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That would make sense if non-public employees took a 10% pay cut-- by paying 10% to the state in income tax. Its easy to point to public employees as targets for cost cutting, but if you aren't willing to do the current job you have for less money, why should they? Because they are educating your kids? Because they extinguish your house when its on fire? Or scrape you off the pavement after a traffic accident?

@ teacher-

if teachers and other public employees should, as you insist, take a 10 percent paycut, then so should gov. christie, all his commissioners and staff, and certainly, millionaires can afford to shoulder part of the burden as well. . .don't see that being done.

seriously, chill.
if you are, as you say, a teacher (think you mentioned in a private school?) what's with the constant bitterness in your postings toward public sector educators? go get a job then in the public schools, if teachers there have it so good and easy.
or is the chip on your shoulders because you couldn't hack it in a public system? were u not hired or retained? sour grapes?

Just looked at the on in Baltimore. Yuck.

This just made me think of one the greatest hits of George Dubya Bush. Tax cuts for the rich while at war. Now that was a doozy.
Historical too.

Another rich politician who has no clue.

Police leaving now.

Outside my window. No fire dept or ambulance in view. Some closed box that has been out there for awhile. Wonder if this is a drill. No one in immediate area was evacuated. People walking over and around police tape, which is coming down right now

I'm down the block and haven't even heard a siren! What is it, a UXB from all the damn fireworks?

As i write this 11pm friday.

Should the Port Authority clean the station from midnight to 3am? ... YES

Should the Porty Authority make such a loud noise at that time of the morning... NO

I suggest going to whomever is cleaning and telling them that they are violating a Jersey City noise ordinance and tell them that you will call the police. If you do not want to go through that trouble than call me and I will do it.

Overtaxed ? Perhaps not.

By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY

Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm

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Agreed. While I certainly understand the concept of if they have more money to build their business the more they will be identified to do it, I have trouble condoning this. When a regular family is stretched to the limit and using credit cards to buy milk or put gas in their car so they can goto work, knowing full well that the money they are making wont cover the 29% interest rate that they already cant afford this month because they have to spend all of their money on independent health care plus the co-pays and then take time off of work to take care of their kids because they cant have a nanny. It's economies of scale. I once heard an argument from one of the 1%'ers who said "hey the cost of private schooling is just so expensive!" When I pointed out that that was a moot issue considering those who cant afford a private school, so it isnt even on their radar as they are trying to figure out how to keep their lights on. The person responded "hey, it isnt my fault they didnt work hard enough to get the extra things in life." I couldn't beleive what i heard. I know plenty of people who work tirelessly and still barely stay afloat. The one thing I realized from this was that there are opportunities that come along and there are some that dont, but being able to recognize them is what sets people apart. Either way, I dont think those who 'don't' recognize it should be penalized.

ok, so i was able to find a schedule for all of the buses noted in everyone's post--thank you--and i am familiar with the light rail and path of course, but i haven't been able to find the schedule(s) for the jitney--I googled it bc, well, until reading the post above, i've never heard of it. where can i find the schedule for it and the fees? i would like to find out about all of my transportation options into and out of the city for when i move later in the summer. can i find info about it at port authority bc google wasn't helpful in finding the schedule/fare. thanks

"You have to consider how many hours their workday consist of. Teachers for instance have the summer off and go home at 3pm. Lot of perks at the taxpayer's expense."

Those of you who find criticism with teachers having the summer "off" obviously haven't spent much time with children. Any decent parent knows that in order to give 100% to your children you must take time to care for yourself. Being in a classroom with children is like being on stage - there is no downtime where you can daydream at your desk, play solitaire, read jclist postings, or chit-chat by the water cooler. Summer break offers teachers time to refuel, to freshen up their skills, and prepare (read books, new curriculum, etc.) for the coming school year. Children need this break as well to PLAY and spend time with family. K-LO and others who know and love teachers understand this.

Christie meant that everyone but his besties should sacrifice. I don't understand how so many people in the state were fooled into thinking THEY were the ones Christie represents. He's pretty clearly representing the top 1% of income earners and putting the screws to everyone else. When you have a private driver, you don't worry about transit fare increases. When your kids are in private schools, you don't care about the quality of public education. When your precious little snowflakes go to NYU, you don't care about tuition rates of public schools.

njlist, Teachers getting a raise in this Depression is Total CRAP. The real unemployment rate is near 20%, that is 1 in 5 can't find a job , and if they do, I bet it's at a 20% pay cut to their previous job. Get a clue, NO private employee needs to be saddled with giving teachers raises, now, nor ever. Most private employees make HALF of what teachers make!! The Millionaire deserve every nickel they make, as they nearly always create jobs to help pay for teacher's fat benefits. ALL Public employees' pay should be dropped by 10%, and retirement should be raised to 65 or 70.
And No tenured teacher getting fired.....in the REal world people get fired for looking at their boss wrong!

Schedule

Start/Finish Location: Exchange Place, at the foot of Montgomery Street near the Hudson River Waterfront.

9:30 am: Check-in and registration opens. Everyone must hand in a waiver, printed out from the web site ahead of time. If you do not have printer access, we will have a few extra forms on hand for those that arrive in time to fill them out.

10:30: Riders line up in groups.

10:45: Registration closes.

11:00: Ride begins! If you arrive after 11 am, you are riding on your own, due to safety issues. We have a police escort with us.

1:00 pm: Ride ends back at Exchange Place.

1:00 pm: One and Nines (music performance)

1:30 pm: Grove Street Bicycles? radical BMX demo

2:15 pm: Subway Surfers (music performance)

3:00 - 5:00 pm: After party at Iron Monkey

ALL RIDERS MUST CHECK IN and SIGN or HAND in a WAIVER. We will have a list of all pre-registered riders. We will check you off and give you a bib.

In bad times, rebates of any kind should be the first to go before more taxes. However, with that said, I do think we should both at federal and state level have another tax rate for 1MM and higher.

Christie's point is, the residents of NJ are taxed enough as it is and adding another tax on top of what people are already paying isn't fair just because you make a certain amount of money. He wants towns to balance their budgets and stop relying on state money to bail them out because there isn't any more money to give.

We all knew that Christie was going to do this, it's certainly not a surprise to me. I get his point, he has been pretty consistent with his message.

from WNYC- Bob Hennelly


NEW YORK, NY May 21, 2010 ? New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed a measure that would have restored a higher income tax on the state?s wealthiest residents.

Democrats in both houses included the tax increase with votes to boost prescription drug benefits for seniors and to restore property tax rebates for the elderly and disabled. They knew Christie had promised to veto the measure, which would affect some 16,000 Garden State residents who make more than a million dollars a year.

Christie was quick to reject the package, saying higher taxes would hurt the state's recovery. Political observers say it is highly unlikely Democrats could get the necessary number of GOP members to join them for a veto override.

Camden County Assemblyman Peter Moriarty says Christie is effectively imposing his own tax, especially on the elderly and disabled, since he's rejected longstanding rebates. ?I'm not for tax hikes, but if someone's going to get a tax break this year, my feeling is that 600,000 seniors and disabled people should get the tax break, not millionaires,? Moriarty says.

In another move to close an $11 billion budget deficit, public employees in New Jersey must now pay at least 1.5 percent of their salaries toward health insurance starting Friday. Police and firefighter unions unsuccessfully sought to block the law. They argued it's an area that should be regulated by collective bargaining instead of legislation. They also said this change amounts to an unfair tax on public employees and that the law was vague.

Public workers, teachers, seniors and others upset about changes to their benefits, pensions, and budget cuts are planning a rally in Trenton on Saturday in hopes of swaying lawmakers to reject Christie?s harsher cuts.

Seriously dude...that's part of living next to a major transportation hub. I can attest to the fact they do they same thing on the NYC Subways...that time period is when it's least busy...they really don't care about people and being considerate...just the bottom line. I used to live right by a open subway station. You sorta get used to the subway and urban noises...or else, get ear plugs (which wasn't a bad suggestion).

CRYAN: CHRISTIE VETO ?ARROGANT AND OFFENSIVE?

(TRENTON) ? Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) on Thursday released the following statement after Gov. Chris Christie vetoed Democratic legislation that would have saved senior citizens from Christie?s proposed cuts to property tax relief programs and guaranteed the elimination of Christie?s proposed new prescription drug fees:

?Gov. Christie just made life more unaffordable for more than 600,000 senior and disabled citizens while awarding 16,000 millionaires with a tax cut.

?Senior citizens will now face unconscionable property tax increases, while millionaires get richer. That?s wrong.

?Self-indulgent rants and sound bites may get Gov. Christie giggles and laughs, but there?s nothing funny about vetoing a bill to help our elderly and disabled residents make ends meet.

?It?s arrogant and offensive.?

Sure, Gov.Christie, try to throw teachers, police, firefighters, seniors and working class under the bus, try to sanctimoniously guilt them ("everyone need to do their part"), and then give yourself and your millionaire buddies (your Ed. Commissioner included) a hefty tax break. A hefty hypocrite, indeed.


Christie Swiftly Vetoes Millionaires Tax, Property Tax Rebates.
Star Ledger today

It took about two minutes from the time Senate President Steve Sweeney certified the passage of the millionaires tax package for Gov. Chris Christie to veto the bills at his desk.

"While I have little doubt that the sponsors and supporters of this bill sincerely believe that the state can tax its way out of this financial crisis, I believe that this bill does nothing more than repeat the failed, irresponsible and unsustainable fiscal policies of the past," wrote Christie in his veto statement. "Now is not the time for more of the same. Ultimately, another tax increase will punish the state?s struggling small businesses and set our economy further back from recovery."

millionaires-tax-assembly-vote.JPGMatt Rainey/The Star-LedgerThe Assembly voted to pass the "millionaire's tax" bill 46-32, but Gov. Christie vetoed it soon after.After the state Senate passed the bill, which had already passed the Assembly, Sweeney walked the bills down the hallways of the Statehouse, from the state Senate chambers to the governor's office. Once inside, he handed the bills to Christie, who was waiting.

"What took you so long ?" asked Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak.

Christie sat at a wooden desk emblazoned with the seal of the state of New Jersey and swiftly signed vetoes.

"We'll be back, governor," said Sweeney.

"Alright, we'll see," said Christie.

Democrats would need two-thirds majority in both houses of the Legislature to override the veto.

"This is something we're not going away on," said Sweeney. "This isn't theater, this isn't a gimmick."

By Matt Freidman/Statehouse Bureau and Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau

Sure, Gov.Christie, try to throw teachers and working class under the bus, try to sanctimoniously guilt them ("everyone need to do their part"), and then give yourself and your millionaire buddies (your Ed. Commissioner included) a hefty tax break. A hefty hypocrite, indeed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Christie Swiftly Vetoes Millionaires Tax, Property Tax Rebates.
Star Ledger today


It took about two minutes from the time Senate President Steve Sweeney certified the passage of the millionaires tax package for Gov. Chris Christie to veto the bills at his desk.

"While I have little doubt that the sponsors and supporters of this bill sincerely believe that the state can tax its way out of this financial crisis, I believe that this bill does nothing more than repeat the failed, irresponsible and unsustainable fiscal policies of the past," wrote Christie in his veto statement. "Now is not the time for more of the same. Ultimately, another tax increase will punish the state?s struggling small businesses and set our economy further back from recovery."

millionaires-tax-assembly-vote.JPGMatt Rainey/The Star-LedgerThe Assembly voted to pass the "millionaire's tax" bill 46-32, but Gov. Christie vetoed it soon after.After the state Senate passed the bill, which had already passed the Assembly, Sweeney walked the bills down the hallways of the Statehouse, from the state Senate chambers to the governor's office. Once inside, he handed the bills to Christie, who was waiting.

"What took you so long ?" asked Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak.

Christie sat at a wooden desk emblazoned with the seal of the state of New Jersey and swiftly signed vetoes.

"We'll be back, governor," said Sweeney.

"Alright, we'll see," said Christie.

Democrats would need two-thirds majority in both houses of the Legislature to override the veto.

"This is something we're not going away on," said Sweeney. "This isn't theater, this isn't a gimmick."

By Matt Freidman/Statehouse Bureau and Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau

Bump....Taxi Driver w/ Deniro is tonight

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Was really just trying to help you.

The cops should have given that dude a beating right after that really believable story.

Did you see the generator? Many office buildings have backup generators that they run sometimes. I am wondering if 95 Christopher Columbus Dr has one.

Embankment will show it. I got Bayern 2 to 0 v Inter

FORZA INTER!!!!

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I'm not sure what answer you are looking for but you have received quite a few good suggestions. You bought a condo by a train station and are upset that there is noise. In particular you are upset that they are cleaning the station late at night when there are few travellers rather than at a busier hour which would hamper rush hour traffic. In so doing, you fail to recognize that road construction, bridge and train station cleaning, etc. generally seek to impose a burden upon the fewest number of people. For some reason, I have a feeling that you would also complain if they did the work when you wanted to use the train.

Although you complain that there have been no useful suggestions, people, at your request for suggestions, have suggested that you:

(1) move to a quieter street;
(2) go to the station and ask them to stop working or to do so in a manner that is quieter;
(3) call the PATH customer service number;
(4) leave feedback on the PATH's website;
(5) call the Mayor's hotline;
(6) form a group of concerned citizens with your neighbors to act as a collective whole to implement change;
(7) install sound proof windows;
(8) fill out a complaint form at the PATH station;
(9) raise the issue with the condominium association and try to get them involved in addressing the issue; and
(10) buy earplugs to help you sleep.

If you have been able to come up with a better suggestion since you sought out help from this "nice JC community" you should share it with us. If you haven't, rather than complain about the suggestions, you should recognize that nearly every option has been suggested. Instead of continuing to complain about people's ideas or the realities of living in a major city, it might be more beneficial to direct your energies to acting on one of the many suggestions.