>Your questions about the Chamber Rewards Card, answered!
-How can I get a card?
Visit us at 27 Chestnut Street or ask any participating vendors for a card. If you would like the card mailed to you, please contact the Chamber Office at 201-445-2600 or [email protected].
-Does it cost anything to get a card?
No. The Chamber Rewards Card is absolutely free!
-Do I have to be a Ridgewood resident to receive a card?
No. The Rewards Card is offered at no cost to anyone who would like one.
-How do I use my card?
Simply present the card to participating vendors to receive your discount or free offer!
-Must I have the card on me when I visit participating businesses?
Yes. You must present the card at the time of purchase; otherwise, the offered promotion is not valid.
-What are the benefits of the card?
Each participating business offers their own unique and exciting deal! Get the reward you deserve for shopping and dining locally.
-What businesses participate in the card?
Look for a “Rewards Card Accepter Here!” poster in the windows or doors of participating businesses throughout town. All of these businesses are current Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce members. If you would like a complete list, click on the link below:
On July 20, 1969, the human race accomplished its single greatest technological achievement of all time when a human first set foot on another celestial body.
https://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/introduction.htm
Six hours after landing at 4:17 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (with less than 30 seconds of fuel remaining), Neil A. Armstrong took the “Small Step” into our greater future when he stepped off the Lunar Module, named “Eagle,” onto the surface of the Moon, from which he could look up and see Earth in the heavens as no one had done before him.
He was shortly joined by “Buzz” Aldrin, and the two astronauts spent 21 hours on the lunar surface and returned 46 pounds of lunar rocks. After their historic walks on the Moon, they successfully docked with the Command Module “Columbia,” in which Michael Collins was patiently orbiting the cold but no longer lifeless Moon.
>Cities Rent Police, Janitors to Save Cash By TAMARA AUDI
Faced with a $118 million budget deficit, the city of San Jose, Calif., recently decided it could no longer afford its own janitors. So the city’s budget called for dropping its custodial staff and hiring outside contractors to clean its city hall and airport, saving about $4 million. To keep all its swimming pools open and staffed, the city is replacing some city workers with contractors.
“These are cases where the question is being asked, ‘Is this a core service at the city level?’ ” said Michelle McGurk, senior policy adviser to the San Jose mayor.
After years of whittling staff and cutting back on services, towns and cities are now outsourcing some of the most basic functions of local government, from policing to trash collection. Services that cities can no longer afford to provide are being contracted to private vendors, counties or even neighboring towns.
Mike Bloomberg hits an all time new low with his cowardice endorsing plans to build a new Mosque 2 blocks from ground zero .
So I think we all need a simple reminder what happened on 9/11 .Let’s face it to build a Mosque 2 blocks from ground zero is purely provocative and for no other reason.
And no amount of calling everyone else a racist can justify your cowardice !
>Bill could increase number, variety of charter schools in NJ
With the latest batch of charter-school approvals likely to be announced soon by the state Department of Education, some state lawmakers are beginning a push for a bill that could expand the alternative public schools’ movement in New Jersey. (Symons, Gannett)
New Jersey is preparing to announce the confirmation of at least six new charter schools this week, but proposed charters in Princeton, Teaneck and Flemington won’t be on the list, dealing a blow to a movement to widen school choice to affluent districts. (Resmovits, Wall Street Journal)
>Starting and growing a small business is no easy task. Even having the best business plan does not guarantee success. It requires (at a minimum) a balance of talent and resources, with the right level of expertise in a wide variety of disciplines. Small business owners (and employees) must remain focused on their product or service, acquiring and satisfying clients, and generating revenue and profits. To help round out their team, small business owners might enlist the help of a business coach, attorney, accountant and marketing specialist, and others. What is surprising however is that it is estimated that more than 50% of small businesses today perform their own technology planning, implementation and support; done by either the owner themselves or some other person in the office as a part time job. This is time taken away from servicing clients, the business and making money. Furthermore, the IT solutions they will have are likely to be no better than the knowledge of someone who is not versed or trained in (current) technology. Is this a cost effective or strategic approach for success? Probably not.
A Small Business IT Consultant is someone who will work with you, the business owner (or other senior executive of your firm), understand how the business operates and makes money, creating and executing a business technology strategy for success. This should include a variety of options that will enable the company to grow, improve efficiency and productivity, save and make (more) money. Essentially being successful!
While there are a number of highly skilled technology service providers who will support your small business, you will want to find one that is more than an “order taker”; performing the specific implementation and (“break-fix”) support tasks that you design. This is again a scenario that will yield you a solution only as good as your technical knowledge. This is where an IT consultant will work with you, help you and add value.
As a small business owner, you have enough things on your plate to worry about. Technology should not be one of them. Find a Small Business IT Consultant who will be your partner for success.
>Bergen County Clerk Kathe Donovan, the Republican candidate for County Executive, said today that she looks forward to meeting with the commission Governor Christie has appointed to study the possibility of a state takeover of county prosecutors offices. According to Ms. Donovan, “This is a logical follow-up to the state’s earlier takeover of the court and probation system.”
She continued, “The primary mission of the commission should be to determine if costs can be reduced without disrupting local law enforcement. The transition of the court system to the state has been seamless. Can we expect the same result with a state takeover of prosecutors’ offices?”
Donovan said that a change of this magnitude should only occur if real savings and not just a cost shift with no beneficial impact on taxpayers can be accomplished. “The Governor has identified an area of potential government reform and we should analyze it carefully. I look forward to participating in that review.”
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>MUST READ – Some key excerpts from Princeton Health Care System Website: A Closer Look at the Need to Relocate
The relocation plan has been the result of a lengthy, collaborative effort involving the input not only of PHCS officials, physicians and staff, but also local residents, civic leaders and emergency service personnel, to ensure that the project serves the healthcare and community needs of area residents.
The Princeton HealthCare System Board of Trustees in January 2005 decided to relocate the hospital after determining that a new campus would provide the necessary space for advanced medical services, easier access for patients and room to expand with the region’s growing population.
The decision followed a two-and-a-half year strategic planning process that included a careful review and analysis of the health needs of the community, changes in clinical practices and the delivery of care, technological advances, projected demographic changes in Central New Jersey, accessibility and the existing hospital facilities.
Building on a larger site that is not in the midst of residential neighborhoods enables Princeton HealthCare System to construct a state-of-the-art facility without any of the limitations of the existing site. Building new allows the hospital to accommodate the most up-to-date medical technology; provide private patient rooms, which helps reduce the chance of infection and enables it to comply with current American Institute of Architecture guidelines and applicable code requirements; and have a helicopter pad so it can accept patients who are flown in and transport patients to other facilities when necessary.
Additionally, building a new hospital on a new site ensures there will be no disruption of service during the construction period.
Tapping into Community Support
Community involvement was critical throughout the decision-making process.
In addition to meeting regularly with two community advisory committees that consisted of concerned community leaders and neighborhood representatives, officials from Princeton HealthCare System met with area residents during more than 70 community group meetings.
The PHCS senior management team also worked closely with the Princeton HealthCare Task Force, an independent group composed of borough and township planning officials. The task force explored the options of renovating versus relocating thoroughly.
By working together, PHCS and the community reached the consensus that relocation is the best choice for the future of the hospital and the region.
>Valley Renewal : “ladies and gentlemen” on our Planning Board etc., did WRONG!
New Hospital Project
Princeton HealthCare System
To:Ridgewood Blog Administrator The new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro is slated to open in 2012. Not very many people in our area, especially Ridgewood residents, are aware of the history and background information that led to the decision to build this new hospital, nor the unbelievable parallels that can be drawn between these two towns. I am sending to you, in a separate email, their website, and hope that you will look it over. In particular, I ask that you Click On “Why Relocate” and carefully read “Why Is University Medical Center at Princeton Moving?”, being sure to continue at the “click on”. (The other parts of the website are equally informative.) If you have not learned about the details of this situation before, you will find it to be an amazing eye-opener. I, having grown up at 250 N. Van Dien before Valley was even built, and, having been trying to “Stop Valley” just about all my LIFE, find the entire article to be sadly enlightening, summarizing what Princeton did RIGHT, and what Valley Hospital and the “ladies and gentlemen” on our Planning Board, etc., did WRONG. I thought perhaps it’s about time that more people are made aware of this, and your venue seemed an appropriate place in which to inform the public. Please look for “New Hospital Project/Princeton Health Care System”.
The village is attempting to tax the income generated by the rental of office space in the Pease Building, but this attempt is being questioned by the legal counsel for David F. Bolger and the Bolger Foundation, which restored the building.
“As you are very familiar, the Bolger Foundation’s gift of over $1.3 million in renovations to the former Pease Library last year, which up until this was a dilapidated building owned by the village, was known by all as having been made to facilitate the income on the property becoming available to support the Ridgewood [Public] Library, and its good works,” wrote attorney Thomas Wells in a letter addressed to the village on June 29. “The mayor and council’s stated intention to now tax this property, strikes even me, as a less cynical observer, as completely inconsistent with the spirit of the gift and the agreement between the village and the Bolger Foundation dated September 10, 2008.”
The current net income from the Pease rentals is anticipated to generate $103,200 for the library’s coffers this year, according to information provided by Library Director Nancy Greene. The 2009 rental income equaled $58,000, she added.
In a July 7 e-mail to The Ridgewood News, Village Manager Ken Gabbert said the amount of money the village intends to gain from taxing the income of the building is as yet undetermined, and it would be left to the village tax assessor to calculate the figure.
The building itself is a “tax-exempt” property owned by the village, and any tax that may or may not be realized from its rental would be assessed solely on the revenue it generates, Gabbert said.
“There is no proposed tax for the Pease Building,” he wrote. “Any profitable use of the tax-exempt building would be opened to tax per statute.”
Wells contended in his letter that a “lack of clarity” in the village’s intent, reasoning and the amount to be raised through taxation is “contrasted” by the 2008 agreement between the philanthropic organization and the municipality.
“All income collected by the village from rent paid by tenants in the building less reasonable reserves, maintenance costs, etc. should be distributed to the Ridgewood Library,” according to the agreement.
Under the present economic conditions, Green said, the library could use all of the additional income it can get. The village’s appropriation to the library from the general tax levy dropped $39,000 this year, and its mandated expenses, such as union salaries and health insurance premiums, rose more than $81,000, she said.
Between the loss in tax dollars and the rise in expenses, that equals a $120,000 shortfall for the library, which is only partially supported by the $103,000 cushion offered by the Pease rentals. That would still leave a $17,000 revenue gap for the library this year.
Since 1997, the size of the library’s main building on North Maple Avenue has grown by 70 percent; its usage has gone up 89 percent; its book and media holdings have increased 41 percent; and it offers 139 percent more computers and computer services, according to information provided by Greene.
“So this year we cut part-time professional staff, August Sunday hours and our collection budget,” Greene wrote. “Thanks to the support of the council and gifts from the Friends [of the Ridgewood Library] and [Ridgewood Public Library] Foundation, we are among the best and most utilized libraries in Northern New Jersey.”
This Tuesday Americans for Prosperity will hold an important press conference rally in Morristown against Cap & Trade with Assemblywoman Alison McHose and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll.
If you are unwilling to pay twice as much for your electricity bill in the name of bogus “climate change,” then join us this Tuesday to help put a stop to New Jersey’s Cap & Trade program.
Unbeknownst to many New Jerseyans, our state is already participating in a Cap & Trade program identical to the one Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are trying to ram though in Washington. The Cap & Trade program is called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – or RGGI – a coalition of ten northeastern states from Maine to Maryland.
RGGI is being looked at as a model for a federal program. In fact, the bill’s language actually states that it is a prelude to a federal program.
That’s why it is no coincidence that the current head of the EPA is none other than Lisa Jackson, the former head of the DEP under Jon Corzine.
Believe it or not, RGGI has already held seven auctions of carbon permits since 2008 which has amassed a whopping $660M! This cost will be passed along to consumers in the way of higher and higher energy costs.
The Heritage Foundation analysis of the Waxman-Markey Cap & Trade bill estimates that by 2020 New Jerseyans could pay 58% more for gas and 90% more for electricity. An estimated 65,000 jobs could be lost. Cap & Trade is nothing less than a stealth energy tax that will cause irreparable harm to our economy. That’s why you and I need to stop this program now.
On Tuesday, we will join with Assemblywoman Alison McHose and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll who have introduced legislation to repeal RGGI and end New Jersey’s participation in this program. You and I need to stand up with these two courageous lawmakers and send a strong message to Trenton that taxpayers will not allow Cap & Trade to take root in our state.
If you would like to join us on Tuesday, please contact our office at (201) 487-8844 or e-mail our Communications Director, Mike Proto, & mailto:[email protected] > [email protected] for more details. We will also need volunteers on Monday to help us prepare for this important press conference. On to Victory, Steve Lonegan State Director Americans for Prosperity-New Jersey, 24 River Road, Suite 205, Bogota, NJ 07603
