>In U.S., Confidence in Newspapers, TV News Remains a Rarity No more than 25% say they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in either . by Lymari Morales
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans continue to express near-record-low confidence in newspapers and television news — with no more than 25% of Americans saying they have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in either. These views have hardly budged since falling more than 10 percentage points from 2003-2007.
>Chris Christie “As much as I love teachers, everyone’s gotta be a part of the sacrifice”
Gov. Chris Christie speaks fiscal truth
I have to give a high-five to Gov. Chris Christie. The New Jersey Republican was on “Morning Joe” today and showed why he is not only a rising star within the GOP, but also a model of leadership for politicians who have lost touch with their spines. (Capehart, Washington Post)
“This teacher complaining, they’re getting 4 and 5 percent salary increases a year. In a 0 percent inflation world. They get free health benefits from the day they’re hired for their entire family until the day they die. They believe they are entitled to this shelter from the recession when the people who are paying for that shelter are the people who have been laid off, who’ve lost their homes, had their hours cut back. And all we ask them to do is freeze their salary for one year and pay 1.5 percent of their salary for their health benefits…. As much as I love teachers, everyone’s gotta be a part of the sacrifice”
By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY At a time when workers’ pay and benefits have stagnated, federal employees’ average compensation has grown to more than double what private sector workers earn, a USA TODAY analysis finds. Federal workers have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit increases than private employees for nine years in a row. The compensation gap between federal and private workers has doubled in the past decade.
Federal civil servants earned average pay and benefits of $123,049 in 2009 while private workers made $61,051 in total compensation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data are the latest available.
The federal compensation advantage has grown from $30,415 in 2000 to $61,998 last year.
Public employee unions say the compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years.
“The data are not useful for a direct public-private pay comparison,” says Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.
Chris Edwards, a budget analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, thinks otherwise. “Can’t we now all agree that federal workers are overpaid and do something about it?” he asks.
Last week, President Obama ordered a freeze on bonuses for 2,900 political appointees. For the rest of the 2-million-person federal workforce, Obama asked for a 1.4% across-the-board pay hike in 2011, the smallest in more than a decade. Federal workers also would qualify for seniority pay hikes.
Congressional Republicans want to cancel the across-the-board increase in 2011, which would save $2.2 billion.
“Americans are fed up with public employee pay scales far exceeding that in the private sector,” says Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the second-ranking Republican in the House.
Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., says a pay freeze would unfairly scapegoat federal workers without addressing real budget problems.
What the data show:
•Benefits. Federal workers received average benefits worth $41,791 in 2009. Most of this was the government’s contribution to pensions. Employees contributed an additional $10,569.
•Pay. The average federal salary has grown 33% faster than inflation since 2000. USA TODAY reported in March that the federal government pays an average of 20% more than private firms for comparable occupations. The analysis did not consider differences in experience and education.
•Total compensation. Federal compensation has grown 36.9% since 2000 after adjusting for inflation, compared with 8.8% for private workers.
>Village will not supply lunchtime crossing guards
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood students who walk home for lunch will have to cross main streets without a crossing guard in the upcoming school year, part of a cost-saving measure issued by village administrators.
The village notified the Ridgewood Public Schools district that it will not provide crossing guards during the lunchtime period of 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. The village will save about $86,000 by having crossing guards work only before and after school, said Village Manager Ken Gabbert.
In a letter addressed to Ridgewood Schools Superintendent Daniel Fishbein last week, Gabbert said the decision was based on a discussion between himself, Fishbein and Ridgewood Police Senior Officer in Charge John Ward.
“… It is clear to me that it is an infrequent event for students to walk home for lunch unaccompanied by an adult,” according to the Aug. 4 letter.
Fishbein could not immediately be reached for comment.
>the Ridgewood blog best Pizza 2010 Poll closes at 9pm this Friday
The Ridgewood blog Best Pizza 2010 Poll is coming to a close this Friday at 9:00 pm please cast your final votes . On closing the poll results will be tallied and the poll will be immediately removed from the blog. Results will then be announced Sunday Night August 15th at 6 pm .
Please feel free to sample as many of the participants Pizza as possible because an informed voter is the best voter . You can post your comments and reviews of various tastings under this post . Feel free to submit comments and tips to the Ridgewood blog : [email protected]
>Sanity Reigns; Village Council Scrubs Plan to Charge for Parking at Graydon South
In response to public comments made by Ms. Debra Coniglio during their Wednesday night meeting, Village Council members announced that there would be no ordinances introduced in connection with proposed “pay to park” privileges at the Graydon Pool parking facilities.
Ms. Coniglio, a Village taxpayer for the past 20 years, had blasted Council members for even considering a plan that would have imposed a $425 per school year fee to park at either Graydon lot.
Mayor Keith D. Killion offered no explanation as to why he and other Village Council members decided against moving forward with ordinances that had been recommended by Village Manager Dr. Kenneth Gabbert.
The Fly suggests that the implementation of such a plan would have cost the Mayor and Council their jobs, plain and simple.
Hats off to Ms. Coniglio and The Ridgewood Blog for putting a stop to the madness!
>Readers Suggest Village Hall Has created this Mess and now its time they pick up the tab and pay for parking like every one else in town
The Village Council is doing a very good job of running residents out of Ridgewood. They passed the school budget despite a NO VOTE against it, taxes are increasing, and now another ‘tax’ on parking for RHS students. Store fronts are empty downtown and people are without jobs and hurting financially.
The Valley Expansion is being pushed down our throats and our voices are being silenced (GW debacle). Is this anyway to draw people into Ridgewood? With all of our kids out of the RW Schools, we are leaving for a kinder and gentler community. Living in RW has become a huge disappointment!.
Instead of taxing the students (whose families’ already pay Ridgewood taxes) let’s move the parking fees over to the Municipal Building/Library parking lot and put parking fees on all those spaces. Why should Village employees park at work for free? They have no problem imposing parking fees on us in town, at the train station, and now at school – while they are the only group in Ridgewood who gets to park for free. “Why shouldn’t they pay – they’re not little kids.”
Most U.S. voters believe the Democratic congressional agenda is extreme, while a plurality describe the Republican agenda as mainstream.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters think the agenda of Democrats in Congress is extreme. Thirty-four percent (34%) say it is more accurate to describe the Democratic agenda as mainstream.
Voters are more narrowly divided when it comes to the agenda of congressional Republicans. Forty-five percent (45%) of voters view the GOP agenda as mainstream, but nearly as many (40%) say it’s more accurate to call it extreme. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.
The Political Class, however, has dramatically different views of the agendas of the two parties from what Mainstream voters think. Ninety-one percent (91%) of the Political Class say the Democratic agenda in Congress is in the mainstream, but 70% of Mainstream voters see that agenda as extreme.
While 53% of Mainstream voters see the Republican congressional agenda as in the mainstream, 81% of Political Class voters regard it as extreme.
>The Ridgewood YMCA is looking for youth and teen basketball players interested in participating on their new travel basketball team.
The Ridgewood YMCA is looking for youth and teen basketball players interested in participating on their new travel basketball team. The co-ed Y team plays in the New Jersey YMCA Basketball League, and the schedule consists of weekly practices in the gym, as well as home and away games versus other New Jersey YMCA teams. There are both a U12 and a U14 team, made up of boys and girls regardless of hometown. Contact Chris at 201-444-5600 ext. 339 for more information or to sign up. Tryouts are in October.
The team will also be looking for parent volunteer(s) to coach! Contact Chris for details.
When: Saturday and Sunday August 14/15 2010 MOVING SALE!!! Tons of great stuff…lots of furniture incl dining table, knotty pine king bed set, TV/stereo/speakers other electronics, books, frames, handbags, clothes, back to school, sports equip, memorabilia, Xbox, games, DVDs, baby stuff, tons of toys, household stuff, knick knacks, bikes, collectibles,….and lots more all price ranges
>New Jersey teachers hope federal funds restore raises
School officials in districts where teachers took wage freezes to save jobs want to know if they can use proposed federal stimulus money to restore raises for the 2010-11 school year. If not, they say, the districts and their employees would be punished financially for having taken the wage freeze the governor requested.
>Christie administration may not apply for $268M U.S. education aid
The Christie administration may not apply for $268 million in federal education aid up for a vote in Washington Tuesday, the governor’s spokesman said. (Fleisher, Star Ledger)
>States test whether public pension benefits given can be taken away State legislators are beginning to challenge one of the ironclad tenets of public pension policy: that states cannot legally reduce pension benefits for current and future retirees. (Fehr, Stateline)
We are taking it to the streets of DC again on Saturday, August 28, 2010 for the Restoring Honor Rally at the Steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Come join Glenn, Sarah Palin, Jo Dee Messina and Marcus Luttrell at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 2010 for the Restoring Honor Rally. This non-political, “non-partisan event will recognize our First Amendment rights and honor the service members who fight to protect those freedoms.
Official 8-28 Site – https://www.glennbeck.com/828/
New Jersey Tea Party Coalition will be having buses leaving from Bergen County on 8/28/10 departing from the Ridgewood NJ area (the exact location to be advised upon booking) at 5:00 a.m. as we have to be there for the start of the rally at 10:00 a.m.
We plan to have a minimum of three buses and we need you all to fill those buses. We need each and every one of you to come and bring another person with you.
In order to keep NJTPC going with event and activities, we are asking for $50 per seat to cover the cost of the bus, the driver’s tip, and support some seats for those who cannot afford the seat price during these difficult economic times. Of course, as usual if you wish to “sponsor” a seat for someone else, that also is appreciated. We are fortunate to have the most generous membership all who give generously of their time, talents and treasure.
Sponsored by Ridgewood Chambe of Commerce Friday, September 10th from 6PM to 9PM at Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. Non-Registration will open at 5PM on Walnut Street/Dayton. Parking will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Come early because spaces are limited! Registration fees are not refundable. Music will keep the evening lively and there will be trophies for many categories. Bring your family and friends to admire vintabe cars, enjoy some excellent dining and be part of a trademark, fun-filled experience in Ridgewood!
Ridgewood Street Fair Sponsored by Village of Ridgewood Recreation 140 Quality Exhibitors of Arts and Crafts will be available at the Street Fair on E. Ridgewood Avenue. Kid’s Activities, Great Food and All Day Entertainment on Sunday, September 12th from Noon to 5PM. Free Admission. Raindate: September 19th. Promoted by: P.J.’s Promotion www.pjspromotions.com
