Re: What ever happened to the Jersey City mayor's 2010 State of the City address?
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I called the mayor's office twice and asked about this. Spoke with either a secretary or assistant who said she would call me back. Nobody has so far. Tomorrow is a furlough day, Monday is Columbus Day, so I'm sure my inquiry will be conveniently forgotten over the 4-day weekend.
Posted on: 2010/10/8 1:24
|
|||
|
Re: BonChon Open!
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
201-985-1212
Posted on: 2010/10/4 2:28
|
|||
|
Re: BonChon Open!
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Not only do I hope this place stays open because of the food, but also because, like the predecessor of its space, the storefront looks so much better for Newark Avenue.
I'm no urban planner but I think Newark Avenue is a perfect textbook example of urban blight with all of its extremely antiquated storefronts up and down the street. Only BonChon, the Greek restaurant and maybe the now closed Washington Mutual branch are an exception to what I see on that street (that Italian place in the middle of the street looks okay too I guess). When I spoke to one of the family owners, she said that while the city has been very supportive of them getting to open, she ran into numerous issues with the Buildings Department (surprise, surprise). I have no ownership interest in any business on Newark Avenue but I am so sick of the Buildings Department putting up roadblocks to the people and businesses who are doing things to improve this city and get rid of the antiquated storefronts. If the mayor's office truly cared about this, they would do something about the Buildings Department. It is just appalling and seems to be stifling all the progress the city could make.
Posted on: 2010/10/3 21:20
|
|||
|
3rd Quarter Property Tax Bills - question
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I'm not starting this thread to bitch and moan about my third quarter property tax bill, because I'm sure there has been plenty of that already on these boards and there will be plenty more.
What I don't get is that my 3rd quarter property tax bill shows that I owe ~$550 for municipal tax and ~$450 for non-municipal tax, for a total 3rd quarter amount of ~$1000. Yet, at the bottom of the same bill, it says ~$1500 under "Balance of 3rd quarter due". $450 plus $550 does not equal $1500 - can anyone help me out here? I know the Healy administration leaves something to be desired, but I did have faith in their basic math skills.
Posted on: 2010/8/16 2:47
|
|||
|
Re: Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Charles T. Epps Jr. $300.000.00/year
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I mentioned my disgust at the whole episode about Epps to a staff person at my Assemblyperson's office and they said to me, "If you don't like the politics of New Jersey, why do you live here?"
I was temporarily stunned, and then carefully restrained myself to prevent any screaming into the phone. I was even further disgusted when I hung up. Also, what was this about a trip to London, anyway? Was it for some dumb conference? I heard nothing about it, thank God for New Jersey 101.5, but that station doesn't come in very well up here.
Posted on: 2010/7/7 4:35
|
|||
|
Re: Becoming a self-managed condo?
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
There is no freakin' WAY in the world you can be a
self-managed 54-unit building. No chance whatsoever. Find another management company if you don't like the one you have. True, most management companies around here leave a lot to be desired, but it is the lesser of two evils. If you try be self-managed, your building's common areas will fall into serious disrepair, among other things. A friend's building, with just 8 units tried it and even with that small number of units it was bad enough. The building practically fell apart and water bills didn't get paid, and the water company threatened to shut the water off. The management company for my small building isn't perfect, but they are necessary to the building's existence. I would not buy a unit in a self-managed building either.
Posted on: 2010/4/27 5:20
|
|||
|
Re: Where / how to complain about car rental companies?
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I can give you two heavily-visited websites:
www.consumerist.com (you send your story to the site's moderator and they decide whether to post and people can comment) www.flyertalk.com (there are forums devoted to car companies) Beyond that, I'd just contact the rental company's corporate headquarters...why didn't you do that already?
Posted on: 2010/4/9 5:28
|
|||
|
Re: Assistant comptroller for Jersey City arrested in Internet sex-chat sting
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Why the *hell* does he commute all the way from Wall to work in Jersey City? That is over 50 miles, each way. Why would anyone do that? If he was paid $73,000 a year, surely he could afford to live here.
Posted on: 2010/4/7 4:07
|
|||
|
Re: NJ Proposes 74% Cuts in State Library Aid, State Library Faces Merger
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
[quote]
dontstealmyrocks wrote: Well, there you have it kiddies. No money. Cuts to the NJ state library = cuts in Jersey City included: Disproportionate cuts in state support would jeopardize $4.5M in federal aid Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 3/17/2010 1:01:00 PM ?Database initiative would be axed ?Cuts hit libraries disproportionately ?Broadband funds jeopardized For FY 2011, the state of New Jersey has proposed a drastic cut of 74% in library program funding from the FY 2010 appropriation, which State Librarian Norma Blake (the 2008 Gale/LJ Librarian of the Year) calls "unprecedented and disproportionate to other Departments? losses." The cuts could jeopardize $4.5 million in federal funds. Moreover, the state has proposed that Thomas Edison State College, the distance learning institution that also houses the New Jersey State Library (NJSL), be merged with the New Jersey State Museum and governed by Rutgers University starting July 1, 2010. Broad cuts In a widely circulated message, Blake delineated proposed cuts: $1.449 million, all the funding for databases under the much-praised New Jersey Knowledge Initiative (NJKI) ?$4.299 million, all the funding for Network Aid, including delivery, databases, interlibrary loan, and continuing education ?$1.170 million, all the funding for virtual aid, including databases and the public library JerseyConnect Technology System. ?$3.5 million in per capita state aid, nearly half of the allotment, leaving $3.676 million Beyond the cut in federal aid, Blake noted that "if the cut to JerseyConnect is maintained, the State Library cannot accept the $7.5 million Broadband funds if awarded." The State Library, she wrote, has begun talks with the New Jersey Library Association regarding their mutual concerns. So expect no libraries & no services ...word has it more layoffs are coming in the library system in 3 mos. of full time staff. And more libraries are due to close...just saying... And who cares? We'll just put the books anywhere! quote] That film looks very much like it is in the Jersey City main library. When is that librarian's shift? She looks pretty hot. They better not lay her off.
Posted on: 2010/3/27 16:11
|
|||
|
Re: Car scratcher in Van Vorst
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
The people in Germany were not scratching cars or defacing property, and were for the most part were productive members of society. Perhaps putting this person in a mental hospital may seem cruel to you and others, but he isn't doing himself or anyone else any good by being out on the street defacing property and making it unpleasant for others. If he continues the way he is going, he will likely end up dead at some point and then nothing can be done for him. He needs to be medicated and his situation will only grow worse over time if he isn't. People like him are the type that eventually walk into oncoming traffic. There may be many more people like him out there, but if it is known in this relatively small community who he is, it is clear he needs to be helped as well as prevented from causing destruction to the property of others. Flame me if you wish, but it sounds like this could turn into an ugly situation for everyone involved.
Posted on: 2010/3/24 3:44
|
|||
|
Re: Lafayette Park: JC police shoot and kill pit bull after dog attacks child
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Are pit bulls really safe to have as pets? I assume they are legal and a dog license can be issued for them, but just the mere name "pit bull" suggests they can never be fully domesticated and should not be pets.
I'm sure now I'm going to get attacked and "bitten" by pit bull owners all over this board - please don't take it personally. It is pure ignorance. Educate me please. It's just that the name "pit bull" puts me off and is frightening enough.
Posted on: 2010/3/21 22:53
|
|||
|
Re: Letter: Tips for Jersey City council members on how to behave at a public meeting
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I agree with all of this, but as a side note, it would be nice if the citizens attending the meetings would behave themselves too. I wish that people would turn their cell phones off while sitting at these meetings, or at least put them on vibrate. I must have heard a million cell phones ringing at last night's meeting and it was really annoying.
On top of that, when council members are talking or citizens are talking to the council, personal conversations in the audience should be kept to a whisper only or go outside. While Fulop is the only one I have any genuine respect for on the city council, I would like to hear what is being talked about and people deserve not to be distracted by conversations about last week's basketball game, or whatever. We live in a democracy, but all too often, these city council meetings feel like anarchy.
Posted on: 2010/3/12 4:54
|
|||
|
Re: MARCH 10th PROTEST CITY HALL - TURN UP THE HEAT
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
As a side note, neither Bill Gaughan nor his aide (his daughter BTW) have voicemail at their numbers. The numbers just ring and ring if nobody answers. Doesn't matter though, with the exception of Fulop, none of the councilmembers seem to listen to their voicemail anyway...
Posted on: 2010/3/7 6:38
|
|||
|
Re: TAX PROTEST Feb 24th City Hall - WE'RE GONNA RUN THIS TOWN!
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Does anyone plan on going to the next city hall meeting and speaking their displeaure with the city council? Maybe three times is a charm and the city council will pass a budget without a tax increase or at least a considerably lower one.
I'm thinking I'd I like to point out some obvious ways for the city council to cut expenditures, even if they have been mentioned before because I don't think any of the members (except Fulop, the only one in touch with his constituents to any significant degree) ever pay any attention to this site.
Posted on: 2010/3/4 5:40
|
|||
|
Re: JC BUILDING DEPARTMENT
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
Regarding Mr. Razzoli, are you saying that he is not a resident of Jersey City? WTF?! I thought people who worked for Jersey City had to live here, at least those at manager level like Mr. Razzoli! Please forgive me if this has already been discussed on this website, but I am just blown away by the fact that someone at one of the higher levels of a city agency is not a city resident. No wonder nobody over there gives a sh__.
Posted on: 2010/2/21 22:30
|
|||
|
Re: JC BUILDING DEPARTMENT
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Let me continue with the hassles I went through...
5.Because I was using a contractor from Staten Island and not somebody the building department knew well (I would have gladly hired someone from Jersey City but nobody would take a job as small as mine), they gave a real hard time about that, saying they never heard of the guy I hired (WHY should that matter) and that New York doesn't have as good standards as New Jersey building codes and it was a mistake to hire a NY contractor. 6.My deck apparently was supposed to have a separate "footings inspection" before concrete was to be poured into the footings and there is nothing written in the office about that either. They sent me a Stop Work Order by registered mail which didn't get to me until at least a week after the concrete was poured because they put INSUFFICIENT POSTAGE ON THE NOTICE THEY MAILED TO ME. What a joke. I had to have the concrete cut up again and re-poured because of their incompetence. I think they deliberately sent it so it wouldn't get to me in time in order to cover up what they failed to tell me. 7.The inspector came back to my place FOUR times before approving my deck and even he admitted that state and local building codes are IMPOSSIBLE to follow to the letter. 8.I must have spent an extra $1000 in legal fees to deal with this mess. If the people in the building department just provided some list for people to follow, it could have been avoided. So here's my lesson to you... while hiring local contractors is always a good idea to get the building department's approval, if you have that option, I HIGHLY recommend hiring a lawyer to deal with much of the process, somebody who knows everyone in the office by name and knows all the red tape issues well. It will save you so much grief.
Posted on: 2010/2/21 18:12
|
|||
|
Re: JC BUILDING DEPARTMENT
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
You hit things on the nose about the building department and touched a nerve with me that I used to post to the list about. In 2007, I was trying to get a building permit to build a small, simple deck on the back of my condo. Getting a permit from the building department was a neverending nightmare. Despite my relatively simple project, it took nearly a YEAR to get the permit and pass inspection. For a simple, boring, uninspired deck. I might of as well been building the Taj Mahal. Where do I start with the incompetence of the department?
1.There are three phone numbers for the building department. One rang nonstop and never picked up. One number was always busy. The third number always went into voicemail that never got returned. 2.They could never provide me with a definitive list of the items I needed to give them to get a permit. 3.The first time I submitted everything, I was told I was "golden" by the friendly gentleman at the desk. Three weeks go by and nothing happens, then after a call by my council member, I get a fax from them telling me my permit is denied because I need to give them architectural prints, which they never told me about. On top of that, apparently I had to go to the zoning office and get zoning approval BEFORE the building department office and they didn't tell me that either. 4.I hired a lawyer to take care of zoning approval because he knew everyone in that office and knew how to deal with all the procedures. Once zoning approval was received, I went down there to get the approval documents (I didn't want to incur more billable hours with the attorney) and PHYSICALLY TAKE THEM over to the buildings department myself. Ordinarily, I would understand having to do this, but the two departments are about 10 feet from each other.
Posted on: 2010/2/21 17:56
|
|||
|
Re: Mayor Gave Parking Scofflaws a Free Pass To Get Re-Elected, Former Parking Boss Says
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Just when I thought Jersey City and many of the clowns running it couldn't get any more ridiculous, it manages to outdo itself. Unbelievable.
No matter how much we hear about Healy's antics in the news, all the negativity just slides off of him. He has become more untouchable than O.J. Simpson (not the greatest comparison, I know). How long before he realizes just how above the law he really thinks he is and really decides to push the envelope, if he hasn't already? Are we living in the middle ages?
Posted on: 2009/12/17 4:23
|
|||
|
Re: Council considers changing parking rules
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
It's about time. Kudos to Steven Fulop! I would have left Jersey City by now if I didn't live in his ward.
When Vega forcibly removed the proposed ordinance from debate and said it hadn't been sufficiently thought out or researched, I was really angry. I wonder if Vega, other council members (besides Fulop) and Healy had received campaign donations or other compensation from the company that actually owns, maintains and releases the boots. I'm speaking of the company you call and give your credit card information to get the boot released. The parking authority has taken a lot of money that never was rightfully theirs to begin with, and Healy doesn't want to give the slightest bit of lip service to get it refunded to the people who wrongly paid it. How he was re-elected I will never completely understand.
Posted on: 2009/12/6 23:57
|
|||
|
Re: Only in Jersey City
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
Walked by the car at that intersection around 9pm today... boot is still there. Couldn't they have just had the car towed in an instance like that? Would have been a bigger kickback to the Parking Authority. They're not even good at screwing people over. I guess that ignorance goes with the territory.
Posted on: 2009/11/5 5:22
|
|||
|
Re: Anti-gay group plans protests in Jersey City
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Just in case anyone missed all the fun with this group in Jersey City or Hoboken yesterday, or wants to do some more counter-protesting they'll be in Chatham early on Saturday morning.
You can find out where and when on their website if interested. I wonder where these people stay when they go on these trips - I mean, what hotel would want these people staying there given the potential for more drama? They must keep a really low profile wherever they stay and eat, or go camping instead.
Posted on: 2009/10/30 4:53
|
|||
|
Re: Tax Assesment
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
Just so anyone with a property tax issue knows, you generally need to appeal to the county tax board first before going to the state Tax Court. You can only skip the county tax board appeal and go straight to Tax Court if the total "alleged" value of your property - original and added assessment - is over $ 750,000. If you are unsuccessful at the county tax board, then you can go on to state Tax Court.
Posted on: 2009/10/17 3:06
|
|||
|
Re: Tax Assesment
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
I would go this website - www.njactb.org. It is the New Jersey Association of County Tax Boards. There you will find information, forms and links to the various county tax board website, although the link for Hudson County's tax board just takes you to the Hudson County website and it doesn't appear they have such a website for their tax board. Also, this link takes you to the standard state forms related to property tax appeals: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/prntlpt.shtml New Jersey property tax law should have established a difference between general maintenance and capital improvement. Rutgers Law School has an online library where you can look up the law: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/links/new_jersey/index.shtml Many people that are appealing property tax assessments that are not particularly large do so without representation. Often, smaller residential property tax appeals are done on paper and without a formal hearing.
Posted on: 2009/10/16 0:43
|
|||
|
Re: hey, so who hit my car?
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I'm glad you got the video and I hope that the driver or his insurance company pays you dearly. He must have been seriously drunk when that happened. Unacceptable in so many ways.
Now that I've stated the obvious, I just wanted to also say, wouldn't it have been a lot cooler if you put in the subject line "Dude, Who Hit My Car ?" instead ? Sorry... couldn't resist.
Posted on: 2009/10/13 3:30
|
|||
|
Re: Bookstore
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
Wrong, my friend. There is a bookstore with a Jersey City address. It's not the delightful little independent store selling cheap used books everyone else on this thread desires, in fact it's not even that great a store - a very small location owned by one of the retail behemoths, Barnes & Noble (but its not a Barnes & Noble). It's a B.Dalton Bookseller in the Newport Mall. It's small, cramped and the selection isn't great, but it is a bookstore within the Jersey City limits. Better than nothing I guess. Much as I'd like to see an independent bookstore in J.C. too, you gotta admit that the small independent bookstore has been a dying breed for some time now, like the travel agency. The sale of books on the internet, both new and used, through Amazon and other sites where prices can be easily compared has pushed prices down and squeezed a lot of retail players, both big and small, out of the game. Of course, few book retailers could match the buying power of Barnes & Noble and Borders, who have managed to squash much of what little retail competition is left pushing prices down as well. By and large, independent bookstores that remain are either large and have that "cult-like" status like The Strand does, or are specialty stores that sell rare and antiquarian. That said, if you do want to still support the independent bookstore and get a good deal on books, used and new, the American Booksellers Exchange is an association of independent bookstores, and they have formed a website where you can search for the books you want, then the website will list the independent bookstores around the country selling what you're looking for, and then you can purchase online, straight from the independent store. Not the same as walking to one in Jersey City, but at least you're supporting the small businessperson and giving a shot in the arm to a largely dying business. www.abebooks.com is the site.
Posted on: 2009/10/9 3:49
|
|||
|
Re: NY Daily News: False rape charge by Jersey City woman leads to false conviction
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I hope Mr. McCafferey sues the pants off of her and she is in debt to him until the day she dies.
Also, deporting her to the Dominican Republic would not be a punishment at all. She needs to be locked up here and suffer in a very uncomfortable womens prison. Which probably won't happen because she is pregnant... False accusations of sexual assualt completely wreck lives, just as much as the real crime does.
Posted on: 2009/8/19 4:12
|
|||
|
Re: ShopRite - the place where you feel safe!
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
I avoid that ShopRite for a couple of reasons -
1.All the horror stories associates with people getting towed there, often under unfair circumstances. I've never been towed there, but now avoid the place on principal. If ShopRite and other merchants there realize that people avoid the place because of towing, maybe they'll be forced to re-think the management of their parking lot. This is by far the #1 reason I avoid ShopRite and will remain as such. There was an extensive thread about this topic. 2.It is usually crowded and being smaller in surface area and having lower ceilings than the A&P, always feels so cramped. It's just so unpleasant. I would guess the large public housing across the street is what contributes to the store being so crowded all the time. Granted the A&P can get crowded, but the high ceilings and wider aisles make it a little more bearable. 3.It's funny, despite being in a somewhat less desirable area, the Pathmark over by Montgomery (think that's the street) and the ramp up the NJ Turnpike feels a lot less ghetto than the ShopRite and I've never had a problem there, never felt unsafe and never heard customers yelling about something ridiculous (like I have at the ShopRite).
Posted on: 2009/8/9 2:52
|
|||
|
Re: Trained Dog Attacking on 1st and Erie
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Hopefully the next time this happens, you will have your cell phone with you. Immediately call the police precinct house in Hamilton Park, 201-547-5408, and report what is happening, and ask that an officer come immediately.
Posted on: 2009/8/7 3:40
|
|||
|
Re: Healy was a runaway winner in every ward -- More than double amount of nearest challenger
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Home away from home
|
Quote:
I saw in a lot of places, blaring away after 6pm, in violation of city noise ordinances. But that is no surprise, since it would appear that Healy seems to think he's above the law. Another four years of his antics...great. Is this the town we live in?
Posted on: 2009/5/19 5:19
|
|||
|