Acting Port Authority chair cautions against splitting up agency in ‘heat of the political moment’
The acting chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said a recommendation that the agency should be broken up is something that “should be considered,” but represents a challenge fraught with complexities that should not be taken likely.
“A wholesale splitting up seems challenging, but it’s something that should be considered, like everything should be considered,” said acting Port Authority Chairman Scott Rechler, who leads the agency’s board of commissioners following Friday’s resignation by David Samson. “But that’s a pretty meaningful, material change, and I would not take it likely.”
Rechler had been asked by The Star-Ledger to comment on remarks last Friday by Gov. Chris Christie, who said he was “intrigued” by a recommendation contained in a report on September’s George Washington Bridge lane closures that his office had commissioned from the law firm Gibson, Dunne & Crutcher. (Strunsky/Star-Ledger)
Tesla Fights New Jersey Ban on Direct Car Sales in Court
Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) appealed New Jersey’s ban on direct auto sales, arguing that the decision thwarts the carmaker’s mission of providing sustainable transportation and unfairly favors entrenched franchise dealers.
The action comes as Elon Musk, Tesla’s chief executive officer and co-founder, fights with car dealer groups across the U.S. to let the Palo Alto, California-based maker of electric Model S sedans sell directly to consumers from company stores.
Tesla challenged a direct-sales ban imposed by a New Jersey commission in state Superior Court, according to documents made available by the company. The filing couldn’t immediately be verified in court records.
Restrictions by U.S. states on how Tesla sells its battery-powered Model S, priced from $71,000, would slow Musk’s plan to shift his company from a niche maker of battery-powered luxury cars to an automotive powerhouse. Tesla’s fight with dealers has increased scrutiny of U.S. auto franchise rules that go back eight decades.
“Franchise dealers have an inherent conflict of interest in selling electric vehicles,” Tesla said in court papers. “In order to do so effectively, they would need to enthusiastically tout the reasons why electric vehicles are superior to gasoline vehicles. This is not something that they are going to do since gasoline vehicles represent virtually all of their revenue.”
Tesla rose 6.1 percent to $230.29 at the close in New York, the biggest one-day jump since Feb. 25. The shares have advanced 53 percent this year. (Pearson and Ohnsman/Bloomberg)
Winter runoff adding more than a pinch of salt to North Jersey’s drinking water
APRIL 4, 2014, 4:18 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014, 11:58 PM
BY JAMES O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
After a profusion of snowstorms forced road crews in New Jersey to spread nearly twice as much salt this past winter than the year before, the snowmelt and spring rains are now washing that salt into wetlands and rivers, where it has infiltrated the local drinking water supply and could harm the region’s vegetation and wildlife.
So much salt has been making its way into the water supply that customers of a number of water utilities in the Northeast, including United Water, which serves North Jersey, have complained that their water tastes salty. “That’s a good marker that we’ve had a tough winter here,” said Howard Woods Jr., a private water industry consultant.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission, which provides drinking water to Paterson, Passaic, Clifton and other towns, has also seen sodium levels rise — at one point it was three times normal levels, said Joe Bella, the commission’s director. Too much sodium can exacerbate problems for people on low-salt diets for hypertension and other conditions.
Bergen County freeholders appoint ‘blue ribbon’ panel to study police merger plan
APRIL 5, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Freeholders appoint
‘blue ribbon’ panel
The Bergen County freeholders have appointed a “blue ribbon” committee of law enforcement officials to help plan for the merger of the county police force into the Sheriff’s Office — even though a court challenge to block that move is pending.
The eight-member group and three freeholders are being asked to work out “the nuts and bolts” of what a combined department would look like, said Freeholder Tracy Zur, chairwoman of the freeholders’ shared services committee.
“There’s a lot of work to be done here,” Zur said Friday. “We want to be prepared to move forward once we’re legally able to do so.”
The heads of the three main components of county law enforcement — Sheriff Michael Saudino, county Police Chief Brian Higgins and county Prosecutor John Molinelli — have been asked to serve on the panel or send a representative.
Also picked were Cresskill Police Chief Edward Wrixon, retired Tenafly Police Chief Michael Bruno, retired New Jersey State Police Sgt. Edward McDonough, Paramus police Deputy Chief Robert Guidetti and retired Hackensack police Detective Sgt. Louis D’Arminio.
Freeholders Zur, James Tedesco and John Felice also will be part of the panel as members of the shared services committee.
New Jersey towns scramble to limit police, firefighter pay raises now that cap has expired
APRIL 5, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2014, 12:03 AM
BY MICHAEL PHILLIS
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD
In the four days before a statewide cap on police and firefighter raises expired, 71 applications were filed by local governments to take advantage of that limit.
That’s more than double the number of towns and counties that did so in all of last year, according to state records.
Local governments were seeking binding arbitration with police and firefighter unions while a 2 percent cap on raises was still in place. That cap, a measure that supporters say has kept property tax increases in check, expired Tuesday.
“We wanted to take advantage of a law as it was originally adopted,” said Richard Kunze, the borough administrator in Oakland.
Uncertainty about a bill in the Legislature to extend the cap caused Oakland to file for arbitration on Monday after failing to reach a contract with the town’s police union.
“Very clearly, it is all in response to the legislation,” Kunze said.
The New Jersey State League of Municipalities said the late rush by towns and counties to take advantage of the cap shows how much it is needed. The Senate has passed an extension, but the measure has stalled in the Assembly.
The cap on raises was one of the measures passed after Governor Christie signed a law that limits annual increases in property tax levies to 2 percent.
New Jersey’s property taxes are among the highest in the nation. In 2013, for example, Bergen County’s average bill was $10,645. Passaic County’s was $9,368.
State law restricts police and firefighters from striking during contract disputes. When governments and their unions can’t agree on contracts, a neutral third party makes a binding decision about the terms of a new deal.
The arbitration cap limits raises for police and fire officials, which often make up a substantial portion of municipal budgets. These restrictions, advocates of a cap say, prevent government services from being cut if high raises are given.
Before the cap was put in place, some unions were receiving raises around 4.5 percent. That has dropped to about 1.9 percent since the law took effect, according to a report by a task force that studied the law.
In a compromise with Governor Christie, the Democrats who control the Legislature agreed to extend the cap on raises but limited the extension to three years.
The Democrats’ version, which allowed for some exceptions to the 2 percent cap and limited the bill’s overall reach, passed both houses but was conditionally vetoed by Christie. The Senate then passed a bill backed by Christie, which would end the cap by 2018 but eliminate some of the union-friendly provisions in the Democrats’ plan. The Assembly has yet to act on Christie’s version.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/new-jersey-towns-scramble-to-limit-police-firefighter-pay-raises-now-that-cap-has-expired-1.842277#sthash.l9MqElsF.dpuf
Readers suggest *criminal* interference with Mr. Sedon’s employment
the person that contacted Mr. Sedon’s employer has crossed the line and hopefully will be exposed through a governmental investigation. In my mind, the only person or people that would do that would be:
a) somebody that was running against Mr. Sedon
b) somebody that is afraid that Mr. Sedon wouldn’t support their issue (i.e Valley or downtown overdevelopment)
I think it was probably item b and possibly item a as well.
This blog is here to counteract the hot air coming out of the government (i.e. Arohnsohn and his self-serving pronouncements) and the corporate interests.
Therefore, comparing this blog’s purpose and the probably *criminal* interference with Mr. Sedon’s employment is like comparing apples and oranges.
APRIL 4, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014, 12:31 AM
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Keep an open mind on new housing
Ed Sullivan
to the editor:
The year 1915 saw great change in Ridgewood when the first multifamily building went up at 263 Franklin Ave., where it still stands today. As demand grew, six more apartment complexes were added through the 1920s.
“Will these new apartments destroy our village?” residents must have asked.
Sound familiar? With a Master Plan amendment currently before the Ridgewood Planning Board, this question has emerged again.
The apartment building history of Ridgewood shows a pattern: The first apartments went up 90-100 years ago. Responding to post-war demand, a second wave of 15 complexes followed during the 1950s-60s.
With each wave, Ridgewood embraced the new while preserving the “old.” History tells us that Ridgewood has a wonderful capacity to adapt to the times while maintaining its excellent schools, charming character and vibrant downtown.
Fifty years after the last significant apartment build-out, new demographic forces are driving a third round, driven by baby boomers and young people.
Empty nesters and baby boomers like me are downsizing at an accelerating pace, but we do not wish to live in a senior community.
Today’s active boomers and retirees desire a modern, high-end option, with amenities and conveniences that come with a walkable downtown setting.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-keep-an-open-mind-on-new-housing-1.841702#sthash.gup9CJqI.dpuf
The Unemployment Puzzle: Where Have All the Workers Gone?
The U.S. unemployment rate is down, but rising numbers of Americans have dropped out of the labor force entirely
A big puzzle looms over the U.S. economy: Friday’s jobs report tells us that the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.7% from a peak of 10% at the height of the Great Recession. But at the same time, only 63.2% of Americans 16 or older are participating in the labor force, which, while up a bit in March, is down substantially since 2000. As recently as the late 1990s, the U.S. was a nation in which employment, job creation and labor force participation went hand in hand. That is no longer the case.
What’s going on? Think of the labor market as a spring bash you’ve been throwing with great success for many years. You’ve sent out the invitations again, but this time the response is much less enthusiastic than at the same point in previous years.
One possibility is that you just need to beat the bushes more, using reminders of past fun as “stimulus” to get people’s attention. Another possibility is that interest has shifted away from your big party to other activities.
Economists are sorting out which of these scenarios best explains the slack numbers on labor-force participation—and offers the best hope of reversing them. Is the problem cyclical, so that, if we push for faster growth, workers will come back, as they have in the past with upturns in the business cycle? Or do deeper structural problems in the economy have to be fixed before we can expect any real progress? To the extent that problems are related to retirement or work disincentives that are either hard to change or created by policy, familiar monetary or fiscal policies may have little effect—a point getting too little attention in Washington.
Obamacare Changes require switch from small-group market to individual — and more costly – health insurance plans.
Healthcare reform is bringing an unpleasant surprise for thousands of mom-and-pop shops, small law firms, technology startups and other owner-operated firms in New Jersey.
For years, owners of companies with no other employees could buy insurance in the small-group market and benefit from a wide selection of plans, less-expensive drug coverage, and other advantages compared to the individual health insurance market.
But in December, the state changed its small-group insurance regulations to match the Affordable Care Act, which defines businesses as having at least one employee who is not an owner or the spouse of an owner. That excludes both husband-and-wife teams and partnerships with multiple members but no other staff.
As those firms’ health-insurance policies expire this year, instead of being allowed to renew their plans or buy another small-group plan, they are being directed to research their options on the individual marketplace at Healthcare.gov.
And they are barred from purchasing small-group insurance through their brokers or the new federal Small Business Health Options Program. “There are a lot of small employers who are in for a very rude awakening,” said Linda Schwimmer, vice president of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. “As soon as their policies expire, they’re not going to be able to renew them on the marketplace or even the SHOP. They’ll experience rate shock, and many won’t qualify for a subsidy.”
“We view it as one of those unintended consequences that bubble up in a place like New Jersey that has so many self-employed and freelancers and small law firms and places like that — father-son plumbing firms, electrical engineers and so on. It’s going to have an impact,” she said. (Rinde/NJSpotlight)
Put education back into state, local hands
By Scott Garrett
Many pundits claim America’s K-12 education system is stagnant and doesn’t equip our nation’s youths with the skills necessary to remain globally competitive in the 21st century. In response, President Obama has recommended the adoption of Common Core standards, a uniform set of benchmarks that must be met by students at the end of each grade. The president has sold Common Core as an innovative set of national standards that will achieve academic excellence.
Unfortunately, we have heard all of this before.
More than a decade ago, President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind was signed into law. At the time, NCLB was advertised as dynamic, flexible and federally driven — education reform that would advance academic achievement through accountability. Today, NCLB is considered a failure. After spending billions and enacting rigid punishments for failing schools, no discernible academic improvement was achieved.
The centralization of education did not begin with NCLB. For half a century, Washington has pursued control of the classroom by attaching strings to federal education dollars sent to the states. Yet despite spending roughly $2 trillion and decades of increased federal regulation, reading scores remain flat, education costs have more than doubled, student-teacher ratios continue to decline, high school graduation rates remain unchanged since the 1970s and achievement gaps persist.
The tradition of federalized education has failed our students. And on this tradition the president proposes to double down.
Common Core is the predictable result of the Obama administration’s coercion of cash-strapped states. In return for a state’s adoption of Common Core, the administration promised the states a share of a $4.35 billion bounty.
Some officeholders don’t trust people outside Washington to come up with solutions. I disagree.
Some officeholders don’t trust people outside Washington to come up with solutions. I disagree. Rather than centralizing education, I believe that states and localities — those closest to the students — should set academic standards. The state and local governments are our laboratories of democracy. By promoting innovation at the state and local level, where parents and teachers have a louder voice, we provide ourselves with the opportunity to replicate our successes and learn from our mistakes.
But arrogant, top-down dictates, such as Common Core, rob us of this opportunity. We should allow federalism to work and defer to local experience.
That is why I’ve introduced the Local Education Authority Returns Now Act. The LEARN Act would allow states to opt out of federal education regulations and retain the dollars that would have been sent to Washington by reimbursing the taxpayers through a tax credit. The process is simple, straightforward, and empowers parents, teachers, school boards and local officials.
The LEARN Act works in three steps. First, a state decides that strings attached to federal money are hampering the ability of parents and teachers to educate their children as they see fit and enacts a law opting out of the federal program. Second, the Treasury Department determines how much money an opt-out state is entitled to. Finally, the taxpayers of the opt-out state receive a tax credit to reimburse them for the funds diverted to Washington. This method immediately cuts the authoritative and financial strings of the federal government, allowing states to set appropriate education standards.
The future of our nation depends on our ability to educate and train the generations that will carry on the legacy of freedom and prosperity. Today, states must focus on complying with federal mandates rather than cultivating an atmosphere that allows our educators to effectively educate our students.
We’ve experimented with centralized education before, and it failed. We cannot merely replace one set of federal dictates with another. The time has come to put our children first by returning control to those who know them best.
Rep. Scott Garrett is a Republican representing New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District
Children’s hyperactivity ‘is not a real disease’, says US expert
Neuroscientist says children are being ‘labelled’ as having ADHD when there could be other reasons for their disorder
One of the world’s leading neuroscientists, whose work has been acknowledged by work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, has suggested that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not “a real disease”.
On the eve of a visit to Britain to meet Duncan Smith and the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, Dr Bruce D Perry told the Observer that the label of ADHD outlined a broad set of symptoms. “It is best thought of as a description. If you look at how you end up with that label, it is remarkable because any one of us at any given time would fit at least a couple of those criteria,” he said.
Prescriptions for methylphenidate drugs, such as Ritalin, which are used to treat children diagnosed as suffering from ADHD, have soared by 56% in the UK, from 420,000 in 2007 to 657,000 in 2012. Such “psychostimulants” are thought to stimulate a part of the brain that changes mental and behavioural reactions.
This remarkably original, emminently successful show features paintings given to the Institute by member artists. The Sponsors are the first of a limited number of people who contribute $275. On the last night of the show, as their names are drawn, the Sponsors select their favorite painting to take home.
Click here to view our 2014 Online Gallery of Sponsor Show Paintings
More about the Sponsors Show
Receiving: Monday-Friday, March 24th -28th
Hanging:March 31-April 4
Reception: Sunday, April 6th (2-4 pm)
Drawing: Friday, May 9th (8:00 PM)
APRIL 2, 2014 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014, 5:13 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The village will consider creating an official body dedicated to the support of the arts, as Ridgewood has done for purposes of promoting citizens’ safety, environmental awareness and financial management, among other areas critical to residents.
The Ridgewood Arts Council has acted in a de facto capacity since it re-launched in November 2012, and its members are appealing to the village’s governing body to make it the sanctioned organization for the arts, according to Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, who has been working with group leaders for the past 15 months. The arts council is currently a division of the Ridgewood Guild.
“What we would like to do now is make the [arts] council an official body of the village government,” Pucciarelli said at a Ridgewood Council meeting last month, adding that the designation would give the group a higher profile and aid in its access to parks and other public venues.
Pucciarelli proposed that membership on the arts council, like other village committees, would come via annual Ridgewood Council appointment. The appointments of board chairman and vice chairman would be voted on by the arts council.
Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) endorses Knudsen, Sedon
APRIL 4, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014, 12:31 AM
CBR endorses Knudsen, Sedon
Carol Bicknese
Amy Bourque
Jennifer DiTommaso
Lori Weil
Trustees of Citizens for a Better Ridgewood
Letter to the Editor:
The future development of Ridgewood is an important issue that affects each and every one of us in our community. How we make decisions about our Master Plan and what kind of development we encourage is critical for the future of our village. The election to fill the two open seats on the Village Council on May 13 will be influential in determining which path we, as a community, will take forward. The Citizens for a Better Ridgewood is excited to endorse Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon.
This election is timely because we have serious issues confronting our Planning Board that could permanently change the character of our village and have an impact on our schools, traffic, parking, pedestrian safety, municipal services, open space, tax burden and property values. We need Village Council members who are well informed about the issues at hand, and who are able to create viable options and assess the needs of our village with an unbiased view.
Debate continues on proposed multifamily housing in Ridgewood
APRIL 4, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
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Few new developments were announced at Tuesday’s Planning Board hearing on proposed changes to the village master plan that would allow high-density multifamily housing in the downtown, though the debate rages on.
The hearings – and increasing public criticism of the projects – have been ongoing since December. More than two years ago, several developers came forward with proposals for downtown multifamily housing developments that are not allowed under the current master plan, prompting a series of Planning Board workshops prior to the hearings.
On Tuesday, after the Planning Board spent nearly three hours questioning the two planners representing three current housing proposals, opposition leaders expressed some optimism, believing that this questioning indicated improved scrutiny of the projects. But representatives of the developers continue to insist that public skepticism appears to be based on misconceptions, not facts.
