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Re: Jersey City Councilperson Reports Rent-Control Crisis Downtown
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Home away from home
 
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I'm glad the councilman brought this up. Hardly anyone knows that we even have a rent control ordinance. By all means we can discuss whether we should have one or whether it would accomplish its goals IF it was enforced. But compared to NYC, where rent control is a widely discussed issue and both the public and real estate professionals are aware of it, Jersey City has not done a good job making people aware of their rights and obligations.
Posted on: 5/6 15:50
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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Home away from home
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The "labor" i.e. the teachers are the main benefit the students get from schools.
Posted on: 5/2 21:18
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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Home away from home
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Quote:
The board is not "controlled" by the teachers. Although the union endorsed candidates have won in recent elections after years of "Parents for Progress" candidates, they exercise their independent judgment. Significantly more so than the board members who repeatedly failed to address issues and instead muttered "I support Dr. Lyles" as a mantra. Last year the board closed a $71 million shortfall. This year the board has negotiated a contract which has no raises in the first year and contains significant concessions on matters such as extra work. It is a more responsible agreement than those that were negotiated under Dr. Lyles. The board is ahead of the Star-Ledger editors on health care costs. The Star-Ledger suggests merging the state school employees health care fund with the state employees health care fund. Jersey City, however, is not in the state school employees health care fund. They exited last year, to the great consternation of the union, and have saved millions of dollars. The district squandered its reserve fund with Lyles at the helm, without oversight. It was not "union controlled" board members that allowed this to happen.
Posted on: 5/2 13:57
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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Home away from home
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It seems that you're quibble is that you never liked the Abbott decision and the obligations that the State had under it.
In terms of the lifting of the cap, that is all well and good now but it doesn't change the fact that the district's contribution was hamstrung until now. So to blame the city for the district's inability to raise the cap in the past makes no sense.
Posted on: 5/1 23:52
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Re: Possible relief on the way?
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Home away from home
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Based on prior constitutional mandates and court decisions, the BOE is correct.
And it was state law that a) imposed a property tax cap and b) required all PILOT payments to be made to municipalities. So don't blame the district for underfunding.
Posted on: 5/1 19:19
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Re: Reports of Menendez, Fulop friendship hugely untrue
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Home away from home
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"My anonymous sources are more reliable than your anonymous sources."
I suspect Menendez is not going to spend his time trying to make Fulop miserable, but wouldn't mind giving him a push over the edge if he can help a challenger in a race.
Posted on: 4/29 20:41
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Re: End of AirBnB in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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I'd want to know what the effect of the 2016 ordinance was before saying this is or is not beneficial. How many listings are by people who live in the apartment and just rent out a room, and how many are units used as hotels? And of the listings, how many exceed the 28 day limit in the ordinance and by how much?
Posted on: 4/25 0:59
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Re: Cherry Picked is now Jane's Ice Cream
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Home away from home
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When I walked by the Cherry Pick signage was still there. They just had another sign in the window advertising the brand (Jane's) that they sell.
Posted on: 4/24 14:51
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Re: Cherry Picked is now Jane's Ice Cream
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Home away from home
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Jane's Ice Cream is based up in Kingston, NY, and they were the supplier for Cherry Picked all along, so I suspect there is little or no change.
Posted on: 4/15 15:14
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Re: Fulop wants to charge NY’ers their own congestation pricing
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Home away from home
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I think the suggestion was a bit tongue in cheek but it's still not well thought out. We want reverse commuters. If they take the PATH they help fund the operation while filling capacity on the reverse commute. The car traffic is not as desirable but on balance we gain by having more people working and shopping in Jersey than we lose with automobile traffic (again on reverse peak).
NYC can implement congestion pricing because of the....congestion. Jersey City has a bottleneck at the tunnels during rush hour, and that affects downtown traffic, but we are not so packed and do not have so much demand to use our roads that we can implement congestion pricing. Improved public transportation in NYC benefits us here. I know that for my purposes, off peak travel and weekend travel is often a real pain due to the deferred maintenance of the NYC transit system.
Posted on: 4/9 15:08
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Re: "Uncle Floyd" Vivino headlining All Points Borscht Ten!!
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Home away from home
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Uncle Floyd headlined a Loews fundraiser several years ago. He still was sharp back then!
Posted on: 3/31 18:01
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Re: For six years, Jersey City schools chief was at center of conflict
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Home away from home
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Parent: "You're grounded"
Child: "What does that mean? That makes no sense!" Parent: "No going out with your friends." Child: "Oh, so does that mean I can't like, go to school?" Parent: "No, you go to school, but you can't go out socially with friends." Child: "What?! This is the THIRD time you've tried to punish me. You're just HARASSING ME! This is DYSFUNCTIONAL!" I only wish the Jersey Journal could have reported he depletion of a $70 million reserve fund under Lyles over the past 5 or so years with the vigor they are covering the vote to remove Lyles from her duties.
Posted on: 2/13 17:01
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Re: New Jersey-New York area lost 5,700 millionaires in 2018
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Home away from home
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States have been able to balance their budgets and fund necessary programs by raising taxes on the highest bracks. California and Minnesota are examples. Meanwhile, Kansas's experiment with uber-supply side economics fared poorly.
But it is equally true that. a) Relying too much on high bracket income taxes makes a state more vulnerable to economic swings. b) The money has to be spent wisely.
Posted on: 1/26 15:48
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Re: Would MTA be a better operator for PATH? And other ideas...
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Home away from home
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After 9/11 New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers was advocating connecting the PATH to the Lexington Avenue line. Apparently the tracks are the right width, and with all the construction that had to have been done, it would have been feasible. It never got off the ground and never got to the point where one would have to figure out which agency would run it.
Posted on: 1/12 18:38
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Re: JC Council to Vote on Canceling Two Abatement Deals for Non Compliance
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Home away from home
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Yes Yvonne does not even live in the Van Vorst neighborhood. She had nothing to do with that project, except that she questioned it at a council meeting. And if I recall correctly the official who answered her gave her a wrong answer.
Posted on: 1/12 18:35
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Re: For six years, Jersey City schools chief was at center of conflict
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Home away from home
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They don't. But those stories make good copy and are ripe for playacting during public comment.
Posted on: 1/7 2:21
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Re: For six years, Jersey City schools chief was at center of conflict
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Rampant misfeasance and malfeasance in central office is not "inside baseball." If you don't want to be informed about the issues, that's fine. But then don't pontificate about what the "real problem" is and think that by pulling a few random stats out of your butt that you understand what's going on in the district.
Posted on: 1/6 0:44
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Re: For six years, Jersey City schools chief was at center of conflict
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Home away from home
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There have been plenty of issues of policy and accountability. There was Lyles's funnelling of resources to outside vendors for "professional development", the creation of a "leadership academy" with vague accountability, the loss of the entire reserve fund, toxic labor relations and poor morale, flaunting of civil service requirements that meant the board was painted as being "dysfunctional" when they finally said "enough" and refused to renew the appointments, chicanery on the health insurance switch.
Frankly, the timing of this was probably the polite way to do it. I would have noticed it and held the vote in the spring but for goodness sake, look at the vote. Even with a 3-0 sweep next November of a P4P redux, Lyles still has 5 votes against her. The dissatisfaction of the board was there for a long time, and I didn't see any attempts by Lyles to remedy it. If she didn't notice it before, then the election of the slate in November should have served as a wake up call.
Posted on: 1/5 3:01
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Re: Judge OKs site plan for controversial 'micro-unit' project in Jersey City
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Home away from home
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I did not have as many problems as others with the project, though the way it was pushed through was deceptive.
But how is the VVPA illegitimate? And Yvonne has not had anything to do with it for a long time.
Posted on: 2018/11/5 20:14
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Re: JCBOE - who are you voting for and why?
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Home away from home
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Incorrect on so many levels.
1) The employees in question all received Rice notices. The problem is that Dr. Lyles ignored the fact that central office was rife with violations of the civil service law and other improper appointments. She assumed she could just place these on the agenda and get a pro forma approval. The board finally said enough is enough. 2) The "financial problems" were disagreements with his matrimonial attorneys over a few thousand dollars in what was billed. The matter has been resolved and everything has been paid. 3) Mediation would not have averted a teacher's strike. Mediation was a way that the district could have delayed further bargaining. It was what the district did in the prior dispute, which angered the teachers because it was a way for Lyles and the P4P controlled board to avoid resolution. The teachers were without a contract for a significantly longer period last time than this time. There was a 1 day strike because there was a much different labor environment where teachers were striking across the country. And over the weekend, the parties bargained round the clock, and with help of the mayor, resolved the contract. Had the district sought to go to mediation, then the contract would not have been resolved and the union could have continued the strike. The district was lined to go up to court and stop the strike (public sector unions are not permitted to call a strike) but the contract was resolved. A lot quicker, a lot less legal expense, a lot less acrimony. The current board was able to settle the contract in a much less acrimonious, more efficient, less expensive matter than the prior board. The bottom line is that this board has accomplished more in 10 months than prior boards accomplished over the past 10 years. It has done so just as the state has begun to drastically cut aid (with the encouragement of those who back the JC United slate). And it has done so as we have learned that over the past several years central office under Dr. Lyles has been at best unable to confront the serious problems of mismanagement and non-compliance, and at worst actively aided and abetted them.
Posted on: 2018/11/5 19:12
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Re: JCBOE - who are you voting for and why?
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Home away from home
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Posted on: 2018/11/2 19:21
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Re: JCBOE - who are you voting for and why?
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Home away from home
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The board raised the levy by 6.5% this year. This was due to a "banked cap" available because the Board did not raise it the full 2% in prior years. Though I have just spoken with someone who advised me that not all that 6.5$ was dye to the levy. It included raises for other hardships that state law allows an exception for.
https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... city_school_district.html
Posted on: 2018/11/2 19:19
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Re: JCBOE - who are you voting for and why?
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Except that by becoming part of "Jersey City United" they showed that they, not current board leadership, are the ones involved in political revenge. JC United is the reincarnation of the failed Parents for Progress This board faced unprecedented obstacles. In prior years the district depleted its reserve fund, leaving this board a $70 million deficit to close. It did so, with no layoffs. At the same time, the law Chris Christie passed to require employee health contributions opened up this year to allow it to become a subject of bargaining again, leaving the district with another hole it had to fill. They were able to negotiate and had marathon sessions to reach agreement, all while keeping the district on sound financial footing. Prior boards, under the leadership of "Parents for Progress" trustees, often refused to raise the tax levy even up to the modest 2% cap. This board raised the tax levy, including raising the "banked cap" so that the district could raise a larger share from local revenue. Ironically, the same people supporting JC United were the same people who a) while on the board, refused to raise the levy to the maximum extent possible, and then b) after they were no longer in control of the board, bemoaned the lack of local contribution to the district's budget and actively encouraged state efforts to reduce our state aid. Essentially, they are saying "we refused to raise local revenue when we could, and are now going to make you raise taxes, including for the amount we could have raised. And we will also say that the state is justified in cutting our aid because we don't raise enough local revenue." A greater display of political chutzpah is not possible. For years, central office hires were in violation of civil service law. In fact, when Dr. Lyles came on board, the district received a report outlining these deficiencies. Rather than correct these deficiencies, she let them continue to install her own appointments. The board finally fixed this. In short, this board has dealt with, and continues to deal with, unprecedented financial obstacles and has met the challenge to keep the district going. As the state funding cuts (encouraged by several opponents off the current board leadership) continue there should be no doubt that they have earned the right to continue to do the job. When the candidates first filed and formed slates, I felt that there were 8 good candidates. While you would have the inevitable clash and disagreement of a campaign, we had at least gotten away from the factions that sought personal destruction and tried to scapegoat labor unions for the district's woes. Unfortunately that has changed, and we are all worse off for it.
Posted on: 2018/11/2 16:23
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Re: Jersey CIty School Policy - Vacation
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Home away from home
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Just speak with the teacher ahead of time. Official policy is that it is an unexcused absence. But teachers and schools have allowed it. I have, on a couple of occasions, taken my girls out of school for a day or two, and their mother took them out 1 week before holiday break last year so they could see relatives abroad.
It will depend on the teacher, and possibly if the student is otherwise doing well. But there are plenty of parents who take their kids out for a week or so. Just ask and make sure it's addressed ahead of time.
Posted on: 2018/10/22 16:08
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Re: Our Lady of Czestochowa Downtown Sex Abuse...
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Home away from home
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All the abusers were men.
So perhaps Yvonne should demand that all men be expelled from the Priesthood and positions of authority in the church.
Posted on: 2018/9/5 16:10
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Re: Okay, so who here thinks the Katyn monument needs to go?
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Home away from home
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Interestingly, I saw petitioners again today outside of city hall.
They told me "they're trying to move the statue for a million dollars!" Boy, Yun and Platta spent a lot on training.... Anyone know why the petitions are still out there?
Posted on: 2018/8/30 20:48
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Re: Okay, so who here thinks the Katyn monument needs to go?
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Home away from home
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Quote:
I suspect the people who care about the Katyn monument for its own sake skew conservative. But a lot of the people who got involved in this are doing in order to object to how the mayor handled this or because they object to any measure he takes. The latter category includes both the left and the right.
Posted on: 2018/8/17 15:38
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Re: JC Street Sweep and Parking Petition!
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Home away from home
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I do not want to see a street plan that focuses on automobiles at the expense of pedestrians, public transportation, and cyclists.
Having said that, I do not think running unnecessary street sweepers to generate tickets and "gotcha" booting policies are a necessary part of a Complete Streets plan.
Posted on: 2018/8/15 17:53
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Re: Hatfield and McCoy's on Astor Place!
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Home away from home
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Neighborhood Associations run the gamut. VVPA requires regular elections from members unlike others where the directors just reappoint themselves. There are also term limits which requires rotation among leadership.
I no longer live in Van Vorst Park but when I did the meetings were accessible, and anyone who wanted to get involved could.
Posted on: 2018/8/8 15:59
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Re: Boonton Reservoir
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Home away from home
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Do we need to protect our watersheds? Of course. You would not people throwing garbage in the reservoir, dumping chemicals in it, or taking powerboats out on it.
That does not mean that every reservoir has to be secured from the public as if it contains nuclear weapons.
Posted on: 2018/8/1 12:33
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