JUNE 2, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2014, 1:21 AM BY MARY DIDUCH STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
PARAMUS — The Borough Council unanimously approved a municipal budget that calls for an average tax decrease of $105 this year.
The $57.1 million spending plan also shows the borough will have a $9 million surplus this year, achieved largely through “fiscal discipline” and the borough reducing its debt by more than $10 million over the past four years, said Mayor Richard LaBarbiera. He said recently that the borough has increased its number of shared services agreements to 20 over the past few years, bringing in additional revenue.
“In my opinion, that is a herculean accomplishment in today’s economic times,” LaBarbiera said at Tuesday’s meeting.
The borough also has been working to manage the massive amount of commercial tax appeals that have been filed over the years, mainly from the borough’s many malls and businesses along Route 17, said Frank DiMaria, the borough’s auditor.
At the council meeting, DiMaria credited the borough’s team of professionals — the finance department and committee, tax assessor and attorneys — with working to put a plan in place to manage the commercial appeals. The professionals also have been working to keep assessments as close to 100 percent of properties’ true market value as possible to reduce the appeals’ impacts, he said.
“They’ve done a tremendous job over the years of stabilizing the impact of appeals along Route 17 when we took a tremendous hit,” DiMaria said.
And as for the $2 million that will be returned to taxpayers this year in the form of tax relief, more than half of that has already been recaptured by the borough, DiMaria noted.
This year’s budget calls for more spending on capital improvements and long-needed equipment — such as the purchase of an additional fire engine — and raising employee salaries by 1.5 percent on average across the various bargaining units in the borough, LaBarbiera said. There was a hiring and raise freeze about four years ago, but last year the borough began increasing salaries again, he said.
Ridgewood will allow changes to Wilsey and Garber Square Road Resurfacing
MAY 30, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014, 1:21 AM BY CHRIS HARRIS STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Officials say a street-improvement project that has upset some residents is likely to be revised to allow traffic lanes to be restored later if the plan doesn’t work.
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld said at Wednesday night’s council meeting that proposed changes could be made to the $500,000 project based on “residents’ concerns, and some of our own internal brainstorming.”
She was among several Ridgewood officials who met on Tuesday night with residents of the neighborhood where the work, which should be completed in July, is taking place.
Shovels first hit dirt last week on the project, which officials maintain will improve safety for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians around Garber Square, as well as along Franklin Avenue and Broad Street.
MAY 30, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014, 12:31 AM BY DARIUS AMOS STAFF WRITER
Several Ridgewood streets will be paved in 2014.
Following three weeks of uncertainty, a capital ordinance to fund the municipality’s annual street repaving project earned the supermajority vote needed for approval. The Ridgewood Council’s 4-0 decision on Wednesday came as a relief to Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, who exclaimed “Yes!” after the vote.
Last month, council members presented an all-encompassing $2.8 million general capital budget. The enacting ordinance was introduced by an allowable 3-2 vote; however, adoption of a capital bond ordinance would require a supermajority — four favorable votes in Ridgewood’s case.
Fearing that the general ordinance would not pass, Sonenfeld removed the 2014 street paving plan from the capital budget and presented it to council members for a separate vote. But council members Tom Riche and Bernadette Walsh voted against the introduction of the $1.549 million paving ordinance, to the surprise of their colleagues.
“This is arguably one of the most important issues we have as a council,” Mayor Paul Aronsohn said. “Street repaving has public safety and quality of life implications.”
JUNE 1, 2014, 10:52 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014, 10:54 PM BY JOHN REITMEYER STATE HO– USE BUREAU THE RECORD
Governor Christie is following the well-worn path of New Jersey governors who skipped or barely made payments to the pension fund and used the money instead to balance the yearly budget.
But Christie’s decision to skip the full payments now will have a much bigger impact on the underfunded pension system than the same move by previous governors, according to a an analysis by The Record of pension data compiled by both the Christie administration and the Legislature.
That’s because each time a full payment isn’t made, the difference between what governors need to pay to keep the pension system afloat and what they end up paying gets bigger, and by a compounding rate, the analysis showed.
For example, the $1 billion pension contribution Gov. Jon Corzine made in 2007 accounted for roughly 60 percent of the amount actuaries said the state needed to pay that year to keep the pension fund solvent.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-s-pension-crisis-growing-deeper-1.1027240#sthash.16Kl2960.dpuf
Incumbent Republican Congressman Scott Garrett is running unopposed in seeking another two-year term in office. Democrat Roy Cho, of Hackensack, faces LaRouche Democrat candidate Diane Sare for nomination.
In the Democratic primary, incumbents Joan Voss and David Ganz are unopposed in seeking the nomination for three-year terms. The Republican primary offers three candidates seeking two nominations: Bernadette Walsh, Robert Avery and Deidre Paul.
NJ, NY lawmakers to unveil Port Authority reform bill in Fort Lee today
FORT LEE — Lawmakers from New Jersey and New York will unveil a bill aimed to reform the Port Authority at a news conference this morning in Fort Lee — the site of last year’s controversial lane closings at the center of the George Washington Bridge scandal.
The bipartisan legislation addresses “open government, transparency, and accountability issues” at the bistate agency that oversees bridges and tunnels between the Garden and Empire states, according to a news release.
The agency has come under scrutiny in recent months over unannounced lane closings at the nation’s busiest bridge last September, causing days of heavy traffic in Fort Lee.
Democrats have accused members of Gov. Chris Christie’s office and inner circle of shutting the lanes because Democratic Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich declined to endorse the Republican governor for re-election. Christie has denied any involvement.
A state legislative committee and federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Jersey are investigating the matter. (Johnson/Star-Ledger)
Ridgewood Boys Track and Field: sets record with sectional title
MAY 30, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014, 3:15 PM BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The large group of seniors leading the Ridgewood High School boys track team will never know what it’s like to finish anywhere other than the top spot at the North 1, Group 4 state championships.
That’s perfectly fine with them.
“This team wanted to be part of history,” head coach Josh Saladino said. “They knew if they won this that the seniors would have left here never losing a state-sectional championship. This is our fifth in a row.”
RHS scored 104 points to win by a comfortable margin over second-place West Orange (77) at the event held last Friday and Saturday in Randolph. The fifth straight title is a meet record and put the Maroons one behind the overall North Section 1 mark of six straight titles held by Glen Rock, the North 1, Group 1 champ from 1999 to 2004.
Last weekend, senior Luke Dublirer delivered the signature performance for the Maroons, capturing victories in the 800- and 1,600-meter races, anchoring the 4-x-800-meter relay team to a gold medal and running a leg for the third-place 4-x-400 relay.
“I don’t remember the last time we had an athlete put together a performance at the sectionals the way he did with three gold medals and a bronze,” Saladino said. “That’s a lot of high-level performances in a very short span. Luke’s always had a lot of talent, and he was able to showcase it this week.”
In the 800, Dublirer’s time of 1:56.57 bested that of Jhonathan Matamoros from Memorial (West New York) by 1.17 seconds, and he crossed the finish line nearly two seconds ahead of the Tigers’ anchor in the 4-x-800.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/sports/high-school-sports/boys-track/take-five-maroon-title-sets-meet-record-1.1026654#sthash.zJ9q5jtG.dpuf
Free Demonstration of Krav Maga for Adults Wed, June 04, 2014 Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Ridgewood YMCA, 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood NJ
Riggewood NJ, The Ridgewood YMCA, in cooperation with Krav Maga Centers of America, will be offering a free demonstration of “Krav Maga for Adults” on Wednesday, June 4 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Krav Maga is a self-defense program based on simple self-protection techniques specifically created to simulate real attack situations, teach instinctive maneuvers and provide an incomparable level of self-confidence to its students.
Carol Livingstone, Health and Fitness Director at the Ridgewood YMCA, says, “The program is based on real-world situations and provides a very fun and engaging way to obtain the highest level of fitness and stamina in a short period of time, while simultaneously learning how to protect yourself”.
The demonstration is free and open to all and will take place at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood. For more information, please contact Carol Livingstone at 201.444.5600 ext 370 or email [email protected].
MacArthur anxious to ‘move past this nonsense’ and head into CD 3 general election cycle
MANAHAWKIN – Congressional hopeful Tom MacArthur says he’s looking forward to next week’s primary election.
“I want to move past this nonsense,” said MacArthur at the site of Gov. Chris Christie’s town hall in Ocean County, describing the leadup to the June 3 election he says has been fraught with “useless mudslinging.”
MacArthur, who’s vying for his party’s nomination to succeed outgoing U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan (R-3) against fellow Republican Steve Lonegan, was in attendance at Christie’s latest town hall event. MacArthur attended four of the town hall events, by his count.
“I come to these because it’s a really important opportunity for me to come and hear some of the issues,” he said following the event where Christie fielded questions from residents devastated by Superstorm Sandy.
Despite being just a few feet from the Republican governor during the event, MacArthur said he has not sought Christie’s endorsement. Rather, MacArthur told PolitickerNJ he was proud of the local endorsements he’s garnered from GOP officials throughout his campaign – including state Sen. Christopher Connors (R-9), who was present for the event. (Pizarro/PolitickerNJ)
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Memorial Park at Van Nest Square & E. Ridgewood Av, Ridgewood NJ 07450
Join us for the Annual
Taste of Ridgewood
Sunday, June 8 2014
Memorial Park at
Van Neste Square/E. Ridgewood Ave.
1-4pm
over 25 restaurants having delicious tastings,
there will be a cash Beer Garden,
Take 4 Band, playing for your pleasure.
Kids activities
Bring the family
All tickets bought at the entrances of the park.
no rain date.
For more details, please call us at 201-445-2600 or email [email protected] www.experienceridgewood.com
Leading neurosurgeon tells the Hay Festival cycling helmets are ‘too flimsy’ to be beneficial
By Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent
9:22PM BST 30 May 2014
A leading neurosurgeon has controversially claimed that cyclists who wear helmets are wasting their time.
Henry Marsh, who works at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, said that many of his patients who have been involved in bike accidents have been wearing helmets that were ‘too flimsy’ to be beneficial.
He made the comments while speaking at the Hay Festival during a discussion with Ian McEwan, whose 2005 novel Saturday featured a neurosurgeon.
He cited evidence from the University of Bath that suggests that wearing a helmet may even put cyclists at greater risk. The research showed that drivers get around 3 inches closer to cyclists who wear helmets because they perceive them as safer.
He said: “I ride a bike and I never wear a helmet. In the countries where bike helmets are compulsory there has been no reduction in bike injuries whatsoever.
This Graphic On People Moving Due to Taxes Is Essential Viewing For Every Politician In America
The question of whether taxes affect behavior has long been debated by economists and ignored by most politicians.
This graphic by How Money Walks answers the question. The sourcedata- from the IRS- shows the changes in each state’s total adjusted gross income of taxpayers who’ve moved either in or out.
The states with the highest income taxes have had a net loss in taxpayer AGI of $107 billion, and the the states with no income tax have had a net gain of $146 billion. In other words, there’s been an exodus from high tax states to those with no taxes. The ultimate voting right: with one’s feet.
Inequality and Envy By Peter G. Klein Friday, May 30th, 2014
Inequality seems to be the prime concern of Right Thinking People everywhere. But almost no one is drawing out the connections between inequality and envy. As Henry Hazlitt wrote in 1972, “[t]here can be little doubt that many egalitarians are motivated at least partly by envy, while still others are motivated, not so much by any envy of their own, as by the fear of it in others, and the wish to appease or satisfy it.” Indeed, contemporary discussions of income and wealth distribution, progressive taxation, the“long-run return to capital,” and the like would greatly benefit from careful study of great works like Helmut Schoeck’s Envy and Bertrand de Jouvenel’s Ethics of Redistribution. Murray Rothbard’s “Freedom, Inequality, Primitivism and the Division of Labor” should be required reading as well.
An important point coming out of this literature is that envy is generally strongest when inequalities are small, rather than large. Huge inequalities of wealth, income, or consumption are considered irrelevant; smaller inequalities are seen as remediable through state action. As noted yesterday by Peter Schiff, consumption inequality is probably far lower today, in Western countries, than in most societies in human history. The average Roman didn’t think often about Crassus, but the average American — part of the global 5% — thinks a lot about the wealthier Americans across town.
As Hazlitt noted, de Tocqueville saw modest inequality as the driving force behind the French Revolution. “The most popular theory of the French Revolution is that it came about because the economic condition of the masses was becoming worse and worse, while the king and the aristocracy remained completely blind to it. But de Tocqueville, one of the most penetrating social observers and historians of his or any other time, put forward an exactly opposite explanation.” Hazlitt quotes the French historian Emile Faguet:
Here is the theory invented by Tocqueville. . . . The lighter a yoke, the more it seems insupportable; what exasperates is not the crushing burden but the impediment; what inspires to revolt is not oppression but humiliation. The French of 1789 were incensed against the nobles because they were almost the equals of the nobles; it is the slight difference that can be appreciated, and what can be appreciated that counts. The eighteenth-century middle class was rich, in a position to fill almost any employment, almost as powerful as the nobility. It was exasperated by this “almost” and stimulated by the proximity of its goal; impatience is always provoked by the final strides.
The surge of interest in inequality among today’s pundit’s and politicians is likely driven by the fact that inequality, in the sense that matters to most people in Western countries, is far lower than its historical average.
Michael Bloomberg’s Surprise Warning to Liberals at Harvard Commencement Rob Bluey May 31, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Billionaire media mogul and former mayor Michael Bloomberg has infuriated conservatives with his attacks on gun rights and nanny-state policies in New York City. But on a spring day at Harvard University’s commencement, his critique was directed at liberals.
“Today, on many college campuses, it is liberals trying to repress conservative ideas—even as conservative faculty members are at risk of becoming an endangered species,” Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg’s attack of liberal intolerance comes amid heightened debates over religious liberty in American life and free speech on college campuses. Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state under President George W. Bush, withdrew from speaking after protests at Rutgers University, for example.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Bloomberg lashed out at liberals, calling some of their actions a form of censorship. He cited a statistic from Harvard that 96 percent of faculty donated to President Obama’s re-election campaign.
“Ninty-six percent,” Bloomberg said, as he interrupted by applause. “There was more disagreement among the old Soviet Politburo than there was among Ivy League donors.”
So how were Bloomberg’s remarks received on campus? CNN found students who would’ve preferred he stayed away, including one who called his speech “detrimental” to graduates.
