>Proudly they stand! United in voice and determined to the core! Not since I moved to this town prior to getting married in 1997 have I felt so proud to live here. Proud of the fact that the great people of our village came out in force last night to let the Planning Board know that the majority of tax paying residents of this village are against Valley Hospital’s expansion plans. The spirit of the people, fighting for what is right, was evident by the vocal disgust at what Valley Hospital has planned.
But it was all in vain. The planning board had already made its decision and its individual members turned their backs on the people that they supposedly represent in favor of Valley Hospital’s plans to expand. May the planning board members woe the day that they ignored the cries of their neighbors and friends. The tar and feathers await them.
The planning board has now clearly shown evidence that something is corruptly wrong. Against the voices of the residents of our village, the planning board has clearly highlighted their underhandedness in last night’s vote against the desires of the tax-paying residents of Ridgewood. There is no point highlighting the double cross of one individual member of the six who voted in favor of Valley’s plans, together the six quislings who sold out their friends and neighbors in favor of Valley must now face questions as to their reasons for doing so. It is not enough that they answer to the tax paying residents of our village, but they must now answer to state or federal authorities (as I have stated in a previous blog).
Last year, undercover FBI informant Solomon Dwek worked with federal authorities to expose statewide corruption in New Jersey which resulted in the arrest of 46 mayors, deputy majors, council people and others. Does Valley Hospital have its own Solomon Dwek, only he is operating quite successfully in paying off the Planning Board without any fear of retribution from the Feds? What promises and financial enhancements have been offered to the members of the planning board? These are some questions that only a state/federal investigation can answer and I am sure that there are many more.
The good news is that it will take a number of years before ground is broken on the expansion plans at Valley, but the fight must go on as never before. We must rally to the tune of the civil rights marches across the world “we shall over come” and we must protest at Valley itself – they brought their employees (non-residents of Ridgewood) to our town’s planning board – we must bring our fight to their customers – yes, their customers because every patient that passes the gates of Valley Hospital is a customer that makes money for Valley, the numerous insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical supply companies, etc. We must start putting a dent in the pockets of these entities to let them know that Valley’s underhanded tactics can backfire.
