Here’s something that many Americans — including some of the smartest and most educated among us — don’t know: The official unemployment rate, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, is extremely misleading.
Right now, we’re hearing much celebrating from the media, the White House and Wall Street about how unemployment is “down” to 5.6%. The cheerleading for this number is deafening. The media loves a comeback story, the White House wants to score political points and Wall Street would like you to stay in the market.
None of them will tell you this: If you, a family member or anyone is unemployed and has subsequently given up on finding a job — if you are so hopelessly out of work that you’ve stopped looking over the past four weeks — the Department of Labor doesn’t count you as unemployed. That’s right. While you are as unemployed as one can possibly be, and tragically may never find work again, you are not counted in the figure we see relentlessly in the news — currently 5.6%. Right now, as many as 30 million Americans are either out of work or severely underemployed. Trust me, the vast majority of them aren’t throwing parties to toast “falling” unemployment.
There’s another reason why the official rate is misleading. Say you’re an out-of-work engineer or healthcare worker or construction worker or retail manager: If you perform a minimum of one hour of work in a week and are paid at least $20 — maybe someone pays you to mow their lawn — you’re not officially counted as unemployed in the much-reported 5.6%. Few Americans know this.
file photo by Boyd Loving
By Erin Petenko | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 17, 2016 at 1:16 PM, updated November 17, 2016 at 3:25 PM
More than 200,000 residents left New Jersey last year, new Census data shows.
The state lost 17,000 more people than it gained back, as residents left for other states and overseas, according to the 2015 American Community Survey. The loss could signal potential future issues with its population and economy.
New Jersey residents — 227,000 of them — abandoned the state ranked dead last in income growth last year, and with the highest property taxes.
Most of what the state gained back came from foreign immigration, which netted the state 62,000 new residents last year. Earlier data suggests that many of those immigrants come from Asia, as the region accounted for 45 percent of new foreign migrants in 2014.
Some data has indicated that source of the population is falling as well, since better job growth in other states has led immigrants to choose more welcoming areas.
Births in New Jersey, though declining, are still high enough to replace the loss of migrants. But the coming decades could see an era of shrinking population and the economic problems that come with it.
Poor population growth is closely tied with economic issues. New Jersey relies on an influx of residents to grow its industries and contribute to government services.
Ridgewood NJ, Trump Administration rolls out ambitious policy goals . Some of the features are: “Building That Wall”, End “War On Coal”, Repeal Obamacare, Dismantle Dodd-Frank.
The Trump Administration index:
Making America Secure Again
Defense & National Security
Immigration Reform & Building The Wall
Energy Independence
overhaul in immigration policies, including “Building that Wall” , the Trump transition team will “execute on the following ten-point plan to restore integrity to our immigration system, protect our communities, and put America first” – i) Build a Wall on the Southern Border; ii) End Catch-and-Release; iii) Zero Tolerance for Criminal Aliens; iv) Block Funding for Sanctuary Cities; v) Cancel Unconstitutional Executive Orders & Enforce All Immigration Laws; vi) Suspend the Issuance of Visas to Any Place Where Adequate Screening Cannot Occur; vii) Ensure that Other Countries Take Their People Back When We Order Them Deported; viii) Finally Complete the Biometric Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System; ix) Turn Off the Jobs and Benefits Magnet
promoting a strong, robust military force to defend against the “threat posed to our nation and our allies by radical ideologies that direct and inspire terrorism.” The administration will push for immediate and sustainable actions to counter the threats posed by radical ideologies; will address the “catastrophic threats posed by nuclear weapons and cyber attacks” and will “ensure our strategic nuclear triad is modernized to ensure it continues to be an effective deterrent, and his Administration will review and minimize our nation’s infrastructure vulnerabilities to cyber threats.”
dismantling and replacing of the Dodd-Frank Act financial-sector law with pro-growth policies. This means that banks will be allowed to not only engage in prop trading again, but to invest directly in hedge funds. “The Dodd-Frank economy does not work for working people. Bureaucratic red tape and Washington mandates are not the answer,” says statement on Trump’s official transition website.
changing the tax code: policies since President Obama took office “have been blocked in one way or another” by Democratic opposition, the transition website says in section outlining “tax reform/economic vision.” It adds that “a Trump administration tax plan can be summarized as lower, simpler, fairer, and pro-growth.” as the website summarizes “a Trump Administration tax plan can be summarized as lower, simpler, fairer, and pro-growth.”
addressing the millions of American jobs that have been lost over the last decade “because of trade deals that do not put Americans first.” The administration will “reverse decades of policies that have pushed jobs out of our country” by making it more desirable for companies to stay, create jobs here, pay taxes here, and rebuild the economy. The new Administration will make it more desirable for companies to stay, create jobs here, pay taxes here, and rebuild our economy. Our workers and the communities that support them will thrive again, as more and more companies compete to set up manufacturing in the U.S., to hire our young people and give them hope and a real shot at prosperity again. America will become, once more, a destination for jobs, production and innovation and will once more show economic leadership in the world.
fixing education: Trump will advance policies to support learning-and-earning opportunities at the state and local levels for approximately 70 million school-age students, 20 million post-secondary students, and 150 million working adults, To achieve this, Trump will promote high-quality early childhood, magnet, STEAM or theme-based programs; expansion of choice through charters, vouchers, and teacher-driven learning models; and relief from U.S. Department of Education regulations that inhibit innovation.
restructuring US energy policies including ending the “war on coal”: “make full use” of both renewable and tradition energy sources. “America will unleash an energy revolution that will transform us into a net energy exporter, leading to the creation of millions of new jobs, while protecting the country’s most valuable resources –- our clean air, clean water, and natural habitats,” the website says. “The Trump administration is firmly committed to conserving our wonderful natural resources and beautiful natural habitats.” The transition team also vows to open onshore and offshore leasing for federal land and waters for fossil fuel producers, streamline energy permitting, end “war on coal.” The site also pledges “top-down review of all anti-coal regulations issued by the Obama administration.”
“Repeal Obamacare” – the Trump administration will work with Congress to repeal Affordable Care Act with replacement that “returns the historic role in regulating health insurance to the states,” according to transition plan released Thursday. Replacement would include promotion of Health Savings Accounts and option to buy insurance across states lines. The transition team also says it will act to “protect innocent human life from conception to natural death, including the most defenseless and those Americans with disabilities” and “modernize Medicare, so that it will be ready for the challenges with the coming retirement of the Baby Boom generation – and beyond.”
protect Americans’ constitutional rights: the Trump administration will veto legislation that exceeds Congressional authority, take actions as Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief that are consistent with his constitutional role, and nominate Judges and Supreme Court Justices who are committed to interpreting the Constitution and laws according to their original public meaning. Trump says “he will defend Americans’ fundamental rights to free speech, religious liberty, keeping and bearing arms, and all other rights guaranteed to them in the Bill of Rights and other constitutional provisions.” He hopes to minimize the role of government including the “Tenth Amendment guarantee that many areas of governance are left to the people and the States, and are not the role of the federal government to fulfill.” (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-10/trump-reveals-policy-goals-building-wall-end-war-coal-repeal-obamacare-dismantle-dod )
JOB POSTING – MANAGER – PARKS AND GROUNDS POSITION – DECEMBER 19
NOTICE OF MANAGER PARKS AND GROUNDS POSITION
The Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation is internally posting the full-time position of Manager Parks and Grounds.
Job duties and responsibilities include supervision of work involved in maintaining and caring for all park properties and village trees. Applicant must have three (3) year’s experience, in grounds/shade tree maintenance (ISA Certification Preferred) and possess a CDL Class B. The Village of Ridgewood is an EOE and Civil Service Community.
Send resume with letter of intent and copies of all valid licenses to: Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 or by Email to [email protected]. Please note resumes will be accepted through 5 pm, Monday, December 19, 2016.
We still haven’t seen the economic recovery that we were promised after the financial crisis of 2008 left so many people with no job, no savings, and no hope for the future.
Immediately following the crisis, big government sprung into action and made things worse. It spent more money, created more onerous rules and regulation, and did nothing to fix the broken tax code.
Bailouts and stimulus spending added trillions of dollars to the national debt, Dodd-Frank and ObamaCare created more costly regulations on the American people, and Washington special interests continue to seek out carve-outs and favors in the tax code. The cumulative result of these actions is the slowest and weakest economic recovery we’ve seen in decades.
People are taking jobs that pay far less than they used to make, Millennials live with their parents because they can’t start their careers, and families are worried about their financial future. We cannot continue down this path.
A strong economy can only be built on a strong foundation that grows from the bottom-up. Main Street—not Washington or Wall Street—needs to be empowered to drive this economy. Here’s how I’m working to help:
Cut wasteful spending – With our national debt quickly approaching $20 trillion, it’s clear that Washington has a spending problem. My amendment to the budget that called on the House to find an additional $30 billion in spending cuts was the only one that passed this year.
Limit the rules and regulations coming from Washington – This year alone, over 80,000 pages of new regulations were added to the federal registry, costing each family thousands of dollars in compliance costs. I support the REINS Act that would force a vote in Congress on any regulation that would cost more than $100 million. Additionally, the Financial Services Committee where I serve has introduced the Financial CHOICE Act to make it easier for people to reach their financial goals.
Fix the tax code and special interest carve-outs – The tax code is broken and needs to be fixed. Special interests continue to seek carve outs through their connections in Washington while average Americans suffer the consequences. I support a plan that would simplify the tax code, close loopholes, and keep more money in the pockets of New Jersey families.
Economic recovery doesn’t start in Washington—it starts right here in New Jersey. Given the choice, I’ll choose the hardworking people of this state over any of the bureaucrats in Washington, and I’ll continue to fight to put the people here back in control of their financial future.
Ridgewood NJ, Josh Gottheimer and the rest of the Hillary Clinton Democrats on Column Two continue to support this disastrous Obamacare plan that has sent both premiums and deductibles skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, businesses in New Jersey face continued uncertainty about the future and have responded by reducing full-time workers to 29 hours to avoid the ACA mandate.
The only way to end ObamaCare is with your solid support for Donald Trump and Mike Pence for President and Vice President, and by keeping Scott Garrett in Congress. Who are all strongly in favor of repealing Obamacare .
Ridgewood NJ, In 4 days, millions of Americans will go to the polls to decided everything from local ballot questions to the next President of the United States.
This year has been a busy one for tax policy. Throughout this year’s election, every major presidential candidate put forth a comprehensive tax plan (in some cases more than one), and at the state and local level, a number of tax policy proposals have made it on to ballots, some of which would be momentous if passed.
All of this can be difficult to keep track of and even harder to understand. The Tax Foundation has worked hard over the past year to provide Ridgewood blog readers and the media with the most accurate, timely, and accessible information possible on the tax policies being proposed.
To that end, here are 3 resources that we hope you and other taxpayers will find useful before entering the voting booth next week:
Our guide to the top state and local tax ballot initiatives to watch in 2016
Given the cool reception Airbnb has received in New York State, tech companies might want to consider relocating across the river.
That’s the argument advanced by the New Jersey Tech Council, a 20-year old industry group that will on Tuesday release an open letter to the “New York tech community” urging it to consider the Garden State.
“I would like to formally invite you to start, grow, and build your business in the Garden State,” writes NJ Tech Council president and CEO James Barrood in a letter that cites Mayor Bill de Blasio’s failed effort to temporarily cap Uber’s growth and Airbnb’s troubles in Albany as evidence of a tendency on the part of New York officials to “shield legacy industries from the disruptive forces of technology.”
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD is seeking an individual to fill the Civil Service position of P/T Assistant Personnel Technician. The Professional will assist in reviewing and making recommendations for establishment and improvement of HR policies, procedures and practices; must have exp. as HR professional in public sector as well as knowledge of Civil Service; a SPHR or PHR certification is pref’d. Send detailed cover letter and resume to: Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450. Application deadline: 11/14/16. Village of Ridgewood is EOE.
JOB POSTING – ASSISTANT WATER SUPERINTENT
The Village of Ridgewood is seeking an Assistant Water Superintendent for the Water Distribution Facility. Qualified individual must minimally have current NJDEP W-2, and the ability to advance to W-3 or higher licenses in the future. Strong leadership skills required, as well as at least 5 years’ experience in water distribution maintenance, repair, upkeep, and operation, and at least 2 years’ supervisory experience. Please send resume and salary requirements to Sharyn Matthews, HR Director, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 [email protected]
JOB POSTING – ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Administrative Assistant to Director of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch, located in Ridgewood, NJ. Perform fiscal responsibilities including payroll, purchasing, processing invoices, bank statement reconciliation, and budgeting. Experience with QuickBooks preferred. Provides clerical and administrative support including preparing mailings, entering data, preparing routine documents, correspondence, spreadsheets, and reports, creating and maintaining personnel files, maintaining office supply inventory. Must possess excellent communication skills (both verbally and in writing), strong interpersonal skills, maintain confidentiality, be well organized, and able to handle several projects simultaneously. Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required, as well as excellent keyboarding skills. Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch is EOE. Send resume and cover letter, to Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 by 11/10/16.
JOB POSTING – DISPATCH CENTER DIRECTOR
The Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch in Ridgewood, NJ, is searching for a Dispatch Center Director. Manage operations and administration of the communications center serving Ridgewood and Glen Rock, as well as other public safety jurisdictions.
Responsible for employee hiring, training, evaluation and disciplinary issues. Oversees all operational features of the Dispatch Center, including maintenance of equipment and records; develops and oversees center’s annual budget.
Minimum of a B.S. in Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Electronic Engineering, or other related field. 2 years prior experience in public safety dispatching, valid CPR cert., Emergency Medical Dispatcher Cert. and Basic Telecommunicator Cert. required. Previous supervisory experience required.
Ridgewood and Glen Rock are both EOE Employers
Send cover letter and resume, including salary requirements to:
Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk
Ridgewood NJ, Each year, parents send their sons and daughters off to college with high hopes that in four years – give or take – they will earn a degree and embark on successful careers.
But while moms and dads may fret most about grades and study habits, they can give their offspring a real boost if they also insist the students carry some of the financial burden for college, says Matt Stewart, an entrepreneur and co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), an internship program that provides practical business experience for college students.
That means getting a job – either during the school year or over the summer break, or both.
“College students are much more invested in the experience if they have to help pay for college, rather than have mom and dad take care of everything for them,” Stewart says. “There’s a natural tendency to work a little harder on classwork when at least a part of the tuition or dorm room costs come out of your own pocket.”
But beyond that personal-responsibility aspect, it’s worth noting that businesses are seeking job candidates with real-world work experience.
“Those on-the-job lessons are invaluable,” Stewart says.
For example, interns with College Works Painting operate their own house-painting business with hands-on guidance from mentors.
The benefits for students of working their way through college include:
• A regular paycheck. The rising cost of higher education has put paying the full price of college out of reach for many parents, and scholarships and grants often provide only a small percentage of the costs. The more students can pay themselves, the lower their student-loan debt will be when they enter the workforce. • Practical experience. Nothing prepares you for work like work, Stewart says. A classroom can train students on certain skills necessary for their career choice, but on-the-job experience is just as valuable. Even if a part-time job is unrelated to career aspirations, a student might learn such skills as collaboration, time management and customer relations. • Resume enhancement. One of the weaknesses recent college graduates sometimes have is their resumes can be skimpy. A few summer jobs can help tremendously, Stewart says, giving managers who might consider hiring you more confidence that you have experience beyond listening to professorial lectures and cramming for final exams. • Additional references. Hiring managers want to talk with people who know your work habits, and while it’s nice that a favorite professor or a high school football coach is willing to say good things, it’s even better to have references who can discuss relevant job skills.
“Having any job can be beneficial, but if you can you should try to land an especially challenging job or internship,” Stewart says. “When you graduate, you’re going to face stiff competition in the job market. The more you’ve been able to stretch yourself past your comfort zone and develop new skills, the greater the odds are that you’ll be the one picked out of all the applications that come pouring in.”
About Matt Stewart
Matt Stewart is co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), which provides business experience for thousands of college students each year. The award-winning program also offers high-quality house-painting services for homeowners.
Ridgewood NJ, Each year, parents send their sons and daughters off to college with high hopes that in four years – give or take – they will earn a degree and embark on successful careers.
But while moms and dads may fret most about grades and study habits, they can give their offspring a real boost if they also insist the students carry some of the financial burden for college, says Matt Stewart, an entrepreneur and co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), an internship program that provides practical business experience for college students.
That means getting a job – either during the school year or over the summer break, or both.
“College students are much more invested in the experience if they have to help pay for college, rather than have mom and dad take care of everything for them,” Stewart says. “There’s a natural tendency to work a little harder on classwork when at least a part of the tuition or dorm room costs come out of your own pocket.”
But beyond that personal-responsibility aspect, it’s worth noting that businesses are seeking job candidates with real-world work experience.
“Those on-the-job lessons are invaluable,” Stewart says.
For example, interns with College Works Painting operate their own house-painting business with hands-on guidance from mentors.
The benefits for students of working their way through college include:
• A regular paycheck. The rising cost of higher education has put paying the full price of college out of reach for many parents, and scholarships and grants often provide only a small percentage of the costs. The more students can pay themselves, the lower their student-loan debt will be when they enter the workforce. • Practical experience. Nothing prepares you for work like work, Stewart says. A classroom can train students on certain skills necessary for their career choice, but on-the-job experience is just as valuable. Even if a part-time job is unrelated to career aspirations, a student might learn such skills as collaboration, time management and customer relations. • Resume enhancement. One of the weaknesses recent college graduates sometimes have is their resumes can be skimpy. A few summer jobs can help tremendously, Stewart says, giving managers who might consider hiring you more confidence that you have experience beyond listening to professorial lectures and cramming for final exams. • Additional references. Hiring managers want to talk with people who know your work habits, and while it’s nice that a favorite professor or a high school football coach is willing to say good things, it’s even better to have references who can discuss relevant job skills.
“Having any job can be beneficial, but if you can you should try to land an especially challenging job or internship,” Stewart says. “When you graduate, you’re going to face stiff competition in the job market. The more you’ve been able to stretch yourself past your comfort zone and develop new skills, the greater the odds are that you’ll be the one picked out of all the applications that come pouring in.”
About Matt Stewart
Matt Stewart is co-founder of College Works Painting (www.collegeworks.com/about), which provides business experience for thousands of college students each year. The award-winning program also offers high-quality house-painting services for homeowners.
The only common sense was reduction in the estate tax. It should be immediately eliminated if the full gas hike is immediate. Everyone I know has already changed their domicile to Florida and “self-exiled” for 182 days per year in order to preserve their money.
Forcing those with expendable income to go elsewhere for 6 months a year hurts nj economy but you can’t explain that to some moron democrat .
The gas tax massive increase will get pissed away by the democrats who control the state legislature.
The proper way to get more bang for the buck is to allow non Union construction companies to perform the work. I see the same 3 contractors doing the majority of the work.
That explains why it costs nj 2 million per mile, the most in the USA
Ridgewood NJ,Just when you thought the 2016 presidential campaign could not get any crazier ,Hillary Clinton’s new anti-Trump poster child is literally a porn star who was accused of driving the getaway vehicle for a murder attempt and later threatening to kill a judge.
Hillary Clinton brought up Alicia Machado, who won the Miss Universe pageant owned by Trump back in 1996, during the debate on Monday night, claiming that Trump once called her “Miss Piggy” because she gained a lot of weight while representing the pageant.
The irony of Clinton accusing Trump of being abusive to women is not lost on anyone familiar with the President Clinton era so called “Bimbo Eruptions ” and the Hillary run war room looking to threaten and discredit any women who dared accuse Bill Clinton of infidelity and sometimes even rape allegations .
Alicia Machado past reads like a telenovela, including being accused of acting as an accomplice in an attempted murder,threatening to kill a judge, anal porn scenes for cash and the former Miss Universe was also reportedly the baby mama for the child of a notorious Mexican drug kingpin Gerardo Alvarez-Vazquez.
So Trump called a beauty contestant not a chess master, overweight when she gained over 50 pounds after winning the Miss Universe pageant. Not only that Trump fought with the pageant that he owned to help her keep her job ; sent her to the gym and spa in an attempt to get her back in shape after she lost many endorsement deals.
We would prefer like many that we get back to talking about jobs, trade , Obamacare , immigration ,taxes you know real issues that effect even those that live in Ridgewood .
Amid growing recognition that some students are going hungry, Rutgers-New Brunswick is the latest university in New Jersey to open a food pantry
Ramen noodles. Priced around 13 cents a bag, they’ve been a staple of college life for decades, helping the archetypal “starving student” afford tuition, housing, books, and the occasional beer. But the typical shrug in reaction to this paradigm is giving way to real concern as institutions of higher learning realize that hunger on campus is a serious problem that’s hurting students’ ability to learn.
This summer, Rutgers University-New Brunswick became the latest of at least five New Jersey colleges and universities — and more than 300 nationally — to install a free food pantry on campus. So far, about 30 students have taken advantage of Rutgers’ non-perishable goods. But the need is far greater.
A couple of months back we posted 9 charts that, at least in our minds, debunked the myth of the “Obama Recovery” despite suggestions from the administration that any such efforts were just a futile attempt at “peddling fiction” (our original post: “These Are The 9 Zero Hedge Charts Showing “Obama’s Recovery” That Angered The Washington Post”).
Turns out that Harvard likes to dabble in “fiction peddling” as well:
