The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Mt. Laurel NJ, The Associated Builders and Contractors New Jersey Chapter (ABCNJ) and the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) issued a joint statement today criticizing Governor Phil Murphy for signing Bill S-3414/A-5378 which requires government-mandated Project Labor Agreements (PLA) to apply to any public works contract exceeding $5 million.
“Wilson was appointed, not elected, four years ago. Mary Micale fought hard in Wilson’s favor to have her appointed. At the time, Mary vouched for Wilson saying they worked together for years; YWCA and Foundation. That alone should recuse Wilson form interviewing and nominating this candidate. Instead, she lead the interview. It was so obvious that Mary was given information other candidates didn’t have. Clearly, her interview was coach and scripted.
Now it’s time to return the favor.”
” Let’s speak openly about the real reason this Board wants Mary Micale and the importance of this open position (which is only a 6 month position). In the next six months before a member can be elected, the Board majority needs to deliver on their promise (to special interest groups); commit to multi million dollar projects and move the election back to November so residents won’t be allowed to vote or change the school budget. None of what they are planing will directly impact the children’s programs, education or stop the decline in school ranking. Residents pockets will be tuned inside out and we will all be financially crippled by debt. WAKE UP RIDGEWOOD! “
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Senate President Sweeney and Senator Ruiz Joint Statement on NJ Department of Education Announcement to Reduce PARCC Evaluation Weights
“As we approach the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, we are deeply disappointed that the administration is walking away from New Jersey’s students by reducing the PARCC assessment to count for only five percent of a teacher’s evaluation. These tests are about education, not politics.
file photo by Dana Glazer
June 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog with a little help from our friends
Ridgewood NJ, a reader wrote us and said ,”I was cleaning up my posts and came across this Facebook thread from last year. It’s amazing that the same people/group that spoon fed and pushed personal agendas are still at it. Our current Mayor and Deputy Mayor remain under attack; false accusations, lies published in the local newspaper, public opinion letters etc.
Why would they still be at it? Answer: We have an election coming up next year. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s positions become available. Exactly two seats are needed for this group to resume block voting and to pick up where they left off. They are also desperately fighting the Council’s effort to review and restructure committees, which were previously formed and by them. Why? Answer: Establishing and enforcing committee Bylaws would greatly restrict pushing personal agendas and members would be appointed to these committees in a fair, term restricted, manner. Imagine the use of checks and balances, which doesn’t exist today. Their biggest threat, is loosing their self appointed positions or that these committees be dismantled. Why? Answer: They would loose their last public platform. Meaning, they would no longer have the same clout, wide reach or public accessibility. Note how every one of their publications lists their titles and positions served. Why? Because an official title or experience gives more weight.
Like Derek Schnure said, “the little guy is now able to counter the misinformation and party politics.” Residents beware and stay informed.
August 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Garrett for Congress released the following ad, which will air district-wide in New Jersey’s Fifth District.
Josh Gottheimer is just another tax-and-spend liberal Democrat. He lies to taxpayers, deceiving them into thinking he is a fiscal conservative, but the reality is, Josh Gottheimer wants to send more money to Washington, DC from hardworking New Jersey taxpayers.
Josh Gottheimer released a so-called “tax plan” that shows he will blindly support Hillary Clinton’s trillion dollar tax increase, which The Tax Foundation finds would weaken the economy, reduce wages, and result in fewer jobs. Simply put, you will be taxed more and paid less in the Gottheimer/Clinton tax plan.
Josh Gottheimer wants higher taxes so he can reward his special interests with New Jersey tax dollars. What New Jersey families want and deserve is a congressman that will fight to keep more of your hard earned money in your own pocket.
This is why Rep. Garrett has been such a strong proponent of keeping our taxes as low as possible. He voted against President Obama’s increased taxes on the middle class. Every time someone advocates higher income taxes, it actually means that more of our money goes to Washington, where bureaucrats decide how to spend it.
Rep. Garrett has always fought to protect your tax dollars, and he will continue to do so next Congress.
Whoever wrote that about Gwenn Hauck was on point. Why was she there in some kind of official capacity? Does she work for the Village? Is she an elected official? No, she does not and she is not. She is a VOLUNTEER on a committee. The event should have been run by an employee of the Village, not by a committee volunteer. Sorry, Mrs. Hauck, we no longer need or want you around. I was not at the duckie derby, but I am still very annoyed to read that she was so involved in it.
There has been no better opportunity than now to unite all Village neighborhoods. Citizens for a Better Ridgewood has its roots on the West Side and favors slower growth in high density housing. The Concerned Residents of Ridgewood is based in the Travel/BF/Somerville neighborhood and favors a smaller-scale modernization effort by the Hospital. Friends of Schedler are in the neighborhoods east of Route 17 and favor preserving the woodlands on that property. Most recently, a group of tax payers from all over town that favors a 4 level garage over a 5 level garage has successfully petitioned to bring that issue to a vote.
After 4 years of a “Council majority” that has claimed to know what’s best for the rest of us and has insulted anyone that has disagreed with them, it looks like we might actually be able to take the town back from special interest groups and Council members with personal agendas.
Candidates Bernie Walsh, Jeff Voight and Ramon Hache have the very unique opportunity to unite these neighborhoods in our quest to preserve our property values and the charm of our Village. Please vote for them on May 10.
March 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Readers say , “The only way to stop this is to fill up the room and let our Village Council know how we feel about this vote. It is important that everybody in town come out tonight. It is probably the most important vote in Ridgewood history because it is a question as to whether we want to continue living in a village or make it into a city. If the Village Council votes in favor of this high density master plan amendment, nothing will ever be the same again in our town.”
As Dave Slomin from CBR pointed out, “Ridgewood’s future held by the current powerholders in our Village Council and Planning Board, and that of a large majority of Residents. These powerholders see downtown Ridgewood as bigger scale, taller, denser, and much more bustling. They are planning a town center with a more urban look and feel, not a small town character. I don’t really know what is influencing them, as virtually every Resident CBR has spoken with – 1,000s of them over the past 4 years – wants Ridgewood to maintain its small town feel. Residents want to give their children and grandchildren the same wonderful town we enjoy.
Slomin went on , ‘Oddly, all three of the Council Members who support this over-scaled development are not running again. Why? We can only guess. But what we do know, is that in approving such unprecedented development as a Council Majority, but a Ridgewood Minority, they leave the mess to the next Council and to every Resident of this town… and to our children. Again, bad and unfair planning.”
Most readers find the idea that there will be No material impact? Really? These studies were hastily arranged at best and are not at all credible. If 70 units is so immaterial, why can’t you and your developer friends and family live without them?
The Record: Transparency first
STATE SEN. Paul Sarlo is concerned about what he calls “nosy-bodies.” We are more concerned about transparency. And a bill Sarlo introduced early this year would greatly limit the public’s access to police videotapes. This is a misguided idea.
Sen. Paul Sarlo is concerned about what he calls “nosy-bodies.” We are more concerned about transparency. And a bill Sarlo introduced early this year would greatly limit the public’s access to police videotapes. This is a misguided idea. The Record Read more
Voters in dark on key details of casino expansion referendum
When New Jerseyans decide in November whether to approve two new casinos in the northern part of the state, they’ll likely have only a vague notion of what they’re voting on. Wayne Parry, Associated Press Read more
Are the days of wining and dining over at N.J. Statehouse?
The Auditor noticed that lobbyists last year spent about $70 million to sway public officials and public opinion – the second highest amount in state history. But precious little of that money went toward wining, dining and entertaining state bigwigs. Lobbyists paid only $2,439 in 2015 on meals, trips and entertainment in 2015. And officials wrote a check and paid lobbyists back for nearly $500 of these funds. The Auditor, NJ.com Read more
Increased spending on issues such as education, public worker pensions, transportation, and hospitals drove lobbying expenditures in New Jersey in 2015 to $70 million, the second highest total ever, according to an analysis of annual lobbying reports released today by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). Jeff Brindle, PolitickerNJ Read more
These election results send a clear message to special interest groups like Valley, the developers and sad to say now, the sports lobby
These election results send a clear message to special interest groups like Valley, the developers and sad to say now, the sports lobby. What a disaster for youth sports in this town to have been dragged down by a handful of agenda driven zealots who somehow felt that the only way to get a new field was to get one of their own on the Council. And then there’s our opportunistic Mayor who thought that he could parlay that zeal into getting another inexperienced one issue candidate to vote with him.
Great work by the CRR and CBR to shine a light on the issues and get the vote out. I hope they continue to work together to shut down the current Master Plan Amendment processes. Now it’s time to get the 2007 Ordinance off the books before the next wave of special interests come along to amend the Master Plan for their own gain.
Good luck to Mrs. Knudson and Mr. Sedon.
