Can state-subsidized power generation succeed in New Jersey

Within the next couple of weeks, New Jersey should know how its efforts to subsidize new power plant construction in the state have fared.

By May 18, the state will know if any of the three power plants awarded ratepayer subsidies to spur their construction have cleared — energy industry jargon for being granted significant payments to provide capacity to keep the lights on — in the most recent auction held by the operator of the regional power grid.  (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0501/2145/

State agency boosts utility bills to help finance infrastructure upgrades

Before an unusually large audience, the state Board of Public Utilities yesterday unanimously approved a series of measures to increase monthly bills for millions of gas and water customers — all with the aim of fixing an aging infrastructure used to deliver service to consumers.

In a packed room in the Statehouse Annex, the five commissioners boosted rates for the 350,000 customers of South Jersey Gas by about $10 a year, while they also approved a 5.3 percent increase for the 640,000 customers of New Jersey American Water.  (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0501/1934/

State business still on the hook for billions in unemployment

Republican lawmakers today painted a rosy picture of the state’s unemployment insurance situation, lauding the governor for “stabilizing” the insurance trust while increasing private-sector jobs.

In a release, five Republican senators touted Gov. Chris Christie’s handling of the state’s employment picture and said New Jersey is on a road to recovery.

“Through a combination of tax reforms, efficiencies, and aggressive prosecution of fraud and abuse, this Governor has fixed the mess he inherited as a result of years of diversions and fiscal irresponsibility by an unchecked Democratic Majority in Trenton,” said Sen. Anthony Bucco, the GOP budget officer.  (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)

https://www.politickernj.com/56502/rosy-predictions-aside-state-business-still-hook-billions-unemployment

Valley Hospital , shouldn’t still be the main issue in this town but it is

Enough already, please rescind the H-Zone so we can tackle other issues. How can we do this without lawsuits? Let me guess, you can’t?

Valley has, and still is, causing this town a lot of pain and taxpayers money! Do they really have $350 Million dollars to get what they want? Wow, we as a town need to and must unite against Valley’s over expansion. Pascack Valley, re-opening should make them renew within their structure now! They are putting themselves in danger and will blame us if they did fail. Which they won’t. They are a non-profit, non-taxpaying, trust fund-baby.

They have heard about PILOT but think that’s the person who will be PILOTing only paying victims to their Helipad once they get this McMansion of a hospital. Are you awake Ridgewood? Does over 30-60 years of No, now mean Yes? The H-Zone is there to protect us. The existing Valley structure is already too large for this piece of land. Do not drink the Valley Kool-Aid, we will all die and we can’t reverse this mistake!

The intelligent voters will vote for Shinozuka and Killion only. The people who are making big money off of Valley, are the other candidates. Right Al Pucciarelli? etc, etc

Photo by ArtChick.biz

Those who are so vehemently opposed to Graydon as a swimming facility are hysteria-inducing alarmists

Regarding whether Graydon Pool is a swimming facility: it most definitely is! No, it is not sterilized with tons of chlorine or bromine each day, as concrete pools are, and in many ways that may make it better all around for a human body. Why in the world do people think that submerging oneself in water that has been heavily treated with chemicals is “safe?” Yes, of course there are some microbes in Graydon, but the water is tested regularly to ascertain that safe conditions are in place. From what I understand, the water is aerated with diffusers and treated with natural chemicals, making it cleaner than a sedentary lake. Moreover, the natural flow of water from the brook keeps it moving, which keeps the microbe levels lower.

Those who are so vehemently opposed to Graydon as a swimming facility are hysteria-inducing alarmists. For heaven’s sake, such municipal swimming facilities are in use throughout the world. I am a clinical microbiologist and I have never, ever had a concern about swimming in Graydon; we swam in it for many summers when our daughter was growing up in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and now we have the great pleasure of enjoying it once again with our granddaughter. Not once has anyone in my family developed an infection that could have been attributed to swimming in Graydon. Graydon is a lovely placed to spend a summer day; please leave it as is.

Regarding the loss of money, enough already! How much money is spent on electricity to light the sports fields? Every single time a game is played under the lights the Village is “losing” money. I am sure there would be an unbelievable uproar if the Village started charging a fee to those who play the games and those who watch them. Which brings me to my point: why does Graydon have to turn a profit? Indeed, why does it even have to “break even?”

Regarding candidate Hauck’s Monday night quote: “I want to state emphatically for the record that I want to make no changes to Graydon Park. And I’m not interested in building another swimming pool in Ridgewood because we don’t have the funds right now.” This COMPLETELY CONTRADICTS what she stated in her February 21 interview with The Patch, when she said: “ . . . another village-owned clear-water pool would be a nice asset to Ridgewood. A lake is no longer acceptable to people. People want clear-bottom pools. And Graydon is not a clear-bottom pool.” For those voters who wish to preserve Graydon, I would recommend against Ms. Hauck. For those voters who wish to elect candidates who are consistent in their positions on important issues facing the Council, I would recommend against a candidate who cannot even agree with herself.

Village Council Elections: Remember, I started this process by being in FAVOR of Paul

I started this process by initially wanting to support Killion, Shinozuka and Aronsohn. Like most people here, I’m busy and don’t always have the time to spend keeping up with local stuff. I’ve been making a big point to change that lately though –because I feel it’s become very necessary.

Initially , I liked that Aronsohn often seemed the only one questioning things on the VC and so thought it was good to keep him there. I actually believed some of the stuff he said..

I was wrong.

I no longer feel that way. And that’s not just from the Candidate’s Night stuff, it’s the outcome of a much longer process. I did homework, and the more I looked, frankly the less I liked.

That leaves me with a real quandary as to the 3rd seat and who to support for it.

I’m now leaning toward Pucciarelli. He has experience and skills. The Valley situation is a drawback regarding his candidacy, though on the PB he has recused himself from anything involving that issue, honorably so. If Killion and Shinozuka are on the VC with Riche and Walsh and are joined by Pucciarelli, the VC’s existing position on Valley’s current renewal plan would probably prevail. I sure hope so.

After last night, I also sure have new concerns about Aronsohn on the Valley situation too. But though it’s a big one indeed, Valley is not the only issue we face as a Village– far from it. And I have even more concerns about Aronsohn on many other issues too.

So I think all things considered I’ll probably support Pucciarelli for that 3rd seat.

Don’t waste your vote by NOT voting for someone for each seat– that could actually get Aronsohn re-elected. And – at least to me– that would be bad for Ridgewood.

Remember, I started this process by being in FAVOR of Paul.
From my reviewing and studying, he showed me that his way is NOT the right way for me, nor in my view for the Village. .

I actually THANK him for having shown his true colors so clearly and hope others see them as clearly as I do now and vote accordingly. If enough people do, he will no longer be representing us.

Ridgewood Council reviews proposed changes to Graydon Pool

TUESDAY MAY 1, 2012, 10:49 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

With about one month remaining before Graydon Pool’s scheduled opening, village officials pushed forward with discussion over several proposed changes to Ridgewood’s historic swimming park.

During their work session last week, council members reviewed plans to change the hours of operation and privatize the facility’s concession stand, while they received a daunting report of the pool’s current state and overall appearance.

https://www.northjersey.com/recreation/149660775_Ridgewood_Council_reviews_proposed_changes_to_Graydon_Pool.html

file photo by Boyd Loving

Oil spill in Ridgewood’s Central Business District
Tuesday, May 2, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

( RIDGEWOOD-NJ ) Bergen County Haz-Mat crews and members of the Ridgewood Fire Department and Ridgewood emergency services were called in yesterday to clean up an oil spill in downtown Ridgewood near Van Neste Square on Tuesday morning.

At about 8:30 a.m., Ridgewood police arrived for a traffic detail when the officer spotted a substantial oil spill near the intersection of corner of Dayton and South Walnut streets

The oil spill appeared to began at the top of Dayton and South Walnut streets, moving down Union and Spring Avenue and passing Van Dien Avenue, according to a police officer at the scene.

US Economy Faces Risk of ‘Fiscal Cliff’: Fed Officials
Published: Tuesday, 1 May 2012 | 2:32 PM ET Text Size
By: Margo D. Beller
Special to CNBC.com

Two Federal Reserve officials Charles Evans and Dennis P. Lockhart warned Tuesday that the U.S. could be heading for a “fiscal cliff” at year’s end if mandated tax increases and spending cuts are implemented.

Charles Evans of the Chicago Fed called the cliff a “big uncertainty” while Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said there could be a “financial shock” if markets begin to anticipate that Congress and the White House do little to address this situation.

The expected tax increases and spending cuts were triggered when a congressional “super committee” failed to come up with a way of closing the federal budget deficit.

Both Fed officials spoke during the Milken conference in Los Angeles. Earlier Tuesday, on CNBC, both agreed the slowing U.S. economy is disappointing, but differed on the need for continued stimulus.

https://www.cnbc.com/id/47246646

Gov. Christie: Teachers, public employees should take days off to serve in Trenton

Gov. Chris Christie today said the days of making it easier for public employees to serve as lawmakers in Trenton should come to an end.

He said if police officers, teachers and other public employees want the responsibilities — and salary — that come with being a lawmaker, they should be required to take days off from their full-time jobs when coming to Trenton for votes and committee meetings.

“They should take time when they come down and serve,” Christie said during a news conference in Plainsboro. “People in the private sector are not getting that benefit, so I don’t know why people in the public sector should.”  (Renshaw, The Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/gov_christie_teachers_public_e.html

Village Council Elections: LIAR-LIAR- PANTS ON FIRE!!! 

Well what do you know, Paul Aronsohn showed his true colors last night at the League debate and flip flopped on Valley. By his endorsement of the two pro Valley candidates he has assured the residents that there will be 10++ YEARS of construction, noise , filth and foundations cracking all around Valley.

What a joke when Al Puccarelli offered to be on a “Council committee” to negotiate with Valley if elected. HELLO!..his law firm works for Valley..do you think it’s easy to predict where those negotiations would go.

Paul Aronsohn is a despicable opportunist that will do anything to seize control of the Council and bring partisan politics to Ridgewood. He will populate every position with political hacks and Ridgewood will become his “trading card” for political paybacks. He had the nerve to sit there and throw Mayor Killion under the bus when everyone knows that Keith has worked tirelessly for the last four years as an advocate for every resident regardless of their political persuasion.

CRR MUST withdraw their endorsement of Aronsohn or you will suffer the dire consequences should he get elected with his “pro Valley” team. Keith and Jane will ensure that Aronsohn’s campaign of dirty politics will never have a place in Ridgewood. The time is NOW!!! Speak to your friends and neighbors…..Valley has cast it’s web.

MUNICIPAL ELECTION – Candidates Debate : Beware all. Benedict Arnold on Valley

Killion does speak from the heart and is sincere. There are just some things that cannot be disguised. His sincerity comes through.

Jane is sincere so I guess you are not in the mood to attack her tonight.

Russ is loud and a little rough around the edges.

Gwenn was concerned with Valley and Valley and Valley and wait, can you repeat the question. As noted above maybe something synthetic.

Paul, Speaks his mind but didn’t really tell it like it is since what it is is Mayor. Paul can never be mayor with the council the way it is currently structured so there has to be a really big change at Village Hall for Paul to be Mayor. So the truth, or tell it like it is, Paul gets Mayor with support from himself, Gwenn and AL with the two opposing votes from Tom and Bernie. Then Paul reciprocates and Al would be the deputy mayor with support from Paul and Gwenn, Of course this cozy little setup would have to be negotiated and one could only imagine what was leveraged to broker the deal. Could it be 1.2 million square feet with a 200,000 square foot parking garage?

Paul speaking his mind? Hardly. For if he did he would have been crowned not mayor but rather Village Traitor.

Beware all. Benedict Arnold.

Phone-a-thon : Do they really need the coffee bar?

I am not saying the Library should not be modernized, however, last year was a phone-a-thon for one thing and now this. Seems to me our taxes should be paying for this along with other improvements within the district. If I began calculating “donations” into my tax bill it would probably be 20% more than I am currently paying. Perhaps the monies that have been used to repeatedly repair damaged turf would have been better spent elsewhere. After donating during the last phone-a-thon maybe I will sit this one out. Is there a “do not call list”?

Last year they raised $55,000. Even $100,000 would not be enough for this project. What is the plan and the cost? If they do not raise the money in the phone-a-thon what will they do? More fundraising or scale back? The Ridgewood News did not have a lot of detail and the HSA has provided very little.

Do they really need the coffee bar? Can the pampering end here? Money is tight and I do not feel obligated to fund everyone’s pipe dream.

With all of the money raised in tax revenues why is there no money for a project as small as this? This is not huge by any means and we did just pass a budget. Was this in the budget? If so, where is the money and if not, why not? This is poor planning on the part of the BOE and once again, maybe we need a good accountant at Cottage Place.