The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
photos courtesy of City of Hackensack Fire Department
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, exciting Updates from the Bergen County Courthouse! The iconic rotunda is undergoing important renovations to preserve its historic beauty and ensure its structural integrity. The scaffolding surrounding the rotunda is a testament to the meticulous work being done to restore this landmark.
Continue reading The Iconic Rotunda of the Bergen County Courthouse is Undergoing Major Renovations
July 25,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, at $147 million, the new Bergen County Justice Center is the most expensive capital project in Bergen County history , some would say the largest County boondoggle in history . Sure the idiotic unwanted meadowlands mall project ” Xanadu ” dwarfs it but even in Bergen County at $147 million we are talking real money . Surprise ,surprise the county now says it needs even more money, that is right county officials acknowledge, they could need $20 million more to get it all done.
Yes again that is right for a mere $147 million or should I say $167 million county residents get a new public works garage in Paramus and a new justice center in Hackensack.
While country officials ramble off a myriad of the usual excuses the fact is the DPW building in Paramus was originally planned to cost $16 million but the final price tag was $20.4 million about a 22% miss on the estimate.
No one denies the county court house is dilapidated and falling apart and yes County Officials openly acknowledge that to complete the project at least $20 million more will be needed.
But this brings us once again back to the same old issues and why New Jersey and particularly Bergen County has become the nations most fled jurisdiction.
Back in 2013 the Bergen County freeholders received a detailed briefing on the construction of the new Justice Center complex in Hackensack, County officials expected to break ground in August on the nearly $115 million project. Hummm $115 million ah $147 million oh no $167 million dollar project that nearing a 50% increase over the original estimate ?
Like many things in this state ,its time for a audit of all county ,state and local projects including the Transportation Slush Fund , we mean the Transportation Trust Fund . Some how I cant seem to believe a private developer would except a 50% cost overrun . Both County Republicans and Democrats point fingers at each other while the tax payer as usual gets stuck with the bill.
