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Re: New Jersey to require schools to teach LGBT history
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If you are right, that is a perfectly fine thing and perhaps this whole headline is just a grab for points with the base. Perfectly reasonable people would (or, should) be OK with what you expect. I think some people's reactions are based on the lack of information as to what all of this means, or what to expect. With some, like the Yvonnes of the world, there is nothing that would be acceptable to them.
Posted on: 2019/6/10 19:44
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Re: New Jersey to require schools to teach LGBT history
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Personally, I am against the idea of forcing all public schools to teach "LGBT history" (how would it work? Part of the basic curriculum, alongside math, science, and literature? an elective?) just as I am against forcing schools to teach "creationism" as established fact (or, alternative explanation) along evolution. But, I 100% support the sentiment that there is no such a thing as a "gay agenda" or that this is all some sort of nefarious plan put in motion by some centralized committee trying to influence the masses. I just think that Murphy is a fool pandering to his leftist base. I really wish we could keep politics out of public education, but that is the battlefield where the culture wars are now waged (and, has been for 20+ years) so I know I am also being naive to even hope for that.
Posted on: 2019/6/10 18:33
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Re: End of AirBnB in Jersey City?
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The 5-unit limit to which hero69 alluded is about the provision that no one in a building with 5 units or more would be allowed to list their unit on AirBnb. I think that is an arbitrary, BS provision. Why should the local government get to tell me (or, anyone for that matter) what I (or, they) can do with a unit as long as other laws are not being broken? As you yourself mentioned, if I want to go on an extended vacation and rent out my place to recoup some of my costs, why should I not be allowed to do so? Personally, I am not sure I would ever open my place to complete strangers, but I have used AirBnb in many places around the world, and the experiences have been great: I often get to meet people (the hosts) that offer great ideas and suggestions, and have even made some good acquaintances in the process. It also allows for a more immersive experience when traveling. And, yes, I have also saved some money in the process. This entire thing reeks of BS: the city "tabled" the previous motion, but they are now trotting out a clone of the original proposal, and a secondary one with more or less the same restrictions with the added "upside" of grandfathering previous AirBnb hosts in buildings with 5 or more units. Either way, I think this is a gross overreach by the local government. If the proposal is adopted, I hope they are taken to court and forced to roll back the law. Given the recent track record of JC in state courts, I would say the odds of losing are pretty good.
Posted on: 2019/6/10 18:23
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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My reaction was the same: to bemoan subsidies for EVs while the oil industry continues to enjoy unfettered support and subsidies from the government (both directly, and indirectly) seems a bit myopic, or downright disingenuous. Hybrids no longer enjoy any sort of tax incentive (at least at the federal government) and the tax credit for EVs is quite limited (available to the first 200K deliveries for a BRAND/MAKER) so the overall cost to the federal government is much smaller than the cost of support and subsidies provided to the oil industry. Anyone that doubts that EVs will someday overtake regular ICE vehicles is simply in denial. That person would have likely also thought that cars in general were a fad and horse-drawn carriages would prevail. Advances in technology have made EVs more affordable and more suitable for everyday use for the average person. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, the only challenge to EV ownership for the vast majority people would be long road trips, and that's an issue that goes away for certain brands, such as Tesla and Porsche very soon. As other manufacturers adopt more advanced charging technologies, this will soon cease to be a concern. But, for the rest of population that seldom travels more than 100+ miles in a day, this is a non issue.
Posted on: 2019/6/7 22:42
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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I did mention that stretch of charging stations in one of previous replies. But, it should be pointed out that there are two sections to the street charging units. The easternmost section (directly in front of The ArtHouse JC) are zoned for EXCLUSIVE use by EVs, and the municipal code stipulates that the cars must be plugged in and charging. There is a huge caveat, though: the charging stations are from the ChargePoint network, but only 2 of them are available to the general public. The others are actually "restricted use" and you must have a further membership with Greenspot in order to use them. The western section (the one in front of The Oakman) are actually NOT EV exclusive, so they are usually taken by regular vehicles. Of those stations, I think most (or, all?) are fully available to any ChargePoint customer. The rates being levied by ChargePoint at those stations are REALLY high. In any case, whether 10 or 15 stations are available, this is very limited, and not entirely practical, unless you happen to live close by. There are 20 Tesla chargers at the Newport Mall parking lot, along with a few stations from other networks, and those see a lot of use. The city has not made a conscious effort to support an EV charging infrastructure, and so that makes the adoption of EVs locally more challenging than it needs to be. As for the other concerns mentioned by the other poster, the matter of range anxiety is very overblown (most people only commute short distances and seldom require roundtrips longer than 100 miles) and newer standards and technologies allow some EVs to charge at very high rates, and battery capacity continues to improve. The only time an EV becomes impractical for the average person is when attempting a long road trip, as charging times make it entirely impractical, unless you are driving a Tesla, which are able to go longer, and charge in a fraction of the time.
Posted on: 2019/6/6 14:45
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Re: Spotlight On: Affordable housing
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The Silicon Valley thing is truly a mess: in between NIMBY types opposing more housing construction, existing overly restrictive zoning laws, and the booming dot-com / tech industries, the situation there will not improve anytime soon, if ever. Housing starts are not even half what they need per year, making it near impossible to ever recover. Sadly, the parallels with JC are many. It is no coincidence (nor at all surprising) that even previously shunned or ignored areas are seeing a huge influx of newcomers. Greenville will soon be no different than BeLa, as more yuppies come to JC but are unable to afford the DTJC rents. Many buildings in DTJC (mine included) now command 3.2K / month for a 1bd/1ba, and vacancies only last a short time before getting snapped up.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 17:19
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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Perhaps. But, a couple of problems: people continue to flaunt that type of signage (never have I lived or visited anywhere where STOP signs are treated as entirely optional) and enforcement is abysmal. Additionally, while drivers around here are overly entitled and downright dangerous, the pedestrians are not any better: lots of people jump off the curb from in between parked cars without seeming regard for their own person. And, add to that the many asswipes that ride on sidewalks and come out flying at intersections, and you have a recipe for chaos, which is exactly what happens. I have had a TON of people come off sidewalks on bikes at high speed and as a driver you are not expecting (or, looking for) cyclists to appear in a crosswalk as you are approaching or about to cross.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 17:14
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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Yet more reason to encourage adoption of EVs by the general population. NYC has adopted well defined plans to try and get a large percentage of cars on the road to be electric (desired goal is at least 20%, iirc) and while it may seem lofty, over in Norway they have achieved even greater numbers. In fact, during the past quarter (or, year?) the majority of new car registrations were for EVs. With the right policies in place, an entire country is being transformed in a few years. There is no reason why we couldn't accomplish the same. There are some very real and valid benefits to increased adoption of EVs, chief among them an improvement in general air quality. Currently, NYC has one of the highest pediatric asthma incidence in the nation, which has spurred the city into adoption stringent idling laws, and to push for EV adoption. If we are serious about becoming the best mid-sized city in the US, we should be studying what other cities are doing and perhaps emulate some of their policies.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 14:16
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Re: Spotlight On: Affordable housing
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Be that as it may, additional residents means additional revenue. Those people that will cost the city $170 million in a bond, will be contributing tax revenue for years to come, and if we can get the city to be more judicious about their spending, there is no reason why things should not work out in the end. In the end, it seems to me like you would like JC to remain "as is" without any additional growth or changes. It is an unrealistic goal/desire: not only are people wanting to come here, but the idea that you can stifle growth and change is simply unrealistic and the logical conclusion of a city that doesn't grow or welcome newcomers is that it will eventually die off, as the existing people die or leave. In fact, since you like anecdotes so much, here is a personal one from my recent trips all over Europe visiting small towns and villages: all over Spain, Portugal, and Italy, entire towns and villages are becoming essentially ghost towns as younger people flock to the large cities (Lisboa and Porto in Portugal, Paris, Bordeaux and Lyon in France, and Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga in Spain) and leave behind their hometowns. These smaller towns that have failed to attract business and people are literally dying off, as older people remain and then die, and empty storefronts abound. It is a stark sight to roll into a small town that is almost deserted and devoid of life. I wouldn't want that fate for Jersey City, and there is no reason for that to be the case. In fact, I would argue it is better to attract MORE residents than businesses, as residents would have an emotional and physical bond to the city, instead of the daytime employees that come here, clog our streets, speed like crazy, and generally have no vested interest in our communities.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 14:10
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Re: Spotlight On: Affordable housing
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As usual, you find yourself out of your depth, but that doesnt stop you from spewing an uninformed opinion. You are conflating subsidized housing with the concept of "affordable housing". Affordable housing is about ensuring that there is enough supply to meet demand, so that prices are not driven up exuberantly because of competition for what little is available. Affordable housing is about ensuring that a majority middle class is able to afford to live locally, and the working class is able to reside in relative proximity to where they work. So, instead of having $5,000 rents for a 2+ bedroom apartment, you end up with something lower. If instead of 1,000 units for 2,000 people you had 2,000 units for 2,000 people, competition is lowered and prices would not skyrocket. Encouraging the city to loosen zoning rules and limitations, along with approving development that helps alleviate the situation, is the smart thing to do: it is not subsidized, and it would allow us slow down the frenetic rent increases of recent times.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 1:42
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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The "city owned" charging stations I have used in other places (Rochester, NY and Nashville, TN) are both accessible to the public during non business hours, and free to use (the city covers the cost) and if you try to leave a car parked at city hall, or at a fire station, it would just be towed. Seems easy enough to enforce, given that these are city lots where someone is bound to notice a non-city vehicle taking up a spot, especially if said car is a regular ICE vehicle that is not plugged in. As for enforcement of non-city owned chargers (say, in public areas, like the stations along 1st St) the city has been spotty on enforcement: some days they come around and ticket vehicles that are parked on those spots without plugging in, and other days they ignore those vehicles. It doesn't help that half of the stations are "optional" EV parking (ie, not exclusive for the use of EV) and the Parking Authority PEOs dont seem able to keep things straight. So, yes, agreed that enforcement could/should be better in public areas, but the enforcement of charging stations in city owned facilites and lots should be a cinch.
Posted on: 2019/6/5 0:07
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Re: Spotlight On: Affordable housing
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Bravo. A perfect illustration of why we have an affordability crisis. Not all that different than the situation in San Francisco, where zoning laws have prevented much needed large scale construction. The height restrictions encased in zoning laws have prevented much needed development. Jersey City will continue to get more exponentially expensive as more people flock here, and as more businesses open up or relocate here, while we continue to limit new construction. Even the much touted 34,000 units approved for construction will not satisfy current population growth trends. Current estimates are that JC has grown almost 10% since 2010. At this rate, we will need another 30,000 units by 2030 and those may not even be enough. It is way overdue that the city and its council take up the current zoning laws and make the necessary changes to enable JC to accommodate its projected growth.
Posted on: 2019/6/4 21:35
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Re: New Electric Garbage Trucks...
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Left unmentioned: will the charging stations that will be accessible to the public be free? Most small to midsized cities around the country have moved to provide subsidize charging stations that provide free charging to the public during non-business hours. This is a great way to encourage adoption of EVs by the general public. Right now, the largest obstacle to EV ownership in JC, or any other urban city, is a lack of convenient charging solutions. Cities that deploy charging stations in government buildings and parking lots help address that problem by making them available for general use after hours, and most of them do so free of charge. It would be nice to see the same here.
Posted on: 2019/6/4 19:22
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Re: Excavation Begins For 25 Columbus Drive In Jersey City
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At this point, new construction in DTJC is not even the biggest issue/concern: as more and more construction is slated to happen in the JSQ area, the PATH trains will arrive in Grove St already super crowded. A few years ago, getting on at Grove was fairly easy but the people at Newport would have to scramble to try and get on. Now, trains arriving at Grove are often fairly crowded. As all those new buildings in JSQ fill up, I imagine that the situation at Grove will be no different than Newport today. I know people that ride up to JSQ and then remain in the train before it turns around to head back towards 33rd. It is about the only way you are sure to get a seat, or be able to board a particular train car, during the morning rush. It adds ~15 minutes to your commute but, if you have the time, it can make for a much better commute.
Posted on: 2019/6/3 14:23
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Re: Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Permitting Operation of Low Speed E-Bikes and Motorized Scooters
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I wish JCPD would step up enforcement of this. Too many grown up hipsters riding their bikes on the sidewalks. If you are too afraid to ride on the road, where you belong, then go ride in the park. Riding on sidewalks is incredibly rude and dangerous to you AND drivers. If you are driving a car you are not looking for, or expecting, a cyclist to come out flying through a pedestrian intersection crosswalk. I have seen a lot of close calls because of this.
Posted on: 2019/5/19 12:26
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Re: Timestamp of messages all wrong
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I thought this was obvious. And, yes, +5, except that we are in Daylight Savings Time, so that becomes 4. Not sure why the webmaster can't / won't apply the necessary fix to display the correct time, as it should be a simple software setting.
Posted on: 2019/5/8 13:28
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Re: Anyone planning to appeal 2018 property tax increases?
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This is the topic that keeps on giving. There seems to be a second wave of indignant DTJC residents trying to organize a class action lawsuit. It just goes to show that some people STILL don't get it, and refuse to listen. The most common argument is that there should be a phase in period, but they can't seem to grasp that for that to happen, those entitled to a decrease would have to keep overpaying to make up the shortfall during a phase in period.
Posted on: 2019/5/7 21:32
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Re: Selling a 1 bedroom - AS IS - in Journal Square
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Based on the description from the OP, the title of the videos, and what can be seen from the bedroom window in one of the videos, the address is 165 Vroom St (Van Reypen Arms) on the corner or Van Reypen and Vroom.
Posted on: 2019/5/7 15:30
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Re: Post Office Blues....
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In all honesty, save yourself the aggravation and head on over. Parking is usually easy to find (the low time meters help) and they are actually quite helpful in that location if you go in person.
Posted on: 2019/5/2 17:16
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Re: Post Office Blues....
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Ha ha ha! I have given up in trying to reach ANYONE via the main post office's telephone. I usually just walk over, or drive. The most recent screw up was comical: they refused to deliver an Amazon package because they decided it was too heavy. No note, no follow up with the sender (Amazon) and no way to get anyone to give an explanation. I had to solve the mystery on my own by showing up and inquiring about a package that stuck "in transit" for close to a week and they located it in the back area and told me it was never delivered because it weighed almost 50 pounds. The JC postal operation is downright the worst I have ever dealt with in any city or region I have lived.
Posted on: 2019/5/2 14:15
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Re: STARBUCKS ON GROVE
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The outsized sense of entitlement of the OP is breathtaking. I am not sure what it is that people are expecting but Starbucks is, at the end of the day, a business. First they were pressured into making bathrooms free to use by any and all, and then they were chastised for asking people to purchase something if they are going to sit and occupy space all day. Honestly, I think they have been VERY accommodating (weak?) by giving into all these demands. In NYC, some locations have removed the electrical outlets to prevent people from squatting all day.
Yes, a coffee shop is at its best when it is welcoming to patronize, and acts as a social hub, but some people truly abuse the largesse of some of these companies.
Posted on: 2019/5/2 13:06
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. The city (and, BOE) have decided to undertax JC citizens, and then turn around and claim poverty. We have one of the lowest tax rates in the State. The state average tax rate is 50% higher than ours. Perhaps we wouldn't be so desperate if there was an honest attempt to fund OUR local schools. But, as with everything in life, why make the hard choices when someone is willing to bail us out? The truth is that the local BOE never felt the need to be fiscally judicious, because someone else was covering the bills, so they failed to levy the proper taxes, and after years of graft, corruption, fiscal mismanagement, and out of control spending, the chickens have come home to roost. It is chutzpah, plain and simple, for the BOE to claim poverty now. No different than the joke about the guy who kills his parents but then pleads for leniency at sentencing by exclaiming "take pity on me, I am an orphan." This mess is of their own doing.
Posted on: 2019/5/2 0:03
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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"... It would lead to further overcrowding of our classrooms, which are already crowded because of underfunding over years."
Talk about chutzpah: the state covers almost 80% of our local BOE budget and yet its president claims the state is underfunding it.
Posted on: 2019/5/1 17:45
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Re: Standing room crowd in Jersey City; No new fossil fuel plants; More electric vehicles
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Maybe Jersey City could follow the lead of other cities that actually promote the adoption of EVs by subsidizing charging stations. All over the US, small and mid-sized cities are deploying charging stations that are free to use.
These policies encourage people to adopt EVs, which in turn leads to less air congestion and pollution, which improves the health of kids and cuts down on things like soot and the emission of greenhouse gases. It is no coincidence that pediatric asthma rates are so high in NYC and the region.
Posted on: 2019/5/1 13:10
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Re: Error message when doing a search...
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THIS. You will 100% get better results by using Google and limiting your search results by using the "site:jclist.com" modifier in your search query.
Posted on: 2019/4/29 22:06
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Re: Murphy pulls Mississippi flag from LSP
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Among my fellow real Puerto Ricans, we just call her pendeja.
Posted on: 2019/4/29 22:05
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Re: Commuter gondola plan gets off ground....
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This is a common concern, and a valid one. But, newer gondola systems can withstand really high sustained winds. It wouldn't be at all out of the ordinary for such a system to be rated to be able to hand 45+ MPH winds. The biggest issue, as with any other potential solution, is getting the right of way (and, right of air) lined up for such a system. Where do you place towers? Would an existing building be willing to partner with the system to have platforms located there, making it easier for actual rollout? Can you get past (or, survive) the inevitable legal challenges? What's clear is that something needs to be done: we can't really run more PATH trains (a few more per hour in the morning will not fix the issues of the expected growth) and longer trains would require huge work at some stations, making unpleasant/unworkable. New tunnels could take YEARS and budgets that are not realistic given fiscal situation in NY and NJ. A pedestrian bridge will never happen. A gondola is truly much more achievable in the short term. Or, outsource the tunnel boring to someone like the Boring company and let them get it done in a fraction of the time that the local unions would allow. Just think of the Second Avenue "subway" which is two miles long, with service spanning just over a mile, and took almost 10 YEARS to get three measly stations opened up over ~25 blocks. A trans-Hudson tunnel would take just as long if you do it the traditional way, allowing for local unions and corrupt processes.
Posted on: 2019/4/23 17:48
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Re: Commuter gondola plan gets off ground....
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I don't know. I used to be pretty dismissive of the gondola idea until I did more research into it. The new, more modern gondola solutions are incredibly efficient at moving large amounts of people, and there would be the additional revenue source of tourists that will undoubtedly take it during the day to get that killer view of the Hudson from above. In terms of money and cost per passenger, it could be feasible. Several other cities and countries have invested in these new gondola solutions with much success.
Posted on: 2019/4/23 16:50
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Re: Parking ticket worth fighting?
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This. Also, despite what Robin suggested, fighting tickets here is nothing like in NYC. My experience in JC is that the wrong statute being quoted will not compel the judge to dismiss the ticket. I have had tickets in JC dismissed after showing photo proof that a PEO had done something incorrectly (ie, failed to notice my permit) but it is 100% on you to prove an infraction didn?t take place, and it has to be solid proof. I once tried (and, failed) to have a ticket dismissed in which (I felt) the ticket itself had all the necessary facts to have it declared invalid and dismissed: I was dinged for a 2-hour zone violation, but the ticket was issued about 1:40 after the PEO had first observed the vehicle. If you ever get a parking zone violation ticket, you would know that the ticket includes both the time it was first observed and the time of ticket issuance. I went to court to fight the penalty and the judge didn?t care that the ticket clearly showed that two hours had not elapsed. His reply to me was ?well, do you have proof that you did move the car and that it did not in fact stay past the two hour limit?? I was flabbergasted. I had indeed moved the car and gone back home for the day, but how do you prove that you were home? I got stuck paying the ticket AND the court costs.
Posted on: 2019/4/17 6:47
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Re: A Hudson lesson in the science of potholes: You can’t blame the snow this winter
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Instead of wasting 500K in a piss poor effort that leaves streets with a bunch of patches that get ripped year after the year, the city would be better served with a comprehensive repaving plan that actually rips out existing roads and paves them over smoothly. The current "solution is anything but... the city just re-did 1st Street and it looks as bad as before they came, and the result is just AWFUL: the surface is just a mess of bumps.
Posted on: 2019/4/15 19:16
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