photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
June 20,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hawthorne NJ, Hawthorne Police and Fire department personnel responded to a reported “tree into a house” at 43 Kingston Avenue, Hawthorne during a series of violent thunderstorms on Monday afternoon, 06/19. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Ridgewood NJ, Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi represents 23 municipalities located in Bergen and Passaic counties, all of which have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on professional fees as a result of the failure and inaction of our State to provide guidance on how to comply with Court decisions on affordable housing.
The largest drivers of cost result from third party “intervenors” appearing and demanding to build large numbers of market rate units in exchange for providing a small number of affordable units. One of these intervenors is a non-profit organization Fair Share Housing. This non-profit has been granted enormous power in our State and has been dictating settlement terms for almost all of our municipalities.
Their deceptive practices are similar to certain retail clothing stores that used to raise their prices by 40 percent immediately before a “30 percent sale”. Indeed, Fair Share put forth a report that is being relied upon by our Courts which states, among other things, that NJ needs 280,000 units of affordable housing.
Many community leaders have reached out seeking help and guidance on how to handle this issue. In an effort to start dialogue on this topic Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi decided to host a bipartisan group of hearings. Schepisi invited Fair Share so that their point of view could be heard. Rather than attend or call or meet with me they choose to personally attack and bully Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi . A copy of their extremely unprofessional letter is attached. If you ever wonder why the large issues in NJ never get addressed, it is because of nonsense like this. I urge every municipality fighting their numbers to use a copy of this letter as one of their exhibits.
NJTPC
Teaneck NJ, NJTPC Special Guest Speaker James Foytlin of the Ridgewood blog , 650 American Legion Drive, Teaneck NJ – Jine 20, 7PM (Don’t forget to bring a pantry item for the American Legion food drive-support our veterans’ good works) We are pleased to have as our guest speaker, James Foytlin of “the Ridgewood blog” www.theridgewoodblog.net
You will learn the story of how the blog transformed, and:
What is a blog
How to set up and run a blog
How to survive as a conservative blogger
How and where to source info….
How to get paid $$$
The Ridgewood blog https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger . Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey.
After many years living in New York City, Mr. Foytlin returned to Ridgewood after the tragic events of 9/11. Once he settled in he noticed a lack of sufficient news coverage of local events. How could this be? Ridgewood is a picturesque upper middle class village of around 25,000 located in Bergen county in northern New Jersey. Founded by Dutch settlers before it became an English colony. The town or village as its called is steeped in rich history and tradition .Known for a large amount of Victorian era housing , a quality school system and a family friendly atmosphere.
In 2004 the Village of Ridgewood had finally completed it’s much anticipated and long delayed renovation of the Village hall which had been flooded out due to Hurricane Floyd. The renovation was marred by huge cost over runs and lengthy delays. In 2005 it opened with great fan fare, was once again flooded with the very first rain . Mr. Foytlin was more shocked by the abject lack of responsibility taken by elected officials than the fact that the $9 million dollar renovation had to some extent been a failure . That was the breaking point and Mr. Foytlin had had enough so he decided to give citizen journalism a go and created the Ridgewood blog in March of 2006.
If you have a message to be heard…..come and find out how…do you want to have your voice be heard with a blog? Maybe you want to do the same but need to understand more. Come and learn that ‘more’. Everything begins with that first step…………
See you Tuesday! Bring a friend!!
USS Ling for Veterans Day with Dave Campbell RHS Grad 1970 photos by ArtChick
June 18,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, USS Ling (SS-297) is the last of the fleet boats that patrolled American shores during World War II in response to U-Boat attacks off the coast of the United States. Ling made one Atlantic patrol before the war ended. Decommissioned in 1946, Ling became part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until reactivation as a submarine training vessel in 1960.
Ling was donated to the Submarine Memorial Association in 1971, and arrived at her present home in New Jersey in January 1973. The boat is now displayed in the Hackensack River, and is the official state naval museum for New Jersey.
Until a just a few years ago the Ling was the centerpiece exhibit of the New Jersey Naval Museum, which was located on the property adjacent to the ship’s berth. The submarine was closed to the public after the walkway leading to it from shore was swept away by superstorm Sandy in 2012, leaving no access to the foundered ship. The museum subsequently closed in 2015.
In 2016, the museum’s lease was terminated by the former publisher of The Record, Stephen Borg, whose grandfather negotiated the original deal to lease land to the museum for $1 a year. Last year, the Hackensack Planning Board voted to subdivide the 20-acre parcel of land into four lots for a redevelopment project, which would include a hotel and 700 residences.
The fate of the Ling is ultimately connected to the ability for it to be moved from its location .The LIng sits stranded in muck and mire ,perhaps even silted in, imprisoned by steel barriers, and rusting away; a sorry fate for the the once swift and proud naval warship.
June 18,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi hosted a meeting on June 15th at Bergen Community College to talk about OVERDEVELOPMENT, affordable housing and the biggest issues affecting Bergen County local communities.
The event was packed with legislators, mayors, engineers, planners, environmental experts, school superintendents, non-profit housing groups and others who joined Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi at the Thursday night legislative hearing to address New Jersey’s affordable housing crisis.
The hearing will provided the first significant legislative discussion addressing New Jersey’s affordable housing crisis in 5 years.
The meeting was very well attended given how little publicity from New Jersey main stream press .Senator Gerald Cardinale, Assemblymen Robert Auth and Kevin J. Rooney and the several hundred people took time to talk about overdevelopment and affordable housing.
The Speakers included Mayors and former Mayors from Closter, Haworth, Demarest, Dumont, Upper Saddle River and Montvale. Council members from Park Ridge, Ramsey and Dumont. Elected officials and representatives were also present from communities including Westwood, Mahwah, New Milford, Old Tappan, Emerson, Paramus, Allendale, Mountain Lakes, Montville, Hillsdale and Woodcliff Lake. Tom Toronto and Lynn Bartlett, the heads of non-profit affordable housing agencies United Way and the Bergen County Housing Authority, along with Bruce Young, the President of the Bergen County School Boards all provided great testimony.
Captain Bill Sheehan from Hackensack Riverkeepers for discussing environmental concerns. I was disappointed that none of our other Bergen County legislators chose to attend. This is an issue that every municipality is struggling with regardless of political party lines. We must work together to assist the communities we represent.
Joanne Minichetti, mayor of Upper Saddle River, told Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi and other state officials that the analysis leading to the obligations was “ridiculous” and “stupid.” The obligations were created by the Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center.
Derek Michalski also from Upper Saddle River recounted to the Ridgewood blog ,” in the case of USR two developers father and son “forced” rezoning Apple Ridge property on USR mayor and Council and after obtaining the “rezoning signature” re-sold the same property to Toll Brothers for $20-30milion quick gain. if the town did this deal for its own benefit(residents) we wouldn’t have to raise taxes for decades to come. Thus such chaos is creating enormous benefit to developers and leaving communities in fear.”
Schepisi has recently introduced two bills to freeze municipal affordable housing obligations through the end of the year, and establish a commission to study the issue and determine each town’s obligations. Over fifty municipalities throughout the state of New Jersey have passed a resolution urging action on Schepisi’s bills.
However NJ Housing and Development Chairman Jerry Green (D) is not going to release those two bill to the floor for vote (IMHO). They will die waiting…..in the meantime the town in fear of loosing this issue in court are marketing (horrible deals with developers). For instance in the case of USR two developers father and son “forced” rezoning Apple Ridge property on USR mayor and Council and after obtaining the “rezoning signature” re-sold the same property to Toll Brothers for $20-30milion quick gain. if the town did this deal for its own benefit(residents) we wouldn’t have to raise taxes for decades to come. Thus such chaos is creating enormous benefit to developers and leaving communities in fear.
And you guessed it Green is a major fund raiser for Murphy (he told me that himself in his office) so this issue is almoeast a dead issue.
June 17,2017
by Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi
New Jersey has the highest property taxes, foreclosure rate and is the most expensive state in the nation to own a home. Common sense and basic economics tell us that there is too much supply and too little demand, with high taxes and a dense population distorting total housing costs upward.
Now we are facing the equivalent of housing Armageddon. A non-profit entity with ties to developers is attempting to force towns across the state to build 280,000 affordable housing units in the next nine years.
Unfortunately, just a few months ago the New Jersey Supreme Court sided with the non-profit Fair Share Housing Center to force towns to build approximately 201,000 affordable housing units. Emboldened by the court’s opinion, the FSHC decided to double down and increased its extortion demand to 280,000 new units of affordable housing. This would financially ruin our state, towns and taxpayers.
While the 280,000 number is insane, the problem is actually far worse. Builders don’t only build affordable housing because they can’t make a profit from those units. So they build four times as many unaffordable units to make up the difference. In total, New Jersey is on the hook for approximately 1.4 million homes – which equals a minimum 2,500 per community. To make things worse, the state Supreme Court is supporting this assault on our communities.
Towns across the state, Democrat and Republican, feel as if they have a proverbial gun to their head. They are being forced to enter into settlements that could be disastrous to their communities as a result of lawsuits brought by a non-profit. They are spending money they don’t have to fight unreasonable court-mandated obligations. This is an unwavering threat to taxpayers who can’t afford already nation-high property taxes.
If the Fair Share Housing Center gets its way, the state will be unrecognizable and the change will be irreversible.
Building an additional 1.4 million homes will cause irreversible problems for our schools, environment and water sources, as well as our roads and power grids. Where are the clean drinking-water advocates who lament that 90 percent of New Jersey water fails at least one water-quality standard? Or the environmentalists that want to restrict sprawl and protect New Jersey’s ecosystem? Where is the teacher’s union fighting for smaller class sizes and increased resources for students?Where are the legislators who represent our communities?
And Fair Share’s logic doesn’t make any sense: The most densely populated state in the country, with the highest property taxes in the country and the highest foreclosure rate in the nation needs affordable housing, and its solution is for that state to build massive quantities of housing funded with higher property taxes, making the state denser and more expensive.
It is mind boggling that the state Supreme Court sided with this faulty logic and is enforcing lawsuits that obligate towns to build housing they don’t need. Why aren’t we considering the obvious issue, that there isn’t a lack of housing supply but that housing is just too expensive because of our obscenely high property taxes and cost-of-living?
Isn’t there a fundamental disconnect that families earning $70,000 per year, an amount $14,000 more than the average US family, are eligible for affordable housing. Plainly, people struggle to own a home in New Jersey because it costs too much. The solution isn’t to make the rest of homes cost more by building 280,000 new affordable units.
We cannot let the courts get away with allowing a non-profit that has no constitutional power to force towns into building what they don’t need. It is also unfathomable that the court would legislate what is best for individual communities.
I have introduced two bills, A-4666 and A-4667, giving the Legislature until the end of the year to properly study and fix the problem: one that suspends all affordable housing lawsuits and another establishing a bi-partisan commission to study the issue. If we wait any longer to stop this insanity, the impact on our communities will be irreversible and our already unaffordable property taxes will skyrocket.
I am calling for an immediate stop to these obligations, and to provide relief for towns across the state that can no longer take the burden. We must take action now before it is too late. We must stop this madness or it will hit us like an avalanche.
Holly Schepisi, Republican, represents parts of Bergen and Passaic counties in the 39th Legislative District in the Assembly.
June 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Statement Condemning New Jersey Democratic Consultant Jim Devine
Our nation suffered yesterday as members of Congress were targeted and shot for political ideology. While Republican and Democrat leaders condemned this atrocious act Jim Devine, former Political Director of the State Democrat Party, turned this tragedy into a political football.
Devine used his social media platform to further divide our nation. He did so by tweeting “#HuntRepublicanCongressman” and “#HuntRepublicans”. Mr. Devine’s poor and incendiary decision to inflame the political rhetoric on social media is disturbing. The hate in this nation cannot and will not be healed unless, and until, the rhetoric of painting an opposing political party as evil is condemned. As a nation, we must come together.
On James Devine’s personal website, he claims he is “Outspoken and daring in defense of American Principles”. Devine clearly does not understand nor hold American principles. He insulted the families of the wounded and our nation. America did not become the world’s beacon of freedom by trying to silence another’s views. This nation has thrived through a multiple-party system and continues to do so today. Not only does Devine not represent America’s values, he offends them. All New Jersey leaders, whether Republican or Democrat, should condemn his illicit and outrageous commentary.
The delusions of anyone who believes it is a constitutional right to murder, or attempt to murder elected officials, their staff, or the police who protect them, should have no role in NJ politics or government.
Let us never forget, we are one.
Paul DiGaetano
BCRO Chairman
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
June 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, A late Thursday afternoon, 06/15, fire in a computer server room at Bergen Community College’s Paramus campus forced the temporary evacuation of a building and warranted the response of Borough of Paramus and County of Bergen HazMat teams due to the activation of a fm200 chemical agent fire suppression system. A Paramus EMS ambulance crew was called to stand by at the fire scene, but was shortly released by fire department supervisors after it was determined that no one was injured when the suppression system activated. Damage was reported to at least one (1) computer server. Bergen County Sheriff’s officers were also observed at the scene. Paramus FD and Rescue Squad personnel were active within the fire building.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
June 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Wyckoff NJ, Ambulances and police vehicles line the street in front a Carriage Lane, Wyckoff single family home on Thursday afternoon, 06/15 after responding to a report of a man in his early 90’s who was found unresponsive in a backyard swimming pool. Unconfirmed reports are that the victim was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital in critical condition.
James M. O’Neill , Staff Writer, @JamesMONeill15:54 p.m. ET June 14, 2017
As peak gardening season lures North Jersey homeowners to landscape supply centers, they buy and cart home many shrubs and trees that — just over the state line in New York — are prohibited in suburban yards.
Many Northeast states have cracked down on the sale of non-native plant species because they out-compete and suffocate native plant species that birds, butterflies and other insects rely on for food. Some environmentalists describe these invasive non-natives as if they were thugs marauding through area forests.
Washington DC, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) delivered the following opening statement today about the seven bills the committee is considering related to the National Flood Insurance Program:
There are so many important voices in our debate today on the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program. Certainly the homeowners who have relied on this program — theirs is a very important voice because we go to their homes and we go to their household finances. Theirs is a very important voice. Homebuilders, they have an important voice. Insurance agents and companies, local communities — these are all important voices in this debate.
But as far as I’m concerned, perhaps the single-most important voice is the voice that remains underrepresented in the debate and that is the voice of the American taxpayer. The American taxpayer who has been called upon in the past to bail out a program that is currently drowning in $26 billion of red ink and suffers a $1.4 billion annual actuarial deficit.
Maybe that’s why I heard from Kathy in Garland, Texas in my district who wrote: “It’s just another reason the average person in this country is going under financially. Far too many programs are being funded by the average American but very few receive any benefits from what they are funding.”
In talking about the program, Steven of Larue in my district said: “This is just another instance of the federal government wasting the taxpayer dollars over and over and over again on the same problems. People that choose to live in flood-prone areas after receiving one payment benefit should be removed from the entirety of the program.”
Just two taxpayer comments. So again, we know for a fact the program is in debt. We know for a fact the program is running an actual annual deficit. So it begs the question: Should there be a permanent taxpayer subsidy? I say no. It cannot be, not when I’m sitting here looking at a national debt clock that continues to run out of control before us, which I continue to believe is a far under-appreciated clear and present danger to our republic. Part of those numbers spinning out of control represent the National Flood Insurance Program.
I don’t know if America will ever become a bankrupt society, but I know the face of bankruptcy is an ugly one. In Detroit, when it became bankrupt, thousands of street lights couldn’t afford to be replaced and ambulances did not run. Municipal retiree health care benefits were cut immediately. In Puerto Rico, hospitals had to lay off workers, ration medication, reduce services. In Greece, from 2008 to 2013 they became 40 percent poorer. Homelessness increased 25 percent in four years.
I don’t think America would ever become Puerto Rico, Detroit or Greece, but I don’t know, and it’s not something in good conscience I can ignore.
So I believe we need a National Flood Insurance Program that will make the program fiscally sustainable. I do believe that people should gradually – gradually – be expected to pay actuarial rates. They need predictability. We need to protect them from sticker shock, but the program must be made sustainable.
I believe market competition is important and we have heard evidence that in many places where there has been even limited market competition we have actually seen premiums decreased. And the industry is poised to come in. It’s a very different world today than it was half a century ago when this program was launched. Better risk assessment tools, better financing mechanisms to spread the risk globally. And so this is a bill that, perhaps, it would take as long as 15 years to fully phase in some actuarial rates. We’re talking today about bills that, if enacted, would increase premiums about $2 a month to put this on the road toward actuarial soundness where all will be protected, no one will be denied a policy, all will benefit from competition and the NFIP will be sustainable and the national debt clock will spin a little less rapidly.
With other important reforms of mapping, mitigation, claims processing protections and reforms, I commend all of the authors of the legislation that we will be marking up today and I look forward to the markup.
June 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,a reader challenged us on the recent blog article , “There was much ADO about the Pride Flag in Ridgewood “,https://theridgewoodblog.net/there-was-much-ado-about-the-pride-flag-in-ridgewood/ .
“I’m happy Ridgewood chose to fly the flag, but the basis of your article was not about the flag or why it is so important to so many, and how it might be a teaching opportunity about equality, fairness and just ‘not being an asshole’ tearing down another to raise yourself up. The point of your article appears to be that Ridgewood is great and Glen Rock is not. Kind of an asshole article, tearing down one town that has no dog in the Ridgewood debate, to attempt to elevate Ridgewood.”
Unfortunately there were a lot of ugly politics at play. The pride flag was being used as an attempt to undermine the Village of Ridgewood’s Mayor Susan Knudsen and several sitting council members. A group looking to put the previous council back in place used the pride flag to pressure the Ridgewood Village council by saying, look how great Glen Rock is ,they are wonderful and you are just a bunch of ignorant bigots .
file photo by Boyd Loving
Updated on June 13, 2017 at 1:36 PMPosted on June 13, 2017
BY PAUL MULSHINE
Columnist, The Star-Ledger
My liberal friends have worked themselves into a fever anticipating the impeachment of President Trump.
They think they’ve got a second Watergate going.
Have your fun while you can. But the next trial likely to affect the political lineup won’t be happening before the U.S. Senate in Washington.
It will be happening before the U.S. District Court in Newark.
In the dock will be U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, faced with 22 counts of ethics charges alleging he took illegal gifts from a Florida Miami eye doctor who was recently convicted on 67 counts of Medicare fraud.
If convicted, the 63-year-old senator would almost certainly be booted from the chamber. In that case, the Republicans might be able to add a seat to their slim, 52-vote majority.
Or maybe not. It’s a matter of timing – some of the most intriguing timing I’ve seen in politics.
file photo William Thomas
CAREN CHESLER | JUNE 14, 2017
Some half-dozen people linked to NJSPCA have been interviewed or will soon be by State Commission of Investigation
After failing to file state and federal financial statements for years, a misstep that resulted in the loss of its tax-exempt status, the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the subject of a State Commission of Investigation probe for the second time in less than 20 years.
While the SCI would not confirm or deny any investigative activity, at least half-a-dozen people connected with the NJSCPA say they have already been interviewed or are about to be, as part of the probe. Earlier this spring, NJ Spotlight published a look at the controversial organization, detailing its financial problems and its lack of oversight.
The NJSPCA, a private organization with a 100-plus-year-old charter from the state, has been the focus of controversy for almost two decades. Charged with protecting animals, the group’s senior members are given the power of arrest, carry guns, and yet have little state oversight. The steady drumbeat of criticism reached a crescendo late last year when it was discovered that the organization had lost its tax-exempt status and yet continued to accept public donations without informing donors that their contributions were no longer tax-deductible.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
June 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hawthorne NJ, for the second time this week ,a black bear that’s been wandering around a Hawthorne neighborhood for the past few days was treed again, this time in the rear yard of a home located within the 800 Block of Lafayette Avenue Extension, Hawthorne, on Tuesday evening, 06/13. Several Hawthorne PD units responded to residents’ telephone calls of a bear running through back yards. However, based upon an advisory from NJDEP Fish & Game officials via telephone, no attempt was made to capture the bear due to the approach of darkness. Police advised residents to stay indoors until the bear came down from the tree and left the area. One police officer on the scene indicated that the bear appeared to be injured.
