The last thing we need here are the kind of divisive politics Aronsohn practices
The last thing we need here are the kind of divisive politics Aronsohn practices. We have way more than enough problems here already.
I want to keep the things that made the Village what it is – which is what made many people want to live here. And I feel the best way to do that is to vote for Killion and Shinozuka of the current candidates.
Aronsohn I do not trust at all — he says rescind the H zone amendments, but then endorses others who are for the Valley plan which would require keeping those amendments. He’s a politician and just wants to use Ridgewood to advance his real agenda — himself.
We need to stop all the adventures and focus on the basics. We currently have an unsustainable model here – unless you can afford your taxes skyrocketing by big percentages every year. I sure can’t.
Aronsohn’s biggest supporters are those who want more government spending, more taxes, more overhead and bureaucracy. Don’t be fooled into thinking anything else by all the hype and spin being put out.
Local government here needs to be about stewardship and not about grandstanding and politics.
This election has become so nasty because Mr. Aronsohn has decided to use all the big-time political techniques he and his team can muster – spin, divide and conquer, obfuscation, confrontation, attack, flip-flop, and all the rest.
We’ve all seen the results of a lot of politics being applied here currently. Just look at the whole situation about Valley in recent times to see the very same techniques being used to try and manipulate things. Has any of that junk made things better here? I would say quite the opposite.
We don’t need more of that here — nor in my view do we need more of Mr. Aronsohn.
Talk about keeping “old time politics” is exactly what has been happening. Sorry, JF, there has to be a major change, for improvement.
Newcomers can only say what they WOULD do if elected. Incumbents ought to be able to say what they DID.
Harshly and repeatedly criticizing one’s colleagues is not a convincing platform for reelection. Standard advice to job seekers is NOT to trash their former employers and co-workers because it would reflect badly on themselves and is hardly a strong argument for being hired. That should work here as well. Dirty politics has no place in a suburban council election.
The tax increase prematurely quoted in the press is very far from final. It was merely a first look at the budget. Many residents don’t realize that it would apply only to the small municipal government portion of the budget, which is mostly a blank check to the schools. They are mentally multiplying the number by their existing property taxes and panicking.
Raises: Aronsohn has voted for every police and fire union contract in the past 4 years. Employee contracts (not counting the current Village Manager’s) were approved by the former Council. Four reasonable council members voted for the village manager’s raise. Disagree? OK. But is their decision to give somebody a raise really a good enough reason to vote for somebody else? It was one thing, blasted out of proportion by Aronsohn when he (or White Horse Strategies) grabbed it as a key to reelection…because he has very little else to offer.
Besides the fact that a 0%-based budget is better as a soundbite than as a plan for municipal government, how can Aronsohn reduce taxes or keep them low, as he claims he will do, while fully funding the library, revitalizing downtown, and pressing for enormous so-called accessibility projects when more thought could have had the job done better and at far lower cost?
Take a look at the new sidewalk at the Stable. Who planned it–the designer of Candyland? Or maybe Chutes and Ladders. It takes you (that is, apparently everyone) up from the parking lot, turn left, turn right, turn left, go to the Maple Avenue regular sidewalk, then up to the door–it couldn’t be more circuitous, with hard 90-degree turns rather than rounded edges. The turn radius at each corner, and there are many, is sharp and not easily maneuvered.
Yes, a very gentle specific maximum slope is required for wheelchairs; on hills, that requires a twisty-turny path. But accessibility to a building is supposed to give everybody a fair shot at getting through the door, not make things harder for everybody else every day. Did a single accessibility engineer review the plans? Unless another path will be added, and it doesn’t look that way, people attending meetings at the Stable (there are many) will have to leave home 5 minutes earlier–no exaggeration–just to get from the parking lot to the main door.
That trip is entirely exposed to the elements, too. When it’s raining or snowing or windy, this will be a long, wet, cold trip for all. And it will have to be cleared routinely of ice, snow, and debris in order for ANYONE to get in.
People in wheelchairs are not the only population needing better access. Those with Parkinson’s, a cane, a walker, crutches, a small child in tow, etc.–far greater numbers–will be exhausted. It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible, to accommodate all, and that’s what it’s all about. Why didn’t Aronsohn find and consult an expert? These projects require care and expertise. But no–just having the concrete poured is good enough for Paul Aronsohn, and now, 6 figures later, we are stuck with it.
#2 I will start by saying thank you for writing your comment regarding the bashing of colleagues. You are very right in your analysis. Paul is constantly bashing Killion, Walsh and Riche. Aronsohn’s deragotory comments about Gabbert are disgraceful and alarming. For some reason I was under the impression employment matters were confidential. Also, I am very concerned with the comments about Dr. Gabbert because, if Aronsohn is reeclected, he has created an even greater divide and animosity towards this Village employee. His hatred towards Gabbert is so pervasive that it seems to impair Aronsohn’s judgement.
I really did like Paul Aronsohn but I have come to realize that his tactics are too divisive. All along I planned to vote for him, howeever, the past few weeks he has shown himself for what he is. I I am terribly disappointed in Paul Aronsohn,
#3, thank you. As countless novels, plays, poems, and films–not to mention actual history–have attempted to teach us, ambition alone is not enough.
Mr. Aronsohn has treated us like dopes who won’t notice that he is both for and against the Valley expansion. He believes we’ll applaud him as a heroic promoter of accessibility but not recognize that he does no research and gives no thought to how it will be accomplished as long as his picture can be in the paper. Grants from the county, state, and federal government are NOT “free”–we all pay for them. Isn’t the waste of money one of his complaints?
On Wednesday morning he can finally go to work and finally spend some time there because after June 30 his Wednesday evenings will be free.
I think we know who the real dope is.
Regarding Mr. Aronsohn’s call to fully fund the library from next year’s budget, he hardly ever attended the library board meetings as liaison from the council (maybe 4 times in 2 years). He made his required committee reports during council meetings only a couple of times in that period.
Now, with the election looming, he wants to be the library’s hero when he could have been working for them all along.
Idea: why not check out a book on accessibility?
Paul Aronsohn, Monday morning, May 7: “Hey, I was just kidding! Killion is a true patriot and a fine gentleman. Gabbert earns every cent–I love the guy!”
#2’s comments above are excellent, and offer further proof of why we don’t need more of Mr. Aronsohn’s tactics – and that’s what they are, tactics.
Bravo for your comments. I hope everyone in town will read them and factor them into their decision when they vote.
I used to like Aronsohn too and originally planned to support him. But I feel much differently after doing more “due diligence”. I hope others will do the same and not re-elect him.
Please, please, PLEASE do not vote for Aronsohn. He is a snake, and a nasty, poisonous one at that.
Please, please PLEASE do not vote for Pucciarelli. He, likewise, has resorted to underhanded tactics. Look at his attack on Forenza on The Patch, just disgraceful.
Killion definitely has my vote. Not sure who else I will vote for. Maybe no one else but Mayor Killion. He is honest and he is definitely NOT a politician, just a good guy who is trying his hardest for Ridgewood.
It was embarassing this afternoon at the street fair seeing all the young kids hawking his flyers. This is Ridgewood not Washington.
Well someone should tell Paul. He still hasn’t gotten out the Washington political mode. Maybe Codey got a Paul A compliment t shirt for $1000.00 donation.
Caesar:
Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights.
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look,
He thinks too much; such men are dangerous
Interesting #11….has anyone else noticed that Bernie Walsh has been losing weight? Maybe she is getting that lean and hungry look?
Perhaps I’ll vote for Hauck on the theory that she’ll do the least damage while in office, while doing us all the immediate favor of showing Mr. Aronsohn the door…
#8, Mr. Pucciarelli’s comment under the Patch interview with Mr. Forenza are entirely fact based. He rightly expressed amazement upon reading that Mr. Forenza claimed not to know whether he would have to recuse himself regarding Valley issues because his wife works there. In fact, this issue came out a year and a half ago during the November 2010 Council ballot attached to the general election for the term left uncompleted by Annie Zusy’s death, when Steve Wellinghorst won.
For Mr. Forenza to say now that he “doesn’t know” is disingenuous in the extreme.
#8, bravo regarding Mayor Killion, and here’s hoping a majority of residents agree.
As your second bullet vote, if you go that way, please consider Planning Board member Jane Shinozuka. She is quiet, even tempered, and thoughtful, with no political ladder to climb and no ax to grind. She just wants to help her town.