Federal tax exemption is not the only reason a political message on the RJFA email list is unacceptable.
Federal tax exemption is not the only reason a political message on the RJFA email list is unacceptable. The group also enjoys semi-official status through the council and Board of Ed and uses taxpayer-supported property.https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/parksandrec/07FPJAN01.pdf
Village of Ridgewood and Ridgewood Board of Education Athletic Fields and Recreational Facilities Use Policy, January 1, 2007
On page 6:
Category II Permit Use
2A. Co-Sponsored Athletic Organizations
The following volunteer non-profit sports organizations are recognized by the Village Council/BOE and are considered to be co-sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department/Community School, according to the rules noted below:
Ridgewood Baseball & Softball Association
Ridgewood Biddy Basketball
Ridgewood Hoops Club
***Ridgewood Junior Football Association***
Ridgewood Junior Wrestling
Ridgewood Lacrosse Association
Ridgewood Roller Hockey Association
Ridgewood Soccer Association / Maroons Soccer Club
Ridgewood Community School
The Board of Ed, League of Women Voters, and others have been informed of this breach of trust.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving No injuries after Chevy Suburban hits bridge abutment in Ridgewood May 12,2014 Boyd A. Loving 7:50 PM
Ridgewood NJ, No one was injured during the crash of a Chevy Suburban into a concrete bridge abutment at the intersection of Meadowbrook and North Maple Avenues in Ridgewood shortly after 7 PM on Monday, 05/12. Witnesses to the crash believe the driver lost control of his vehicle as he was making turn onto Meadowbrook from North Maple. A flatbed tow truck removed the damaged vehicle from the scene. Ridgewood PD handled the investigation.
Stirring the Pot No , just Business as usual in New Jersey
“james again if you are going to make a comment about motives please tell us the motives so that your readers can be better informed. Just making general comments to “stir the pot ” so to speak doesn’t leave you with any creditability. Thank you again”
Looks like we hit a nerve with our editorial , apparently many Ridgewood residents are naive as to how politics work in New Jersey.
Special interests push for a project ,and politicians who deliver get showered with campaign contributions from lawyers , architects, businesses and developers who benefit from that project
The next trick is to impress the pubic with its benefit there by creating an overwhelming need to get the taxpayer to pony up and pay for it there by socializing the risk ,and keeping all the rewards .for themselves .
With nothing more than a few “spot zoning ” changes or a change to a master plan your favorite local politician is on his way to congress.
Don’t believe me take one look at Xanadu and ask your self what idiot would build a shopping mall in Bergen County when so many already exists ?
The answer is an idiot that takes no financial risk and gets you the tax payer to pay for it .
You see politicians work for lobbyists and special interest who they deal with 365 days a year , while they only have to speak to the voters once every four years . Shocked don’t be by now your should be used to it .. This is how it works , like it or not and everyone knows except for the voters .
The success of the Village of Ridgewood as a community is that in the past
Readers says Mr. Albano is clearly uninformed about and uninterested in local politics. He has voted in village council elections twice in at least the past 22 years.
If Mr. Albano is such an asset to the sports programs, devoting countless hours to it and serving as a role model, wouldn’t it be a detriment to the Village overall to pull him away from that for four years merely in exchange for his “yes” vote on a monster baseball diamond? (No way a person could do both well.)
He is clearly uninformed about and uninterested in local politics. He has voted in village council elections twice in at least the past 22 years.
Let’s give him and the kids a break and help him continue to do what he apparently does best. Something tells me he will be greatly relieved to receive the fewest votes and exit the political life as of tomorrow night. Help a guy out!
Clash Over Changes in Civil Service Rules Isn’t Civil at All
When Gov. Chris Christie called Democrats’ bluff on a key labor issue last week – as the state Civil Service Commission followed through on its promise to relax promotion standards for most state jobs — the only surprise was that opponents of the changes were not ready with a coordinated response.
But they hope to agree this week on a counter-strategy to undo the unilateral moves by the Christie-appointed commission, which thumbed its collective nose at organized labor and Democratic legislators with its vote on Wednesday.
The commission’s action was the latest move in a cat-and-mouse game that began early last year between the governor, who is seeking more freedom for managers to reassign workers, and labor unions trying to preserve protections against political patronage in state jobs.
Traditionally, Civil Service job applicants and employees have been required to pass tests to be hired or to advance.
As part of a package first presented early last year to streamline regulations, the commission proposed lowering the requirements by grouping job classes into larger “bands,” allowing managers to shift some workers around without passing qualifying tests for their new positions.
In January, both chambers passed concurrent resolutions establishing the Legislature’s stance that the commission’s plan would violate the law and the state constitution.
Acting as though those votes never happened, the commission adopted the governor’s plan with some modest changes. The new version clarifies that the rules apply to state, not municipal, employees, exempts law-enforcement and public-safety positions, and states its intent to preserve a job preference for veterans. The commission also gave dissatisfied employees the right to appeal, albeit to the commission.
Those amendments would not affect the majority of the state’s Civil Service workers, who still would work with less job security and a more fluid promotion system under the new regulations. (Tyrrell/NJSpotlight)
Reader Spells out the Differences in the Village Council Candidates
While the papers have been giving you the impression that all 3 candidates are the same it is an over-simplification. Knudsen and Sedon have been attending VC and PB meetings for years because they are genuinely interested in the municipal issues and feel they can contribute sound, non-partisan perspectives.
Jim Albano has only started to attend these meetings since his candidacy. Why did he suddenly become so interested in our municipality that he wanted to be on the council? How about attending a meeting first? How about reading the paper and submitting a Letter to the Editor? How about standing up at ONE of the 7 years of Valley Hospital meetings to speak out (either for or against)? How about attending a meeting on the downtown development? He has been interviewed by all the grassroots organizations in town and all of them found him to be a pleasant person that loves Ridgewood, but was totally unprepared to have a meaningful conversation on the big issues in town including, but not limited to development, budget, services, parking, shared services, schools,etc.
This is all in addition to the fact that he has only voted twice in a municipal election in over 20 years (doesn’t sound too interested in Ridgewood to me!) and he has failed to submit tax returns on behalf of the RBSA, for which he is President, for at least 6 years and has not informed the RBSA members that their donations have not been tax deductible all that time. You might hear him tell you where he stands on things, but he has no track-record to prove it. That’s why I’m voting Sedon and Knudsen. Hope that helps.
With customers trending toward all-natural pet food, North Jersey pet shops adapt
MAY 12, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 12, 2014, 1:21 AM BY ANDREW WYRICH STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
* Natural products cost consumers and stores more but are growing in popularity
North Jersey pet supply store owners say the trend of customers seeking pet food containing all-natural ingredients might cost customers more, but it has brought a growing number of better-informed pet owners into their shops.
In 2007, a massive recall of pet food that contained the chemical melamine, which is used in fertilizer and plastic utensils, shook customers’ preferences from generic food that contains corn, wheat or soy toward hormone- and steroid-free, grass-fed, all-meat ingredients, owners said.
In fact, through May 2013, the percentage of dog food brands claiming to be “gluten-free” was 28.6 percent, up from 12.6 percent in the full year of 2012, according to a report on United States pet food trends last year by Supply Side Animal Nutrition Insights. In the same report it said natural pet food accounted for $1.5 billion in sales in 2009, and was projected to outpace the sales of traditional pet food over the next five years.
This shift in what customers wanted to feed their pets forced local owners to expand their offerings of pet food, which added costs to their bottom line. But it also helped build trust with their customers. While large retailers like Petco offer organic and all-natural food, the owners said being a smaller store offers them the opportunity to talk one-on-one with customers and offer specific food recommendations for certain breeds of dogs.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/shops-say-pet-owners-choosing-food-with-care-1.1014144#sthash.5TP74JHj.dpuf
North Jersey moms inspired by parenting create products and businesses
MAY 11, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014, 1:21 AM BY KARA YORIO STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
Every mother has been in a situation where she thinks, “There has got to be a better way.”
From easing separation anxiety to keeping your allergic child safe to easily finding a safe over-the-counter product when pregnant to solving the problems of the impractical beach bag — the issues are always there, and there are often ideas that follow. But who has the time to do anything with that creative thought?
Four North Jersey women are among the mothers who had those moments and acted on their inspiration. They created a product or product lines to help not only their families but other parents or future parents.
Audrey Storch, Iris Shamus, Rachel Katz-Galatt and Kimberlee Vaccarella share a strong belief in their ideas, a get-it-done attitude and a good support system required to be a parent, create a product and launch a business.
“The only difference between a dream and doing it is setting a goal — set a date for your dream and that’s how it becomes a reality,” said Storch, who created Huggs To Go in 1999. “Just go for it.”
Storch started her business — which made dolls that acted like a huggable picture frame — in a time before Google, never mind crowdfunding and social media. Tamara Monosoff was in a similar “Yellow Pages” situation more than a decade ago when the Bay Area mom wanted to create a product to keep kids from being able to unroll the toilet paper. She remembers making call after call to machinists with her daughter making noise in the background. She finally found an understanding soul.
“He said, ‘I’m a grandpa. Just bring her with you. Come on down,’ ” Monosoff remembered. “That changed everything for me.”
After she created the gadget and got some publicity, mothers with ideas continually sought her advice on how to go from idea to retail product. Those encounters led her to write “The Mom Inventors Handbook,” which recently released an updated edition, to help women find the resources they need.
BFMS Holds Public Observance of Memorial Day on May 22
On Thursday, May 22, Benjamin Franklin Middle School will host the second “Evening of Remembrance” in honor of Memorial Day. Students, parents, teachers, veterans — all are welcome to participate. The event will take place in the BFMS Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m.
This year marks the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and the BFMS community will be looking closely at honoring the memory of “The Bedford Boys,” a small Virginia town that lost 19 young men that day. The evening will feature student poems, reflections and a video telling the story of the Bedford Boys. BFMS students will also be decorating luminaries for display that evening. They will also be selling luminaries in honor of veterans and the fallen. To purchase a luminary in memory of a relative or friend, please send $10 payable to BFMS c/o Mollie Van Horne at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 N. Van Dien Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, no later than May 16. The proceeds of the sale of the luminaries will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Meet the Manager – Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will begin office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Saturday, May 31st between the hours of 9 and noon
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will begin office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Saturday, May 31st between the hours of 9 and noon. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and provide input to Roberta. These sessions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals and will be held in the Council Chambers on the 4th Floor of Ridgewood Village Hall. Please contact Beth Spinato at 201-670-5500, ext. 203 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome but should realize that the schedule may already be booked. We will announce the schedule for these meetings on a monthly basis
Readers Upset after Ridgewood Junior Football Association pro Albano Email
I just got an e-mail from the Ridgewood Junior Football Association. It is an endorsement for Jim Albano asking me to consider voting for him on Tuesday. It is signed by Dean Vellis whom I have no idea who he is.
I am disgusted that the Ridgewood Junior Football Association is using the e-mail I gave in good faith (to be used for purposes of team placement, game schedules, field closings or relaying information necessary about the team) to promote a candidate in an election. This is outrageous.
No parent should have to receive political propaganda for signing their child up to a sports team.
Thanks for confirming he is the “sports candidate” and that’s all he knows or cares about. I will be voting for Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon on Tuesday
Here’s the email message, sent through the association’s registration email list–totally not OK.
Does being a good role model for children on sports teams qualify a person to be on the council?
From: RJFA registration Date: May 11, 2014, 10:52:19 PM EDT To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: Jim Albano
Hi All,
I am writing to you tonight as a neighbor, friend and parent.
Next Tuesday is Election Day in Ridgewood and a true leader in the youth sports community is running for Village Council.
Jim Albano has dedicated close to 20 years to working with the kids of Ridgewood. He has coached and been a great role model for our children in football, basketball and baseball.
Jim has served as President of the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) for the past six years. With over 1,500 of our kids participating, the RBSA represents one of the largest youth sports organizations in the Village.
If your child plays sports in Ridgewood, volunteers like Jim Albano are the reason why. Please consider giving Jim your support this Tuesday, May 13.
YOUR 501(C)(3) STATUS HAS BEEN REVOKED – WHAT NOW? April 16, 2014
Many nonprofit corporations are exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Until relatively recently, many of those tax-exempt nonprofits were not required to file annual Form 990 series returns. That all changed with the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Now, all tax-exempt nonprofits are required to file an annual Form 990 series return. If a tax-exempt organization fails to do so for three consecutive years, then its federal income tax exemption is automatically revoked – – no questions asked.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATION HAS LOST ITS 501(C)(3) STATUS?
The IRS maintains a list of organizations that have had their 501(c)(3) status revoked. Use thisLINK to search for specific organizations.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?
The Organization Will Have Tax Liability. If your nonprofit has its 501(c)(3) status revoked, then it will no longer be exempt from federal income tax. As a result, the nonprofit may be subject to corporate income tax and required to file IRS Form 1120 (U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return). Donations Will Not Be Tax Deductible. Any donations received after the official notification of the revocation will not be tax deductible. This can be a major issue for donors who made donations and claimed tax deductions based on the belief that your organization was a valid 501(c)(3) organization.
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.
POLICE STATE: Policing for Profit? Lawmakers, advocates raise alarm at growing gov’t power to seize property
WASHINGTON – Motel owner Russell Caswell wasn’t expecting to find himself at the center of a national controversy when FBI agents came knocking on his door.
They said they wanted his Tewksbury, Mass., business – and the land it was on – because they suspected it was a hotbed for drug-dealing and prostitution. The agents, who were working with state and local authorities, told a disbelieving Caswell they had the right to take the property, valued at as much as $1.5 million, through a legal process known as civil forfeiture.
Caswell, 70, fought back, and the case turned into one of the nation’s most contentious civil forfeiture fights ever – and one that legal experts say sheds light on a little-known practice that, when abused, is tantamount to policing for profit.
Civil forfeiture is when police and prosecutors seize property, cars or cash from someone they suspect of wrongdoing. It differs from criminal forfeiture cases, where prosecutors typically must prove a person is guilty or reach a settlement before freezing funds or selling property. In civil forfeiture, authorities don’t have to prove guilt, file charges or obtain a conviction before seizing private property. Critics say it is a process ripe for abuse, and one which leaves citizens little means of fighting back.
“You breed a culture of ‘take first, ask questions later,’” Larry Salzman, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, told FoxNews.com. “It’s thuggish behavior.”
