Re: Parents For Excellence - Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress & Bertram Okpokwasili
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This election comes at a critical time. We can continue the progress made over the last few years or we can go back to decades of failure. The choice is really that simple.
If you have an interest in our schools, our students, our tax dollars, vote tomorrow for 2H Bertram Okpokwasili, 6H Carol Harrison-Arnold and 8H Monica Kress. The Board of Education election is on the right side of the ballot. For more information about the JCBOE election and the contrast between the candidates, please read Civic Parent's excellent overview and endorsement. This election has been won and lost by fewer than five votes in the past. Make sure to get yourself, your neighbors, your friends to the polls tomorrow. Polls are open from 6am until 8am. To find your polling location, click here. 2H Bertram Okpokwasili 6H Carol Harrison-Arnold 8H Monica Kress 2H + 6H = 8H
Posted on: 2014/11/3 23:27
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Re: 2014 Board of Ed Candidates
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by fat-ass-bike on 2014/11/1 18:03:57 A fundamental disagreement with this statement is the reason why I choose to spend time on civic activity in Jersey City. By getting personally involved in issues of municipal policy, this city is far more likely to be what I want it to be. We have issues we care about, right? In Jersey City, we have the opportunity to delve into the issues and take ownership of decisions under consideration by our local leadership at a level impossible on a national or statewide basis. Any of the people on this forum could pick up a phone or send an email to our mayor or our council representatives or school board trustees and possibly make a difference in their decision-making process. We could also choose to make a difference by spending an hour or a couple of hours or a day volunteering on behalf of candidates we believe in during an election. The Board of Education election Tuesday is a real chance to make a difference in our schools and in our city. I hope everybody takes the time to educate themselves on the candidates (even JCList can provide a good window into their merits) and takes the opportunity to volunteer on the campaign of their choice. Or at least votes. The Board of Education candidates are on the right side of the ballot in Column H. As a parent of a child in public school, I am voting for Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress, and Bertram Okpokwasili. Make your own decision and get out there Tuesday on behalf of whoever advances your interests best. VOTE!
Posted on: 2014/11/2 3:15
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Re: Parents For Excellence - Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress & Bertram Okpokwasili
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Thanks Yvonne. We won't be able to respond to every attack from your team, of course, but this is a great example of the contrast between the candidates.
The Parents For Excellence team has consistently put forth positive ideas that are bearing real results for the children of our district, as mentioned below. When your team has had the opportunity to address the district's challenges, they have chosen to focus on getting themselves on TV. Our team is actually divided on the issue. Bertram opposes videotaping. Carol is in favor. Monica is still researching the issue. The difference is, when we disagree with each other or with current Board members, we do it respectfully and productively. Because that is the way to move the district forward. Thank you for highlighting this contrast between our candidates.
Posted on: 2014/10/18 19:23
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Parents For Excellence - Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress & Bertram Okpokwasili
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As a father whose oldest son just started Kindergarten, I had all of the natural trepidations at the start of this school year: Would he like it? Would he like his teachers? Would the other kids be nice to him?
The nice thing is, for the first time in many years, I was not worried about the general direction of the Jersey City public schools. There have been massive changes in leadership at the JCBOE in the last few years: new board members, new Superintendent, new administrators. As a result of this new leadership, Jersey City schools are seeing their first measurable progress in decades. To give a few examples: Dropout rates in the last two years are half what they were in the two years prior. AP classes are being offered in every district high school for the first time ever. The brand-spanking-new STEAM Innovation High School just opened. Every child in the district is offered breakfast in the morning, ensuring no child is distracted from their lessons by a hungry belly. Student enrollment increased by 2,600 students this year. (We are the only growing urban district in the state!) I could go on and on. The point is, the only reason we are seeing this progress is because voters have gotten the message and elected BOE candidates who are truly focused on raising student achievement, properly overseeing our tax dollars, and making our district public schools the centers of each neighborhood around our city. This year the only candidates committed to continuing this positive vision for our schools are Carol Harrison-Arnold, Monica Kress, and Bertram Okpokwasili. They are running on the Parents For Excellence slate and I am glad to be supporting them. For more info on these outstanding candidates, check us out on facebook page and at our website. And no matter who you support, please vote on Election Day, November 4th!
Posted on: 2014/10/18 17:06
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Re: Jersey City teachers union seeks 19% pay hike over 3 years, sources say
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by La_Verdad on 2014/10/1 10:11:56 Yes. As part of the previous contract (and likely part of the next,) Mr. Greco is paid with tax dollars by the Jersey City Board of Education to head the union with no classroom responsibilities. The teachers are the ones getting the worst from this funny business but it affects all other stakeholders negatively, as well.
Posted on: 2014/10/1 15:58
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Re: Jersey City teachers union seeks 19% pay hike over 3 years, sources say
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It's a shame that the teachers of this city have had their contract held up by the unreasonable demands of their own leadership. With the rubber-stamp Board of the past gone, how could the JCEA leadership possibly expect the current Board to go for it?
18 months, 18 meetings and the JCEA position is 3x the state average? Start high, sure, but after a year and a half it's time to get real. The teachers should hold their leadership accountable for the mess they've made and circus they've created out of their contract negotiations.
Posted on: 2014/10/1 14:07
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Re: Dave Donnelly new job
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Anybody who has ever worked with David Donnelly can attest to his professionalism, work ethic, and positive attitude, even under difficult circumstances.
He cares deeply about this city and will likely be a huge asset to the JCRA.
Posted on: 2014/9/19 19:06
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WEDNESDAY 6/4 MAYOR FULOP TOWN HALL IN HAMILTON PARK
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Tonight, Mayor Fulop will be appearing to answer questions and feedback at the HPNA monthly meeting. Open to the public.
Details ? What: Town Hall with Mayor Steven Fulop When: TONIGHT Wednesday, June 4th at 7:30pm Where: PS37/Cordero Auditorium, 151 Erie St between 8th and 9th
Posted on: 2014/6/4 16:37
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Re: Fake Parking Tickets
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The white, plastic-y, non-rippable tickets are issued by Jersey City Parking Authority. The paper-stock tickets are issued by the JCPD.
Which was yours?
Posted on: 2014/4/7 22:40
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Re: Brooklyn Chef's Goods & Greens replaces DOCO Market in HP
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Just want to throw in that the owner is a Michelin-rated chef; the quality of prepared food jumped up several notches already.
The prices have also come down significantly. Finally, we have a small-business owner who understands what it takes to succeed in this location. Come take a look for yourselves!
Posted on: 2014/4/7 21:07
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Re: Enrollment in JC school district to rise by 25%, study finds
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by dtjcview on 2014/3/24 9:29:15 Um...this is ridiculous. 1) BOE represents all voters not just parents. 2) Students are educated by teachers. 3) Parents don't get any money from the BOE. Your anti-PreK posts are now put in proper perspective. Thank you.
Posted on: 2014/3/24 13:43
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Re: Jersey City school board, mayor at odds over boosting pre-K classrooms
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by dtjcview on 2014/3/22 1:06:12 Of the 723 students enrolled at PS37/Cordero in Hamilton Park, 314 students are eligible for free lunch which means their annual household income must be under $30,615 for a family of four. Abbott funding is not means tested. If one lives in an Abbott district, one is legally entitled to public preK. Even in an area perceived as one of Jersey City's wealthiest, the data shows precisely why we are given the Abbott designation.
Posted on: 2014/3/22 6:14
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Re: Why are almost half of Fulop's meeting hidden?
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by Br6dR on 2014/3/17 8:04:47 Hypothetically: Let's say a home or business owner is trying to get a permit for improvements to their property or business and they feel they are not getting a fair shake from the building dept. So they schedule a meeting with the mayor or their ward council representative to discuss it. They are then told that their name and meeting date/time are subject to public disclosure. They might be wary of having this meeting for fear the building dept will get wind of it and make the situation more difficult. A more critical situation would exist where a person wanted to discuss accusations of malfeasance within the police dept or prosecutor's office. To be clear, I have not had these types of concerns and I am not a conspiracy theorist so would not be compelled by public disclosure either way. But good governance requires that all citizens feel safe when communicating with their elected officials. Citizens should have this right to privacy whatever the reason. For those wishing a public audience, they may always avail themselves of our open-to-the-public, televised city council meetings. Kudos to the administration for adhering to this.
Posted on: 2014/3/17 13:41
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Re: Why are almost half of Fulop's meeting hidden?
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The Mayor is correctly following the precedent of court rulings on the state law and redacting what should be redacted. JJ is correctly reporting that fact. JCListers are attacking somebody for something. All is right with the world.
And completely agree with the fact that entering a public building does not strip people of their rights to privacy. A free flow of communication requires the right to confidentiality for a citizen wishing to speak privately with his or her elected officials.
Posted on: 2014/3/17 4:28
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Re: Jersey City school board, mayor at odds over boosting pre-K classrooms
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I think despite the media attention to this issue, there is a lot more agreement between the administration and the school board than is apparent.
This is not a zero sum game and I am fully confident they will come to an agreement which takes into full account the needs of the city, the BOE, students in all neighborhoods, and the tax-payers. It can and will be done.
Posted on: 2014/3/3 19:45
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Re: Jersey City school board, mayor at odds over boosting pre-K classrooms
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by LoKo498 on 2014/3/2 22:29:48 "Now GET OFF MY LAWN!!! I'm busy in the house, you know, with my sciences! Damn internet, messing with my night. I'll tell you...I'll really tell you..."
Posted on: 2014/3/3 4:07
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Re: Jersey City school board, mayor at odds over boosting pre-K classrooms
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dtjcview wrote: Affluent or not, parents do not want their 3yr olds (or 4yr olds or 5yr olds, etc.) to have to get on a bus to attend school in another neighborhood when there is a perfectly good school within a few blocks. That is the issue here. The above demagoguery is out of place and nonsensical.
Posted on: 2014/3/2 3:13
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Re: The JC School Board want to limit public comments
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Yvonne said: This is curious. I spoke during the public comment period at this meeting but my comments appear nowhere on this video. Frankly, I don't care whether my comments were videotaped or not. But it is the height of hypocrisy to scream and cry about transparency and the 1st Amendment, and then only include the remarks of commenters with whom you agree on your video.
Posted on: 2014/2/26 15:25
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Re: wallpaper hanger recommendation?
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Shoot an email to Taj at tajwallpapering@gmail.com.
He and his guys did an outstanding job hanging the wallpaper in our house. He also did the wallpaper for two friends in the neighborhood. All give rave reviews.
Posted on: 2014/2/24 21:55
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Re: Moving truck parked overnight?
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@CaptainOats Call the Parking Authority - 2016536969.
@tommyc_37 Use a lot. It will be cheaper than tickets and you'll avoid enmity from your neighbors.
Posted on: 2014/2/12 22:10
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Re: Jersey City Need Not Apply
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Is there any information available on JCPAC? Who runs it? What are its sources of funding? Does it have an overseeing board of trustees/directors?
The description on their Facebook is vague and the website has none of the above info.
Posted on: 2014/1/23 16:43
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Re: Jayson Berg: Ted Cruz?
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by Yvonne on 2014/1/21 19:37:05 #1 "Denial. Denial." - Thom Yorke #2 The bit about awards is a gross exaggeration. There were zero awards given out on the night quoted below, for example. With these sorts of canards, it is unlikely anybody will ever consider seriously the occasionally worthwhile comments of you and your ilk. Isn't that a shame?
Posted on: 2014/1/22 23:45
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Re: Jayson Berg: Ted Cruz?
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Yvonne: I'm just going to repost what I wrote back in October. It is indeed about 1st Amendment rights, rights of your fellow citizens on which you are trampling with your endless bloviation: Quote: Matt Schapiro wrote:
Posted on: 2014/1/21 23:47
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Re: The JC School Board want to limit public comments
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This measure discourages negative participation in favor of positive participation in the Jersey City Board of Education. "Positive participation" -- in this case -- means actions that encourage the maximum number of people to get and remain involved in the democratic processes of our school board, attend meetings, etc. "Negative participation" describes actions that discourage others from getting and remaining involved.
I'm willing to guess that anybody against this policy (a) has not attended a JCBOE meeting in the last three years, or (b) is one of the people who like to be disruptive and/or speak at every opportunity for as long as possible with no regard for whether or not their comments are pertinent to the matter at hand. The policy should be revisited by the BOE in 6 months or so to assess how it is working. If it is not working as planned, change it.
Posted on: 2014/1/16 22:20
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Re: The JC School Board want to limit public comments
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Tax-payers do not benefit from the circus/riot-like atmosphere that has been the hallmark of our BOE meetings of late.
I can personally attest to the unpleasant and inconvenient experience it is to attend a JCBOE meeting. These changes do not limit anybody's ability to speak and be heard by the board members. The current state has discouraged the participation of parents and others who have lives and schedules and are not able to spend 4-6hrs at a board meeting. Those who think 5 minutes is not enough time would likely not be satisfied with 10, 20 or 60 minutes either.
Posted on: 2014/1/16 19:25
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Re: Upscale JC spa for facial?
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PS16 and a parking lot are on Washington north of Sussex.
Posted on: 2013/12/8 2:22
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Re: Development will now be rentals, Grove Street buildings will have 99 units
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Yvonne said: There is a bit of a logic problem at work here. When a new, abated residential building goes up, this does NOT make other taxpayers' property taxes go up. Period. Full stop. "What?!" you ask, "If they are paying less than the ratable amount for their living space, I MUST be paying more for my ratable living space." But this is incorrect. It assumes that everyone in the city uses city resources equally. Or that the new residents in the new abated buildings will use city resources equally or greater than the citywide average. To use some very, very, very rough figures: City pop - 250,000 peeps Annual city budget - $500,000,000 Cost per resident per year - $2,000 Will each of these new residents living in abated buildings cost the city $2,000 or more each year? Who knows? One could safely assert that since these buildings have amenities, management, etc., the residents of these buildings might be less likely to avail themselves of the services of the city. Or one could assert the opposite with some point I'm not thinking of. Point is, there is not (as far as I know) any data confirming one or the other. Let me say that again: There is ZERO data supporting the notion that when a building is abated, it causes others' property taxes to be higher than if the abated building was never built or never abated. Everything else is just bitter speculation. This is not an endorsement of abatements, mind you. It is an indictment of the flawed logic that says abatements are making taxes higher on ratable properties. There are many arguments in favor of or against abatements which play in this discussion beyond that one -- like the school funding angle. You want your taxes to go down? Cut waste. For example, the unnecessary length of Council meetings costs the city money and makes our taxes higher. Without naming names, there are people who attend every single, Jersey City council meeting and speak whether they have something to say or not. This directly raises our taxes as it costs money to pay municipal staff for all of those extra hours they work over the year, keep the HVAC/lights on for those extra hours, etc. Eliminate that and you will have taken an honest first step toward lowering your taxes and mine. Then as a city we can take the next step and the next and eventually we will get somewhere in this discussion.
Posted on: 2013/12/7 5:21
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Re: Shaking Building
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Resident Response Center
http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/administration.aspx?id=1204 City Hall, 280 Grove Street Room 105 Jersey City, NJ 07302 Tel: (201) 547-4900/5555 Fax: (201) 547-5749
Posted on: 2013/11/22 14:19
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Re: Great episode/video of Gold Coast living
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NYDN reporter and host of Best Places to Live, Jason Sheftell, passed away in June of this year.
This video is a nice tribute to him as well as us. Thanks for posting.
Posted on: 2013/11/8 20:24
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