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Re: New York Times: Ex-Jersey City Mayor Eyes Return to City Hall
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Home away from home
 
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Quote:
Could it be "things were good, very good" under Clinton and a general economic boom coming out of a recession? Was the growth of JC simply a measure of what a hole it was in before? You're a economic conservative, how do you condone the financial shenanigans he used to pay operating budget expenses with debt?
Posted on: 2008/3/24 19:45
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Re: New York Times: Ex-Jersey City Mayor Eyes Return to City Hall
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Home away from home
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Quote:
How is the shell games he played with budgets, authorities, utility asset sales, and bonds "good government"? The train wreck he created to balance his budgets on the backs of future ones will be with us for decades. And if you think we haven't been complaining about Healy being a disaster you haven't been paying attention.
Posted on: 2008/3/24 16:09
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Re: Whole Foods in JC?
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Home away from home
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My favorite part of this discussion is how no one is saying "I don't want another giant retailer bringing traffic to my neighborhood" the way they bitched and moaned about Home Depot. That store, BTW, is a model of how to create a parking friendly large retail space in an area strapped for available land, should one of these grocers deign to deposit a store here. Given how few cars are there on my visits, perhaps it'll be available eventually.
I agree with the naysaying posters "low $ demographic" argument, based on my frustration with Costco, which refuses to put a store in Hudson County. BJ's is a crappy wannabee. The 3 Costo's in our area are all a 1/2 hr drive, similar to WF & TJ in Edgewater.
Posted on: 2008/3/22 4:02
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Re: DIDN'T MAKE CUT AT COURTHOUSE -- 3 months of confiscated weapons on display
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Depends. If it were an item legal to carry like a tweezer or pocketknife I think you should have the option to walk away with it without entry. If it is a knife of illegal length then confiscation seems appropriate, not least as a stupidity penalty for trying to walk through a metal detector carrying it. Melting them down seems stupid. do like the airlines and Ebay them in big lots or donate them to the boyscouts.
Posted on: 2008/3/21 20:16
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Re: The Cliffs - great new rental complex
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Home away from home
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I'm no cheerleader for development, and I think it would be a nasty spot to live, but judging this site by the Heights neighborhoods above is kinda ridiculous. By road it's as far from them as Downtown is from Journal Sq. What makes the nature of a neighborhood is who's hanging out or passing by. I used to drive Patterson Plank twice a day, and most of the passersby are Hoboken yuppies out for a grueling run up the hill. It's easier for the unsavory types to get to the skyrocketing Hoboken areas near the 9th St elevator than to this site. Criminals are LAZY!! Why would they want their "getaway" to be a hike up a steep hill?
Posted on: 2008/3/20 1:30
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Re: New York Times: Corzine Presses Towns to Combine Services
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Try getting that bill through a legislature packed with people placed there by the special interests and local machines. Quote:
Not a newsflash to anyone who has been in Hudson County more than a month. Power and money corrupts, whether we're talking about defense contracts for Halliburton, or a local repaving job. They're all fighting for control of where to point the firehose of public money.
Posted on: 2008/3/19 20:32
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Re: New York Times: Corzine Presses Towns to Combine Services
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Home away from home
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However right Corzine may be, there's simply no chance of getting traction for this agenda. Why? The usual answer: money. The money controlled and doled out by city councils to cronies and patrons. There's no way to get town leaders to walk away from that trough.
Because a friend was running, I paid pretty close attention to Hoboken's last council election. Hoboken has nearly as many council members as JC, with 1/6 the population. Chris Campos spent over $100k donated by non Hobokeners trying to win another council term. Why was this that important to anyone? The control of millions in contracts and zoning approvals. Don't even think about taking that away, or you'll be politically kneecapped.
Posted on: 2008/3/19 15:27
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Re: New York Times: Ex-Jersey City Mayor Eyes Return to City Hall
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Schundler rammed some awful things down JC's throat, like creating "authorities" unaccountable to citizens to handle critical things like sewers. He did this primarily to balance his current budgets by "selling" the city's assets to the authority, which issued bonds to buy them. Get it? He borrowed to balance the budget, something he wasn't legitimately able to do. from http://www.talkingpolitics.net/jc_mua.htm Quote:
If you get water in your basement from crumbling sewers, Schundler bears some of the blame. But who knows what stinkers we'll have to hold our nose and choose from come runoff time if Steve Fulop doesn't make the cut, presuming he runs. Schundler vs Healy?
Posted on: 2008/3/15 20:22
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Re: cheap theater tickets
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Home away from home
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www.tdf.org/
We see great shows for cheap. Recently saw The Farnsworth Invention with Hank Azaria, awesome. Quote: TDF membership is your ticket to the performing arts at affordable prices. Our members enjoy access to hundreds of Broadway, Off Broadway, music and dance productions each year for only $20 to $36 a ticket. We invite you to see if you qualify to join the more than 80,000 theatre lovers who get the best deals through TDF. They're not exactly serious about the qualifications, if you have any form of student ID that'll work. Probably a good photoshop job would too!
Posted on: 2008/3/15 20:06
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Re: An Open Letter to You, My PATH Nemesis
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Home away from home
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Quote:
If it makes you feel any better, just imagine what public transport in equatorial South India smells like (gag)
Posted on: 2008/3/15 16:33
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Re: New York Times: Ex-Jersey City Mayor Eyes Return to City Hall
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Home away from home
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Every JC mayor in recent memory has sold out the future to pay for the present's bloated budget.
As a recent arrival, I voted for Schundler's 2nd term, I don't think I would do so again. But given our nonpartisan system of unlimited candidates and some of the of the possible horrific candidates that the fates might send up in runoff against Schundler, I can't rule out a vote for him. He may be a sacrosanct, self serving, blowhard, but at least he's not a drunken idiot.
Posted on: 2008/3/15 5:49
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Anyone know a skilled peach tree pruner?
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Home away from home
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I"m crazy busy and strained my back, and pruning time is near for my 3 peach trees. I'd like to find someone to do it for me, but my experience with the local "landscaper" type guys under trees in the book is not inspiring, you have to know what you're doing or there won't be any fruit this year. Pruning a fruit tree isn't the same as an oak or maple. It took 3 years for them to recover from the last time I paid someone to prune them.
Anyone got ideas?
Posted on: 2008/3/14 6:04
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Re: The Hill fights to become it's own municipality
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Home away from home
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While secession is clearly a joke, the main good news here is a neighborhood speaking up and giving a damn. If every area of the city had groups like Hilltop, HPNA, VVPA , Riverview assoc, etc, there would be less Councilmen servicing donors and developers and more responsiveness to the citizens.
When do you suppose was the last time their councilman attended one of their meetings to hear their gripes, the way Mr Fulop attends the downtown ones? Shadrack, your point about residency for cops is a perennial unwinnable battle with the Police Union. That's how we get cops telling crime victims they shouldn't have moved to JC, because they just come here for the paycheck, carrying guns. Why should they care if it's actually safe for our families? Commuter cops are like crack for cities, a bad addiction they can't shake.
Posted on: 2008/3/12 20:29
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Re: Driveway line laws?
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Home away from home
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Lots of these lines are DIY by the owner. I'd be interested in the statute also.
Posted on: 2008/3/7 19:02
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Re: How will New Conforming Loan Limits affect JC real estate market?
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Big gamble on a "probably".
Posted on: 2008/3/7 18:59
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Re: How will New Conforming Loan Limits affect JC real estate market?
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Home away from home
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It wasn't in your linked article, but I recall the plan has a 3 or 4 year sunset provision in it, so the limit will drop back down, possibly leaving people upside down on their properties if new buyers can't buy at such advantageous rates.
Posted on: 2008/3/7 17:02
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Re: Hamilton Park Pizza....where's they go?
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Quote:
Hmmm, how about scrambled eggs, and breakfast sausage pizza, with salsa replacing the standard tomato sauce. That could be awesome. I'll try it our next homemade pizza night.
Posted on: 2008/3/5 20:14
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Re: Hamilton Park Pizza....where's they go?
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Home away from home
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Maybe it's being turned into a condo like the bar across the street. I wrote that place off after they gave me a minuscule slice, and attitude when I complained. Looks like I wasn't alone.
Posted on: 2008/3/5 1:08
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Re: RAIN, SEWERS FLOOD HUDSON COUNTY - Accidents, raw seweage on roadways
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Then join JCSOS (save our sewers), http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JCSOS/, a group formed last year to confront the MUA and draw attention to the inadequacy and decrepit state of JC's sewer system. We have recently formed our executive committee and will soon have a website up. This is a long term fight against entrenched government indifference. One of the goals of JCSOS is to unite all the neighborhoods of JC that have flooding, not just downtown. If anyone reading this has flooding their non-downtown neighborhood, please join JCSOS and let us know where you are. Lets flip their "divide and conquer" on it's head and "unite and get it fixed".
Posted on: 2008/3/4 0:08
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Re: Music Box 7th and Monmouth
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Go to the Corkscrew thread to see how that ultimately works WITH some cooperation of the management. That weekend out of town crowd would be hard to dislodge. I would love if it was a civilized place to have a drink and knock some balls around, but it's not and I won't give them a dime of my money.
Posted on: 2008/3/3 15:58
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Re: Music Box 7th and Monmouth
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Actually, its a lot better than it was a few years ago. The loud last call mayhem consistently lasted an hour or more, and our planters sprouted numerous Corona and Heineken bottles overnight like mushrooms. They have always been a poor neighbor, except for when we moved in, the place had burned and we had no idea what we were in for when it reopened. It may have changed hands, but it's owner was a corrections officer who was chummy with the cops and never got hassled by them no matter what happened. While I think a good local pub, especially with a pool table, is an asset to a neighborhood, this bar is the poster child of why people don't want liquor licenses issued in their neighborhood. It seems that no amount of disturbance and mischief by it's mostly nonlocal clientele is enough for a license to not be renewed.
Posted on: 2008/3/2 16:47
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Re: Cell phone law taking effect for NJ drivers
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Home away from home
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While I think this law is appropriate, since it protects others as well as the driver, my mind is sometimes blown by what our lawmakers think. I recently got a seatbelt ticket in NYC, not as part of another infraction, just pulled over for not being buckled. Yet all over this country the majority of states have no adult motorcycle helmet laws. Admittedly NY has helmet laws, but the variation seems wild.
FWIW, I don't use a hands free in the car, but then I rarely use the phone in the car. Some people seem to be on the phone more than not, whether in the car or elsewhere. My wife and I use our cells like we are in a payphone, get or give info, and get off.
Posted on: 2008/2/28 18:48
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Re: Unable to find anything in Greenwich Village, Saint Vincent’s Leases 64 Luxury units at Grove Po
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Agreed. So why are we still giving abatements downtown?
Posted on: 2008/2/27 23:57
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Re: Taxes
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Agreed. I had a CPA who competently got me out of a sticky situation with the IRS, but when it came to returns I was paying big bucks for data entry by his clerks. I got minimal oversight, feedback or guidance. Some basic mistakes were made. I've been using Turbotax for almost a decade. It can do complex things like what portions of your owner occupied multifamily building's expenses are deductable, and calculates depreciations.
Posted on: 2008/2/20 20:54
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Re: Cop hit by car, flips over hood -- directing traffic around flooding
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Thanks for the update! So it was even worse than I thought, the turn was illegal to begin with. I haven't tried to do that turn for a very long time, I'm always heading for the tnpk. from Columbus anyway.
Posted on: 2008/2/16 4:17
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Re: Cop hit by car, flips over hood -- directing traffic around flooding
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Home away from home
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From the report the driver thought he was cleverly going around the slow turning traffic in the left lane by turning left from the right lane. The only thing shocking is the cop being hit and the driver presumably being charged.
Posted on: 2008/2/15 17:29
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Re: Tickets Issued for putting garbage out before 7pm
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Home away from home
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Quote:
My point was that if your winning meant they had to interpret the law in a way that made them look ridiculous, I doubt they'd do it, they'd find a way to make you lose, because that's easier than changing a law that makes no sense. We've got shedloads of laws that make no sense, it seems popular, and allows authorities to act seemingly arbitrarily and still be within the law.
Posted on: 2008/2/15 4:02
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Re: Dealing with the Office of Construction Code Official...anyone have insight?
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Home away from home
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I'd like to make some general comments about the permit laws. The way they are now is a formula to make almost all residents who can hold a screwdriver a scofflaw. I'm told that anytime the "seal" to the drain line is broken, a permit is required. this includes changing a sink or a toilet. Changing a light fixture also requires permit, as does hanging a cabinet on a wall or building any kind of stud and drywall structure like a closet. I believe only a licensed electrician is allowed to change a wall receptacle, I'm not sure if it requires a permit but wouldn't be surprised.
Not only does this make minor work ridiculously expensive, but the contractors often won't return call for major work, never mind stupid little jobs. The ones that do show up will inevitably ask if you want to get a permit, like it was optional for major work. Clearly they are unafraid of getting caught doing unpermited work, so I must assume the system penalizes the homeowner more than the contractor. Even if there were enough plumbers and electricians for every minor job, in this city of 240K people, there aren't enough inspectors to oversee that volume of work. It's a code that is set up to fail, and rather than figure out a way to make it workable for homeowners, it's purpose seems to be to raise funds and taxes through major permits, and let the city off the hook when a "scofflaw" piece of work fails, though a majority of all work fall into that category. Basically these laws get enforced only when either Buildings or your neighbor has a grudge against you. That's ridiculous.
Posted on: 2008/2/14 21:51
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Re: Tickets Issued for putting garbage out before 7pm
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Ansky, you must be quite charming if you can get someone to consistently take out your garbage twice a week forever. Most people like my 20something renters are lucky if they know their neighbors names. Hurtle's 27 hour window sounds great, but I'd like to see someone win that one in court! "Mr. Hurtle, we define day as midnight to midnight rather than your quaint dawn to dusk definition, therefore if your garbage might possibly be picked up before midnight the earliest it may be put out is 7 that evening. Case closed, pay the bailiff".
Posted on: 2008/2/14 18:39
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Re: Tickets Issued for putting garbage out before 7pm
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Home away from home
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How about returning to the actual topic.
The change of pickup time actually creates hardship for some people. The law should be that placing garbage out be "no more than X hours before pickup time", X being a reasonable period. The change in pickup times here changed X from ~10 hrs to 3 hrs. I have tenants with evening restaurant shifts who simply can't hit that 3 hr window to put out their garbage since they work a 4-12 pm shift. This doesn't seem fair or rational to me.
Posted on: 2008/2/12 16:30
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