>More and more teachers, police, and firefighters are retiring in the wake of governor’s cost-saving plan
Retirement applications from New Jersey teachers, police officers, firefighters and state workers jumped 67 percent through the first seven months of the year, according to the state Division of Pensions and Benefits (The Jersey Journal)
https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/08/more_and_more_teachers_police.html
>Newark joins serval U.S. towns in outsourcing jobs to curb rising personnel costs
NEWARK – Communities across the state and country, plagued by stagnant revenues and bloated personnel costs, are turning more and more to privatization as a permanent stopgap to spiraling deficits. But in Newark, where public debate is rarely muted, Mayor Cory Booker’s plan to outsource hundreds of city jobs met its first round of opposition last week and promises to be marred in a tough battle during the coming months, as unions mobilize to fight the cuts. (Giambusso, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/newark_mayor_bookers_plan_to_o.html
>
The Ridgewood blog is proud to announce the winner of the 2010 Best Pizza in Ridgewood Contest !
The Ridgewood blog is proud to announce the winner of the 2010 best Pizza in Ridgewood Contest ; Coming in with 42% of the vote Pizza Fusion!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 15, 2010 – The Ridgewood blog is proud to announce the winner of the 2010 best Pizza in Ridgewood Contest ; Coming in first place with with 42% of the vote Pizza fusion followed by A Mano the 2009 winner with 22% long time local favorite Renato’s with 8 % of the vote and Brooklyn Pizza with 6% and Puzzo’s the 2008 winner with 5% of the vote .
Congratulations to all our participants
A Mano (2009 Winner) (22%) 24 Franklin Ave, in Ridgewood ,NJ 201.493.2000
Renato’s Pizza (8%) 36 S Maple Ave,Ridgewood, NJ (201) 652-3554
Puzo’s (2008 Winner) (5%) 16 W Ridgewood Ave,Ridgewood, NJ (201) 445-3332
Brooklyn Pizza (6%) 15 Oak St,Ridgewood, NJ (201) 493-7600
Sicilian Sun (by popular demand) (4%) 604 N Maple Ave,Ho Ho Kus, NJ (201) 444-3494
La Bella Pizza (4%) 102 N Maple Ave, Rdgewood, NJ (201) 652-0444
Roma Pizza (1%) 88 Godwin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ (201) 389-6810
Pizza Fusion (42%) 33 Godwin Ave,Ridgewood, NJ (201) 445-9010
Ridgewood Pizza (3%) 37 Godwin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ (201) 444-1055
Due to the hotly contested nature of the contest and technical problems with the voting reviews will be published of all the participants over the next several months by our secret judging panel. Lets see if they come to the same conclusions as the voters.
the Ridgewood blog is written for and about Ridgewood New Jersey . It is a local event and opinion blog with a pro free market point of view. We publish local points of view about local, state and national issues.Ridgewood blog the Number One local News blog in the State of New Jersey !!!
>
Real Tax Increases, Real Consequences
A Commentary by Debra J. Saunders
Sunday, August 15, 2010
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_debra_j_saunders/real_tax_increases_real_consequences
Taxpayers don’t look at taxes the way the people who spend the tax money do. Take the battle over the extension of the “Bush tax cuts.” Americans to Washington: They were tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. If Washington allows all or parts of the “Bush tax cuts” to expire at the end of the year, the result won’t be to not cut taxes, as Beltway lingo and President Obama suggest, but to raise taxes.
As pollster Scott Rasmussen reported earlier this month, 56 percent of mainstream voters favor extending the Bush tax rates for all Americans, while 60 percent of those in the political class would extend the tax cuts for everyone except families earning more than $250,000 a year.
Not so for the boys of Obamaland’s “Recovery Summer.” They’ve set up this phony construct that spending more taxpayer money while taxing the rich will save the economy.
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman laid out the situation as a choice between (a) “asking the richest 2 percent or so of Americans to go back to paying the tax rates they paid during the Clinton-era boom” and (b) “allowing the nation’s foundations to crumble.”
But I think Karl Rove got it right when he wrote in his recent book, “Courage and Consequence,” that many Democrats “would rather have high taxes and a lower standard of living than low taxes and a higher standard of living.”
more:
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/political_commentary/commentary_by_debra_j_saunders/real_tax_increases_real_consequences
>Congressman Scott Garrett:Another Taxpayer Funded Bailout!
In case you haven’t heard already, Speaker Pelosi called my colleagues and me back from the August recess on Tuesday to vote on more government spending. This one comes in the form of a bailout package to help states cover the costs for education and Medicaid to the tune of $26 billion. And here I thought the American public would finally get some reprieve from the voracious spending appetite of liberal Democrats in Washington, DC.
It should come as no surprise for you to know that I voted against this bill. Not only does it spend money that we don’t have, but it perpetuates the bailout culture that has become so popular with Democrats in Congress. Also, but the so-called spending “offsets” in the bill came in the form of a $10 billion tax increase on corporations.
Democrats would like you to believe that spending this additional $26 billion will somehow create jobs, spur economic growth and expand individual opportunity for Americans. The truth is that this latest bailout is really just a give-away to state bureaucrats at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. Another short-term federal bailout will only encourage states to rely on more taxpayer funded federal assistance rather than balancing their budgets and reducing unneeded spending.
The American small business community is starting to catch on to the parlor games of Democrats in Washington. They have seen first hand just how ineffective the Democrats’ solutions have been in turning around the economy and putting American back to work.
On Monday, Michael Fleischer, the president of a small business in the Fifth District, penned a very thoughtful Wall Street Journal op-ed titled, “Why I’m not Hiring.”
In his piece, Mr. Fleischer writes, “As much as I might want to hire new salespeople, engineers and marketing staff in an effort to grow, I would be increasing my company’s vulnerability to government decisions to raise taxes, to policies that make health insurance more expensive, and to the difficulties of this economic environment. A life in business is filled with uncertainties, but I can be quite sure that every time I hire someone my obligations to the government go up. From where I sit, the government’s message is unmistakable: Creating a new job carries a punishing price.”
All Members of Congress would be well served to read Mr. Fleischer’s piece. Rather than looking for ways to make it harder to conduct business in the U.S., Congress should be working on ways to make it easier to grow businesses and hire new workers. We shouldn’t be coming back to Washington to vote on measures that spend money we don’t have. Instead, my colleagues and me should be coming back to Washington to vote for legislation that puts Americans back to work, reduces our ballooning national debt and gets the American economy on a course towards prosperity once again.
Congressman Scott Garrett
>The Schedler development has currently been put on hold
The Schedler development has currently been put on hold . The Village purchased the property in December 2009 for somewhere near $2.7 million. The goal of the purchase remains unclear as does the future of the property.
The Schedler property is considered a “long-term project” and will be put on hold in the current financial situation of the Village for the foreseeable future . At this time no funds have been allocated for the properties long term development.
The party line is that the property was purchased and put aside while the Village continues to develop the Habernickel property,
The plan for Habernickel Park’s development is a combined use of sports fields and passive park areas and is a model that many would like to see at the Schedler property.
The Village like many New Jersey Municipalities has been stung by the inability to control costs and manage long term projects effectively . The Village Council has come under increasing pressure since the Village Hall fiasco and more recently the $400,000 “golden toilet” at Vets field to better handle long term investment in the community.
Only time will tell if there current dire fiscal climate wail impact the spend thrift ways of the Village.
the Staff of the Ridgewood Blog
>In U.S., Confidence in Newspapers, TV News Remains a Rarity No more than 25% say they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in either . by Lymari Morales
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans continue to express near-record-low confidence in newspapers and television news — with no more than 25% of Americans saying they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in either. These views have hardly budged since falling more than 10 percentage points from 2003-2007.
more:
https://www.gallup.com/poll/142133/Confidence-Newspapers-News-Remains-Rarity.aspx
>Chris Christie “As much as I love teachers, everyone’s gotta be a part of the sacrifice”
Gov. Chris Christie speaks fiscal truth
I have to give a high-five to Gov. Chris Christie. The New Jersey Republican was on “Morning Joe” today and showed why he is not only a rising star within the GOP, but also a model of leadership for politicians who have lost touch with their spines. (Capehart, Washington Post)
“This teacher complaining, they’re getting 4 and 5 percent salary increases a year. In a 0 percent inflation world. They get free health benefits from the day they’re hired for their entire family until the day they die. They believe they are entitled to this shelter from the recession when the people who are paying for that shelter are the people who have been laid off, who’ve lost their homes, had their hours cut back. And all we ask them to do is freeze their salary for one year and pay 1.5 percent of their salary for their health benefits…. As much as I love teachers, everyone’s gotta be a part of the sacrifice”
https://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/07/gov_chris_christie_r-nj_speaks.html
>
Federal workers earning double their private counterparts
https://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/income/2010-08-10-1Afedpay10_ST_N.htm
By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY
At a time when workers’ pay and benefits have stagnated, federal employees’ average compensation has grown to more than double what private sector workers earn, a USA TODAY analysis finds.
Federal workers have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit increases than private employees for nine years in a row. The compensation gap between federal and private workers has doubled in the past decade.
Federal civil servants earned average pay and benefits of $123,049 in 2009 while private workers made $61,051 in total compensation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data are the latest available.
The federal compensation advantage has grown from $30,415 in 2000 to $61,998 last year.
Public employee unions say the compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years.
“The data are not useful for a direct public-private pay comparison,” says Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.
Chris Edwards, a budget analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, thinks otherwise. “Can’t we now all agree that federal workers are overpaid and do something about it?” he asks.
Last week, President Obama ordered a freeze on bonuses for 2,900 political appointees. For the rest of the 2-million-person federal workforce, Obama asked for a 1.4% across-the-board pay hike in 2011, the smallest in more than a decade. Federal workers also would qualify for seniority pay hikes.
Congressional Republicans want to cancel the across-the-board increase in 2011, which would save $2.2 billion.
“Americans are fed up with public employee pay scales far exceeding that in the private sector,” says Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the second-ranking Republican in the House.
Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., says a pay freeze would unfairly scapegoat federal workers without addressing real budget problems.
What the data show:
•Benefits. Federal workers received average benefits worth $41,791 in 2009. Most of this was the government’s contribution to pensions. Employees contributed an additional $10,569.
•Pay. The average federal salary has grown 33% faster than inflation since 2000. USA TODAY reported in March that the federal government pays an average of 20% more than private firms for comparable occupations. The analysis did not consider differences in experience and education.
•Total compensation. Federal compensation has grown 36.9% since 2000 after adjusting for inflation, compared with 8.8% for private workers.
>Village will not supply lunchtime crossing guards
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood students who walk home for lunch will have to cross main streets without a crossing guard in the upcoming school year, part of a cost-saving measure issued by village administrators.
The village notified the Ridgewood Public Schools district that it will not provide crossing guards during the lunchtime period of 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. The village will save about $86,000 by having crossing guards work only before and after school, said Village Manager Ken Gabbert.
In a letter addressed to Ridgewood Schools Superintendent Daniel Fishbein last week, Gabbert said the decision was based on a discussion between himself, Fishbein and Ridgewood Police Senior Officer in Charge John Ward.
“… It is clear to me that it is an infrequent event for students to walk home for lunch unaccompanied by an adult,” according to the Aug. 4 letter.
Fishbein could not immediately be reached for comment.
>the Ridgewood blog best Pizza 2010 Poll closes at 9pm this Friday
The Ridgewood blog Best Pizza 2010 Poll is coming to a close this Friday at 9:00 pm please cast your final votes . On closing the poll results will be tallied and the poll will be immediately removed from the blog. Results will then be announced Sunday Night August 15th at 6 pm .
Please feel free to sample as many of the participants Pizza as possible because an informed voter is the best voter . You can post your comments and reviews of various tastings under this post . Feel free to submit comments and tips to the Ridgewood blog :
[email protected]
thank you
the Staff of the RIdgewood blog
>Sanity Reigns; Village Council Scrubs Plan to Charge for Parking at Graydon South
In response to public comments made by Ms. Debra Coniglio during their Wednesday night meeting, Village Council members announced that there would be no ordinances introduced in connection with proposed “pay to park” privileges at the Graydon Pool parking facilities.
Ms. Coniglio, a Village taxpayer for the past 20 years, had blasted Council members for even considering a plan that would have imposed a $425 per school year fee to park at either Graydon lot.
Mayor Keith D. Killion offered no explanation as to why he and other Village Council members decided against moving forward with ordinances that had been recommended by Village Manager Dr. Kenneth Gabbert.
The Fly suggests that the implementation of such a plan would have cost the Mayor and Council their jobs, plain and simple.
Hats off to Ms. Coniglio and The Ridgewood Blog for putting a stop to the madness!
>State Pensions: Given how wrong past pension projections were, who should pay to fill the 13-figure financing gap?
August 6, 2010
Battle Looms Over Huge Costs of Public Pensions
By RON LIEBER
There’s a class war coming to the world of government pensions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/your-money/07money.html?_r=1
The haves are retirees who were once state or municipal workers. Their seemingly guaranteed and ever-escalating monthly pension benefits are breaking budgets nationwide.
The have-nots are taxpayers who don’t have generous pensions. Their 401(k)s or individual retirement accounts have taken a real beating in recent years and are not guaranteed. And soon, many of those people will be paying higher taxes or getting fewer state services as their states put more money aside to cover those pension checks.
At stake is at least $1 trillion. That’s trillion, with a “t,” as in titanic and terrifying.
The figure comes from a study by the Pew Center on the States that came out in February. Pew estimated a $1 trillion gap as of fiscal 2008 between what states had promised workers in the way of retiree pension, health care and other benefits and the money they currently had to pay for it all. And some economists say that Pew is too conservative and the problem is two or three times as large.
So a question of extraordinary financial, political, legal and moral complexity emerges, something that every one of us will be taking into town meetings and voting booths for years to come: Given how wrong past pension projections were, who should pay to fill the 13-figure financing gap?
Consider what’s going on in Colorado — and what is likely to unfold in other states and municipalities around the country.
Earlier this year, in an act of rare political courage, a bipartisan coalition of state legislators passed a pension overhaul bill. Among other things, the bill reduced the raise that people who are already retired get in their pension checks each year.
This sort of thing just isn’t done. States have asked current workers to contribute more, tweaked the formula for future hires or banned them from the pension plan altogether. But this was apparently the first time that state legislators had forced current retirees to share the pain.
Sharing the burden seems to be the obvious solution so we don’t continue to kick the problem into the future. “We have to take this on, if there is any way of bringing fiscal sanity to our children,” said former Gov. Richard Lamm of Colorado, a Democrat. “The New Deal is demographically obsolete. You can’t fund the dream of the 1960s on the economy of 2010.”
MORE:
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/your-money/07money.html?_r=1&hp
>Will the GOP Storm the Statehouses?
More than half of Americans are likely to have a new chief executive for their state come November
It must have been gloomy for Democrats when the nation’s governors met last month in Boston for their annual summer get-together. The reason: If congressional races look bad for Democrats, the 37 gubernatorial contests are even worse.
A quick survey of the political landscape shows six of the seven Democratic governors running for re-election are polling under 50% and in danger of losing, while all six GOP incumbents seeking re-election are expected to win. In the 24 open gubernatorial contests, Republicans lead in 15 and are tied in three others.
More than half of Americans are likely to have a new chief executive for their state come November. Democrats are burdened by President Barack Obama’s low approval ratings and, in some open races, by widespread public dissatisfaction with the state’s retiring Democratic incumbent.
more:
https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704017904575409334019412788.html
>New Jersey fiscial crisis : Assembly committee to discuss $10.5B budget deficit
N.J. Assembly committee to discuss $10.5B budget deficit
This time last year Chris Christie said the Democratic governor should drop out of the 2009 election in shame because he allowed the state to rack up an $8 billion deficit.
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/nj_assembly_committee_to_discu_1.html
