Personal income in 42 states fell in 2009, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
Nevada’s 4.8% plunge was the steepest, as construction and tourism industries took a beating. Also hit hard: Wyoming, where incomes fell 3.9%.
Incomes stayed flat in two states and rose in six and the District of Columbia. West Virginia had the best showing with a 2.1% increase. In Maine, Kentucky and Hawaii, increased government benefits, such as unemployment insurance and Social Security, offset drops in earnings and property values.
Nationally, personal income from wages, dividends, rent, retirement plans and government benefits declined 1.7% last year, unadjusted for inflation. One bright spot: As the economy recovered, personal income was up in all 50 states in the fourth quarter compared with the third. Connecticut, again, had the highest per capita income of the 50 states at $54,397 in 2009. Mississippi ranked lowest at $30,103.
>I am sick of teachers whining about these cuts. The fact is that every other industry has been hit with hard choices during this recession including layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts, pay freezes, early retirement, etc.
Its time the teachers suck it up and deal like the rest of us had to. There is no reason for residents to have to pay MORE in taxes just to support the teachers while they are being laid off, and having pay cuts. I can’t afford higher taxes with my job freeze and the poor job economy. I am not against education at all, and I understand that teachers have a big responsibility to educate our future leaders, I am just asking them to consolidate and become more efficient like all those in the public and other private sectors have had to do.
And to not go on whining about it, while they are one of the last sectors to be affected at all. The reason so many residents don’t agree with you is because we all had to deal with these cuts in our own jobs, and we don’t need to hear you whine on about it. Please, please think of ways to make the education more efficient instead of wasting that energy whining to the public who have turned a deaf ear to those whines. Creative ideas for educational consolidation and efficiencies can perhaps then save your jobs, your pensions, and your pay increases.
>Honorable Chris Christie Governor, State of New Jersey State House 125 West State Street P.O. Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625
Dear Governor Christie:
As you know, I strongly oppose repeal of Bergen County’s Blue Laws. Last week you challenged Bergen legislators to find an alternative to the $65 million in sales tax revenue the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association projects would be collected if Blue Laws are repealed in Bergen County. As of yet no one has responded with new and or innovative ideas. Let me attempt to fill that void and offer a number of suggestions.
First, please note my letter of November 13, 2008 (see attached) to then Governor Corzine with copies to north Jersey legislators (including those representing Bergen County) in which I first I suggested and now again propose that the state collect the seven percent sales tax from the New York Giants and New York Jets that should be owed on the initial sale of Personal Seat Licenses by the teams. The Jets and Giants projected revenue of no less than $800 million from these sales. That will generate one-time revenue of approximately $56 million. New Jersey taxpayers and not billionaire team owners from New York should be the beneficiaries of this windfall.
You have suggested that all contracts involving the state and its agencies should be reexamined in order to find additional benefits to both close the budget gap and thereby assist New Jersey’s overburdened taxpayers. You have asked all taxpayers, homeowners, teachers, public employees, boards of education, municipalities and others to sacrifice. Shouldn’t the Jets and Giants be included?
I feel strongly that all Sports Authority related contracts (including the lucrative contracts with the Jets and Giants) be re-examined for review and possible changes to insure that the maximum benefit possible is accruing to taxpayers.
Second, I recommend that you authorize and immediately establish an Office of Asset and Revenue Recovery in the Attorney General’s Office. The sole purpose of this office will be to use the civil process to recover the hundreds of millions of dollars already identified as having been wasted, misapplied or fraudulently spent by public agencies including the School Construction Corp., UMDNJ, etc. In addition, this office should immediately pursue action against entities such as “EnCap” whose activities have already been reviewed by the Inspector General.
Third, I would urge you to establish a Statewide Taxpayer Hotline both via telephone and on-line so that waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement can be identified and appropriate action initiated. My first act as County Executive will be to establish such a Hotline in Bergen County.
I look forward to working cooperatively with you and your administration to resolve issues through creative and innovative problem solving. Unfortunately, we have seen in the past week or so that too many elected officials prefer political pandering and stooping to the lowest common denominator rather than working on behalf of their constituents. Elected officials have many tasks. Grandstanding and political expediency are not among them.
Rewards Card Wednesday Deals of the week 3/24/2010
Spring has arrived and not a moment to soon. The new season has kicked off a flurry of activity here at the Shop with lots of new, interesting, incredibly delicious, not to be missed, unique finds that just happened to arrive this week. So…… what’s new…
New Cheese…. From England we just acquired a stunning pair of imported cheeses from Bath, England, both winners of British cheese awards. There’s always room for quality! Introduce your guests to your newest great finds!
Old Smales…………………………………………………………..1/2 lb $11.99 The cheese is matured for 12+ months. With hints of aged Gouda or even young parmesan, the cheese is truly flexible. Perfect on a cheeseboard but also great for cooks. Best modern British Cheese 2006 British Cheese Awards.
Cornish Blue………………………………………………………1/2 lb $11.99 A creamy cow’s milk blue cheese made by the Cornish Cheese Co. in Liskeard, England. It is mild to medium in strength with a subtle, but delicious sweetness. Best English & Blue Cheese, 2006 British Cheese Award.
New Cracker…We carry a good number of crackers (go figure) and even have the Carr’s line as a continuing deal this month but couldn’t resist these. Read on….
Bella Rustico Crostini & Croccole….Italian snack crackers……7oz only……. $4.99 These crunchy little bites of heaven are offered in 6 flavors. traditional, rosemary, garlic, tomato & basil, garlic & herb, and 3 cheese & onion. Directions…Place in a bowl in front of guests with or without a dip,… start a conversation……wait 5 minutes….refill bowl!
Chocolate Alert…We are on a mission! We are on the prowl! I just read once again that somehow dark chocolate has positive medical benefits. From the net… ………………… Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy? “Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.” Ok I’m convinced…..let’s give it a whirl….the following are so good..they should be eaten every day! I feel healthier already! Chevaliers D’ Argouges Mondiants………………………….4.5 oz………$8.99 These French dark chocolate Mondiants, each have a raison and two small nuts embedded on their surface, are packed approximately 15 pieces to the bag, and can keep me healthy for just about half a day…… as long as I can keep them hidden from Tim! Chevaliers D’Argouges Chocolats Noirs Lait Blancs Les Classiques 6.8 oz…$14.99 If you want the best health care money can buy these are your ticket. This 21 piece assortment is just what the doctor ordered. Praline, pistache, noisette, café, coeur, fromboise, and feuille are the flavors married to the mostly dark 70% cocoa mixed among these Bonbons de chocolat. They are beautifully designed pieces, excellent quality, and the right size. Chocolate Cheese Cake BonBons…………………..…………box of 12…..$11.99 Santander Columbian Chocolates……………..bag of 20 mini bars……….$4.99 Sourced as fairly traded with small farmers these dark chocolates are GMO free and made with 53% to 70% cocoa and natural ingredients. Three flavors..53% semi dark, 70% dark chocolate and 70% Colombian espresso coffee will serve your health care needs well. Kosher to boot. Deli Deals Return………. Carolina Turkey Breast……. braised in oil…………………$3.99 lb Black Forest Ham…………..not a misprint………………….$4.99 lb Macroons for Passover…………..store made……………..get your orders in early! H & H Bagels…….Like no other bagels in the world………….available this weekend! Dirty Chips……….assorted types……………………………….available this weekend Deals that continue ——————————–CHEESE REWARD COUPON————————— Take $1.00 OFF
Any pound of fresh cut cheese Present at cheese counter Valid thru March 31, 2010
Carr’s Water Crackers all types…………………….4.5oz…….$2.99 w/reward card This cracker has been exported from England since 1892, (our inventory is fresh) and is famous as the perfect complement when entertaining.
Robert Rothschild Farms…………….……Save 10% with your reward card Robert Rothschild Farm, a family-founded company in Urbana, Ohio, is the purveyor of award-winning specialty foods including preserves, mustards, dips, salsas, sauces, dressings, gourmet mixes, and sweet toppings. Recognized for bold flavors and expert blending, our open and serve products are ideal for busy, yet discerning hosts and cooks. We carry about 30 products from this great portfolio…..check ‘em out ONE DAMN GOUDA DEAL! The” Black Wax” 3 year Gouda Only $8.99 per lb Still a great price for a 3 yr Gouda!! We cut as close to weight as possible, but hey cut us a break if we’re a couple of ounces off one way or the other. Reg price $14.99 No limit while supplies last! Valid Thru March. 2010
Tate’s Cookies…….Full 8oz package……only……$3.99 w/reward card Could it be true? Does a little specialty cheese & artisianal marketplace in Ridgewood, NJ have the lowest price in the country for these incredibly delicious award winning cookies from the Hamptons? How could that be? The gourmet supermarket chains are now offering the new and improved 7oz size (bigger package,14.3% less cookie) for a dollar or two more! More cookies, (it’s all about the cookie)..Lower price…go figure…..size matters!
Midnight Moon…………………reg$27.99……………sale..$15.99 Aged six months or more, this pale, ivory cheese is firm, dense and smooth with the slight graininess of a long-aged cheese. The flavor is nutty and brown-buttery, with prominent caramel notes. The wheel is finished in a beautiful black wax. Made in Europe for Cypress Grove and patrons of the CHEESE SHOP.
Reg Sale Lucini Parmigianino Reggiano………$29.99/22.99……………$14.99 Buy two only…….……….…………….$20.00 Buy three…… get four w/100 points…..$30.00 Buy four………get six w/200 points……$40.00 As we said before the best parm money can buy! Aged, organic, ask for a taste!
—————————–RESTAURANT COUPON—————————-
THE STABLE RESTAURANT 20 E Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood Our neighbor The Stable restaurant down the street is offering something a little different, a Tango Show on Sunday and Monday nights starting this Monday March 22. They are generously offering our reward card members a gift certificate for a return visit to their restaurant after the show.
$20 Please Visit Us Again Gift Certificate (Validate when you check out after the show)
Live Tango Shows starring Bandoneon’s living legend Tito Castro with Pancho Navarro on guitar. Has performed for actor and tango enthusiast Robert Duvall. Tito’s music can be heard in De Niro’s film ‘Flawless’ and Ang Lee’s ‘Lust’ and ‘Caution’ . Show times 6pm and 8pm. Reservations 201.444.1199 info www.thestablerestaurant.com Coupon not valid for Friday, Saturday or Holidays valid thru June 30, 2010 ————————————————————————————————————
Watch for our Saturday Food Demo and Wine Tasting e-mail on Fridays..sign up on the web site if you don’t receive them. Discovering good wine and food together!
>While I’m not sure of the accuracy of the posts on this blog,it also saddens me to hear that music and the arts will be cut while athletics are barely touched.
I’m also a bit miffed at when given the choice of not getting a raise one year in order to save some jobs, the union voted no. (Actually, that decision will save the taxpayer more money in the long run. Ask anyone in the private sector about losing headcount and then trying to replace it. Oh, silly me – I forgot – different rules apply.) Private sector workers are told, “No raises this year, the match to your 401K has been eliminated, your contribution to health insurance has increased while the co-pays have also increased.
Teachers who post on this blog seem to think that most of the taxpayer resentment is aimed at them. I don’t think that’s true at all. The really good teachers are worth twice their salaries; unfortunately tenure has kept some really poor teachers in the system so the whole system should be reconsidered.
An old friend who was an excellent teacher and retired from a principal’s post told me that she became anti-tenure. She said tenure forced her to keep poor performers who could have been replaced by two enthusiatic teachers who would be grateful to get their chance to inspire children.
Joe and Mary Taxpayer are up against some challenging times requiring some tough choices and positions. Public employees are also unfortunate consquence of the times. It just took longer to affect them.
March 23 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama faces a fight over the health-care overhaul from states that sued today because the legislation’s expansion of Medicaid imposes a fiscal strain on their cash-strapped budgets.
Call the Governor Chris Christie at 609-292-6000
Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania are among 14 states that filed suit after the president signed the bill over the constitutionality of the burden imposed by the legislation. The health-care overhaul will make as many as 15 million more Americans eligible for Medicaid nationwide starting in 2014 and will cost the states billions to administer.
States faced with unprecedented declines in tax collections are cutting benefits and payments to hospitals and doctors in Medicaid, the health program for the poor paid jointly by state and U.S. governments. The costs to hire staff and plan for the average 25 percent increase in Medicaid rolls may swamp budgets, said Toby Douglas, who manages the Medicaid program for California, which hasn’t joined the lawsuits.
“The states are coming through the worst fiscal period in the history of record keeping,” said Vernon Smith, a former Medicaid director for Michigan and now a principal at the research and consulting firm Health Management Associates in Lansing, Michigan. “Medicaid is the most significant, most visible and most costly part of this expansion and states fully expect to see increases in their spending.”
California’s Deficit
For California, with a $20 billion budget deficit (FYI New Jersey is $11 billion), the extra load will cost at least an additional $2 billion to $3 billion annually, said Douglas, chief deputy director for California’s health care programs. He said the overhaul is currently projected to add 1.6 million people to the 7 million enrolled in his state’s program.
>BOE is separate – here is thier list as of Friday as published on NJ.com. (Not sure what Teacher/parent conferences is – did we pay extra for those? Makes sense to see communications person going, that is a waste of money.)
The proposed cuts, which were in addition to cuts proposed last week, include: Teacher/parent conferences ($57,060); two additional supervisors ($205,183); reading recovery ($191,865); an art teacher from either one of the two middle schools ($88,898); director of curriculum ($149,907); one elementary school teacher and two middle school teachers ($212,660); two middle school guidance counselors ($134,709); additional secretary cuts ($136,708); elementary instructional music ($199,981); 8.5 elementary school teachers ($510,000); flattening out special education purchases ($38,252); capital fund ($850,000); one utility person ($38,893); one staff developer ($59,000); one public information officer ($36,894); one crisis counselor ($82,283); and one middle school assistant principal ($104,813). Officials also proposed increasing student activity fees by $122,000.
Sad, but they can’t just continue to raise our taxes. A budget should be worked within, and a 4% increase should be enough.
>Village Council Set to Discuss Personnel Reductions during Open Public Meeting
Village Council members are scheduled to discuss “2010 Budget – Personnel Reductions” during their next scheduled Work Session. This meeting, open to all members of the public, will be held in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Courtroom at Village Hall beginning at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, March 24th.
The Ridgewood News’ website (www.theridgewoodnews.com) is reporting that Council members are planning to lay off 26 union employees. However, unconfirmed reports are that the total number of lay offs will exceed 30.
Targeted employees are said to include members of the following Village departments: Tax Collector (entire department to be laid off), Water (1), Police (3), Fire (9), Sanitation, Streets, Building/Zoning, and Parks & Recreation. Additional departments may be impacted as well.
Last year at about this time, several residents cautioned Council members that excessive spending on such projects as the Vets Field bathrooms, parking garage studies, Schedler property purchase, Habernickel Park upgrades, and Graydon Pool studies could lead to budget shortfalls in 2010, which might result in lay offs.
Let’s just wait for Wednesday and see if Council members try to blame all of their budget problems on the loss of State of NJ aid. What do you think?
>The Village skatepark will reopen on or before April 1st, at the hockey rink adjacent to The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue.
Join Ridgewood Parks and Recreation on Saturday, April 17th, for a free clinic. Instructor Ketan Malhotra will be on board to offering following schedule:
• 12:00 to 12:15 pm – Meet Skateboarders
• 12:15 to 12:30 pm – Basics/Stretching/Skill Building (by age)
• 12:30 to 1:00 pm – Open Skating
The facility will be open daily from 9 a.m. to sunset. Posted rules and regulations must be followed. Use is limited to skateboards and inline skates. For your child’s safety, please note protective equipment is required at all times.
For further information, kindly contact the Recreation office at 201-670-5560.
THIS COMING THURSDAY!!! God And Country – The Vision of Our Founding Fathers – A Historical Remembrance March 25, 2010 (Thursday) – 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS – 70 Pascack Road, Township of Washington 07676, NJ
Join us in celebrating our rich history with a theatrical recitation of quotes from some of our Founding Fathers and musical songs with Anthony Tabish.
PLEASE NOTE: This Event is being presented in a different location than originally posted. Special Guest: Peter Ferrara, ESQ. – Constitutional lawyer from the ACRU (American Civil Rights Union) The event is free and light refreshments will be served afterwards
When: Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7) Where: Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center, 475 Grove St., Ridgewood Directions: From the center of town, south on Prospect St. Left on Grove at traffic light. Pass Hopper and S. Irving Sts. Immediately after going over Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, take first left into driveway (before building, which is set back). Map
Parking lot behind building. Enter through back of building.
Meet special guests: Tom Riche and Bernie (Bernadette) Walsh, the only candidates for the two open Council seats who want Graydon preserved.
A geologist who will discuss environmental regulations and new discoveries regarding Graydon’s hydraulic relationship with the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook Hear news about:
Village Council’s Graydon Pool Committee; RFP update How Graydon is disinfected; water quality improvements in 2009 and 2010 New badge fees; first-ever Early Bird discount, on sale April 1 Graydon photos wanted
…for upcoming Graydon calendar. Old pictures welcome. Supply approximate dates. Except in very old photos, anyone identifiable must supply written release. BRING PICTURES TO MEETING or send digital photos or questions to [email protected] .
> If your looking to run ads or get in touch with the Ridgewood Blog please send all correspondence to [email protected]
thank you for your support!!!!
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>Rightfully or not, this issue boils down to numbers.
*Money coming in: there is no more room to borrow or tax. Bond investors will start charging NJ high rates to borrow extra dollars, and high income taxpayers have options (like moving to Florida) instead of staying in NJ and subjecting themselves to increased property, sales and income taxes. We have little or no room to increase money coming in via taxes or borrowing.
*Money going out the door: the biggest line items here are wages, benefits and pensions of teachers, firemen, cops and other public union members. This, by necessity, is where the budget must change. That is, we must cut the # of employees getting salary, benefits and pension, or we must cut the amount spent on salary, benefits and pension, or some combination of both.
As for financial services, as an industry, it is very much culpable for this current financial crisis. Then again, public union members were beneficiaries of the inflating financial bubble, as their salaries/benefits/wages could be increased as taxpayer rolls swelled, and the actuarial assumptions on their investment returns swelled, too. Now that the bubble has popped, so too have tax rolls and pension funds. The reality here is that many people benefited by the easy credit and gigantic bonuses typical of the recent financial bubble. For instance, how many high end restaurants opened up in Ridgewood or Bergen County since 2002? I’ve read stories on Ridgewood’s Cheese Shop and they’d get $10-20K orders by Wall St execs planning lavish parties. We now know about the Cheese Shop’s demise, as we know full well about the State of NJ’s budget demise as well. Again, all the beneficiaries on the bubble’s way up must now suffer adverse consequences on the bubble’s deflation.
I appreciate the hard work teachers do, and in good and bad towns alike, they do great work. But so too do people across multiple sectors and industries. There is no need to personalize attacks on teachers. Unfortunately, the numbers and the fiscal reality speak for themselves.
