Trenton NJ, Senator Gerry Cardinale, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement opposing legislation that would allow incarcerated prisoners, as well as those on parole and probation, to vote.
Sen. Gerry Cardinale opposes legislation that would allow incarcerated prisoners, as well as those on parole and probation, to vote.
“People who are serving prison sentences for breaking the law are subject to a loss of certain freedoms.
“That’s part of the risk they assume when they break the law, and part of the incentive structure for people to follow the law.
“Do we really believe that murderers and rapists who are serving prison sentences should be allowed to influence elections and public policy?
“We shouldn’t trust people who have demonstrated such bad judgment that they are removed from society with the responsibility that comes with voting.
“Let’s not forget that we restore voting rights once a person has paid their debt to society and proven themselves to be trustworthy following parole or probation.
Ridgewood NJ, According to the American Community Survey, telecommuting doubled from 2005 to 2014 and employers in 2017 were more likely to be looking for live-work-play communities that offer affordability as well as lifestyle benefits for their employees.
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, educational attainment, income, language proficiency, migration, disability, employment, and housing characteristics.
PlanSmart NJ, says New Jersey is the most exited state in the nation, with owner-occupied home ownership down by 100,000 in the years since the Great Recession. We need a new policy approach, one prepared to grapple with the following realities: New Jersey has five new renters for every three homeowners; New Jersey has 14 million square feet of empty office space; New Jersey has seven million square feet of empty retail. At our current rate, it will take more than 20 years to re-tenant these stranded assets.
PlanSmart NJ is an independent, non-profit planning and research organization committed to improving the quality of community life through the advancement of sound land use planning and regional cooperation.
Jim Hughes, the dean at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and co-author Joseph Seneca put it most succinctly in their recent work on New Jersey’s postsuburban economy: “New Jersey’s core advantage in the late 20th century – a suburban-dominated, automobile-dependent economy and lifestyle – is (now) regarded as a disadvantage.”
The report for all its gloom offers barely a mention of the elephant in the room , the oversized property taxes and very high taxes in general on residents which will continue to raise as the tax base disappears .
Ridgewood NJ, according to the Department of Community Affairs ,the average residential property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,690 in 2017.Property taxes in New Jersey range from a low, low $1,277 to a high, high of $31,415 in 2017.
Glen Rock , Ho Ho Kus and Ridgewood made the list of highest property taxes in the state , with Glen Rock coming in at number 27 with an average, $15,801 in real estate taxes. Ho-Ho-Kus, came in in 26th place , with an average tax bill was $15,952 and the Village of Ridgewood placed 17th with an average property tax bill of $17,661.
Ridgewood NJ, this week during the Nor’easter over 200,000 fellow New Jersey residents originally lost their power and as of yesterday still over 80,000 people are shivering in the cold , one question remains, and one question only where is the governor?
Governor Phil Murphy has been a complete no show during his first emergency . The word is the no gov has been partying with has been comedian George Lopez , instead on focusing on the state he was elected to govern .
Carlos Gutierrez said in a Facebook post , “Saw George Lopez at The Stress Factory on Friday, but that puto does not allow cell phones or pictures of him taken during his show, so I took a pic with New Jersey’s Governor, Phil Murphy instead, lol”
Funny if it was governor Christie our lame brain media with be 24/7 with why he is not out shoveling peoples driveways .
Ridgewood NJ, the Nation Weather Service a winter storm warning is in effect from 10 pm tonight till 4 am Thursday night .
* WHAT…Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, except 10 to 15 inches across interior portions of
the Lower Hudson Valley, and most of interior southern Connecticut. Locally higher amounts are possible.
* WHERE…New York City, Northeast New Jersey, The Lower Hudson Valley, Southwestern Connecticut, Middlesex, Nassau and
northwestern Suffolk Counties.
* WHEN…From 10 PM this evening to 4 AM EST Thursday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Travel will be very difficult to impossible, including during the evening commute on Wednesday.
Be prepared for significant reductions in visibility at times.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Storm Warning for snow means severe winter weather conditions will make travel very hazardous or impossible. If you
must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Check local Department of
Transportation information services for the latest road conditions.
The problem with “studies” is that they always seem to come out supporting the entity that paid for the study. See the study that showed that building huge apartment complexes will not add any children to the school system because they will be marketed to empty nesters. Or (my favorite) the one that showed that building apartment complexes will IMPROVE traffic conditions in the CBD because none of the residents will have cars and will take the train everywhere.
Ridgewood NJ, Have facts ever mattered more in public conversations? There are some hard questions for the Village Council after reading the parking facts in the many reports Ridgewood has paid for from respected experts. The facts are clear and not in dispute: we have an excess of CBD parking, poorly priced, and poorly promoted.
Why is the council pushing to add parking when there are as many, if not more, open CBD parking spots as the proposed garage would add?
Why is the council ignoring these facts and Gerrymandering the results to try and say otherwise?
Why add more $10,000,000 in more parking when the failed valet project proved parking is plentiful and easy to find?
Where is the concern for the village taxpayer as they get set to double all parking revenue, a million dollars annually in new parking fees?
Why would the village council say there is a shortage of parking when the facts conclusively prove otherwise?
Please email the council and ask if the parking facts matter.
RIDGEWOOD, N.J.—Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon are certified to run for both open seats on the Ridgewood Village Council in this May 8th municipal election.
Both incumbents share a view of the future that includes smart, organic development which fits into the character of the Village while maintaining that history and charm responsible for drawing so many current residents to our town.
“As we embark on a complete rewrite of our current, outdated Master Plan few councils have had the opportunity to impact the Village’s future development as we do right now,” Sedon said. “For too many years long-range planning has been conducted through a hodgepodge of mostly contested Master Plan amendments. Rewriting this document will allow us to memorialize what we have today in the Village, and it will guide growth and development for the next 50 years.”
Knudsen focuses on taxes, services and the future, “Village Council members are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars; our charge is to ensure each and every tax dollar is used prudently and responsibly while delivering reliable and quality services,” Knudsen said. “Looking toward the future, we are working diligently to make certain Ridgewood remains a wonderful place to live, work, raise a family and age in place for generations to come.”
Long-time resident Knudsen was elected to the Ridgewood Village Council in 2014, serving as mayor since 2016. Knudsen is a member of the Ridgewood Planning Board, Site Plan Exemption Committee, Historic Preservation Commission and Master Plan Advisory Committee. Knudsen also serves on the Community Access Network supporting our special needs community, Project Pride, Community Relations Advisory Board, Fourth of July Committee, Village Interfaith Group and Special Projects Task Force. She is also a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is a long time member of the Ridgewood High School Jamboree Scholarship Program providing need-based scholarship opportunities to graduating seniors. Prior to being elected in 2014, Knudsen served as the Zoning Board of Adjustment Vice-chairman.
Currently Sedon is working as a freelance writer, and he is also a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, member of the Ridgewood Knights of Columbus and serves on the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee, Green Team, Shade Tree Commission, Community Center Advisory Board and the Special Projects Task Force. He has served on the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee and the Open Space Committee.
After settling most of the major issues of the past such as housing densities, the hospital expansion and critical infrastructure repair and attention, Knudsen and Sedon feel the time is right to guide the Village into the future with proven leadership and openness to listen to our residents providing a level of transparency in government that lets citizens become a meaningful part of the process.
Knudsen and Sedon have worked to keep taxes stable in their first four years serving the Village, while staying committed to modernizing Ridgewood Water, maintaining services and ending years of expensive litigation.
They have allocated $2 million each year toward paving our roads, oversaw a much improved leaf collection process, worked with all stakeholders to arrive at a compromise to develop new park lands, planted hundreds of new street trees and continue to support our Central Business District.
Proven leadership, a willingness to listen to and respect residents and a track record of accomplishment, Knudsen and Sedon remain energized and committed to moving Ridgewood forward while respecting and maintaining the history and character of the Village that makes Ridgewood special.
Ridgewood NJ, Not many people realize their homeowner’s insurance coverage often does not cover their external sewer lines. This means should a problem arise, they are left responsible to pay for repairs and damage completely out of pocket. The good news is
Bey MGA, who recently announced their launch, is answering the call for help in this area. The New York based company, offer low-cost sewer line insurance coverage in NY, NJ, PA and IL, that delivers both security and peace of mind, to forward-thinking homeowners. 2018 will see the service expand to also be available to TX, OK, GA, TN, and AR customers.
Bey MGA is a new company offering affordable insurance coverage that protects our customers from unexpected and potentially catastrophic expenses that can result from an unexpected sewer line failure.
“We are here to insure the gap that currently exists in most basic homeowner insurance,” commented Michael Averill, Executive Vice President of Bey MGA. “The fact is homes across the US are
aging and that means it is only a matter of time, not if – but when, their sewer line breaks. Without insurance coverage in this area, the costs can truly be catastrophic.”
According to the company, the exterior sewer line is the piece of line that runs from the foundation of a home out to where the homeowner’s property ends. Of course, with time, this section of sewer line ages and sooner or later experiences problems. With homeowner’s insurance only providing coverage for sewer line within the home, this makes the coverage offered by Bey MGA quite needed and vital. Bey MGA uses a top-rated insurance carrier and covers breaks or tears in the outside sewer line (subject to the policy’s provisions) up to policy limits. A number of different sewer line insurance options are available, and professionals from the company’s customer service team
are always willing to discuss what may be the optimal choice for a homeowner based on their needs and resources available.
A recent Bey MGA insurance client from New York remarked, after experiencing a sewage line break, “I just have to say that you guys are wonderful! Not only was your claim team considerate, they walked us through the process
step-by-step. Within an hour, your adjuster was working with our plumber. Within two days, our repairs were complete, and our lives were back to normal.”
If the the ultimate goal of those looking to build the garage is to revitalize the CBD..how does one not first realize that you need the stores/products that will actually draw customers to come shopping in this town. I don’t know about what everyone else thinks but Mango Jam and others aren’t really a big draw in the retail world. If we’re looking towards the future, larger brands with name recognition (similar to Tices Corner) is what will draw shoppers to the CBD. Building a garage in the hopes that it will miraculously cure the shopping malaise that retailers in town seem to be going through and somehow make the trinket shops in town the next new thing is a total pipe dream. Building this garage is similar to pushing for an increase in public pay phones in the early 1990s when cell phones were just picking up. If the council wants to revitalize this village, we don’t need to build this garage, simply change the retail landscape that suits 2018 not 1980, a parking garage will go empty if we continue to rely on mom and pop stores to draw shoppers in. Oh, and if anyone on the council is reading this, YOU DON’T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND ON THIS HORRENDOUS IDEA.
Bergenfield NJ, Bergenfield Mayor Norman Schmelz made it official on Sunday with his as promised announcement that he is running for Bergen County Executive. The announcement comes on the heels Steven Lonegan’s declaration of war with the Bergen GOP .
Over 150 people showed for event ,noticeable absent was embattle Bergen GOP Chair DiGaetano . In fact, no leaders from the current BCRO or Bergen County Republican Organization attended the event.
Only John McCann who is running for the GOP spot to face U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer put in an appearance. Steve Lonegan was at State Senator Gerald Cardinale’s birthday party , the Senator and his wife have endorsed Lonegan in his race against McCann to represent the GOP against Gotteimer.
(Photo above Jim Arakelian with Michael Homaychak, Norman Schmelz and Fernando Alonso.)
And yet another infamous blunder on the part of a previous Village Council (perhaps the BIGGEST of all):
In conjunction with the conversion to high level platforms at Ridgewood’s train station, NJ Transit initially offered to build a LARGE parking garage (not just a single level deck) AT NO COST TO THE VILLAGE. The site selected by NJ Transit was the Ken Smith property.
The sitting Village Council back then balked at the idea. The owners of Ken Smith Lincoln Mercury had no interest in selling their property and the Village Council did not want to use eminent domain and be known as the Council that forced Ken Smith out of business.
As you know, Ken Smith was subsequently forced out of business when Ford Motor pulled their franchise and the property is now being developed as mixed use retail and high density housing.
COUNCILS NEVER LISTEN TO REASON. IT’S A FACT JACK.
Enough of this economics logic stuff. Yes, the economics of this mega garage are nonsense, but no amount of logical argument is going to stop it. This is local politics at work and this is how local politics works. A small minority of people stand to gain from the project. This includes a few business owners and everyone who is involved in the project (lawyers, architects, contractors, construction workers, etc). The taxpayers are the OPM (other peoples money) who foot the bill for it all. However, these taxpayers are mostly oblivious to this whole thing, mostly focused on their kids, their jobs, their social lives, their vacations, etc. This is how it works. It’s not a Ridgewood thing, it goes on everywhere. However, what makes this work well is that towns like Ridgewood are affluent, and therefore, this kind of thing is a good place to do it. It also helps that Ridgewood is a transient town, where people move in raise kids, then move on. Ridgewood is the perfect set of circumstances for these opportunists.
The key questions for garage or no garage need clear answers.
1. What is the real situation with supply and demand of parking in downtown Ridgewood? There has been an abundance of sound and fury about how there is no shortage of parking and just as much about how often there are no parking spaces for consumers. We seem to have nothing more than anecdotal “evidence”. How about actual analysis?
2. How is parking used right now? How much of the parking is used by patrons of Rwood businesses, how much by commuters (resident and non resident), how much by employees of Rwood businesses?
3. How are the current parking spots allocated? Does the current allocation of dedicated employee parking work or is much of that parking going unused, putting a squeeze on available parking for consumers?
4. Which businesses could reasonably be expected to succeed or even grow in downtown Rwood? Will the trend toward restaurants and away from shopping continue?
5. Would a garage end up serving non-residents more than residents? If a garage were built, how could/should the parking fees and rules assure that the main benefit of the parking would go to Rwood taxpayers?
6. Bottom line – Is a garage needed or should the village reconfigure the existing parking?
7. What are the costs and benefits of running the current parking fee system? How much, if any, money is generated? Would Rwood be better off with free downtown parking (a system used by many surrounding towns)?
In my 24 years in Rwood, the village has spent huge sums studying the parking garage situation, without ever fixing anything. The money spent on studies over that time probably exceed the cost of building a parking structure. What a waste.
Glen Rock NJ, The driver of a dark colored SUV was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Center’s main campus following a Harristown Road, Glen Rock crash on Sunday evening, 03/04. The vehicle slammed head on into a utility pole near 371 Harristown Road. Glen Rock Police and EMS personnel responded to aid the victim. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Glen Rock EMTs. The vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. PSE&G’s electric division was summoned to assess the struck pole’s condition. A significant fluid leak was attended to by the tow truck’s driver.
