>
Story time needs volunteers
Beloved Story Time at Graydon is back, thanks to the Coalition! Suzanne is organizing readers and helpers for Thursdays, 2 PM, from July 8 through August 29. No teaching experience necessary.
If you are interested, please write to [email protected]
or call 201-632-1436. Audience: ages 4–8.
Try: https://www.preservegraydon.org/newsletters/17june2010-story-time-gifts
>April 6, 2010 8:15 AM PDT
Court: FCC has no power to regulate Net neutrality
by Declan McCullagh
https://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001825-38.html?tag=mncol;title
The Federal Communications Commission does not have the legal authority to slap Net neutrality regulations on Internet providers, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
A three-judge panel in Washington, D.C. unanimously tossed out the FCC’s August 2008 cease and desist order against Comcast, which had taken measures to slow BitTorrent transfers and had voluntarily ended them earlier that year.
Because the FCC “has failed to tie its assertion” of regulatory authority to any actual law enacted by Congress, the agency does not have the authority to regulate an Internet provider’s network management practices, wrote Judge David Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Tuesday’s decision could doom one of the signature initiatives of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, a Democrat. Last October, Genachowski announced plans to begin drafting a formal set of Net neutrality rules–even though Congress has not given the agency permission to begin. (Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg has said that new regulations would stifle innovative technologies like telemedicine.)
Even though liberal advocacy groups had urged the FCC to take action against Comcast, the agency’s vote to proceed was a narrow 3-2, with the dissenting commissioners predicting at the time that it would not hold up in court. FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, a Republican, said at the time that the FCC’s ruling was unlawful and the lack of legal authority “is sure to doom this order on appeal.”
Net neutrality proponents responded on Tuesday by saying the FCC should slap landline-style regulations on Internet providers, which could involve price regulation, service quality controls, and technological mandates. The agency “should immediately start a proceeding bringing Internet access service back under some common carrier regulation,” Public Knowledge’s Gigi Sohn said. The Media Access Project said, without mentioning common carrier regulations directly, that the FCC must have the “ability to protect the rights of Internet users to access lawful content and services of their choice.”
The ruling also is likely to shift the debate to whether Congress will choose to explicitly grant the FCC the authority to regulate companies’ network management practices. It will also likely revive lobbying coalitions that have been defunct for the last few years.
In 2006, Congress rejected five bills, backed by groups including Google, Amazon.com, Free Press, and Public Knowledge, that would have handed the FCC the power to police Net neutrality violations. Even though the Democrats have enjoyed a majority on Capitol Hill since 2007, the political leadership has shown little interest in resuscitating those proposals.
“We must decide whether the Federal Communications Commission has authority to regulate an Internet service provider’s network management practices,” Tatel wrote in his 36-page opinion. “The Commission may exercise this ‘ancillary’ authority only if it demonstrates that its action–here barring Comcast from interfering with its customers’ use of peer-to-peer networking applications–is ‘reasonably ancillary to the…effective performance of its statutorily mandated responsibilities.'”
In August 2005, the FCC adopted a set of principles saying “consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice.” But the principles also permit providers’ “reasonable network management” and, confusingly, the FCC admitted on the day of their adoption that the guidelines “are not enforceable.”
The FCC’s 2008 vote to punish Comcast stems from a request from Free Press and its political allies, including some Yale, Harvard, and Stanford law school faculty.
This is not the first time that the FCC has been rebuked for enacting regulations without any actual legal authority to do so. In 2005, the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled the agency did not have the authority to draft its so-called broadcast flag rule. And a federal appeals court in Pennsylvania ruled in the Janet Jackson nipple exposure incident that the FCC’s sanctions against CBS–which publishes CNET News–amounted to an “arbitrary and capricious change of policy.”
Update at 9:15 a.m. PDT: History and more details added.
CNET’s Marguerite Reardon contributed to this report
https://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001825-38.html?tag=mncol;title
>Tim Cahill slams Barack Obama, Dems on health care
By Jessica Van Sack Wednesday, March 17, 2010 https://www.bostonherald.com
State Treasurer Tim Cahill, taking swipes at both Gov. Deval Patrick and President Obama, boosted his bipartisan chops yesterday, telling Herald columnist Howie Carr on WRKO, “I voted for John McCain, believe it or not.”
Cahill, saying he was barred from the 2008 Democratic National Convention because he wouldn’t endorse either Obama or Hillary Clinton, said, “My own party basically voted me out.”
“I was afraid of what we had already been getting in Massachusetts, and at that point in 2008, I was aware that it wasn’t working,” he said. Separately yesterday, Cahill accused Obama of “propping up” the Bay State’s health plan with federal aid in order to help push the Democrats’ plan through Congress.
“The real problem is that this . . . sucking sound of money has been going into this health-care reform,” Cahill said. “And I would argue that it’s being propped up so that the federal government and the Obama administration can drive it through.”
Gov. Deval Patrick argues the state’s universal health care program has added 1 percent to the budget, but Cahill said the real impact is buffered by federal dollars.
Meanwhile, Republican Charles Baker’s campaign said Patrick “has consistently failed to address rising health-care costs in Massachusetts.” Baker, the former Harvard Pilgrim CEO, advocated for years for greater transparency on the part of medical service providers.
Cahill called on congressional Democrats yesterday to go “back to the drawing board,” saying he fears they will “bankrupt” the country.
Patrick’s campaign yesterday used Cahill’s health-care smackdown in its latest fund-raising pitch, e-mailing supporters that Cahill “is advocating policies that could put that access, and their health, in jeopardy.” Patrick, whose administration held a hearing on health-care costs yesterday, said exorbitant premium increases and medical service costs need to be curbed through legislation he has proposed.
Article URL: https://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1240176
>March 12 (Bloomberg) — Republicans said they won a parliamentary victory as they try to fight Democrats’ efforts to pass legislation to overhaul the U.S. health-care system.
https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1L0cLABQhP0
Republicans said President Barack Obama has to sign a Senate health-care bill into law before the House and Senate can approve changes to it under a process called reconciliation. The Senate parliamentarian told Republicans that a reconciliation bill has to “make changes in law,” said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“This would be another headwind for Democrats in the House” who oppose provisions in the Senate bill, said John Sullivan, a health-care analyst at Boston-based Leerink Swann & Co. “Their biggest fear has been that they vote for the Senate version and they never get the relief they’re looking for.”
Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, declined to comment.
The prospect of longer odds for passage sent U.S. stocks up yesterday…
https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1L0cLABQhP0
>“Americans for Prosperity” has once again joined with the NJ Tea Parties to provide buses to Protest Government Takeover of Healthcare – Press Conference (outside 30 min –to ensure attendees like Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid hear our message as they head inside) and Meeting following in the GW Hotel Ballroom.
Located half a block down from the Blair House where Obama will be holding his Press Conference to begin ramming this through, we will show our OUTRAGE over this arrogant push for Socialized Medicine (get people thinking of it as a RIGHT and dress it up later).
Americans for Prosperity are holding their own Critical Care: The Patients’ Summit to deliver a simple message: the American people have rejected this trillion-dollar takeover of health care. So Congress should start over from scratch, or better yet, focus on policies that create jobs and get our economy moving again.
Do we want to allow Healthcare to become a guaranteed RIGHT, allowing the government to control 1/6 of the economy AND many of our personal healthcare decisions? Republicans have already served notice they’ll continue to oppose it. They want Obama to start over with the goal of producing a more modest bill that tries to curb costs and helps small businesses and people with health problems secure coverage.
The summit at Blair House, the White House guest residence, will be televised live on C-SPAN and perhaps on cable news networks. It represents a risky and unusual gamble by the administration that Obama can save his embattled overhaul through persuasion — on live TV.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday he would participate, but insisted Obama and congressional Democrats would be wrong to push the bills they wrote in the House and Senate.
You know, they are saying: ‘Ignore the wishes of the American people. We know more about this than you do. And we’re going to jam it down your throats no matter what.’ That is why the public is so angry at this Congress and this administration over this issue,” said McConnell, R-Ky, speaking on “Fox News Sunday.”
Thursday’s meeting will take place nearly a year after Obama launched his drive to remake health care — a Democratic agenda item for decades.
If you wish to go and wish to leave from Bogota (Bergen County) register now by emailing: [email protected] …..
Give your name and the number of people in your group and if we can fill the bus ….AFP will provide the bus gratis; donations to AFP will be appreciated if you are so able but the intent is to FILL THE BUS
LOCATION: BOGOTA: 24 River Road, Bogota, NJ 07603 — Departure 4:00 AM
If we cannot get enough people to go or other locations south are better for you, you can still go with AFP if you wish at other locations…
Morristown, Wall (Commuter lot north of exit 98 food and fuel on Parkway)& Atlantic City.
Please contact Chris with your at (201)487-8844 (DO NOT CONTACT CHRIS IS YOU WISH TO LEAVE FROM BOGOTA- -JUST EMAIL MICHELE PER ABOVE).
>Christie picks Schundler as Education Commissioner
https://www.politickernj.com/editor/36060/christie-picks-schundler-education-commissioner
Bret Schundler, a former Jersey City Mayor and gubernatorial candidate who attracted national attention for his support of school vouchers and charter schools, is Gov.-elect Christopher Christie’s choice to head the state Department of Education. Christie waged a public battle against the state teachers unions during his campaign for governor, and the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) spent a huge amount of money in a bid to re-elect Gov. Jon Corzine.
Christie has continued to toss barbs at the teachers union since Election Day. Schundler, 50, also feuded with the NJEA during his nine years as mayor and as the Republican nominee for governor in 2001. In 1993, a Wall Street Journal editorial identified Schundler as the National Education Association’s “Public Enemy #1” because of his school voucher initiative.
“I want to save inner-city public schools by forcing them to improve,” Schundler told the WSJ, in comments echoed fifteen years later by Christie. “They may have a monopoly now, but no one enjoys working in them. They are an urban tragedy.” After graduating Harvard in 1981, Schundler worked as a congressional aide before embarking on a successful Wall Street career. He ran a strong but unsuccessful race for State Senator in the heavily Democratic 31st district in 1991, and then won a special election for mayor in Jersey City in 1992 after Gerald McCann was removed from office following his criminal conviction. Schundler was re-elected in 1993, and again in 1997 against then-Municipal Court Judge Jerramiah Healy.
Schundler was the GOP nominee for governor in 2001, but lost to Democrat James E. McGreevey by a 56%-42% margin. He ran again in 2005, but was narrowly defeated in the GOP primary. He is a Professor at The Kings College, a small Christian school in Manhattan, and serves as the school’s chief operating officer. (Editor, PolitickerNJ)
https://www.politickernj.com/editor/36060/christie-picks-schundler-education-commissioner
>
https://www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing/history/index.htm
In the winter of 1776, General George Washington and his ragged army had experienced only defeat and despair. The War for Independence was going badly, with failure following failure. In the preceding months, Washington’s campaign in New York had not gone well; the Battle of Long Island ended in a loss when the British troops managed to out-maneuver the Continental Army. A series of defeats settled around Washington as he was forced to retreat across New Jersey to Pennsylvania on December 7th and 8th.
As the harsh Pennsylvania winter set in, the morale of the American troops was at an all time low. The soldiers were forced to deal with a lack of both food and warm clothing , while Washington watched his army shrink due to desertions and expiring enlistments. Now, more than ever, a victory was desperately needed.
The original plan called for the three divisions to cross the river under the cover of darkness. The boats to be used for the crossing were gathered earlier in the month in compliance with General Washington’s orders, primarily as a defensive measure. Various types of boats were collected; most notable were the large, heavy Durham boats used to carry pig iron down the Delaware.
Fully expecting to be supported by two divisions south of Trenton, Washington assembled his own troops near McConkey’s Ferry in preparation for the crossing. By 6 PM. 2,400 troops had begun crossing the ice-choked river. The operation was slow and difficult due to the condition of the river. There was an abrupt change in the weather forcing the men to fight their way through sleet and a blinding snowstorm. These obstacles proved to be too much for the supporting divisions led by Generals Cadwalader and Ewing, ultimately preventing their crossing at southern points along the Delaware.
Against all odds, Washington and his men successfully completed the crossing and marched into Trenton on the morning of December 26, achieving a resounding victory over the Hessians.
By moving ahead with his bold and daring plan, General George Washington re-ignited the cause of freedom and gave new life to the American Revolution.
Washington Crossing Historic Park was founded in 1917 to perpetuate and preserve the site from which the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River. This purpose is achieved by interpreting the historical significance of this site for thousands of Park visitors each year through tours, exhibits and various special events. The spirit of the 1776 Crossing is recreated every year on Christmas Day when the annual reenactment of Washington Crossing the Delaware takes place on December 25. In this annual reenactment the visitor can see reenactors in Continental military dress cross the river in the replica Durham boats.
But that isn’t all! Washington Crossing Historic Park also preserves and interprets the early 19th century history of Taylorsville, the area in which the crossing of the Delaware occurred. This small ferry crossing of the 18th century developed into a quintessential village of the next era, reflecting progress, American ideals and the new industrial age. As the Delaware Canal came through, a fully fleshed out community bravely looked to the future while remembering its past.
https://www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing/history/index.htm
>Rep. Scott Garrett : Who Received Special Deals in the Senate Bill?
Washington, Dec 22 –
Yes we need a little Christmas, right this very minute, candles in the window, payoffs in the Senate…
Just when you thought secret deals with the industry, closed-door meetings and Chicago-style backroom politics couldn’t get any worse… they did. According to Reid, “A number of states are treated differently than other states. That’s what legislation’s all about: compromise.” Really? Rather than thoughtful policy, H.R. 3590 is the result of Democrat desperation and includes countless political handouts. In an effort to meet an artificial holiday deadline, the bill itself has come to look like a Christmas tree with goodies for all Democrat holdouts.
While over 10 states receive special deals, Senators from neglected states should be appalled, as their home state constituents will wind up paying for those “sweetheart deals” in other states, resulting in higher costs for their already-strapped Medicaid programs.
Below are highlights of the new special deals or earmarks bartered away to win Senate votes:
The bill contains unfunded mandates to states through the expansion of Medicaid but this time with new special treatment for the states of Nebraska, Vermont, and Massachusetts. These states will receive Federal Matching Assistance Percentages (FMAP) bonuses such that:
Nebraska will receive 100% FMAP for newly eligibles indefinitely, making it the only state where the federal government will pay for all new enrollees. CBO estimated the cost to the federal government (additional funds to Nebraska) would be $100 million, which may look small compared to the other deals negotiated, yet over the long-term will cost far more, since funding continues indefinitely.
Vermont will receive a 2.2% FMAP increase for 6 years for their entire program, thus receiving an additional $600 million over ten years.
Massachusetts will receive a 0.5% FMAP increase for three years for the entire program, thus receiving an additional $500 million over ten years.
Despite $120 billion in Medicare Advantage cuts, the Manager’s Amendment found a way for Florida residents, as well as some individuals in Pennsylvania and New York, and potentially Oregon, to be grandfathered out of receiving the cuts.
Dorgan and Conrad’s “protections for frontier states” provision would, starting in 2011, establish a 1.0 hospital wage index and geographic practice expense floors for hospitals and physicians located in states where at least 50% of the counties in the state are “frontier”. Not surprisingly, states that qualify and benefit from this increase in Medicare payments to hospitals and doctors are Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Of the many problems with these “sweetheart” deals, is the door it leaves wide open for more federal involvement and financing of state-based entitlement programs. Sen. Harkin said it best when he stated “In 2017, as you know, when we have to start phasing back from 100%, and going down to 98%, they are going to say, ’Wait, there is one state that stays at 100?’ And every governor in the country is going to say, ‘Why doesn’t our state stay there?’…When you look at it, I thought well, god, good, it is going to be the impetus for all the states to stay at 100%. So he [Nelson] might have done all of us a favor.”
Changes for Sen. Ben Nelson (Nebraska):
Nelson secured more than just 100% federal funding for Nebraska’s Medicaid expansion, the list of “sweeteners” (also called the “Cornhusker kickback” by Senate Republicans) includes:
An exemption from the insurance tax for Nebraska non-profit insurers, with language written in a way that only applies to Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans (BCBS) of Nebraska (and Michigan). According to news reports, Nelson’s office states that BCBS “would pay between $15 million and $20 million less in fees under the Senate bill than it would have without a change.”
An exemption from taxes for Medicare supplemental (“Medigap”) insurance providers. Specifically, Mutual of Omaha, will not have to pay taxes on Medigap insurance, while reports also indicate that this tax break will be extended to other companies.
Some changes requested by Nelson would benefit people across the country, such as the inflation adjustment to the $2,500 cap on tax-exempt contributions to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and exemptions for nearly 55 physician-owned hospitals that have a provider agreement to participate in Medicare by August 1, 2010 (pushed back from February 1, 2010).
Changes for Sen. Levin (Michigan):
According to reports, Like Nelson, Levin sought an exemption from the $6 billion annual fee for non-profits, as non-profit insurers make up 76% of industry profits, but drew opposition from liberals. Ultimately, Levin got an exemption from the insurance tax for Michigan non-profit insurers, with language written in a way that applies to Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans (BCBS) of Michigan (and Nebraska).
Furthermore, the amendment changes the extension of section 508 hospital provisions so that hospitals in Michigan (as well as Connecticut) have the option to benefit under them if it means higher payments.
Changes for Sen. Landrieu (Louisiana): Landrieu was one of the first Senators to secure a sweetheart deal, aptly nicknamed the “Louisiana Purchase”; she traded her support for bringing the bill to the floor for a $300 million increase in Medicaid funding for Louisiana. The underlying bill was cryptically written to increase federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster” during the past 7 years that have been declared a “major disaster area” — and is meant to replenish the decrease in federal money resulting from an “abnormally inflated” per capita income in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. This was due to an influx of insurance dollars, federal grants and increased labor wages.
Changes for Sen. Sanders (Vermont): In addition the Vermont FMAP increase, the amendment includes a provision pushed by Sanders to provide an additional $10 billion in funding for community health centers and the National Health Services Corps which he argues would provide primary care to 25 million more people.
Changes for Sen. Bill Nelson (Florida): As noted above, Nelson was able to secure a deal to keep Medicare Advantage plans enrollees in Florida grandfathered in. Notably, when McCain tried to offer an amendment to allow all enrollees to be grandfathered in, 57 Democrats voted against it.
Changes for Hawaii: The Manager’s Amendment singles out Hawaii as the only state to receive a Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) extension.
Changes for Sen. Lieberman (Connecticut): It amends the extension of section 508 hospital provisions so that hospitals in Connecticut (as well as Michigan) have the option to benefit under them if it means higher payments.
Changes for Sen. Dodd (Connecticut): It was a mystery until just revealed that Chris Dodd’s state will benefit from a cryptically awarded $100 million for a “Health Care Facility” at a public research university that contains a state’s sole public academic medical and dental school—criteria designed to apply to the University of Connecticut.
Changes for Sen. Baucus (Montana): Baucus secured a pilot program in the amendment to “provide innovative approaches to furnishing comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective care” to certain qualified individuals. A qualified individual “is an environmental exposure affected individual…who resides in or around the geographic area subject to an emergency declaration made as of June 17, 2009.” And who might these select few individuals be? Well, according to EPA, “On June 17, 2009, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson issued a Public Health Emergency (PHE) finding at the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in northwest Montana.” This provision would help residents of Libby by allowing them to sign up for Medicare benefits.
Rep. Scott Garrett
>
Mammography outcry points to trouble for healthcare reform
Some Republicans say the new recommendations are an example of ‘rationing’ that would take place under Obama’s plan to save money by basing treatment on experts’ advice.
By Noam N. Levey
https://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-health-evidence18-2009nov18,0,3113676.story
November 18, 2009
Reporting from Washington
>October 22, 2009
Democrats Lose Big Test Vote on Health Legislation
By ROBERT PEAR and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/health/policy/22health.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
WASHINGTON — Democrats lost a big test vote on health care legislation on Wednesday as the Senate blocked action on a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors at a cost of $247 billion over 10 years.
The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, needed 60 votes to proceed. He won only 47. And he could not blame Republicans. A dozen Democrats and one independent crossed party lines and voted with Republicans on the 53 to 47 roll call.
The Medicare bill has become a proxy for larger issues in the debate over legislation to overhaul the health care system.
Mr. Reid said the bill, by averting big cuts in physician fees, guaranteed that doctors would continue accepting Medicare patients. But since none of the costs were offset or paid for, Republicans said it was fiscally irresponsible, and some Democrats said they shared that concern.
By addressing doctors’ fees in a separate bill, Senate Democrats could hold down the cost of the broader health legislation, keeping it within the limits set by President Obama. House Democrats are considering a similar tactic. Republicans said it was a transparent ploy to hide the cost of a health care overhaul.
Democrats had hoped that by passing the Medicare bill they could appease doctors and secure their support for the broader legislation.
Senate Democratic leaders said the bill to protect doctors’ fees had strong support from the White House, the American Medical Association and AARP.
Among the Democrats who voted against the party leadership were Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Bill Nelson of Florida and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/health/policy/22health.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper
>”PJ, don’t be a scaredy-cat — post both sides if this will be a true debate —
Marge Roukema would agree with these moderate Reublicans on the issue of global warming:
Senator Olympia Snowe:
“With overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is adversely impacting the health of our planet, the time has come for the Congress to take action.”
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear. The global warming debate is over.”
Senator John McCain:
“Our nation has both an obligation and self-interest in facing head-on the serious environmental, economic and national security threat posed by global warming.”
The only people denying global warming are the same reactionary conservatives who want to teach creationism instead of evolution in our science classes. “
12:31 AM
Trying to turn a scientific issue into partisan politics is simply admitting your ulterior motives which have nothing to do with saving the earth ,the evidence does not support the argument at all !
Anonymous said…
Anyone interested in the truth about global warming should watch this BBC program titled: “The Great Global Warming Swindle.”
Make sure to watch the full 1 hour and 15 minute version. It is terrific and debunks the whole global warming parade.
https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=288952680655100870
12:32 AM
The Man-made Global Warming Hoax
Global Warming Hoax
Al Gore sued by over 30.000 Scientists for Global Warming fraud / John Coleman
>· Mr. Robert Hutton was sworn in as the new Board member.
· The Board re-elected Mr. Joseph Vallerini as President.
· The Board re-elected Mr. Robert Hutton as Vice President.
· The Board approved the continuation of the position of Student Representative to the Board.
· The Board approved various adoptions or appointments, including:
o the current Board of Education Policy Manual, the NJSBA Code of Ethics.
o The Record and The Ridgewood News as official newspapers for all legal advertisement and notices for the 2009-2010 school year.
o the firm of LAN Associates, Midland Park, as Board of Education Architect for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at fees negotiated for each individual project.
o the firm of McKinley, White & Co., L.L.P., Paramus, to serve as Board of Education Auditor and provide accounting services to the School Board for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, to conduct the 2008-2009 audit of the Ridgewood Board of Education for an estimated fee of $37,200 to $38,800.
o Anthony Sciarrillo, Esq. of Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook &
Cooper, P.C., Westfield as Board Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $160 per hour.
o McManimon and Scotland, Newark, as Bond Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $160 per hour.
o David B. Rubin, Esq., P.C., Metuchen, as Special Education Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $170 per hour.
o Adams Stern Gutierrez & Lattiboudere, LLC., Newark, as Special Counsel to continue handling a certain Board legal issue to its conclusion, at the rate of $150 per hour, for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.
o Willis HRH, Morristown, as health insurance broker of record for the 2009-2010 school year.
o continuation of participation in the Northeast Bergen County Insurance Group (NESBIG) for Workers’ Compensation Insurance for the 2009-2010 school year. NESBIG is a shared services cooperative purchasing arrangement whereby member school districts acquire lower rates for insurance through joint purchasing. This is the second year of a previously approved two-year agreement.
o continuation of The Burton Agency, Westwood, as insurance broker of record for property/casualty insurance and risk manager for the 2009-2010 school year. This is the second year of a previously approved two-year appointment.
o student activity fee of $75 at the middle schools and $100 at the high school for those students who participate in any co-curricular activity for the 2009-2010 school year.o tuition rates for the 2009-2010 for out-of-district-students and staff members’ children, as listed below:Kindergarten $ 9,517 $ 500
Grades 1-5 $ 12,730 $ 1,000
Grades 6-8 $ 13,824 $ 1,000
Grades 9-12 $ 13,159 $ 1,000
LLD $ 26,613 N/A
Autism $ 63,432 N/A
o substitute rates of pay for the 2009-2010 as listed below:
Teachers (first five days of one consecutive assignment): $ 90 per diemDaily/Permanent(6th day of consecutive assignment in system): $125 per diem
Long-term Determined by administration after evaluation of educational
background and experience
Nurse $130 per diem
Secretaries $ 12.50 per hour
Former RAES members $ 13.25 per hour
>New Jersey
The following is a list of CONFIRMED Tea Party Tax Revolts planned within the state of New Jersey. Please note that we ONLY list events happening on April 15th.
————-
City: Belmar
When: April 15, Noon – 3:00pm
Where: 16th Avenue boardwalk
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group:
————-
City: Flemington
When: April 15, Noon – 2:00pm
Where: The northwest corner of Main Street and Court Street
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info: https://flemingtonteaparty.blogspot.com/
Facebook Group:
————-
City: Morristown
When: April 15, Noon
Where: On The Green at the center of Morristown
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info: Yahoo Group
Facebook Group: CLICK HERE
————-
City: Newark
When: April 15, 12:00 pm
Where: Gateway Center One – 782 McCarter Highway, Newark Offices of Senator Lautenberg and Menendez conveniently located in the same building.
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:Parking: 66 Edison Place, Newark
Google Map: Click Here
Facebook Group: CLICK HERE
————-
City: Piscataway
When: April 15, 5:00pm
Where: Johnson Park (River Road, Piscataway Township)
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:https://www.americansforprosperity.org/032409-new-jersey-tax-day-tea-party
Facebook Group:
————-
City: Trenton
When: April 15, 11:30am – 4:00pm
Where: New Jersey State House, 125 W State St
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
Facebook Group: CLICK HERE
————-
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 973-406-4688
Web Site: https://tomsnow.serveblog.net
Face Book: CLICK HERE
When: April 15th, 1-4PM
Where: 722 E Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360
————-
Have an event planned for the state of New Jersey? Email and let us know!
https://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/new-jersey/
Also, be sure you join our Facebook group.
>Please post the following information ASAP (taken from the above link) for your readers to consider.
A Pro Se New Jersey litigant has brought suit against sue the Secretary of State of New Jersey Nina Mitchell Wells to essentially force her to “do her job” under the law (i.e., deny illegitimate candidates access to the ballot). Attorney Leo Donofrio is now pressing his case before the U.S. Supreme Court, on direct appeal from the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Attorney Donofrio is challenging the “natural born citizen” qualifications of McCain (claimed ineligible because born in Panama), Obama (presumed born in U.S. but claimed ineligible because one parent was an alien, thus begetting divided loyalty), and Socialist Workers Party candidate Roger Calero (claimed ineligible because born in Nicaragua, and was in fact bounced from the ballots of four other states for this reason).
This case is far stronger than any other cases still pending or that have been dismissed to date because it does not appear that the pro se litigant can be denied his day in court on the basis of a purported absence of Article III standing to bring the lawsuit. But get this–for purposes of demonstrating his standing to sue in this case, Attorney Donofrio is invoking the authority of Ridgewood Educational Association v. Ridgewood Board of Education, 284 N.J. Super. 427 (App. Div. (1995)), in which the court stated “We see no reason why this State’s historic liberal approaches to the issue of standing in general … should not apply to taxpayer suits challenging the quasi-legislative actions of local boards of education.” Silverman v. Board of Ed., Tp. of Millburn, 134 N.J. Super 253, 257-58 (Law Div.), aff’d o.b. 131 N.J. Super. 435 (App. Div. 1975).
I can’t emphasize how important this point is in presenting a challenge to president-elect Obama, who may have no choice but to present his credentials directly to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Significantly, Attorney Donofrio has not submitted a full Petition for Writ of Certiorari, but rather initially applied for an Emergency Stay on the last Monday before the election. Though the initial application was denied with prejudice by Justice Souter late last week (tardily–after the election), Attorney Donofrio is now apparently entitled to resubmit the Application For An Emergency Stay of the national election results and Electoral College meeting to the Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, which entitles him to all due haste from the Supreme Court Justice to whom the application is made.
Please do what you can to get this case the notorieity it needs to attract the necessary attention and action from the U.S. Supreme Court. An Emergency Stay is needed before the December 15th vote of the Electoral College.
>PJ:
Any word on whether blogs like yours will be in the crosshairs of regulators (see article below)?
A Fan
My friend,
First I am not sure the “Fairness Doctrine” applies to blogs the barriers of entry are just to low, and as we all know anyone could start a blog. But if we get challenged and there is an attempt to silence this blog I promise I have a few tricks up my sleeve lol..
PJ
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Democrat Bingaman Tells Station He’d Reimpose “Fairness Doctrine”
Pete Winn, CNS News
October 23, 2008
A prominent liberal Democratic senator, while being interviewed on a conservative talk radio station Tuesday, said he hopes a new administration and Congress will re-impose the Fairness Doctrine on radio and TV broadcasters.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) told radio station 770 AM KKOB in Albuquerque, N.M., that he didn’t know if Democrats in Congress will try to re-impose the Fairness Doctrine next year – but he would certainly like them to.
Bingaman told the station he would support re-imposition of the regulation – which was rescinded in 1987 – on the station.
The Fairness Doctrine, which was first implemented in 1949 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), technically forced broadcasters to “afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance.” Critics call it a “gag rule” on broadcasters.
Here’s a transcript of part of the interview with 770AM KKOB afternoon host Jim Villanucci:
Villanucci: You would want this radio station to have to change?
Bingaman: I would. I would want this station and all stations to have to present a balanced perspective and different points of view instead of always hammering away at one side of the political –
Villanucci: I mean in this market, for instance, you’ve got KKOB. If you want liberal talk, you’ve got Air America in this market, you’ve got NPR, you’ve got satellite radio – there’s a lefty talk station and a rightie talk station. Do you think there are people who aren’t able to find a viewpoint that is in sync with what they believe?
Bingaman: Well I guess my thought is that talk radio and media generally should have a higher calling than just reflect a particular point of view. I think they should use their authority to try to – their broadcast power to present an informed discussion of public issues. KKOB used to be a, used to live under the Fairness Doctrine, and every –
Villanucci: Yeah, we played music, I believe –
Bingaman: But there was a lot of talk also, at least it seemed to me, and there were a lot of talk stations that seemed to do fine. The airwaves are owned by private companies at this point. There’s a license to private companies to operate broadcast stations, and that’s the way it should be. All I’m saying is that for many, many years we operated under a Fairness Doctrine in this country, and I think the country was well-served. I think the public discussion was at a higher level and more intelligent in those days than it has become since.
In an interview with CNSNews.com Wednesday, Villanucci said that Bingaman was adamant about the need to balance conservative voices with liberals on the airwaves – and that his listeners called for four hours to oppose such a move.
“I guess the shocking part was to have a senator sitting across the table from me, basically threatening my job and my show on my show – (it) was kind of stunning,” the talk show host said.
Bingaman’s office confirmed that the senator supports efforts to reinstate the regulation, but Bingaman press secretary Jude McCartin said her boss has no plans to introduce any legislation himself toward that end.
Bingaman, by the way, is the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee – which does not have jurisdiction over communication issues.
The Democratic Party platform in 2000 called for the re-institution of the doctrine, and prominent congressional Democrats are on record in support of it.
In July, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told CNSNews.com that both he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) strongly supported legislation to reactivate the regulation, which many conservatives say is intended to silence conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh.
A bill to permanently ban re-imposition of the Fairness Doctrine, sponsored by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), will not be voted on this year, according to Hoyer.
In June, Broadcasting and Cable magazine reported a campaign spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) — press secretary Michael Ortiz — as saying that the Democratic presidential candidate “does not support re-imposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters.”
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), meanwhile, is on record in oppsition to bringing back the doctrine.
