>CBO raises its stimulus cost estimate, again
By Stephen Dinan-The Washington Times
Congress‘ chief scorekeeper has again raised the cost estimate of President Obama‘s two-year-old economic-stimulus program, calculating it will end up costing taxpayers $821 billion — or $34 billion more than originally projected.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/23/stimulus-price-tag-ticks-again/
>RIDGEWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE WOMEN GARDENERS OF RIDGEWOOD TO PRESENT “BATS, BATS, BATS” WITH EXPERT JOSEPH D’ANGELI
RIDGEWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE WOMEN GARDENERS OF RIDGEWOOD TO PRESENT “BATS, BATS, BATS” WITH EXPERT JOSEPH D’ANGELI Expert Joseph D’Angeli will present an education experience for Village youth with live bats and verbal lecture to explain the vital role these endangered nocturnal creatures play in virtually every environment on earth. The program is co-sponsored by Ridgewood Recreation and the Women Gardeners of Ridgewood and will be held at the Anne Zusy Youth Center in Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue on Thursday, February 24th. The program will be divided into two time slots; Grades K-2 from 11 am to 12 noon, and Grades 3-5 from 12:15 to 1:15 pm. The cost of admission is $5. As seating is limited, tickets should be purchased in advance at the Recreation office at the Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, weekdays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For additional information kindly contact the Recreation office at 201-670-5560 or visit our website at www.ridgewoodnj.net/recreation.
>“Taxpayers United” Rally
Friday, February 25 at 12:00 Noon
Statehouse Annex, 125 West State Street in Trenton, NJ
In states like Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey and Indiana, the union’s political influence is being challenged like never before. Public opinion is turning against them as more and more Americans catch on to the fact that the interests of state workers and public sector unions are the enemy of taxpayers and limited government.There’s a reason the left is sending out their big guns to the protest this Friday – led by none other than AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka.
Private sector workers are outraged when they learn that their taxpayer dollars are being used to provide their public sector counterparts with better salaries and far more generous pensions and benefits.The lavish compensation packages bestowed on state workers are draining the coffers of states across the country, including right here in New Jersey where our state’s pension system has a staggering $173 BILLION liability and is heading full steam toward bankruptcy.
Governors like Scott Walker are now taking a bold stand on behalf of taxpayers, standing up to the unions and demanding that they “pay their fair share” in order to address their state’s fiscal crises.
But the union bosses know that this is a direct threat to their political power. Big government is the life’s blood that fuels the public sector unions and funds the left’s political machine. That’s why they have unleashed the hordes in Wisconsin. And it’s why the CWA and the AFL-CIO will be out in force on Friday in Trenton.
>N.J. businesses praise Christie’s proposal for $690M in tax cuts
New Jersey business advocacy groups cheered Gov. Chris Christie’s state budget Tuesday, expressing satisfaction with his strategy for creating “a better environment to start and grow a business.” (Kwoh and Rizzo, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_businesses_to_get_690m_in_t.html
>No increases for bus, rail fares in Christie’s budget
NJ Transit riders got some good news from Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed state budget: no fare increase. (Higgs, Asbury Park Press)
>Christie challenges Democrats on making N.J. workers pay more for health benefits
Gov. Chris Christie’s message to Democrats today was clear: Make state workers pay more for health benefits or be the reason thousands of residents don’t get more property tax relief. (Gibson and Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/nj_democrats_react_to_gov_chri.html
>Christie holds property-tax relief hostage to union givebacks in budget
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is holding homeowner tax credits hostage until he gets state unions and their legislative allies to agree to give up some benefits as part of his $29.4 billion budget for fiscal 2012. (Dopp, Bloomberg)
>Congressman Scott Garrett: Christie Budget Makes Job Creation Priority Number One
WASHINGTON, DC, February 22, 2011 – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) issued the following statement today after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie unveiled his budget plan during a speech at the New Jersey Statehouse:
“I applaud Governor Christie for unveiling a budget plan today that strikes the right balance between cost-cutting savings and incentives for private-sector job creation. By cutting business taxes and the eliminating wasteful government spending, Governor Christie has made job creation is his number one priority. Business tax cuts will not only help grow the economy and create jobs, but will signal to the business community that New Jersey is determined to do all it can to tear down barriers to job creation. In addition, Governor Christie’s spending cuts will prove that New Jersey is serious about getting its fiscal house in order, which will go a long way in creating the certainty necessary for businesses to expand. Like Governor Christie, I, too, am determined to reduce spending and cut taxes, and I believe the Governor is on the right path.”
>
Sammy Hagar
Tuesday, March 15th @ 1:00pm
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and former lead singer with Van Halen, will sign his new book: Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock.
Books available March 15th
Harlan Coben
Wednesday, March 23rd @ 6:00pm
International Bestselling Author and Ridgewood Resident, will sign his new book: Live Wire.
Books available March 22nd
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
>Cuts in state payments to municipalities for open space could devastate small-town budgets
The rural communities of southern New Jersey anxiously wait to see Gov. Chris Christie’s budget this week as many fear the complete cutting of aid money that compensates them for their preserved open space. (Procida, Press of Atlantic City)
>Christie’s business-friendly posture starting to produce positive results
Amid statewide glimpses of economic growth, a campaign to create a more business-friendly climate has not missed Central Jersey. (Burd, Gannett)
>The rise and decline of the NJEA
In 1991, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the state teachers’ union, reached the zenith of its power. The NJEA opposed the teacher pension funding reforms proposed by the then Governor Jim Florio and therefore endorsed most 1991 Republican candidates for the state Senate and Assembly. (Steinberg, PolitickerNJ)
https://www.politickernj.com/alan-steinberg/45051/rise-and-decline-njea
>Get ready for a ‘global Katrina’: Biggest ever solar storm could cause power cuts which last for MONTHS
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Last updated at 8:59 AM on 22nd February 2011
Comments (273)
Add to My Stories
Earth is overdue a solar storm as the sun enters its most active period
The world is overdue a ferocious ‘space storm’ that could knock out communications satellites, ground aircraft and trigger blackouts – causing hundreds of billions of pounds of damage, scientists say.
Astronomers today warned that mankind is now more vulnerable to a major solar storm than at any time in history – and that the planet should prepare for a global Katrina-style disaster.
A massive eruption of the sun would save waves of radiation and charged particles to Earth, damaging the satellite systems used for synchronising computers, airline navigation and phone networks
>Federal, state and local debt hits post-WWII levels
By Steven Mufson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 20, 2011; 11:33 PM
The daunting tower of national, state and local debt in the United States will reach a level this year unmatched just after World War II and already exceeds the size of the entire economy, according to government estimates.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/20/AR2011022003201.html
>Ridgewood kids have been racing to nowhere long before the documentary
Ridgewood kids have been racing to nowhere long before the documentary. The emphasis for resume building begins in ‘enrichment’. God forbid you call it pre-K in Ridgewood. Kids are guided into a plethora of programs and activities that we actually have to have a ‘holiday’ to do nothing.
If being athletic is good, then more is better, right? Ask baseball or soccer players about 3-season sports, club teams and personal trainers. Places like PBI and Parisi are virtual gold mines for all the local kids who are brianwashed into believing that they are the greatest players to ever walk onto the field.
Forget about teachers teaching kids being enough. We have tutors for every discipline, music instructors with Lincoln Center backgrounds and SAT prep programs bankrupting families because having the best is the only option.
I have regular, happy and and reasonably well-adjusted kids. They have friends who started in therapy while still in single digits and pre-teen years because of stress and anxiety problems. And for this, we are shelling out 18k per student.
We might show them more compassion by putting them in lock-up at juvi.
The pointy heads at Cottage Place should be focusing on a good educational experience for ALL kids and not just an excellent experience for some.
