April 18,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Richard Brooks and Evan Wetiz are running on joint ticket sponsored by Rurik. Ridgewood news has published full page ads where footer suggested that those ads were paid for by “Progress Ridgewood”. Rurik’s address was used in these ads as the address of progress ridgewood group.
Progress Ridgewood Group recently uploaded two videos with messages from Brooks and Weitz. Both with the same background and same setting. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRZHBgmFO5y7g30tg-Fsm-A/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0
This confirms that both of these candidates are supported and sponsored by Rurik Hallaby. Now why this is so interesting?
Rurik has been a long time supporter of Valley. He has spent good chunk of money on this cause. Richard Brooks is spouse of the planning board attorney Gail Price. Gail Price played major role in convincing the planning board members to approve valley deal. Next step for the valley deal is village council. Rurik now wants to get Richard Brooks and Evan Weitz appointed to the council – so they can finish the work which Gail Price started.
Watch the video of Evan Weitz carefully. He thinks the decisions taken by the council yet are not “bold enough”. He wants to be even bolder than Paul, Albert and Gwenn and build even a higher density and give Valley even more than what they have gotten so far.
So whats the big deal if they are supported by Rurik and Valley?
The big deal is that the Council is supposed to be made up of people who represent the best interests of the Village residents. With Rurik and Valley backing a candidate, it’s a case of that dreaded term, special interests, influencing how tax payers money is spent.
8:00am
“…the best interests of the Village residents” is in the eye of the beholder. Stacking the council with obstructionist candidates will only deepen court involvement and take any power the town still has away from us. It might feel good in the near term, but it sure seems like NJ judges favor ‘progress and the greater good” as opposed to concerns about noise, dust, sight lines and property values. Just saying.
8:00 not all Valley backers are bad. See how much work was done by Ms Hauck for the turtles.
8:26 – let the courts rule on this. Don’t scare the residents. There are many many many town in NJ who have successfully sued the builders. If it takes a million dollars to fight a lawsuite in legal fees – that’s 40$ per resident for a population of 25000.
We have a school district budget of 102M and Municipal Budget of 47M. We can easily afford a million in cleanup costs at the town garage property and a million in legal fees to fight the developers and Valley. So please stop scaring the residents with small cleanup fees and legal fees to do what’s right.
Thanks for connecting the dots James. I am okay with bigger garage, but I am NOT OKAY with big commercial medical center in the town. If the west side residents are thinking Valley is just a problem for us east siders, wait until our property values go down and the taxes are raised for you to fill the gap.
Small community hospital to medical center conversion has had it’s effect on Hackensack and Morristown. Same will be repeated here.
I can NOT vote for Weitz and Brooks now.
Prediction. They will be the two lowest vote getters.
Rural is most likely the Treasurer for the campaign….SOP. Financial disclosure forms will detail funding for each candidate so the “sponsoring” claim could be off base.
8:26 For both the near and long term it will be a disaster for Ridgewood. You are looking at another Morristown, and if that’s what you want, you, and some of these other “candidates” you are pushing cannot be planning on being here very long. Who cares about ” court involvement” when you are looking at doing the right thing for where you live. And get off the “property values” kick because if it does get said and done with Valley all of us will be feeling it, not just that neighborhood. All you have to do is look at towns where the hospital’s morphed into medical centers to get the real picture.
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8:53–a million here, a million there and we might end up talking about real money.
8:53am
I agree with you completely, the courts are going to ultimately decide this issue. I just disagree that the taxpayers should spend millions to fight a loosing battle. The old CRR strategy of stacking the village council with obstructionists is not only running out of runway, it’s becoming a liability to their efforts.
I’m really not trying to scare anyone, just offering a different point of view to balance the “STOP VALLEY” echo chamber. When people surround themselves with people who myopically share their views and dismiss out of hand anyone’s opinion that goes against their beliefs, valuable perspective is lost. This is why there were so many “how the heck did this happen?!” comments after the planning board voted for the Valley expansion.
Whether or not the residents who live right around the hospital want to accept it or not, Valley is not “Ridgewood’s Hospital”. Valley is a regional hospital providing valuable medical service to Ridgewood and many dozens of other towns throughout norther NJ. Valley may have started as a “community hospital” but times and needs change. BTW, “community hospital” in the 1950’s didn’t just mean Ridgewood…
And a last thought, some mixed priced housing would be a lot better for the CBD than a bunch of out of business car dealerships blighting the area. And don’t get me started on the “Town Garage”! The current state of the CBD is fair at best. We deserve better. “Development” for lack of a better word, is good…
Valley purchased houses near the hospital. More lost tax revenue.
Keep thinking that they are your friend.
9:39 bottomline. Tax Paying RESIDENTS don’t want Valley. They are the ones council needs to work for. Not for Rurik and Valley.
Really people a million dollars, chicken feed, what fools.
We knew that RSB was this year’s version of Albano.
And now we know for sure that we can’t trust Weitz.
Thanks for clearing this up for us !
Jeff Voigt is running on the same ticket with Bernie and Ramon. Do you have a problem with that?
actual all three are running as independents
There is a sign going around on Facebook of Voigt and Walsh
They why are there is there a Voigt /Walsh sign being circulated
send us a pic never seen it
940… for better or worse, you have nailed it… as it is, the big 3 issues are ripping the town apart… for Valley we can hope for the least worst result… when the judge states REGIONAL and FOR THE GREATER GOOD, the handwriting is on the wall… no postings online will change that…
It looks like high density will be the future of Ridgewood. I know from myself and my family that many years ago when looking for a house to rent, we had choices of bigger houses near railroad tracks and smaller houses away from train noise. We chose the house away from train noise.
I don’t think anyone would pay luxury apt. rents to live by the train tracks. So what will happen if no one rents those apts or rents have to come way down. Will taxpayers be on the hook?
Voight, Walsh and Hache are NOT running on a common ticket. They are merely all currently benefitting from the perception that they are not beholden to the “Three Amigo” legacy and therefore are free to chart a new course for the Village Council from day one along with the current incumbents who are not up for re-election.
12:00… the alternative universe in facebook lets you package whatever you want… I have not seen any joint campaign signs… the 3 are being banded together as the alternative to the others….
12:00, 12:01 – the only place on facebook where both Jeff and Bernie’s names are together is on 07450Only group’s banner. That’s because the group owner is supporting both of them. It’s her own ‘lawn sign’ – she is voting for those two.
That does not make them both run on same ticket.
I’m voting for Walsh. I had never met her but just had a lengthy conversation with her and think she’s wonderful.
I am relatively new in Ridgewood and I am still trying to figure out the ugly politics. Who the hell is Rurik Halaby? How come this rich village with many influential and supposedly smart and caring people voted for the disgusting trio and the clueless village manager? How can I make an informed decision come May 10th? Where are the new candidates discussing their plans or opinions about what’s going on? Is there someone who can rally people against the issues and especially against Valley’s takeover of our village? Thx.
Walsh. Hache. Voigt. The way to go.
Rurik? Who give a good hunk of spit who Rurik is supporting. He is a legend in his own mind. He matters not. Even his wife is embarrassed by him.
Is Rurik Halaby the father of a one Halaby, RHS Class of 1985?
9:21 – Such typical “technically, we’re being honest and transparent” speak that comes from the pro-development special interests. Do you think there is any difference between Mr. Halaby’s providing financial or in-kind support?
On the other hand Mr. Halaby comes across as somewhat pathetic in his efforts to remain relevant. I can’t imagine his being involved with any campaign is actually going to help it. Similar to Mrs. Hauck’s endorsement of Mr. Brooks.
1:16
By the words in your comments, I think you’ve got “ugly politics” figured out just fine! Welcome!
Meet the candidates this Wednesday night at village hall 7pm
Amazing scoop, worthy of Woodward and Bernstein. A Pulitzer in the offing?
For the record, I am personally supporting Rich Brooks, Evan Weitz, and Janice Willett. Rich I have known since he and Cynthia were active in the Red Cross. Evan and Janice I have only met recently.
For the record, I have not contributed a red cent to their campaign, and I have no plans to do so.
For the record I never interviewed them before I endorsed them and so I don’t know their positions on Valley, the Apartments, the Garage or Schedler.
For the record I am supporting them because they are people of the highest integrity, who embody the decent Ridgewood we moved to 47 years ago. People with vision and intelligence to help us meet the challenges of the future.
For the record, I don’t have a foggy idea who Valley is supporting if they are supporting anyone. I support Valley’s Renewal because the interests of Ridgewood’s Residents are best served with a world class hospital keeping up to date. And yes, wake up and smell the coffee, the courts will no BUT support Valley, Ridgewood’s Crown Jewel. And No, Valley does not pay me. It does not pay my wife either. She is a long-term volunteer who would be rich if she got paid minimum wage for every hour she spent volunteering there.
For the record, for you miscreants who criticize my wife: Ask the 1,000 people who enjoyed yesterday’s Daffodil Festival what they thought of the event which she organized. If every one of you misfits would spend a minute volunteering for every hour you spend belly aching, Ridgewood would be the proverbial Camelot you think you live in.
For the record for you ignorami who criticized my wife for planting daffodils and day lilies in the CBD, the topic of the Festival was to protect the pollinators. She was able to obtain a large supply of milkweed seed which grade school kids are planting at Twinney’s and elsewhere.
For Anon 1:16:
Rurik Halaby is a long-term resident who cares about the future of Ridgewood. Identify yourself and I will be pleased to discuss what Ridgewood is going through.
Rurik Halaby is the person who paid out of his own pocket for two mailers to go out to every household in Ridgewood encouraging people to vote. And to vote for whoever. But to vote.
Rurik Halaby, 75 years old, believes in the old Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
I think that maybe freedom of expression does apply to Mr. Halaby as well as any other citizen… I dunno, those 2 interviews seemed pretty transparent to me as well as the sponsors so what’s the big deal?
How do you know that they are persons of highest integrity Mr Halaby if you never met them before endorsing them?
Rurik- “keeping up to date” does not have to mean expansion in a residential zone, and you know that because every time that has been thrown up to you what do you do ? You, or your supporters, refuse to comment and, basically, run and hide rather than answer. Ridgewood gains nothing from Valley being here…period ! And Jesus, cut with the “Crown Jewel” and “world class” crap because even most of the doctor’s I use there don’t believe that. Somehow associating any entity that resorts to suing the town that has provided them with so much, and gets nothing in return, is the ultimate in a complete lack of class, not “world class” anything.
Well he certainly is supporting them as will be proven by the flyers that come in your mailboxes in the next two weeks paid for by mr halaby. Furthermore, wonder how he can be so sure when he HASNT even interviewed them? Brooks, Willet and weitz were handpicked by the trio and indeed are all connected.
Many will support hache, Walsh and Voigt because they are not another block, in fact I believe they all met fairly recently. So they are not running together but are now joined by not being chosen by the three amigos. Is ther me really any question who to vote for?
For the record, I believe Voigt voted in favor of a garage at the referendum, but he does not favor a monster garage. Bernie would have approved new development in the CBD at the current master plan levels. Neither are against change but I believe both are against haphazard change and lack of planning.
Hey Rurik, those Greeks, didn’t they know that a preposition is not something one should end a sentence or phrase with? And that is to say nothing about where they put their dangling participles….
Mr Halaby. I like your Greek expression except that instead of planting trees you are supporting concrete, pollution etc. It would certainly help your cause if you could list 2-3 benefits that our village would have with Valley’s expansion.
And stop calling people names. It doesn’t suit well to “Greek aristocrats”.
Bill H.
“Somehow associating any entity that resorts to suing the town that has provided them with so much, and gets nothing in return, is the ultimate in a complete lack of class, not “world class” anything”.
I’m curious… When you say Ridgewood has provided “so much” to Valley, what exactly are you referring to? And save your breath if you’re going to say Fire and Police services which amount to a rounding error in these departments calls each year.
Regarding “getting northing in return” one of those “non world class doctors” at Valley just happened to save one of my family member’s life a few years back. I’d consider that more than “nothing”.
6:38- Well, for starters, they have managed to not pay any taxes acting as a very profitable non profit in Ridgewood. Could have done that part anywhere they put their shingle out I guess, but unless you know better, have they ever given any big time donations to the town ? Do they do it annually ? And tell me, what sounds better, The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, or The Valley Hospital in Paramus/Mahwah, which is where it should be for the amount of times they lied about not expanding again and the TOWN allowed them to do it ? As far as the comment regarding the police and fire response, if it’s one false alarm they have responded to over the years it’ s too much, just ask one of them. Their lives, and others, are on the line when that happens, no ?
Oh, and by the way, they saved my life also. But it’s a different group now with a different agenda. They just don’t get (really?) that they can improve rather than expand AND take a whole town down over time if they do expand. Princeton got it right, Morristown did not. Go look.
6:38pm. 4 million + dollars EVERY year in tax breaks were provided by the village. They could have been located in Paramus or midland park and still they would have saved that family member.
Valley may have saved a family member, but that does not make them “world class”. They did their job.
World Class care is available in Hackensack. It is actually a convenient location from Ridgewood. Best doctors and best nurses.
And Im sure that doctor who saved your family members life was compensated and after all that is a Doctors job tp save lives. A rounding error. Thats a good one. How would you know how many calls for services Valley generates.
6:58pm, Valley should be paying over $4mn per year in property taxes in Ridgewood based on the assessed value of their properties. That’s equivalent to almost 10% of the Village’s annual municipal budget. Instead of paying their fair share, Valley has been buying up more Village properties, thereby reducing tax rateable properties in the Village and burdening local taxpayers. They’ve also been paying their CEO $2mn+ a year even though she runs a single hospital, not a health system. It’s time for this charade to stop, Valley needs to pay their fair share of property taxes, and the Morristown precedent is a gift-wrapped opportunity for the Village to win their challenge of Valley’s “not-for-profit” status all the way to NJ’s Supreme Court or higher if necessary. Valley needs to pay its share, plain and simple.
A vote for Brooks is a vote for Fast Eddie and his Recreation Committee….don’t get fooled again.
Bill H,
A few things:
“non-profit” does not mean “break even or loose money”. Non profits can and do (if managed properly) bring in moneys beyond their costs. This “profit” if you will, is used by the non profit for all manner of things including modernization.
If and when the laws are changed, Valley will have to pay some amount of money to Ridgewood and/or the state.
If you were given a tax break for something you’d take it right?
The $4 million tax figure everyone keeps referring to is an estimate of the value of property tax value of the Valley property IF it were rezoned as residential single family houses. Since the majority (I believe 2/3rd’s) of our taxes are for the school system, Valley would not be on the hook for that portion. So call it a million-five. Thats probably more like what Valley will end up paying.
About moving to Paramus or Mahwah, that’s all well and good but what becomes of the current buildings at Valley? Can’t knock em down because that will cause noise & dust and think of all the dump trucks that will be needed to haul away all of the debris, the fumes! Ok, I know what you’re thinking, if we can get rid of Valley it will be worth it. But what about the construction of all those single family houses on the property. No noise, dust, trucks? And forget about the cost to expand Travell and BF with all the extra students. Might even be low income town houses build to 16 units an acre…. holy crap, unintended consequences batman!
Anyway, I’m done arguing – this is all going to get decided by a judge anyway and whatever happens I’m cool with.
I’m outta’ here.
9:13am – The 4 M+ number came from Roberta. Thanks for proving she is incompetent for her job.
Actually it was the tax assessor
Funny the Valley flack at 9:13 is already trying to anchor the number st $1.5 million. In property taxes from Valley which confirms three things: 1) they realize they should already be paying taxes (what about back taxes?); 2) their stating point in negotiations is $1.5mn versus assessed value over $4mn (huh?); and, 3) they still think Villagers are stupid
10:29, thanks for the correction RS.