Morning Crash Slows Route 17 Southbound To A Crawl Through Ridgewood
September 21,2012
Boyd A. Loving
8:31 AM
Ridgewood NJ, A two car crash on Route 17 southbound near East Glen Avenue slowed morning rush hour traffic to a crawl on Friday. One person was slightly injured in the mishap and one vehicle was unable to proceed on its own power and had to be towed from the scene. The injured party refused medical treatment. Ridgewood PD, FD, and EMS responded promptly and professionally, as always.
Ridgewood council introduces communications upgrade
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2012, 4:44 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
After months of debate, Ridgewood is moving forward with a communications plan that will meet a federal mandate.
If an ordinance introduced on Wednesday is approved on Oct. 10, the village will appropriate a total of $1,067,935 to purchase and install each piece of a radio communications upgrade.
Ridgewood will then bond for the first part of the multi-tiered and multi-town project, which will cost the village nearly $700,000, and subsequently comply with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) narrowband directive.
At this point, village officials said they are willing to pay a total of $693,750, Ridgewood’s portion of an $895,282 narrowband upgrade project. The Borough of Glen Rock, which pays to use Ridgewood’s dispatch center, will pick up the remaining balance.
The Glen Rock Borough Council, like Ridgewood, is expected to introduce a similar ordinance appropriating specific funds for the its portion of the project.
“We’ve been meeting with Glen Rock’s emergency services. Until the Village Council decides which direction to go, then Glen Rock will be paired in,” Village Manager Ken Gabbert said earlier this month.
Ridgewood officials question aspects of parking proposal
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2012, 5:04 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Chamber of Commerce will hold at least one open forum with village residents to discuss what has been described as an innovative and ambitious parking proposal for Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD).
It’s Greek to Me owner Paul Vagianos announced the Chamber of Commerce’s invitation during the Village Council’s work session this week, with times and location of the public forum still to be determined. The logistics of the open meeting will be announced within the next month.
In the meantime, Vagianos fielded questions from members of the governing body.
Vagianos, one of the seven Ridgewood businesspeople who drafted the parking plan, urged the council to consider filing for a request for proposal (RFP), specifically to determine the outside interest in developing the parking lot between The Gap and Gilsenan Realtors on East Ridgewood Avenue.
According to the initial plan, a successful land lease between the village and a private developer will ultimately fund the construction of parking facilities at the corner of South Broad and Hudson streets and another along Walnut Street and Franklin Avenue.
With the proposal in hand, the village’s next steps came into question on Wednesday night.
$1.8 trillion shock: Obama regs cost 20-times estimate
September 20, 2012 | 8:51 am
Current federal regulations plus those coming under Obamacare will cost American taxpayers and businesses $1.8 trillion annually, more than twenty times the $88 billion the administration estimates, according to a new roundup provided to Secrets from the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute.
And it could grow, warned the author of the report, Clyde Wayne Crews, a CEI vice president.
Complying with Health and Human Services Department requirements alone, he revealed, costs $184 billion a year, yet regulators are still drafting the rules for the 2,400-page Obamacare law that kicks into gear in 2014.
Crews has made a working project of his “Tip of the Costberg” report which he regularly updates. In it, he compares the cost of regulations estimated by federal agencies to a much broader list of estimates from multiple federal and independent sources. And even then, he said, it doesn’t include hard-to-calculate costs associated with antitrust intervention, regulation of electricity networks, or the cost of constrained access to natural resources.
“While OMB officially reports amounts of only up to $88.6 billion in 2010 dollars,” said Crews, “the non-tax cost of government intervention in the economy, without performing a sweeping survey, appears to total up to $1.806 trillion annually.”
Huge Garage Sale Saturday October 22nd 9 -4PM. Desk, Chairs, portable dishwasher, oven, jewelry, designer mens and womens clothes, kitchen appliances, antiques and much more. Coach, Juicy, Worth, Polo, RL
235 Walthery Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Huge Multi Family Yard Sale Saturday, 9/22 (Ridgewood)
Huge Multi-Family Yard Sale
Saturday, 9/22 from 9 to 1
493 Eastbrook Road, Ridgewood, NJ
Tons of baby gear ,Strollers, Swings, , toys
Books,Household goods,Electronics
And more!
No early birds please.
MULTI FAMILY YARD SALE!!! SAT. 9/29 (RIDGEWOOD,NJ)
135 S.VAN DIEN AVE. RIDGEWOOD NJ
Multi family yard sale selling baby joggers, pack n play, high chair, toddler bike seat, various pieces of furniture, lamps, electronics, assorted toys for all ages,
books, luggage, entertaining accessories and decorations, misc. items for the kitchen, bikes, curtain rods, and many other treasures!
See you Saturday 9/22 9am-3pm (Rain date: Sunday 9/23 12-4)
What Are the Fiscal Costs of Nonpayers? :Shrinking Pool of Taxpayers Linked to Greater Government Spending, Debt
Washington, D.C., September 20, 2012—As of 2010, 41 percent of tax filers—some 58 million in all—had no income tax liability after taking their credits and deductions. When one adds the number of Americans who do not file a federal return, about half of all households pay no federal income tax, more than at any time since 1940, according to a new study from the Tax Foundation.
Aside from the revenue impact of so many Americans not paying income taxes, economists worry about the social and political effects of having so many people disconnected from the cost of government—a phenomenon known as “fiscal illusion.” When individuals perceive the cost of government to be cheaper than it really is, they tend to demand ever more government benefits.
“We find that the growth of nonpayers is strongly associated with increases in spending on federal transfer payments,” said Tax Foundation economist Willian Freeland. “A one percentage point increase in the share of tax filers who are nonpayers is associated with a $10.6 billion per year increase in transfer payments. Since the number of nonpayers has increased by 20 percentage points over the last two decades, our model indicates that in 2010 alone, over $213 billion in transfer payments are associated with this increase in nonpayers.”
The increase in nonpayers may also be affecting the national debt. The Tax Foundation’s analysis finds that for every one percentage point increase in the share of tax filers who are nonpayers, the debt as a percentage of GDP increases by 0.7 percentage points. For example, if the percentage of nonpayers increased from 40 percent to 41 percent, the debt held by the public to increase from 70 percent of GDP to 70.7 percent of GDP. This means that the debt ratio has increased by 14 percentage points since 1990 due to the increase in nonpayers.
The fiscal cost of dropping millions of Americans from the income tax rolls are now being seen in the form of record levels of federal transfer spending and national debt. As lawmakers consider proposals for tax and entitlement reform, they should take into account the fiscal impact of exempting a majority of Americans from the largest source of federal tax revenue.
“The dire fiscal straits we are now in, and which much of Europe is struggling with as well, can only be responsibly addressed through a more balanced tax burden,” said Tax Foundation Chief Economist William McBride. “In particular, so long as income taxes fund the largest part of government spending, exempting half the population from income taxes is not a sustainable fiscal model. Debt accumulation and eventual default await those democracies that fail to connect a majority of voters to the cost of government spending.”
Tax Foundation Special Report 203, “The Fiscal Costs of Nonpayers” by William Freeland, William McBride, and Ed Gerrish is available online.
The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan research organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937. To schedule an interview, please contact Richard Morrison, the Tax Foundation’s Manager of Communications, at 202-464-5102 or morrison@taxfoundation.org.
Six million will pay health law penalty maybe even you
By Russ Britt, MarketWatch
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Six million Americans, or roughly 2% of the current population, will end up paying a penalty for failing to have health insurance when the full effect of the 2010 health-care overhaul law is felt in 2016, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The CBO on Wednesday said the penalty of $695 or 2.5% of household income under the law formally known as the Affordable Care Act increases the number of those facing the penalty than originally was projected in April 2010, shortly after the law’s passage. The law contains an individual mandate requiring all Americans to have insurance or pay a penalty.
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Now, 2 million more people will be penalized and pay an additional $3 billion in fines than originally projected, according to the report, conducted by the CBO along with the Joint Committee on Taxation.
“Most of the increase — about 85% — in the number of people who are expected to pay the penalty tax stems from changes in CBO and JCT’s baseline projections since April 2010, including the effects of legislation enacted since that time, changes in the economic outlook (primarily a higher unemployment rate and lower wages and salaries), and other technical updates,” the report says.
Proving the wisdom of building things in flood zones N.J. Senators announce funding for flood-prone area buyout
U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both D-NJ, announced Wednesday more than $3.3 million in federal funding for voluntary home buyouts for a flood-prone senior citizen housing complex in Monmouth County’s Ocean Township.
The funding, provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will be used to purchase and remove eight sections of a seniors apartment complex that has been repeatedly damaged by floods, according to a press release. Built in 1970, the housing complex will be entirely demolished and the area will be restored to its natural environment. (Bonamo, NJ.com)
Ridgewood’s Finest vs the Bravest Charity Softball Game
On Sunday September 23rd 2012 in an epic battle the Ridgewood Police Department will be playing the Ridgewood Fire Department in a charity softball game.All proceeds go to the Kelly Creegan Foundation
*6 year old Kelly Creegan of Ridgewood , was fatally struck by a car in November 2011 , while playing in front of a parked car in a friend’s driveway.
Only about half of N.J.’s public schools meet goals
About half the public schools in New Jersey did not meet the state’s new goals for student performance on standardized tests and will have to come up with improvement plans, state education officials said at a Wednesday meeting of school district administrators.
The number of schools falling short is higher than it was under the federal No Child Left Behind standards that the new goals replaced, but the consequences are far gentler.
Bari Erlichson, chief performance officer for the state Education Department, told a meeting of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators that the performance results would be available soon to each school. She said complete reports would be sent next month. (Mulvihill, Associated Press)
Annual Ridgewood Street Fair – Sunday, September 23
Ridgewood Parks and Recreation will again sponsor this seasonal outdoor market on Sunday, September 23rd, 12 noon to 5 pm, on East Ridgewood Avenue (rain or shine). There is no fee to attend.
Vendor wares will include arts and crafts, jewelry, holiday ornaments, novelties of many sorts, home goods, and clothing and accessories. Children’s events will include pony rides, sand art, a petting zoo, inflatables and more. The food court offers a wide variety of refreshments.
REMINDER: East Ridgewood Ave will be closed starting at 7:00 am between North Maple Ave and Oak Street for the annual street fair.
Mitt Romney gets his Chick-Fil-A Moment
September 19th, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The poor main stream media once again proves how totally out of touch they are with public perceptions. It seems too me that just a few short months ago, Dan Cathy of Chick-Fil-A restaurants gave an interview to a Christian publication that asked him about the Chick-Fil-A Foundation’s support of traditional marriage. During the interview Cathy defended his position and spoke about his family’s faith.
The main stream media took Cathy’s comments and ran with the story that Cathy had come out against gay marriage. The fact that Cathy had not condemned “gays” or even directly asked about “gays” in the interview hardly mattered . The media template is set in stone regardless of the facts and Cathy was dubbed ; a racist, bigot , homophobes .
Left wings loons and media mouthpieces across the country condemned Chick-Fil-A for serving a “bigot on a bun” and uniformed Marxist Mayors looking to make cheap political points demanded Chick-Fil-A not come to their cities. Liberals on cue from coast to coast were screaming about intolerance and bigotry.
But something happened on the path to self righteousness, the pubic just didn’t buy it . Fox News commentator Mike Huckabee followed by others declared a Chick-Fil-A Day. The day came with lines of cars stretched around city blocks people lined up across the country to come out and support their local Chick-Fil-A.
Dispite the media complicity ,as it turned out a lot of people agreed with Dan Cathy. But even more people like my self turned out to support free speech, freedom of religion and free enterprise. Having never eaten or even heard of Chick-Fil-A until the controversy ,I could hardly wait to sink my teeth in to a sandwich that shook the very foundations of western civilization .
Much to my delight the left staged a counter protest called a “kiss in.” So I once again ponied up for that bigoted bird and waited anxiously for all the kissing to start . I am not ashamed to say that like many men I find the thought of two females kissing is pretty hot. Well the “kiss in” was kind of a bust, not drawing the crowds we were promised.
So now we have the Mitt Romney’s comments. Lets face people his comments reflect exactly what this election is all about . What will be the future direction of America? Do we really want bigger and bigger government offering guaranteed outcomes with 47% of the population with no skin in the game ? Or do we want less government , embrace what made this country the envy of the world and return to a land of individual opportunities protecting the right to succeed or fail?
Weather its entitlement,hardship ,,laziness or just plain bad luck I doubt there are many in the US who disagree with Romney’s statements . Polls bear out what he stated in plain simple fact that those addicted, stuck or victimized by government dependency will be most likely voting for President Obama ,Although most Americans are very charitable by nature most feel extremely uneasy about this self perpetuating government give away lifestyle of free flat screen TV’s and cell phones and don’t think it is a long term solution to anything .
North Jersey is fifth-costliest market to plant corporate headquarters
Northern New Jersey is the fifth-most-expensive place in the nation to operate a corporate headquarters, according to a study done by a Princeton-based consultant specializing in site selection.
It costs $43.4 million a year to run a headquarters in Newark/Northern New Jersey, Boyd Co. found in its 2012 study. This region of the state ranks behind No. 1 New York City; San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara, Calif.; San Francisco; and Nassau/Suffolk, N.Y.
The cost to operate a headquarters in New York City was pegged at $47.2 million by Boyd. For No. 2-ranked San Jose it was $46.6 million, with San Francisco at $46.2 million. The operating costs for a headquarters in Nassau/Suffolk were $44.3 million, according to Boyd’s data. (Moss, The Record)
Pilot program to lengthen school day slated for hearing
The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to take up a bill Monday that would lengthen the school day in some districts.
The bill, S2087, would set up a pilot program over three years to study the effects of a longer school day on academic performance. (Staff, State Street Wire)
