Category: River Edge

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New figures break down New Jersey’s school costs by district

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New figures break down New Jersey’s school costs by district

MAY 9, 2014, 6:06 PM    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014, 6:31 PM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

New Jersey districts spent an average of $18,891 per pupil in 2012-13, up 4.8 percent from the year before, according to figures released Friday by the state Department of Education.

By the Numbers:

Spending per pupil by school district in the counties of Bergen and Passaic in 2012-13

Top 10

Bergen County Special Service$93,953
Bergen County Vocational   $33,685
Moonachie$28,733
Alpine        $27,459
Carlstadt-East Rutherford$25,994
Passaic County Vocational$25,003
Hackensack$24,046
Teaneck$24,019
Saddle Brook$23,708
Pascack Valley Regional$23,472

Bottom 10

Prospect Park$15,237
Hasbrouck Heights$15,127
River Edge$15,076
Little Ferry$14,916
John P. Holland Charter$14,815
Elmwood Park$14,543
Fairview$14,030
Bergen Arts & Science Charter$13,822
Passaic Arts & Science Charter$12,288
Classical Academy Charter$8,440
   
Among regular districts in the counties of Bergen and Passaic, total per-pupil spending ranged from a high of $28,733 in Moonachie to $14,030 in Fairview.

Three charter school districts had the least spending per student, including the Classical Academy Charter School which spent $8,440 per student and the Passaic Arts and Science Charter School, which spent $12,288. Spending is lower in part because charter schools receive no facilities aid. 

The Bergen County Special Services district, which serves severely disabled children, spends $93,953.

Of the 103 regular and charter districts in Bergen and Passaic, 19 saw their per pupil costs drop, while figures rose in the other 84.

The Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending can be found at here https://www.state.nj.us/education/guide/2014/

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/new-figures-break-down-new-jersey-s-school-costs-by-district-1.1013410#sthash.AwZBgaDz.dpuf

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Reader says the Ridgewood municipal is budget is well managed and the BOE budget is where the runaway spending is

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Reader says the Ridgewood municipal is budget is well managed and the BOE budget is where the runaway spending is

Do you want to base your conclusions on the faulty FAC report and ignore the fact that the Village provides more services at a lower municipal mil rate than all of the other towns I referred to in my post as #20 that is fine. None of the towns listed there provide garbage pickup, fully staffed fire services, recreation services for kids and seniors or a sewage treatment facility for their residents, that is a fact, and. How that is a union talking point is beyond me.

You claimed that I am only providing half of the story and I am leaving out the property taxpayer’s perspective,” I am a taxpayer, and have been a taxpayer in Ridgewood for many years. If anything is only providing half the story it’s your FAC report. It only tells half the story since it does not even consider the cost to the residents for the Board of Education (BOE). If your report included the BOE then I would have to agree that the largest portion of the Village Tax bill (BOE) has been increased at an alarming rate and is not sustainable.

How do I arrive at that conclusion? Here is the 2011 Bergen County property tax data showing the town – County – total tax levy – % County Taxes – % School Taxes % – Municipal taxes. This is the latest year available on the NJ.com by the numbers web site. There are 70 Municipalities in Bergen County. Below are 18 municipalities that have an equal or greater percentage of their municipal taxes dedicated to the school budget like Ridgewood. The other 51 municipalities have a lower percentage than Ridgewood dedicated to their school budget and a higher percentage number dedicated to their municipal services. Ridgewood’s municipal tax levy is lower than the other 51 Municipalities in Bergen county and is even below the state calculated average of 29%. You can draw your own conclusions from this data however this data clearly shows that the Village municipal budget is very well managed as contrasted with other Bergen County Communities and the overall state average. It also indicates that BOE budget is out of control and unsustainable.

Town – County – tax levy – % County – % BOE – % Municipal

Ridgewood Village Bergen $130,248,198.77 10% 65% 25%

Closter Borough Bergen $42,254,879.89 11% 65% 25%

Demarest Borough Bergen $27,942,242.71 10% 68% 21%

Franklin Lakes Borough Bergen $62,617,871.06 14% 69% 17%

Glen Rock Borough Bergen $59,596,958.87 9% 70% 21%

Harrington Park Borough Bergen $21,819,633.46 10% 69% 22%

Hillsdale Borough Bergen $41,482,921.52 10% 70% 20%

Midland Park Borough Bergen $27,063,090.79 10% 65% 25%

Oakland Borough Bergen $54,044,047.52 9% 65% 26%

Old Tappan Borough Bergen $29,120,723.48 13% 71% 16%

Park Ridge Borough Bergen $35,601,710.17 10% 66% 24%

Ramsey Borough Bergen $72,773,675.42 11% 67% 22%

River Edge Borough Bergen $43,666,177.86 9% 65% 26%

River Vale Township Bergen $43,739,302.11 10% 68% 22%

Tenafly Borough Bergen $86,534,847.47 10% 65% 25%

Upper Saddle River Borough Bergen $46,413,818.76 13% 69% 18%

Waldwick Borough Bergen $37,118,536.98 9% 68% 23%

Westwood Borough Bergen $40,321,173.87 11% 60% 30%

Woodcliff Lake Borough Bergen $38,129,520.22 12% 66% 22%

Statewide total $25,643,843,500.01 18% 52% 29% of 567 municipalities

https://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers/

This information confirms that the Ridgewood municipal is budget is well managed and the BOE budget is where the runaway spending is since the Ridgewood BOE takes a higher percentage of the total tax bill than 51 other Bergen county municipalities. The FAC report ignores this fact, and therefor is even more faulty than I originally thought.

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NJ Senate Battle Is Fought in Suburbs

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Steve and Lorraine Lonegan greet supporters at River Edge Day at Veterans Memorial Park. (Photo by Donald MacLeay)

NJ Senate Battle Is Fought in Suburbs

Lonegan Goes After Booker Where the Newark Mayor Is Weakest

By
HEATHER HADDON

How does a dyed-in-the-wool conservative win a U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey, a blue state with 732,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans?

For Steve Lonegan, it comes down to hammering his Democratic opponent, Cory Booker, where he is weakest—in some of New Jersey’s suburbs and conservative-leaning areas. And polls show that Mr. Lonegan could pick up some of these votes, especially among whites and men.

“I want the libertarians, I want the tea partiers, I want the conservatives, I want the Reagan Democrats,” said Mr. Lonegan after Friday’s debate against Mr. Booker. He said the Democrats who go to church on Sundays and the “shooting range on the weekends” are his target voters.

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Cory Booker in Ridgewood photo by Boyd Loving

Mr. Booker, the mayor of Newark and a national figure among Democrats, leads in recent polls by about a dozen percentage points for an open U.S. Senate seat. The margin, while still comfortable, is closer than expected for the Oct. 16 race.

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303442004579119443672819948.html

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Jersey drivers admit to shaving, drinking, reading newspapers behind the wheel

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photo by Boyd Loving

Jersey drivers admit to shaving, drinking, reading newspapers behind the wheel
By Mike Frassinelli/The Star-Ledger

If you are reading this story while driving — get your eyes back on the road.

Five percent of drivers polled in a survey by a New Jersey auto insurance group said they have browsed the internet while driving, and 2 percent said they have read the newspaper while behind the wheel.

Twelve percent of those polled by Plymouth Rock Assurance said they have tried to drive while doing personal grooming such as shaving, applying makeup or combing or brushing their hair.

The survey broke into statistical detail what our eyes have already told us — we share the road with some dangerous drivers.

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/06/drivers_admit_to_shaving_drink.html

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Ridgewood to loan spare firetruck to River Edge

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file photo Boyd Loving

Ridgewood to loan spare firetruck to River Edge
Friday April 12, 2013, 12:42 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

The Ridgewood Fire Department will lend one of its pumper trucks to the Borough of River Edge, which has had an equipment shortage ever since one of its vehicles was put out of commission for several weeks.

Village Council members on Wednesday approved a shared services agreement that will send a municipal fire engine to the River Edge Fire Department for a maximum of six weeks. The governing body in River Edge moved its resolution formalizing the agreement April 1.

“[River Edge has] a pumper truck that is going under major repairs and will be out of service. They did a search of municipalities that had an extra vehicle, and our old pumper truck will be able to meet their needs,” Village Manager Ken Gabbert said.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/202719721_Ridgewood_to_loan_spare_firetruck_to_River_Edge.html

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N.J. drops plan to require extra documents to get driver’s license

Route 17 Glen062 theridgewoodblog.net

file photo Boyd Loving

N.J. drops plan to require extra documents to get driver’s license
Published: Friday, October 05, 2012, 3:53 PM Updated: Friday, October 05, 2012, 7:17 PM
By Mike Frassinelli/The Star-Ledger

The state is abandoning its plans to pursue stricter new driver’s licenses that would have required 6 million New Jersey drivers to show additional proof of residency and disallowed previously approved documents such as military cards.

The more stringent license — which would have had a gold star in the upper right corner signifying it was a federally approved document New Jerseyans needed to board a plane or enter a federal building — initially was touted as a necessary security measure in a post-9/11 world.

But in May, the ACLU of New Jersey won a court order blocking the new ID over privacy concerns and a lack of public input regarding the changes.
The state Motor Vehicle Commission, which will keep its existing ID verification, is addressing security in other ways. Earlier this year, it began implementing “facial recognition technology” to fight license fraud, scanning photos of applicants with such accuracy that the distance between eyeballs on a photo could distinguish an individual applicant.

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/nj_drops_plan_to_require_addit.html

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>Bergen C-PAC Endorses Ridgewood Attorney John Ginty and Margaret ” Peg” Watkins former mayor of River Edge for Bergen County Republican Freeholder

>Bergen C-PAC Endorses Ridgewood Attorney John Ginty  and Margaret ” Peg” Watkins former mayor of River Edge for Bergen County Republican Freeholder
Posted on March 13, 2012, 9:00 AM,
https://conservativenewjersey.com/bergen-c-pac-endorsements-for-bergen-county-republican-freeholder

Conservative PAC on behalf of the trustees and dues paying members of Bergen C PAC announced the endorsement of John Ginty and Margaret ” Peg” Watkins for freeholder in the upcoming Bergen County Republican Organization Convention on March 15.

“With an impressive background in the military and as an attorney, John Ginty has been a thoroughbred conservative for years and is extraordinarily qualified to articulate and implement conservative philosophy that is greatly needed in Bergen County governance,” said  Paul Duggan, one of the Bergen C Pac founders

Margaret “Peg” Watkins, the former mayor of River Edge, brings years of integrity, experience and loyalty to the party base, and will add a much needed gravitas to the party image that has been lacking of late, added Duggan.

Frederick Goetz, a councilman from  Washington Township did not respond to Bergen C PAC’s  invitation.

“One of the prerequisites for running as a candidate on a county level is the willingness to communicate your desire to hold this office,” said Duggan.

Although Freeholder Hermansen did attend the C-PAC  forum, ”we have serious issues regarding the freeholder’s voting record on the disastrous pay to play issue and, his associations with the liberal group Bergen GrassRoots. Hermansen’s advocacy for a liberal position that stifles free speech through campaign donations is detrimental to our party.”

In addition, “Hermansen’s votes to appoint prominent liberal Democrats to various positions within the Bergen County government, in particular his vote to approve the ultra liberal union lawyer Robert Garrison to the Bergen County Improvement Authority.”

“Bergen C-PAC believes that all elected Bergen County Republican officials must stand for Republican values and represent the interests of the grassroots. To our great dismay, a handful of elected officials have even allowed the liberal Bergen Grassroots and Bergen Record to define and derail the Republican agenda, even giving way to articles in the Record detailing private meetings and petty disputes within our party. That must be stopped!,” added Duggan.

“The only way to change this deplorable situation within the BCRO is to nominate John Ginty and Margaret “Peg” Watkins.

“These are seasoned, serious, wise, and loyal Republicans whom we can trust.  By nominating Ginty and  Watkins Unity Ticket,  Republicans  will have their voices heard in One Bergen Plaza again,” said  Duggan.

https://conservativenewjersey.com/bergen-c-pac-endorsements-for-bergen-county-republican-freeholder

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>Stricter laws may leave N.J. teens facing tougher road to driver’s license

>Stricter laws may leave N.J. teens facing tougher road to driver’s license


Teenagers who are learning to drive — and their parents — would face a longer road to a driver’s license, under a tough new teen-driver safety law proposed in the Legislature.

Parents of teens with a driving learner’s permit would be required to take a teen driver-orientation course, and the teenagers themselves would have to practice driving for up to 100 hours, under the bill sent to the state Assembly.

The bill would also lengthen the current six-month driver permit phase to one year, giving New Jersey one of the strictest teen driver safety laws in the nation.

The bill advanced today by the Assembly Transportation Committee in an 8-0 vote would build on previous teen driver safety efforts, such as decals signifying the driver is under 18, and a limit of one passenger.  (Frassinelli, The Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/nj_teens_may_face_longer_road.html
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>Of Coarse : NJ Transit derailment renews calls for second tunnel under Hudson River to Manhattan

>

Of Coarse : NJ Transit derailment renews calls for second tunnel under Hudson River to Manhattan

Never let a crisis go to waste

The area between New York Penn Station and the Hudson River train tunnel resembles a big bowl of spaghetti, with wires and tracks and trains veering in every direction.

Even on a normal day, it is a delicate dance to make the system work for the 1,300 trains that pass through the tunnel each day.

But throw in what NJ Transit calls a “minor derailment” and you have two mornings of hellish commutes, overheated train riders and news releases with I-told-you-so’s from advocates of an additional commuter rail tunnel from Secaucus to midtown Manhattan.

Twenty eight hours after two train cars derailed outside the Hudson River train tunnel, rail operations resumed without interruptions at around noon today.  (Frassinelli, The Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/nj_transit_commuters_get_mixed.html
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>Pols pooh-pooh ‘absurd’ Port Authority scheme demanding $15 tolls at Hudson River crossings

>Pols pooh-pooh ‘absurd’ Port Authority scheme demanding $15 tolls at Hudson River crossings
BY KENNETH LOVETT AND JONATHAN LEMIRE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Sunday, August 7th 2011, 4:00 AM

The head of the state Senate’s Transportation Committee Saturday slammed the Port Authority’s proposal to nearly double tolls at the three Hudson River crossings – and demanded that Govs. Cuomo and Chris Christie halt the hike.

The plan would deliver a painful blow to drivers, who would be forced to pay $15 next month to enter the city through the George Washington Bridge and the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. Tolls now are $8 for cash-paying drivers.

“The Port Authority’s proposal to dramatically raise tolls is both absurd and insulting to the overburdened residents and businesses who will be forced to pay substantially more to use the bridges and tunnels,” said Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Nassau).

Fuschillo, who chairs the powerful Transportation Committee, could call hearings to investigate the plan, but even he acknowledged that it would be up to the governors of New York and New Jersey to stop it.

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/07/2011-08-07_pa_toll_plan_is_absurd_sez_senator.html#ixzz1UKvZHqNQ

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>New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto shocked the state’s political and legal worlds Wednesday – by voting on a case.

>N.J. judge under fire for wavering stance

New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto shocked the state’s political and legal worlds Wednesday – by voting on a case.

Such an action would hardly be surprising coming from any other justice. But only last month Rivera-Soto had pledged to abstain from all cases in protest over the presence of a temporary justice on the court. (Megerian, The Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/sunbeam/index.ssf?/base/news-7/129489721017940.xml&coll=9

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>Desperate state and municipalities look to balance budgets off the backs of New Jersey Drivers

>Desperate state and municipalities look to balance budgets off the backs of New Jersey Drivers

Happy Memorial Day Weekend: Drive Carefully this weekend Police are out in force looking to raise revenue at any cost !

https://www.northjersey.com/news/95207219_Traffic_cops_hard_at_work_this_weekend.html

The Route 4 bus stop in River Edge isn’t the only North Jersey site usually targeted for extra police attention. Here are a few others:

* The Palisades Interstate Parkway to the New York border and Route 23 from Wayne to Hardyston.

* Route 3 through Clifton.

* Broadway through Elmwood Park and Fair Lawn and Route 46 ramps in Elmwood Park.

* River Road through Garfield.

* Route 4 west at Farview Avenue in Paramus and at Grand Avenue in Englewood.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/95207219_Traffic_cops_hard_at_work_this_weekend.html

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>’Star-Ledger’ Publisher Threatens January 2009 Shutdown

>By Joe Strupp

Published: September 16, 2008 1:55 PM ET

NEW YORK Publisher George Arwady of The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., has told employees that the paper will close on Jan. 5, 2009, if 200 buyouts and several union concessions are not met, or if the paper cannot be sold.

The e-mail, obtained by E&P, sent to workers today is posted below. It comes about a month and a half after the paper announced it would need 200 employees to take buyouts — and the drivers and mailers unions to renegotiate contracts — or the newspaper could be sold. In recent weeks, Arwady has indicated to staffers in other e-mails that the number of newsroom buyout takers has fallen short.

Editor Jim Willse and Arwady have not commented on how many staffers have applied for the buyouts first offered July 31. Calls to them were not returned today. Buyout applications are due Oct. 1.

Several staffers have said the overall 200-person buyout number may have been met, but the unofficial call for about 100 newsroom staffers is not being reached.

“At this time I have no update to give you on our buyouts thus far, except to tell you that the newsroom has a long way to go to reach the goal that Jim announced,” Arwady wrote to a reporter in an e-mail earlier this month.
*
*

To: All Star-Ledger Employees
From: George Arwady
Date: September 16, 2008
Re: Update

As I have previously told you, there are three conditions that must be met in order for The Star-Ledger to remain in business under its current ownership. Although we are making progress toward meeting two of our three conditions (the Mailers have a ratification vote scheduled for September 22), we still are far from an agreement with the Drivers’ union.

Accordingly, since it is doubtful that the Drivers will ratify an agreement by October 8, 2008, we will be sending formal notices to all employees this week, as required by both federal and New Jersey law, advising you that the Company will be sold, or, failing that, that it will close operations on January 5, 2009.

It is most unfortunate that we have to send out this notice, but the Drivers have left us with no choice.

George Arwady, Publisher