May 6 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood Blog
Ridgewood NJ, Reader challenges Ridgewood blog on “Free Market principles “claiming we are picking the candidates in favor of more regulation against “free market developers and development”.
“Ironic that “Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View” is in favor of a government that promises to be more restrictive than the alternative, but in this case, Jamsie, I agree with you 100%.
I hope you are learning the flaws in your Randian world view, specifically, left to their devices, the “job creators” would starve themselves out of existence. In the case of Ridgewood: motivated by short term benefit, the Job Creators (i.e. CBD restaurant owners and landlords) would overdevelop the CBD and surrounding areas to the detriment of our community, schools and way of life. In the long term, the quality of the schools would decline even more, the quaintness of the village would erode, property values would drop, and before you know it, you live in a version of Caldwell or whatever.
The judicious application of regulation is a good thing.”
Got to laugh on this one but the reader is a bit confused ;
The Free Market is ,”A system of economics that minimizes government intervention and maximizes the role of the market. According tothe theory of the free market, rational economic actors acting in their own self interest deal with information and price goods and services the most efficiently. Government regulations, trade barriers, and labor laws are generally thought to distort the market. Proponents of the free market argue that it provides the most opportunities for both consumers and producers by creating more jobs and allowing competition to decide what businesses are successful. ”
What we have in Ridgewood and New Jersey as well as on a National level  is called by many Crony capitalism or Cronyism , “Crony capitalism is a description of capitalist society as being based on the close relationships between businessmen and the state. Instead of success being determined by a free market and the rule of law, the success of a business is dependent on the favoritism that is shown to it by the ruling government in the form of tax breaks, government grants and other incentives.”
Developers using the Village Council forcing tax payers to pick up the tab for a parking garage that clearly benefits certain businesses  ie those that support the Mayor and his consorts is not in any way shape or form “Free Market Capitalism” but clearly a local example and the very definition of “Cronyism”. The negative issues associated with over development in the Village are all a direct or indirect cause be they foreseen and unforeseen consequences of government intervention ie.. 3066 , COAH, open space , and so on . These tax breaks, government grants and other incentives are all put in place to aid developers and to garner political contributions .
Crony capitalism is the marriage of the state and private special interests. Some people have called it corporatism, mercantilism, fascism, or even Communism.
Those in favor of keeping the downtown with a Village like feel are the epitome of free market capitalism – – they are saying we paid a lot to move here and we pay a lot in taxes to maintain our life style. (Think of it like a condo association.) And we see no reason to subsidize developers who bought the same land we did, but want to change the rules so they can make more money off of their properties at our expense.
That is what gets me about this issue so much – – why is Aronson and his hand picked candidates so interested in helping developers over the rest of the town. And, why is anyone buying into their arguments? The offer absolutely no basis for their purported “vision” of Ridgewood’s future other than that prepared by the developers.
Well done! The cozy connections are easy to find in addition to campaign contributions; major contributions to the hospital expansion, housing on property adjacent to Y to provide housing for the new employees is just one of many…developers at our expense.
Why are the developers not chipping in some money, even 10% ? Why do they want local tax payers to pay for everything?
Well Said, James. When developers need zoning laws to be changed to suit their particular interests you’ve exited the free market and entered the world of crony capitalism. The government should not be picking winners and losers.
Went into town last Saturday night and had my choice of spots. Parked on Franklin
This is the only pledge I would ever sign.
I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
I don’t think it’s Communism.
Why is it that the current council majority who will no longer be in office after July 1 are asking candidates to sign pledges on the garage, funding and most recently, go keep Roberta as VM? This is not democracy in action, it is an attempt to thwart the will of the people. I thank you James for your vigilance in reporting on town politics. The Blog is our only forum and word of mouth. If it weren’t for the many people who have entered into the political process with petitions,law suits and fact finding, the council majority may have succeeded in their attempt to change our village for the worse.
I think its great to hear candidates actually commit. Then we can vote as we see fit. Better than Hache who;s flyer now says he wasnt to negotiate with Valley when in the debate he said he would litigate. Hardly sounds like the firm voice we once thought we would have on Valley.
435 – – because they face a scary time in a politician’s life. In a short while they become irrelevant in their own minds because they are now one voice of the populace. Arohnson is vainglorious. He needs publicity to feel relevant.
A good, decent politician does not fear the end of a political term, they welcome and embrace it ready to move on to the next challenge. They do not spend the rest of their lives rueful and bitter over the fact they are no longer in power. Look at George Bush the Elder or Jimmy Carter. Once they lost, they left to lead even more exemplary lives than they did before they lost. Aronson typifies just the opposite – – he wants those who follow him to build a monument in his honor.
9:20… First you try to negotiate, then litigate. He will vote to litigate.