file photo by Boyd Loving
Readers say : non binding = if the residents approve great they will move forward. If the residents do not approve it is non binding (on the mayor and council) and they will move forward. It’s a done deal folks.
So let’s get the business owners in the CBD who want this (Fish, Greek to Me) to help pay for the garage if it’s a done deal. If they have skin in the game, at least they’ll help protect Village taxpayers from cost overruns and “slippage” better than the Village ever could or would. Why should taxpayers be liable for 100% of the cost and inevitable overruns when this garage will benefit the businesses in the CBD? C’mon, this is North Bergen in NJ. Everything costs multiples of what it should so that everyone can get their “taste”.
The CBD business interests and landlords like to say that Ridgewood always says no to change. Not true. In the past couple of decades we built a new Village Hall, expanded the High School, built a new library, turfed Maple and the HS fields, upgraded Graydon, built a new track facility at BF, added a new gym at GW, converted Habernickel to public use. Whether you agree with all of these actions or not, Ridgewood has not sat still and has spent when needed. Contrast that with the decades long debate about a parking garage. It has NOT been built because there has been a consistent view by most residents that it is not needed and will detract from the Village. The only thing that has changed is that the commercial interests seem to have gotten a firmer foothold with the VC.
so why aren’t these CBD business interests helping to pay for it? Why should taxpayers be on the hook for 100% of this? Makes no sense.
Make ’em pay. All the benefit and no contribution to the cost makes ZERO sense.Time to squeeze the business owners in the CBD to contribute a big chunk of this cost if this is really what they want.
I suspect that the election result will be an approval. The turnout will be the usual anemic percentage and the Village’s population and I’m sure that the Mayor will make sure that there are just enough votes cast to get the approval through. This way, he can say how the democratic process has spoken.
Lots of questions James, but, all I see are “let others pay” — If the Village wants it they will figure a way to get it paid for as usual.
“Everybody” uses the Village facilities and that is how it is how it get’s paid for. .
Nonbinding referendum: why should it be any different from the one about synthetic turf? We said no…they did it anyway. And now look.
this is going to happen.end of story.
Great, so get the business owners of Fish and Greek to Me (and others) to contribute to the cost… it’s in their interest and should be a top priority for the Village Council, who should be protecting taxpayer interests as best they can here, not pandering to their friends. Paul and Albert need to understand this very clearly.
Anything more than putting a second level on top of a current parking facility the town currently owns, like the one in the middle of the CBD, would be ridiculous based on current and future needs. If they can’t figure that out the business owners don’t belong in business, and the council members who vote for it don’t belong on the council.
If it has to happen for political hacks then a two decker might be the lesser of a monstrosity
To insanity like in other towns ..morristown englewood RAMSEY SHUD BE A MISTAKE AVOIDED BY OUR POLS,,,OH. I FORGOT THEY Have another more important agenda to The Fish bank