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Re: Atomic Wings owners suing JC over delays in opening
Home away from home
Home away from home


The JC building department is infamous. But the city doesn't have a whole lot of power to control them though. Municipal building departments are actually overseen by the Dept. of Community Affairs.

Posted on: 2010/10/20 17:17
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Re: Woman Robbed at Knifepoint on Mercer St.
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Home away from home


Actually my wife and I talked about that (for economic, job, tax reasons.. Texas is a very business friendly State).

For concealed carry (CCW) reasons I could also choose between 40+ States that are 'shall issue' or unrestricted (no permit required). NJ is way behind in allowing people to defend themselves. CCW has been expanding since the early 1990. It has been a success with no "blood on the streets" promised from the anti-self defense crowd.

Posted on: 2010/10/20 11:48
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Re: Woman Robbed at Knifepoint on Mercer St.
Home away from home
Home away from home


Quote:

JerseyCityKid08 wrote:
Quote:

PathH8Tr wrote:
Once again - what are the proactive things we citizens can do?


Carry baseball bats!!!!!!!


0.40 cal Smith & Wesson ACP is preferred for me. Unfortunately.. this aint Vermont or Texas (or 46 other states that allow people to defend themselves)..

.. get mugged? Only thing legal in NJ is to defend yourself with harsh language.

Posted on: 2010/10/20 3:11
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Re: Governor Christie halts new train tunnel into Manhattan due to cost overun
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Home away from home


The financing was actually provided by the IRT. The private subway operators were guaranteed a nickle fare, which was enough to finance and operate the system.

After WWI when capital controls were lifted and with the Federal reserve now controlling the money supply.. the United States went through a bout of inflation. A nickle wasn't really worth what it was when the contracts were signed. The city forbid the operators from raising fares, which forced them into receivership (there were bankruptcies before the 1940 city takeover).

If anyone is interested, there is an excellent history of the NYC subway system (including a bit on the PATH) called "Under the Sidewalks of New York". The book deals with both the politics and engineering challenges with building the system:

The builders hit quicksand at one point.
One worker got blown through 50 ft of mud an another 30 ft of water during a blowout accident. He lived and suffered only minor injuries.

Quote:

ianmac47 wrote:
A few interesting tidbits for those of you insisting that rail transit should let the private sector pick up the tab...

"The Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) subway opened in 1904. The city contracted construction of the line to the IRT Company, ownership was always held by the city. The IRT built, equipped, and operated the line under a lease from the city."

"Beginning in 1913, the city embarked on a project called the Dual Contracts, under which the city built additional lines that were operated as part of the IRT and BMT systems."

[source]

Posted on: 2010/10/19 15:10
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Re: Governor Christie halts new train tunnel into Manhattan due to cost overun
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Home away from home


Quote:



Unfortunately, billions of tax dollars go towards expanding highways, artificially lowering the cost of automobile travel. Instead of getting drivers to pay to maintain the roads they travel on by instituting a fuel tax increase, the governor is pillaging the little money made available for rail improvements to fill pot holes.



Roads really should be a State issue. NJ gas tax collected more than enough to maintain the roads (even though are road construction cost structure is something like 3x the national average).

The funds however, were raided over the years to plug budget gaps instead of the use it was intended. That is why the transportation trust fund went broke. I have no problem with gas taxes paying for the upkeep and expansion of the road system (since the gas tax is basically a user fee). However, many states have been using the funds for general revenues. The gas tax just turns into another means of funding a bloated state bureaucracy.

Posted on: 2010/10/19 15:01
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Re: PSEG - Residential Whole House Efficiency Program
Home away from home
Home away from home


I have done insulation work on a few condos in the area. My company got locked out of the 1 - 4 family market because PSE&G was handed a monopoly for all the Urban Enterprise Zones by the Board of Public Utilities. To participate in a rebate program, you can only go through PSE&G.

Best of my knowledge there are currently no rebate programs available for condo building over 4 units.. other than saving on your heating bills.

Quote:

scrappe7 wrote:
Tried to have this done for our condo but PSE&G won;t come out since we live in a 14 unit condo building. Referred me to a few pther places but nobody wants to cover a condo, only single family or 1-4 multi-families. Anyone have any luck with this on the condo side?

Posted on: 2010/10/19 14:57
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Re: Governor Christie halts new train tunnel into Manhattan due to cost overun
Home away from home
Home away from home


The first 2 subway systems in NYC (BMT and the IRT) and the railroad tunnel from NJ to NYC were all built with private funds.


Quote:

margel wrote:
Quote:

robotjustin wrote:
If there is enough demand to cross the Hudson, private industry will meet the demand.


I consider myself pretty libertarian, and I think there are very few things the government has to do vs private industry, but large-scale infrastructure is one of those things. It's one of the reasons the government exists. We can't just leave this to the capitalists.


Posted on: 2010/10/19 0:52
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Re: Just got my latest PROPERTY TAX BILL
Home away from home
Home away from home


Are you referring to last quarter bill or your bill from the last fiscal year?

Quote:

tern wrote:
My tax bill is about the same as last time, I don't see the 40% increase chanj describes.

Robin.

Posted on: 2010/10/15 23:35
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Re: Just got my latest PROPERTY TAX BILL
Home away from home
Home away from home


After January. You cannot appeal if any amount of your property taxes are unpaid.

Quote:

chanj wrote:
Can I still appeal my property tax? when would be the next window?

Posted on: 2010/10/15 22:31
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Re: Just got my latest PROPERTY TAX BILL
Home away from home
Home away from home


The reason for the sewer increase: Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. Jersey City never expanded its sewerage treatment facilities to treat all the waste it generates. We also have combined storm water / sewer which puts a lot of stress on the system during heavy rains.

Jersey City sends a portion of its sewage across the river to a PVSC via a pipeline. They charge us up the wazoo for the privilege.


http://www.northjersey.com/news/01271 ... ries_and_vows_change.html

Governor Christie ripped into the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners on Wednesday, attacking the executive director?s salary ? $138,000 more than his own ? and promising changes in the way the agency is run.

?I think the taxpayers of New Jersey are going to be appalled to learn that somebody who runs a commission that gets its money predominantly from disadvantaged ratepayers has an executive director who?s making $313,000 a year,? the governor said during a Wednesday press conference. ?It?s completely outrageous. We will figure out a way to try to fix it.?

The PVSC, which serves 1.3 million people in a large swath of North Jersey, including the state?s three largest urban areas, last week adopted a $164 million budget. In 2008, the agency?s $46 million payroll included Executive Director Bryan Christiansen?s $290,730 salary. He is the highest-paid employee in the state?s pension system.


http://www.centralavesid.org/pdf/2010_01_Newsletter.pdf

The Jersey Journal?s interview with Becht went on to indicate
that the driving force behind the rate hike is fixed costs
including how much the MUA pays the Passaic Valley Sewerage
Commission (PVSC) to process and treat waste water.
Passaic Valley has increased its rates 66 percent since 2000
from $11.58 million to $19.17 million. That cost amounts to
44 percent of the MUA?s budget. In addition, 26 percent of the
budget goes to pay off debt, 24 percent pays to provide services
and 6 percent is administrative costs.
It should be noted that Passaic Valley rates


Quote:

chanj wrote:
Oh Yeah, I noticed the sewer increase too - a whopping $450+ on my last bill.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN JERSEY??? Why are we all ripped off like this???


Posted on: 2010/10/15 19:51
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Re: Just got my latest PROPERTY TAX BILL
Home away from home
Home away from home


Sign the recall petition. Get him out in 2011.


I also noticed the tax bill is due Nov. 1st. My rents normally don't clear until after the 10th. I won't have enough cash on hand to make the payment. I have no cash reserve left due to the tax increase and 45% sewer increase.

Quote:

JC_Man wrote:
Can't wait for 2013 - don't let us down Steve.

Healy is clueless, he has to go.

Posted on: 2010/10/15 16:27
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Re: Greenville: Metal recycler faces $188K in penalties - for workers' overexposure to lead
Home away from home
Home away from home


I have to deal with EPA lead abatement rules for home renovations. There are so many rules and regulation now that everyone basically becomes a criminal at some point. The shear number of regulations makes it very easy to violate one or another without ever intending to.

Posted on: 2010/10/15 12:20
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Re: Jersey City municipal taxes have skyrocketed over past years
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Home away from home


Quote:

JadedJC wrote:
. It also seems to me that everyone - Democrats and Republicans alike - have given up on tackling the 800-pound gorilla in the room: the bloated pension system.


That 800 lbs gorilla will be broke by 2019, with the assumption of a VERY generous 8% return on investment. Unless we get a serious economic recovery, the ROI is going to be nowhere near that. I won't be shocked if the pension system implodes by 2015.

Posted on: 2010/10/11 15:00
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Re: 84%
Home away from home
Home away from home


Quote:

hero69 wrote:

maybe the state should allow cities to have a tax surcharge on residents and workers


Newark instituted a payroll tax. The property taxes still went up. This city and state as a whole has a spending problem, not necessarily a tax problem.

Back in the 70's, the State instituted a income tax that is constitutionally mandated to offset property taxes. Have property taxes gone down? nope... Have income taxes now reached some of the highest in the country? yup....

The same thing will happen on a city level if the city starts implementing a payroll / income tax on residents and employers.

Posted on: 2010/10/11 12:21
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Re: NJ Transit commuters could get another train option
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Home away from home


[quote] spider wrote: where did you get that from? the lowest elevation is 100 ft and everything I read says it would connect to penn station which by default connects it to the subway. and you don't think there would be elevators?[/quote That tunnel would bring trains from the suburbs of North Jersey and would end in a bilevel station to be built about 180 feet below 34th Street between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/nyregion/08tunnel.html I am sure there will be elevators as well. Elevators however, cannot move large numbers of people that would pack the station.

Posted on: 2010/10/7 17:46
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Re: Christie Cancelling Trans Hudson ARC tunnel
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Home away from home


Quote:

hero69 wrote:
I wouldn't be surprised if he canceled it - he seems to be a short-term thinker.



It should be canceled. This tunnel is a massive white elephant in the making.

The tunnel will run deep to avoid existing subway lines and an aqueduct. It will terminate in NYC at a depth of about 180 ft (18 stories).

At this depth, it will not connect to either Penn Station or Grand Central. A whole new station underground will need to be built. This station WILL NOT connect to any existing subway lines. The station will be NJ transit only.

You think the Exchange Place PATH station has a long escalator? The escalators to move the people out of the station will nearly be 1/3 rd of a mile long. That means nearly a 20 minute escalator ride to get out of the station.

Posted on: 2010/10/7 16:52
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Re: Jersey City in top 10 most expensive places in the nation to run a company
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Home away from home


I would settle for a modicum of decency and common sense.


Quote:

heights wrote:

Perhaps all elected officials and inspectors should have degrees in finance so they don't upset the apple cart of economics here in jersey City.

Posted on: 2010/10/4 23:45
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Re: Jersey City in top 10 most expensive places in the nation to run a company
Home away from home
Home away from home


$40k to license a retail business? That is friggin insane!! It should be just enough to cover the paperwork or better... $0.

How much revenue has the city lost because business simply decided to go to other municipalities?

Posted on: 2010/10/4 21:09
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Re: YOUR TAXES JUST WENT UP ANOTHER 10%!!!!
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Home away from home


Not having the lien list on spreadsheet... I guesstimated the average lien is about $600. So that equals somewhere close to $5mil in unpaid bills.




Quote:

jcrecall wrote:
We did a quick AUSTRALIAN sheep count method, it was approximately 8000 properties !!!

Posted on: 2010/10/1 16:53
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Re: YOUR TAXES JUST WENT UP ANOTHER 10%!!!!
Home away from home
Home away from home


don't forget the 45% increase in sewer fees. Check out the pull out section of the JJ yesterday. There is a huge number of people with liens for unpaid water / sewer bills.

Part of the problem is Jersey City has to export (under Newark bay) a large portion of its sewerage treatment to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority. This is a corrupt organization that just fees the hell out of us. J.C. has never had a long term plan to expand its own facilities enough that we could take care of our own Sh** literally.

Posted on: 2010/10/1 9:39
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Re: Five cars floating in the lake at the bottom of Newark Ave by Samson Stone
Home away from home
Home away from home


Well.... its a lot worse this morning. I have a river flowing down my street: My corner is where three sewer lines meet as one.

The water is over top of the sewers for the past 40 minutes... which means my basement has a massive amount of water in it (pump can't pump the water out).

I'll go down later (much later) to see what is up down there. Its too early to deal with it now and I haven't even had my first cup of coffee.

Posted on: 2010/10/1 9:36
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Re: Five cars floating in the lake at the bottom of Newark Ave by Samson Stone
Home away from home
Home away from home


In all fairness, the fixes for the flooding issues would require major capital improvements (very large pumps and pipelines to Newark bay).

These areas that flood used to be water. Much of the low lying areas in the Western part of J.C. was filled in. Its not too far above sea level. Parts of 440 used to be the Morris Canal. More storm drains won't work because during times when you get a storm surge, the drain outlets in the bay are under water. You would need pumps.. large ones that can handle large volumes of water at a head pressure higher than the water trying to flow back up the drain from the bay.

Posted on: 2010/9/30 16:06
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Re: Society Hill Jersey City
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Home away from home


I did a full energy audit on a Society Hill condo last year (the owner had very high utility bills). The HVAC ducts leaked like a sieve and the walls were extremely prone to drafts. The unit tested worse than some 100+ year old homes that I have done audits on.

The problems can be addressed, but it means some major construction work to fix.

Posted on: 2010/9/29 21:10
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Re: Two schools, not supermart slated for Heights lot
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Home away from home


Quote:

MikeZ wrote:
Okay, It's two years later and this is still a big, ugly, empty concrete lot. Does anyone know what is going on with it?


The money bonded for school construction (without voter approval.. in violation of the State constitution) is basically gone.

Money spent from the bonds has to pay "prevailing wages". Prevailing wages requires a class c laborer (cleanup guy) make close to $90k a year in wages and benefits.

That cash went from the tax payer, to the unions, and back to the politicians that support the illegal bonding in the first place (via campaign contributions).


So there is no school, nor a Super Stop&Shop that was going to be built WITHOUT any tax abatements.

Posted on: 2010/9/28 17:47
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Re: Thoughts on manditory parenting classes/parent licenses
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Home away from home


Quote:

bill wrote:
I completely agree, if you need a license to drive, cpr certficiation, first aid certification, etc then there should be something to see if one is suitable to be a fit parent.



How would you enforce that? Forced adoptions, sterilizations, and abortions?

Posted on: 2010/9/26 14:33
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Re: Storm Sewer Odors
Home away from home
Home away from home


Combined Storm water and sewage. Everything runs through the same pipe. Which makes for hellish sewer backup during torrential downpour for some of us.

Posted on: 2010/9/24 13:28
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Re: Time to buy?
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Home away from home


Quote:

JC_Man wrote:
About five years ago everyone was saying buy, buy, buy and look what happened. Now everyone is saying that prices will continue down and not to buy - what does that tell you?


Keep an eye on the rental income value vs. the sale price. When I bought my first house back in 1997, property was cheap, mortgage rates were rather high (8%+), and rents were higher than today (especially after adjusting for inflation). It was a great time to buy.

We aren't there yet. Rents are stagnant or falling. There are a lot of people renting out properties where the rent income does not cover expenses, let alone capital improvements. You can go about a max 5 years with new construction before you start to have to put money back into the property. Unless there is a big uptick in the economy, we will be having a lot of people walking away from their properties.

Posted on: 2010/9/22 23:00
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Re: Time to buy?
Home away from home
Home away from home


my $0.02:

I think prices are going to drop even more. There is a tremendous volume of zombie inventory: Houses foreclosed on by mortgage company or the foreclosure put on indefinite hold.

I suspect there is a lot of hope that there will be some sort of bailout (i.e. the unspent stimulus money being spent to pay down the principal of underwater mortgages).

If the elections go well for the tea party crowd, any hope of that happening would be dashed. Then I expect a flood of foreclosures, short sales, and outright abandonments to hit the market.

Posted on: 2010/9/22 20:57
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Re: Mayor Healy says he's looking for 'best qualified' to replace disgraced councilman
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Home away from home


Healy & Co. already have a replacement picked. Any rhetoric from Healy is him just blowing smoke.

Posted on: 2010/9/22 12:26
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Re: Hudson would see rollbacks in services under Christie proposals to end sharing of taxes from UEZs
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Home away from home


The State is broke and the suburbs are also tapped out. The urban areas can no longer depend on the State to tax the suburbs and bail them out fiscally. Those days are gone. Even if you were to replace Christie with a hard core leftist.. there is simply no way to raise taxes without shrinking the tax base even more.

Its going to be the 19th to early 20th century all over again: Cities will have to pay their own bills with tax revenue generated within their own borders.

Jersey City property taxes cover LESS than 15% of the per pupil school costs. That is one heavy shoe that will be dropping in the near future. The really big cuts are going to be state aid to urban school districts.

Posted on: 2010/9/22 12:25
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