What every seller should know
Sunday, December 30, 2012
BY MARY DIDUCH
STAFF WRITER
The Record
As 2013 emerges with signs of a bottoming out of the real estate slump, homeowners who have been sitting on the sidelines may finally be ready to take the plunge and put their homes on the market.
But for those hoping to sell in the spring, the most popular season for home sales, now is the time to make a few New Year’s resolutions to pave the way for the best deal.
Many North Jersey real estate agents say 2013 is as good a time as ever to sell, as the housing market is slowly creeping back — though still far below the peak.
While home values nationwide have begun rebounding, prices in the New York metropolitan area, which includes North Jersey, ticked down 1.2 percent in October compared with levels a year earlier, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index. Home prices in the region are back to the levels of February 2004 and have dropped 23 percent from their peaks in mid-2006.
Village Hall Closed New Year’s Day – January 1, 2013
In observation of the New Year Holiday, Ridgewood Village Hall will be closed Tuesday, January 1. Village Hall will reopen Wednesday, January 2 at 8:30A.M.
Rearyard Garbage and Curb Recycling is suspended on Tuesday, January 1 and will resume on Wednesday, January 2.
New Year’s Eve – Monday, December 31 – Village Hall will be open 8:30AM tp 4:30PM, and all services on normal schedule
MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RIDGEWOOD RESIDENTS – Saturday, January 5, 2013
Mayor Paul Aronsohn will be holding office hours for Ridgewood residents on the first Saturday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall. The next session will be Saturday, January 5, 2013.
Scheduled appointments will be given priority, but walk-in appointments will also be accommodated, time permitting.
To schedule a meeting with Mayor Aronsohn, please call the Village Clerk’s Office, at 201-670-5500 ext. 201 or send an email to Heather Mailander, Village Clerk, at hmailander@ridgewoodnj.net .
If would like a meeting, but this timing does not work for you, please email Mayor Aronsohn directly at paronsohn@ridgewoodnj.net .
Ridgewood Police : Village Ordinances pertaining to parking on the street and clearing sidewalks of snow and ice
With snow in the forecast here is a look at Village Ordinances pertaining to parking on the street and clearing sidewalks of snow and ice.
Parking 265-75
In accordance with the provisions of § 265-43, no person shall park a vehicle upon either side of any of the streets or parts of streets thereof listed below, whenever snow has fallen and the accumulation is such that it covers the street or highway:
Snow and Ice Removal 249-1
A. The owner of any land abutting upon the streets or public highways in the Village, if such land is owner-occupied or vacant, otherwise the tenant or occupant of such land situate in all zones of the Village of Ridgewood as shown on the 1990 Zoning Map, with the exception of the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zones of the Village, shall remove all snow and ice from the abutting sidewalks of such streets or highways within 24 hours after the same shall fall or be formed thereon. No snow or ice so removed, however, shall be deposited or placed in the street or highway in such a manner or location so as to impede the flow of traffic. For purposes of this section, such land shall be deemed owner-occupied if occupied by either the owner or owners of record or any agent, servant or employee thereof.
B. Owners, tenants and occupants of any land abutting the streets or highways of the Village situate in the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zones of the Village are subject to the following snow removal regulations. Special regulations are adopted for the business and office zones in order to maintain an attractive and safe environment in the business and professional office zones of the Village by assuring that the snow will be removed from the sidewalks in and around the central business district on a timely basis.
C.Snow is required to be removed in the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zone Districts from the sidewalks concurrently with its fall. To assure compliance with this section, more than one clearing may be required to keep the sidewalks as free of snow as is practical. The following specific regulations are hereby adopted. Snowfalls commencing during the evening, that is, after 6:00 p.m., will be cleared by no later than 9:00 a.m. the following morning, Sundays and holidays included. During weekday storms, Monday through Saturday, occurring during business hours, sidewalks shall be cleared to a five-foot minimum width to provide access from the storefront to the curb, between meters, if meters are installed. After 6:00 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays, sidewalks will be completely cleared into the street.
D. A court appearance will be required to answer any summons issued for a violation of this section occurring in the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 zones of the Village. A court appearance will be required to answer any summons issued for a second or subsequent violation of this section in all zones of the Village.
[Amended 7-11-1995 by Ord. No. 2533]
New Jersey has significantly revised its regulations to enact a disposal ban on electronics as solid waste. Effective January 1, 2011, the Electronic Waste Management Act (NJSA 13:1E-99.94 et seq.) requires that all “used covered electronic devices” be recycled. The law defines a “used covered electronic device” as a desktop or personal computer, computer monitor, portable computer, or television sold to a consumer.
Electronic equipment is accepted at the Ridgewood Recycling Center at 205 East Glen Avenue. The computer and electronic recycling program provided at the Recycling Center, is at no cost to the Village, and provides an easy option for residents to recycle their computers and electronics. Upon arrival at the Recycling Center, each resident may place their computer components and electronic devices into our convenient walk-in container.
Accepted items (which must NOT be setout for curbside pickup, nor placed in household trash) include:
• Computers (Desktop or Portable) • Printers
• Televisions • Keyboards
• Monitors • Scanners
• Fax Machines • Keyboards
• Televisions • Speakers
• Stereo Equipment • Modems
• Electronic Mouse • Cell Phones
• Desktop Copy Machines • Power Sources
• Hard Drives • VCRs
• DVD players • Video Game Consoles
The Recycling Center at 205 East Glen Avenue has the following, convenient hours:
Monday – Saturday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ridgewood residents have always embraced recycling for its cost avoidance and environmental benefits. As a result, Ridgewood has enjoyed a savings of over $12.8 million, since New Jersey mandated recycling in 1987. As a community, may all continue to work together towards the goal of responsible environmental practices and greater reductions in solid waste.
If you’d like more information about this topic, please call Frank Moritz at 201/670-5500 x272 or fjmoritz@ridgewoodnj.net,or Johanna Luttrell at 201/670-5500 x266 or jluttrell@ridgewoodnj.net
Oliver Stone: ‘US has become an Orwellian state’
Published: 28 December, 2012, 20:19
Edited: 29 December, 2012, 00:14
Americans are living in an Orwellian state argue Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick, as they sit down with RT to discuss US foreign policy and the Obama administration’s disregard for the rule of law.
Both argue that Obama is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and that people have forgiven him a lot because of the “nightmare of the Bush presidency that preceded him.”
“He has taken all the Bush changes he basically put them into the establishment, he has codified them,” Stone told RT. “It is an Orwellian state. It might not be oppressive on the surface, but there is no place to hide. Some part of you is going to end up in the database somewhere.”
According to Kuznick, American citizens live in a fish tank where their government intercepts more than 1.7 billion messages a day. “That is email, telephone calls, other forms of communication.”
RT’s Abby Martin in the program Breaking the Set discusses the Showtime film series and book titled The Untold History of the United States co-authored by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick.
Every woman lives to experience that special bridal moment once in her life time. Her bridal gown is the final outcome of her dreams, beliefs and hopes. Aleana’s Bridal understands that and offers a great personal service to guide its clients to create a most wonderful custom gown.
We have a great collection of bridal dresses and sets that is only offered in our Ridgewood store in Bergen County. Every garment can be modified to enhance a beauty of any body type.
Our gowns are created for the woman who is not afraid to cross boundaries and who enjoys experiencing the triumph of individual style. In the mind of this iconic woman, the clothes she wears is a symbol of her unique self—a symbol of self-expression that makes a powerful statement in the physical world about her inner nature.
Aleana’s Bridal has a great selection of European lingerie and lounge wear, as well as exclusive accessories.
Ridgewood Healthy Gourmet Lunch and Learn Series
Tue, January 08, 2013 – Tue, February 05, 2013
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
The Stable Community Center, 259 N. Maple Ave. Ridgewood, NJ
Cost: $95 per person
$95 for 5 sessions: January 8, 15, 22, 29 and March 5, (Includes: 2 course lunches, recipes and supporting handouts)
Each session is from 11:30-12:45
To register, call 201.670.5560
Join Natural Foods Chef and Certified Holistic Health Coach, Christine Okezie, for a 5 week series of delicious and health-promoting culinary demonstrations and learn how proper eating can give you amazing, disease-proof your body, and help you achieve your ideal weight without sacrificing pleasure.
Does your dog have housebreaking issues? Do you wish your dog would come when called, or walk nicely on leash? Do you have a puppy and just don’t know where to start with the mouthing and puppy biting? Do you have a dog that knows the basics and want to do more, like being certified for Therapy Work, the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) or do you want to try some canines sports like kayaking, competitive obedience/rally, skijoring or fungility?
Let me help you create the perfect family member training with positive reinforcement training.
What is Positive Training? Dog Training Services in Northern NJ
Canines Can Do
150 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Phone: 201-323-2514
Email: caninescando@me.com
Website: www.caninescando.com
Realistic Resolutions 2013 – Health Fair!
Thu, January 17, 2013
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Ridgewood YMCA/YWCA of Bergen County, 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood, NJ
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend Realistic Resolutions 2013 Health Fair with featured guest and keynote speaker Joy Bauer, MS, RD, CDN.
Joy is one of the nation’s leading health authorities. As the nutrition and health expert for the TODAY Show, she shares reliable, practical and straightforward advice that helps millions of Americans eat better, lead healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
Joy hosts RLTV heartwarming show, Good Food, Good Deeds. She is a monthly columnist for Woman s Day magazine.
Joy recent releases include:
The Joy Fit Club –
Cookbook, Diet Plan & Inspiration,
Slim & Scrumptious.
Your Inner Skinny.
The #1 New York Times bestseller-Joy Bauer Food Cures: Completely revised & Updated.
For FREE – come early and visit all the Health Fair providers starting at 5:00pm and then listen to TV fame Joy Bauer who will answer your questions.
Snow date: January 24, 2013 – 5-8pm
If you are interested in being vendor, please click download for the sponsorship opportunities, print out and fax to 201-251-1958, email info@ridgewoodchamber.com or call 201-445-2600.
This will be the biggest Health Fair event in Bergen County. Start off 2013 with healthy thoughts.
For more information call the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce 201-445-2600.
Sponsors of the 2013 Realistic Resolutions
Van Dyk Healthcare
Valley Hospital
201 Magazine
West Ridgewood Dental
Jewish Home at Home
Alexandrite Group
Allergey Free
A Little Lift
Adult Care Advisors
BLS Eldercare
Bolger Fitness Center
Bookends
Brentwood/Buckingham
Christian Health Care
Community Meals
Hypnosis by Cathy Savino
Dellridge Care Center
Distinctive Care
Duxiana
Esplanade
Hospices of NJ
Feeney Funeral Home
Home Helpers
ING Financial
Kings
Marriott Courtyard/Residence Inn
Massage Envy
Mill Gardens
Northeast Laser Vain Institute
Northwest Mutual
Precision Orthodontics
Professional Hearing Aide Center
Third Space Medical
Balance and Thrive
Ridgewood Chiropractic
Right at Home
Senior Resources of NJ
Sunrise Senior Living
Unicity Homecare
Walgreens
YMCA Ridgewood
YWCA of Bergen County
Yinsideout
On January 1, regardless of the outcome of fiscal cliff negotiations, Americans will be hit with a $1 trillion Obamacare tax hike.
Obamacare contains twenty new or higher taxes. Five of the taxes hit for the first time on January 1. In total, for the years 2013-2022, Americans face a net $1 trillion tax hike for the years 2013-2022, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
The five major Obamacare taxes taking effect on January are as follows:
The Obamacare Medical Device Tax: Medical device manufacturers employ 409,000 people in 12,000 plants across the country. Obamacare imposes a new 2.3 percent excise tax on gross sales – even if the company does not earn a profit in a given year. In addition to killing small business jobs and impacting research and development budgets, this will increase the cost of your health care – making everything from pacemakers to artificial hips more expensive.
The Obamacare Flex Account Tax: The 30-35 million Americans who use a pre-tax Flexible Spending Account (FSA) at work to pay for their family’s basic medical needs will face a new government cap of $2500. This will squeeze $13 billion of tax money from Americans over the ten years. (Currently, the accounts are unlimited under federal law, though employers are allowed to set a cap.)
There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children. There are several million families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education. Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year. Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education. This Obamacare tax provision will limit the options available to these families.
The Obamacare Surtax on Investment Income: This is a new, 3.8 percentage point surtax on investment income earned in households making at least $250,000 ($200,000 single). This would result in the following top tax rates on investment income:
Capital Gains Dividends Other*
2012 15% 15% 35%
2013+ (current law) 23.8% 43.4% 43.4%
The table above also incorporates the scheduled hike in the capital gains rate from 15 to 20 percent, and the scheduled hike in dividends rate from 15 to 39.6 percent.
The Obamacare “Haircut” for Medical Itemized Deductions: Currently, those Americans facing high medical expenses are allowed a deduction to the extent that those expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI). This tax increase imposes a threshold of 10 percent of AGI. By limiting this deduction, Obamacare widens the net of taxable income for the sickest Americans. This tax provision will most harm near retirees and those with modest incomes but high medical bills.
The Obamacare Medicare Payroll Tax Hike: The Medicare payroll tax is currently 2.9 percent on all wages and self-employment profits. Under this tax hike, wages and profits exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 in the case of married couples) will face a 3.8 percent rate instead. This is a direct marginal income tax hike on small business owners, who are liable for self-employment tax in most cases. The table below compares current law vs. the Obamacare Medicare Payroll Tax Hike:
First $200,000 ($250,000 Married) Employer/Employee stays the same
All Remaining Wages Employer/Employee
Current Law 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed
Obamacare Tax Hike 1.45%/2.35% 3.8% self-employed
Read more: https://atr.org/trillion-obamacare-tax-hike-hitting-jan-a7393#ixzz2GQyer3N0
Follow us: @taxreformer on Twitter
Obama Orders Pay Raise for Biden, Members of Congress, Federal Workers
12:50 PM, Dec 28, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
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President Barack Obama issued an executive order to end the pay freeze on federal employees, in effect giving some federal workers a raise. One federal worker now to receive a pay increase is Vice President Joe Biden.
According to disclosure forms, Biden made a cool $225,521 last year. After the pay increase, he’ll now make $231,900 per year.
Members of Congress, from the House and Senate, also will receive a little bump, as their annual salary will go from $174,000 to 174,900. Leadership in Congress, including the speaker of the House, will likewise get an increase.
10 of Stupidest and Worst Regulations of 2012
James Gattuso and Diane Katz
December 28, 2012 at 8:36 am
It seems that no aspect of American life can escape government regulation. In the past year, regulators drafted rules that addressed everything from caloric intake to dishwasher efficiency.
Most of these rules increase the cost of living, others hinder job creation, and many erode freedom. Not all regulations are unwarranted, of course, but increasingly, the rules imposed by the government have less to do with health and safety and more to do with whether government or individuals get to make basic pocketbook and lifestyle decisions that affect them. And it is not just the regulators who are to blame. Congress writes laws that give unelected bureaucrats the broad powers they wield.
Today we bring you 10 of the worst regulations from 2012:
1. HHS’s Contraception Mandate
The Department of Health and Human Services on February 15 finalized its mandate that all health insurance plans include coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization procedures, and contraceptives. To date, 42 cases with more than 110 plaintiffs are challenging this restriction on religious liberty.
2. EPA Emissions Standards
The EPA in February finalized strict new emissions standards for coal- and oil-fired electric utilities. The benefits are highly questionable, with the vast majority being unrelated to the emissions targeted by the regulation. The costs, however, are certain: an estimated $9.6 billion annually.
3. Fuel Efficiency Standards
In August, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in tandem with the Environmental Protection Agency, finalized fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2017–2025. The rules require a whopping average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Sticker prices will jump by hundreds of dollars.
4. New York’s 16-Ounce Soda Limit
Not all regulations come from Washington. On September 13, at the behest of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the New York City Board of Health banned the sale of soda and other sweetened drinks in containers larger than 16 ounces.
5. Dishwasher Efficiency Standards
Regulators admit that these Department of Energy rules will do little to improve the environment. Rather, proponents claim they will save consumers money. But they will also increase the price of dishwashers, and only about one in six consumers will keep his or her dishwasher long enough to recoup the cost.
6. School Lunch Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January published stringent nutrition standards for school lunch and breakfast programs. More than 98,000 elementary and secondary schools are affected—at a cost exceeding $3.4 billion over the next four years.
7. Quickie Union Election Rule
In April, the National Labor Relations Board issued new rules that shorten the time allowed for union-organizing elections to between 10 and 21 days. This leaves little time for employees to make a fully informed choice on unionizing, threatening to leave workers and management alike under unwanted union regimes.
8. Essential Benefits Rule
Under Obamacare, insurers in the individual and small group markets will be forced to cover services that the government deems to be essential. Published on November 26, the HHS list of very broad benefits has created enormous uncertainty about the extent of essential treatment.
9. Electronic Data Recorder Mandate
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on December 13 issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to mandate installation of electronic data recorders, popularly known as “black boxes,” in most light vehicles starting in 2014. The government mandate understandably spooks privacy advocates.
10. “Simplified” Mortgage Disclosure and Servicing Rules
In July, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released its proposal for a more “consumer friendly” mortgage process, with a stated goal of simplifying home loans. The rules run an astonishing 1,099 pages. Then, one month later, the bureau proposed more than 560 pages of rules for mortgage servicing.
No End in Sight
As busy as regulators were in 2012, do not look for them to slow down in the new year. We’ll continue to document the real-life impact with our ongoing Tales of the Red Tape series on The Foundry.
Don’t forget to share your “cup of kindness” with the Ridgewood Concert Band as 2012 draws to a close.
The Ridgewood Concert Band (RCB) is a not-for-profit organization that needs your help!
Revenue from subscriptions and ticket sales only partially covers the expenses incurred while producing the high quality performances you have come to expect and deserve. Expenses include, but are not limited to: renting rehearsal space, fees for performance venues, renting and purchasing equipment and music, printing, and website development and maintenance. The RCB Board, which consists of band members and community leaders, is committed to raising enough revenue to meet our annual budget and to utilizing funds wisely.
December 31st is the last day to qualify for a
tax-deduction for charitable donations!
The contribution is considered paid when you put the check in the mail, or when it is charged to your credit card (not when you pay the credit card company). Make sure that your donation is made by December 31 the year in which you plan to claim a deduction.
It is easy to make a donation!
You can make a contribution to the RCB in two ways:
1) Make a donation with a credit card online on our website.
2) Mail a check to:
Ridgewood Concert Band
PO BOX 151
Ridgewood, NJ 07451
Thank you for your support and
we wish you a Happy New Year!
Action plan to address test scores in Ridgewood
Thursday December 27, 2012, 4:48 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Middle school administrators in Ridgewood have drafted an action plan to address sixth- to eighth-grade students’ language arts scores on state tests.
From 2007 to 2012, middle school language arts scores, while still high in comparison to state averages, have generally not faired as well in comparison to similar public school districts, administrators said. Middle school math scores in Ridgewood, however, are now largely on target with averages at similar districts, they noted, and Ridgewood’s elementary school language arts scores are relatively high.
While avoiding specifics, administrators at a recent Board of Education (BOE) meeting said they are currently gauging the feasibility of increasing the time students spend in their English classrooms, potentially offering “double period English” in grade 6. In addition, the middle schools are using Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing to earlier identify which students are doing well and which are struggling academically.
