June 14th Fracking Lobby Day in Trenton

Please see below about an important event taking place this coming Thursday in Trenton and please help spread the word. The Bus for Progress is one way to get to Trenton for those who would rather leave their cars home, and seats are currently available. The Bus will be making stops in South Amboy, Red Bank, Wall, and Jackson. Click here for more information: http://www.busforprogress.org/events/june-14-lobby-day-details. Click here to reserve your seat: http://www.busforprogress.org/events

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Dear Supporter,

Fracking waste is coming to New Jersey, threatening our drinking water, environment and public health. In January of 2013, NJ's fracking ban will expire. As if this is not enough, the industry is pushing risky gas pipelines, gas-fired power plants and billions in taxpayer dollars for subsidies for gas transportation projects. These subsidies are coming at a time when Governor Christie is pushing for millions in cuts to clean energy and conservation programs. Can you join us in Trenton on June 14 to stand against the fracking industry's assault on our state?

In the morning, we will be creating a presence in the NJ State House, educating legislators about how they can help stop the fracking industry from turning NJ into a fracking wasteland. At noon, leaders from across NJ will be speaking out at a rally against the dangers of fracking and the direct impact these risky and unnecessary gas infrastructure projects are having on our state. We need your help to pull off a massive show of support against fracking and for clean energy.

Let's plan to take over the capital on June 14 and demonstrate that New Jersey is ready for clean energy solutions and a fossil fuel-free future. Will you join us in Trenton on June 14th?

To register and invite others, visit this link:

http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?key=74212

We look forward to seeing you in Trenton!



Jim Walsh

New Jersey Director

Food & Water Watch

jwalsh@fwwatch.org

BAN FRACKING WASTE IN NEW JERSEY

by guest blogger Linda Baum


The week of May 14th was dubbed a “week of action” by environmental advocacy organization Food and Water Watch, which encouraged New Jersey residents to call four specific legislative leaders this week to rally support for A575/S253, which would ban the treatment, storage, disposal, and discharge of fracking waste in our state.

Jim Walsh, Eastern Region Director of Food and Water Watch, told an audience at a fracking forum this week that just four people decide which bills make it to a floor vote in Trenton -- those are the four state legislators that we need to call. Their names and phone numbers are listed below. Call on Friday if you can to add your voice to this week’s effort, or call next week to keep the pressure on.

Senate President Sweeney: (888) 793-4597

Senate Majority Leader Weinberg: (877) 796-1950

Assembly Speaker Oliver: (866) 582-4813

Assembly Majority Leader Greenwald: (866) 946-1451

The flyer below that Food and Water Watch put together provides a few talking points for your calls in addition to information about recent happenings in New Jersey.

Another APP Endorsement That Leaves You Scratching Your Head; Take All The Incumbents In The 12th

After coming out in September, stating how ineffective the incumbent politicians that dominate Trenton are, the Asbury Park Press Editorial Board came out with its endorsements on Friday for the newly drawn 12th Legislative District candidates and has endorsed the incumbent politicians that are already serving in Trenton.

...None of the candidates seeking legislative seats in the newly redrawn 12th District served in the district previously. But the experienced Republican slate includes two incumbent lawmakers, one from the 13th District and another from the 30th, and a Monmouth County freeholder.

Two of the three Democrats have run for the Legislature, and lost, before. The other is a newcomer.

Our preference is for the three proven Republican candidates, Samuel Thompson for Senate and Ronald Dancer and Robert Clifton for the Assembly seats. All have served their constituents well in their respective political offices and deserve voters’ support....

Is that it, is this their reason for endorsing the incumbent? They have the proven experience?

It seems that this year the APP editorial board is just looking for excuses NOT to endorse Democrats as opposed to looking for reasons as to why they should endorse incumbent Republicans.

The editorial would lead us to believe that Democratic Senate Candidate Bob Brown,who went on disability 30 years ago after being shot in the line of duty as a police officer in Old Bridge, would have gotten the APP endorsement if only he would have agreed with the Governor's overhaul of the health and pension benefits for public employees that was passed earlier this year.

To add some support to this argument, you only have to look at the endorsement of Democrat Vin Gopal in the 11th District Assembly race for confirmation. There the endorsement seemed to place greater weight behind the perception that Gopal's willingness "to compromise in order to get much-needed work done.". This endorsement also went on to say that "... an injection of fresh blood..", was needed.

Why hasn't the same reasoning been applied for the 12th district? Is compromising one's principles now more important than standing by what one feels is the right thing to do? It would seem so for Democrats William Spedding of Jackson and Catherine Tinney Rome of Old Bridge in their race for the Assembly.

Reader comments left by posters to the online article would seem to agree:

watchdoggg

6:51 AM on October 29, 2011

Dancer, Clifton, and Thompson. Another name for them would be Three Blind Mice.

I've rubbed elbows with Thompson at socials, and ALL he ever talks about is what a great job he's done. In 14 years in office I ask, WHAT JOB, what have you done ??

Clifton, a leftover of the Club Monmouth wrecking crew, still endorsing the "Clubs" mantra by taking care of it's members.

Dancer, just another incumbent for the party sake.

All three endorse Christie, so I'll be voting for their opponents.
Signed,....Monmouth County Republican.

BigBlue86
10:35 AM on October 29, 2011

Hey, APP - Why not save some space and time and just put one editorial stating "Just Vote Republican"? You really don't endorse anyone else anyway. Why bother with the dog and pony show of days of editorials? I'll vote against anyone you endorse anyway.

HerbWhiteside
12:47 PM on October 29, 2011

TALK ABOUT HYPOCRISY. You couldn't endorse Brown because he WOULD HAVE voted against Christies Pension reform YET you endorse a proud double dipper(GOP Party boss)Sam Thompson, (not including his Social Security which makes him a triple dipper). Obviously this endorsement is about access to the GOP statehouse and elitist cocktail parties and has nothing to do with whats best for NJ.

VinnieRomano
1:00 PM on October 29, 2011

The APP endorses Christies 3 Stooges. They would have a shred more of credibility if they endorsed "none of the above" Lets be real here the Democrats in this case at least have some fresh ideas and clean backgrounds.

If it wasn't for a Republican administration Dancer would be under serious investigation. Sam Thompson is just liberal republican party hack with a dubious double pension dipping scandal lurking in the background and Clifton is not qualified to hold any public office. At least if we got rid of the incumbents gave the other guys a shot and voted them out if they let us down. But No you endorse the status quo. I hope the overtaxed, under represented voters in the 12th district put aside party and at least take a shot at some new blood in Trenton.

Christie’s Cuts in Aid Imperil Moody’s Ratings for Six Cities

File this news brief under the title of "Collateral Damage" as a consequence of Governor Christie's numerous line item vetoes of the budget that Democrats sent him last week and the Democrat's unsuccessful efforts to override them.

By Elise Young - Bloomberg.com

Six New Jersey cities including the capital, Trenton, have their credit ratings under review for possible downgrade by Moody’s Investors Service after losing aid in Governor Chris Christie $29.7 billion budget.

The notice came hours after the Democrat-led state Senate failed yesterday to override Christie’s veto of $139 million in so-called transitional aid to some of the poorest cities.

Moody’s, in a report, said it placed Camden, East Orange, Passaic, Paterson, Trenton and Union City on a watch list and expected to finish its review within 90 days, a window during which the Legislature “may restore all or some of this aid.”

The company report called the aid loss a “credit negative” to those municipalities plus Bridgeton City, Harrison, Irvington and Prospect Park. “Credit negative” indicates Moody’s is more inclined to cut ratings.

The review of the six cities will involve a study of any plans to offset the loss of aid, which Christie cut to $10 million from $149 million for the fiscal year that began July 1.
“Given the magnitude of the adopted state-aid reductions and required process for implementing workforce reductions, we believe that city managers may be challenged to achieve the necessary savings quickly to prevent further financial decline,” according to the report.

Christie, 48, a first-term Republican, chopped almost $1 billion in budget items added by Democratic lawmakers, saying the state couldn’t afford the expenditures.

Most Downgrades

For Camden, with a Ba2 rating from Moody’s, or two steps below investment grade, transition aid of $69 million last year amounted to 38 percent of its spending plan. Paterson, with a Baa1 rating, or third-lowest investment grade, received $22.3 million last year, for 7 percent of its budget.

In May 2010, Moody’s lowered Trenton to A3, the fourth- lowest investment grade, after a previous Christie cut in aid. Communities in New Jersey, the second-wealthiest U.S. state, led the country in downgrades last year.

Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, declined to comment. Andy Pratt, a spokesman for Treasurer Andrew P. Sidamon-Eristoff, didn’t respond to an e-mail. Mark Albiez, chief of staff to Union City Mayor Brian Stack, who also is a Democratic state senator, didn’t return telephone calls. David Rousseau, a financial consultant to Trenton, didn’t respond to an e-mail....

Continue reading

A special state budget update from NJPP President Deborah Howlett

In his budget address three months ago, Governor Christie outlined his view of the "new normal" in New Jersey. It went something like this:

• Rich people get tax breaks.
• The middle class pays more.
• We all make do with less.

Most states, instead of relying solely on cuts to services - cuts that threaten jobs and economic recovery and hurt struggling families - have adopted a balanced approach that includes revenues. But the plan laid out by the governor was cuts-only. It would close state facilities for the profoundly disabled; continue last year's devastating cuts to schools; and require deep reductions in health insurance coverage for people with no place else to turn.

Over the next month or so, lawmakers and the governor will work in Trenton toward agreement on a state spending plan for the coming fiscal year.

NJPP will be in the thick of things.

As we have for 14 years, NJPP is fighting for the return of fair and progressive fiscal policies that until recently provided opportunities for all New Jerseyans and prosperity that was broadly shared across the Garden State. In a series of emails over the next couple of weeks I'll give you more details, but here are a few highlights of the work that NJPP is doing to make a difference.

• Senior Analyst Ray Castro is a leading voice in the independent and critical analysis of how cuts to NJ Family Care, the state Earned Income Tax Credit, and Medicaid will make it harder for poor and working families to get by.
• A study by NJPP and the national group Demos showed that a bill to deregulate telecommunications in New Jersey would cost consumers, especially the poor and the elderly. Using the findings in the report, NJ Citizen Action and AARP went to work on lawmakers and in a grassroots effort that included more than 10,000 phone calls to legislative offices they succeeded in getting the measure tabled.
• NJPP's report on the proliferation of corporate subsidies is the foundation for ongoing efforts by the Better Choices coalition, of which we're a member, to restore badly needed revenue. Made up of more than 70 nonprofits -- including human services, education, religious, and labor groups - Better Choices is a vocal advocate for a proposal developed by NJPP to raise taxes on the wealthiest among us, those with income (not net worth, but income) over $1 million a year.

We're proud to be a leading voice for common sense in New Jersey, and to strongly and clearly advocate for those who have the smallest voices in the public arena - the middle class, working families, the disabled and the most vulnerable in our society.

That work was spotlighted in a story published recently by the Asbury Park Press, which caught the attention of one of its hometown readers, rock icon Bruce Springsteen. Speaking of NJPP and our partners, Springsteen wrote in a letter to the editor, "These are voices that in our current climate are having a hard time being heard, not just in New Jersey, but nationally."

Like you, and The Boss, we refuse to accept the idea that there's a "new normal."

Not here in New Jersey.

Not this year.

More to come...

Deborah Howlett, President

_____________________________________________________

Update: I want to clarify a point made in our earlier email "Special State Budget Update," which may have left the impression that as a policy matter NJPP is opposed to the closing of state institutions for people with developmental disabilities. We absolutely are not. Further, we understand it is important that the effort to close these institutions be fully funded by the state so that people with disabilities can live in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

Sincerely,

Deborah Howlett, President

Middletown Update and Background Proposed Four Ponds Development Plan

At the behest of the Township Committee, Township Administrator Tony Mercantante, posted the following letter the Middletown Township website late yesterday, the letter is an attempt to give some background information behind the history of the rezoning of the Avaya property in Lincroft that is a hot-button issue in town and ready to explode. At least three separate citizens groups are now involved and on record as being opposed to the project.

What this letter doesn't tell residents about is how, much like the infamous "Town Center" project, the Township went to Torsevias (the owners of the property) and pitched this idea to them. The township would never have been able to rezone this property if the owners weren't on board with it. Promises were made and palms were greased in some way to make this happen, now the Township needs to backpedal before it's too late.

Unfortunately it may be too late for that already, money has been spent already on the project by the owners, they would want so type of reimbursement for there troubles i'm sure, which will tie this project up in the courts for years at a cost of millions of dollars to the tax payers of Middletown if it doesn't go through.

And as usual, the Township is blaming Democrats in Trenton for inaction on the issue of COAH. They wont dare point a finger at the Governor for vetoing the COAH bill that was past by the assembly last year. If COAH was on the top of the Governor's priority list, he would be taking the lead on this issue like he has been while bashing teachers and unions.

But don't confuse the issues of COAH and this project, the opposition to this redevelopment is not COAH based as the Township wants you to believe. The opposition is opposed to the project based on quality of life issues and concerns such as infrastructure, traffic and the effects of having many more students enroll in area schools.

Dear Residents:

The Township Committee has asked that I provide a summary of the circumstances surrounding the proposed Four Ponds Development Plan at the former Avaya property, which is part of the Township’s state-mandated Council On Affordable Housing (“COAH”) housing plan.

The Township Committee has many concerns about this proposed project, which is why the Township is currently litigating the COAH’s revised third round rules before the New Jersey Supreme Court. Not only has the Township joined in the League of Municipality’s lawsuit, but the Township also filed its own lawsuit, which was just recently accepted by the Supreme Court. It is unclear, however, when this case will be heard, which could be anywhere from 6 months to a year, or more, from now. In the meantime, the Township is still subject to COAH’s rules, as they existed three years ago.

It is the Township’s belief that we should not be punished by these rules since, we believe there are plenty of affordable housing units, including rental units available throughout the Township. This fact is largely the basis of our legal position. Further, the Township does not have a history of exclusionary zoning that would be in violation of the original Mount Laurel doctrine. Unfortunately, this legal doctrine has evolved into something it was never intended to be, which essentially hands control of much of our zoning over to developers and in some cases the courts.

Making matters worse, the Appellate Court recently invalidated a large portion of the revised third round COAH rules that gave the Township a variety bonus credits for past performance and for allowing the creation of affordable rental housing. Without these extra credits and other mechanisms thrown out by the Court, the Township’s affordable housing obligation could grow significantly higher than it already is. Fortunately, the Township sought and secured a stay from both COAH and the Supreme Court of the Appellate Court’s ruling on this matter. Now, the Supreme Court will decide the ultimate merits of this issue, but the outcome is far from certain, which is why the Township has actively been seeking legislative action that has not been forthcoming. The legislation that has been proposed so far, in most cases would be a giant step backwards, making matters far worse. Fortunately the Governor vetoed the bill that was actually passed by the legislature since it would have increased the Township’s affordable housing obligation possibly two-fold.

As a result, the Township has been forced to zone a number of properties in a way that it would not have otherwise, only to satisfy COAH’s requirements. It is also critical in order to stem what are known as Builder’s Remedy lawsuits, which essentially strip away any local control and allows the courts to order the approval of housing developments. In fact, the Township is currently subject to a challenge by the owners of the Bamm Hollow Country Club. Specifically, since challenging our plans, they have been seeking to construct 1,200 multi-family dwellings that would include at least 240 COAH units upon their 277-acre property. They also have an application pending for 50 homes which the property is currently zoned for, which is also not actively being pursued. That application will not make this litigation go away as they are continuing to seek a development many times that size. We are currently seeking a stay before the Appellate Court in this matter in an effort to try to resolve it through sound planning without facing the prospect of 1,200 more units of housing in Lincroft. The reality of the situation is that if the Avaya property had not been zoned to allow for the development of residential housing two years ago, Bamm Hollow would likely be building 1,200 court-ordered units on its property by now.

These are the unfortunate realities currently faced by the Township until the Legislature or the Courts act appropriately to eliminate these irrational mandates that do nothing but promote poor planning and development while wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. I would note, however, that the Avaya property is still also zoned to allow for commercial development, so the Township is not impeding that from taking place should market conditions allow for it. Further, the Township has been encouraging businesses to move into the site along with seeking economic development assistance for prospective tenants from the state.

Simply put, due to legislative inaction, the Township was left with no option but to include Avaya property as part of its housing plan three years ago to allow for residential development. The reality is that the alternative would be far worse for Lincroft and the Township as a whole. We would like to encourage all residents, as many of you have in the past, to write and call Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver who should be held accountable along with the entire State Legislature for failing to act on the Governor’s proposed COAH reforms. With those reforms, there is at least a chance that this project may not have advanced to this point.

Sincerely,
Anthony P. Mercantante, P.P. AICP
Township Administrator

Was The New Director Of The Office of Planning Advocacy "On The Clock" When He Was Acting As Middletown Mayor During Meeting With NJDEP Officials?

Back on October 21st a meeting took place at the office of Cindy Randazzo, the Director of NJDEP office of Local Government Assistance, in Trenton for the purpose of discussing options for dredging Middletown's Shadow Lake.

In attendance at this meeting were various DEP personnel that had concerns with the dredging plans presented by the Township, representatives from T&M Engineering, State Senator Joe Kyrillos, the new Director for the Office of Planning and Advocacy (Mayor) Gerry Scharfenberger and several Middletown Township representatives.

From what I understand the meeting wasn't very productive, the two sides (Middletown verses the NJDEP) couldn't come to an agreement concerning the scope of the project or what to do with the spoils. The NJDEP made it clear that burying contaminated spoils from the bottom of Shadow Lake in neighboring Stevenson Park was out of the question and recommended that the project be downsized to fall within budget constraints while the Township, lead by the new Director for the office of Planning Advocacy (Gerry Scharfenberger) and Joe Kyrillos insisted that dredging the whole lake and burying the spoils near by was the only way of dealing with the lake. As you can imagine, no resolution to this issue was forth coming and another meeting was planned on for a future date.

After learning this yesterday I began to wonder about Scharfy's role during this meeting. As the Director for Planning Advocacy, Gerry's duties are "asking questions about policy, overseeing planners and GIS specialists. To help spur economic growth and revitalize the economy by, for example, reusing commercial properties" he has stated and the purpose of the Office for Planning Advocacy is to stimulate new growth and business opportunities for those wishing to do business in the State. His position is a full time job, 40+ hours a week, that pays him $95K a year.

What was he doing on "company" time, at a meeting with Joe Kyrillos, the NJDEP, Engineers from T&M and other from Middletown discussing Shadow Lake in the middle of a work week?

He certainly wasn't there to promote smart growth or new business opportunities I can tell you that as require by his job title, he was present representing Middletown as it's Mayor.

It's nice to know that in his new position as Director of Planning Advocacy, his boss the Governor, allows him time to pursue other interests that are contrary to what he is suppose to be doing as Director.

I am sure that the 1,200 State employees will be happy to learn of this as well. Here they are losing their jobs while Gerry is running around the city of Trenton wasting tax payer dollars, acting as Middletown's mayor when he should be in his office somewhere, asking questions about policy, overseeing planners and GIS specialists to help spur economic growth and revitalize the State economy.

Do you think he left early that day or did he stay late to make up for the time he was conducting Township business on State time?

Unbelievable, Win or Lose Scharfy Was Going to Trenton

The news coming out of Middletown today about our acting mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, is unbelievable but not really unexpected, many in Middletown thought that Scharfy had higher political aspirations then just sitting around Middletown pretending to care about the town, while driving up the municipal tax rate by 45% during his tenure as a member of the Township Committee.

Today's announcement that Scharfy has been appointed by Governor Christie to a $95,000 a year job as the new Director of the Office for Planning Advocacy (formerly the Office of Smart Growth), just confirmed it. His appointment to this position is a strange one considering after all considering that the man doesn't know how to plan for a township budget that doesn't include huge tax increases.

But I guess the only real qualifications needed for this appointment was his incessant and partisan bashing of all that were not of his same political affiliations and the nonstop, obsessive, sucking-up to Christie that borders on some strange kind of "Bromance".

Does this mean that he will be leaving his current job as a Senior Lead Archaeologist for GAI Consultants and giving up his part-time teaching job at Monmouth University? I don't see how he can find time for two full-time jobs, one part-time job and still have time to "volunteer" his services as a member of the Middletown Township Committee. Knowing how egotistical Scharfenberger is, I'm sure that he wont let it get in his way. He'll continue to serve out his newly elected term while padding his State pension with his new found tax payer windfall.

I wonder how many people would have voted for this sleazy political hack if they had known before Tuesday's election he would be leaving Middletown to work for Christie in Trenton? I mean really, this appointment didn't just happen over night. It had to have been planned, win or lose, for weeks if not months.

How good does this appointment look anyway for Christie, do you think that he will get any slack from the public after announcing that 1,200 public employees will be losing their jobs in January? I'm sure one public employee isn't to happy about it, that would be Acting Executive Director of the Office for Planning Advocacy , Linda Kellner, who has to make way for Scharfenberger.

As an anonymous poster stated on a previous post when the learned about Scharfy's new gig:

"Scharfy is now exposed and deceptive as usual. All along only interested in self promotion. Appointed to a business position.That's beautiful, can't even do his own budget. Great choice Christie."

I couldn't agree more.

Scharfy Tries To Deflect Blame For 41.9% 5 Year Tax Increase Away From Himself By Blaming School System

As I was surfing around the web, I stopped by the website for the RedBankGreen.com and found the latest article posted by Dustin Racioppi titled MAKE ALL PAY FOR SCHOOL, MAYOR SAYS

It seems as though Middletown's appointed mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, has this rather novel but highly unoriginal idea to help unburden tax payers by having the Township Attorney draft a meaningless resolution asking his buddy the Governor, to increase the sales tax by 1% and use the money to offset property taxes by using the revenue to pay for school funding.

He is qouted as saying that “Everybody sort of commiserates, (and thinks) this could be a great thing...It’s something that’s got to come, because we can’t just keep burdening taxpayers.”

Wow, Scharfy has become quit the Progressive hasn't he?

If Scharfenberger had proposed this idea earlier in the year, before he jumped onto the governor's bandwagon by attacking teachers and the Middletown school system and blaming them as the reason for driving the local tax rate up through the stratosphere, I very well may have given him kudos for think outside the box, even though he has no idea how the money would be dispersed once it was gathered by the State.

Unfortunately that is not the case.

This latest headline grabbing scheme seems to be more intended to deflect criticism away from his personal record of raising local taxes by 41.9% over the 5 years that he has served on the Township Committee (3 of those years as Mayor) if the currently proposed Township budget, which includes a 14% spending increase, that is also 8 months late, is adopted at the next Township meeting on August 16th.

I guess he figures that if he can raise the evil spectre of the Middletown Board of Education, by pointing out that ~60% of local tax bills go to support the education system, people will forget his tax and spend record on the municipal portion of those tax bill.

Scharfy seems to thinks that it would be OK to continue raising the municipal tax rate, if only somehow, those in Trenton could take care of educating Middletown's kids.

That sounds unrealistic, instead how about focusing on the proposed 14% tax increase that he supports, by trying to cut spending rather than writing resolutions that fall within the jurisdiction of the State Legislature.

Commentary: Let's Be Honest

By Tom Wiley

For to long NJ Officials from both parties have borrowed, bonded and stole from taxpayers. Whether it's the Transportation Trust Fund or the Pension fund neither party tells the truth; That they are to blame. Case in point:

1) Pensions, yes, it is underfunded but, why? The public employees have been making their payments every payday and in fact during the Whitman years they paid even more into yet, Yet, The Governor is blaming the public workers and trying to punish them by not giving what they have earned.

2) Transportation Trust Fund: It to is broke, Why ?? Past Governors bonded against future revenues and now bills are due, the State gas tax will only go to pay the debt. This is insanity and not honest. The gas tax is a permanent funding source yet, the State screwed it up by bonding future revenues that went where???

3) Unemployment fund: See above... same story different fund.

When you are elected you are supposed to represent the people of NJ and not your party or your next election. Our Governor now is punishing public employees and blaming them for NJ financial mess with privatization and layoffs? Be honest, who will benefit from Privatization? Republican lawyers who donated to the party or past officials like GOP congressman Zimmer? Be honest, If the Government of NJ was honest we would still be in financial trouble because it is a recession but, it wouldn't be as bad as it is, if the People who sit under the gold dome practiced integrity and honesty for the people of NJ, not their own self interests.

Basically, honor and truth is what's wrong with Trenton. The system is not be perfect but, at least the people of this state would have some honesty.

Face it Gerry, Trenton Is Not Going To Help You

Kudos to Dustin Racioppi of redbankgreen.com for taking the initiative to follow up on my blog post as to why Wednesday night's special budget meeting was cancelled.

It seems that Dustin must have contacted Gerry Scharfenberger sometime yesterday to ask why the meeting was cancelled. He must have gotten an earful out of Gerry because he got enough information out of him to write a very flattering column that seems to imply that from Gerry's perspective, everything is wonderful and residents shouldn't worry about the Township's finances because his new buddies in Trenton will bail Middletown out of the big money pit it finds itself at the bottom of. As you read the column, it is evident that Gerry gave him every excuse in the book that he could think of as to why the budget hasn't been presented already.

First, it was that Middletown didn't have a CFO for several months (which was your own fault Gerry for not actively seeking one), then it was having to concentrate on the failed school budget. But officially it was because of a lack of a quorum Wednesday night that the meeting was cancelled.

That's cool, but didn't anyone know before hand that a quorum was not possible for Wednesday night? Did the Town Administrator just schedule a last minute special meeting to introduce thebudget without checking with members of the committee first? It's a little fishy if you ask me.

Not to worry though, it happens to turn out to be a good thing that the meeting was cancelled according to Gerry. You see, by waiting for a couple of weeks for the possibility of his buddies in Trenton to bail him out, Middletown could magically save money by screwing recent retirees out of their pension and health benefits. And if Middletown can somehow opt-out of its civil service agreements, with a little help from the Governor and Gerry's good buddy Robert Cezch (you remember him, former Township Administrator) who is the new CEO of the NJ Civil Service Commission, then Middletown will no longer have to play by the rules and hire cronies and friends to fill open positions through out the workforce, essentially creating patronage positions at every level of township operations.

But of course Gerry doesn't address that the proposed budget that was going to be introduced contained a 15% tax increase, which if introduced before the June 8th Primary would have been political suicide for him.

Face it Gerry, waiting for your good buddy Governor Christie to bail your ass out of a $5 million budget deficit isn't going to happen anytime soon. You and your republican friends have been mismanaging Middletown for years and it seems that you can never anticipate or see the warning signs of trouble even as the financial woos have mounted steadily over the past 5 years which have lead to increases of more than 16% in the municipal tax rate in that time.

Every day that you waste waiting for someone else to fix Middletown's financial mess Gerry, another dollar wasted that could have been saved. Time is slipping away, Middletown is now 6 months into the fiscal year without a budget, temporary appropriations only compound to problem becuase Middletown is spending money that it does not have. You should have learned a lesson from last year when the budget ended with a $1.3 million deficit that needed to be rolled over into FY 2010.

Isn't about time that you admit your mistakes and short comings instead of trying to lay blame on other and give people the false hope and information in your attempts at making yourself look better? How about finally agreeing to implementing a financial advisory board or commission to help right the cart, being your always so blind that you can never see the forest through the trees?

NJPP Monday Minute 5/24/10: Stand Up rally brings record crowd to Trenton to protest budget cuts

In the largest rally ever seen in Trenton, 35,000 New Jerseyans from all walks of life came together last Saturday to protest Gov. Christie's proposed budget cuts that will harm the state's working families, children, seniors and schools.

The crowd was a diverse mix of community activists, union members, and even parents and children who cheered loudly when speakers criticized Christie's plans, saying that the state's most needy residents would suffer the most.

Over 100 community organizations endorsed the rally, among them faith-based organizations, environmental advocates, direct service providers, represents of Latino and African-American groups and children's advocacy organizations. Community turnout for the rally was coordinated by Better Choices for New Jersey with a clear message to the governor and Legislature: stop the cuts and restore the tax on New Jersey's highest income earners.

The Legislature last Thursday approved a bill to restore the income tax surcharge on those making $1 million or more. The Governor wasted little time vetoing it on the same night.

Who is Behind The Middletown Budget Awareness Committee ?

Has anyone noticed the signs popping up all over Middletown like the one posted to the right?

The signs are from a group calling themselves the Middeltown Budget Awareness Committee.

I wasn't familiar with this group until I saw these signs spring up along the roadside and decided to ask around to see if anyone could enlighten me.

I was informed by a friend who just happens to know the Chairperson of the committee, that The Middletown Budget Awareness Committee is a group who supports the BOE with their budget plans. They try and get public support so the budget gets passed and the signs reflect what Trenton is doing by taking back the surplus money that the BOE wanted to use for tax relief and new programs.

My friend reached out to the Chairperson of the Middeltown Budget Awareness Committee on my behalf for more information and I was sent the following statement:

The Middletown school budget has traditionally been built applying funds called Budgeted Tax Relief. These are funds that may be “left over” (surplus) from previous years' budgets due to economies put in place during the school year. The funds that were squeezed out of that budget were returned to the taxpayers as tax relief to fund next year’s budget (hence the title "budgeted tax relief" and not surplus). So the "tax relief" funds arises from the District being able to save X amount of dollars of the previous budget by implementing cost-saving measures (such as a good year's negotiations for medical coverage, installing efficient utility systems, etc.), and those savings are used when crafting the next year's budget to "relieve - basically lower" the levy of local taxes to a level the taxpayers hopefully find acceptable.

Part of budgeting would also normally include allocating a portion of any remaining funds to the “capital reserve” fund to support future capital improvements (infrastructure, systems, fields). The state has taken .5M of Middletown's accumulated capital reserves.

With the state taking the tax relief and reserves, the District has to rely on “real tax dollars” from this year, as well as pulling remaining capital reserve. Keep in mind that the State often imposes mandates on Districts without funding them. What this means is when the state says "you must have full-day kindergarten," and there are specific regulations as to the physical structure of a kindergarten classroom, a district must fund that out of somewhere.

VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE: 84% of the funds that the Governor authorized to withhold from Middletown are local taxpayer dollars. Senator J. Kyrillos, at the Middletown BOE Forum last week, admitted he had no idea the funds that were taken were predominantly funded by local taxpayer dollars. It appears he assumed that the funds were 100% state aid dollars held in reserve and therefore the state was still funding the approved budget by withholding committed funds and saying "keep the funds you already have from us." For the 2009-2010 school budget year Middletown was supposed to receive only 16% in state aid (versus 41% average across the state). The checks have now stopped, and Middletown has been directed to use our $2.3 million tax relief and $.5 million capital reserves to cover the state's shortfall. IF THE STATE IS WITHDRAWING STATE AID, THEY SHOULD ONLY BE TAKING 16% of $2.8 MILLION, NOT ALL OF IT. 84% OF THAT IS MIDDLETOWN DOLLARS RAISED FOR MIDDLETOWN CHILDREN!!

WE PAID OUR STATE TAXES. WE PAID OUR LOCAL TAXES SPECIFICALLY FOR MIDDLETOWN. NOW OUR STATE TAXES ARE GONE, SO OUR STATE AID IS GONE, AND THEY WANT OUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE TAXES TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE STATE!

So where does Middletown stand right now? Based on the funding the state has withdrawn, and assuming that the state aid of 16% from last year is not reduced (highly unlikely), and also assuming that the Middletown taxpayers vote to pass the current budget on April 20th, we can expect to lose 36 teachers (in addition to 28 other positions ranging from Administration to Facilities). That is the "best case scenario" as we stand right now. If the Middletown voters vote to not pass the budget, the budget is presented to the township committee who can vote to cut the budget further, resulting in even more cuts.

The worst-case scenario is that the state follows through on a full 15% cut to Middletown's current funding, which would result in a potential loss of over 80 teachers, additional positions, and program cuts! If the Middletown voters will not pass even that budget, additional positions and programs will have to be cut to make up for a potential township cut.

Think about the impact of 80+ families in Middletown and the surrounding areas losing their income. This is not an issue just affecting Middletown; this situation is happening across over 600 districts in this state. Lost jobs equals loss of income tax and sales tax to the state. Lost jobs equals unemployment, and the state has said the unemployment system is bankrupt. Lost jobs equals loss of property tax when families leave NJ for a cheaper place to live.

The Middletown Budget Awareness Committee, Inc.

Relevant documentation:

BOE forum presentation and spread sheets @ http://www.middletownk12.org/superintendent/files/FINAL%20Presentation%20without%20NOTES.pdf.

The text of the speech given by President Laura Agin of the Middletown Board of Education @ http://www.dollarsandsense.bz/.

In my opinion, this is a fight that parents with school kids need to get involved with and support the Middeltown Budget Awareness Committee and the Middeltown Board of Education. Not only will there be a lay-off of teachers and supporting school staff,l but there will be after school programs cut as well with little or no money for new books or other essential supplies available for the students use.

And if that wasn't bad enough after all the $2.8 million in budget cuts are over with, the School Board will still have to raise the tax rate just to maintain what is left for next year.

Middletown needs this money to maintain what they have and hopefully the Christie Administration will come to their senses and realize that by taking surplus money away from

school districts across the state to plug his own budget gap is wrong and will return the portion of the surplus that was not directly due to aid payments from Trenton.

Deadline For Municipal Budgets To Be Introduced To Trenton Is March 31st

It has come to my attention that on Thursday, March 4, 2010 a meeting took place between representatives of the League of Municipalities, the Department of Community Affairs, the Division of Local Government Services and various Business Administrators and CFOs of local governments at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.

The primary speakers were Marc Pfieffer, Department of Community Affairs, Tina Zapichi, Division of Local Government Services.

To wrap everything up in a nutshell, the word was budgets would have to be "introduced" to Trenton by March 31 and that the date Trenton has set for municipalities to adopt their budgets is May 11, 2010.

They were told that no state aid was forthcoming and not to expect any extraordinary aid for snow removal but for those cities could expect extraordinary aid, they would have to get their budgets in on time. Those in attendance were also told that there would be a 4% cap on the tax levies and a 3 1/2% cap on appropriations.

This is actually pretty heavy stuff especially for a town like Middeltown, in a good year Middeltown has never had it's budget ready for introduction before April. Middeltown and other towns always procrastinated and dragged out the process until they heard how much aid was expected from Trenton. Well now I guess they found out and they have less than 30 days to put together a budget.

And to think, Middetown doesn't even have a CFO. How does Mayor Scharfenberger and the Township Administrator Tony Mercantante, plan to submit a budget by March 31st without the expertise of a CFO?

I guess though that residents in Middletown shouldn't worry to much about this, After all the Mayor has been telling everyone that he has a plan for dealing with the expected $7 million shortfall in the Township's budget since the January re-organization day, the only problem is he hasn't shown it to anyone yet!

Why is Mayor Scharfenebrger's new best buddy Gov. Christie, pushing municipalities to present budgets to him before April? My only guess is that the Governor wants to get a handle on how bad things really are before presenting his doomsday budget to the state house in June.

Video: Same-sex marriage supporters march on statehouse in New Jersey

From tvjersey-

More than 600 people marched in Trenton calling on state lawmakers to pass a same-sex marriage bill in New Jersey. Supporters of the bill say the time is right to bring a marriage equality bill to a vote before Gov. Jon Corzine, who supports gay marriage, leaves office. But there is strong opposition to the bill and rival protesters at the statehouse -- though significantly outnumbered -- voiced their conviction that marriage should be restricted to one man and one woman. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)

Rick Bolger Candidate for NJ State Assembly District 11, Op-Ed:Our State Government Is An Overwhelming Bureaucracy

Our state government is an overwhelming bureaucracy. New Jersey has a “Department” for every imaginable aspect of our lives. We have a DEP, DOT, DOE, etc., etc. What you won’t find in Trenton is a DOCS—Department of Common Sense!

Each of these Departments has grown extensively since their creation and has morphed into powerful entities operated by appointed “officials” with the apparent ability to make life difficult, if not intolerable, for the residents of New Jersey.

The State laws which are interpreted and enforced by these Departments are often antiquated, irrelevant, arbitrary, contradictory or otherwise unfair in their application.

In the absence of a magic wand, these entities are here to stay. However, why can’t the legislature create a common sense procedure which affords immediate relief to those individuals or municipalities which find themselves boxed into a Catch 22 situation by one (or more) of our State Departments. Every municipal engineer and borough administrator could cite numerous examples of such crippling bureaucratic red tape. Currently, the only relief available is the white flag of surrender or litigation. Law suits are time consuming, expensive and more often than not, result in decisions which perpetuate other bad decisions and confuse rather than clarify the law.

Why not a simple procedure where, under the proper circumstances, the three State legislators of any particular district can craft immediate relief for their aggrieved constituents?

Rick Bolger

Candidate for NJ State Assembly in District 11

Taxes and Middletown, Perfect Together

As anyone who follow this blog knows, I am no fan of the Middeltown GOP and their bond, spend ,tax and then blame others, policies. 

Since late February, I have been pointing out that the Middletown Republicans, who have controlled  the township committee for the past 20 some odd years, have been planning a 9.2% municipal tax increase this year in order to plug a $2.4 million hole in the township budget that has not been adopted yet. This budget shortfall is approximately the same as last years, when the township used  a couple of one shot revenue gimmicks in addition to a 7.2% tax increase balance the budget.

In order to keep Middletown running for the past 5+ months, temporary budget resolutions have needed to be passed by the township committee. At last count, nearly 50% of  the expected operating expenses for the township for fiscal year 2009 have already been spent or have been allocated  to be spent. 

Now, how will it be possible to cut $2.4 million from the last remaining 50% of budget to avoid a 9.2% rate increase?  You can't, unless your willing make very hard choices. Choices that the Republicans in town have refused to make for the past 20 something years.

That is why, with this years increase, Middletown's tax rate will have risen 25% over the past 4 years.

At some point you need to look in the mirror and stop blaming others for your short comings. 

Like Middletown, other municipalities around that state, as well as along the bayshore, have been saddled with reduced aid and unfunded mandates from Trenton. However the impact has not had nearly the same adverse effects as here, because instead of blaming others, these towns  looked at themselves and made choices that dealt with the problem instead of playing the avoid and blame game. 

There are two other very good posts today from Pat Walsh's Middletown Musings blog and Matt Morehead's A Voice for Youth blog that address Middletown's budget dealings. 

Walsh's talks about the townships use of deferred school board taxes, while Morehead's post asks why other towns in the area have been able to keep their tax rate stable while Middletowns has skyrocketed. 

    

Listen to Partisan Politics At It's Best In Middletown

During the township work shop meeting held on April 6th, a resolution was presented for adoption that would condemn Governor Corzine's budget proposals. The proposed resolution was written by and passed down to local municipalities by the State Republican Party in an effort to garner Republican support against Governor Corzine and his budget.

Democrats on the committee,Patrick Short and Sean Byrnes, took exception to some of the language in the resolution and wanted to rewrite in a way that would be more Middletown specific and not so broad and sweeping. Republicans on the committee, lead by Mayor Pam Brightbill and Deputy Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger thought that the resolution was not sweeping enough,wanted stronger language and refused to make any changes to it. At one point during the discussion, you will hear Mayor Brightbill telling Committeeman Short that he could just vote against the resolution he so chooses, basically tell him and Byrnes that their opinions did not matter, that the resolution would pass as is along partisan party lines.

Typically,this is how the Republicans in Middletown try to reach out to the other side of the aisle. To compromise when trying to issue legislation is unheard when it comes to matters of Trenton or other petty issues. The my way or the highway is the usual response, as pointed out by Brightbill and Fiore, two Republican members of the Middletown Township Committee. Many people have expressed this observation, even before there were members of the Democratic Party on the Committee.

Middletown committee discuss resolution against State budget

Governor Corzine discusses his economic stimulus package and the greater economy

Governor Corzine discusses his economic stimulus package and the greater economy.

You find more information about my Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan, including how to get assistance for your family at http://nj.gov/governor/home/plan.html