Authority misbehavior a symptom of oversight, says Stockton report
The headline-making stories of abuse and scandal at the state’s authorities shouldn’t be a surprise, according to a new report issued by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton College.
According to David Carr, a professor of political science, the lack of consistent oversight and inadequate monitoring systems for agencies at every level of government has left the state open to misreported spending and a lack of transparency. (Caliendo, NJBIZ)
>Americans Making Over $50,000 a Year Paid 93.3 Percent of All Taxes in 2010 By Christopher Goins April 14, 2012
(CNSNews.com) – Americans making over $50,000 paid most of the federal taxes that were paid in the U.S. in 2010.
According to statistics compiled from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the Tax Foundation, those people making above $50,000 had an effective tax rate of 14.1 percent, and carried 93.3 percent of the total tax burden.
In contrast, Americans making less than $50,000 had an effective tax rate of 3.5 percent and their total share of the tax burden was just 6.7 percent.
Americans making more than $250,000 had an effective tax rate of 23.4 percent and their total share of the tax burden was 45.7 percent.
Out of the 143 million tax returns that were filed with the IRS in 2010, 58 million – or 41 percent – of those filers were non-payers.
I want to thank the Village for electing me to a one year term on theBoard of Education
I want to thank the Village for electing me to a one year term on the Boardof Education. I look forward to working with the other members in meeting the challenges that our schools face in an ever-changing educational landscape. Iunderstand that you elected me to serve as your voice at the BOE table to askthe kind of questions that you would ask had you been participating in ourdiscussions. The Board oversees spending 2/3rds of our property taxes and mustcontinually earn your support.
I appreciate that BOE members represent everyone in the Village and mustlisten to all points of view. I will make it a priority to reach out to thosegroups that supported Bob Hutton in this election. In the future, I will alwayswelcome your thoughts, concerns, suggestions and criticisms of Board matters.
I also want to thank Bob for his nine years of service as a Board member. Weoften forget that this is an unpaid volunteer office that requires many hoursof work.
Thank you again for your trust.
I especially want to thank The Ridgewood Blog for its support of mycandidacy and continued policy of publishing all points of view around theVillage. Freedom of expression is important to our democracy and outlets suchas The Blog are critical in a market like Ridgewoodthat is a mere subset of the larger NY/Bergen media landscape. I wish that thefolks that participate in The Blog were willing to do so with their names attached,but understand their reasons for not always doing so. Keep the discussions going!
I hate it when people use sports and club mailing lists for politics
I hate it when people use sports and club mailing lists for politics or as a business contact. I give my email address so that I can get updates on team activities. I don’t care who the other parents support.
If I went to a candidate fundraiser and gave my email address then I would expect political emails. Before the fields went in, the lax coach would send emails to the parents for fundraising and BOE support.
The only thing that I have in common with many of the parents is the team. Why would they assume that our common sport team affiliation means that I would want to vote with them? Some of those people are not too bright, but they think very highly of themselves.
>Ridgewood Village Council candidates share some conversation with seniors
MONDAY APRIL 16, 2012, 3:22 PM BY DARIUS AMOS STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
During a lively and interactive forum with members of the senior citizen community, the candidates for Village Council addressed several key issues impacting all Ridgewood residents. The Candidates Coffee event, held last week at the Ridgecrest Apartments, marked the first time that all six council hopefuls discussed election topics as a group.
Of the six candidates, three will be selected by registered voters on May 8 to serve four-year terms on Ridgewood’s governing body. The pool of candidates includes two incumbents, two Planning Board members, and two village watchdogs.
The candidates – Paul Aronsohn, Russell Forenza, Gwenn Hauck, Keith Killion, Albert Pucciarelli and Mary Jane Shinozuka – answered questions offered to them by moderator Irma Leeds, a member of the League of Women Voters. They provided the audience of approximately 30 seniors with their viewpoints on the council’s role in modernizing The Valley Hospital and the responsibility of reducing municipal expenses while protecting services. An additional question, raised by members of the public, requested ideas on how to improve the central business district (CBD) and keep businesses from moving out of the downtown area.
RIDGEWOOD BLOG POLL: HOW DO YOU GET TO WORK EVERYDAY ?
NJ Transit ridership rises, thanks to young commuters and high gas prices By Paul Nussbaum Inquirer Staff Writer
High gas prices and the changing habits of young people are driving a shift toward mass transit that could influence budget battles in Washington and state capitals.
Nationwide last year, buses, subways, and trains had their second-highest ridership since 1957 – behind only 2008, when the price of gas topped $4 a gallon. Locally, SEPTA, NJ Transit, and PATCO all report increased ridership.
Amtrak, which last week said it carried 3.7 percent more passengers in the six months that ended in March than in the same period a year earlier, appears headed for its ninth national ridership record in 10 years.
U.S. highway use was down slightly in 2011, with 1.2 percent fewer vehicle miles traveled than in 2010, and 1.3 percent fewer than in 2007.
“Gas prices are driving this,” SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney theorized. The agency’s ridership increased 2.9 percent through the seven months that ended in February, and its budget for the next year anticipates an additional 2.5 percent annual increase in passengers.
“Rising employment levels and a stronger economic climate” are the primary factors, NJ Transit spokesman John Durso Jr. said, citing his agency’s 5.7 percent ridership gain for the six months that ended in February.
>In Bergen County, nearly 1 in 3 school districts keep April school board elections Published: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 8:46 AM Updated: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 8:47 AM
BERGEN COUNTY — It’s school election day in New Jersey, but only if you live in one of the handful of districts statewide that opted out of a new measure that allowed towns to roll their school elections into the November general election.
According to The Star-Ledger, 87 percent of school boards statewide have moved their school elections to November, and data released by the New Jersey School Boards Association shows that a few counties — Burlingtonm Cape May and Union — have entirely moved elections.
In Bergen County, though, 20 districts opted out of moving their elections, more than twice as many as any other county and accounting for almost one third of its districts.
>Special Report: Tax time pushes some Americans to take a hike
By Atossa Araxia Abrahamian
Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:34pm EDT
(Reuters) – A year ago, in Action Comics, Superman declared plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship.
“‘Truth, justice, and the American way’ – it’s not enough anymore,” the comic book superhero said, after both the Iranian and American governments criticized him for joining a peaceful anti-government protest in Tehran.
Last year, almost 1,800 people followed Superman’s lead, renouncing their U.S. citizenship or handing in their Green Cards. That’s a record number since the Internal Revenue Service began publishing a list of those who renounced in 1998. It’s also almost eight times more than the number of citizens who renounced in 2008, and more than the total for 2007, 2008 and 2009 combined.
But not everyone’s motivations are as lofty as Superman’s. Many say they parted ways with America for tax reasons.
Ridgewood Schools : the “good old days” ain’t comin’ back
Your references (Carin Cone, Doug Cook, Jeff Yearing, etc…) puts you at RHS in the 60’s an interesting time in our country’s history and much, much different than today. A couple of questions in regards to your comments about class sizes, turf, size of administration, etc….
How many classes were offered at RHS in 1965? How many electives? How many Honors classes? How many languages? There is no more wood shop or auto shop at RHS which had large class enrollments. Just the sheer size of varied class offerings at RHS requires more class rooms and teachers and leads directly to overall lower class sizes. In regards to turf and lights. How did the RHS Boys and Girls Soccer teams do back then? What about the girls softball team? Were the boys and girls lacrosse teams state and national powers in the 60’s? How many All-American girls track stars were there back then? Since the boys basketball program was so strong I would assume the girls team was pretty good as well? Did the girls cross country team run for State titles year in and year out in the 60’s? None of those teams even existed back then. Yet the size and number of our fields is almost exactly the same. That’s why we have turf.
You mention some legendary Principal’s and Administrators. How did they deal with the Federal Gov’t mandated “No Child Left Behind? Wiring the schools for internet and high speed telecommunications must have been much easier back then. I’m sure the NJ mandated “No Bullying” rules took up a lot of their time. What about the HESPA exams and all the other mandated testing that goes on, how did they deal with those responsibilities? With all of those sports teams, multiple bands, New Players, Clubs, activities, over involved parents and the such they must have been swamped.
Look, we all long for the “good old days” whatever they may be for each of us but we all have to realize they ain’t comin’ back. We can be as nostalgic as we want but it is impossible to turn the clock back. The taxes we pay in this town are ridiculous, we all know that. Yet we all choose to live here. The Ridgewood School system when compared against similar districts in similar towns of similar size and when compared against State averages has a cost per pupil far below our peers and the state averages. It is hard to believe that we pay the taxes we do and in some respects we’re getting decent value. There is not a lot of “administrative bloat.” Name some if you can. The problem we have is that with a $90 million dollar budget approx. 85% of it is salaries and benefits. That’s over $75 million bucks right there. $385,000 for a new science curriculum doesn’t really sound like a big deal to me when you look at it like that. If you want to try and roll back the clock then start eliminating electives and teachers and before you do that, freeze their salaries on the contract being negotiated.
>Readers debate the context of candidate Jim Morgan ‘s controversial field comment
Jim sorry but it is a matter of public record, as per the minutes of the Village Council meeting on 10/27/10 which are available online (all-caps emphasis added to jog your memory):
“Mr. Morgan stated that if nothing is done by the Village Council, the neighbors WILL be forced to pursue legal action against the Village to recoup monetary damages as a result of the decreased value of their properties. He added that property owners WILL also seek property tax reductions due to the unilateral changes occurring in the use of these fields in over 100 years, which will result in lost revenues for the Village and additional litigation expenses.”
This threat or apparent promise of legal action by you is clear evidence of the conflict of interest you would experience as a BOE member.
The rest of your essay is just snake oil salesmanship.
answer:
It is always messy and disingenuous to highlight one line from many paragraphs. I went back to read the minutes and you are correct Mr. Morgan made the threat. After reading the entire statement, the quote in context, makes sense and helps understand the much larger appeal and issue. The minutes are an interesting read which Ridgewood taxpayers should review before heading out and supporting the BOE budget today.
Where is the money coming from and was the process for the lights legal, fair and transparent? For the record I like the lights and the fields but wonder if it was the best approach given the inherent drainage issues.Next time remember citations and add the link.
Not yet a registered voter, but want to vote in Village Council election?
For those who have never registered to vote, but would like to, today (Tues., April 17) is the last day to do so and then vote in the May 8 Council election (in precisely 3 weeks). There is a lag period while the records are created.
Those who can’t get to Village Hall before its offices close at 4:30 can register in the Village Hall lobby tonight until 9 PM–a fine municipal service.
Any 17-year-old who will turn 18 by May 8 and can prove it is eligible to register now as well.
From ridgewoodnj.net (also see today’s square on Village calendar):
NJ anti-bullying money: Will there be enough to go around?
The Christie administration will give New Jersey school districts until mid-May to seek their share of $1 million in new funding to pay for the rising costs of implementing the state’s anti-bullying law.
But in its five-page application provided to districts yesterday, it also acknowledged it may not be enough to go around and cover all costs. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
Just two towns have ballot questions before voters today looking to exceed the 2 percent cap on increases in property tax levies, but two state lawmakers are nevertheless prepping bills that would tighten their financial leash a little further.
At issue is the prospect that municipalities will turn to user fees to boost revenue while sidestepping caps on property taxes. Either way, homeowners pay more — perhaps through a fee for having garbage picked up or for calling for emergency services such as the fire department. (Symoms, Gannett)
I have just reviewed the mass mailing that various sports groups made regarding Tuesday’s School Election. This unfortunate piece, especially as regards me, is a combination of falsehoods and misrepresentations. None of the signers had the courtesy to contact me or check their facts before using their children’s team email lists to spread their inaccuracies.
To set the record straight:
I have never engaged in “harassing, bulling or antagonizing” behavior with the BOE or staff. What I have done is persistently point out their questionable management judgments and sought to have the BOE members do the job we elected them to do as our representatives.
I have never threatened to sue the Village or BOE. What I did do was point out questionable BOE’s procedures that could potentially lead to a lawsuit.
I have never “courted” the teachers. What I have done is urge the BOE to get on with the contract negotiations to reach a settlement ending the unhealthy classroom condition of having teachers working without a contract.
I have never sought to “compromise the BOE’s position in the negotiations.” What I have recommended is that the final agreement must recognize the needs of the taxpayers the Board represents.
When it was pointed out to me that a REF by-law prevents a serving Trustee from running for the BOE, I promptly resigned.
My campaign has focused on the need for every resident of the Village to have a strong voice representing them on the Board of Education. We need a BOE member that will not accept that a 2% annual property tax increase is acceptable without exploring how we can more efficiently use the $90 million annual school budget. My opponent automatically accepts that taxes must go up by the state ceiling. We need a BOE member that will place curriculum needs over hardware needs when planning our school technology budgets. My opponent has allowed the school technology planning to become stale. We need a BOE member that will seek out public participation in Board decisions and not hide in secret committee meetings closed to the public. My opponent prefers the shadows and closing the public out of the BOE’s deliberations. We need a BOE member that will push to resolve the teachers’ contract mess in a way that recognizes the Village’s economic conditions before students begin to suffer.
My opponent prefers to draw out negotiations for no discernable benefit to the taxpayers. There are important issues at stake in this election that will impact our children’s futures and the values of our homes for years to come. If you really feel that BOE’s lack of transparency and initiative in demanding cost effective answers to our schools’ needs is acceptable to you, by all means vote for my opponent. I believe that BOE’s decisions are too critical to leave to an individual that does not approach every decision with an open, inquiring mind and understands that he is your representative. If you want a strong voice that represents your interests as a parent and taxpayer, please vote for me in the election for the one year BOE term.Finally, I want to comment on the gratuitous way these authors went out of their way to attack
Gina Damasco. This was just plain mean. I met Gina during the campaign and quickly learned that she is a well informed individual that has a genuine desire to be of service to her community.
Since she is an experienced education attorney, she decided that our BOE could benefit from her background and willingness to serve. She had not participated in a previous campaign in Ridgewood and was unaware of all the electioneering that a Village election requires. The letter writers never asked her why she did not participate in the early campaign. So they chose to pick on mechanics rather than substance. This group should be ashamed of themselves for their arrogant comments. Attitudes like theirs are a major reason why many well qualified Village citizens are unwilling to run for office and be the subject of such ill-informed trash.
