Category: Village of Ridgewood

>Route 17 is closed. I live on Walthery, a small side steet which is currently gridlocked. I can’t get in or out of my driveway. Called the police, they told me that there was nothing they can do. Do we really need more Valley traffic????

>Join Us Monday In Trenton As We Fight To Preserve Our Health Care Freedom!
The battle over Obamacare is now front and center in New Jersey.
Now is the time for you and me to take a stand against the federal takeover!

Legislators in Trenton are pressuring Governor Christie not to join the multi-state lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare. They will be proposing a resolution to do just that this Monday morning.
Americans for Prosperity activists will be going to Trenton to stop them!
The bill being proposed, SCR108, is a resolution stating: “Urges Governor not to join lawsuit against enforcement of new federal health reforms.”
The resolution is being sponsored by 12 Democrat lawmakers:

Lesniak, Raymond J. as Primary Sponsor
Vitale, Joseph F. as Primary Sponsor
Sweeney, Stephen M. as Co-Sponsor
Buono, Barbara as Co-Sponsor
Gill, Nia H., Esq. as Co-Sponsor
Gordon, Robert M. as Co-Sponsor
Weinberg, Loretta as Co-Sponsor
Cunningham, Sandra B. as Co-Sponsor
Norcross, Donald as Co-Sponsor
Whelan, Jim as Co-Sponsor
Ruiz, M. Teresa as Co-Sponsor
Rice, Ronald L. as Co-Sponsor

You and I need to send these legislators a message that we expect them to stand up for our rights and the sovereignty of our state.
Join your fellow activists to testify at this hearing on Monday in Trenton. Let’s make sure our elected officials hear us loud and clear!

The hearing will take place at the statehouse:
Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
Monday, June 14, 2010 – 10:00 AM
Meeting – Committee Room 1, 1 st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

Look forward to seeing you there as we stand up for our health care freedom!

On to Victory,
Steve Lonegan
State Director

>Ingle: Why does Christie ignore obvious savings?

As Gov. Christie tries to cover budget deficits and create a spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 taxpayers can support, it surprises some he hasn’t gone for an obvious saving — changes to that $9 billion railroad tunnel under the Hudson. It and just not practical the way it is designed. Moreover, the whole thing is paid for by New Jersey and the federal government. New York won’t touch it. (Ingle, Gannett)

https://www.app.com/article/20100609/OPINION05/6090324/1093/Why-does-Christie-ignore-obvious-savings–

>Christie appoints Verniero to judicial panel

Gov. Christie on Wednesday named former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Peter G. Verniero chairman of a panel that screens judicial nominations, apparently sending a message that he will not back down from his decision against renominating Justice John E. Wallace Jr. to the Supreme Court. Christie named replacements for the entire Judicial Advisory Panel, whose seven members abruptly resigned last week. Six of them cited as their reason Christie’s decision not to renominate Wallace. (Lu, Inquirer)

https://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20100610_Christie_appoints_Verniero_to_judicial_panel.html#axzz0qVJqYiNF

>Hospitals getting more charity care funds
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Last updated: Wednesday June 9, 2010, 8:15 AM
BY MARY JO LAYTON
The Record
STAFF WRITER

https://www.northjersey.com/news/95932119_Hospitals_getting_more_charity_care_funds.html

Hackensack University Medical Center is facing $3.5 million in charity care cuts while St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson is the state’s biggest winner with an additional $7.4 million in proposed funding, state officials announced Tuesday.

Overall, 72 New Jersey hospitals are targeted to receive $665 million, an increase of $85 million in state and federal funding to treat patients who are uninsured or can’t pay for their care, said Health Commissioner Dr. Poonam Alaigh.

“This funding increase clearly demonstrates Governor Christie’s commitment to maintain and strengthen the health care safety net for New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents when they need it most,” Alaigh said.

“Despite the state’s current fiscal crisis, the governor has made charity care a priority,” Alaigh said.

The governor’s proposed budget also changes the funding formula and makes it more equitable to all hospitals, but still protects the hospitals that treat the highest volume of low-income patients, officials said.

The state raised the minimum a hospital can receive from 5 cents on the dollar to 15 cents, and reduced the three-tier funding formula to two tiers, officials said.

At St. Joseph’s, charity care represents 14.1 percent of total charges, the third-highest rate in the state, which is why the hospital is receiving more funding. The data were released late in the day and officials at several North Jersey hospitals were unavailable for comment.

The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood provides the lowest percentage of charity care based on overall charges — 1.6 percent, according to New Jersey Hospital Association data from last year. In the proposed budget, the hospital is scheduled to lose more than $545,176, according to data released Tuesday.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/95932119_Hospitals_getting_more_charity_care_funds.html

>Ingle: Why your property taxes are high No. 678

A DataUniverse analysis of school administrators’ pay shows that 91 of them make more than $200,000 a year. And that’s eight times the number that made that much just five years ago. The analysis showed that 9,061 administrators and supervisors were paid a total of $1.1 billion and that’s up 13 percent from five years ago. The governor is paid $175,000 a year. (Ingle, Gannett)

https://blogs.app.com/politicspatrol/2010/06/07/why-your-property-taxes-are-outrageous-no-678/

>June 7, 2010

PSE&G’s Electric Rates to Change Modestly Under Agreements Approved by New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

(June 7, 2010 – Newark, NJ) – Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) announced that its customer electric rates will change slightly as a result of a decision today by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU).

The rates reflect the net effect of the BPU’s approval for PSE&G to implement a modest increase in base electric distribution rates offset by a customer refund that will be effective during the next two years.

On a related front, the Board deferred action on the company’s request to increase gas distribution revenues by $26.5 million until a future agenda meeting.

In today’s action on the company’s first rate request in nearly four years, the BPU approved provisions in two separate agreements PSE&G had reached recently with the BPU staff, the Public Advocate and the NJ Large Energy Users Group.

• The company will receive $73.5 million in additional electric revenue, which would increase the average residential customer’s bill for 7,360 kilowatthours of electricity usage by about $12 per year, or 0.9 percent. This customer’s monthly summer electric bill for 780 kilowatthours would increase by about $3, or 2.4 percent.

• The company agreed to refund $122 million to customers during the next two years to resolve a long-standing issue regarding the Market Transition Charge (MTC) which was part of the state’s deregulation law implemented in 1999. When the refund is factored in, the average residential customer’s electric bill will only increase about $1 per year for the next two years.

Commenting on the Board’s actions today, Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G president and COO, said:

“PSE&G is extremely proud of its excellent safety and reliability record. Since our last rate case in 2006, we have made substantial investments in our electric and gas delivery systems to keep those commitments to the people of the New Jersey. We recognize, however, that we need to strike a balance between the need for additional revenue and today’s tough economic realities. We will take whatever steps are necessary to operate our business within the parameters of this decision.”

LaRossa added that resolving the outstanding issues regarding the collection of the MTC will offset the rate increase for customers during the next two years.

“The issue of whether we still owed customers money from these charges has been lingering for the past few years,” he said. “We believe it is in the best interests of the company to finally put these issues behind us.” The company had already returned $225 million in MTC charges a number of years ago.

When the rate increase request was filed in May 2009, the company had asked the BPU to approve $230.6 million in additional electric and gas distribution revenue. During the course of the year-long review, the request had been modified to $204 million. The final settlement agreement included an increase of $100 million in additional electric and gas revenues with a return on equity of 10.3 percent.

>This Post Has Been Removed

>

SUN SHINES ON THE CO-OP’S ANNUAL FIELD DAY

Students from The Cooperative Nursery School of Ridgewood (aka “The Co-op”) recently took a break from the classrooms for their annual Field Day event. Among other activities, the children navigated obstacle courses, played with giant parachutes, and raced in the three-legged race with moms and dad. When the games were done, everyone laid out their blankets and settled in for a picnic lunch with their friends, teachers and parents.

A nonsectarian school ending its 42nd year, The Co-op offers morning and afternoon classes for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds, as well as Mommy & Me classes and a new Kindergarten Enrichment class. The school’s seasoned professional teaching staff members guide students toward social, emotional and physical well-being. Children learn and play in an environment ideally suited to their needs as developing individuals. The program encourages independence, self-discipline and a love for school.

Setting the school apart from other nursery schools, The Co-op is organized and run by the parents, which enables the parents to actively participate in their child’s early learning experience. Music, physical education, field trips, indoor and outdoor play time and an in-house library are just a few of the experiences to which the children are exposed as supplements to the daily education plans.

There are still openings in many of the classes. Please call the school at (201) 447-6232 for more information or to schedule a visit to the school. The school is located at 100 Dayton Street in the center of Ridgewood.

>NJ Transit scales back fare hikes

Following a series of public hearings, New Jersey Transit is considering increasing bus and light rail fares an average 10 percent instead of the 25 percent hike it initially planned. Also, three Monmouth County bus routes scheduled to be axed by NJ Transit could be spared, including two Route 9 commuter buses and a local route serving Brookdale Community College and county offices in Freehold. (Higgs, Gannett)
https://www.app.com/article/20100412/NEWS03/4120329/1007/NEWS03/NJ-Transit-scales-back-fare-hikes

>GET THE LATEST NEWS ON NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET School Budget 2010-11:

The Annual School Election and Budget Vote is Tuesday, April 20
Fiscal Year 2011 Final Advertised Budget approved on March 31, 2010.
Budget 2010-11

https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/923620/File/2010-11%20Final%20Budget.txt?sessionid=75352ce287012d64377b3bedda36af97

Update: 4.01.10
Web Page: All You Should Know About School Budget 2010-11 of $89,441.565

https://ridgewood.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/923620/File/Public%20Information%20Officer/Home%20Page/Budget%202010-11/Budget%20Update%204.01.10.pdf?sessionid=581022b3e7c949d088df11de05b77228

E-mail your questions and suggestions on next year’s budget:

[email protected]

All mail will be answered promptly!