>The state Senate passes resolution on justice’s resignation
The state Senate passed a resolution by a vote of 21-3 that calls for the resignation of Supreme Court Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto if the Assembly does not proceed with an impeachment hearing. (Hassan, PolitickerNJ)
https://www.politickernj.com/44973/state-senate-passes-resolution-justices-resignation
>N.J. Assembly passes bill to end more regulations of basic cable, land line telephone services
Most of the state’s regulation of basic cable and land line telephone service would come to an end under a controversial bill that passed the state Assembly on Thursday. (Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_assembly_passes_bill_that_w.html
>New Jersey towns in limbo on affordable housing rules
Another delay in efforts to roll back state affordable housing requirements has left towns uncertain how to proceed on the difficult issue and fair-housing advocates opposed to making changes. (Fletcher, Press of Atlantic City)
>State Sen. Michael Doherty hosts Tea Party allies at the Statehouse
Amid persistent rumors that he’s running for U.S. Senate in 2012 as the anti-establishment Republican alternative, state Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) gripped a podium at the head of a committee room packed with Tea Party activists and welcomed them to the Statehouse. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
https://www.politickernj.com/44955/doherty-hosts-tea-party-allies-statehouse
>There’s no hope for change after you hit 30!—not so says Venn Center
February 16, 2011. Ridgewood, NJ. After you’re 30, it can be much harder to make change happen. True. Change happens less frequently as you get older. But it doesn’t have to be that way. After 30, if you want new things to come your way, you need to become the director of your own life. At the Venn Center in Ridgewood, NJ we have programs designed to help you do that.
You’re not a kid any more. When you were, you might recall being encouraged to learn, try new things, explore, and take on new responsibilities. And in your 20s, well, no one had to push you to try new things, right? But once you hit 30, 40, 50…responsibilities, expectations, and commitments encourage you to do the same things every day; stability becomes the name of the game and change becomes elusive.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have your cake and change it too.
Venn Center is the only Center in Northern New Jersey offering a full program of services for people 30+, all designed to help people plan the lives they want to lead. Board Certified Child and Adult Psychiatrist Dr. Steve Wruble and Developmentalist Jennifer L. Tanner, Ph.D. fuse clinical experience and research science to create programs that facilitate human development, growth, and well-being in the over 30 crowd. Deborah Erickson, LMSW is offering a series of FREE Talks, workshops, and groups designed to bring adults together to talk about life as a grown up and how change can be part of that life.
Learn about more programs at www.venncenter.com, call us at 201-444-6824, email us [email protected], or visit us at 1250 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, NJ.
>House Passes Amendment to Block Funds for Net Neutrality Order
By Juliana Gruenwald
Thursday, February 17, 2011 | 6:48 p.m.
The House passed an amendment Thursday that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement the network-neutrality order it approved in December.
The amendment, approved on a 244-181 vote, was offered by Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., to legislation that would fund government agencies for the rest of fiscal year 2011.
>The House voted Thursday to dethrone nine White House “czars.”
Republicans successfully added an amendment to the continuing resolution that would leave President Barack Obama’s senior advisers on policy issues including health care, energy and others out of a job. The vote was 249-179.
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) offered the amendment that blocks funding for various policy advisers to combat what he called “a very disturbing proliferation of czars” under Obama.
“These unappointed, unaccountable people who are literally running a shadow government, heading up these little fiefdoms that nobody can really seem to identify where they are or what they’re doing,” Scalise said Thursday. “But we do know that they’re wielding vast amounts of power.”
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49781.html#ixzz1EJ7QUU2x
> New York City wants to Lay off 6,400 teachers
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Will New Jersey Be Next ? New York City wants to Lay off 6,400 teachers .
New York city may have to eliminate thousands of teacher jobs. In Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s budget update the mayor unveiled that the city would cut 6,400 teacher jobs, through a combination of layoffs and attrition. New York’s public schools have about 80,000 teachers.
>Credit Downgrades loom for US states
By Nicole Bullock in New York
Published: February 17 2011 05:01 | Last updated: February 17 2011 05:01
Cash-strapped US states and cities face the prospect of downgrades after Fitch Ratings changed the way it analyses their burgeoning pension bills.
In a report published on Thursday, Fitch warns the new approach could lead to “limited negative rating action”, particularly for local governments with big wage bills. The changes to the way it assesses pension liabilities come amid growing concern over the scale of municipal debt problems and the effect on state and city finances of generous, unfunded public sector pension schemes that will run for many years. Sharp falls in equities and other risky assets during the financial crisis reduced the funding levels of nearly all these pension plans, increasing the pressure on states and local governments when they have even less cash because of dwindling tax revenues to make up the shortfall. Revenues have tumbled while spending has been rising.
https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cfadc5fe-3a33-11e0-a441-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1EGKD3uei
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The Democratic National Committee’s Organizing for America arm — the remnant of the 2008 Obama campaign — is playing an active role in organizing protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to strip most public employees of collective bargaining rights.
https://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0211/DNC_playing_role_in_Wisconsin_protests.html?showall
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>N.J. education chief pushes tougher deals for teachers
In a speech that endorsed many aspects of Gov. Christie’s education agenda, New Jersey’s top education official called Wednesday for making tenure harder to get and keep, holding teachers accountable for student performance, and creating financial incentives for educators. (Giordano and Rao, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
>Christie proposes ending tenure for poor teachers
One month after Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey used his annual state address to call for an end to tenure for teachers, his administration unveiled a plan on Wednesday that would take away tenure from ineffective teachers but stopped short of eliminating it. (Hu, The New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/nyregion/17jersey.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion
>Christie says U.S. should raise Social Security retirement age
Delving into national policy issues and calling on politicians from both parties to make tough decisions, Gov. Chris Christie today addressed a packed room at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. (Gibson, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_gov_christie_says_us_should.html
>Union: The time to negotiate is now
New Jersey AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech called on the administration to begin contract negotiations with public workers now, rather than later in the year as is the governor’s plan. (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
https://www.politickernj.com/44925/union-time-negotiate-now
