>Sweeney wants concurrent votes on health care, pensions
State Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney said Monday that he will not allow passage of pension and health care reform packages unless both are approved together. (Method, Courier-Post)
Tag: Ridgewood Real estate
>Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney will push for shared-services agreements
>Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney will push for shared-services agreements
Senate leader would require more sharing
State Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney said Monday he will push for a law aimed at moving the state’s 566 municipalities into shared-services agreements. (Method, Asbury Park Press)
>U.S. sets $223B deficit record
>U.S. sets $223B deficit record
The federal government posted its largest monthly deficit in history in February, a $223 billion shortfall that put a sharp point on the current fight on Capitol Hill about how deeply to cut this year’s spending.
That one-month figure, which came in a preliminary report from the Congressional Budget Office, dwarfs even the most robust cuts being talked about on the Hill, and underscores just how much work lawmakers have to do to get the government’s finances in balance again.
The Senate plans to vote Tuesday on competing proposals to cut spending, but Democrats have rejected GOP-backed cuts of more than $50 billion, and Republicans have ruled out Democrats’ cuts of less than $10 billion, meaning neither plan will draw the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and pass.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/7/government-posts-biggest-monthly-deficit-ever/
>TODAY : BOARD OF ED CANDIDATE PETITIONS ARE DUE
>BOARD OF ED CANDIDATE PETITIONS ARE DUE TUESDAY, MARCH 8
The Board will have two vacancies in the April 27 Annual School Election. A full term on the school board runs for three years. Candidate kits are available in the Board Secretary’s office at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, or online from the New Jersey School Boards Association. The deadline for filing candidate petitions is Tuesday, March 8, at 4 p.m.
DEADLINE IS APRIL 6 TO VOTE IN THE ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27
Wednesday, April 6, is the deadline for registering to vote in the Annual School Election.
Any registered voter can choose to vote by mail-in ballot. April 26 is the deadline for mail-in ballots to be received.
>St. Patrick’s Day Mass at Mount Carmel parish
>St. Patrick’s Day Mass at Mount Carmel parish
Please join us for the 26th annual St. Patrick’s Day Mass, scheduled at
8:30 am on Thursday, March 17 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in
Ridgewood. The mass, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 1736,
will feature traditional Irish tunes and piper music.
A reception will be held immediately after the mass in the Parish Center, where complimentary
soda bread, coffee and tea will be served. We are always looking for those
willing to share their family recipe, and bake/bring soda bread for this
event. If you can help, please contact Patty Mullen at 201-444-1725.Come
start your St. Patrick’s Day in true Irish fashion.
>New Jersey lawmakers start their budget review process this week.
>Hearings on N.J. budget planned
New Jersey lawmakers start their budget review process this week.
Budget committees in the Senate and the Assembly will hold public hearings on Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed $29.4 billion budget, which cuts spending by 2.6 percent over last year and calls for heftier contributions from state workers for pension and health care benefits. (Shipkowski, The Associated Press)
>Cops issuing more tickets, red-light cameras all about more money
>Cops issuing more tickets, red-light cameras all about more money
Last week we discussed how so many towns have so many cops and so little crime and pondered what they all do. The answer is they write a lot of tickets to make up for lost municipal aid from Trenton. (Ingle, The Daily Journal)
https://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20110307/OPINION02/103070332
>N.J. municipalities scramble to notify voters on property tax referendum
>N.J. municipalities scramble to notify voters on property tax referendum
New Jersey enters a new era today as voters get to find out if they may be asked next month to raise their property taxes beyond the Christie administration’s new 2 percent limit. (DeMarco, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/nj_municipalities_schools_scra.html
>Number of healthcare reform law waivers climbs above 1,000
>Number of healthcare reform law waivers climbs above 1,000
By Jason Millman
The number of temporary healthcare reform waivers granted by the Obama administration to organizations climbed to more than 1,000, according to new numbers disclosed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
HHS posted 126 new waivers on Friday, bringing the total to 1,040 organizations that have been granted a one-year exemption from a new coverage requirement included in the healthcare reform law enacted almost a year ago. Waivers have become a hot-button issue for Republicans, eager to expose any vulnerabilities in the reform law.
>Abbott Schools: Why do the Newark public schools get inferior results compared to the Newark Catholic schools while spending far more per pupil?
>Abbott Schools: Why do the Newark public schools get inferior results compared to the Newark Catholic schools while spending far more per pupil?
The questions that the judge should ask are:
1. How much it costs to educate a Newark child in the Newark Catholic school system?
2. Why are the Newark public schools so much more costly on a per pupil basis?
3. Why do the Newark public schools get inferior results compared to the Newark Catholic schools while spending far more per pupil?
>Village of Ridgewood : Man about Town
>RIDGEWOOD SCHOOLS MARCH IS YOUTH ART MONTH The District is honoring student artists this month with an exhibition of their work. The exhibit, on Floor 3 of the Education Center, is open to the public. An artists reception will be held on Thursday, March 10, from 6:30-8 p.m.
Silent Film – Organ Improvisation West Side Parton Series
West Side Presbyteiran Church, 6 South Monroe St., Ridgewood Thursday, March 11th at 7:30PM. Dr. John Schwandt, nationally acclaimed organist and performer, will provide organ improvisation to the charlie Chaplin film, The Gold Rush, using period tunes to underscore the characters and actions of the movie. This movie was Chaplin’s personal favorite film which showcases the classic “Tramp” character as a romantic idealist and gold prospector. Admission is free
Dad’s Night Friday, March 11 – 7pm & Saturday, March 12 – 4pm
DAD’S NIGHT is here again . .. 67 years strong, this timeless tradition boasts 230+ dads who will don costumes, build sets, and deliver lines to the endless delight of their children! Sponsors in the Dad’s Night Ad Journal and money collected during intermission will solely benefit Hawes & Somerville Elementary Schools – and the kids! Last year, approximately $40,000 was raised, and the funds paid for Smartboards, an interactive Science Day, Robotics Club, and new playground equipment additions. Show Dates: Friday, March 11 at 7 PM; Saturday, March 12 at 4 PM Location: Ben Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ Cost: $0 – Donation Bucket Passed at Intermission
West Side Concert Series Organ Concert
Sunday, March 13 at 4PM; West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 S. Monroe St., Ridgewood. Dr. John Schwandt, Associate Professor of Organ at University of Oklahoma will perform works by Bach, Widor, Dupre, and Ireland. Tickets: 201/652-1966 or www.westside.org
Fish and Chips Dinner All Are Welcome!
TASTEFULLY BRITISH CATERS FISH & CHIPS AT CHRIST CHURCH RIDGEWOOD Christ Episcopal Church, Ridgewood to hold Fish and Chips dinner on Wednesday, March 16. Tastefully British will cater this evening fabulous fish fry. We invite you to join us for dinner from 5pm – 7 pm in our Great Hall. There will be yummy, homemade desserts and beverages will be provided. Cost is $13 per person and two young children may share one dinner. Tickets must be purchased in advance. And take out is available, again with a pre-purchased ticket. Tickets may be obtained weekdays at the church office. Please call 201.652.2350. Christ Church is located on the corner of Franklin Avenue and Cottage Place. If you are using a GPS, you may enter 105 Cottage Place, Ridgewood as your destination. Go to our website: www.christchurchridgewood.org for more information.
Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance
Saturday, March 19th, 7:00 p.m. Mount Carmel gymnasium,52 Passaic Street.The Village Caterer will be providing traditional Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage. Renowned New York City musicians Bob and Norm will be playing Irish classics and great dance music. There will also be a special appearance by the Irish Step Dancers. “This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and it is a great opportunity for friends and neighbors to get together for a night of fun”, said Doug Findlay, organizer of the event. Tickets are $45 each.Payment can be mailed to:Doug Findlay 211 Circle Ave.Ridgewood, NJ 07450,(201) 670-9514
>REPORT SUMMARIZES JANUARY COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS
>REPORT SUMMARIZES JANUARY COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS
At the Board meeting on Monday, February 28, Ms. Nancy Stern, of Sousa & Stern Educational Consultants LLC, provided an update on the Community Planning process that was conducted in January. A packet that includes suggested goal statements and strategies was presented to the Board. The packet is considered to be a living document that can be revised as goals and strategies evolve. The next step in the Community Planning process is for the administration to create Action Plans, based on the suggestions and ideas that resulted from the January workshop. Pertinent summaries of the goal statements and strategies from the January workshop can be found on the Board page of the District website, under Board Goals. Click here to go directly to the report.
>Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move
>Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move
By Patrick Marley and Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel
Madison — Gov. Scott Walker notified unions Friday of impending layoffs if a budget-repair bill isn’t passed in the next 15 days, even as both Republicans and Democrats showed signs of moving from their entrenched positions as they try to break a stalemate that has lasted nearly three weeks.
Walker warned Thursday that he would issue the notices on Friday that would affect up to 1,500 state employees. The actual notices, however, did not spell out how many people could be laid off, and a spokesman for the governor said the layoffs could be reduced by employee retirements.
https://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117405123.html
>Village Council looks at Preliminary Budget Numbers
>Village Council looks at Preliminary Budget Numbers
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ – With the Village budget set to increase 7.81% the Village Council has started the process of working down the budget increase to get it within a 2% state-mandated cap. The council is expected to pass a resolution allowing it to raise the budget by 3.5 % ,however passing this measure would not necessarily mean the budget will come in over the 2% cap.
The Village needs to cut at least $377,000 from the current preliminary budget numbers. Village Manager Ken Gabbert told the Ridgewood News that at the same time that at this time last year,the Village was looking at a 13.4% budget increase . Measures were taken including employee layoffs that brought the increase down to a still sizable increase of 4.79% . No layoffs have been discussed so far this year.
>Governor Christie’s Budget Adds $4.7 Million for Local Schools
>March 04, 2011
Governor Christie’s Budget Adds $4.7 Million for Local Schools
Kevin O’Toole
Dear Friend:
I am pleased to announce that the proposed state budget for the next fiscal year projects that the towns in District 40 will receive at least an additional $4,703,383 in education aid, almost doubling the total for the thirteen towns in Legislative District 40 and netting $10,693,293.
This additional aid will be applied as badly needed additional property tax relief.
The supplementary aid for our schools is included in a budget that spends less for the second year in a row and cuts business taxes to create jobs and help spur economic recovery. The Governor’s plan is more equitable because it provides increased school aid for every single school district in the state, rural, suburban and urban, not just the select few urban districts.
The tough choices made last year by Governor Christie and the Legislature to bring about fiscal discipline has created the opportunity for the increase in school aid this year. In my role as a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee I will search for any further amounts that can enhance education aid for our schools.
The additional school aid plan would provide local schools with the following additional amounts:
School District School Aid Increase ($)
CEDAR GROVE TWP $244,259
FRANKLIN LAKES BORO $251,625
LITTLE FALLS TWP $123,778
MAHWAH TWP $554,386
MIDLAND PARK BORO $191,303
OAKLAND BORO $251,532
RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE $849,425
RINGWOOD BORO $201,584
VERONA BORO $275,172
WANAQUE BORO $145,530
WAYNE TWP $1,290,732
WYCKOFF TWP $324,057
