New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Announce Reopening of 9th Street PATH Station
Monday, November 12, 2012
Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that PATH rail service will resume at the 9th Street station in Manhattan beginning Tuesday, November 13 at 5 a.m. The station will open to ease overcrowding at the 14th Street station during the morning peak hours.
PATH riders will only be able to exit the 9th street station between the morning peak hours of 5 a.m.-9:30 a.m. After 9:30 a.m. passengers will be able to enter and exit PATH trains at 9th Street until 10 p.m.
PATH’s temporary line will now include stops at Newark, Harrison, Journal Square, Grove Street, and Newport stations in New Jersey and at the 9th, 14th, 23rd and 33rd Street stations in Manhattan. Trains will bypass Christopher Street. Disabled passengers will have access to the platforms only at Newark, Journal Square and 33rd Street.
PATH service remains suspended at the Hoboken, Exchange Place and the World Trade Center stations as recovery efforts continue. Due to significant damage that resulted from the unprecedented and widespread flooding in the PATH tunnels and multiple stations, it will be several weeks before resumption of service on the Newark-World Trade Center line and the lines to and from Hoboken station.
For up-to-date information visit the Port Authority’s website https://www.panynj.gov/path/ and follow them on Twitter @PATHTweet.
6,125 Proposed Regulations and Notifications Posted in Last 90 Days–Average 68 per Day
By Penny Starr
November 9, 2012
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(CNSNews.com) – It’s Friday morning, and so far today, the Obama administration has posted 165 new regulations and notifications on its reguations.gov website.
In the past 90 days, it has posted 6,125 regulations and notices – an average of 68 a day.
The website allows visitors to find and comment on proposed regulations and related documents published by the U.S. federal government. “Help improve Federal regulations by submitting your comments,” the website says.
The thousands of entries run the gamut from meeting notifications to fee schedules to actual rules and proposed rule changes.
On Behalf of the Ridgewood Police I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the residents of Ridgewood for your outpouring of support over the past 12 days. Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on our community, leaving most of us with no power, in the cold, and very long gas lines. During and after the storm, residents and some business dropped off hot food and coffe
e to us. We received a tremendous amount of cooperation from various community organizations and houses of worship. We witnessed and received reports of neighbors helping neighbors. I would also like to acknowledge the men and women of our Police department, Fire department, Emergency Services and Public Works who repeated placed themselves in harms way during the storm and have been working tirelessly in the recovery effort. We appreciate your support and are honored to be a part of this community. Sincerely Chief John M. Ward
A Guide to the Fiscal Cliff and the Options for Congress
Analysis Details What Is Expiring and Who Is Going to Be Most Impacted
Washington, D.C., November 8, 2012—Uncertainty over the expiring sections of the federal tax code known collectively as the “fiscal cliff” represents not only a threat to a prosperous and growing economy, but an abdication of leadership in Washington. The existence of an increasingly temporary tax code highlights the accumulated questions that Congress has refused to answer, according to a new guide to fiscal cliff provisions from the Tax Foundation.
In confronting the cliff, elected officials will need to start by asking big questions about how they want the tax code to work, including what the least economically destructive ways to raise revenue are, how high total spending should rise, and to what extent the code should be used to redistribute income. The present list of fiscal cliff elements will also require them to ask some more specific questions about the future of Obamacare, the estate tax, and the payroll tax.
“The huge potential impact of the fiscal cliff in scope, importance, and dollars is reflected in the anxiety felt by American taxpayers,” said Tax Foundation Chief Economist William McBride. “With so much of the tax and budget system on a short-term lease, and with the proposed permanent fixes so widely varying, economic growth suffers. While past practice suggests Washington will once again duct tape together another short-term extension and put off the hard choices, anything can happen.”
Among the expiring provisions are the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts enacted under President Bush, a compromise on the estate tax, a “patch” in the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), the temporary 2 percent payroll tax holiday, increased business expensing, and the “extenders” package of miscellaneous tax deductions.
In addition, on January 1, 2013, five taxes enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)—popularly referred to as Obamacare—also take effect, along with sequester spending reductions of $109 billion. In late February, the U.S. government will also hit the current debt ceiling, exhausting its ability to borrow without an increase by Congress. Finally, the federal government’s continuing resolution appropriating spending expires on March 27, 2013.
Tax Foundation Special Report No. 204, “The Fiscal Cliff: A Primer” is available here.
The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan research organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937. To schedule an interview, please contact Richard Morrison, the Tax Foundation’s Manager of Communications, at 202-464-5102 or [email protected].
A possible tax hit for Sandy’s victims
By Bill Bischoff
In addition to the tragedy of lost lives and injuries, Superstorm Sandy caused many billions of dollars in property damage. The sad truth: disasters occur every year in America. If you’re unlucky enough to suffer a disaster-related casualty, here’s what you need to know about the federal income tax implications.
Deductions for Personal Casualty Losses
Theoretically, our beloved Internal Revenue Code allows you to claim an itemized deduction — on Schedule A of your Form 1040 — for personal casualty losses to the extent they are not covered by insurance. Exactly what is a casualty loss? It’s when the fair market value of your property or asset is reduced or wiped out by a hurricane, flood, storm, fire, earthquake or volcanic eruption (not to mention sonic boom, theft or vandalism).
In reality, however, many disaster victims won’t qualify for any personal casualty loss write-offs because of the following two rules. First, you must reduce your loss by $100. Obviously, that’s no big deal. Then you must further reduce the loss by an amount equal to 10% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) for the year (AGI is the number at the bottom of page 1 of your Form 1040). That is a big deal. Say you incur a $20,000 personal casualty loss this year and have AGI of $100,000. Your write-off is a relatively puny $9,900 ($20,000 minus $100 minus $10,000). You get absolutely no tax break if your loss before the two required subtractions is $10,100 or less, and you have no chance at all if you don’t itemize.
But let’s assume you do have a deductible personal casualty loss from a 2012 event after the two subtractions. If the loss was caused by a disaster in a federally declared disaster area (more on that later), a special rule allows you to claim your rightful deduction either this year or last year. For example, victims of Hurricane Sandy can file amended 2011 returns and claim their losses last year. This rule allows you to get some immediate tax savings instead of having to wait until next year when you finally get around to filing your 2012 return. Remember: this special rule is only available for losses in federally declared disaster areas. You can find a by-state listing of these areas by using the interactive map on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website at www.fema.gov .
Please stop blaming PSE&G for your poor leadership skills in responding to a crisis. After 9 days I finally got power back yesterday. There were 6 trees and 3 utility poles down on my block. Everyone involved with PSE&G was doing their job, from the local PSE&G crew to the crew from Illinois. It was not a quick fix. 3 poles had to be replaced and all utilities needed to be marked. PSE&G checked every day on the progress and spoke freely about the procedures and steps that needed to occur. Frankly, I was amazed that we got our power back as quickly as we did after seeing and hearing stories of the devastation to residents of Ridgewood, Little Ferry, Moonachie and other communities. You may have driven around last night (probably the first time) but when a local resident mentioned our problem to you a week ago, you had no idea that our street even existed and never bothered to check on us or visit.
My problem with you Mr. Mayor was your lack of leadership in providing local residents with helpful information. Instead of Robo calling to throw blame on PSE&G, why didn’t you call to tell us where to get hot food, because eating out every meal got to be very expensive. How about calling to say where we could get ice, extra water, computer access, charge our phones, help for our pets, extra blankets, a place to sleep or get warm, or that we were still having garbage pick -up. Not everyone had family to go to or could afford to get a hotel, or a generator and pay the cost to fill it.
In one of your Robo calls you mentioned that we were responsible for taking the tree branches down to recycling center on our own and to not put them in the street. I have no idea of how we are suppose to accomplish that. Meanwhile you had trucks collecting leaves? That is a perfect example of your pathetic leadership.
You sir, failed to do your job as a mayor, so just stop talking and calling, because frankly I’m tired of hearing from you!!
Due to Storm – Rescheduled to Saturday, November 10
OLD PARAMUS REFORMED CHURCH 140TH ANNUAL HARVEST FAIR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3 10 am to 4 pm FREE ADMISSION – BARRIER-FREE FACILITY Come early for holiday shopping, have lunch and bring friends. 660 East Glen Avenue at Route 17 South Ridgewood, NJ – 201-444-5933 www.oldparamus.org
‘Dollar Selling’ : Obama Win Paves Way for Monetary Easing
By Lucy Meakin and Monami Yui – Nov 7, 2012 7:25 AM ET
The dollar was mixed on speculation Barack Obama’s re-election as president will boost chances the U.S. will maintain monetary stimulus policies that tend to weaken the greenback.
The U.S. currency fell versus 8 of its 16 major peers as Obama defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney, who disagreed with current Federal Reserve policy. Obama now faces the so- called fiscal cliff, $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts due to be implemented in 2013. Australia’s dollar rose for a third day as stocks rallied, boosting demand for higher- yielding assets. The euro pared earlier gains as the Greek parliament prepared to vote on austerity measures.
Ridgewood NJ, PSE&G Update: PSE&G crews continue to make progress restoring power throughout the Village. Power has been restored through many areas of town, but clearly, there are still too many homes without power. PSE&G’s progress has been too slow, with too few crews, and the progress is no comfort to those who still have no power. Moreover, much of the information coming from PSE&G has been inaccurate. As stated by Mayor Aronsohn in his recent public statements, village officials continue to relentlessly press PSE&G for more help. Residents are urged to contact PSE&G directly at 1-800-436-7734 to report individual problems. Calling repeatedly may help.
Nor’easter Expected Wednesday: A nor’easter storm is expected to impact the area Wednesday into Thursday. In additional to rain and some snow, the storm may bring potentially damaging winds from Wednesday morning through late Wednesday night. Winds of this magnitude will be capable of producing downed trees and power lines. The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Watch for our area. Residents should expect the possibility of additional power outages, downed trees and power lines, and delays in ongoing power restoration efforts. Make plans now, and stay informed.
24-Hour Shelter at Mt. Carmel: Mt. Carmel Church is still hosting a 24-hour shelter for residents without power, and has graciously agreed to stay open for the duration of the power outage. They have space for residents to spend the night, and plan to serve hot meals. Please bring your own blankets and pillows. Bergen County’s Shelter in Mahwah is also available. It is located at 281 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ.
Day Time Warming Center: St. Elizabeth’s Church will be open as a warming center Monday – Friday 8:30 AM-6:00 PM. Emmanuel Baptist Church will also be open as a warming center Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Please enter by the Hope Street entrance and use the bell on the left hand side of the door.
Blankets: A limited number of blankets, provided by FEMA, are available on a first come, first served basis at Village Hall. Any resident needing an extra blanket may obtain one, while supplies last, at the Ridgewood Police Department located on the second floor of Village Hall.
FEMA Disaster Assistance Information: If you sustained losses or damage from Hurricane Sandy you may be eligible for disaster aid. You can call to Apply: 1·800·621·FEMA (3362). For more information or to Apply: www.DisasterAssistance.gov
Schools Update: An update from the Superintendent of Schools will be forthcoming in a separate communication from the Ridgewood Public Schools.
Tree Branches: Tree branches ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE STREET. If you have placed branches in the street, they MUST be removed. Please bring branches to the recycling center.
The conditions outdoors remain dangerous due to downed trees and power lines. Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Stay away from downed power lines. Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything in contact with the wire.
For more information, continue to visit oem.ridgewoodnj.net and the Village of Ridgewood and Ridgewood Police Department Facebook pages for updates.
4 Yrs at Private College = $130,468; Median-Priced Existing Home = $173,100; U.S. Debt Per American Under 18 = $218,676
By Terence P. Jeffrey
November 4, 201
(CNSNews.com) – If Americans under the age of 18 were required as a group to pay off the entirety of the federal government’s debt in equal shares, each would now need to pay about $218,676.
That is more than the $130,468 average price tag for four years at a private college or the $173,100 median price for an existing one-family home in the United States.
During the time Barack Obama has been president, the U.S. government debt has increased from approximately $143,255 per American under 18 to approximately $218,676 per American under 18–a climb of $75,421 or about 53 percent.
“Lastly, as I watch the news I am concerned about some deterioration of civility caused by stress and the loss of services after Hurricane Sandy. Mediating disputes should not be something the police and emergency services should be dealing with at this point in time. Communities grow stronger by how we treat each other in times of need and distress. It’s important that we continue to do what Ridgewood does best, and that is to watch over each other and help each other. Please be careful, monitor your children and watch over your neighbors.”
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D Superintendent Ridgewood Public Schools
Stuck on Stupid: Some people will never learn
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
November 4,2012
Ridgewood NJ, it does amaze us how some will use this disaster to try to make cheap political points . Its really pathetic and in very bad taste with all the damage the tri-state area has suffered .Time to grow up !
[email protected] 173.54.30.192
Submitted on 2012/11/02 at 10:29 pm
Didnt happen- all the right wing blogs jumped on this but the governor said unequivocally this did ot happen
GOP = Grumpy Old Pricks
70.192.82.171
Submitted on 2012/11/02 at 6:13 pm
When Fishbein talks about “lack of civility”, he’s no doubt thinking about the teabagging douchebags who hang out here on the yellow blog.
GOP = Grumpy Old Pricks
70.192.82.171
Submitted on 2012/11/02 at 9:43 am
What about FEMA? Is that “necessary government” or “extravagant government”?
Mitt Romney cannot make up his mind on this issue.
On Jnue 13, 2011, in response to a question about federal disaster relief, Romney said, “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and give it back to the states, that’s the right direction. If you can go even further and give it back to the private sector, that’s even better.”
Two days ago, Romney said, “I believe that FEMA plays a key role in working with states and localitiies to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. As president, I will ensure FEMA has the funding it needs to fulfill its mission.”
What a difference a hurricane makes for the Great Flip-Flopper!
GOP = Grumpy Old Pricks
70.192.87.251
Submitted on 2012/11/01 at 2:50 pm
Conservatives: please stick do your principles and do not accept ANY government aid. Remember, you are “rugged individualists” who are not dependent on government.
Also, call Gov Christie and tell him to stop co-operating with President Obama. Fraternizing with the enemy only helps the socialist and threatens our liberty.
“Ridgewood uses lessons from Irene to prepare for Sandy” , a bit early for back slapping November 4,2012 the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Many resident felt it was a bit over the top and premature for the Village to be patting it self on the back while some many residents didn’t have power,heat or hot water .
The Ridgewood Police got high marks for everything except for the “ticket frenzy ” . The use of Facebook to put out information received many kudos.
The Village however failed a basic test when power failed at Office of Emergency Management, Village Hall and Village Police Department . Old time residents remarked thankfully we did not have too much rain or flooding because all of the Village’s first responders are still located in flood zones .
Residents also need to understand the Village given how well it fared during Sandy was not going to be Governor Christie or PSE&G ‘s most pressing priority . Take a drive down to Bay Head and you will see what I mean. The Village was very lucky that the CBD was lights on and so many neighbors and local institutions pitched in to help out
The town attracted visitors from all over North Jersey and as far as Hoboken .People came not only to warm up ,and charge their batteries but also to get a hot cup of coffee and a good meal .The Village seemed to make a good impression on everyone who came to visit and I think many local merchants may continue to get business as an after affect from all the good will.
Many remarked how the Village leave crew hustled and yes even the Ridgewood blog will admit it the BOE and particularly Dr. Fishbien really stepped up .The Village Council and Village Officials also should be commended for just like the article says being prepared !
But folks this is not the time to for photo ops and back slapping many residents in the tri-state area are still without power and face a far more daunting situation than almost any of us could imagine . , it best to take a little time out just to remember how lucky we all are. RIDGEWOOD NEWS: Ridgewood uses lessons from Irene to prepare for Sandy
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2012
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
As Hurricane Sandy’s predicted impact and damage quickly became reality, Ridgewood officials were thankful that they applied lessons learned from last year’s extreme weather conditions to preparations for this October’s super storm.
Debris is cleared from the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. The village was hit hard by flooding during last year’s Hurricane Irene, but was spared any water damage from Hurricane Sandy.
Emergency response teams, led by Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Jeremy Kleiman, began their hurricane preparation plans in the middle of last week, several days before Sandy was expected to hit landfall. The OEM held meetings with all village department heads on Friday and offered specific instructions and details of what to do and what to expect.
Outage update: We are making steady progress. In three days, we have restored service to more than 1 million PSE&G customers following Hurricane Sandy. The storm impacted 1.7 million of PSE&G’s 2.2 million electric customers. We’ve also increased the stability of our transmission system to ensure that the high-voltage lines can deliver the power.
Our estimate is that we will have virtually all of our impacted customers restored to service within the coming week. The majority of customers will be restored before then. After Nov. 9, there may still be isolated pockets of customers who have individual flooding or downed line issues that may take slightly longer.
The storm surge flooded a large number of substations along the Passaic, Hackensack and Hudson rivers, and the Arthur Kill, disrupting service to customers in Hudson, Essex and Middlesex counties. The magnitude of the flooding in contiguous areas is unprecedented. PSE&G had to take these stations out of service, wait for the flood waters to recede to assess the damage, dry out the equipment, replace equipment when necessary and re-energize the system to restore service. We continue to make progress on the substations affected by flood waters from the tidal surge. This is a painstaking process to thoroughly clean the equipment so that it can be safely re-energized.
The total number of people who have come from other states to assist is now more than 2,000. This includes additional line personnel, tree crews and substation operators.
PSE&G’s key areas of focus are:
• Repairing our damaged switching stations and substations in Hudson and Essex Counties so we
can energize them and deliver the power to customers.
• Gas refineries – We have restored power to the Conoco Phillips and Buckeye Pipeline gas
refineries. We are making progress on restoring the other two refineries that we serve in the area.
• Gas stations – We are working with the NJ Gasoline Service Association to identify gas stations
that have the commodity, but need power restored to get the gas flowing.
• Overhead infrastructure – We continue to clear trees, debris and downed wires from state, county and municipal roadways so we can begin repairing overhead infrastructure in Bergen and Passaic
Counties.
Christie Administration Announces Restoration of Limited Rail Service to Newark on Friday
Christie Administration Announces Restoration of Limited Rail Service to Newark on Friday
Northeast Corridor Service to Operation on a Special Schedule Between Trenton and Newark Penn Station
North Jersey Coast Line Service to Operate Between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station
Raritan Valley Line Service to Operate Between Raritan and Newark
Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration announced the restoration of limited rail service on three of NJ TRANSIT’s rail lines starting Friday, November 2, as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to restore NJ TRANSIT service as soon as it becomes possible. This service restoration includes service along three lines: Northeast Corridor service between Trenton Transit Center and Newark Penn Station, North Jersey Coast Line service between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station, and Raritan Valley Line service between Raritan and Newark Penn Station. A special schedule will be posted on njtransit.com by 7:00 p.m. this evening.
“As the backbone of the NJ TRANSIT rail system, the restoration of Northeast Corridor service is a significant step in providing a level of service to NJ TRANSIT’s customers,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson. “Our work is far from done, as we still face a number of operational challenges, but we will continue working tirelessly to further restore service where we can safely do so.”
Service to Penn Station New York will resume following Amtrak’s restoration of the Hudson River Tunnels and it’s signal system is complete.On Thursday, November 1, NJ TRANSIT restored the majority of bus service throughout the state, operating full service on 68 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 18 bus routes in southern New Jersey, and restoring partial service on 58 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 17 routes in southern New Jersey. Also on Thursday, River Line service was restored between the Trenton Transit Center and the Entertainment Center in Camden, operating on a Sunday schedule. Limited Access Link paratransit service resumed operation as well.
NJ TRANSIT is advising customers of the following:
Rail Service:
Northeast Corridor: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Trenton Transit Center and Newark Penn Station, operating on a special schedule.
North Jersey Coast Line: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station, operating on a special schedule. Rail service between Bay Head and Woodbridge remains suspended. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
Morgan Drawbridge in South Amboy sustained damage from boats and a trailer that collided into the bridge.
There are wires and trees down, as well as rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks), between South Amboy and Bay Head.
Raritan Valley Line: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Raritan and Newark Penn Station only, operating on a special schedule. Rail service between High Bridge and Raritan remains suspended.
Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, Main/Bergen and Atlantic City Rail lines: Service remains suspended. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
There is major damage due to downed trees between Summit and Millburn, as well as in Denville and Morristown. There is also overhead wire damage, including signal wires, with support poles down in Lyons and Bernardsville. In addition, rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks) occurred at Kearny Junction, where Midtown Direct service connects to the Northeast Corridor. Rail washouts also occurred at several tracks in Hoboken Terminal and at Netcong Station.
Elsewhere on the rail system, local power outages have prevented NJ TRANSIT rail operations from being able to further test crossing gates and operating signals. In addition, hundreds of downed trees have fallen across the rail system, which have caused damage to overhead wires and signal wires. Several rail stations have sustained flood damage, including Hoboken Terminal.
Bus Service:
Bus service is operating on 68 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 18 bus routes in southern New Jersey, providing service over the entire routes with no detours or truncations. For a complete list, visit njtransit.com.
Partial service is operating on 58 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 17 routes in southern New Jersey, with detours or truncations due to ongoing impacts from Hurricane Sandy. For details, visit njtransit.com
Bus service on routes not listed remains suspended until further notice. Power outages in local communities have resulted in the loss of traffic control devices critical to safe operation in some areas. Downed tree limbs and power lines continue to make many roads impassable. Personnel are in the field reviewing and assessing these conditions in order to ensure that service is restored as soon as it becomes safe to do so.
Light Rail Service:
River Line is operating on a Sunday schedule between Trenton Transit Center and the Entertainment Center in Camden.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and Newark Light Rail service will remain suspended until further notice. There is currently no estimated time for resumption of service. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
Newark Light Rail sustained flooding in Newark Penn Station, as well as major debris damage between Newark Penn and Branch Brook Park stations.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail experienced track washouts at Port Imperial and West Side Avenue stations, as well as trees in the overhead wire in Weehawken and flooding in Hoboken.
Access Link:
Access Link service is operating in the following regions:
Region 2, which includes Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Region 3, which includes Atlantic, Cape May and Southern Ocean County.
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Thankfully Our power is back on…
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For those still having power issues..
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