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Atlantic City Gambles on School Choice

gambling-addiction
August 28,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Atlantic City NJ, with a state takeover in the air Atlantic City has had its share of bad fortunes lately and this November, when voters in A.C. head to the polls, they’ll not only decide whether to gamble on the state-wide casino gaming referendum but also vote on a pair of city-specific school choice ballot questions.
RESOLUTION TO PLACE NON-BINDING REFERENDUM QUESTIONS REGARDING SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND TAX CREDITS WHEREAS, 

The City Council of Atlantic City is empowered with the authority to submit nonbinding referendum questions to the public in order to ascertain the sentiment of legal voters; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Atlantic City hereby submits the following questions to be printed upon the official ballots to be used at the next ensuing General Election as follows: “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City to begin offering vouchers to families with children ages 6-16 so they can select the school they want their children to attend?” “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City of Atlantic City to begin offering property tax credits to families with children ages 6-16 who choose to home school?”

The non binding Atlantic City school resolution was passed unanimously by the Democrat controlled governing body . The resolution is the creation of home schooled freshman GOP Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who is also a teachers union (NJEA) member .

Amazingly if the proposal is enacted, Atlantic City would become the first municipality in New Jersey to provide school vouchers. There is currently no law in New Jersey that would allow the city to give out vouchers to parents.

Kutz told the Atlantic City Impact a local paper ,”The vouchers would be redeemable at both private and public schools, pending space, and could save the city money if more students choose to attend private schools, Kurtz said. Students leaving the Atlantic City School District for private schools would reduce the district’s budget, therefore lowering the city’s budget as council tries to stave off a state takeover”

According to their website the Atlantic City teachers union the Atlantic City Education Association
(ACEA) clearly sees school choice as a threat ,and assures its members it “is vigorously fighting against these proposals.”

The Urban Institute a Washington DC think tank takes a different tact , “Evidence indicates that school choice programs can improve the educational and life outcomes of low-income students, but not all programs are equally effective. Charter schools such as KIPP and the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy have large positive effects on the academic achievement of their (mostly disadvantaged) students.”

The Institute goes on to say , “School choice policy, like most education policy, is largely made at the state and local levels. But the federal government could allow states to enact funding systems where federal, state, and local dollars follow students to the public schools of their choice”.

Atlantic City’s gamble on the future of educational opportunities now rests on residents taking the first step and showing up on election day and making the choice for choice . Success of Atlantic City’s school choice and voucher initiative will be determined by parents , students and local administrators who can then craft educational policy that works best for the students of Atlantic City.
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American Dream ongoing nightmare

Xanadu_main_theridgewoodblog

August 12, 2016

The state can’t scrape up the money to fix the state’s roads and bridges, fully fund its schools or pay for the pensions of retired state workers. But, somehow, it found a way this week to approve an $800 million bond after previously authorizing $350 million in tax breaks for a $3.1 billion megamall in the Meadowlands.

The state’s Local Finance Board, an arm of the state Department of Community Affairs, this week approved the bond for the massive Meadowland America Dream shopping and entertainment complex, known during a previous incarnation as Xanadu. After two false starts attributable to the project’s inability to get private financing, the project was taken over in 2011 by Triple Five, a Canadian firm, nearly a decade after it was first approved.

Last week’s approval by the Local Finance Board, and the approval of a financing agreement a day earlier by the mall’s landlord, the N.J. Sports & Exposition Authority, came unaccompanied by any outrage from state lawmakers other than Michael Doherty, R-Warren.

Why the silence? Perhaps legislators didn’t want to call further attention to the irony of their providing bonding for a private venture at a time they can’t scrape up enough money for the state’s basic needs, despite having the highest property taxes in the nation.

https://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/08/12/american-dream-meadowlands-bond/88634812/

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After stinging loss, teachers’ new pension plan may begin with revenge

Steve-Sweeney-Atlantic-City-finances

By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 09, 2016 at 7:30 AM, updated August 09, 2016 at 7:56 AM

TRENTON — With a ballot question asking voters to constitutionally guarantee state payments into the public worker pension fund dead on arrival this year, the head of the state’s largest teachers’ union suggested  that Senate PresidentStephen Sweeney’s likely 2017 gubernatorial campaign will meet the same fate.

Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association, stopped short on Monday of calling Sweeney’s refusal to post the measure for a vote ahead of a Monday’s deadline to get it on the ballot this year a deal breaker.

But he was also clear about the NJEA’s priorities — more specifically, its top agenda item.

“Our No. 1 priority has been passing this constitutional amendment,” Wendell said.

“I’m telling you that we will certainly send out a questionnaire to all of the candidates and we will screen all of them,” he said. “But we are definitely going to get involved in the primaries this year.”

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/08/with_pension_guarantee_dead_states_largest_union_l.html?ath=9c46bfc08d76232bb5a5e00eeaf0bfa2#cmpid=nsltr_stryheadline

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Reader says public-sector labor unions are attempting to influence the legislative process with campaign donations? Wow, there’s a surprise!

Sweeney & Prieto

The NJEA, FOP and other public-sector labor unions are attempting to influence the legislative process with campaign donations? Wow, there’s a surprise. Union thugs have destroyed NJ’s economy and made property taxes so unreasonable that the state suffers from net migration out and an economy that lags the recovery in surrounding states. The unions and their paid-for cheerleaders in Trenton are 100% to blame, they are driven by shameless greed.

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NJEA : Plot Thickens in Monmouth as Ousted Republican Goes on the Attack

REA, ridgewoood teachers

Plot Thickens in Monmouth as Ousted Republican Goes on the Attack

Early signs that Monmouth County will be one of the crucial proving grounds for a badly wounded Republican party in 2017 emerged Friday, as former Republican Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini called for her Democratic successors to acknowledge their ties to the NJEA. Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) called for state and federal investigations of the group this week after the state’s largest teachers’ union threatened to withhold campaign cash from state Democrats. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more https://politickernj.com/2016/08/plot-thickens-in-monmouth-as-ousted-republican-goes-on-the-attack/

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Sweeney bombshell: Investigate NJEA, cops union for extortion over pension threat

Ridgewood EA teachers protest
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on August 03, 2016 at 12:16 PM, updated August 03, 2016 at 5:34 PM
 TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney said Wednesday that threats by public worker unions to withhold campaign contributions unless the Senate passes pension legislation amounts to “bribery” and “extortion” and should be investigated by state and federal officials.

At a Statehouse news conference, Sweeney (D-Gloucester) responded to reports the state’s largest teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association, told county Democratic Party chairmen it wouldn’t release campaign cash until next spring as a cudgel to force action on a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing billions of dollars in contributions to the government worker pension fund.

Sweeney also said his office received a direct threat from the president of the Fraternal Order of Police. He penned letters to the U.S. attorney and state attorney general requesting investigate the threats as violations of both state and federal bribery laws.

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/08/sweeney_calls_for_investigation_of_njea_pension_vo.html#incart_river_mobileshort_home_pop

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N.J. teachers union won’t donate to Democrats until Senate votes on pension ballot measure

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

 

The union representing New Jersey teachers has told Democratic Party leaders that it will not make any campaign contributions this year until the Senate votes on a constitutional amendment requiring that the state make quarterly payments to the public employee pension fund, a top Democratic official confirmed Tuesday. John C. Ensslin, The Record Read more

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Readers feel Ridgewood Teachers are living in the “Land of Make believe”

misterrogers02
Why are you conveniently ignoring the benefits package? Is it because that’s not in your self-interest to mention that? Add in your lifetime defined benefit pension (which current REA members only contribute 6.5% of their base salary to, rising to only 7.5% by 2018!) which you can start collecting at age 55~60 when you have enough service time. Add in the sick leave you’ve accumulated year after year. Add in your lifetime health plan which covers 96% of all medical costs, both in- and out-of-network, with $10 co-pays, with all of the above being subsidized by Ridgewood taxpayers. How is that not fair? No one in the private sector has benefits like these. That’s was supposed to be the trade-off, but now you want more wages growing faster than the 2% property cap (and inflation), too? Most Ridgewood residents think you’re asking for far too much; we’re being taxed to death to pay for this and your benefits should be diminished. Time to accept you’re in a losing position.

Your pension and health benefits are better than the private sector. That’s always been the trade-off. Teachers make less than comparable professionals in the private sector, but get an incredible retirement deal. Now your union and the NJEA are telling you that you deserve equivalent wages, too? You are getting the wrong advice. Prorate your salary for 187 days a year, add in all of your excessive benefits, and remember there are 1,100 applicants to replace you if you decide there’s a better deal elsewhere. Stop holding us hostage.

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Reader says teachers have a MUCH better deal than the median Ridgewood household

REA, ridgewoood teachers

The median HOUSEHOLD incomes in Ridgewood are $138,000… teachers work for 10 months a year with tenure in many cases, so if you annualize teacher pay for 12 months work, they get paid paid the same as an entire household at the median in Ridgewood, i.e. $118,000 for 10 months = $136,000 for 12 months, with the added safety of tenured job security. Add in:

1) taxpayer subsidized $28,000 annual family “platinum” health benefit plan, which is much better than the average private sector employer plan (equivalent to “bronze”), and has much lower premiums, $5-10 co-pays, and covers up to 96% of all billable costs; as well as,
2) defined benefit pension plans for life which TPAF members contribute less than 7.5% of their annual wages towards (still!) and start drawing at an average age of 62 in NJ which can be worth over $2 million if the retiree lives to average US lifespan; and,
3) sick leave which gets carried over year after year instead of the “use it or lose it” sick leave offered by private sector employers

It becomes very clear that teachers have a MUCH better deal than the median Ridgewood household, which pays much higher health plan co-pays and deductibles for less health benefit coverage (on average, private sector plans only cover 84% of medical expenses), loses unused sick leave that cannot be carried over, runs the risk of job loss, and contributes up to 16% of their annual wages towards defined contribution pension plans, i.e. 401(k) plans. Combined teacher benefits are already too high even for well qualified, experienced, certified, professionals… which, by the way, is not what we got from the REA in the 2015/16 academic year. We got petulant, greedy, bad faith, so-called professionals who let our kids and schools down in a multitude of ways, from recommendation letters, to after school programs and activities, to community outreach. Notice the lack of signs supporting teachers in Ridgewood; we’ve had enough.

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Readers say Ridgewood Teacher misbehavior in light of this contract dispute has gotten out of hand in terms of its spitefulness

Ridgewood EA teachers protest

Taxes are too high, why are we paying $102mn a year for schools that aren’t living up to their reputation? The teachers are a huge part of the problem here, and their “bad faith” negotiations are only making things worse. Why do they deserve better health care benefits, i.e. lower co-pays, than the taxpayers subsidizing their plans?

These teachers have lost so much credibility in our community through their actions/inactions, words, and greed. They’re riding the reputation of excellence despite not being excellent themslves – time for new educators who actually want to work with our students and help them.

This commentator is aware of a long-tenured RHS teacher in an important academic subject (won’t get any more specific than that) that was on full mail-it-in mode all year, for no good reason. Near the end of the year, it got even worse. The teacher’s students suffered needlessly, particularly grade-wise. Like, all of them. We need new blood. Teacher misbehavior in light of this contract dispute has gotten out of hand in terms of its spitefulness. Ridgewood residents and taxpayers should not allow themselves to forget this…

it’s even worse than that. The teachers recruit our own kids to fight their proxy war through indoctrination. I read a recent article in the paper about the various ‘Teachers of the Year’ nominated by students. One of Ridgewood’s teachers was complaining how anti-teacher it was in his school instead of being thankful for the nomination. He can always go to another district if he doesn’t like his six-figure 10 month job.

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The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 5 p.m.

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

BOE Meets on June 28 at 5 p.m.: Please note change of date, time.

June 27,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 5 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place. The public is invited to attend the meeting or view it live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website, or on Fios tv channel 33 or Optimum 77.

Click here to view the agenda for the June 28, 2016  Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the 2016-2017 Budget presented at the May 2, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the Full Day Kindergarten Recommendation presented to the Board at their March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

BOE-REA Negotiations

Click here to view the powerpoint presentation regarding the Fact Finder’s report and recommendations, presented at the June 6, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.Click here to view the presentation by Ms. Brogan and Mr. Morgan.

In accordance with New Jersey P.L. 2003, c. 126, the Board has made the May 16th Fact-finding Report and Recommendations public and has posted it to the District’s website.  At the June 6th Board of Education Public Meeting, the Board will discuss the report and the recommendations.  The Board will accept or reject the Fact-finder’s recommendations at that time. Click here to read the Fact Finders Report and Recommendations dated May 16, 2016.

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Reader asks what happened to Ridgewood’s Tradition of Excellence?

Tradition_of_excellence_theridgewoodblog

That is how the real world works! The taxpayers are irritated because our district is one of the highest paying in the entire state and the quality of education is lagging – what happened to the Tradition of Excellence? The entire system of education needs to be revisited. Tenure should be abolished although nepotism will still cause problems just as it does in the private sector. Angry masses, as you refer to the taxpayers, simply want value for their tax dollars and are tired of demands by public servants for better benefits and salary increases than what is acceptable in the real world. I am starting to believe educators live in a protective bubble. You chose the teaching profession, hopefully out of a love of learning and children knowing that you could earn a decent living but not get rich. If money was your main motivation you should have considered a different path. Nurses, para-professionals, retail managers with the same level of education do not earn as much as teachers and do not enjoy the generous benefits including time off and generous pensions. Don’t tell me those professions don’t work as hard as you. You are not as special as you think.

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Teachers claim the Ridgewood Board of Education has refused to meet with the new state appointed Super Conciliator

REA, ridgewoood teachers

BOE has not made an offer.. on the contrary;
The Ridgewood Board of Education has refused to meet with the new state appointed Super Conciliator assigned to mediate the contract impasse.

The REA and BOE were recently assigned a state appointed Super Conciliator. This past Tuesday he offered three available dates of June 21, June 23, and June 27. The REA quickly informed the Super Conciliator and the BOE that they would make themselves available all three dates.

On Thursday, the BOE’s attorney sent an email to the Super Conciliator requesting dates after July 6 due an upcoming meeting of the SEHBP Commission where 2017 premium rate increases will be discussed. They also “heard” that the elimination of Direct 10 is an anticipated topic of discussion for the same meeting. They feel that both issues are key to resolving the current impasse.

#1. The commission doesn’t have the ability to eliminate a plan. That is done by the SEHBP design team which is not meeting until the Fall. Is it the Board’s intention to keep delaying negotiating until after the start of the new school year?

#2. Rates discussed will be recommendations and probably will not be adopted until another meeting later in the summer or closer to the Fall. Those are the rates which would be implemented on January 1, 2017.
REMINDER: The Fact Finder’s report had no change in healthcare plan and took into consideration the BOE’s projected premium increases which they budgeted at 10%. The Fact Finder’s report proved they could keep status quo health plan and settle this contract while balancing their budget under the 2% cap – without any additional increase in taxes. This upcoming meeting has no bearing on the Fact Finder’s recommendations which is the basis of the next round of mediation

#4. Delaying the process creates concern for finding availability of dates from the Super Conciliator that will work when trying to coordinate vacation and summer work schedules.

The BOE informed the public at their last meeting that they were willing to meet anytime with the REA to work towards settling this contract. Apparently that simply was not true. There is now an opportunity to meet with the new state appointed mediator as early as next week. Their refusal to meet is further indication of their lack of desire to settle a contract.

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Readers say Support our students, support Ridgewood taxpayers, and support the BOE

Ridgewood EA teachers protest

I agree with the above. System has to be changed. No more using the last few years of highest earnings to determine pension payout – should be average of working years. No more pensions for part timers. If taxes are raised any more, anyone who is able to move will even if they wanted to stay. No more platinum health care unless the workers pay more for it if they choose. Don’t get me started on teachers … most believe they are a special class of worker and have the hardest jobs in the world. No, not an easy job but I am not seeing the dedication in the profession that I remember seeing in teachers I had as a child. I stand with our BOE and draw the line for providing benefits better than the private sector offers.

Just got an update from my financial advisor saying my wife and I need to save $366,000 for health care insurance in retirement because Medicare will only cover 51% of total costs after 65. Long-term care costs can run up to $1,680 A WEEK. And 45% of retirees are expected to pay more than 20% of their income on health care by 2040. Yet teachers, cops and firefighters just expect taxpayers to subsidize their “platinum” health benefits year after year, including those who take “special” early retirements as early as their 40s. It’s sickening, and we can’t afford to be paying for better health plan benefits for public sector workers than we get ourselves. Christie and the Ridgewoid BOE are fighting for taxpayers – we must support them against the lies and misinformation being spread by the REA and the full-time Union lawyers and lobbyists behind them from the NJEA. Support our students, support Ridgewood taxpayers, and support the BOE