“investment ” = tax increases and taxpayer giveaways
NOVEMBER 26, 2015, 10:21 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015, 10:27 PM
BY DUSTIN RACIOPPI
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD
For nearly six years, Governor Christie has presented himself as the last line of defense between Democrats and taxpayers’ wallets, resisting spending increases and vetoing “more tax increases than any governor in American history,” as he often tells voters.
With two years left in Christie’s final term, and with the state facing a host of costly and pressing issues, two of the most visible and most likely Democrats to run for governor have been offering clues into the fiscal policy of a post-Christie New Jersey.
Central to each of their plans for reviving the economy, upgrading the state’s aging network of roads and bridges and growing the middle class is what they call “investing.” The word they don’t use is “spending,” and spending tends to mean an increase in taxes.
Both likely gubernatorial candidates, Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Phil Murphy, a former ambassador to Germany, say that not all investment amounts to tax increases, but they also agree that some sort of future tax hike is inevitable. Specifically what kind of tax increases, and how many, is not being discussed. (A third likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City, has been more circumspect about his plans, but he came out forcefully this week against the Christie administration’s effort to bring development — possibly including a hotel and an amusement park — to Liberty State Park.)
NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 8:30 AM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 11:33 PM
BY JOAN VERDON, MELANIE ANZIDEI AND KATHLEEN LYNN
STAFF WRITERS |
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chris Singleton of North Arlington was out shopping with his wife and children on Black Friday because the post-Thanksgiving activity is a holiday tradition.
“It’s not even the deals, it’s just the excitement,” said Singleton, a telecommunications engineer who was shopping at the Toys “R” Us on Route 17 in Paramus. “It gets you into the holiday spirit.”
For thousands of shoppers in North Jersey, the malls and stores still are the place to be on the Friday after Thanksgiving. But the Black Friday shopping frenzy that used to jam the highways near the malls and create long lines at the stores is not that big of a deal anymore.
The spending that used to be focused on a single “Super Bowl of Shopping” event now is spread out over multiple days, and divided by new ways to shop, such as online or with a smartphone, that don’t involve driving to the mall.
“Every year the season gets longer,” said Charlie O’Shea, vice president at Moody’s Investors Service, referring to earlier promotions. And this year, many of the top deals were available online, as well as in stores, unlike previous years. As a result, he said, it is more difficult to compare the strength of this Black Friday to previous years.
Downtown for the Holidays-30th Anniversary
Fri, December 04, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: East Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood NJ
30th Year Celebration !
Santa IS in Ridgewood-bring your list!
Lots of Music and entertainment !
Early Event – “for the kids”
5:30 – 6:30 – Santa in the park for the “wee tots” along with live entertainment by the “clock”, in the stores and restaurants along E. Ridgewood Ave featuring the RHS Marching Band, RHS Ridgewood Carolers, RHS Orchestra, Taekwondo All In
NEW THIS YEAR -5:30-9pm Special Feature-Holiday Express Train-bring the family and ride this fun train up and down E. Ridgewood Ave.
7-8 – “on stage live”
Live entertainment and tree lighting Celebration featuring performances by Porch Light Productions, From the Top Studio, Art of Motion, Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Santa and Much More!
8-9 “Merriment on E. Ridgewood Ave
Shh – Santa will be back in the park
Lots of music on the avenue
Restaurant reservation suggested
Specials going on during the Tree Lighting…
Femmebot has music and 10% store wide sale until 9pm on 12/4/15
Alex and Ani having in-store events-
10% off Store Wide at Femmebot
THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS
for the 30th Anniversary Celebration
Columbia Bank
Valley Health System
Van Dyk Health Care
Freedom Bank
CareOne at Ridgewood
Ridgewood News
Boiling Spring Saving Bank
PNC Wealth Management
Park West Tavern & Loft
West Bergen Mental Healthcare
ConnectOne Bank
Ulrich, Inc.
C.C. VanEmburgh Funeral Home
Pearl Restaurant
Daily Treat Restaurant
Atlantic Stewardship Bank
Bagelicious
Country Pancake House and Restaurant
Life Opportunities Unlimited
Pink Bungalow
Hillmann Lighting
Lazarus & Williamson
The Woman’s Club of Ridgewood
Christ Church
Cupcakes by Carousel
Femmebot Clothing
Beauty Plus Salon
Gold Fish Swim School
Ridgewood Public Library
West Side Nursery School
Ridgewood YMCA
Ridgewood Party Rental
For more details, please call us at 201-445-2600 or email [email protected] www.experienceridgewood.com
Minivan Broadsided in Black Friday Collision on East Glen in Ridgewood
November 27,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A mother and her two (2) young daughters escaped injury on Friday afternoon, 11/27, when their mini van was broadsided by an SUV at the intersection of East Glen Avenue and Northern Parkway in Ridgewood. Both vehicles were heavily damaged and removed from the scene by separate flatbed tow trucks. The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 PM.
Ridgewood PD, EMS and FD units responded. A minor crash related fluid spill was attended to by fire department personnel while the EMS unit evaluated the occupants of both vehicles. One (1) summons, for the disregard of a stop sign, was issued to one (1) of the drivers by a Ridgewood PD patrol officer.
On Saturday, November 28, 2015 The Ridgewood Guild will sponsor its fifth annual Winterfest, to coincide with Small Business Saturday!
Memorial Park at Van Neste Square will set the stage with special holiday performances by The Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus and Declan Power!
The park will be decorated, there will be ice sculptures, horse drawn hayrides around town, cookies, candy canes, complimentary hot chocolate a trackless train ride and more!
So, come downtown to enjoy the festivities, welcome in the holiday season and support your local businesses! Learn more about what Ridgewood Businesses are doing for Small Business Saturday!
Join us for Small Business Saturday!
Shop Small Ridgewood!
November 28, 2015
Win 1 of 5 Ridgewood Guild $100 Gift Certificates to use at any participating business (listed below)
All you need to do is:
1. Follow @ridgewoodguildnj on Instagram
2. Like the Ridgewood Guild on Facebook
3. Post a selfie tagging @ridgewoodguildnj and #shopsmallridgewood
You will automatically be entered into the random drawing! Have fun shopping small (and local) this year!
Participating Ridgewood Businesses:
Mango Jam
Chestnut Deli and Catering
Markosian Fine Art Jewelry
Wostbrock Home and Floors
Backyard Living
Kate Spade
Gardiner and Co.
Jekyll and Hide
Coco Curtain Studio
Suite 201
Social by Suite 201
Vintage 61
Pangea Coins and Jewelry
Rossi’s of Ridgewood
Ridgewood Cycle
Goffle Brook Farms and Garden Center
Savvy Chic Consignment Boutique
Village Eyewear
Red Velvet Luxe
Beer’s Flower Shop
The Quilt Spot
Kilwin’s
Park West Tavern
Ben & Jerry’s
The Green Olive Branch
Bazaar Star Beadery
Pinot’s Palette
Greenwich Nails
Karma Organic Spa
Araya Rebirth
Carlo’s Bakery
La Tour
Due
Ridgewood Culinary Studio
Super Juice Nation
A Mano
Italia di Gusto
Best of Everything
Fish Urban Dining
Greenbaum Interiors
Memoire
The Daily Treat
Cupcakes by Carousel
Flackman, Goodman, and Potter
Raymond’s
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
Natalie’s
NOVEMBER 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Teachers should be ‘thankful’
To the Editor:
As a 33-year resident of Ridgewood, I am perplexed by the dissent of the Ridgewood teachers and their union about their current contract. The teachers are unhappy about paying for the increase in their healthcare costs. Everyone today is paying for their healthcare increases: medical personnel, retirees, and pharmaceutical company employees. The reason healthcare costs are continually rising (and will be in the future) are: Obamacare for the masses, an aging baby boomer population now requiring geriatric, cardiac, cancer, psychiatric, specialty care and designer drugs to help everyone live a longer life. Did the New Jersey Education Association think its Democratic-endorsed, union wishes for a national healthcare program would be absorbed by the public when in fact other municipalities in New Jersey and other states have opposed the taxpayer absorbing this substantial cost? Who did they think would pay for this? Ridgewood taxpayers should not be penalized for their selfish/unrealistic union demands.
New Jersey teacher’s pay ranks second highest in the nation. Teachers in Ridgewood earn a six-figure salary within five years. In addition, master’s degrees, additional credits, tutoring, tutoring for SAT’s allows them to earn additional/substantial monetary compensation. Their annual increases are more generous than some state employees. There shouldn’t be a financial problem for any teacher to absorb the costs as they are earning a 1 percent upper compensation in the United States in education. There are places that are more expensive to live in than Ridgewood. In the past, certain teachers who were unhappy with contract negotiations refused to give recommendations to the seniors for college.
The teachers have job security (unlike the corporate sector), do not face age discrimination, receive 80 percent of their salary in a pension as well as a taxpayer-payer paid two-day vacation in November for a teacher convention. I say “vacation” because I have never met anyone who goes to Atlantic City for the convention but goes to a destination such as Florida.
Unfortunately their healthcare provider, Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield, of the New Jersey Education Association is the most expensive. As a matter of fact, some teacher’s spouses working in corporate America have dropped their corporate health plan (Cigna, Aetna, etc.) coverage because the state employee plan is more lucrative. The taxpayers of NJ are paying for the healthcare benefits of these teacher’s families.
In summary: I think the teachers of Ridgewood and New Jersey should be most “thankful” for the generosity of the Ridgewood taxpayer this Thanksgiving Season and not “thankless.” I sincerely hope the arbitration board will take a firm stand on their role in representing the Ridgewood residents.
NOVEMBER 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Parking revenues can support largest garage
To the Editor:
The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Village of Ridgewood in a previous statement strongly supported the proposal to construct a parking garage at the site of the existing Hudson Street parking lot.
The FAC conducted its own independent analysis of the costs and revenues associated with the proposed parking garage. Using very conservative assumptions (no new revenues, construction costs as high as $14 million and interest rates as high as 4 percent), the garage can still be funded entirely by parking revenues, with moderate increases in hourly parking rates and hours.
There are currently three proposals under consideration. From a strictly financial perspective, the proposal to build the largest 405-spot garage for an estimated cost of $12 million and a net gain of 305 spaces makes the most sense for the following key reasons:
As with any construction project, most of the cost is involved in building the first two levels, so we get greater benefit from the additional levels and a lower average cost per space with a larger garage — especially compared to building multiple smaller garages in various locations around the village. The first 306 spaces will cost $10.1 million or $33,000 per space, but the next 99 spaces (if we build the largest garage) will cost only an additional $1.9 million or $19,200 per space, which is a considerable savings. (The comparable numbers for the mid-size garage are 49 additional spaces for an additional $0.9 million, or $18,400 per space.)
From a long-term investment perspective the largest garage gives us capacity in the core business area of approximately 140 spots above what will be needed to simply replace the spots lost when the Brogan and Ken Smith lots are developed. If we go with the smallest garage, we are barely replacing the spots that will be lost and are thus making an investment that does not significantly improve the existing parking deficit or provide for growth. Further, the cost to expand the smaller garage at a later time would be cost prohibitive so we believe it is prudent to make this long term investment now.
Although the analysis we performed did not include new revenues, maximizing the number of spots enhances the attractiveness of existing stores and restaurants, and encourages new businesses owners to choose Ridgewood, which provides for the possibility of increased tax revenues from downtown properties.
Given the cost and effort involved in this project, it is clear from a strictly financial standpoint that maximizing the impact on improving the village’s parking situation is best accomplished by building the largest garage. That said, the financial argument must be considered along with other non-financial factors.
Robert Broatch, Richard Cundiff, Charles DiMarco, Nancy Haig, Mac Highet, Nancy Johansen, Janice Willett, Evan Weitz, Jimmy Yang
NOVEMBER 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The conversations circulating around the ongoing teachers’ union contract negotiations and a potential switch to full-day kindergarten continued at last week’s Board of Education meeting.
While trustees did not take action on either subject, they will resume the discussions in future meetings.
Contract negotiations
The meeting once again featured commentary from the Ridgewood Education Association (REA), asking for a settlement of its contract with the Board of Education (BOE). This time, only REA President Michael Yannone spoke, referencing recent spending by the board and asking why there was money for this, but no money for better contracts.
“Last week, the board issued a press release, stating that while they respect the teaching staff and the work they do … they cannot address the concerns staff members have repeatedly stated at this microphone,” he said. “What I interpret the board as saying in that release is that in their budget of $101 million, they cannot find new money to settle this contract because there simply is no money.”
The environmental intelligence agency ignores satellite data
By Lamar Smith – – Thursday, November 26, 2015
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the nation’s leading collector of climate data. Every day, NOAA analyzes vast amounts of data to predict changes to our climate, weather, oceans and coasts. The agency also publishes monthly temperature averages across the nation and compares those numbers to historical temperature records.
As the nation’s self-proclaimed authority on “environmental intelligence,” NOAA should be held to the highest scientific standards. This means their conclusions should be objective, independent of political consideration and based on all available sources of information.
NOAA’s top official, Kathryn Sullivan, has described the agency’s role as providing “timely, reliably, and actionable information — based on sound science — every day to millions of Americans.”
In testimony before the House Science Committee, NOAA’s deputy administrator, Manson Brown, made similar remarks, noting the importance of satellite data. He said that NOAA’s ability “to deliver environmental intelligence starts with keeping the pulse of the planet, especially the atmosphere and the ocean, and this is the central capability where space-based assets come into play.” So why does NOAA leave out satellite data when it releases climate projections?
NOAA often fails to consider all available data in its determinations and climate change reports to the public. A recent study by NOAA, published in the journal Science, made “adjustments” to historical temperature records and NOAA trumpeted the findings as refuting the nearly two-decade pause in global warming. The study’s authors claimed these adjustments were supposedly based on new data and new methodology. But the study failed to include satellite data.
Atmospheric satellite data, considered by many to be the most objective, has clearly showed no warming for the past two decades. This fact is well documented, but has been embarrassing for an administration determined to push through costly environmental regulations.
Instead, NOAA focused its study on surface temperature monitoring that is often flawed because these sites measure thousands of independent temperature readings and utilize a hodgepodge of different methods that have changed over time. For example, measurements from land-based stations can be skewed because of their location and proximity to surrounding heat-holding asphalt in urban areas.
Satellite data, on the other hand, is highly calibrated and provides complete global coverage. For decades, satellites have been used to monitor the earth and collect information. Satellites measure something extremely important — the deep atmosphere. The temperature readings collected by satellites often differ from ground monitoring stations and have consistently shown much smaller rates of warming. Yet NOAA refuses to incorporate satellite data into its monthly projections that are released to the public. Why?
NOAA appears to pick and choose only data that confirms their bias. NOAA then disseminates this incomplete data to the media who manufacture alarming headlines but ignore the uncertainty of the conclusions.
By Catherine Herridge
Published November 27, 2015
FoxNews.com
With as many as 1,000 active cases, Fox News has learned at least 48 ISIS suspects are considered so high risk that the FBI is using its elite tracking squads known as the mobile surveillance teams or MST to track them domestically.
“There is a very significant number of people that are on suspicious watch lists, under surveillance,” Republican Sen. Dan Coats said.
Coats, who sits on the Select Committee on Intelligence, would not comment on specifics, but said the around-the-clock surveillance is a major commitment for the bureau. “The FBI together with law enforcement agencies across the country are engaged in this. It takes enormous amount of manpower to do this on a 24-7 basis. It takes enormous amount of money to do this,” Coats explained.
These elite FBI teams are reserved for espionage, mob violence and high-priority terrorism cases, like a joint terrorism task force case last June, where a 26 year old suspect Usaama Rahim, was killed outside a Massachusetts CVS. When a police officer and FBI agent tried to question him, the Boston Police Commissioner said Rahim threatened them with a knife, and was shot dead.
With at least a dozen agents assigned to each case, providing 24/7 coverage, this high level of surveillance reflects the severe risk associated with suspects most likely to attempt copycat attacks after Paris.
The Republican establishment is nearing full-blown panic about Donald Trump.
The demise of Trump’s candidacy has been predicted by centrist Republicans and the media alike virtually since the day it began. But there is no empirical evidence at all to suggest it is happening.
Last month, the liberal ThinkProgress collated more than 30 predictions of the business mogul’s imminent demise. One typical example was The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart, who discerned “the beginning of the end of Trump” in mid-July, soon after the mogul criticized the Vietnam War record of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Despite all that, Trump has led the RealClearPolitics (RCP) polling average in a virtually unbroken spell for four months. The only person to briefly wrest the lead away from him, Dr. Ben Carson, appears to be fading. And numerous polls show Trump drawing double the support of his closest establishment-friendly rival, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
Add to all this the fact that Trump’s lead over the rest of the GOP field has expanded since the terrorist attacks in Paris, and it becomes clear why anxiety among his many Republican critics is reaching new heights.
“He has a real shot at this. He is the clear front-runner,” said Ron Bonjean, a consultant and former aide to GOP leaders on Capitol Hill.
Adding that “months ago, we all discounted Trump as a candidate,” Bonjean now acknowledged that it seems “safe to assume that he is going to continue with this strong momentum right into Iowa.”
The Iowa caucuses are set for Feb. 1, a little over two months away. Voters tend to pay less attention to politics over the holiday season than at other times, a trend that makes dramatic shifts in the race less likely during that period.
Only one more televised debate will take place before the end of the year, on Dec. 15 in Las Vegas. Beyond that, there will be only one more such clash, in January, four days before the caucuses.
Pastels, oils on display at Cottage Place Gallery in Ridgewood
NOVEMBER 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY EILEEN LA FORGIA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Dana Abel’s exhibit, “Ten Years – A Retrospective – Oil and Pastel Works” is at the Cottage Place Gallery in Ridgewood through Dec. 6.
A Ridgewood resident since 1994, Abel, a professional software developer, says painting was always her primary interest and once her youngest child reached teenage years, she started taking numerous painting classes and workshops. She studied pastel privately with Christina Debarry and oil with Aleksandra K. Nowak and with Basil Baylin and Joe Hing Lowe at the Ridgewood Art Institute. Since entering her first exhibition in 2003, Abel has received numerous awards at the local and national levels.
“Pastel is more immediate – quick and it is easier to see the final outcome,” she said. Featured pastels are: “Blue Vase,” “Daisies,” a RAI 28th Regional Open Jury Show award winner, “Gladioli,” and a portrait, “Redhead,” an early work.
NOVEMBER 25, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015, 9:17 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A recently unearthed time capsule has given its viewers a look back to the days of 1986.
The container was interred on the Benjamin Franklin Middle School grounds roughly 30 years ago and was aptly named “Halley’s capsule” by the former BF students, a tip of the cap to the comet that last appeared that year.
The time capsule was intended to be recovered upon the next appearance of Halley’s Comet, but was accidentally dug up this summer by an excavation crew working on the new driveway cut-out at BF.
Gregory Wu, BF assistant principal, said he hurried to the scene once he was informed of the crew’s find.
“Finding value in those types of things,” he said, “I rushed over to take a look.”
Upon arrival, Wu discovered that the capsule had not been well-preserved, and as a result, some of its items were damaged throughout the years.
“I was disappointed to see that its contents (mostly seventh-grade English essays) had been stored in a pretty flimsy plastic container that had failed to keep the water/elements out,” he said. “There was an audio cassette tape, a Betamax tape, various coins, a ‘Vogue’ magazine I believe, a class set of essays and a few other paper items that could not be read due to deterioration.”
Torrance Watson, a current physical education instructor at BF, was one of the students to bury the capsule. He also expressed disappointment at the condition of the container.
“It would have been nice for the capsule to be undamaged so that whoever unearthed it could read all of the entries,” Watson said.
However, the capsule, which was scheduled to be unearthed around 2061, according to Wu, did contain a few mostly intact items: a yearbook from the BF class of 1986 and some of the aforementioned essays.
