>James O’Keefe Monday March 7th Ramapo Reformed Church Fellowship Hall
100 Island Road , Mahwah New Jersey
>James O’Keefe March 7th Ramapo Reformed Church Fellowship Hall
Tag: Ridgewood Schools
>Spring is in the Air
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>Opinion: Questioning the relevance of government-worker unions
>Opinion: Questioning the relevance of government-worker unions
Sunday, February 27, 2011
By MIKE KELLY
RECORD COLUMNIST
https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/op-ed/kelly_022711.html
A NEW TEACHER in a Bergen County public school found herself in an uncomfortable setting a few years ago.Her school district was facing budget cuts, she said. School officials offered a compromise: If teachers would accept a one-year wage freeze, no teachers would be laid off.
The union representing teachers in the district rejected the proposal, claiming that school administrators were trying to hurt teachers. The union even accused the district of lying about the true state of school finances. The salary freeze was rejected. This new teacher got a pink slip.
“The friends I worked with didn’t care about saving my job,” this teacher said. “They cared only about themselves.”
Sound familiar?
You won’t hear this kind of story from the teachers unions. Nor will you hear it from the union supporters who have flooded the state capitol building in Wisconsin and talk as though public employees with their $80,000-a-year salaries are the 21st century equivalent of abused, dollar-a-day coal miners of the late 1800s.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/op-ed/kelly_022711.html
>FDR : "collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into public service"
>FDR : “collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into public service”
In the 1930s FDR explained very clearly why unions have no place un the public sector, given the fundamental distinctions between government employees and private sector employees. Here is what he said:
“All government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public-personnel management. The very nature and purposes of government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people.”
This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is a common sense issue. Organized labor has misrepresented the merits of public sector unions and the members have willingly allowed themselves to be brainwashed, because they enjoy such a good deal. The fact that they have gotten away with it for several decades does not justify the continuation of the ability for government employees to employ collective bargaining.
Given the dire economic condition of many states, to which the public union health care and pension benefit plans have been a significant factor, the taxpayer can no longer be expected to fund these programs to the extent that they have in the past. Every public union member must be required to contribute dramatically more toward their health care and pension. On this point, there can be no negotiation!
As we are witnessing in Wisconsin, the public union leaders’ greed is leading to thousands of layoffs for public union members. When will the members wake up and realize that they have been led astray and that they have killed the “golden goose”? The trough is empty and the taxpayers in states like NJ have nothing left to fill it. When will public union employees begin to scrutinize how the dues (that they are required to pay) are spent? They should be as angry about this as anyone. Yet, they blindly follow the offensive and inaccurate talking points of their leadership. It is a disgrace and we cannot afford the public unions’ irresponsible behavior any longer.
>Village of Ridgewood : Man about Town
>Pro Arte Chorale
Guest Conductor Roger Nierenberg Returns!Friday, March 4th at 8PM; West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 S. Monroe St., Ridgewood. Performances of Britten’s “Canata Misericordium”; and Haydon’s “Lord Nelson Mass”. tickets: call 201/497-8400 or www.proartechorale.org
| 66th Annual Antiques Show & Sale |
| Christ Church 105 Cottage Place Ridgewood |
| Friday, March 4th at 11am – 8pm Saturday, March 5th 10am – 5pm Delicious Food served daily. Appraiser on site both days. FREE shuttle service from Christ Church entrance and nearby parking. Information: 201/652-2350 |
>Taxpayers go toe to toe with Public Union Bosses in Trenton
>Taxpayers go toe to toe with Public Union Bosses in Trenton
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ- Today the forces of Big Labor and Big Government will be marching into Trenton because they know that their power is threatened by those of us who believe in economic freedom and limited government.
The union bosses who have enriched themselves on the backs of taxpayers think that they will be able to flex their muscle and keep the gravy train of our tax dollars flowing into their coffers.
Like this past week in Wisconsin, tomorrow here in New Jersey taxpayers will be standing up against the union thugs like never before. For the first time I can remember, taxpayers will rally toe-to-toe with the union bosses and let them know that their days of strong-arming politicians and soaking taxpayers are over.
>Court decision clouds future of wineries in N.J.
>Court decision clouds future of wineries in N.J.
The winter pruning began this week at Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards in Colts Neck, where the grapes growing on 40,000 vines eventually will turn into bottles of cayuga and chambourcin wine. (Diamond, Gannett)
>Affordable housing reform: The controversy continues
>Affordable housing reform: The controversy continues
The quest for affordable housing reform in New Jersey should begin anew next week with the introduction of yet another bill aimed at reforming the current system of requiring New Jersey municipalities to set aside development that is deemed “affordable” for the state’s low- and moderate-income families. Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who recently saw his latest effort to overhaul the system conditionally vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie, plans to restart the discussion by introducing an entirely new bill from the one that’s been haggled over for the past year. (O’Dea, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0225/0029/
>Christie study terms N.J. tax break dud
>Christie study terms N.J. tax break dud
A New Jersey program designed to lure shoppers to urban centers with tax breaks has done little to prop up local economies and should be dismantled, a study released by the Christie administration Thursday said. (Fleisher, MarketWatch)
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/christie-study-terms-nj-tax-break-a-dud-2011-02-24
>Gov. Christie says N.J. pensions system could go broke by 2020
>Gov. Christie says N.J. pensions system could go broke by 2020
Governor Christie says that if changes aren’t made to the state pension system it will go broke by 2020. (The Associated Press)
>Joaillier : Jewelry Cleaning Week
>Jewelry Cleaning Week
Fri, February 25, 2011 – Sat, March 05, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location: Joaillier, 196 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood NJ 07450
Event Description
Spring is right around the corner so open your jewelry boxes and check out what needs to be cleaned!
Joaillier is offering Free jewelry cleaning and
inspection(1 piece only).
You also get 25% off all jewelry cleaners, polishing cloths and jewelry organizers.
>Shutdown skedaddle: Congress deserted as deadline looms
>Shutdown skedaddle: Congress deserted as deadline looms
By Stephen Dinan-The Washington Times
With the clock ticking to a March 4 government shutdown, you might imagine the Capitol would be buzzing with lawmakers seeking to cut deals, make impassioned speeches and do everything they could to strike a deal on spending.
You’d be wrong.
House lawmakers stayed until 4:41 a.m. Saturday to finish up a spending bill to keep the government open, and sent it over to the Senate — only to be met with an empty chamber. Senators had closed up shop two days before and went home for a 10-day break to honor George Washington’s birthday.
“We will do our work, but where is the Senate? They’re on vacation,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg, a Montana Republican and member of the House Appropriations Committee who ran part of the floor debate over cutting spending for the new health care law. “Here we are knocking up against a March 4 deadline and they’re missing the deadline again.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/24/shutdown-skedaddle-congress-deserted-deadline-loom/
>Village Council Strikes Down Capital Request form Ridgewood Water
>Village Council Strikes Down Capital Request form Ridgewood Water
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ- The village council has decided strike down a $4.2 million capital request to upgrade water meters for Ridgewood Water . The Utility has long argued that the upgrade was needed to give the customers a more accurate read on their water usage .
Ridgewood water serves 60,000 customers in Ridgewood , Wyckoff, Midland Park and Glen Rock .Wyckoff, along with Glen Rock and Midland Park, initiated a lawsuit over rate hikes Ridgewood Water imposed in December of 2009 and again in 2010. Water bills have increased a whooping 26 percent since December of 2009.
Ridgewood Waters current system of reading meters over the phone lines has been criticized by customers who are suspicious of its accuracy . Advances in technology have also made the current system obsolete. The utility claims a complete switch to radio meters would solve the problems.
The utility has suffered from a very poor public image in recent years with huge rate increases , annual water shortages, slow communication and questions of water quality many customers have lost confidence.
>Put on Your Toe-Tapping Shoes March 6
>
Put on Your Toe-Tapping Shoes March 6
The Ridgewood A.M. and Bergen Community College Rotary Clubs have joined forces to host a Benefit Jazz Concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Ciccone Theater, Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Rd., Paramus.
The concert features six top-flight jazz musicians that you would ordinarily see at the Blue Note in NYC, but our concert is close to home, involves no cover charge, costs for drinks and parking, etc. Parking at the college is free and plentiful. And the acoustics in Ciccone Theater are fantastic.
Much of the concert will be devoted to Latin jazz, one of the latest trends in the music world. The infectious beat will have all of us tapping our feet.
The concert benefits Community Blood Services, Social Service Association of Ridgewood and Vicinity, and Bergen Community College scholarships for needy students. These organizations provide essential health, human services and education for Bergen County residents.
>The job of the Bergen County Executive is to protect the county’s approximately 500,000 taxpayers.
>The job of the Bergen County Executive is to protect the county’s approximately 500,000 taxpayers.
Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
The job of the Bergen County Executive is to protect the county’s approximately 500,000 taxpayers. Think of the taxpayers as the shareholders of a business with an annual operating budget in excess of $500 million. The shareholders entrust the executive to make certain that their money is spent wisely. They demand oversight and accountability.
To fulfill that mission I have proposed that all agencies receiving county funds be accountable, transparent and allow for appropriate oversight.
Three agencies, the Bergen County Utilities Authority, the Northwest Bergen County Sewer Authority and the Bergen County Improvement Authority are statutorily required to submit their minutes to me for review. I have already vetoed the minutes of two of these agencies citing unnecessary and excessive spending.
Other agencies will be asked to voluntarily submit to an oversight process similar to the one recently negotiated with the leadership of Bergen Community College. That process provides for the Board of Trustees meeting agendas to be submitted to the county executive 10 days in advance of the meeting and for discussion to take place over any questionable items.
If an issue in dispute cannot be resolved the item will be pulled from the agenda until an agreement can be reached. It’s that simple.
Bergen County taxpayers contribute more than 20 percent of Bergen Community’s $100 million annual operating budget. They have a right to require a level of oversight and to expect accountability and transparency. If the county were a “lender” and the college were a “borrower” the lender would demand covenants limiting the use of funds. We are simply requiring oversight.
Opponents have raised vague issues of “illegality” suggesting that the board cannot enter into a voluntary oversight process to ensure transparency and accountability. Where in the law does it say that a public agency relying on public funds to fulfill its mission cannot voluntarily be accountable? This is a bogus issue raised by individuals who undoubtedly need oversight more than most.
They also suggest that oversight and accountability will strip the college of autonomy. Well, they might be right to a limited degree. But there is a price for autonomy: you pay your own way. The college simply cannot expect to be largely funded by Bergen County taxpayers without submitting to oversight.
Academic freedom? Not an issue. It’s up to the college to set the curriculum. It’s up to the county executive to protect the taxpayers’ investment.
College Chairman E. Carter Corriston and I agree that Bergen Community has been a credit to the county and that the limited oversight we have agreed to will not in any way impact its mission.
The agreement itself is voluntary. Should the college’s Board of Trustees determine that they cannot work within the confines of transparency and accountability, they can rescind the resolution and reestablish full autonomy; less, of course, their public subsidy from the taxpayers of Bergen County
