Author: James
Ridgewood Police and Fire Make Quick Work of Fluid Spill on South Maple
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
December 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a vehicle that had just been returned to its owner after having been repaired by a local auto body shop dropped all of its automatic transmission fluid in the travel lane on the southbound side of South Maple Avenue near Prospect Street, Ridgewood on Thursday afternoon, 12/22. Ridgewood FD personnel applied an absorbent material to the roadway and ensured that no fire hazard was present in the vehicle. Ridgewood PD officers provided traffic control during the incident. A tow truck was summoned to return the vehicle to the auto body shop
Reader says Ridgewood’s Leaf clean up in area D is a disgrace
file photo by ArtChick
In my area D, the leaves where not picked up until after the first snow fall. So much of the leaves had been pushed onto the side walk by the snow plows. Well, needless to say the leaves where left on the side walk by clean up crew. And they just pushed the leaves around and pushed them onto the walk way. So now you have to jump over the mound of leaves to cross the street. So now parts of the west side around Dorimus Ave. have leaves all over the street and sidewalks. This is going to cause a problem with the storm drains and it looks awful. The town has paid for leaf clean-up but there is no clean-up, It’s just a mess. Leaf clean up in area D is a disgrace.
Heather: Do not blame the snow and freezing weather for leaf pick up being behind schedule. The current leaf collection process is antiquated – slow, time consuming, personnel intensive, equipment intensive, dangerous, and expensive; that’s the problem. The people in charge of leaf collection don’t want to change the process because it ensures they keep their jobs. Buy one or two of the single operator, automated leaf vacuum shredders and stop the madness now.
Reader says The responsibility is on the pedestrian to keep himself safe
I use the crosswalks.I look once, twice, three times and then look again. I keep looking as I cross the road. Most importantly I DO NOT trust the drivers to follow the rules of the road and yield to pedestrians…
I’ve probably walked hundreds of miles over the years just crossing streets and I’ve never been hit.
Defensive walking and self-responsibility keeps you alive and in one piece. Sometimes that involves waiting, even if it is not “practical” – better to be late and alive than on-time and dead.
.
This is not to excuse the poor driving by some – it acknowledges it (or at least the potential for dangerous drivers).
the biggest mistake is to look to the law or the police or the government to “fix” bad drivers.
The responsibility is on the pedestrian to keep himself safe. No matter how “in the right” you are, you will ALWAYS lose an “argument” with a motor vehicle.
Readers say There is no justification for the Huge Parking Rate increase
There is no justification for this increase – There was a 15% increase only 2 years ago ($650 to $750) and now a whopping 25% increase only two years later?!?!? When I complained about the increase two years ago I was told the town had done a study of the neighboring towns to make sure the cost was in alignment, which was totally BS since they would never share this study, and when I did my own study the next highest cost in a neighboring town was Ho Ho Kus that was charging residents $295/year – Sometimes I truly hate this town.
Village of Ridgewood : Leaves, Parking Permits and garbage cans at the end of your driveway
Dear Friends at the Ridgewood blog ,
There are several year-end items to share with you…
1. Leaves… Earlier this week our leaf collection was slowed down by snow and freezing weather – We are now finishing up in Area D. We will be back with our vacuum truck to Area A and other areas requiring finishing touches. We ask that from this time forward you do not put any leaves in the street. Branches, plants and leaves can be brought to the Recycling Center or placed in paper biodegradable bags. Filled bags will be picked up at the curb if you call us at 201/670-5585. All yard waste must be brought to the recycling center or held until Yard Waste pickup begins in the spring. Please consult your 2017 calendar for spring pickup schedules.
2. 2017 Village Calendars will arrive in the mail the first week of January. The calendar for January 2017 is also found on the page after December in the 2016 Calendar.
3. Reminder – when there is snow and ice, please assist us by placing your garbage cans at the end of your driveway, by the curb. This will ensure that our employees are able to safely pick up your solid waste.
4. 2017 Annual Parking Permits – Annual Resident, Non-resident and CBD employee parking permits are available for purchase at Village Hall. Driver’s License and car registration are required to apply for all parking permits. The Annual Parking Permits for residents cost $750 or $1,000 annually, depending on which lots are chosen for parking.
5. New in 2017 – “Shopper/Diner” parking spots available in the Hudson, Prospect and Chestnut Lots. These parking spaces will be marked with arrows, and commuter parking will not be allowed in these parking spaces.
6. As a reminder, Village Hall offices will be closed December 23rd & 26th and January 2nd.
Best wishes for the holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year,
Heather A. Mailander
Acting Village Manager
201/670-5500 x202
Ridgewood Library’s multi-million dollar renovation plan detailed in minutes of recent Library Board meetings
December 23,2016
By Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, So much for the Library Board’s recent statement that the building renovation plans announced by Councilman Jeffrey Voigt: ” . . thus far have been merely speculative” and ” . . . should not have served as an announcement.”
From the official minutes of the Ridgewood Public Library Board of Trustees dated January 21, 2016:
“LIBRARY SCHEMATIC PRESENTATION”
Ms. Greene described the five-year planning process conducted by the Library, which included development of a Strategic Plan with consultant Alan Gray of Darien Library, and a Building Program with consultant Leslie Burger of Princeton Library.
Ms. Campbell welcomed Mr. Gisolfi, Ms. Abate and Mr. Mintzes (of Peter Gisolfi Associates, Architects) as participants on the Ridgewood Library schematics team.
Mr. Gisolfi explained his goal of developing transparency and further unifying the Library’s architectural styles from the 1950s and 1990s. He narrated a slide presentation which included these recommendations:
• Install a square clerestory in the center of the original roof to admit additional light.
• Create a 28′ x 28′ opening in the center of the original building, between the 1st and 2nd floors.
Mr. Gisolfi also showed an alternate location for the opening which had been considered earlier.
• Transform the Auditorium into a Performing Arts Center: expand the footprint and height, build tiered
seating, eliminate the raised stage and add backstage and storage areas.
• Create a large new meeting room against the 1st floor south wall, and a smaller new meeting room on
the northwest corner of the 2nd level (location of existing staff room.)
• Enlarge Young Adult Center on the 1st floor and move it against the building’s west wall.
• Enlarge Tech Training Center, encompassing existing Silent Study room and part of Heritage Archives.
• Enlarge 2nd floor Lobby to envelope elevator.
• Open east wall of Bolger Heritage Center toward Reference Center.
• Add Silent Study and 2 smaller study rooms to south wall of Mezzanine; add windows to solid walls.
• Reduce size of staff service desks and offices; add small staff “pods” in all public areas.
The estimated cost for construction and finishes is $5,252,126 to $6,374,583.
The following questions from members of the Board, Friends and Foundation were answered by Mr. Gisolfi.
(1) Will the parking issue be addressed? A: No, Parking was not in the Schematics proposal.
(2) Would the Young Adult area get larger? A: Yes, it would increase by almost 66%.
(3) How will the Performing Arts Center be different? A: The new space would allow for both fixed
seating and removable chairs, and could fit up to 260 seats all together.
(4) Will there be a new kitchen and ticket sale areas for accommodate entertainment and events?
A: The Lobby will feel larger due to the new layout of cafe counter. The larger kitchen area will be
on the 2nd level.
(5) Can the Auditorium open up to the outdoors? A: It’s possible with doors opening toward the patio.
The layout of the stage is also changed to encourage a more fluid flow of people.
(6) Is the total area of shelving changed? A: There is a slight reduction.
(7) To add versatility to the space, can you avoid using fixed table lamps? A. There can be mostly
ceiling lighting.
(8) How can we be sure the proposed budget is feasible? A: The owner’s architect contract would
include a clause requiring the architect to stay within proposed budget.
(9) Construction management? A: Construction supervision is included in the architect cost.
Mr. Fisher pointed out that from a taxpayers’ point of view, the library will be more multi-functional.
Ms. Campbell and the Board thanked Mr. Gisolfi and his team for the detailed presentation.
From the official minutes of the The Ridgewood Public Library Board of Trustees dated November 22, 2016:
“ARCHITECT PRESENTATION —Peter Gisoifi & Robert Mintzes”
Mr. Gisoifi presented revised floor plans and new hand-drawn renderings for the proposed library renovation.
Option A is the new plan which gives the Teen Center a prominent location with windows and an adjacent Makerspace Lab. Option B places a large Meeting Room in that location. Both versions show new meeting rooms of all sizes throughout the Library, and feature a circular central opening with spiral staircase that connects the 1st and 2nd floors under two new rooftop skylights. Phase 1 of the project would renovate all areas of the existing library, and Phase 2 would update the Auditorium into a Performing Arts Center, featuring tiered seating in a slightly larger footprint. From very early cost estimates, Phase 1 and Phase 2 are forecast to cost roughly $4 million and $1 million, respectively.
The plans were well received by all present. Mr. Gisoifi will firm up and verify the construction cost estimates, and will prepare a proposal for architectural design development.
Ms. Greene noted that the Library will need to develop a full Capital Budget Proposal to include all related costs – construction, site work, professional fees, furnishings, technology, moving and storage of all holdings and contingency. The Trustees discussed where to base the Library’s operations during the year or so of major construction. Ideas mentioned: Elks Club, Zusy Center at Village Hall, Brakeorama site, a storefront similar to the mini-mall space used by Wyckoff Library during their construction, or a temporary modular library in the parking lot, delivered by tractor trailer.
United Nations Security Council Backs Down After Trump Warning
“The resolution being considered at the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel should be vetoed.
“As the United States has long maintained, peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians will only come through direct negotiations between the parties, and not through the imposition of terms by the United Nations.
“This puts Israel in a very poor negotiating position and is extremely unfair to all Israelis.” President Elect Donald Trump
Egypt scuttles UN vote on Israeli settlement after Trump warning
By JOEL GEHRKE (@JOELMENTUM) • 12/22/16 11:07 AM
Egyptian officials scrapped a plan to proceed with a United Nations Security Council vote condemning the construction of Israeli settlements, following pushback from Israeli officials and President-elect Trump.
“Egypt requested the vote’s delay to permit them to conduct an additional meeting of the Arab League’s foreign ministers to work on the resolution’s wording,” Haaretz reported, citing Western diplomats. But the vote might be postponed “indefinitely,” according to the report.
ISIS Puts Out Holiday Attack List Of U.S. Churches
The terror group threatened “bloody celebrations in the Christian New Year”
By Gilad Shiloach
Dec 22, 2016 at 4:19 AM ET
The Islamic State published the names and addresses of thousands of churches in the United States and called on its adherents to attack them during the holiday season, according to a message posted late-night Wednesday in the group’s “Secrets of Jihadis” social media group.
A user going by the name of “Abu Marya al-Iraqi” posted an Arabic-language message calling “for bloody celebrations in the Christian New Year” and announced the group’s plans to utilize its network of lone wolf attackers to “turn the Christian New Year into a bloody horror movie.”
The series of messages appeared in a pro-ISIS group on Telegram, which also provides manuals for the use and preparations of weapons and explosives for aspiring assailants. The information, distributed in a number of posts, was all previously available online and includes a public directory of churches across all 50 states. (Vocativ does not publish specific information found in lists like these.)
In another group post, a member summoned “the sons of Islam” to target “churches, well-known hotels, crowded coffee shops, streets, markets and public places,” and shared a list of addresses in the United States, as well as in Canada, France and the Netherlands.
ISIS claimed responsibility for this week’s Christmas market attack in Berlin that killed 12 and injured 48. The group said that the assailant was a “soldier of the Islamic State,” who followed organizational orders “to target coalition countries.” The suspect was identified as Anis Amri, a Tunisian man in his 20s who reportedly had Salafi and jihadi connections in Tunisia and Germany. He is still the object of a massive manhunt in Germany.
The Islamic State has published such lists before — in June, Vocativ reported on a “kill list” that included more than 8,000 names and addresses, including that of police officers in the United States. The June list resulted in no known attacks.
https://www.vocativ.com/386579/isis-lists-u-s-churches-to-attack-during-the-holidays/
Trump Names “Corporate Raider” Carl Icahn as Special Advisor to the President on Regulatory Reform
December 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced that Carl Icahn has agreed to serve as a special advisor to the President on issues relating to regulatory reform.
Over the course of six decades, Mr. Icahn has distinguished himself as one of America’s most successful businessmen and investors. Mr. Icahn was one of President-elect Trump’s earliest supporters, and his intimate knowledge of what businesses need to grow and thrive makes him a trusted voice in developing President-elect Trump’s America First economic agenda. Icahn will be a leader in helping American entrepreneurs shed job-killing regulations that stifle economic growth.
“Carl was with me from the beginning and with his being one of the world’s great businessmen, that was something I truly appreciated,” said President-elect Trump. “He is not only a brilliant negotiator, but also someone who is innately able to predict the future especially having to do with finances and economies. His help on the strangling regulations that our country is faced with will be invaluable.”
“I am proud to serve President-elect Trump as a special advisor on regulatory reform,” said Mr. Icahn. “Under President Obama, America’s business owners have been crippled by over $1 trillion in new regulations and over 750 billion hours dealing with paperwork. It’s time to break free of excessive regulation and let our entrepreneurs do what they do best: create jobs and support communities. President-elect Trump is serious about helping American families, and regulatory reform will be a critical component of making America work again.”
Mr. Icahn is a New York City native and grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens. After receiving a degree in philosophy from Princeton University in 1957, he attended medical school at New York University and then joined the Army. Carl began his career on Wall Street in 1961. In 1968, he formed Icahn & Co., and has gone on to become one of the most well-known and influential investors in America, holding substantial or controlling positions in numerous American companies over the years, including RJR Nabisco, Texaco, Philips Petroleum, Western Union, Gulf & Western, Viacom, Revlon, Time Warner, Motorola, Chesapeake Energy, Dell, Netflix, Apple, and eBay. His efforts have improved the competitiveness of American companies in a wide range of industries, including real estate, telecommunications, transportation, industrial services, oil refining and manufacturing.
Carl has been deeply involved in many charitable endeavors for years. In 2012, in recognition of Carl’s gift of $200 million, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine was renamed the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Institute of Genomics was renamed the Icahn Genomics Institute. The School of Medicine also established the Icahn Scholars Program to attract world-class physician-scientists. He also funded the Icahn Medical Institute Building at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Institute of Genomics, a genomics and multi-scale biology research program. Carl serves as a trustee on the boards of the School of Medicine and Mount Sinai Hospital.
In the realm of education, Carl established seven Icahn Charter Schools in The Bronx borough of New York City. The mission of the schools is based on the belief that all students deserve a rigorous academic program through which they will increase their capacity to learn. At Choate Rosemary Hall, a premiere boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut, where he previously served on the board of trustees, he endowed the Icahn Scholars Program, which has awarded a large number of scholarships to underprivileged students.
Carl has also made significant donations to the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, where he previously served as a trustee, for the construction of Icahn Stadium, a track and field stadium located on Randall’s Island. In addition, he has served as a trustee on the board of Lincoln Center.
Carl Icahn will be advising the President in his individual capacity and will not be serving as a federal employee or a Special Government Employee and will not have any specific duties.
Trump Nominates former Chairman of NYMEX and West Point Grad Vincent Viola as Secretary of the Army
December 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced he intends to nominate former U.S. Army infantry officer and current Virtu Financial Founder and Executive Chairman Vincent “Vinnie” Viola as Secretary of the Army.
As Secretary of the Army, Viola will combine a deep background in national security affairs with an impressive track record of leading and managing high-performing teams within the military and the private sector. Viola is a West Point graduate and U.S. Army veteran. He was trained as an Airborne Ranger infantry officer and served in the 101st Airborne Division. Viola has long been engaged with national security issues even after his military service.
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, Viola worked tirelessly to support the Army philanthropically in the areas of counterterrorism, cybersecurity and leadership development, including helping to found the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He has also founded multiple high-value companies, including Virtu Financial, and chaired the New York Mercantile Exchange. Viola’s business experience makes him well positioned to help guide a Fortune 10-sized company, the U.S. Army, to accomplish its broad mission in the most innovative and efficient way possible.
“I am proud to have such an incredibly accomplished and selfless individual as Vincent Viola as our Secretary of the Army,” said President-elect Donald J. Trump. “Whether it is his distinguished military service or highly impressive track record in the world of business, Vinnie has proved throughout his life that he knows how to be a leader and deliver major results in the face of any challenge. He is a man of outstanding work ethic, integrity, and strategic vision, with an exceptional ability to motivate others. The American people, whether civilian or military, should have great confidence that Vinnie Viola has what it takes to keep America safe and oversee issues of concern to our troops in the Army.”
“It is an honor to be nominated to serve our country as President-elect Trump’s Secretary of the Army,” said Viola. “If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to provide our President with the land force he will need to accomplish any mission in support of his National Defense Strategy. A primary focus of my leadership will be ensuring that America’s soldiers have the ways and means to fight and win across the full spectrum of conflict. This great honor comes with great responsibility, and I will fight for the American people and their right to live free every day.”
Viola is living proof of the American dream. He was born and raised in an Italian immigrant family in Brooklyn, and his father worked a truck driver. Viola was inspired to join the military after witnessing his father’s service in the U.S. Army in World War II. Viola was the first member of his family to attend college, and after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1977, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army that same year. After graduating from the Infantry Officer Basic Course and Ranger School, Viola reported to duty with the 101st Airborne Division. Viola remained a member of the U.S. Army Reserve after the completion of his active duty service. In 1983, he received his J.D. from New York Law School.
In the 1980s, Viola worked as a trader on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and also founded the first of many business ventures, including Pioneer Futures and the Independent Bank Group. After a long and influential career, Viola was appointed Chairman of NYMEX in March 2001.
Viola’s leadership of NYMEX on and after 9/11 resulted in the board of Exchange recognizing his actions with a citation that included this statement: “His heroic leadership served as a beacon to thousands of Exchange members and staff, providing us with the fortitude to resume operations and preserve the efficiency of the American economy and global energy and metals markets in the face of this great tragedy.” In 2008, Viola founded Virtu Financial, a global leader in electronic market making, and took the company public in 2015.
Viola has also been deeply involved in a number of philanthropic causes. Viola has endowed the Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Chair in Catholic Theology at Fordham University and is a major supporter of the Catholic Leadership Institute and its mission to provide world-class leadership formation to bishops, priests and deacons. He is also the owner of the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
Viola lives in New York City with his wife Teresa. They have three adult sons.
Tractor Trailer Rollover Impacts Christmas Shoppers Using Route 17 and Route 4
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
Tractor Trailer Rollover Impacts Christmas Shoppers Using Route 17 and Route 4
December 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, A flatbed tractor trailer carrying building materials rolled over on Route 4 Westbound after exiting the ramp from Route 17 Southbound on Thursday morning, 12/22. The truck driver was uninjured in the mishap. Local lanes of Route 4 Westbound were closed between Route 17 Southbound and the Garden State Parkway until the scene was cleared of the wrecked vehicle and debris. Response by Paramus PD, Paramus EMS, Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, NJ State Police, and NJDOT.
Paramus Police :The ramp from route 17 south to route 4 west is closed. Local lanes of Route 4 westbound will be closed, at route 17.Local lanes of Route 4 westbound will be closed until further 3:30 pm.
Big New Jersey Tax Changes for Ridgewood Retirees and Homeowners
December 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, some big tax changes on way for 2017 . After a host of political deal-making in Trenton , in October of 2016, Governor Chris Christie officially signed legislation implementing a new tax package to help raise money for the Transportation Trust Fund to help repair New Jersey’s roads, bridges and various other infrastructure.
The increase in gas tax is what caught the attention of most people, this was not the only change potentially affecting you and your wallet.
The new law includes:
An increase in the tax on gasoline in the amount of 23-cents per gallon;
A complete phase-out of New Jersey’s Estate Tax (not the New Jersey Inheritance Tax);
Increasing pension and retirement income tax exclusions; and
A slight reduction in the sales tax.
Ouch: A massive increase in New Jersey Gas Tax
News media has focused on a 23-cent-per-gallon hike in the gas tax to pay for transportation work. Under the legislation, the gas tax will increase for the first time since 1988 from 14.5 cents per gallon to 37.5 cents per gallon to fund the Transportation Trust Fund over the next eight years. This increase is set for November 1, 2016. The New Jersey gas tax is pegged to consumption, not to the price of a gallon of gasoline. The tax rate will not rise or fall automatically as gas prices rise or fall. Instead, the law puts a “cap” on how much money the state can raise from the tax. Therefore, if gas consumption increases and the state sells more gasoline, then the tax rate will go down (or at least it is supposed to). If consumption decreases, (which typically happens on any increase in gasoline price which results in an increase of people purchasing hybrid vehicles) then the tax rate will increase to make up for the slowing revenue.
Good news for Bergen County Homeowners ; the Repeal of the New Jersey Estate Tax
New Jersey has long held the distinction of being atop the list of worst states in which to die by having an exemption for estate tax of only $675,000. This will all change on January 1, 2017. Under the new legislation, the New Jersey Estate Tax will be phased out over a period of time. On January 1, 2017, the New Jersey estate tax exemption will increase from $675,000 (the lowest exemption in the nation) to $2,000,000. The estate tax exemption is the maximum amount of property that a New Jersey resident may currently pass at death, free of New Jersey Estate Tax. This means that individuals dying on or after January 1, 2017, can leave $2,000,000 to children or other Class A beneficiaries and not be subject to any New Jersey Estate Tax. There is still no tax between spouses as the tax occurs on the second spouse’s passing.
Under pre-2017 law, an individual estate of $2,000,000 with no surviving spouse will generate a New Jersey Estate Tax of approximately $100,000. A $100,000 savings sounds great, but hold on, it gets better! On January 1, 2018, the New Jersey Estate Tax will be completely eliminated. Therefore, the only estate tax you would have to worry about is the Federal Estate Tax, which is currently $5,450,000 and is indexed for inflation.
This all sounds fantastic except there are many unknowns. Will the next governor of New Jersey freeze the New Jersey Estate Tax at $2,000,000? Will the next President of the United States change the Federal Exemption to $3,500,000? There is a lot of uncertainty and only time will tell. The old adage still rings true: the only thing that is constant is death and taxes.
No news here ;New Jersey Inheritance Tax
Missing from the new legislation is any relief from New Jersey’s Inheritance Tax. Only a handful of states have both an estate tax and an inheritance. You guessed it – New Jersey is one of those states that have both. This tax does not apply to inheritances by a spouse, parent, child, grandchild or great-grandchild of the deceased individual (known as “Class A” beneficiaries). Transfers to anyone other than a Class A beneficiary or a charity is subject to New Jersey’s Inheritance Tax at rates between 11% and 16% depending on your Class. For example, an individual leaving a $1,000,000 estate to his nieces and nephews will be subject to approximately $153,000 in New Jersey Inheritance Tax. The New Jersey Inheritance Tax is here to stay and there has been no discussion to change it.
Good news for retirees ; Retirement and Pension Income Tax Exclusion
The retirement and pension income tax exclusion is only available to taxpayers with $100,000 or less in gross income. That benefit is only available to taxpayers 62 years of age or older or those who, because of a disability, are eligible for Social Security benefits. This exclusion however, will be phased in and will not be immediately implemented. The phase-in is as follows:
For a married couple filing jointly, the level at which income taxes are excluded will rise from $20,000 to $40,000 after Jan. 1, 2017; to $60,000 after Jan. 1, 2018; to $80,000 after Jan. 1, 2019; and to $100,000 after Jan. 1, 2020.
For a married person filing separately, the exclusion will increase from $10,000 to $20,000 after Jan. 1, 2017; to $30,000 after Jan. 1, 2018; to $40,000 after Jan. 1, 2019; and to $50,000 after Jan. 1, 2020.
For an individual filing as a single taxpayer, the exclusion will rise from $15,000 to $30,000 after Jan. 1, 2017; to $45,000 after Jan. 1, 2018; to $60,000 after Jan. 1, 2019; and to $75,000 after Jan. 1, 2020.
A small break for shoppers and shopkeepers; New Jersey Sales Tax
On January 1, 2017, the sales tax will decrease from 7 percent to 6.875 percent. The following year, the sales tax will decrease another quarter of a point to 6.625 percent. How long it will stay at this rate is unknown, but it seems like it will be ripe to increase back to 7 percent at some point in the future to make up for the loss in “sales tax revenue” New Jersey will surely claim.
