The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, new population projections from the U.S. Census Bureau suggest a challenging future for Democrats aiming to win the Electoral College and the presidency. Key Democratic strongholds like California and New York are projected to lose electoral votes due to population declines, while Republican-leaning states like Texas and Florida are likely to gain. If these trends continue, the political landscape could shift significantly by 2030.
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Paramus NJ, New Jersey residents are bracing for the possibility of congestion pricing hitting their roadways, as Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democrat running for governor, pushes the controversial policy. Fulop’s plan, which includes tolling key highways like Route 17, Interstate 287, and US 9W, has ignited fierce debate about affordability, environmental benefits, and economic impact in the Garden State.
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Ridgewood NJ, Homelessness in the United States has reached its highest level since the federal government began tracking the issue nearly 20 years ago. According to new data, almost 772,000 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2024, marking an 18% increase from 2023. This alarming statistic sheds light on a deepening crisis fueled by soaring rents, limited affordable housing, and an influx of migrants seeking asylum.
Continue reading Homelessness in the U.S. Hits Record High: A 2024 Snapshot
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Edison NJ, New Jersey Republican Party is outraged by the Edison Town Council’s appalling decision to ban the presence of the American flag, the U.S. Constitution, and other so-called “props” from their council meetings. This un-American ordinance reached a new low when police were asked to escort a resident from a meeting for holding an American flag.
Continue reading Edison Town Council Goes full Coward Bans American Flag
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Ridgewood NJ, With President-elect Donald Trump poised to take office in January, Democrats are grappling with tough questions about what went wrong and how to rebuild. Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss in the 2024 election has left the party at a crossroads, with no control over the presidency, Congress, or the Supreme Court.
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Ridgewood NJ, The 2024 election cycle brought unexpected shifts in the political landscape of New York and New Jersey, with Republicans making significant inroads in two states traditionally seen as Democratic strongholds.
Continue reading Republicans Gain Ground in New York and New Jersey, Raising Hopes for Future Races
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Trenton NJ, Congressman Van Drew voiced strong opposition to tax hikes proposed by the New Jersey Policy Perspective, warning that the suggested measures would make the state less affordable and drive more residents to leave the state. The think tank’s report calls for reversing a prior tax cut, which brought New Jersey’s sales tax rate down from 7% to 6.625% and would expand the scope of sales tax to include professional services such as attorneys and accountants.
#3540 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 190, SECTION 122 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ENTITLED “SIGNS” GO CLEAN IT UP AND PAY THE FINES!!!
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Ridgewood NJ, REMINDER: Village Ordinance #3540 prohibits the placement of ALL signs (except official traffic control signs) in the space located between sidewalks and curbs. This includes campaign/election/political signs. Fines for ordinance violations begin at $50.00, and there is a MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCE REQUIRED.
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Plainfield NJ, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) today announced that a state grand jury indicted a former candidate for mayor of Plainfield, New Jersey, charging the defendant with attempting to submit hundreds of fraudulent voter registration applications to Union County election officials and then engaging in an attempt to cover up his actions.
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Ridgewood NJ, President Joe Biden announced via Twitter on Sunday that he is stepping down from the 2024 presidential race. This decision follows growing concerns about his performance and health, particularly after his June debate against former President Donald Trump, where Biden appeared confused and struggled with his answers.
Continue reading President Joe Biden Announces Withdrawal from 2024 Presidential Race
File Photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
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Ridgewood NJ, in a landmark decision, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey was found guilty on all counts in his federal corruption trial. The verdict, delivered by a New York jury on Tuesday, marks a significant turn in the long-standing political career of the New Jersey Democrat.
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Trenton NJ, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) today announced the filing of criminal charges against six defendants following a years-long investigation into a criminal enterprise run by George E. Norcross III and his associates in South Jersey and elsewhere. The thirteen-count indictment unsealed today alleges that through a series of unlawful acts, the Norcross Enterprise obtained property and property rights on the Camden Waterfront for itself and others, collected millions of dollars in government-issued tax credits, and controlled and influenced government officials to further the interests of the enterprise.
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Trenton NJ, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) today announced criminal charges have been filed against two members of the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) Board of Commissioners, after they allegedly colluded to block payments to an engineering firm as political retaliation in connection with a feud between a South Jersey Democratic Party leader and a Mercer County Commissioner.
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Ridgewood NJ, we are awaiting the findings on soil testing at Schedler for dangerous contamination, and the recommendations of the New Jersey Department of environmental protection.
Continue reading Ridgewood Village Manager Co-hosted Political Fundraiser with NJDEP Commissioner
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Trenton NJ, the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), once heralded as a national gold standard for providing open access to public data and government documents, has been drastically weakened. With a swift stroke of Governor Phil Murphy’s pen this week, OPRA and government transparency suffered a severe setback.
Continue reading Phil Murphy Guts New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA)
