
  25. ^ Sohrabi, Sunita (14 July 2017). "An Unexpected Run for Hoboken Mayor". India-West (San Leandro, California). p. A3, A14.
  26. ^ Lehrer, Brian (November 10, 2017). "New Leaders in New Jersey". The Brian Lehrer Show. WNYC. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  27. ^ "Hoboken Numbers". The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey). May 13, 2009.
  28. ^ Baldwin, Carly (June 12, 2009). "Zimmer's slate retains win of City Council seats". nj.com. New Jersey On-Line LLC.
  29. ^ "June 7, 2011 Hudson County primary election results". The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey). June 7, 2011.
  30. ^ Hoboken Mayor, 40/40 (100.00%)". Hudson County Clerk's Office. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
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