>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
>The question is, should the developer be allowed to subdivide the property and construct two LARGE homes on small lots?
The developers (Jenne/Paladino) now own the property. It was purchased several weeks ago for $385,000. The developers were originally under contract for $500,000 BUT the contract was contingent upon the seller getting approval of the subdivision. For whatever reasons, the parties renegotiated the price down to $385,000 without any contingencies. The previous owner nor the condition of the house are an issue anymore.
The question is, should the developer be allowed to subdivide the property and construct two LARGE homes on small lots? The developers would like permission to construct two 4200 sq foot houses (inclusive of finished basements) on the property on lots which do not meet minimum lot size and which need several other variances. At present, there is one 3100 sq foot home on the lot. I do not believe his subdivision would be a good thing for Ridgewood and believe that building one lovely home on the large lot, or renovating the existing one, just makes more sense. Why do we have codes and minimum requirements if we don’t abide by them? Weren’t they put in place to protect the character of our Village?
This lot is one of the first you see when you enter Ridgewood and one of the last when you leave along Ridgewood Ave. I think there is a unique opportunity here to make a statement about who we are as a community. There are many large homes along Ridgewood Ave with large lots and I believe they set the tone for the entire Village. Chopping up lots just diminishes our
>Ominously nicknamed Kill Switch bill and its impact on the Internet is stirring debate
SAN FRANCISCO — A raging debate over new legislation, and its impact on the Internet, has tongues wagging and fingers pointing from Silicon Valley to Washington, D.C.
Just as the Egyptian government recently forced the Internet to go dark, U.S. officials could flip the switch if the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset legislation becomes law, say its critics.
https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2011-02-15-kill-switch_N.htm
>
You don’t need a break from all the recent ice and snow.. you just need a break.
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>NJ residents feel safe despite police cuts, poll shows
Layoffs and attrition have reduced the number of police officers in New Jersey by about 10 percent, but most state residents do not believe the cuts have compromised public safety, according to a Monmouth University/New Jersey Press Media poll. (Mikle and Remaly, Gannett)
>Acting N.J. education chief to announce plans for sweeping legislative reform of teacher tenure
The state’s top education official today will unveil sweeping legislation that would change the way teachers in New Jersey are evaluated, compensated, and given tenure, said a person familiar with the proposal. (Calefati and Rundquist, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_education_chief_chris_cerf.html
>”Lights Out” : As citizens, taxpayers and homeowners we have rights too.
Tom Kossoff
Ridgewood NJ- I did not when I wrote the “Lights Out” intend to comment on any response.
have heard some sports advocates say you are lucky we’re not playing until 11:00. As citizens, taxpayers and homeowners we have rights too.
Quality of life and our families health and welfare. I assume you are a family person. What was “Lights Out” in your home when your children were young. Maybe as early as 7:30 then 8:00 and so on. How can you expect all the neighbors around the fields to be disrupted by later night schedules. You imply I don’t want night games. I do but the schedule needs to be adjusted for 9:00 cut-off. The other towns you mention DO NOT have the same dense situation of homes that we have along with little parking.
You are comparing apples and oranges and confusing the issue for many readers. I am for night games here but not “Lights Out” time night games. I invite you to visit our homes when the games begin and I think you will have a much better idea. It’s all about location, location, location. When they chose to put these many lights in this small neighborhood they were not thinking about the effects.
Nice people, good intent but bad decision. That’s all it is.Yes we moved next to a school and
I love it. I did not move next to a municipal sports park open from early morning to late at night. This change of usage to the degree proposed is not right. Not right for the neighbors or for the kind of town Ridgewood has been and should be. This is not about upgrading the facilities. It’s about the civil, legal and common courtesies we want extended to our neighborhood as you would want to yours. Yes, “Play Ball” at night just not when the kids are trying to sleep and because the field is 20 feet away they can’t sleep! Location, location, location. Always feel free to use your name too. Thanks.
>Alliance of the alliance; Latino leader says Dem stranglehold leaves him with no choice
Behind the buzzwords of packing, stacking and bleaching, there are several strategic takeaways from the last two public redistricting hearings in Newark and Jersey City where an urban underground-GOP establishment alliance dominates. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
>N.J. Sen. Sweeney to unveil bill requiring state employees to contribute more for medical benefits
Senate President Stephen Sweeney today will unveil a plan that aims to slash the state’s huge medical costs by requiring public employees to kick in significantly more to health benefits, according to three officials familiar with the proposal. (Renshaw, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_democrats_expected_to_propo.html
>Obama’s FY2012 Budget: Enormous Tax Hikes
Obama’s FY2012 Budget: Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes
From Ryan Ellis on Monday, February 14, 2011 12:00 PM
President Obama released his budget this morning. Rather than focusing on Washington’s over-spending problem, the budget calls for higher taxes on families and small businesses to pay for even more government spending. Under the Obama budget, tax revenues will grow from 14.4% of GDP in 2011 to 20% of GDP in 2021. By comparison, the historical average is only 18% of GDP.
Tax hike lowlights include:
Raising the top marginal income tax rate (at which a majority of small business profits face taxation) from 35% to 39.6%. This is a $709 billion/10 year tax hike
Raising the capital gains and dividends rate from 15% to 20%
Raising the death tax rate from 35% to 45% and lowering the death tax exemption amount from $5 million ($10 million for couples) to $3.5 million. This is a $98 billion/ten year tax hike
Capping the value of itemized deductions at the 28% bracket rate. This will effectively cut tax deductions for mortgage interest, charitable contributions, property taxes, state and local income or sales taxes, out-of-pocket medical expenses, and unreimbursed employee business expenses. A new means-tested phaseout of itemized deductions limits them even more. This is a $321 billion/ten year tax hike
New bank taxes totaling $33 billion over ten years
New international corporate tax hikes totaling $129 billion over ten years
New life insurance company taxes totaling $14 billion over ten years
Massive new taxes on energy, including LIFO repeal, Superfund, domestic energy manufacturing, and many others totaling $120 billion over ten years
Increasing unemployment payroll taxes by $15 billion over ten years
Taxing management capital gains in an investment partnership (“carried interest”) as ordinary income. This is a tax hike of $15 billion over ten years
A giveaway to the trial lawyers—not letting companies deduct the cost of punitive damages from a lawsuit settlement. This is a tax hike of $300 million over ten years
Increasing tax penalties, information reporting, and IRS information sharing. This is a ten-year tax hike of $20 billion.
Add it all together, and this budget is a ten-year, $1.5 trillion tax hike over present law. That’s $1.5 trillion taken out of the economy and spent on government instead of being used to create jobs.
The “tax relief” in the budget is mostly just an extension of present law, and also some refundable credit outlay spending in the tax code. There is virtually no new tax relief relative to present law in the President’s budget.
Read more: https://www.atr.org/obamas-fy-budgetbr-taxes-more-a5844#ixzz1E1XwXZ8X
>Do-It-Yourself property tax
Officials in Lambertville, N.J., are considering asking voters to raise their own property taxes to deal with a quintessential municipal issue: trash pickup. (Fleisher, The Wall Street Journal)
https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703786804576138611957391084.html
>No Child Left Behind : Charter schools may be an option
Charter schools may be an option
Under No Child Left Behind federal legislation that requires every child in public school to pass state standardized tests by 2014, schools that repeatedly fail to meet the benchmarks must provide tutoring and other remedies. (Rothschild, Courier-Post)
https://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110213/NEWS01/102130347/Charter-schools-may-be-option
