2015’s Best & Worst Small Cities in America
November 8,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, WalletHub’s analysts compared 1,268 small cities in the U.S. to find the ones where residents don’t have to give up much. Our data set includes a total of 22 metrics, ranging from housing costs to school-system quality to the number of restaurants per capita.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, a two-parent, two-child family would need to earn$49,114 a year “to secure an adequate but modest living standard” in Morristown, Tenn., compared with $106,493 in Washington. So even with a lighter wallet, a family or soloist can enjoy a comparable, or even better, quality of life for much less in a cozy place like Morristown.
Ridgewood NJ, was tied at 152 with Little Elm, TX, while Princeton NJ was ranked number 1. Ridgewood’s overall score was 50.44.
The affordability index took Ridgewood way down the list scoring a very un-affordable 1048! While despite being located in New Jersey we scored a 21 in Economic Health and a 74 in Education health thanks the stellar Ridgewood School system.
But another big weakness showed in the Quality of Life scoring a lowly 839,hummm we are just going to leave that one alone .
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday November 4, the agenda for the Village Council’s Public Workshop Agenda included a single line item: Public Hearing – Change in Use of 1057 Hillcrest Road (The Gate House) at Irene Habernickel Family Park. No one in the neighborhood of the park had been informed via any official channels. A small, almost unreadable sign posted at the park informed of the meeting, but few saw it and many who might have would not have read such an insignificant posting. Many found out about the meeting through a grapevine of neighbors. One was told, off the record, by a police officer. Another heard about it from a contractor working at her home. Some learned as they were arriving home from work that night.
The basic gist of what is going on is as follows. For many years, the Gate House had been rented to a family, who opted not to renew their lease. An ad placed for a new renter yielded no interested parties. A business, however, had indicated an interest in acquiring the property. Late in the summer, on September 16, an ordinance was introduced to change the use of 1057 Hillcrest Road to “recreational/educational purposes.” Health Barn USA won the bid, and soon thereafter the business website indicated the new address in Ridgewood. The website, should you care to read further, is https://www.healthbarnusa.com/
Some reached out to one of our elected officials, Councilwoman Susan Knudsen in advance of Wednesday’s meeting. Responding appropriately and promptly, Councilwoman Knudsen explained to those who inquired how to speak their concerns at a Council Meeting, and who to speak with at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding the regulations involved using a property that was purchased with Green Acres Funding for business purposes.
Many residents of the neighborhood arrived at the November 4 meeting, not sure what to expect, but certain that they wanted to speak their opposition to this plan. For most, this was the first Village Council meeting they had attended. They waited patiently while other business items were discussed and presented.
When the Public Hearing began, the owner of Health Barn USA, Ms. Stacey Antine, explained the mission and purpose of her business. She also denied some allegations that had been swirling prior to this meeting, stating that she was not involved in any litigation with her former landlord (Abmas Farm in Wyckoff) and that no children from inner cities would be bused in for the programs. Following her presentation, several clients of Health Barn USA gave testimonials, and employees of the Village of Ridgewood spoke about safety and other concerns surrounding the changed use of the property.
When the residents finally got their chance to speak, they were amazing. Twenty one individuals spoke, ranging in age from 18 to “retired.” One after the next they voiced valid objections to the change in use, to the way the matter has been handled by The Village Council, and to the legality of defying the NJ-DEP Green Acres guidelines. They were all clear, determined, insistent, polite, even while frustrated. Many expressed a sense of wonder that their elected officials had actually changed the use and drafted (although not finalized) a lease on a business BEFORE the Public Hearing. You can hear their excellent comments on the Village of Ridgewood website U-Stream.
Here are a few highlights, in no particular order:
1. One resident was reprimanded sarcastically and loudly by Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck. Yes, you read that correctly, a member of the public, a taxpayer, was publicly humiliated by one of our elected officials.
2. Results of a traffic study conducted by the Ridgewood Police Department seemed to greatly differ from the neighbors’ observations of traffic at the site.
3. While the original presentation by the Health Barn USA owner indicated that busses would not be coming in and out of the park, later in the evening it was revealed that mini-busses and full-size school busses could be expected on a regular basis.
4. The business has been granted permission by the Village to use a large plot on the park property for gardening; this is separate from the home and its immediate surrounds.
5. Assistant to the Village Manager, Ms. Janet Fricke, expressed frustration that one of our elected officials assisted residents in navigating the process without including her in the discussion. Likewise, Village Manager Ms. Roberta Sonenfeld indicated that no such communications between a councilmember and the public should take place without everyone being cc’ed. SINCE WHEN DO EMPLOYEES TELL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT DO? Does anyone actually believe that an elected official should not assist residents who ask for assistance?
6. No resident, not one, criticized the business in any way or maligned Ms. Antine for having sought this location. Their argument was not with Health Barn USA; it is with the proposed presence of any business in their quiet residential neighborhood.
7. In summary, Mayor Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli, and Councilwoman Hauck all indicated that with some minor adjustments to satisfy the NJ-DEP, they will be looking forward to welcoming this wonderful new business, thereby completely ignoring the impassioned pleas of these residents.
So, are the Habernickel Park neighbors getting the shaft just like the Schedler Park residents? Sure looks like it. Once again, the Council Majority is running a steam roller right over the taxpayers.
The portion of U.S. homebuyers making their first residential purchase fell for a third straight year, and is now at the lowest level since 1987.
The share of first-time buyers dropped to 32 percent from 33 percent last year, according to a National Association of Realtors survey that covered transactions in the 12 months through June. That’s below the long-term average of almost 40 percent, the group said in its report, released Thursday.
Rising home prices are holding back many young would-be buyers who can’t easily save for a down payment because of student-loan burdens and soaring apartment rents. The median amount of student debt for all buyers was $25,000, according to the survey. And the prices of the least-expensive previously owned homes — those most likely to be bought by first-time buyers — are rising faster than those of costlier residences.
“It’s just a lack of affordable homes, especially in the starter range,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, said in a telephone interview. “At a time when housing wealth is growing, we have fewer people participating in this recovery, and that worsens wealth inequality in the U.S.”
The typical first-time buyer was 31 years old and purchased a 1,620-square-foot (150-square-meter) home costing $170,000, while repeat buyers were more than two decades older and bought a median 2,020-square-foot house costing $246,400.
Rep. Garrett Says Freddie Mac’s Third Quarter Losses is back to business as usual
Nov 3, 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett, Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, issued the following statement after Freddie Mac posted a third quarter loss of nearly half a billion dollars:
“We’re back to business as usual at mortgage giant Freddie Mac. Its third quarter losses are a harsh reminder of the not so distant past where its monumental failures cost hardworking American taxpayers untold billions of dollars. It’s not fair to expose American families to Fannie and Freddie’s liabilities, and it’s not fair to reward executives at these government-sponsored enterprises with huge salaries while taxpayers are on the hook for more bailouts. We need to stop the bailouts and limit executive pay as long as Fannie and Freddie’s misguided leadership continues to cost Americans money.”
Posted by Matt Rooney On November 06, 2015 7 Comments
By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
If you STILL don’t know or understand why New Jersey is almost irreparably screwed up, and a strengthened Democrat legislative majority is only going to make it worse, all you need to do is check out this quote from a celebratory SpeakerVince Prieto over on NJ.com.
He’s moving full-steam-ahead on the gas tax hike after Tuesday’s big win and isn’t ready to listen to any proposals that don’t raise taxes:
You can’t have something that’s revenue neutral,” Prieto said. “How are you going to fix the roads and then take the money from somewhere else? That is a ridiculous statement.”
There you have it, Save Jerseyans.
Translated: “The problem with Trenton isn’t Trenton, but that the people we “serve” aren’t sending us enough money.”
The man has balls, I’ll grant him that much. He also hates math. Study after study recognizes New Jersey as the worst (orsecond to worst) state for taxes in the entire country, a quantifiable fact further substantiated by a no-less-quantifiable herd of taxpayers fleeing New Jersey for other states. There’s a several mile traffic jam of moving vans heading west on I-80! And South on I-95. And Vince is worried about where we’re going to get the money for roads which no one can afford to drive…
So somehow, magically, we’re going to make New Jersey better for businesses, and families, by making it less affordable to live (and drive) here. #PrietoLogic! Which is apparently logic neutral.
And he can’t find ANYTHING he’d like to cut from the budget. Nothing. Not in a state notorious for no-show jobs, pension abuse, redundant departments, ponderous layers of bureaucracy and a school funding formula – where most of your property tax increase go – that spends $20k+ on urban education, per child, with nothing to show for it.
Look: everyone agrees the roads need to fixed. But we’veproposed alternatives to higher taxes including reducing the cost of maintaining our roads (which is – surprise! – also the highest in the nation) because, unlike the Speaker’s Assembly caucus, our Garden State businesses and families have no choice but to cut their budgets when times are tough. No cable next month! Less eating out. Less shifts at the shop. Etc. and so on.
Prieto doesn’t care. ‘Cause he doesn’t get it. The few Democrats who do get it are too afraid – or bought off – by the Super PAC backers to care. Does anyone honestly believe the Dems who just won upsets riding NJEA Super PAC cash to victoryare now going to be independent of the public sector unions?
Wed, November 11, 2015
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: The Woman’s Club of Ridgewood, 215 W Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Cost: $35 per person
You are invited to spend a magical & musical evening with New York Times bestselling author, Mitch Albom. His new book is “The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto”.
BOOKENDS & THE WOMAN’S CLUB OF RIDGEWOOD PRESENT
AN EVENING WITH MITCH ALBOM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH, 2015
TALK Q & A BOOK SIGNING
DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 PM – PROGRAM TO BEGIN AT 7PM
$35 PER TICKET
Includes Appetizers & Hardcover Book
215 WEST RIDGEWOOD AVENUE
RIDGEWOOD, NJ 201-444-5705
TICKETS ON SALE NOW! LIMITED SEATING! SELL OUT EXPECTED!
RESERVATIONS BY MAIL: PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE AND MAIL TO
THE WOMAN’S CLUB OF RIDGEWOOD attn. Mitch Albom Event, 215 W. RIDGEWOOD AVE. N.J., 07450
ONLINE RESERVATIONS: WWW.RIDGEWOODWOMANSCLUB.COM
ADDITIONAL BOOKS FOR SALE CASH BAR PARKING AT WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
ALL NET PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT THE WOMAN’S CLUB OF RIDGEWOOD (501C3)
Location: YWCA Bergen County, 112 Oak St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Calling All 5 to 8 Year-Olds! Come and Join YWCA Tiger Sharks Swim Team!
BERGEN COUNTY–YWCA Bergen County’s Tiger Sharks Swim Team offers a bronze level group for ages 5 to 8 years at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood. The YWCA Tiger Sharks Swim Team offers the best combination of team sport and individual challenge with an emphasis on skill development, positive values, and competitive experiences.
Young swimmers will have the opportunity to refine the 4 major strokes (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly). Practices focus on swim time management, endurance training, stroke development and dry land exercises. Children must be a Level 4 or higher and age 5 or older, and be able to swim 25 yards.
The swim season runs through March 2016. All competitions meet on Sundays for 1:00 pm warm up, 2:00 – 4:00 pm swim meet. Bronze group swim practices will be held on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Tryouts will be held on Monday, November 9th at 5:30pm and Thursday, November 12th at 5:00pm with a $10 tryout fee.
For register for YWCA’s Swim Team, please call the Membership Department at 201-444-5600, ext. 400.
Franklin lakes NJ, Franklin Lakes PD, EMS, and FD, along with a paramedic unit from The Valley Hospital, responded to a 911 report of a man lying unconscious on the roof of a synagogue located at 375 Pulis Avenue sometime around 12 noon on Wednesday, 11/04. The victim, an exterminator, was pronounced dead on the scene by the paramedic team. He apparently succumbed to a bee sting.
8 Drop-In Classes + Unlimited Playspace
In November and December
only $240.00
Gym Music Art Dance
Call us at 201-493-1234 to purchase your Flex Pass online https://www.kidville.com/ridgewood
* Fine Print: Only valid at Kidville Ridgewood. Limit one per child. Price is per child and is not transferable between locations or children. All services must be used by the same customer. Fall Flex Pass classes expire on December 23rd. Must call to schedule each class in advance. Classes are subject to availability. Cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions, or discounts. Promo code and credits are not applicable.
38 Oak St
Ridgewood, New Jersey
(201) 493-1234
https://www.kidville.com/ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police reported several incidents or identity theft last week , on October 29, 2015, a Bogert Avenue resident reported fraudulent charges had been made on his/her credit card. It is extremely important that if you become the victim of identity theft, you make proper notifications to help prevent further victimization, starting with a report to your local police department. Information is available at the police desk concerning reporting and prevention of identity theft incidents.
On Tuesday, November 3, 2015, a South Van Dien resident reported that he/she had received a letter from the United States Social Security Administration advising him/her that someone had changed his/her direct deposit account information with that agency. Fortunately, the fraudulent account change was discovered before the victim’s social security account could be compromised.
Once again, be aware that information is available at the police desk concerning reporting and prevention of identity theft incidents.
What to do if you think you have been subject to identity fraud (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )
1. Start a log. As you make phone calls or send letters, keep notes of your conversations and correspondence with authorities and financial institutions, including dates, names, and phone numbers. Also keep track of all time spent and expenses you incur; you can deduct theft-related expenses on your income tax return, assuming you itemize deductions, and you may be able to seek compensation if you are ever able to sue the thief. (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )
2. Contact the credit bureaus. Call or visit the websites of the three major credit bureaus and ask that they issue a fraud alert and attach a statement to your credit report.
Equifax: 800-525-6285 or www.equifax.com Experian: 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com TransUnion: 800-680-7289 or www.transunion.com
Also, get copies of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus. Look for all possible signs of trouble: accounts you didnt open, inquiries you didnt initiate, and defaults and delinquencies you didn’t cause. Also check your identifying information carefully.
3. Review your credit reports. After you receive your credit reports from the three credit bureaus, review them thoroughly. Make sure that all your personal information, including name, address, and Social Security number, is correct and that there are no fraudulent accounts or inquiries. Look for accounts that you didn’t apply for or open, inquiries that you didn’t initiate, and defaults and delinquencies that you didn’t cause. Immediately report any suspicious information or activity to the credit bureau that issued the credit report.
4. Call the Ridgewood police. File a report of the crime with your local police department. Provide as much evidence as you can, and ask the officer to list all fraudulently accessed accounts that you know about on the police report. Be sure to get copies of the police report, because creditors will probably ask to see them. Remember to log the phone numbers and names of all the law enforcement agents that you speak to; creditors may want this information.
5. Fill out an Identity Theft Victim’s Complaint and Affidavit. The form is available from the Federal Trade Commission atwww.ftc.gov/idtheft. Creditors may accept this affidavit when you claim that you are not responsible for a new account or for transactions on an existing account. The information that you provide will enable the creditor to investigate your claim. (The creditor may require you to submit additional information or a different form.) This affidavit also will be useful if you request copies of the thief’s application and transaction records . Follow the instructions that accompany the form. (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )
Leaf Collection Schedule Including dates for leaves to be placed in the street
IMPORTANT UPDATE ON LEAF COLLECTION DATES
This past week we have stepped up our enforcement efforts for leaf removal. As a result warning letters were issued to those homes which had leaves out not within the timeframe provided or too close to a storm drain. There seems to be some confusion as to when leaves are to be placed in the street. A clarification of the dates is as follows:
AREA A
Collection Date – Nov. 5 – 10 (Leaves MUST be placed in the street between Oct. 29 through Nov. 5)
Collection Date – Nov. 30 – Dec. 3 (Leaves MUST be placed in the street between Nov. 23 through Nov. 30)
AREA B
Collection Date – Nov. 9 – 13 (Leaves MUST be placed in the street between Nov. 2 through Nov. 9)
Collection Date Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Nov. 23 through Nov. 30)
Collection Date – Dec. 14 – 18 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Dec. 7 through Dec. 14)
AREA C
Collection Date – Nov. 12 – 18 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Nov. 5 through Nov. 12)
Collection Date – Dec. 7-11 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Dec. 1 through Dec. 7)
AREA D
Collection Date – Nov. 19 – 25 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Nov. 12 through Nov. 19)
Collection Date – Dec. 14 – 18 (Leaves MUST be placed in street between Dec. 7 through Dec. 14)
With the heavy leaf drop upon us it is important that you have leaves out by the FIRST DATE of your scheduled pick-up. Leaves WILL NOT be picked up on all dates shown for pick up but rather during that timeframe. Your leaves will only be picked up ONCE during that timeframe. We will not go back to your street until your next scheduled day once we have picked up your leaves.
Ridgewood NJ , Several residents in the area of South Monroe Street and Washington Place reported to The Ridgewood Blog’s tip hotline that a vehicle displaying markings of RIDGEWOOD WATER was being used by Ms. Tracy Jeffrey, the Village’s new Code Enforcement Officer. Ms. Jeffrey was observed issuing written leaf collection policy warnings late this week to residents in leaf pick up area “D.”
Vehicles assigned to RIDGEWOOD WATER employees are paid for with revenues generated from RIDGEWOOD WATER subscribers. A pending lawsuit by the municipalities of Glen Rock, Midland Park, and Wyckoff suggests that the Village of Ridgewood is improperly using these revenues to support operations exclusive to the Village of Ridgewood. Ms. Jeffrey’s use of a RIDGEWOOD WATER vehicle may be a case in point. At least two of the tipsters who left messages on The Ridgewood Blog tip hotline questioned the connection, if any, Ms. Jeffrey’s code enforcement work has with RIDGEWOOD WATER.
photo courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook
November 6,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
GlenRock Nj, A Hudson City Savings Bank branch located at 897 Prospect Street, Glen Rock was held up shortly after 10:00 AM on Friday, 11/05. The actor escaped with just under $2,000. Glen Rock PD was assisted at the scene by officers from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department K9, Bureau of Police, and Bureau of Criminal Investigation units.
The main union for construction workers is accusing President Obama of throwing them “under the bus” by rejecting the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) is one of the few labor unions that broke with the majority of Democrats and supported the project, which Obama rejected Friday after a seven-year review.
“We are dismayed and disgusted that the President has once again thrown the members of LIUNA, and other hard-working, blue-collar workers under the bus of his vaunted ‘legacy,’ while doing little or nothing to make a real difference in global climate change,” Terry O’Sullivan, the union’s general president, said in a statement. “His actions are shameful.”
The group’s statement cited a State Department report that Keystone could reduce greenhouse gas emissions when compared with oil transportation by rail.
“But facts apparently mean as little to the president as the construction jobs he repeatedly derided as insignificant because they are ‘temporary,’ ” O’Sullivan said. “Ironically, the very temporary nature of the president’s own job seems to be fueling a legacy of doing permanent harm to middle- and working class families.”
