Month: February 2012

>More bad news: U.S. water bills to triple

First high gas prices, now water. A shocking new report about the nation’s crumbling drinking water system says that Americans should expect their bills to double or triple to cover repairs just to keep their faucets pouring. That means adding up to $900 a year more for water, nearly equal the amount of the newly extended payroll tax cut.

Fixing and expanding underground drinking water systems will cost over $1 trillion in the next 25 years and users will get socked with the bill, according to the American Water Works Association.

https://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/washington-secrets/2012/02/more-bad-news-us-water-bills-triple/317086

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>EMTs in NJ Need More Support

I am currently enrolled in an EMT course and the price is driving me
crazy. I was told that I would have to pay for the course itself which
is $300 dollars which seems fair enough, but now I am paying a lot in
extra fees. Here is a breakdown of my expenses to become an EMT in New
Jersey:

Tuition – $300 (reimbursable)
Books – $165
Background check – $33
Basic equipment – $30

In order to become a volunteer EMT so far I have had to pay $528
(although I will hopefully get the $300 back) and I am still only
beginning the course. I am most likely expected to pay more fees down
the line for other certifications I will need. I would not be surprised
if I need to pay another $300 down the line for other fees.

I also am paying in time. Nine hours a week minimum are now added every
week (sometimes eighteen) to attend the classes so I can get all 240
hours which are required. I feel that with all the effort being put into
my work I should receive compensation for the full course.

Is it really OK that I should have to bare all of these expenses as a
high school student in order to help others? The moral of the story is,
thank volunteers. They put in more effort and money than you would
expect in order to serve their community.

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  Photo credit:  Boyd A. Loving

House Fire, 200 Block of Highwood Avenue, Ridgewood
Boyd A. Loving 9:14 AM
       
The Ridgewood Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 200 block of Highwood Avenue early this morning.  The fire was determined to have originated in the wall behind a fireplace.  Firefighters doused the blaze using pressurized water extinguishers.  Smoldering debris was removed to the street for overall.  Damage was confined to the point of origin.  There was also minor damage from smoke.  No injuries were reported.

Also responding were Ridgewood PD, Ridgewood EMS, and Ridgewood Emergency Services personnel.

Photo credit:  Boyd A. Loving

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Work progresses on the plant shop

Work progresses on the plant shop on the corner of Ridgewood Ave and Paramus Road.

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NJ commuters facing higher costs as mass transit pretax benefit ends
7:46 AM, Feb. 25, 2012

WASHINGTON — Mass transit commuters will continue to get a lower pretax benefit than they did in 2011 after Congress failed again to return it to the $230 a month amount that it had been last year.

Any restoration of the old rate depends on the whims of Congress.

Efforts to include restoration of the benefit back to the $230 per month level as part of the payroll tax cut extension failed. Lawmakers and transit advocates said the next steps are to include restoration as part of the larger federal transportation funding bill and to move a separate bill that would restore the funding.

The benefit, which allows employees to pay for transit with pretax earnings, similar to a health savings plan, was reduced to $125 a month — a cut of $105 — on Jan. 1, although a similar benefit for commuter parking was increased to $240. The pretax transit benefit had been doubled from $120 to $230 through the 2009 stimulus.

https://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20120224/NJNEWS10/302240030/NJ-commuters-facing-higher-costs-mass-transit-pretax-benefit-ends?odyssey=nav%7Chead

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Bill S1319, an attempt to set up Obamacare’s health care exchanges in New Jersey!

Over in the State Senate, the Commerce Committee will be taking up Bill S1319, an attempt to set up Obamacare’s health care exchanges in New Jersey!

Any effort by the Legislature to comply with the heavy-handed federal dictates in the health care law and advance the government takeover of our health care in New Jersey needs to be opposed.

Contact the members of the Senate Commerce Committee NOW and tell them to STOP advancing the unconstitutional government takeover of health care and infringing on our health care freedoms!

Senator  Email Phone

Sen. Nia Gill (D-34)*

SenGill@njleg.org

973-509-0388

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-20)**

SenLesniak@njleg.org

908-624-0880

Sen. James Beach (D-06)

SenBeach@njleg.org

856-429-1572

Sen. Thomas Kean (R-21)

SenKean@njleg.org

908-232-3673

Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-22)

SenScutari@njleg.org

908-587-0404

Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-39)

SenCardinale@njleg.org

201-567-2324

*Denotes Committee Chair         **Denotes Committee Vice-Chair