Category: Village of Ridgewood

>DeMint: Obama, Pelosi Not ‘Free Market Americans As I Understand It’
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
By Dan Joseph

(CNSNews.com) – In an interview with CNSNews.com on Monday, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) would not say whether he thinks President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are “extremists,” but he said he thinks they are not “free market Americans.”

In a Gallup poll from August, 40 percent of Americans defined themselves as “conservative,” nine percent of whom said “very conservative,” and only 21 percent said they were “liberal,” five percent of whom said “very liberal.” Thirty-five percent said they were moderate.

On Monday, at a rally on Capitol Hill held by the conservative group Americans For Prosperity, CNSNews.com asked DeMint, “Given that most Americans consider themselves to be conservative – upwards of 40 percent these days in most polls – do you consider Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi ‘extremists’”?

DeMint said, “Well, I think the labels sometimes aren’t helpful, but they certainly aren’t free market Americans as I understand it. Freedom comes from millions of people making their own decisions. The folks in power now think that a few people should be making the decisions for everybody else, whether it’s education, health care, whatever. It’s just a different worldview that doesn’t fit with American philosophy.”

MORE:
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/demint-obama-pelosi-not-free-market-amer

>Department of Education Audit adds to New Jersey school district chaos

Audit adds to New Jersey school district chaos

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
By Matt Huisman
and Dan Goldberg For the Star-Ledger

Confusion reigned Tuesday among school districts around the state.

Some had completed contract negotiations with their superintendents that exceeded Gov. Chris Christie’s salary cap prior to its implementation next year. They had even received the blessing from their county’s executive superintendent.

But an audit now being conducted by the state Department of Education of all recently signed contracts has left many districts scratching their heads over the entire process. The review will be completed by Dec. 3, said education department spokesman Alan Guenther.

The audit sparked howls of protest from local school officials, who said they were acting under the current law, not a salary cap that will go into effect on Feb. 7

MORE:
https://www.nj.com/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1289980525194640.xml&coll=8

>New Jersey State League of Municipalities wants union officials out of state pension

Most agree lobbying groups should not be in the state pension and health-benefits system. One such lobbying organization, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, fires back the same goes for union officials; they should be out too. (Ingle, Asbury Park Press)

https://www.app.com/article/20101117/OPINION0503/11170349/1093/League-wants-union-officials-out-of-state-pensions

>To cut costs, Gov. Christie’s toolbox just a start

More than 80,800 fans were at the New Meadowlands Stadium Sunday to watch the Giants play the Dallas Cowboys. The number of fans in that stadium exceeded the population of all but nine of New Jersey’s 566 municipalities. (Former Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr., guest columnist for The Star-Ledger)

https://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2010/11/to_cut_costs_christie_toolbox.html

>School bus ads approved by panel

TRENTON — A bill to allow school districts to sell ads on the sides of school buses passed the Senate Education Committee Monday. (State Bureau, Gannett)

https://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20101116/NEWS01/11160339/School-bus-ads-approved-by-panel

>Ridgewood Knights of Columbus to Host Thanksgiving Eve Fundraiser

Ridgewood-NJ-November 15, 2010: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 is proud to be hosting a Thanksgiving Eve fundraiser. All proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, which is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors of the United States Armed Forces. The Wounded Warrior Project works to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

As a special treat, renowned New York City musicians Bob and Norm will be playing the best of music from the ‘60s through the ‘80s. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24th at the Knights of Columbus Hall, which is on Hudson Street behind Mount Carmel Church. “This is a great opportunity to show your support for our wounded Veterans while having a great time”, said Brian Conn, head of the Ridgewood Knights Council.

All are welcome. The cover charge is $5 at the door. To reserve a table for eight or more, please call Joe Antonacci at (201) 543-7024.

>Stephen Wellinghorst was sworn in to the Village Council

New Ridgewood council member is sworn in
Friday, November 12, 2010
Last updated: Friday November 12, 2010, 6:43 PM
The Ridgewood News

Stephen Wellinghorst was sworn in to the Village Council at a ceremony on Friday afternoon.

Wellinghorst won the seat over three other candidates in last week’s election. He will fill the seat left vacant by the death of Councilwoman Anne Zusy earlier this year.

full story:
https://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen/107574223_New_Ridgewood_council_member_is_sworn_in.html

>New Jersey Republican State Committee Chairman Jay Webber names redistricting team members

Webber names redistricting team members

Heading into a redistricting year, players for both teams now stand on the giant chess board in the attack position since New Jersey Republican State Committee Chairman Jay Webber moments ago announced the GOP members of the 2011 Legislative Apportionment Commission. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)

https://www.politickernj.com/42947/webber-names-redistricting-team-members

>FAA aims to alter airspace

As the Federal Aviation Administration moves forward with its decades-in-the-making plan to redraw the highways in the skies over the New York area, activists are howling about what they say will be the increased noise that will result. (Grossman, The Wall Street Journal)

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704393604575614990785117792.html?KEYWORDS=jersey

>More NJ teachers break $50,000 in starting pay

The benchmark that started it all came in 1987, when then-Gov. Thomas Kean signed into law New Jersey’s first minimum teachers salary at $18,500. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/10/1114/2120/

>Nearly $1 Trillion Net Tax Hike Proposed in Fiscal Commission’s ‘Tax Reform’ Plan Friday, November 12, 2010
By Fred Lucas

(CNSNews.com) – Over the next 10 years, Americans could see a net federal tax hike of $961 billion if the draft recommendations of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform are enacted. This proposed tax hike would include those earning below $250,000, the people that President Barack Obama has repeatedly pledged would not see a tax hike.

The draft of the National Commission’s report from co-chairmen Erskine Bowles, a Democrat, and Alan Simpson, a Republican, talks about “lower rates” and “comprehensive tax reform.” But the lower rates in question do not offset the tax deductions and tax credits that are eliminated under the plan. Thus there would be a net tax increase.

The report projects $751 billion in revenue from changes to the tax code and another $210 billion from “other revenue.”

The hikes would encompass increased gasoline taxes, a change in the tax brackets and an automatic tax hike when the budget is not balanced. Along with significant spending cuts in the Defense Department, government personnel, eliminating congressional earmarks, and raising the age for collecting Social Security, the commission’s draft proposal is supposed to reduce the federal deficit by $4 trillion in 2020.

“Getting rid of most deductions and credits and replacing it with lower tax rates would mean virtually anyone paying taxes would be affected,” Ryan Ellis, a tax policy analyst for Americans for Tax Reform, told CNSNews.com. “It’s a good thing if they were being replaced with rates low enough to make up the difference, but they are not. The fact that their own report says that it raises net taxes by $1 trillion over 10 years means that they are not lowering rates enough.”

The draft calls for hiking the gas tax 15 cents by 2013 and dedicating the funding to transportation. The report also says, “Include automatic stabilizer with future benefit and/or revenue changes,” which would likely mean an automatic tax increase if the budget is unbalanced.

The report provides three options for restructuring the tax system, with common goals of lowering rates, simplifying the code, broadening the base, cutting tax expenditures, improving compliance, making America more competitive and reducing the deficit.

All of the proposals would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax law passed in 1969 designed to hit high-income earners that might avoid taxes through various shelters.

full story:
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/nearly-1-trillion-net-tax-hike-proposed

>Concrete Slab at Travell Sports Field Absolutely Unacceptable

The discus concrete slab at Travell is absolutely unacceptable and directly impacts the daily lives of the students at Travell. When and where was this discussed?

To cut into the track, install the concrete slab that sticks up on one side and make any use of the track for running (PE) or bike riding a complete liability is just another unbelievable act that shows how the BOE disregards our community.

Furthermore, this area is not taped off and presently is VERY dangerous for all of the children playing soccer, running, etc. in this area. Our children’s safety does not seem to be of primary importance.

>New Jersey Auditor Questions $27 Light Bulbs Billed Under Stimulus Program
By Dunstan McNichol – Nov 12, 2010 4:16 PM

Contractors billed New Jersey $27 for light bulbs, and ran up tens of thousands of dollars in other “unreasonable costs” on a $119 million weatherization program funded with U.S. stimulus money, the state auditor said.

Out of $613,600 in charges reviewed, $54,000, or 8.8 percent, was deemed unreasonable by Auditor Stephen Eells, according to a Nov. 8 report to lawmakers. The audit examined program oversight by the state Community Affairs Department.

One contractor sought $27 for light bulbs, while another billed $1.50 for similar items, according to the report and Assistant Auditor Thomas Meseroll. Another vendor charged $75 for carbon-monoxide detectors that it had provided to a different program for $22, the report said. Eells also cited $32,700 in auditing fees when “no services had been performed” and $69,000 in construction costs that couldn’t be verified.

“Weatherization agencies have been reimbursed for unreasonable costs because of inadequate review of financial reports and lack of guidance from the state and federal governments,” said the audit. It said the state agency’s review of contractor expenditures was “cursory.”

The state didn’t pay for the $27 light bulbs and the $75 carbon-monoxide detectors after the audit, according to Lori Grifa, the Community Affairs Department’s commissioner. Since Eells began the review, the two most-senior state employees overseeing the program have been replaced and a third has been reassigned, Grifa said in a written response to the audit.

The $27 included “labor and materials” for compact fluorescent light bulbs, Lisa Ryan, a spokeswoman for the department, said today in an e-mailed response to questions.

more:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-12/new-jersey-auditor-questions-27-light-bulbs-billed-under-stimulus-program.html

>New Jersey State League of Municipalities Convention November 15th-19th, 2010

The 95th Annual Conference of the New Jersey League of Municipalities will be held in Atlantic City on Monday through Friday, November 15th-19th, 2010.

Expect limited services to be available in Ridgewood Village Hall during this time period because any Village Hall employee who is authorized to attend the convention on taxpayer money will likely go.

Check The Ridgewood Blog at a later date for hidden camera videos of Ridgewood Village Hall employees misbehaving while at the convention.