Streets without safe places to walk, cross, catch a bus, or bicycle put people at risk. Over 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists died on U.S. roads in 2008, and more than 120,000 were injured. Pedestrian crashes are more than twice as likely to occur in places without sidewalks; streets with sidewalks on both sides have the fewest crashes. While the absolute numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians killed has been in decline for the decade, experts attribute this in part to a decline in the total number of people bicycling and walking.
Annually, around 4,500 pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes with motor vehicles in the United States.1 Pedestrians killed while “walking along the roadway” account for almost 8 percent of these deaths.2 Many of these tragedies are preventable. Providing walkways separated from the travel lanes could help to prevent up to 88 percent of these “walking along roadway crashes.”
Walkways can be created either by providing stabilized or paved surfaces separated from the roadway, or by widening paved shoulders. These treatments can not only improve the safety of pedestrians, but also make pedestrian trips more viable.
Benefits of Sidewalks
Sidewalks separated from the roadway are the preferred accommodation for pedestrians. Sidewalks provide many benefits including safety, mobility, and healthier communities.
In addition to reducing walking along roadway crashes, sidewalks reduce other pedestrian crashes. Roadways without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian crashes as sites with sidewalks on both sides of the street.
Calling all RHS grads!! The newly formed RHS Alumni Association is looking to connect with reunion chairs/committees/class officers.
Please personal message Paul McCubbin RHS 1977 @ paulmccubbin at gmail.com with your contact information. Also if you have not done so already, please also join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/291604630869240/ .
Many new and exciting efforts coming this spring, so stay tuned.
PS. If you are unsure of who your chair is, please also let us know. Trustee Barbara White French RHS 1960 is in the process of working on this issue.
The White House Won’t Reveal Who Attended Obama’s Secret Meeting With Muslim Leaders
President Obama met with American Muslim leaders this afternoon, according to the White House schedule, but so far the administration is unwilling to reveal who attended the meeting, which was closed to the press.
The White House released a readout of the meeting explaining that Obama discussed “a range of domestic and foreign policy issues” including Obamacare, police fairness, anti-Muslim discrimination, and the upcoming Summit on Countering Violence Extremism.
“The President discussed the need to continue countering ISIL and other groups that commit horrific acts of violence, purportedly in the name of Islam,” the readout continued.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended the meeting during his daily press briefing, pointing out that it wasn’t “unusual” for the president to meet with “a wide variety of communities from across the country.”
“Sometimes that includes religious leaders; sometimes that includes leaders that are involved in academia or other specific issue areas,” he explained.
But the White House was unwilling to release the names of leaders who attended the meeting.
A request to the White House for a list of names of those who attended the meeting was not returned.
According to the readout, Obama thanked the visitors noting that “his regular interactions with different faith communities provided him with valuable insights and feedback.”
“There is as much as a $4 trillion gap between what states have promised its public workers in retirement pensions and what has actually been set aside and invested in order to pay for them.
What would you do to solve the pension crisis?”
Most realize the problems, but they don’t want tax increases or spending cuts to fix them.
Scott Shackford | February 6, 2015
There is as much as a $4 trillion gap between what states have promised their public workers in retirement pensions and what they’ve actually set aside and invested in order to pay for them. There are enough reasons this has happened to count as a survey question on the most boring episode of Family Feud ever—states and cities didn’t set aside enough money, employees didn’t contribute enough, and guaranteed investment returns are overestimated, among many other problems.
But what does the average American think about the pension crisis and what would they do? A small number of communities like Phoenix, Arizona, and San Jose, California, have put pension reform in the voters’ hands, with mixed results. In our latest Reason-Rupe poll, we decided to focus almost entirely on the pension crisis, asking Americans how seriously they view the problem and what sort of trade-offs they would accept to fix it.
Yes, Americans Are Concerned About the Pension Crisis
Pension worriers will be pleased to hear that Americans are at least paying attention. A full 72 percent of those polled are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about state and local governments’ ability to fund the pensions they’ve promised to public employees. A similar number (74 percent) are concerned that state or local governments will raise taxes in the future in order to meet these pension obligations. When asked to prioritize dealing with the pension crisis, 35 percent said pension reform should be a top priority, while 41 percent said pension reform should be an important but lower priority.
Actually tackling the pension crisis is a much more complicated affair. The poll asked participants to consider a host of different possibilities—raising taxes, reducing services, capping maximum pension payments, requiring workers to pay more, and transferring public employees to 401(k)-style defined contribution plans, rather than guaranteed pensions.
The most consistent response is probably also the most obvious: Americans want pension reform solutions that push public employees to play a greater role in their own retirements rather than relying on taxpayers to bail them out. Those surveyed were significantly opposed to raising taxes (74 percent) or cutting government services (77 percent) in order to fix funding problems with public employee pensions. Instead, when given a list of choices, participants strongly supported (82 percent) requiring public employees to contribute more to their own retirement funds. When asked to rank potential solutions, “Require current employees to contribute more toward their own pensions and benefits” blew every other option out of the water with 63 percent of the vote as the first choice. No other option even hit double digits.
But that list of solutions assumed states and cities would keep the existing pension systems and salvage them. The Reason-Rupe poll also asked whether participants would like to switch public employees from pension funds to 401(k)-style defined contribution retirement funds. The answer was yes. The poll asked participants whether they would favor such funds for current public employees and a separate question for just future hires. In both cases, the majority said yes, but support for shifting over future employees was notably higher (67 percent) than for current employees (59 percent).
But when comparing the two types of retirement systems in different ways, differences in responses were notable. The poll asked participants a question where the benefits of switching to a 401(k)-style plan were described (“401k style programs give employees the flexibility to take the plan with them from job to job and are less costly to the taxpayer”) as well as the concerns about switching to a such a plan (“benefits would not be guaranteed and would depend on how well the employees saved and how the market performed”). When those descriptions were used to ask whether they supported or opposed a shift to 401(k)-style programs, 66 percent still supported the shift. But when asked to consider a shift to 401(k)-style programs given only the concerns, support dropped to 50 percent. And when people polled are asked if they’d support shifting to 401(k)-style programs if it meant “breaking a contract made with public employees when they first accepted their jobs,” support plummets down to 38 percent. When asked to trade off a shift to 401(k)-style programs with either raising taxes or reducing services to pay for retirement, support for 401(k) programs climbed back up (66 percent and 59 percent). Those polled even opposed increasing taxes or reducing government services in order to pay the current pension benefits for already retired employees.
The lesson here: Americans don’t necessarily want to break an agreement with public employees or push them into retirement plans where the future benefits are not guaranteed, but they are willing to do so in order to avoid additional tax increases or reductions in government services.
“But what do the millennials think?” You may ask. Do they understand the crisis they’re getting themselves into as they take up a larger and larger chunk of the workforce? Yes and no. Those polled under the age of 30 do have concerns, but the numbers are more muted than for older generations. The number of millennials who say they’re concerned about pension funds drops down to 59 percent, and they’re less likely to see dealing with pension problems as a top priority (only 25 percent). Nevertheless, millennials also supported shifting public employees to 401(k) plans and requiring employees to contribute more into their retirement plans. Variations in responses by millennials may indicate more that they have less experience in these workplace issues or with dealing with taxation impacts rather than any sort of generational differences. For example, millennials were more likely to believe (34 percent) that public employee and private employees received fundamentally the same retirement benefits, something older workers know is untrue (public employees are widely understood to generally get better retirement benefits). They were also the only age group where a majority (59 percent) believed that pension calculations for retiring employees should be increased by using unused sick time, vacation pay, and specialty pay, a system that has led to the abuse known as “pension spiking,” with public employees getting six-figure annual pension guarantees. When we break down the millennial age demographic further, millennials’ attitudes start to shift toward the overall average the older they are, more closely aligning with the over-30 crowd.
Public Employees Are Not in Complete Denial
The poll asked respondents whether they worked in the public or private sector (or if they were retired from the public or private sector) so their responses could be compared. Public employees accounted for 17 percent of the working respondents and 36 percent of the retired respondents. Public employees are certainly paying attention to the impacts of bankruptcy in cities like Detroit and Stockton, California. Public employees are more concerned (80 percent) about the state of pensions than private employees (67 percent). It’s understandable they’re concerned, since they are the most directly affected should their cities or states fail to address underfunding.
Pelosi: Members Won’t ‘Boycott’ Netanyahu Speech. But They Might Be too Busy to Go.
Reps. John Lewis and G.K. Butterfield will skip the address, and Pelosi noted that lawmakers have packed schedules.
By Alex Brown
February 5, 2015 There will be no “boycott” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress next month, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.
But while she downplayed reports of an organized protest, she suggested some lawmakers might just be too busy to attend. And at least two Democrats have already decided they won’t be on hand.
“I don’t think anybody should use the word ‘boycott,'” Pelosi said in her weekly press conference. “When these heads of state come, people are here doing their work, they’re trying to pass legislation, they’re meeting with their constituents and the rest. It’s not a high-priority item for them.”
The Netanyahu address has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, who view the invitation from House Speaker John Boehner as a means of undermining the Obama administration’s nuclear negotiations with Iran. The Israeli leader, many congressional Republicans, and some Democrats favor increased sanctions, but Obama has asked them to hold off until member nations of the U.N. Security Council can try to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the bargaining table.
The Woman’s Club of Ridgewood is holding a Gigantic Garage Sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 6, 7 and 8, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm all three days. Home goods, toys and games, sporting equipment, furniture, etc. etc. There will also be a cafe selling coffee, bagels, soup, sandwiches and sweets. Now accepting donations of items through February 2nd. Please donate only clean items in good repair, with all parts/pieces. Drop off at the clubhouse Mon. – Thurs. between 9:30 am and 1:30 pm, Fri. between 1 and 3 pm. Tax deductible letters available. The Woman’s Clubhouse is located at 215 W. Ridgewood Ave., and is a non-profit 501(c)(3).
Christie signs bill allowing simplifying towns’ selling of water systems to for-profits
FEBRUARY 6, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JAMES M. O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Governor Christie signed a controversial bill Thursday that will make it easier for towns to sell their aging drinking water systems to for-profit companies by eliminating a public vote on such sales.
The bill pitted large for-profit water companies against an unusual alliance of groups opposing the proposal, including environmentalists and the state advocate for utility ratepayers, who say the bill could bring higher water rates.
Advocates of the bill, including state Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, said the changes would help towns escape the financial burden of making costly upgrades to systems that routinely leak up to 25 percent of treated water before it reaches customers.
The bill comes as towns try to figure out how to pay for upgrades to old water pipes, some of which were installed a century ago. The federal government estimates it will take $4.7 billion to upgrade New Jersey’s water infrastructure over the next 20 years.
Reader asks How do I get my own private street? The next question is why is this street closed? Next these people will want gates put up on both ends.
“Citizens Safety Advisory Committee sided with a contingent of Clinton Avenue residents, who told officials that the sidewalks weren’t needed or wanted”
As a West-Side resident, I wanted sidewalks on this street. Paying over $500k for bike lanes that now produces traffic and blocked intersections, but they can not install sidewalks?
These residents pay for landscapers for snow removal, so they would not have to perform any manual labor.
Another example of the council using “safety” as an excuse for one project but not for the next.
The Citizens Safety Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the Village Council on issues concerning pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety on all roads, parks and open space in Ridgewood and promotes awareness of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety in order to improve the safe travel of all people in Ridgewood.
OK, so that is the official charge to this committee. How in the hell does letting children walk with cars on Clinton Avenue fit with these guidelines? Answer……..it fits if a member of the Committee is a Clinton Avenue resident. Mr. Fuhrman should be ashamed of himself, this is blatantly wrong.
§ 265-17 Closing of certain streets. [Amended 6-12-2013 by Ord. No. 3383] No person shall operate a vehicle on those streets or parts of streets as described in Schedule XIV (Village Code § 265-64), attached to and made a part of this chapter, during the times of the days indicated in said schedule unless he is a resident of the said street needing access to his home or can demonstrate or document a need to access a residence on the streets or parts of streets as described.
Translation – Anyone can drive on Clinton Avenue at any time so long as he/she has a business or personal reason to be at an address on the street. So even drivers who are not aware that groups of children walk down the middle of the street going to and from school are welcome to drive on the street.
“Police records show there have never been any traffic incidents along Clinton Avenue.”
Erroneous statement. Police records do indeed indicate that there have been reported traffic incidents (aka crashes) along Clinton Avenue, just not any involving pedestrians (thank goodness).
“Citizens Safety Advisory Committee sided with a contingent of Clinton Avenue residents” What credentials do they have on traffic or safety? They only thing the bitch about is speeding.
Yes the piece of the puzzle is votes and future donation to the campaign.
A resident of Clinton Avenue who is a member of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (Robert Fuhrman) reportedly did NOT recuse himself from either the Committee’s discussion or vote regarding this matter.
February 5, 2015 Last updated: Thursday, February 5, 2015, 3:11 PM
Town News
A New Jersey Transit bus found itself on the lawn of a Ridgewood home after it accidentally drove through a snow bank and stopped on the front yard on Linwood Avenue.
At the time of the accident, only the driver of the bus and one passenger were on board. The passenger said he was not paying attention to the driver before the accident and did not see the cause. It was only when the driver yelled out as he hit a roadside pile of snow and drove onto the front of a property that the passenger looked up to see the incident.
N.J. Senate to consider bill Thursday to revamp penalties for drunken driving
FEBRUARY 4, 2015, 7:02 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015, 7:26 AM
BY DUSTIN RACIOPPI
STATE HO– USE BUREAU |
THE RECORD
Drunken drivers can lose their licenses for a year, serve jail time and pay insurance surcharges of $1,000 a year.
But now safety advocates – including Mothers Against Drunk Driving – are behind an effort to end the harsh penalties for first-time offenders.
Instead of fines, jail time and lengthy license suspensions, offenders would be required to install a device about the size of a cellphone that would measure their blood alcohol content before the car can be turned on.
If approved by the Senate today and signed by Governor Christie, a bill would add New Jersey to the growing list of states shifting from a punitive approach to a behavioral one to combat drunken driving.
Bergen County freeholders introduce measures needed to meld County Police into sheriff’s force
FEBRUARY 4, 2015, 8:03 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015, 8:03 PM
BY JEAN RIMBACH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A plan to consolidate police services provided by Bergen County moved another step closer to fruition Wednesday with the county freeholders giving their initial approval to measures that rename the nearly 100-year-old County Police and put strict limits on the number of patrol officers and higher-ups it can have going forward.
The swift action shows that combining the county police with the county Sheriff’s Office remains on the fast track for the Freeholder Board and the administration of County Executive James Tedesco.
“It’s a good day for Bergen County, for the taxpayers of Bergen County and for law enforcement,” said Tedesco, who attended the meeting.
The two ordinances introduced Wednesday say the county force, when absorbed by the Sheriff’s Office, will be known as the Bureau of Police Services, take away the position of chief of police and slice its overall numbers by roughly half, to 49 officers.
Homicide victim just moved from Ridgewood to Queens, report says
By James Kleimann | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on February 02, 2015 at 7:30 PM, updated February 02, 2015 at 7:31 PMQUEENS, N.Y. — A 42-year-old Italian man who had briefly been living in Ridgewood was shot and killed by a friend in a Queens, N.Y. this weekend, according to authorities.
Police arrested 49-year-old Astoria, Queens resident Alexander Bonich in the killing of William Klinger, a native of Italy who was found in Astoria Park on Sunday with two gunshot wounds to the back of the head, according to the NYPD.
Klinger, a scholar in Croation history, had stayed at Mijo Mirkovic’s Ridgewood home for three days before moving to Queens late last week, Mirkovic told The Record. Klinger had moved to America to start a new life and was set to teach at Hunter College, Mirkovic told The Record.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015, 1:21 AM
THE RECORD
Print
RIDGEWOOD — The village will not install sidewalks along Clinton Avenue, a street traversed daily by hundreds of children who attend classes at the Ridge Elementary School.
The council largely agreed last week that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be spent adding sidewalks to a road that is already among the village’s safest.
Police officials and Ridgewood’s engineer had endorsed the sidewalk work during an upcoming repaving of Clinton Avenue.
FEMA has released new Draft Flood Hazard Areas maps for Bergen County. FHA maps show the limits of the 100 year storm event that in turn is used to show flood limits that include or exclude your home from flood insurance requirements.
FEMA and NJDEP are offering two informational seminars – the general public is invited to Open House Sessions – February 10, 2015 at One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack; and February 11, 2015 at the Police and Fire Safety Academy at 281 Campgaw Road, Mahwah. Both sessions begin at 4PM with a tentative end at 8PM.
N.J. property tax bills increased by more than 2 percent last year, now top $8,000
FEBRUARY 2, 2015, 9:50 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015, 7:04 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU |
THE RECORD
The cap Governor Christie and lawmakers placed on local property tax increases in 2010 seemed to be working. Average property tax bills in New Jersey had grown since that cap went into effect, but the rate of growth was declining.
That all changed last year when, according to new numbers released by the state, the average property tax bill grew by 2.16 percent, beating both the prior year’s growth rate and exceeding the 2 percent limit for the first time since it was put in place in 2010.
The result was property tax bills — long a top complaint of New Jersey residents — went above $8,000 on average for the first time ever in New Jersey. And in some places the bills were much higher last year.
In Bergen County, average property bills increased to $10,826. Passaic County property tax bills rose to $9,572.
To be fair, property taxes have grown by much larger clips in the past. Just a decade ago, the rate of growth from 2004 to 2005 was over 7 percent.
But last year’s increases also came at a time when Christie, due to state budget problems, delayed property tax relief that comes from Trenton via the state’s popular Homestead tax-credit program. The result of that delay meant no one who qualifies for that property tax relief saw a dime last year even as their bills went up on average by $173 to $8,161.
