Month: January 2012

>BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DISCUSS POSSIBILITY OF MOVING 
ELECTION DATE

New legislation,  effective immediately, allows school board/budget elections tobe moved from April to November (to coincide with other local/state/national elections).The Ridgewood Board of Education, like the majority of elected boards in the state, willbe discussing this issue in public session.  The Board’s discussions will be held duringthe regularly scheduled Board meeting on Monday, January 23.  The meeting will beheld at 7:30 PM in the Board Room on the 3rd floor of the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place.

The session will include time for public comment and questions.The following is a brief summary of the mechanisms and provisions of this newlaw and arguments for and against the change in election date.  If you have any questions,please e-mail them to dfishbein@ridgewood.k12.nj.us.

Mechanism to move Board Election:
 The Board may move the election by resolution (majority vote). Or the Village Council may move the election by resolution (majority vote).  Or the election may be moved by petition containing signatures of 15% of thelocal residents who voted in the last presidential election.Provisions:
 If the election is moved to November, no budget vote is needed for budgets thatare at or under cap (the cap is currently 2%). Tax levy above cap will still require a vote, and the amount by which the budgetis above cap will be placed on the November ballot as a separate question. Moving the election from April to November is voluntary—eachdistrict/municipality can make its own decision If the election is moved to November, it cannot be moved back to April for atleast 4 years.
 Elections can be moved from April to November now or at any time in the future.Arguments in Favor of Moving the Board Election to November: Increased voter participation Saving the cost of the April election (N.B.: This is an $42,100 annual savings.Note there will be costs associated with the November election, but they areunknown at this time.) Municipal, county, state and federal budgets are not submitted to voters.  This lawbrings boards of education into line with other governing bodies. Failed budgets put instructional programs and facilities maintenance in jeopardy.Arguments Against Moving the Election to November In some districts/municipalities, moving the election to November may makeboard elections (which are non-partisan by law) more “political.” Deprives voters of the opportunity to vote on budgets that are at or under cap Dilutes the attention paid to local school board/budget elections

>New Year, new solutions: Let’s pitch in
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012  
By BETTY WIEST

This is the year for change. And some of it won’t be easy. I don’t want to be the bearer of gloom and doom (there are some bright spots!), but we must be ready for some new ways of doing things.

In light of the major weather-related incidents we have experienced in this region in recent years, the Village of Ridgewood and residents alike must acquiesce to looking at and processing the way we approach and react to carrying out village ordinances. The saying: “We have met the enemy… and he is us” (Walter Kelly, 1970 Pogo poster for Earth Day) holds more truth now than ever.

For instance, take the most recent storm that came through in late October. It was devastating and made Hurricane Irene look weak by comparison, with the effects of the bizarre storm lasting for months. The monumental amount of branches, limbs and trees that came down added to the already burgeoning leaf piles on every street in Ridgewood. And now we begin to see the problems. Simply put, the Village of Ridgewood’s equipment and manpower could not keep up with the cleanup. And there are several reasons why, but most of them stem from residents themselves, me included.

https://www.northjersey.com/community/house_gardening/137738368_New_Year__new_solutions__Let_s_pitch_in.html

>State agency to investigate improper billing at PSE&G

>Courts Gone Wild : State employees’ paid leave can roll over from year to year indefinitely, court rules

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>Kyrillos set to announce Senate candidacy Thursday

>After 67% tax increase Illinois’ Unpaid Bill Crisis Just Keeps Getting Worse
January 19, 2012 8:55 AM

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) — Illinois keeps falling farther behind on its debt.As WBBM Newsradio’s Regine Schlesinger reports, officially, the state has a backlog of more than $4.25 billion in unpaid bills.

But Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka says when one factors in other bills, the figure is closer to around $8.5 billion.

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/19/topinka-illinois-unpaid-bill-crisis-just-keeps-getting-worse/

>Port Authority: JFK, La Guardia and Newark terminals among worst in world
By FRANK ROSARIO and JENNIFER FERMINO
Last Updated: 10:50 AM, January 19, 2012

Fliers are getting a horrible first and last impression of New York.

Three area airport terminals were cited as among the worst in the world yesterday — with Kennedy’s Terminal 3 earning the dubious distinction as the most miserable layover location on the planet.

The former Pan Am terminal — which now houses Delta Air Lines — took home the dubious dishonor for its “endless immigration lines,” crummy food and shopping options, and dank environment, according to the travel Web site Frommer’s.

“JFK’s terminals range from the awful to the mediocre, but Delta’s hubs take the rotten, worm-infested cake,” according to Frommer’s.

Read more: https://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/city_err_ports_JQY3oGSK0plHjL0SwV00bM#ixzz1jvzsGZuz

>NOMINATING PACKETS AVAILABLE FOR RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL

Nominating packets are available for Ridgewood residents who are registered voters and wish to run for and serve on the Ridgewood Village Council. They may be picked up at the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. The deadline for filing completed nominating petitions is March 5, 2012.

This year, there are three positions, with four-year terms,to serve on the non-partisan Village Council which will be voted on at the May 8, 2012 Municipal Election. The newly elected Council members will be sworn in and take office onJuly 1, 2012.

Any questions concerning the Municipal Election should be directed to the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext.201 or by email to: hmailander@ridgewoodnj.net

>Democrats receive more Bain Capital dollars than Republicans
By Alexander Bolton – 01/19/12 05:30 AM ET

Democrats have accepted more political donations than Republicans from executives at Bain Capital, complicating the left’s plan to attack Mitt Romney for his record at the private equity firm.

During the last three election cycles, Bain employees have given Democratic candidates and party committees more than $1.2 million. The vast majority of that sum came from senior executives.

Republican candidates and party committees raised over $480,000 from senior Bain executives during that time period.

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/205025-dems-receive-more-bain-dollars-than-gop

>How long do you have to live here before you can consider yourself part of the Establishment?

I’m a new arrival. Do my tax dollars not count as much as yours do? When I moved here, I was told that I had equal rights with all the other homeowners and tax-payers. Was that wrong?How long do you have to live here before you can consider yourself part of the Establishment?

Unfortunately many of your ‘peers’ come here and try to ‘change’ EVERYTHING that has made this a nice place to live, THEN move out after their kids finish school, thus saddling the rest of us with the massive tax increases. Much of this is done with their school ‘cliques’ and anyone who disagrees with their demands is met with vocal and nasty online retribution.

Just reading the blog comments make me wonder what trailer park these people grew up in. This town used to be POLITE, and even if you did not like someone or disagreed with them the dialogue was cordial.

A few of the recent ‘disasters’ promoted by the newbies include, but are not limited to: the Ten million dollar toilet aka ‘Habernickel Farm’ (hoffmans farm is the real name) that will destroy that neighborhood as another sports field, the waste of millions building world class sports fields @ BF and the High School, the destruction of the natural ‘Citizens PARK” that was paid for with donations as a Park, AND turned into a muddy brown field for the sports nuts.. etc etc.. I don’t think the NEWLY installed SLATE ROOFS on the schools will make the children any smarter either! Can’t forget the $89 million dollar ‘bond’ for the schools!

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