Trenton NJ, Democrat Phil Murphy ,New Jersey’s new governor says he’ll be accepting the job’s $175,000-a-year salary. Murphy a multimillionaire and former Wall Street executive who earned his fortune working at Goldman Sachs , will not match what even the failed Democrat Jon Corzine did . Corzine also a wealthy alumni of Goldman Sachs took only a $1-per-year salary.
When asked the new Governor declined Wednesday to take further questions about his salary from the media . His 2016 taxes showed he earned a mere $4.6 million, mostly from interest and dividends.
“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ” Winston Churchill.
Put another way, truth does not equate to nastiness and yes, some countries are indeed shitholes. By any reasonable metric (per capita GDP, average longevity, infant mortality, hours per day the electricity is on, availability of clean water, basic human rights protections, percentage of GDP stolen by politicians, nutritional intake, average educational level, percentage of the country ruled by warlords or criminal gangs, etc. etc.), Haiti, Somalia and North Korea are “shitholes”. Shitholes are usually distinguished by comparing the number of people trying (or merely wishing) to get out of the country compared to the number trying to get in. If the former is above five figures or 30 percent and the latter is approaching zero, the country probably qualifies as a shithole. Usually, shitholes have reached their wretched state because of the culture and institutions (not the skin color, but nice try at attempting to inject the hackneyed Leftist racial angle) of the people who live in them. And be honest (if you’re capable), who would be more likely to have a positive contribution to the United States in terms of employability (aka “self-sufficiency”) and taxes paid vs. benefits consumed, someone from the countries listed above or someone from Norway (not exclusively, that was simply the leader Trump had just met with). Either way, this question is above Mayor Packer’s pay grade and he has absolutely nothing to say about who moves to Glen Rock. That is determined by the means of the person who rents or buys there, which usually excludes people who emigrate from shitholes. He should stick to his knitting and just make sure the potholes get filled in on time. As for you, if your bleeding heart keeps you up at night,, sponsor a family in a qualifying country (as I have for a family in Guatemala for 25+ years). But don’t ask the rest of us to do what you won’t just because your party’s policies always fail and you simply want to nullify our suffrage with the votes of the eternally-dependent.
The law suit alleges the famed “double dipper” and “party changer” Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino retaliated against Frank Carrafiello and other officers who investigated the soil remediation project. The suit names not only Saudino, but the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office , the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Bergen county government .
The suit claims that Sheriff Saudino demoted officers, forced others to retire and changed the assignments of those officers who investigated the remediation.
The New Jersey Sierra Club and Mahwah officials outlined the contamination at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute. They also said the county allegedly announced lead bullet casing and other potentially toxic materials to be dumped on the site for about a year.
Jeff Tittel, executive director of the Sierra Club, said the materials oxidized and broke down, possibly seeping into the groundwater and nearby streams, the Ramapo River and the Ramapo Aquifer, which provides drinking water to thousands of people.
A Bergen County spokeswoman claims in April that County Executive James Tedesco’s administration “took swift and immediate action upon learning of the potential environmental issue at the Law and Public Safety Institute shooting range located in Mahwah.”
I am the original poster and I am VERY aware of which NJ residents get hurt by this bill.
These are the same NJ residents that Obama forced a tax hike on in 2010. These are the same NJ residents that NJ Democrats are chomping at the bits to hike taxes on.
These NJ residents are hurt in the new tax bill because NJ Democrats bleed them dry at the state level. Someone earning the same amount in Texas is going to get a net tax cuts.
Repeat after me – these NJ residents are being looted by Democrats, such as Josh Gottheimer.
Ridgewood NJ, an amazing headline today from the Ridgewood News , especially when you take into account the one sided journalistic arse kissing and one sided reporting that often take place on their pages . The Ridgewood News like most of New Jersey’s media have been open cheerleaders , excuse makers and supporters for corruption and dishonestly in this ethically challenged state . It’s about time and we say welcome to the real world .
Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco , “This afternoon I was joined by my colleagues on the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, along with representatives from USUW 755, USUW 655, and the Executive Director of New Jersey Working Families Analilia Mejia, to announce and sign Executive Order No. 2017-01, officially making Bergen County the first county in the state of New Jersey to adopt a $15 minimum wage for its full time county workers.
Good people are essential to good government, and good managers understand that their employees need to be valued. County employees who put in 40 hours or more every week, in service to their friends and neighbors throughout Bergen County, deserve and have earned a $15 minimum wage. It is important to me that we do this for our workers in time for holidays.”
While the reality is most employers cannot simply raise prices to cover the higher minimum wage, particularly in the competitive services sector. … But a preponderance of evidence has shown that there are no positive effects on employment of low-skilled workers that offset the negative effects from an increase in the minimum wage.
Look for more automation , layoffs , business closings ,less full time work and even less opportunities for starter jobs in Bergen county.
Ridgewood NJ, According to recent filings with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) , the New Jersey Education Association spent about $5.7 million in union dues on the recent general election. It did so through Garden State Forward, a Super PAC (political action committee) that the teachers union founded four years ago.
The amount spent was almost seven times more than the NJEA spent from voluntary donations to its regular PAC. NJEA communications director Steve Baker confirmed that all the roughly $5.7 million came from membership dues. Many NJEA members erroneously believe teachers union spent only funds from voluntary donations on recent political battles .
photo Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr.,Senator Bob Menendez, Nellie Pou, and Jose “Joey” Torres.
November 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paterson NJ, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that Jose “Joey” Torres, the former mayor of Paterson, N.J, was sentenced to prison today for directing that city employees perform work at a private warehouse leased by his daughter and nephew while the employees were being paid by the city. Three former supervisors in the Paterson Department of Public Works also were sentenced today.
Torres, 59, of Paterson, N.J., was sentenced today to five years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Sheila Venable in Hudson County. Torres pleaded guilty on Sept. 22 to a charge of second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct. As a result of his guilty plea, he forfeited his position as mayor and is permanently barred from public office and public employment in New Jersey. He is jointly and severally liable with his co-defendants for paying restitution of $10,000 to the City of Paterson for payments, including overtime payments, made to city workers for the time they spent working at the private warehouse.
The following three co-defendants pleaded guilty on Sept. 22 to third-degree conspiracy charges and each was sentenced today by Judge Venable to a three-year term of probation:
Joseph Mania, 51, of Randolph, N.J., Supervisor, Paterson DPW Facilities Division;
Imad Mowaswes, 53, of Clifton, N.J., Supervisor, Paterson DPW Traffic Division; and
Timothy Hanlon, 31, of Woodland Park, N.J., Assistant Supervisor, Paterson DPW Facilities Division.
Those men also forfeited their jobs with the city and are permanently barred from public employment.
Deputy Bureau Chief Jeffrey Manis and Deputy Attorneys General Cynthia Vazquez and Peter Baker prosecuted the case and handled the sentencing for the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau. The defendants were indicted in an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau and the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau North Squad.
“Joey Torres corruptly used his vast power as mayor of New Jersey’s third-largest city to serve his own selfish ends, when he should have been serving the residents of Paterson,” said Attorney General Porrino. “Torres thought he was above the law and is now on his way to prison. This prison sentence demonstrates that nobody is above the law, least of all public officials who brazenly abuse the authority entrusted to them.”
“By unlawfully using on-the-clock city workers to assist with a family business, Mayor Torres put his own interests ahead of the interests of city residents and compromised the integrity of his office,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Public corruption takes many forms, but it always has the corrosive impact of undermining good government and public trust. We will continue to make these cases a top priority.”
“Torres betrayed many staff and colleagues who unknowingly believed in him, but his betrayal of the residents of Paterson, whom he was entrusted to serve, is by far the worst of all,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “I commend the State Police Official Corruption North Bureau and their partners for bringing justice to the people of Paterson.”
The investigation revealed that, at Mayor Torres’ behest and under his supervision, Mania, Mowaswes and Hanlon performed work and/or assigned subordinate employees of the Department of Public Works (DPW) to perform work at a private warehouse facility at 82 East 15th St. in Paterson. The facility was leased by “Quality Beer,” a limited liability company formed by Torres’ daughter and his nephew. The tasks performed by the DPW workers included renovation, painting, carpentry, and electrical work. The work was performed on various dates between July 2014 and April 2015, while the three supervisors and other DPW workers were “on the clock” working for and being paid by the City of Paterson. The daughter and nephew intended to use the warehouse as a wholesale liquor distribution facility, but they ultimately terminated the lease after failing to obtain the necessary permits and license from the state.
The investigation further revealed that Mania, in his capacity as a DPW supervisor, caused false time-keeping records to be submitted to the city, including overtime verification forms and bi-weekly timesheets. These records falsely stated that Mania and other DPW employees were working overtime details on legitimate city projects, when, in fact, Mania knew that he and the other employees spent at least part of these overtime shifts working at the private warehouse. By submitting and signing off on these timekeeping records and authorizing the overtime details, Mania caused the city to make overtime payments to himself and other employees for hours spent performing private work for the mayor and his relatives, with no connection to any legitimate city business. Mania’s co-defendants, including the mayor, also were charged with falsifying these records as accomplices and co-conspirators.
Newark NJ, the Jurors in the bribery trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and a wealthy friend Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen could hear new instructions from the judge Wednesday as they resume deliberations.
The jury finished Tuesday without reaching a unanimous verdict on any of the 18 counts against the New Jersey Democrat .Deliberations began last week, but the jury was forced to be restarted on Monday after a juror was excused for a previously scheduled vacation and was replaced by an alternate.
The Jurors have since remained deadlocked, but were told to keep going and to “take as much time as you need.” by U.S. District Judge William Walls .
The New Jersey Senator is being charge with accepting an abundance of campaign donations, gifts and vacations from Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist. In return, he used his position to lobby on behalf of Melgen’s business interests, according to prosecutors.
Melgen allegedly directed more than $750,000 in campaign contributions to entities that supported Menendez, according to the indictment, which prosecutors said were inducements to get Menendez to use his influence on Melgen’s behalf. Prosecutors have also accused Menendez of trying to hide the gifts.
Melgen paid for Menendez and his girlfriend to stay for three nights at a Parisian hotel where rooms typically cost about $1,500 per night and allowed the senator the use of his private jet, according to prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors said that Menendez “sold his office for a lifestyle that he couldn’t afford.”
The indictment also alleged that Menendez pressured State Department officials to give visas to three young women described as Melgen’s girlfriends.
Menendez has vehemently denied the accusations against him and claimed that he and Melgen have been friends since before the former became a senator, and the trips were nothing more than friends traveling together
Ridgewood NJ, Per Democrats’ / Murphy’s proposal, marginal tax rate on incomes above $1MM will be 10.75%.
Below are the top two tax brackets in NY state and NJ state:
NY
$321,050+ 6.85%
$2,140,900+ 8.82%
NJ
$500,000+ 8.97%
$1,000,000+ 10.75%
For a family with income between $500k and $1MM, the NJ tax is 2.12% higher than the NY tax.
For a family with income between $1MM and $2MM, the NJ tax will not be 3.90% higher than the NY tax.
No doubt, people already settled in NJ with friends etc will not suddenly bolt for NY. But for a family currently living in NYC/Brooklyn/Hoboken (typical Ridgewood pipeline), Westchester suddenly became a MUCH better option than Bergen country. And this is before we even compared the miserable commute from NJ to direct MTA train service from Westchester.
With negative incentive to move to NJ, property values (especially in Bergen County) will track what is happening in Fairfield country in Connecticut right now.
Absurdly enough, a majority of Ridgewood residents have voted in favor of the destruction of their own town (in more ways than one).
Murray Sabrin
Professor of Finance at Ramapo College
Regarding “State senate president plans to push tax bill,” (Nov. 9, page 1A). The people of New Jersey spoke loud and clear on election night. They want state government to spend more of their money. Not really their money, just upper income folks who make up a small percentage of the population. And they want Trenton to expand its already overbearing micromanagement of the economy.
Senate president Stephen Sweeney announced that he will put a “millionaire’s tax” on the front burner when the legislature convenes after Governor-elect Phil Murphy takes office in January.
Raising taxes on millionaires is another example of why government is like Willie Sutton, the notorious bank robber who was asked why he robbed banks, he replied, “That’s where the money is.” Phil Murphy and Democrats are legal versions of Willie Sutton.
Higher taxes on upper income taxpayers will cause any out of state high-income individual, business owner, or corporate executive to think twice about relocating to New Jersey. In other words, we will never how many upper income folks will not move to New Jersey because of the highest marginal taxes Murphy is so hot to increase. In addition, how many people and businesses will leave New Jersey because of higher income taxes? We will soon find out.
The proposed tax increases on millionaires will eventually hit middle-income families, because that is how big government proponents operate—tax the smallest number of families first, then go after where the big bucks are, the middle class.
As H.L. Mencken remarked decades ago, “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. “
River Vale, NJ , Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi has had enough ,on Facebook she says , “Sometimes you have to fight back. When you have no platform, positions or plans, you lie about pretty much everything. This isn’t “politics” as usual. It’s intentionally and maliciously defaming someone in an effort to destroy a person’s reputation.”
Schepisi Attorney Gibbons PC Director Thomas J. Cafferty fired off a letter on behalf of the incumbent Republican Assemblywoman to the Committee to Elect Linda Schwager, Jannie Chung and Annie Hausmann.
Cafferty stated in the letter that the Democrats have published, or have caused to be published, various political advertisements containing false and defamatory statements about Schepisi, including: (1) an advertisement dated October 13, 2017, which contains fictitious quotes regarding the Sandy Hook shooting that are falsely attributed to his client; and (2) an advertisement dated October 27, 2017, which depicts images of men with machine guns and includes the statement “Auth and Schepisi have headlined events hosted by the head of a domestic terrorist militia.”
“On behalf of Ms. Schepisi, I hereby demand that you and any and all of your employees, representatives and/or agents, immediately cease and desist the publication of the above-referenced advertisements and any and all other false and defamatory statements about Ms. Schepisi,” Cafferty wrote. “I also insist that you retract the above-referenced advertisements and any and all other false and defamatory statements that you have published about Ms. Schepisi in at least as prominent a location and in the same manner as the original advertisements were published, with a copy to me.”
The attorney also warned about the sanctioning of an unprivileged, false and a defamatory statement concerning his plaintiff, communicated to a third party with the requisite level of fault and which causes damage. See Govito v. W. Jersey Health System, Inc., 332 N.J. Super. 293, 305-06 (App. Div. 2000).
“he level of fault when the statement concerns a public official or public figure, like Ms. Schepisi, is actual malice, which is the knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for the truth,” Cafferty said. “Durando v. Nutley Sun, 209 N.J. 235, 249 (2012). In other words, the actual malice standard is satisfied when the publisher of the statement entertained serious doubts as to the truth of that statement. St. Amant v. Thompson, 390 U.S. 727, 731 (1968).”
The attorney noted that Schepisi advised the Democrats on multiple occasions that the statements contained in their advertisements are false.
“You have, however, ignored Ms. Schepisi. Consequently, you have published these advertisements with reckless disregard for the truth of the statements contained therein and with the requisite knowledge of falsity,” Cafferty wrote. “If you do not cease publication of any and all false and defamatory statements about Ms. Schepisi, I will have no choice but to advise my client of all legal remedies available to her including, without limitation, instituting a lawsuit against you.”
District 39 is Bergen and Passaic counties; Bloomingdale, Closter, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Mahwah, Montvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, Ramsey, Ringwood, River Vale, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Wanaque, Washington (Bergen), Westwood, Woodcliff Lake .
Paul Vagianos (D) A Democrat running mate for State Assemble in the 40th District that’s who Paul is refereed to in the article….
So this is the type of candidate that wants to run local Government, A individual who can not follow Building dept, Codes, Village Zoning/Planing Codes, Village Ordinances and State laws of set back. HE Feels “HE” is above the LAW.
This is Who has a Mayor and Counsel scared of him! Because of POWER! What about the residence and other Proprietors that are in the Village, they have to follow Zoning/Planing and local building codes! State and county ordinances and set back laws.
I just spoke with the Building inspector Carlos this morning and he stated there was never a permit issued for this wall or nor was there ever any inspections and refereed me to the Zoning/Planing office. I spoke to a nice women who answered the phone, I had asked for the Zoning officer but she stated she could help me she was very knowledgeable about the whole chain of events of this wall. It was a wood wall prior and they removed the wood and built what is there today not sure as to the date, No prior approvals and the Owner was sued by the Village of Ridgewood. They eventually applied to the Planing/Zoning board and was passed by the board (quote from Women in Planing/Zoning dept., I don’t quite know how that was approved).
So there have never been any required permits or inspections and they were never asked to remove the wall. Why is this!
If someone were to be hurt by the wall coming down or a car were to hit it I SEE A MAJOR LAWSUIT HERE, an unsafe non permitted structure!
You be the JUDGE……I see unfair politics at its worst,,,,people afraid of people with power.
Ridgewood NJ, in the Tax Foundation’s annual comparison of state business climates New Jersey has once again ranked at the bottom of U.S. states as it has since at least 2015.
While neighboring states Delaware 15, Pennsylvania 26, Connecticut 44 , and New York 49.
The think tank ranked New Jersey 36th in unemployment insurance tax, 42nd in corporate business taxes, 46th in sales taxes, 48th in individual income taxes and dead last in number 50 in property taxes.
Joining New Jersey at the bottom of the ranking were New York, California, Vermont, Minnesota, Ohio, Connecticut, Maryland, Louisiana and Rhode Island.
Over two million people left New Jersey between 2005 and 2014, taking billions of dollars in income and economic activity with them, according to a state business group that blames high taxes for the exodus. Is anybody listening ?
Speaking of the wall, did anyone see the summary of Vagianos’ housing comments as they appeared in the Ridgewood News? I am hoping they were mis-reported, but as I read them, he won’t comment on his view of the multi-family housing debacle in our state because the Courts are dealing with it.
Has he never taken high school civics? Legislators legislate and judges interpret.
If he does not understand his role as a legislator in our tri-partite government, he should drop out of the race now and go back to school for a while.
I would like to hear Vagianous’ view on housing – – as well as the view of all the candidates – – and what legislation they would support or introduce to roll back these court ordered mandates that are threatening to strangle towns like Ridgewood.
We face the prospect of thousands of apartments being forced into our town and surrounding towns. Anyone running for office must have a view – – a firm view – – not a mealy mouthed missive about how they don’t view it as their job to protect the standard of living for which their fellow citizens worked so hard.
This is the single most important issue we face and we need decisive leadership on the issue, not dithering.
