The Auditor always loves a good fact-check, so when Gov. Chris Christie took aim at 2017 candidate for governor Phil Murphy over pensions, it was clear that merriment would soon abound. The Auditor, NJ.com Read more
photo by Boyd Loving
June 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Gannett is adding to its stable of New Jersey papers by snapping up The Record , the Ridgewood News and some other weekly papers now owned by the North Jersey Media Group according to Media Ink.
According to insiders at the paper the announcement came as a shock to the Record newsroom and its already beleaguered staffers.
The 121-year-old paper long known as the Bergen Record is the second-largest daily paper in the state behind the Star-Ledger in Newark, which is owned by the Newhouse family. Gannett, the nation’s No. 1 newspaper publisher, also owns the Asbury Park Press and five other New Jersey papers.The Record seemed tired in recent years and after decades of playing a major role in setting the news agenda in New Jersey with its far left pro union slant .
While it bashed Governor Christie and harped on the tedious “Bridgegate” scandal it may have derailed presidential ambitions of New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie but circulation plunged , reporting lagged and the overtly biased coverage drove away advertisers .
The Record was purchased by the Borg family in 1930. Malcolm Borg is chairman, while son Stephen Borg — leader of the fourth generation of the family in control of the paper . Insiders say Stephen’s tenure at the helm has been a disaster.
It’s not likely to gain much traction, but boosting the state sales tax could go a long way to easing the Transportation Trust Fund crisis. Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, NJSpotlight Read more
As New Jersey’s government workforce shrinks, some of the highest-paid insiders are reaping the windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars in new-found overtime, an Asbury Park Press investigation found. Bob Jordan and Paul D’Ambrosio, Asbury Park Press Read more
A state environmental cleanup program may have to start work or stop paying its employees.The results of an Office of Legislative Services audit of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were released Monday, showing that the NJDEP is five years behind on a deadline for ranking toxic sites in the state to establish which sites to clean up first. NJDEP employees, that report said, continued to be paid salaries from a fund intended to finance clean-up efforts that never began. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more
Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) released the following statement in response toreports that Boeing has reached a multibillion-dollar deal to sell commercial passenger planes to Iran. Boeing is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) bank which perpetuates corporate welfare to mega corporations by handing out taxpayer-backed loans.
“This agreement between Boeing and the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is extremely troubling and shows that crony capitalism remains alive and well in Washington. Not only has Boeing lobbied for years to keep the taxpayer-backed Export Import bank alive, it now has also used its powerful position to take advantage of the ill-conceived nuclear deal with Iran. This agreement is bad news, not just for taxpayers but for our national security.”
Boeing was lobbying Congress to keep their Ex-Im bank subsidies at the same time it was seeking carve outs from the Obama Administration to do more business with the dangerous Iranian regime. Garrett has been an outspoken critic of the Ex-Im bank and the Iran nuclear deal.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, New Jersey Assemblymen Tim Eustace continues his over the top grandstanding against Congressmen Scott Garrett. Eustace has been making the rounds protesting Garrett’s “alleged” and I repeat “alleged” remarks and organizing media events like protesting Fidelity investments on Route 17 in Paramus over donations to the Garrett campaign . Unbeknownst to Eustace and much of the New Jersey media a small mutual fund office in Paramus does not control corporate policy for Mutual Fund giant Fidelity’s corporate donation policy .
Assemblyman Tim Eustace told PolitickerNJ that the congressman’s statements “ridiculous.” According to Eustace, one of New Jersey’s only openly gay assemblypeople, Garrett’s stance on the LGBT community (he allegedly made statements last year that he wouldn’t support the Republican Party’s fundraising arm because of support for gay candidates) and his NRA backing make his statements “hypocritical.”
Eustace then jumped the shark by saying ,“I thought it was ridiculous,” Eustace told PolitickerNJ. “Here is a man who doesn’t even believe LGBT people deserve equal citizenship, that we have the right to run for office. Here is somebody who is fully invested by the NRA. These congressmen are the reason assault weapons are on the streets. He comes out in support of them but didn’t actually mention LGBT people at all.”
LGBT people deserve equal citizenship, really Tim ? According to Eustace and people like him Republicans present a far greater threat then Islamic Jihad ? Humm tell that to the people in the WTC on 9/11 or thats right they are dead .
Eustace like many seemed shocked that the terror group ISIS would target the gay community ,apparently Tim has missed the memo that ISIS like all Islamic Jihadist groups are sworn to kill gays and enslave women as well as eliminate all western style freedoms .
To make this clear because so many seem in denial ,Sharia law mandates that homosexuals be killed and is not from ISIS or al-Qaeda. It is from sharia which is based on Muslim scripture.
While other gay groups have quickly learned that they are not safe under the current administration and have begun arming themselves like Pink Pistols or changing there support for Donald Trump who has like many sounded the alarm continuously for years ,Eustace and his band of media hounds continues to misrepresent their cause and place themselves and others in grave danger.
Just one week remains until members of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) will decide if current chairman Bob Yudin will remain in his post or if his challenger former Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano will usurp the chairman’s spot. OnJune 21, members of the organization will gather to vote in the bi-annual reorganization. Alyana Alfaro, PolitickerNJ Read more
With the state’s Transportation Trust Fund less than three weeks away from running out of money for new road, bridge and rail projects, Gov. Chris Christie said the fix being pushed by the Democratic-controlled legislature lacked sufficient tax breaks to be signed into law. Claude Brodesser-Akner, NJ.comJ Read more
pic “Xanadu ” the last great government idea for the Meadowlands
The No North Jersey Casinos Coalition held a press conference at the Trenton State House on Monday to announce that the group had formed and was standing in opposition to the proposed North Jersey casinos that many NJ lawmakers want to see built in locations like Alyana Alfaro, PolitickerNJ Read more
June 14,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Congressment Scott Garrett offers prayers for the victims of the Orlando terror attack, “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of everyone in Orlando and throughout the United States who are mourning the senseless loss of so many promising young lives. The cowards who perpetuate this kind of violence against innocent people should know that we will never back down and we will never give in to their warped view of the world. We are Americans, and we stand together to defend freedom and liberty. I thank the first responders who responded to this tragedy for their bravery in the face of unspeakable violence.”
June 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Career stability isn’t what it once was.
That’s why many workers frustrated with today’s corporate climate are venturing out on their own, offering their skills and experience to those very same corporations, but on a consulting rather than fulltime basis.
Certainly, there’s a lot to be said for going independent, says Aaron Zwas, a consultant and author of “Transition to Independence” (www.t2iplan.com), a book that serves as a guide to making such a change.
“You have more freedom and a healthier balance between work and family,” Zwas says. “It’s the be-your-own-boss opportunity many people crave.”
But not so fast.
Before you take the plunge, there are drawbacks worth knowing about.
“When I made the transition about 15 years ago, I didn’t have a lot of guidance,” Zwas says. “I didn’t really understand what I was getting into, so there was a bit of trial and error. The good news is that others can learn from my mistakes.”
If you’re considering going it alone, Zwas lists at least four pitfalls you’ll want to avoid:
• Prepare yourself financially. The transition from working for someone else to being independent almost certainly will require you to dip into savings. Take every precaution as you prepare yourself financially. A conversation with an accountant is a good start and so is reviewing your monthly budget to see if you can cut spending. Build up savings – preferably enough to sustain you through one year of expenses – before ending fulltime employment.
• Set your social calendar. When you’re independent, you have no co-workers to chat with, bounce ideas off of or play tennis with on the weekend. If you’re not careful, it can be a lonely existence. To compensate, Zwas recommends setting up regular dates with friends and family. You can also take up new interests or hobbies. “Get out of the house and be with other people,” he says.
• Stay focused on your expertise. Being a one-person team has its advantages, but it can also be a double-edged sword because many independents get pulled in too many directions by spending time on activities unrelated to their expertise. There’s no problem in admitting you don’t want to take on certain activities, Zwas says. For example, bookkeeping could be a chore you despise or aren’t suited for. You might want to contract out and let someone else handle it.
• Spend time on your personal brand. Some independents thrive without any personal branding efforts, but most need to do at least a little branding. A logo, a website, business cards, a presentation template, social-media accounts and a blog can help you create a professional image.
“A little advance preparation can go a long way in helping you become a successful independent,” Zwas says. “The most important lesson I’ve learned is that consulting is more than a job – it’s a lifestyle. Even on my worst days, I’m grateful for the freedom I have.”
About Aaron Zwas
Aaron Zwas, author of “Transition to Independence” (www.t2iplan.com), is a consulting journeyman with 15 years of independent experience as a strategic technology advisor. His T2I Plan (for “Transition to Independence”) provides a step-by-step approach that helps people move from traditional employment to a career as an independent consultant while minimizing the risks.
June 11,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Now that Josh Gottheimer “family member” Hillary Clinton has declared herself the Democratic Party nominee, constituents of the Fifth District deserve to know where Mr. Gottheimer stands on Mrs. Clinton’s policies and priorities.
Does Josh Gottheimer Support “Family Member” Hillary Clinton’s Use of Her Private Email Server?
Clinton’s Claim That Her “Predecessors Did The Same Thing” With A Secret Server Has Been Rated As Mostly False By PolitiFact. “Clinton said, regarding her State Department email practices, ‘my predecessors did the same thing.’ This is a misleading claim chiefly because only one prior secretary of state regularly used email, Colin Powell. Powell did use a personal email address for government business, however he did not use a private server kept at his home, as Clinton did. We rate this claim Mostly False.” (Lauren Carroll, “Hillary Clinton Said ‘My Predecessors Did The Same Thing,’ With Email” PolitiFact , 3/9/16)
NBC News Headline: “Clinton Broke Federal Rules With Email Server, Audit Finds” (Ken Dilanian, “Clinton Broke Federal Rules With Email Server, Audit Finds,” NBC News, 5/25/16)
Reuters Headline: “Clinton Email Server Broke Government Rules, Watchdog Finds” (Jonathan Allen, “Clinton Email Server Broke Government Rules, Watchdog Finds,” Reuters, 5/25/16)
The Associated Press Headline: “State Dept Audit Faults Clinton In Emails” (Michael Biesecker and Bradley Klapper, “State Dept Audit Faults Clinton In Emails,” APNewsBreak, 5/25/16)
The Washington Post Headline: “State Dept. Inspector General Report Sharply Criticizes Clinton’s Email Practices” (Rosalind Helderman and Tom Hamburger, “State Dept. Inspector General Report Sharply Criticizes Clinton’s Email Practices,” The Washington Post, 5/25/16)
The New York Times Headline: “Hillary Clinton Is Criticized For Private Emails In State Dept. Review” (Steven Lee Myers, “Hillary Clinton Is Criticized For Private Emails In State Dept. Review,” The New York Times, 5/25/16)
NBC News Headline: “Clinton Broke Federal Rules With Email Server, Audit Finds” (Ken Dilanian, “Clinton Broke Federal Rules With Email Server, Audit Finds,” NBC News, 5/25/16)
Reuters Headline: “Clinton Email Server Broke Government Rules, Watchdog Finds” (Jonathan Allen, “Clinton Email Server Broke Government Rules, Watchdog Finds,” Reuters, 5/25/16)
CNN Headline: “State Department Report Slams Clinton Email Use” (Ryan Browne and Evan Perez, “State Department Report Slams Clinton Email Use,” CNN, 5/25/16)
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
The 2016 Law Enforcement Torch Run, benefiting the Special Olympics of New Jersey. made its way through the Village of Ridgewood on Friday, June 10, 2016.
Runners stopped at the Willard and Ridge Elementary Schools for photo opportunities.
“Flame of Hope” is being carried across nearly 1,000 miles stopping at or passing through just about every town in Bergen and Passaic counties.
The final destination is the College of New Jersey in Ewing, where the torch lights a cauldron officially launching the Special Olympics New Jersey 2016 Summer Games around 7:30 p.m.
June 10,2016
Ridgewood NJ, Senators Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) and Steve Oroho (R-Sussex) today announced that they reached a bipartisan agreement funding a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund and a series of wide-ranging tax cuts that are designed to create jobs, strengthen New Jersey’s economy and create tax fairness.
“We are optimistic that our plan for a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund will win the support of business and labor leaders, environmentalists and transportation advocates, and the millions of New Jerseyans who are tired of driving over poor highways and crumbling bridges, jamming into overcrowded buses and trains that break down and get delayed too often,” said Senator Sarlo. “This plan will create jobs, spur economic growth, increasing housing values and make New Jersey competitive for decades to come.”
“The plan we have put together will save hundreds of millions of dollars for New Jersey taxpayers by ensuring that out-of-state drivers who use our roads pay their fair share for their upkeep,” said Senator Oroho. “Just as important, it makes New Jersey’s tax structure more competitive. Our plan eliminates the estate tax, gives senior citizens an exemption on their retirement income, raises the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor, makes charitable contributions to New Jersey social service providers tax-deductible, and provides a gas tax deduction for those who have to drive the most.”
The Sarlo-Oroho plan calls for a 7% Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax, a 10-cent-per-gallon PPGRT tax on motor fuel, and a 3-cent-per-gallon PPGRT diesel surcharge, all imposed at the wholesale level If oil companies passed the full cost of the PPGRT tax on to motorists, the gas tax increase would be 23 cents a gallon. Added to New Jersey’s current 14.5-cent tax on motor fuels, New Jersey’s 37.5-cent per gallon would still be lower than both New York’s 42.4-cent motor fuel tax and Pennsylvania’s 50-cent tax.
All motor fuel taxes will be dedicated solely to the Transportation Trust Fund under a constitutional amendment already scheduled to go on the ballot in November.
Senators Sarlo and Oroho noted that the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax increases and all of the phased-in tax cuts – elimination of the estate tax, an Earned Income Tax Credit rasied to 40% of the federal level, the $100,000 senior retirement income tax exemption, the deduction for charitable contributions, and the gas tax deduction – are included in one tax bill.
“Creating the right tax structure to pay for our road and bridge infrastructure, combined with tax cuts to help make New Jersey more competitive and retain income and capital, will provide tens of billions in tax relief over the next 25 years, ” said Senator Oroho said.
A second bill authorizes a 10-year, $20 billion Transportation Trust Fund to replace the current five-year TTF that expires June 30 and runs out of money for new projects by April.
“This is a robust transportation capital plan that will double county and municipal transportation aid to hold down property taxes, fund the Hudson-Bergen and Camden-Glassboro light rail extensions, and expand rail freight funding to deal with the doubled cargo that the giant Panamax super freighters will be bringing into Port Newark once the Bayonne Bridge is raised,” Senator Sarlo said. “We are calling on all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both houses to support it.”
DRAFT PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND AND TAX CUTS
1. $2 billion a year Transportation Trust Fund authorizing spending of $20 billion over 10 years, with all revenue from motor fuels taxes constitutionally dedicated and unused funding rolled over into TTF Capital Fund surplus
2. TTF Funding: 23 cents in motor fuels taxes added to existing 14.5-cent gas tax
· Existing 10.5-cent per gallon tax on motor fuel,13.5-cent tax on diesel, and 4-cent Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax on motor fuel and non-motor fuel use remain dedicated to payoff of existing debt.
· Existing $200 million in constitutionally dedicated sales tax revenue remains dedicated to payoff of existing debt (but additional $346.2 million in sales tax revenue the Governor used in FY17 budget to plug hole in TTF is shifted back to General Fund to pay for tax cuts)
· New 7% PPGRT tax on motor fuel (equivalent to 12-cent tax hike on regular gas as of May 1 prices), with floor set at price level when new tax goes into effect. Future price increases projected to just about offset future decline in motor fuel consumption over next decade due to fuel efficiency; while PPGRT^ tax rate will go up, consumers will end up paying about the same amount.
· Additional 10-cent per gallon Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax on regular motor fuel and 14-cent PPGRT on diesel fuel.
· New7% PPGRT tax on jet fuel (aviation kerosene) to replace current tax limited to taxiing and takeoffs, and 7% PPGRT tax on non-motor fuel use represents increase from current 2.3% (home heating oil still exempted).
· Pilot Vehicular Mileage Tax on electric, hydrogen-powered and other non-gas powered vehicles to kick in one year after passage based on Oregon-California model, with revenue dedicated to TTF projects that reduce emissions such as mass transit or congestion reduction initiatives. Drivers and businesses can choose straight $150 user fee for individuals or $300 for businesses paid with registration renewal.
3. Increase Earned Income Tax Credit from 30% of federal credit to 35% of federal credit effective for 2016 tax year to offset PPGRT motor fuel tax increase for those earning up to $45,000.
4. Phase out estate tax, starting with increase from $675,000 threshold to exemption on first $1 million effective December 31, 2016, scaling up to full repeal of estate tax effective December 31, 2019, following the schedule set in the original Sarlo-Oroho bill.
5. Increase exemption for retirement income for those earning $100,000 or less from current $20,000 for couples/$10,000 for individuals to $40,000/$20,000 in the 2017 tax year, ramping up to $100,000/$50,000 for the 2020 tax year.
6. Establish income tax deduction for contributions to New Jersey charities limited specifically to charities engaged directly in meeting the social services needs of the most vulnerable, such as food banks, Catholic Charities, ARC, United Way, homeless shelters and Meals on Wheels. Eligible charities would be developed from NJ State Employees Charitable Campaign list, which has been properly vetted since 1985 and has strict standards. Deduction would be phased in over four tax years from 2017 to 2020.
7. Establish income tax deduction of all gas taxes paid by those for whom gas tax exceeds 1% of income. Consumer can save credit card receipts or use standard multiplier based on odometer readings. Mileage reimbursed by employer is not eligible, nor is gas tax paid for commercial vehicles.
8. Tax cuts are offset by $346 million in reallocated sales tax revenue (over and above the $200 million constitutional dedication) that Administration raided to keep TTF solvent in absence of promised PAYGO funding, plus $57 million to $75 million in additional income, sales and payroll tax revenue generated by increased TTF spending and tax cuts. Net to budget is break-even until FY20, 110 million loss in FY21 and $294 million loss in FY22, but that does not include any projection of additional income or sales taxes generated by wealthy taxpayers or seniors deciding to stay in New Jersey because of tax policy changes.
9. Overall, this program dramatically improves the state’s cash-flow position and sharply reduces the amount of short-term borrowing from capital markets that would be needed to make quarterly pension payments. Treasury and TTF regularly borrow back and forth. The $1 billion rolling surplus in the TTF Capital Fund by the end of FY18 will range from $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion from FY20 to FY24. This money will be available to Treasury for short-term borrowing at the beginning of the year (bond payments come due at the end of December and the end of June). In addition, fuel tax revenues come in monthly, while the cost of the EITC, pension and charitable tax cuts do not hit until the end of the fiscal year, effectively improving the state’s cash flow position by $120 million a month during the course of each year. The net result is that the state will be able to make quarterly pension payments without having to borrow more than the usual $2 billion to $2.5 billion that we have traditionally borrowed from credit markets on short-term notes due by June 30 each fiscal year.
