Community Conversation September 21 – MAKING RIDGEWOOD MORE AGE FRIENDLY
WHAT: An Encore presentation of our 55 and Over Survey Data and Age-Friendly concepts. Then A GROUP THINK, a COMMUNITY BRAINSTORMING session- we need YOUR IDEAS about how to Ridgewood more Age Friendly
WHO: Anyone interested in life in Ridgewood after age 55. If you are 55 or over or you are planning for your future or you have parents in this age group or your customers are older please join us.
WHERE: Ridgewood Library Auditorium
WHEN: Wednesday September 21, 3:30-5:30 pm.
WHY: We have wonderful data about both the strengths and needs of the community from our Ridgewood 55 and Over
Survey. We are ready to take the next step and create an action plan. For that we need community input about specific improvements that we should consider implementing, especially in the following areas:
· housing options,
· flexible transportation
· pedestrian safety
· enhanced communication and marketing, directory of resources
· leveraging the expertise of the older population and
· assisting homeowners with difficult tasks.
We want Ridgewood to be as great a place to grow old as it is to grow up and we are interested in what age-friendly means to you and what your priorities are. What would make you remain in Ridgewood after your kids are grown and gone?
Any questions please email AgeFriendlyRidgewood@gmail.com or call 201-652-1614.
Beth Abbott and Sheila Brogan, of the Age-Friendly Ridgewood Initiative
CUT MY TAXES. Without the schools I get very little in return for my tax dollar. Everything that the town spends on is for the kids – schools, fields/recreation, all day kindergarten. As they are making these proposals a different committee asking what people on a fixed income would want. What do you think???
I am sure that I will sell my house to a family with at least thre kids. Who else will appreciate all that you get for your tax dollars?
Right on. Forget the Yumba, the bus, and the free lunch. FREEZE PROPERTY TAXES FOR SENIORS.
Amen. Freeze property taxes once you hit a certain age and no longer have children in the school system.
Too late for us. We had to sell and leave. Never had children, never used the schools but always enjoyed the quality of life there until … at some point you just have to consider the big picture and plan for your own retirement. One layoff was all it took to make us reconsider staying in Ridgewood. Two of us without pensions and relying on 401Ks and SS does not make Ridgewood an attractive place to spend one’s senior years. I do miss living in beautiful Ridgewood but I do not miss the financial burden of the taxes. If we’d had children in the schools we may have even moved to a local town with lower taxes where the schools are a bit better. Not so sure the Ridgewood Schools give you the best return for your dollars – not bad but Pascack Hills, Pascack Valley, Northern Valley, Northern Highlands are very, very good schools. Glen Rock is lovely but also has the high tax problem.
I keep a home in Ridgewood and spend a few days a week there.
Never had kids in the schools.
I grew up here and need a place in nnj so Ridgewood was the choice.
Make no mistake about it, those of us who do not have kids on the schools are tired of seeing the lawn signs of all the newbies here “support Ridgewood teachers” . Guess what, when the schools taxes push our property tax bills higher, we we’ll leave. Guess who the majority of buyers are? Families with children. If enrollment increased so would your taxes. Be careful your cheerleading for the teachers union because if you force us to leave who else will subsidize your kids education. I don’t expect a “thank you note” with my taxes bill, but be careful piling on the tax increases for the board of Ed.