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Seeking Village Resident Volunteers to Serve : PLANNING BOARD AND FINANCIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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Seeking Village Resident Volunteers to Serve :

PLANNING BOARD AND FINANCIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Village Council is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to serve on the Planning Board and the Financial Advisory Committee.

The Planning Board reviews site plans and subdivision applications; prepares, adopts, and amends the Master Plan; makes recommendations to the Village Council regarding amendments to developmental regulations and the official map.

The Financial Advisory Committee assists in the review and understanding of the financial considerations necessary to the operation of the Village and the Village’s preparation of the Annual and Capital Budgets; provides review, advice and recommendations to the Village Council on Village financial and budgetary matters; and prepares an annual report for the Village Council to assist the Councilmembers in their budget preparation. Members will preferably have strong finance, accounting, government and/or business backgrounds.

All interested residents should fill out a Citizen Volunteer Leadership form (found on the Village website under “Forms”), and send it along with a cover letter indicating on which board/committee the resident wishes to serve, and a biography or resume to:

Heather Mailander
Village Clerk
Village of Ridgewood
131 North Maple Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07451

Deadline for submissions is March 28, 2014.

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Ridgewood Council, in 3-2 vote, makes manager’s appointment official

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Ridgewood Council, in 3-2 vote, makes manager’s appointment official

MARCH 13, 2014, 1:16 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Ridgewood has a new village manager.

In a 3-2 vote Wednesday night, the Ridgewood Council approved the appointment of 17-year resident Roberta Sonenfeld to the village’s top administration position, a seat that has been vacant since late last August.

Sonenfeld will start her new job March 31, at which time she will begin receiving an annual salary of $155,000. She has already informed the village that she intends to waive any health benefits and stipends for travel expenses.

“This is my dream job,” Sonenfeld said after a line of about 10 residents spoke in support of her and her appointment.

With many family members in attendance, Sonenfeld, 59, said the combination of three decades in senior management roles and her desire to improve her hometown “brought me to this place.”

“I’m passionate about this town,” she said.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-council-in-3-2-vote-makes-manager-s-appointment-official-1.740095#sthash.GVGfZbJ3.dpuf

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John Kerry: Russia has until Monday to reverse course in Ukraine

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John Kerry: Russia has until Monday to reverse course in Ukraine

BY SUSAN CRABTREE | MARCH 13, 2014 AT 1:11 PM
TOPICS: JOHN KERRY RUSSIA PENNAVE FOREIGN POLICY EUROPE UKRAINE EU CRIMEA
Secretary of State John Kerry pauses while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday,…

Secretary of State John Kerry warned of serious repercussions forRussia on Monday if last-ditch talks over the weekend to resolve the crisis in Ukraine failed to persuade Moscow to soften its stance.

Kerry will travel to London for a Friday meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ahead of a Sunday referendum vote in theCrimea region to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation.

U.S. and European officials argue that Moscow is orchestrating the referendum and waging an intimidation campaign with thousands of Russian troops controlling the region. If Russian-backed lawmakers in Crimea go through with the Sunday referendum, Kerry said the U.S. and its European allies will not recognize it as legitimate under international law.

https://washingtonexaminer.com/john-kerry-russia-has-until-monday-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

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Delaying Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Due to ‘Hardship’ — Caused by Obamacare

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Delaying Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Due to ‘Hardship’ — Caused by Obamacare

How many times do you have to delay something to realize it’s just a really bad idea?

Amy Payne
March 13, 2014 at 6:30 am

It’s getting difficult to take any part of Obamacare seriously.

The Obama administration has altered or delayed it so many times—who can be sure what the law is at this point?

The individual mandate stating that every American has to purchase government-approved health coverage or pay a fine is supposed to kick in on March 31. That’s the deadline to sign up for coverage, supposedly to avoid this year’s penalty.

But Obamacare is never “settled law,” as the president and others have called it, because Health and Human Services (HHS) keeps writing more regulations.

Most recently, the administration extended the “hardship exemption” from the individual mandate for those who had their previous policies canceled because of Obamacare until October 2016.

To qualify, your plan must have been canceled because it wasn’t compliant with Obamacare, and you just have to tell the government you “believe” that other insurance policies are unaffordable.

The exemption means people who meet these criteria are free from the individual mandate. But if they want to buy coverage, they are given the special option to buy a “catastrophic” health insurance plan, which is not eligible for subsidies and typically would be available only to those under age 30.

When the exemption was first announced in December, Heritage experts Alyene Senger and Robert Moffit said this “is not going to simplify anything. Rest assured it is going to create even greater confusion for health insurers trying to sell these products. Also, don’t expect the unhappy consumers who’ve just lost their previous coverage to understand clearly which plan they can pick and be legally qualified to pick it.”

Due to the utter confusion and the underperforming signups on HealthCare.gov, reporters asked HHS this week whether the agency would simply extend the deadline for people to buy coverage. An HHS official responded that, “In fact, we don’t actually have the statutory authority to extend the open enrollment period in 2014.”

This administration hasn’t let a detail like legal authority stop it from overstepping its boundsmultiple times. And as Heritage’s Senger and Moffit put it, “issuing more government rules to correct the consequences of their unworkable government rules is the only thing they seem to know how to do.”

https://blog.heritage.org/2014/03/13/delaying-obamacares-individual-mandate-due-hardship/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

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Ridgewood one of 34 NJ Towns to Receive Grants for Community-Based Sustainability Projects

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Ridgewood one of 34 NJ Towns to Receive Grants for Community-Based
Sustainability Projects
March 12, 2014

Trenton, NJ (March 12, 2014) –Today, Sustainable Jersey announced the 34 New Jersey towns that were selected for Sustainable Jersey Small Grants funded by the PSEG Foundation at Camden’s City Hall in Camden, New Jersey.  Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has distributed approximately $1,375,000 in grants to New Jersey municipalities to help towns make their communities more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous.

“Supporting municipalities as they do innovative sustainability projects is a cornerstone of our organization’s mission,” said Sustainable Jersey Board Chair Pam Mount. “These grants help ensure that important sustainability projects at the community level can get done. Congratulations to all the grant recipients.”

“PSEG is committed to being a steward of the environment and making meaningful contributions to the communities it serves,” said Ellen Lambert, president of the PSEG Foundation and director of Corporate Responsibility. “We are proud to support this program and to fund projects that will make life better in neighborhoods throughout New Jersey.”

The 12 towns that received the $20,000 and $10,000 grants proposed projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges. Organic curbside waste recycling, hawk habitat restoration, a commuter bike depot, rain gardens, community educational campaigns, sustainability ordinances and more have been added to the list of initiatives that the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program is funding. New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive sustainability program for communities that links certification with strong state and private financial incentives, and a fully resourced program of technical support and training. Currently, 72 percent of New Jersey’s towns and cities (406 towns across all 21 counties) have registered to become Sustainable Jersey certified.

SUSTAINBLE JERSEY SMALL GRANTS RECIPIENTS:

Four $20,000 Grant Recipients: Camden, Lawrence, Linden and Montclair
Eight $10,000 Grant Recipients: Brick ($7,250), Ewing, Hammonton, Maplewood, Montville, Springfield, Stillwater and Winslow
Twenty-two $2,000 Capacity-Building Grant Recipients: Bordentown City,  Clinton, Evesham, Kearny, Kinnelon, Lebanon, Long Beach, Mahwah, Mansfield, Margate, Monroe, Moorestown ($750),  North Haledon, Ridgewood, Roosevelt, Seaside Park, Somerdale, Upper Township, Warren Township, Washington, Wayne and West Milford

Over 100 municipalities submitted proposals that were judged by an independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help local governments make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification.

Recipients of $2,000 Sustainable Jersey Capacity-Building Grants

Bordentown City, Burlington County
Clinton, Hunterdon County
Evesham, Burlington County
Kearny, Hudson County
Kinnelon, Morris County
Lebanon, Hunterdon County
Long Beach , Ocean County
Mahwah, Bergen County
Mansfield, Warren County
Margate , Atlantic County
Monroe, Gloucester County
Moorestown, Burlington County ($750)
North Haledon, Passaic County
Ridgewood, Bergen County
Roosevelt, Monmouth County
Seaside Park, Ocean County
Somerdale, Camden County
Upper Township, Cape May County
Warren Township, Somerset County
Washington , Warren County
Wayne, Passaic
West Milford , Passaic

1-800 Dentist

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ObamaCare’s Secret Mandate Exemption

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ObamaCare’s Secret Mandate Exemption

HHS quietly repeals the individual purchase rule for two more years.

Updated March 12, 2014 3:13 p.m. ET

ObamaCare’s implementers continue to roam the battlefield and shoot their own wounded, and the latest casualty is the core of the Affordable Care Act—the individual mandate. To wit, last week the Administration quietly excused millions of people from the requirement to purchase health insurance or else pay a tax penalty.

This latest political reconstruction has received zero media notice, and the Health and Human Services Department didn’t think the details were worth discussing in a conference call, press materials or fact sheet. Instead, the mandate suspension was buried in an unrelated rule that was meant to preserve some health plans that don’t comply with ObamaCare benefit and redistribution mandates. Our sources only noticed the change this week.

https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304250204579433312607325596?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop&mg=reno64-wsj

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Tesla Stores May Be Closed After N.J. Blocks Direct Sales

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Tesla Stores May Be Closed After N.J. Blocks Direct Sales

Governor Chris Christie’s administration blocked Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), the electric-car maker that doesn’t have franchised retail dealers, from direct auto sales in a move the company said could shutter its only two stores in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which includes members of Christie’s cabinet, unanimously approved the proposal yesterday in Trenton, delaying public comment on the matter until after the hearing. Tesla said it learned only a day earlier, after months of negotiations, that the rule change was coming to the most densely populated U.S. state, which is important for reaching customers in the New York metro area.

Christie “has gone back on his word,” Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Twitter prior to the vote. “His administration, under pressure from auto dealers, may shut down Tesla in NJ as soon as today.”

Tesla is battling dealers state by state to secure or protect the right to sell its cars directly to consumers. Auto dealers in Ohio, New York, Minnesota,Georgia and elsewhere in the past year have sought to block Tesla from directly retailing its models, arguing that independent retailers are better for shoppers and owners of vehicles. Texas dealers successfully backed a law setting the nation’s toughest restrictions on Tesla. Arizona, Colorado andVirginia also imposed limits. (Ohnsman and Dopp/Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-11/tesla-stores-may-be-closed-after-n-j-blocks-direct-sales.html

 

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Planning board cannot make major changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan, board’s attorney says

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Planning board cannot make major changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan, board’s attorney says

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2014, 11:06 PM
BY  BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — The Planning Board cannot substantially change The Valley Hospital’s plan to nearly double in size — even if it wanted to after a year of expert testimony and procedural discussions, according to the board attorney’s interpretation of law.

Although the board can make small alterations in language or items that do not affect the project’s scale, it can either approve or reject the plan but it cannot make major changes to the master plan amendment submitted by Valley, said Gail Price, the board attorney.

“The board can’t make any changes that could be considered arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable,” Price said, based on a pending court case involving the hospital and a group of residents opposed to the project. But she added that what constitutes a “substantial change is a gray area.”

“It’s not black and white,” Price said.

Even those opposed to the plan have said they support Valley’s effort to expand and renovate. They are just vehemently against the proposed size of the project, which will include a 94-foot-tall building and structures that will cover 43 percent of the 15-acre site, compared with the current 16 percent. Some have said they would be happy with a 20 percent to 25 percent expansion.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_planners_attorney_says_major_changes_by_board_not_allowed_in_Valley_Hospital_expansion_plan.html#sthash.EfgxQD5I.dpuf

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Three N.J. Cities Eye Bike-Sharing

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Three N.J. Cities Eye Bike-Sharing

ERSEY CITY—Commuters here lock their bicycles to just about anything they can find near the Grove Street PATH train station—bike racks until they fill up, then scaffolding and even small trees.

It is a sign of an emerging bike culture that could get a boost this summer if Jersey City, Hoboken and Weehawken launch their own short-term bicycle rental system.

The City Council in Jersey City plans to vote Wednesday on a five-year agreement that would create a regional bike share akin to New York’s Citi Bike across the Hudson River. Hoboken and Weehawken have already approved the plan, which would bring 800 bicycles to docking stations at mass transit hubs, parks and neighborhoods.

“It would be really cool,” said Shashi Kara, a 36-year-old attorney, as he unlocked his silver hybrid from a sign post at the Grove Street stop on his way home from work in New York. “A lot of people are definitely using bikes to get to the trains.”

The program would bring the northern New Jersey towns in line with a growing number of cities with bike-share programs. It would still be dwarfed by New York’s 6,000-bike system, and programs in Boston and Chicago have about 1,000 and about 3,000 bikes, respectively. (Tangel/Wall Street Journal)

https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303824204579425853318799962?KEYWORDS=new+jersey&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303824204579425853318799962.html%3FKEYWORDS%3Dnew%2Bjersey

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PSE&G Wants to Put Its Money – and Its Customers’ – Into Building Better Grid

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PSE&G Wants to Put Its Money – and Its Customers’ – Into Building Better Grid

Company looking to invest $10 billion in utility projects rather than new power plants.

Public Service Electric & Gas once again is ramping up spending on its grid, saying it will invest $10 billion over the next five years — a 40 percent increase from its projections just a year ago.

The plans, outlined at an annual investor’s conference in New York City on Friday, reflect the changing nature of the energy industry, where many big companies find it more profitable to shift investments to their utilities with a guaranteed rate of return, instead of building new power plants, a far riskier proposition. (Johnson/NJSpotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/03/09/pse-g-wants-to-put-its-money-and-its-customers-into-building-a-better-grid/

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Are the Rich Leaving New Jersey?

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Are the Rich Leaving New Jersey?

 

New Jersey’s income taxes, estate taxes and property taxes are driving the wealthiest residents out of the state, a new study suggests.

 

The RegentAtlantic Capital report stated New Jersey’s high-income residents are learning to live elsewhere once they realize the amount of money they can save on taxes.

 

“New Jersey competes with other states, and not the federal government,” said David Bugen, managing partner. “The tax structure in New Jersey encourages high-income residents to move to Pennsylvania and still work in New Jersey.”

 

The report noted a high-wage earner could save $1.8 billion over 25 years by living in Pennsylvania instead of the Garden State.

 

New Jersey’s estate tax was also criticized by the report. The exemption for the tax on the deceased is $675,000 in New Jersey. No such charge exists in other locations, such as Florida.

 

“New Jersey is the most expensive state in this country in which to die,” Bugen said.

 

Unlike the majority of other states, New Jersey still prohibits residents from deducting charitable gifts on their state income tax return. Bugen suggested the state “does not encourage philanthropy,” creating another reason for an exodus of those with lots of money to spend. (Flammia/NJ101.5)

Are the Rich Leaving New Jersey? [AUDIO]

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Ridgewood Knights of Columbus to Host Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance

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McLoughlin Dance School file photo

Ridgewood Knights of Columbus to Host Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance.

Ridgewood-NJ-March 9, 2014: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus are once again proud to be sponsoring their annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance on Saturday, March 22nd, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Mount Carmel gymnasium at 52 Passaic Street in Ridgewood. The St. Patrick’s celebration this year is particularly meaningful, as the Knights begin the preparation of celebrating their centennial year in service to the Ridgewood community.

The Best of Everything will cater a full-course of traditional Irish fare including corned beef and cabbage. The renowned Willie Lynch Band will be playing Irish classics and great dance music. There will also be a special appearance by the Irish Step Dancers from the McLoughlin Dance School.

Tickets are $50 each. Payment can be mailed to:

Mark Stappenbeck
452 Hunter Road
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
(201) 444 – 3346

Come enjoy this annual celebration as the Knights of Columbus continue the tradition that the People of Ireland started over a thousand years ago.  And what better way to celebrate the life of Saint Patrick then to gather with friends and family, enjoy a fine meal, and dance to great music!

Come out and celebrate St. Patrick’s with the Ridgewood Knights !

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AARP applauds Gov. Chris Christie and legislative sponsors for the recent enactment of, a new law establishing strong consumer protections

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AARP applauds Gov. Chris Christie and legislative sponsors for the recent enactment of, a new law establishing strong consumer protections

N.J. law protects consumers from misleading energy supplier calls

 

 

When temperatures plummet well below zero and we are faced with the risk of home pipes freezing and people who own them not far behind — the list of things to worry about is long. The last thing we need to concern ourselves with is the truthfulness of the stories we were told (often repeatedly) by third-party energy suppliers about how switching to them would result in lower energy rates. But as demonstrated by the soaring bills that have been hitting the mailboxes of many New Jerseyans this winter, it seems that indeed, many consumers were misled straight into massive energy bills at a time when they could least afford it.

 

This is why AARP applauds Gov. Chris Christie and legislative sponsors for the recent enactment of A3422, a new law establishing strong consumer protections on a variety of fronts, including the emerging energy market. The bill prohibits certain energy suppliers from making false and misleading claims to potential customers and prohibits suppliers’ repeated cold calls.

 

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Dan Benson (D-Mercer) and Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) passed the Legislature with near-unanimous bipartisan support. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Christie in January.

 

New Jersey deregulated its energy supply market more than a decade ago, but it is only recently that a third-party energy market has emerged with the drop in natural gas prices. Reports of aggressive marketing tactics and confusing and/or misleading information raised concerns at AARP and with members of the state Legislature. (Abramo/New York Times)

https://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/03/opinion_nj_law_protects_consumers_from_misleading_energy_supplier_calls.html

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American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Starts March 18 at the YWCA

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American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Starts March 18 at the YWCA

Pre-test dates are March 8 & March 15

YWCA Bergen County is offering its next American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course beginning March 18 and running through April 3, 2014. Students must take and pass a swim test, which will be held on March 8 at 9:30 a.m. and March 15 at 9:30 a.m. Participants must be 15 years of age or older and a $10 swim test fee is due at registration.

This course prepares students with the CPR, First Aid and lifeguard techniques necessary for employment as a professional lifeguard. Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood, and the course fee is $350. For more information or to register call the YWCA Aquatics Department at 201-444-5600, x327, or visitwww.ywcabergencounty.org.

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Youth Unemployment hovers at 15.8% in February

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Youth Unemployment hovers at 15.8% in February

Washington, DC – (3/7/14) – Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan youth advocacy organization, is releasing its Millennial Jobs Report for February 2014. The data is non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) and is specific to 18-29 year olds:

The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds, which adjusts for labor force participation by including those who have given up looking for work, is15.8 percent (NSA). The (U-3) unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds is 11.4percent (NSA).

The declining labor force participation rate has created an additional 1.952million young adults that are not counted as “unemployed” by the U.S. Department of Labor because they are not in the labor force, meaning that those young people have given up looking for work due to the lack of jobs.

The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old African-Americans is23.8 percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 19.3 percent (NSA).

The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old Hispanics is 16.6percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 12.5 percent (NSA).

The effective (U-6) unemployment rate for 18-29 year old women is 13.4percent (NSA); the (U-3) unemployment rate is 9.7 percent (NSA).

Evan Feinberg, President of Generation Opportunity, issued the following statement:

“Youth unemployment has been way too high for way too long and politicians seem like they don’t even care about this mess that they created themselves.

“Instead of working to create opportunities for my generation, the administration is busy dreaming up new big government schemes that rob us of our prosperity and threaten our future well-being.”

“If government insists on waging this War on Youth, we will have no choice but to fight back and hold them accountable.”