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Sutherland

Re: Brownstone facade leaks - repair and repointing

#391

Home away from home

I used Across the River (973) 841-0116 and thought they were incredible.

DO NOT USE KDK. They will do more damage than good.

Posted on: 2011/2/23 12:49

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Cable and internet options

#392

Home away from home

You can search by title on Apple TV, it's just a little obnoxious because you have to type the title in by using the apple tv remote by moving it over the letters presented on the TV screen.

However, you can also surf Netflix on your lap top, put something in your queue and it readily appears on Netflix on the tv. So there's no real advance planning involved.

Posted on: 2011/2/17 23:34

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Sutherland

Re: Cable and internet options

#393

Home away from home

I cancelled Comcast cable TV to go with Apple TV and an HD Antenna. I get all of the basic tv channels plus a few others with my HD Antenna, and Netflix through Apple TV and have the option to pay per drink for HD movies and tv programs. I sort of wish I went the Roku box route to get Hulu. But it's fine as it is.

When I called Comcast to cancel Cable TV the Comcast rep told me I should have asked for the retention group to get a better plan. But even when they reduce your plan it's only for a temporary period.

I'm glad i cut the cord and got rid of cable. I like better being able to decide what I want to watch. Of course eventually prices of Netflix or internet will increase sooner than later as more people cut the cord.

Posted on: 2011/2/17 22:33

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Sutherland

Re: Caution Dog Walkers

#394

Home away from home

From the vast majority of comments on this thread, it's readily apparent this woman and her mismanagement of her dogs is a total nuisance and walking liability. People should be reporting her to the police and animal control on a regular basis. Why isn't that happening?

Posted on: 2011/2/13 14:32

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Sutherland

Re: Renting my condo; advice needed

#395

Home away from home

I actually have a dog, I'm a landlord and I do not allow pets. It's not that I'm assuming pet owners aren't going to be responsible, I just don't want the added risk of the chance of the pet owner not being responsible. There are plenty of pet free tenants out there to make this easy. So the petless requirement is an easy thing to employ. Also, I have a multi unit building, so I don't want one tenant complaining about the noise the other tenant's pet may or may not be reasonably making.

Posted on: 2011/2/11 18:41

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Sutherland

Re: Renting my condo; advice needed

#396

Home away from home

I wasn't suggesting the OP discriminate based upon race, etc. I suggested he be "discriminating" if he sensed the potential tenant would not be hygienec, clean, problematic, not good with paying rent, shaddy etc.

Posted on: 2011/2/11 16:43

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Sutherland

Re: Renting my condo; advice needed

#397

Home away from home

You could do this yourself. I would not attempt to rent out each bedroom separately. That will be a mess for a host or reasons. You could readily find a decent tenant for a two bedroom near Grove St. Depending on the condition of the unit you could probably get about $1650 to $1850, plus utilities. The rental market in JC is heating up a bit and will continue to do so through out the spring. I use AccurateCredit for my background checks and it's been pretty easy. Your own intuition and judgment will be necessary when evaluating a tenant. I don't take smokers nor people who have pets even though I have a dog. You can be as discriminating as you want to be without being offensive. Often times tenants don't care for a place as much as an owner would and they may not be as vigilant with their pet car and habits. Take a security deposit if 1 & 1/2 month's rent and deposit it in a landlord tenant account, then tell the tenant the name of the bank the funds are in. Also in the lease incorporate a provision for late fees when they are late with the rent that states clearly the late fee then becomes rent due. Enforce the late fee provision when they are 6 days late with the rent. Do not accept any excuse for the late rent. This is now a business. If you worked with a good realtor/broker when you purchased your place you could give that person a call for some tips. They may likely be willing to help.

If you're still feeling like you would rather do this through a realtor I would call Chris Kearns over at Avanti or Warren Curtin.

Posted on: 2011/2/11 14:46

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City high school principal, others removed pending probe into alleged grade-fixing

#398

Home away from home

So unsurprisingly this thread got derailed. Which probably wouldn't happen if more people played sports while in high school. ;) Which is why it's important they never get removed from school curriculum.

Posted on: 2011/1/19 4:05

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City high school principal, others removed pending probe into alleged grade-fixing

#399

Home away from home

I played the trumpet in my public grammar school's orchestra which also in a local inner city. Also I was in school plays in high school as well as grammar school. I value these experiences immensely even though I didn't excel at any of them. But I have fond memories of classmates and meeting new people.

To offer some insights I was in grammar school from 1970 through 1978 and high school from 78 through 82. The economy was often challenging during much of those years.

Of course I was aware that some schools engaged in grade inflation and fixing to improve the profile of it's students and the school.

Any initiative to abandon these activities from the school agenda should be quelled early on.

Posted on: 2011/1/19 1:44

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City high school principal, others removed pending probe into alleged grade-fixing

#400

Home away from home

In addition to sports I think schools should also continue arts programs and any other extra curricular activities that keeps students interested in school life and furthers their learning. The more varied the offerings the more likely to keep the interest of kids. Too many people enjoy sports to put the pinch on them. Arts are similarly vital to stimulating a student's mind and thought process while holding their interest.

Posted on: 2011/1/18 23:01

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City high school principal, others removed pending probe into alleged grade-fixing

#401

Home away from home

Chester,

While we may disagree on why school athletic programs are good and I don't disagree with some of what you're saying; it doesn't seem that you're advocating for the eradication of sports from school programs.

Posted on: 2011/1/18 21:36

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City high school principal, others removed pending probe into alleged grade-fixing

#402

Home away from home

I couldn't disagree with a statement more. School sports programs are essential to the academic program. There are many student athletes who are often among the best academic performers in their class. The rigorous schedule helps these students develop a greater sense of time management and playing on a team cultivates a good sense of working well with others. I'm not saying there aren't student athletes who perform poorly academically, but they are by no means the rule.

Candidly when I hire I often give a little more consideration to people who played sports in school, especially women. Perhaps it's because I played sports in school. But I also recognize that my grades were always better during the quarters I was in a season. Of course my position about time management skills and working well in a team are convincing to me and germane to hiring decisions. There is also the inherent competitive nature of someone whose played sports in school, which is often vital to success in business.

If my tax dollars are going to support schools and education that better certainly include sports programs.

[quote]
GrovePath wrote:
We need to dump these school sports' programs at our schools -- they waste tons of money we don't have and only help a handful of kids who make these few teams.

Of course they fixed the grades for dumb dumb athletes to keep them on these teams - what a JOKE! What a waste of money!

Posted on: 2011/1/18 15:32

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Sutherland

Re: Jersey City Vet Recommendations

#403

Home away from home

Since Dr. Thorton left I have only been back to Westside Animal once for a routine check up. etc. But in your experience what has occurred to make you say the service has declined? I ask because I need to bring my dog for a visit soon and want to get correct information.

Thanks.Quote:

Zick wrote:
I'm looking for a new Vet in Jersey City. Any good recommendations?

I've been using Jersey City Animal Hospital on Westside Ave. for 3 years, but their service has dramatically declined since several vets and techs left. Too bad, they used to be great.

Thanks!

Zick

Posted on: 2011/1/11 17:21

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Sutherland

Re: Planning Board approves 790-unit 40-story building for Newport

#404

Home away from home

The planning board should make completion of the park a contingency to breaking ground for the new project.

Otherwise the park will never ever happen. This park has been slated for work for more than 5 years at this point.

The LeFraks will complete the new building and give a million excuses why the park shouldn't be developed.

Enjoy the shinny, new, pretty building folks.

Posted on: 2010/12/15 19:20

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Sutherland

Re: Planning Board approves 790-unit 40-story building for Newport

#405

Home away from home

So near to the PATH; but no word on a park or any real green space.

What a joke.

Posted on: 2010/12/15 18:53

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Planning Board approves 790-unit 40-story building for Newport

#406

Home away from home

I thought it was established only a few years ago that a portion of that space was to be dedicated for a park.

Posted on: 2010/12/15 17:48

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Sutherland

Re: JC School "Lego" Teacher Arrested for Molesting 3 Girls

#407

Home away from home

I remember reading in the news sometime around 1987/88 a woman who ran a nursery school in Belleville, NJ had been arrested on allegations of child molestation. Originally, only one student made an allegation and other students also made allegations. Eventually, the first allegation was recanted and the rest of the students followed. Apparently the charges were fabricated. I'm not suggestions a parent shouldn't be concerned when these allegations are made. But one must be mindful that these are still only charges.

Posted on: 2010/12/15 1:11

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Sutherland

Re: Governor Christie halts new train tunnel into Manhattan due to cost overun

#408

Home away from home

My prediction:

Legal fees will run at least $2,000,000 and a settlement will be reached whereunder NJ will pay $170,000,000.

Quote:

GrovePath wrote:
Gov to NY: 'Stop screwing with us'

Saturday, December 04, 2010

TRENTON - Gov. Chris Christie hopes New Jersey taxpayers won't have to repay any of the $271 million the federal government has demanded for a scrapped rail tunnel connecting the state and New York.

The governor also said yesterday that there is no way New Jersey will share the cost of replacing the Tappan Zee Bridge with New York.

Christie shot down a suggestion that the bridge be added to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as New York Gov. David Paterson recently recommended.

"I can't make this any clearer to New York than this: Stop screwing with us," Christie said at a news conference in Trenton. "You're not going to come and pick our pockets. New Jersey's not going to permit it anymore."

Christie said the Tappan Zee was intentionally out of the Port Authority's jurisdiction so New York could keep all the toll revenue rather than split it with New Jersey. Now that the bridge needs $16 billion in repairs, New York is looking across the Hudson River to New Jersey, Christie said.

"You want to keep all the money to yourself, then you pay for the repairs by yourself - unlike the George Washington Bridge, unlike the Holland and Lincoln tunnels, where we share the toll revenue and we share the cost of maintenance," the governor said.

Christie this week approved the hiring of a high-powered Washington, D.C., law firm to wage the battle on the tunnel tab. The Patton Boggs firm will argue that other states have not been forced to return money for transit projects that have been stopped, Christie said. They'll also argue that the completed work has ongoing value.

Posted on: 2010/12/7 18:13

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Sutherland

Re: Key to community garden in Hamilton Park neighborhood

#409

Home away from home

So the answer to your actual question doesn't get buried, the e-mail address is:

brunswickstreetgarden-owner@yahoogroups.com

While there may have historically been a long waiting list, it's still worth sending an e-mail to these folks. With the downturn in the economy perhaps some of the other members have moved away or a host of other factors could have caused turn over.

Posted on: 2010/11/26 22:08

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Sutherland

Re: Key to community garden in Hamilton Park neighborhood

#410

Home away from home

I Googled them and found their e-mail address on their facebook page. Here it is: brunswickstreetgarden-owner@yahoogroups.com

I understand that you have to become a member when a lot become available. But I don't really know the rules, so you should just send them a note and ask.

Posted on: 2010/11/26 2:00

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Sutherland

Re: Do we cut the public employees a break?

#411

Home away from home

Thanks for pointing out my oversight in reading the article. Still,the salary disparity between gov't workers and private sector workers doesn't seem significant enough to me to get the white flag out. Also, while NJ state government workers may make more than many other state workers you have to show me that Nj State gov't workers are earning more than their private sector counter parts.

In terms of the abuses, I commented I agreed that there were too much of that and it should be reformed retroactively somehow.

Here's my point basically. I'm not in favor of positioning these issues so broadly to get people summary believing nor subscribing to this notion that the total public employee and union structure has brought down our economy. I want to know what is the delta between the "legitimate/reasonable" and the excessive. Once we come to that metric the argument could be better made.

In the mean time my real concerns remain income disparity between the grossly over paid bankers & hedgefund pepole and the rest of us. THe reason the value of our homes in JC sky rocketed in 2004 through 2007 was because the financial services industry manufactured an economy resulting in hyper inflation property values and over all inflation.

To now harp on public employees as the root of the problem seems a bit misplaced to me.

Quote:

brewster wrote:
Quote:

Sutherland wrote:
Brewster,

Your article actually supports the position that State and Local employees earn less than private employees for similar jobs.

As far as cops earning $80k a year, do you really think a cop should NOT earn about that?

Read the whole graph, and remember that's a national avg, NJ is at the top of that range:

?State and local. State government employees had an average salary of $47,231 in 2008, about 5% less than comparable jobs in the private sector. City and county workers earned an average of $43,589, about 2% more than private workers in similar jobs. State and local workers have higher total compensation than private workers when the value of benefits is included.

Do the arithmetic, I meant $100k, and that's not counting the inevitable overtime and huge benefit package. Look at the federal benefits to see how high a proportion of salary the bennies can be. Please don't pull out the "dangerous job" chestnut, cop & fireman aren't even on the top 20.

Posted on: 2010/11/2 1:07

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Do we cut the public employees a break?

#412

Home away from home

Brewster,

Your article actually supports the position that State and Local employees earn less than private employees for similar jobs.

As far as cops earning $80k a year, do you really think a cop should NOT earn about that?

Quote:

brewster wrote:
Quote:

Sutherland wrote:
The assertion that public employees in general are making dramatically more "than the rest of us" is hard to believe and in fact absurd

The statistics don't support you. No matter whether you compare national, statewide or just JC, public employees make more than the public. A 10 year JC cop makes 2 1/2 times the $40k of the average JC resident, not including overtime and generous benefits.

The article below shows comparable 2008 federal employees making an average $67,691+$40,785 in benefits vs $60,046+$9,882 per private worker. Do you seriously think NJ pays it's employees less? Likely it's more. See the article, the table of all the professions and their relative compensations is fascinating. It totally debunks the "relative education & training" argument. If you're a cook or graphic designer, you'll make 50% more working for the government. It seems like the only federal employees not getting the best deal are those in foxholes in Afghanistan.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-04-federal-pay_N.htm

Posted on: 2010/11/1 19:35

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Do we cut the public employees a break?

#413

Home away from home

This notion that all of these public employees are pulling in six figure salaries is a bit embellished. There are plenty of poorly paid public employees who aren't earning enough to buy a home in Jersey City. Of course I'm not ignorant to many of the abuses. The assertion that public employees in general are making dramatically more "than the rest of us" is hard to believe and in fact absurd Bankers and Hedgefund people are the really over paid people creating problematic income disparity. Their grossly over paid salaries created an unsustainable and unbearable rate of inflation. In a area where the average home is about $700k, why is anyone astonished by someone with a college degree and 20 plus years or working experience earning $110 to $120k.

My mom worked for the state court system for 20 years and did not earn anywhere near $100k. She barely made $55k. Her pension now pays her approximately 40% of her average salary for her last three years on the job. Nor did she have more than 4 weeks unused vacation or sick time to be paid out. This is hardly a burden on our local economy. I'd like to know what percentage of the public employees fall in my mom's category and what percentage of highly paid folks there are. Among the highly paid folks what percentage are reasonably being paid well. I know for sure that county prosecutors and public defenders aren't "raking in the dough." Yet they have seven years of advanced education and a professional license.

Of course the abuses should be addressed. For instance public employees like some police officers who were putting in for over time while hanging out at home or sometimes even at another job. Unfortunately some of those folks have retired and their pension payout is based upon the salaries they were paid including the falsified OT. So it's probably nearly impossible to figure out how to reclaim those dollars at this point. Still if a propery audit is done uncovering enough abuse I suspect a claim may be made to support a position in an effort to reform the pension obligations to something that would alleviate the impending disaster.

Quote:

brewster wrote:
Quote:

robotjustin wrote:
STOP TELLING TEA PARTY LIES!!!!!!!!!

Sounds right on the money (so to speak) to me. We can no longer afford to have 2 parallel but unequal economies: one of high compensation, benefits and security for public employees, and another for the rest of us.

Posted on: 2010/10/31 19:38

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Governor Christie halts new train tunnel into Manhattan due to cost overun

#414

Home away from home

Because the Red states get more fed help than do the blue states. In fact Red states get more federal assistance per capita than revenue dollars they collect. Whereas, blue states, (coast states) have stronger revenue streams. Pretty ironic isn't it. Quote:

JC_Man wrote:
News reports today are quoting that 6,000 construction jobs will be created, which I would tend to believe but wonder how many no-show union jobs are included in that number, but the bigger joke is that 40,000 permanent jobs will be created as a result of the tunnel project - WHERE?

Also, none of the bleeding heart libs on this site are answering why don't the feds, Port Authority, Amtrak, NYC, NY State kick in if this is such a great project. I'm not doubting the benefits of the project, but someone has to pay for it. I could think of hundreds of projects to create jobs and improve transportation, reduce crime, etc., but it has to be paid for - how do you pay when the state is already collapsing under a mountain of debt?

Why doesn't Obama send some of that stimulus money to NJ to pay for this? After all, this is a so-called "shovel-ready" project and not all of the stimulus money has been spent yet.

Posted on: 2010/10/28 1:08

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Developer prohibits volunteers from cleaning up contested Sixth Street Embankment

#415

Home away from home

People who live in the area are concerned the developer Hyman will build a hulking structure overwhelming and over burdening the neighborhood with density. There is also a strong position that we are already dense and can use more open green space to alleviate the existing density.

My question is whether any action has been taken to rezone the area for low rise housing in the event the neighbors lose the battle to secure the property to ultimately make it a green space.

Quote:

Boiled_Mussels wrote:
I really don't get it. The guy bought the property, owns it. He can do what he wants with it. What's the issue? They are big ugly stones that are quite honestly an eye sore.

Posted on: 2010/10/26 23:57

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Developer prohibits volunteers from cleaning up contested Sixth Street Embankment

#416

Home away from home

Is there any precedent of a court ordering an owner to sell property to a local government agency based upon some public policy reason other than eminent domain cases?

Please don't misinterpret why I'm asking. But it seems like a hard battle to win here.

Separately, while the battle to acquire the Embankment site has gone on, have there been any efforts to zone the area for low rise housing? This could have encouraged the existing owner to reconsider it's position. Alternatively, if the battle to acquire the land was lost at least the folks in the area are protected from the likely possibility of excessive development.

Posted on: 2010/10/26 16:00

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Jersey City Landlords must pay to kill bedbugs -- Ordinance sponsored by Fulop passes last night

#417

Home away from home

This will also result in landlords really scrutinzing the tenants they take in to the point of suspected discrimination. I for one never take anyone that has come from a LeFrak building amongst a few other traits I decided long ago summarily suggest a tenant won't be clean or are likely to carry bedbugs with them.

Posted on: 2010/10/15 13:48

Topic | Forum

Sutherland

Re: Christie Kills Tunnel Project

#418

Home away from home

While I agree with your rationale on this, you're assuming the constituents of the red state and similar constituents analyze and scrutinize their candidates accordingly. Christie comes across as decisive and strong, appealing to the voters who like to rely on the sound bites given to them by the media without having to scratch the surface. His lack of thoughtfulness will never occur to his voters. He could easily win the red and moderate base over. Christie was in law school with me. I don't dislike him and regard him much higher than George W. Bush, McCain and Palin. Still it surprises me he got as far as he did and I would never vote for him. But people like what they see and that base may very well vote him in.

Quote:

brewster wrote:
Quote:

ianmac47 wrote:
Quote:

brewster wrote:
Quote:

Crazy_Chester wrote:
A long-overdue NJ gas tax would have helped fund this project.

Here's a fantasy: pay for the tunnel by raising the gas tax a couple of pennies AND allowing self serve gas. It would give a fig leaf to his "no new taxes" nonsense and finally break the self-serve deadlock.

We already have some of the cheapest gas in the country. http://gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx Even raising a few cents on the gas tax would keep our gas cheap without having to send several thousands of people to the unemployment office.

Yes, but raising the gas tax by itself, however sensible and justified, would violate GOP dogma of only spend, never tax. Christie thinks he has national office potential, but he's deluded of course. No one moderate enough to be elected governor of NJ would even come close to passing the litmus tests of the red state GOP true believers, never mind the Tea Baggers. The center, for the moment, belongs solely to the Dems.