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On Tonight's Kudlow Report
29 minutes ago
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
$48 million dollar Referendum: My family is voting no because they have cried wolf too many times.
My family and I are mid-timers, here for 15 years and 2 kids in school. Every year, we were asked to pass the budget, so we did. In the past 10 years, they floated tens of millions of bonds for expansion and renovations; some schools in the past 2-3 years, and we voted yes. Now, they're back again for money, saying our schools are exploding with over 500 students in the past 10 years (they are shocked, SHOCKED!) and we need to expand again. They forgot to mention that 70% of the surge came in the first 5 years. Then the economy tanks, 3 dozen storefronts are vacant and they say, "by the way, we need 50 million more - do it for the kids". Like with any spoiled kid, it's time to say, you've burned through hundreds of millions of dollars so you have to make choices. The spoiled boe says "waaaahhh". So, I ask you - continue to feed the id and just let the bond ref pass or stand your ground? You and your family are the future and will be stuck with the bills. My family is voting no because they have cried wolf too many times.
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25 comments:
Thank you for your intelligent rational vote of no. Unfortunately, our loud vocal groups will have their foolish lawn signs up 'vote yes'. Throwing money at the problem doesnt fix it. The fix begins by cleaning house at the BOE.
You're welcome, 747pm. It's what I do.
This is the most sensible comment I've read on this blog!
We won't have a sign on our lawn but both my husband and I will be voting "NO".
Sure, it's just $300 per year, but this is not the only place we are getting hit up for "just x amount of dollars per year".
I want the best school system possible for our kids future but the best school system is not just about results, it's about how those results are achieved.
Let's send a message....Our Federal, State and Local Government needs to start managing OUR money like a business and not like a spoiled child playing on his parents guilt.
Fine. Stand your ground. The buildings will fall down around you. And then when you finally decide to deal with our 100-year-old assets, costs will have skyrocketed and interest rates will be up, increasing the out of pocket even more. Great fiscal management. Great strategy. Oh, and great "message," too.
A vote of no will mean that the Board will go back to the drawing board and come up with a number that better reflects the economic times.
11pm- The message is not ignore the buildings, the message is manage the buildings and manage OUR money so that we don't have $48 million unplanned expenses.
There will not be just one vote on this budget. If the board does not get its way they will change the configuration of the bond and put it up for another vote. That is what they did ten years ago. It will just cost us more when we pay for the second vote.
The buildings will not fall down, and the sky is not falling.
It is "just" $300 on top of everything else. Be honest and tell us what the base tax increase will be. I need to make an informed desision and the board is not providing all the information.
What if the total increase is just $600? How do you feel about $800? I do not get the average tax increase so I know that my tab will be a lot more. Give us the new rate and let us all figure out the true cost. My taxes are anything but average.
941
If this towns BofE acted like a business:
There would be an adequate capital repair fund.
We wouldn't cave to union demands but insist on a fair contract for both parties.
When our customers (aka children) were slipping in tests and rankings, we wouldn't first blame the parents.
When asked simple questions like "how are we in a multi-million dollar deficit so soon after the start of the fiscal year for the second year?" the answer wouldn't be "if you think this is bad then wait until next year".
Plainly stated, this 90 million dollar business would not be in business were it in the public sector. We ask the BofE to be prudent but they rely on gimmicks to balance the budget and pray that Trenton will bail us out.
Continuing to throw money at the system allow them to dodge the tough choices, including the right ones. 1100 says the buildings will fall down. Sounds like a BofE apologist and reflective of the crisis times we live in, huh? "Pass this stimulus now unless you want unemployment above 8%" or "Pass this healthcare bill now so we can reduce the deficit"
Some things don't add up. This is another one. Kill the bond. Demand a re-do and have them resubmit it in April.
Put together a long-range plan while you're at it. Redistrict. Re-open Glen or sell it. It's had to justify the continued expansion while you bus an entire section of town almost 2 miles while you have an elementary school within walking distance. Don't just say "its too expensive", because we have the largest student district in Bergen County. Using the BofE "too expensive logic, we should bus Willard kids to Orchard, and rent Willard out. See, not too smart.
Lets see..
Teachers union: None of you will life a finger.
BOE: None of you will run for a position.
Action Committees in Local Gov: Zippo
Stand up at a BOE meeting and raise the protest voice: Nope.
All hot air.
The problems are real and they need an immediate fix. As bad as it may be, there is FOUND MONEY in this plan, and we should grab it.
Voting YES. Blog away... you cannot stop anyone who has children in our schools and wants to see improvement NOW for our tax dollars.
YES !!!!!
1034 its funny how you like to pretend you know whos posting on here lol ,got my NO VOTE !!!!
1039 - you got it all wrong. 1034 knows best!
Found money is the ticket, just like the SCC during the ethically-challenged McGreevey administration. They pissed away funds and bankrupted the SCC through corruption before all of the schools that needed work could get the funds. Does anyone remember that Willard project that was supposed to get SCC funds, hmm? And THAT was during relatively better times. Do you mean to tell me that the $9 mil we are supposed to get will actually make it here while an $8 bil deficit in this start looms next year?
Keep talking 1034 and continue to demean honest citizens of Ridgewood who are tired of paying for the mismanagement.
1039, you are not alone. Voting NO and mobilizing for 2010.
voting no!
voting no too!
Voting NO is the only responsible thing to do!
Voting "Yes" as will the majority of parents who have kids in the schools along with anyone who has even the slightest interest in keeping Ridgewood's property values where they are.
Kids in school - still voting NO
Two kids in school. Also voting NO.
3 kids in school here 2 in private school. Voting NO
2 kids in school here. Voting HELL NO.
"Believe me honey, this hurts mommy more than it will hurt you."
3:15pm
Remove your head from your anal orifice. Based on current comps, my house is 19% lower than the assessed value, yet my taxes went up 13%. The property values have already taken a hit.
My house value is also down and my taxes are way up after the revaluation and last year's increase. Enough!!
Two sports playing kids in school. Voting NO.
Borrowing $48 million in a RECESSION is STUPID! Eliminate the frills from the total, such as the turf fields. Then, redistrict the schools so that capacity is rationalized without having to spend as much on bricks and mortar. Then, do a smaller bond issue for the truly necessary infrastructure work.
Dammit 437 man, get with the program! The BOE says it's GOOD to borrow money because it's so cheap!! (Did they tell you it will cost 2.5 mil in debt service a year for a total of $65 mil?)
We need to send you to some place for an attitude adjustment, dude.
who wants to bet that the state will not come through with promised funds...since NJ is broke..it shouldn't be a surprise. and the dumb ass fools who vote yes will be sticking the rest of us with the bill. VOTE NO
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