NJ’s comprehensive Medicaid waiver on track but still several months out
New Jersey’s request to overhaul its $11 billion Medicaid program via what’s known as a “comprehensive waiver” from the federal government is on track but could take several more months to complete, according to a federal official overseeing the waiver request.
The waiver is intended to make improvements in the program, ranging from helping the elderly avoid nursing homes to reducing excess use of hospital emergency rooms, while saving the state money. The federal government has to approve of each of the changes the state Department of Human Services has planned before changes can be made because it funds 50 percent of the Medicaid program. (Fitzgerald, NJ Spotlight)
NJ’s comprehensive Medicaid waiver on track but still several months out
New Jersey’s request to overhaul its $11 billion Medicaid program via what’s known as a “comprehensive waiver” from the federal government is on track but could take several more months to complete, according to a federal official overseeing the waiver request.
The waiver is intended to make improvements in the program, ranging from helping the elderly avoid nursing homes to reducing excess use of hospital emergency rooms, while saving the state money. The federal government has to approve of each of the changes the state Department of Human Services has planned before changes can be made because it funds 50 percent of the Medicaid program. (Fitzgerald, NJ Spotlight)
N.J. headed for government contraction, experts say
In many ways, the New Jersey residents now know will disappear within five years because of yawning government budget gaps, a panel of top experts said Friday.
The bipartisan group of former officials and academics presented a dark view of the state’s future that included widespread government consolidation, worker layoffs, service cuts and tax increases. Experts said that future was nearly certain to come to pass, even with a rosy economic scenario.
Recent pension and benefit reforms, and a tougher property tax cap will not prevent the state from experiencing dramatic changes in New Jersey government, they said. That’s because the state will need five years for tax revenues to catch up to where they were before the great recession. (Method, Gannett)
Eight Leading members of the Met Opera Chorus; Music by Bizet, Verdi, Brahms, Vaughan-Williams and Britten. Sunday, December 18th at 4pm at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 S. Monroe st, Ridgewood. Tickets and information ParlanceChamberConcerts.org
Men’s chorus performing holiday music – classics, Broadway, pop, and more! December 17 & 18 at Ridgewood United Methodist Church, Dayton Street, Ridgewood.Guest artist trumpeter Rick Henley. $15 at the Door; $10 in advance www.ridgewoodorpheusclub.org Information:201/652-2873
>Democratic lawmakers back controversial DEP waiver rule
In a straight party line vote, Democrats lawmakers yesterday narrowly approved a resolution declaring that a controversial proposal that would allow the Department of Environmental Protection to waive its rules in limited cases in which the regulations prove “unduly burdensome” as inconsistent with legislative intent.
The resolution (ACR-206) is in reaction to a rule awaiting adoption by the DEP that is viewed by business lobbyists and the Christie administration as making New Jersey more business friendly. It has been opposed, however, by environmental groups who argue that it undermines regulations aimed at protecting drinking water and air quality. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
When it comes to special education, a common perception is that public schools are cheaper than private ones.
With many specialized private schools for the disabled today charging tuition rates in excess of $80,000 per student, that may seem like a safe assumption. But a new analysis commissioned by the private schools’ trade group says otherwise.
According to the study, it costs $45,358 on average to educate a disabled student in a state-approved private school, compared to $50,146 per pupil in a local public school. The cost to send a child to a county special services school is even higher: $65,266 per student, the study says. The analysis, which draws on state education data, doesn’t include transportation costs. (Mullen, Gannett)
>Christie vs. Dems: Sick-leave payout battle intensifies
It’s no game, this latest gambit by the governor to rein in public spending. But he says Democrats who control the Legislature are treating it like one.
“I feel like I’m with Monty Hall,” Gov. Christie told a crowd at town hall this week in West New York, invoking the legendary “Let’s Make a Deal” game show host. “You don’t like 15,000? How about 7,500?”
Prowling the stage, mic in hand, he followed with something very unlike Monty Hall, putting away the fun demeanor in favor of a serious attack on a Democratic proposal to halve the payouts for unused sick leave. (Hooker, PolitickerNJ)
>Gov. Christie lashes out at Port Authority exec, cites inconsistent toll hike figures
In his first public comments on the controversy surrounding the Port Authority’s recent toll hike, Gov. Chris Christie is once again criticizing the agency’s former executive director, Christopher Ward.
The issue involves differences between the Port Authority’s public statements justifying the September toll increase, and what its lawyers are now saying in defending the agency against a lawsuit seeking to overturn the increase.
Leading up to the approval of the toll hike in August, the agency said the revenue would help finance a $25.1 billion, 10-year capital plan that included the World Trade Center’s redevelopment. But since last month, lawyers and agency officials have said the hike will finance less than $11 billion worth of transportation projects. Angry lawmakers from both states have called for an investigation. (Strunsky, The Star-Ledger)
Assembly panel advances bill to extend length of developer permits
An Assembly panel Thursday advanced a controversial bill that would extend the shelf-life of permits granted for developments, allowing builders to avoid complying with newer environmental laws, building codes or local zoning.
The measure, approved 6-0 by the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee, would also retroactively roll back restrictions on extending permits in areas previous labeled “environmentally sensitive,” reviving some expired permits.
Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) said the legislation, the third of its kind in three years, is needed so developers who had construction plans prior to the recession do not need to go through the expensive approval process again. (Baxter, The Star-Ledger)
The current leaf system hasn’t worked in years and yet every year it’s handled the same way. We need new ideas and a new plan, whether it’s bagging leaves (largely impractical for the amount of leaves most of us get), cutting back on other services such as recycling and bulk during leaf season, or outsourcing or getting private landscapers to help, something has to change.
The ordinance requiring leaves not be left on the street more than 7 days before pickup can’t be enforced because the leaves are never picked up according to schedule, so there’s no way to tell if the leaves have been there 7 days or 27 days. In order for streets to remain clear leaves need to be picked up every two weeks from the end of October through the end of December.
In my area there were two pickups all season; one before Halloween before much had fallen, and again about a week ago, where they had to deal with removing all of the leaves of the entire season in one trip, and we had to deal with navigating around the mess for over a month. Maybe leaf pickups before November 1 should be the responsibility of the homeowner – you can bag it yourself and bring to recycling, or get your landscaper to remove it – the October pickup seems to be a waste of time since there’s not much accumulation at that point, so residents could reasonably handle this themselves. After that, the town should come twice in November and twice in December. It can’t be that difficult.
Paper leaf bags are meant to withstand a certain amount of rain. I’ve seen them out for a couple of weeks now and they’re fine, so putting them out the night or two before pickup will not pose a problem.
If you don’t like using biodegradable leaf bags, use barrels.
Also trimming branches to 4′ (as required by our town) and laying them on your apron makes a big difference for our cars and town workers.
Leaf piles have been a hazard since the October snowstorm. And now new leaves are piled on. It’s getting ridiculous and dangerous and really needs to change.
Change is hard, but, I just don’t think our current leaf cleanup system is working anymore
> “Letter: Rejection of Valley was affront to Ridgewo…”: Mr. Halaby’s wife, Cynthia Halaby, is on the Valley Board of Trustees
The author of the letter, Rurik Halaby, states that “My interest in Ridgewood village politics was recently ignited by hearings on The Valley Hospital Renewal.”
> Noticed this in the paper ,seems like some folks in town where not paying very much attention the last 5 years
Letter: Rejection of Valley was affront to Ridgewood
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011 THE RECORD
Valley rejection was affront to Ridgewood
Regarding “Council opposes hospital plan” (Page L-1, Nov. 23) and “Ridgewood rejects Valley plea” (Page A-1, Nov. 30):
My interest in Ridgewood village politics was recently ignited by hearings on The Valley Hospital Renewal. I saw how the long-term good of tens of thousands of residents was hijacked by a handful of people living in the vicinity of the hospital putting their parochial interests above all.
The Ridgewood Village Council vote on Nov. 22 regarding The Valley Hospital Renewal will go down in Ridgewood history as one miserable sham. To think how the council members went through the charade of having hearings when it has become clear their minds were made up long before the hearings started. And the performance of the council members at the meeting was to be seen to be believed.
Councilman Tom Riche’s vote against the Valley Renewal after he had voted for it as a Planning Board member gives a special meaning to the art of flip-flopping.
County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan has vetoed pay raises for management employees at the Northwest Bergen Utilities Authority (NWBCUA) and utilized her veto to end the practice of providing cash stipends and health benefits to the Authority’s nine commissioners. NWBCUA is the last authority in the county that provides stipends for commissioners along with health benefits at the expense of taxpayers. Earlier in the year Donovan abolished stipends to the County Construction Board of Appeals.
In her veto message sent to NWBCUA Chair William Dator, Donovan said, “The Authority has provided for itself raises which will cost the taxpayers a total of $89,000.00 between increased salary and the fringe costs associated with such raises. As I have advised you in previous veto messages, I will not condone nor permit this to occur during these difficult economic times. I have advised fixed annual employees of the County that they will not receive raises in fiscal 2012; neither shall the fixed annual employees of your authority.”
“Nowhere in the minutes of the meeting is there mention of the Commissioners abolishing the practice of providing for themselves a stipend for their service, which also permits them to receive health benefits at taxpayer expense,” continued County Executive Donovan in her veto message. The Northwest Bergen Utility Authority is the last authority in the county that provides stipends for commissioners along with health benefits at the expense of taxpayers. “I have advised you in previous veto messages and correspondence with your counsel that I steadfastly maintain there is no reason for the taxpayers of Bergen County to be required to shoulder this burden, and I will not ask them to do so,” said Ms. Donovan. “In view of the Commissioners continued failure to affirmatively act and refuse to accept their stipends, I am compelled to ask for and expect their resignations.”
Ms. Donovan said she would continue to exercise her veto when appropriate. “I made a promise to the people of Bergen County and I intend to keep that promise,” said Donovan. “We cut $30 million from the Democrat spending plan we inherited when we took office in January and we will continue to look at every expenditure and make necessary cuts to bring further savings.”
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