Codey Backs Michaelson For Mayor

So what? In Montclair an endorsement from someone like him may do more harm than good and associate her line with the dreaded "Party Machine". A nod from Codey is only slightly better than a nod from Corzine at this point.

"Status Quo" Codey is endorsing "Ignore my constituents" Michaelson?

NEXT!

"Who is Ed Remsen, Steve Plofker, Dick Grabowsky voting for?"

I do hope they tell. This way we can know who's going to be getting the best kick-backs and I'll know who not to vote for.

Wait... Didn't two of the people running for mayor already approve a bunch of the horrible things that the Plofmeister and the Grabber have tried (and succeeded) in doing to this town?

Shouldn't it be "Who ARE Ed Remsen, Steve Plofker....?"

Even in a slow news month, grammar needn't be dispensed with.

In this case, Cathar, IS may be appropriate since the three thus named are all components of the same machine.

So if I was a Montclair resident I, too, would like to know who "Plofremsky" is voting for so I could forewarned to run, not walk, in the opposite direction.

i asked this about dukakis in another thread: who cares what codey thinks about montclair politics? why does michaelson believe that his opinion matters to this town?

This should take the mystery out of the race.

Codey is a brilliant politician. He pretty much always knows which horse to back. And, I don't think he ever backs a losing one. Even if he's backing a Republican this time.

She probably told him that she had the most votes in the last election. And, that her establishment slate will win because the two progressive slates will split the massive support for change.

PREDICTION:
Partnership 45%
Unity 30%
Thrive 25%

I don't have a horse in this race. I just think the people of Montclair want change. A fresh start with new faces. I know I do.

thomas

Thank you Thomas, I think, you're right.

Question: Is Joyce Michaelson the person who always votes 'yes' to knocking down the old, historic houses in Montclair?

Does this mean Codey supports all of the nobid contracts that Joyce has voted for and condones the use of taxpayer funds from the Board of Education budget to pay the $49,000 salary plus benefits to pay the salary of the executive director of the MFEE? It was a surprise to see the 2008 Board of Education budget paying that salary in light of Joyce's claim that the MFEE is supported only by volunteers and donations.

and to selling older schools and to dissing constituents by walking out of a town council meeting while one still had the floor.

If she really thinks that this sort of campaigning will make a fifference in Montclair she's sorely mistaken.

Take a look at her at the environmental forum

The more I think about it, the more I agree with Paine (Thomas).

Joyce doesn't have to be the queen of our local popularity contest or get some sort of 50 plus 1% vote; she just has to find enough people happy with the status quo to get more votes than what Ted & Jerry's slates are going to split.

Here's hoping we can get that house in the country before she takes office.

The all-powerful Cody endorsement:

John Edwards, the North Carolina Democrat, announced that he had won the endorsement of Richard Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey, testimony to the state's new status as it readies to shift its primary to Feb. 5 from June.

New York Times, 3/12/07

If a relationship with Mr. Cody is to benefit Montclair in some way, why hasn't Joyce M. leveraged this relationship in the past to steer more money to our schools (like the one on Grove Street she sold for $1 million)?

She's been in township politics for years and has never mentioned having any friends or admirers in Trenton. And since the state is broke and pinching pennies, I don't see it happening now or anytime soon.

Sorry Mr. Cody, but like Mr. Corzine before you, you just tossed your credibility out the window.

Joyce Michaelson belongs to yesterday...Montclair needs someone from today to fulfill the needs of tomorrow.

To vote for anyone connected to the formerly elected 'leadership' slate is a vote for approval of all that has gone wrong in the past 4 years of this town.

Do you approve of lying? That is what the leadership slate was best at. Did that grant to pay for the microburst damage ever come through? If you enjoyed the bait and switch of the sewer authority debacle, or the lost and found money of the water authority, or the complete incompetence of the parking authority or the failure of the BOE to account for their insurance surplus? Well then vote for Mattox or Joyce.

Is the bike boy experienced? No. In my book, this is a positive. Who wants more of the same corrupt bullsh*t and lies?

The Leadership slate spent my money on more unnecessary crap than I could have thought was possible. Upon their final departure from their Claremont Street offices, they should hang their heads in shame as they walk past their icon of the past 4 years. That is, the behemoth illuminated sign revealing a logo with a crooked 'O'. 'Crooked' being the key word.

Your post is right on, 13%.

Don't forget that all of the slates have 1 or more people on their team that represent the current leadership, including Unity Montclair. At least Mattox has gone out of his way to disassociate himself from Leadership Montclair.

True,

But it is one thing to be a counselor, but another to be the mayor.

I would have considered Mattox, but he screams to much and filled his slate with lawyers. What's up with that? He just comes across as being too power hungry. I don't go for his style of grandstanding either. Was not impressed by his attempts to raise the salary of Montclair officials.

Plus Jerry came by my house to introduce himself. This really means a lot to me. It costs his slate nothing. What a novel idea...getting results without spending my money.

And for what it's worth, I will not be pulling a lever for Tobin as I stand by my earlier stated convictions.

Now if only Cary would run for mayor. I bet he does in 4 more years!

Maybe, as a group of citizens, we can make our own endorsement. Endorse seven candidates that have nothing to do with the debacle of the last seven-plus year. Seven that will provide real change for Montclair.

I'll start by saying that disqualifies the Partnership slate. It also disqualifies Ted Mattox, Gerry Tobin and Jerold Freier, and Sandra Lang.

The first person I recommend to the Change slate is Cary Africk (SECOND WARD). From a distance, he doesn't seem connected to anybody. He just seems to be concerned about Montclair. He's calmly talked truth to power over the last few years. He seems to have a grasp of finances. Maybe he could help get a handle on runaway taxes?

The second person I recommend for the Change slate is Jerry Fried (MAYOR). He's the only candidate for mayor who doesn't have any dirt from the past. He seems to be honest. He doesn't seem to be power hungry. Unless there's a smoking gun on him, he should be the second choice of seven on the Change slate.

We need five more.

I've heard good things about Starr Daniels (AT-LARGE, Thrive), Kathryn Weller (AT-LARGE, Unity), Roger Plawker (FIRST WARD, Thrive), Nick Lewis (THIRD WARD, Unity), and Dr. Rene? Baskerville (FOURTH WARD, independent).

Any suggestions?

We, the average citizens of Montclair who aren't part of a special interest, can send a message. We can vote out the nonsense. Vote out the establishment. Vote out the connected. Vote out the special treatment for friends and supporters.

And, vote in change.

We have to decide on a viable strong seven member Change slate. Do this so we don't split the change vote. And push this to our family and friends who wouldn't normally vote in this election.

thomas

Paine,

I'm with you 100 percent. I just went for a ride and came across my first yard sign of this election season up on Highland. It was for one of the slates--I'm not going to say which one, but just the thought of another four years of this current mess really depressed me. I really like Cary Africk--he seems to have a real intellectual curiousity and comes across as a genuinely thougtful person with just enough energy to solve problems instead of just blaming others. Then again, I've never met the guy. I'm wondering why he didn't run for mayor? A mayoral candidate unaffiliated with a particular slate would have been really attractive this spring, when you consider the other choices. Let me know how I can work with you. I hate politics, but I hate even more what might happen to our town if ANY of the three slates wins.

Enough Medieval....we need Renaissance!

Katie: I would say yes, or that Ms. Michaelson abstains from voting to save historic buildings. Some good regulations have been put into place as a reaction to the urbanistic harm that we've sustained but I don't think that this was part of her plan. The new construction in the last two years just seems like backfired real estate speculation and we are left with a vast inventory of overpriced condos that people don't seem to want or even can afford. The numbers don't work. What I will never accept is the destruction of the Washington Street YMCA. That is just ignorance and disrespect.

Ms. Michaelson voted to demolish 24 Upper Mountain Avenue to build condos. (fortunately, this house is now protected and there is a potential buyer who wishes to preserve the property) At this meeting Ms. Michaelson stated that she had "no problem" with a huge monolithic retaining wall to be pinned practically under the foundation of the adjacent Freed Slave House that would have been necessary for parking for the condos.

Why would Codey want to inject Party "Boss" Politics into our local election. I thought the reason we had the form of government that we have was to avoid party politics. And who the hell cares what Codey does or thinks, in Trenton, he doesn't even represent Montclair. So what good is he to us. Back when our Governor cut 1 million dollars from the school budget formula, a lot of good Codey did for Montclair. So Michaelson, you can just keep your endorsements.

WE CAN DO THIS:

We can stop the nonsense of the last couple town councils. We can end the power the special interests have with their ESTABLISHMENT slate. We can put an end to slate politics. We can avoid splitting the CHANGE vote by agreeing to throw our support to just seven candidates.

IF WE DO NOTHING:

Joyce Michaelson's Partnership slate (ESTABLISHMENT) will most likely win the election. Ted Mattox's Thrive slate and Jerry Fried's Unity slate are likely to split the CHANGE vote. The expected 8,000 votes will turnout something like this (Montclair probably has 20,000 registered voters):

ESTABLISHMENT slate (Mayor/At-Large, Wards would be less votes)
Michaelson-Partnership 45% (3,600)

CHANGE slates (Mayor/At-Large, Wards would be less votes)
Mattox-Thrive 28%+/- (2,240)
Fried-Unity 27%+/- (2,160)

We can avoid splitting the vote and insure real CHANGE by doing these two things:

1) Get 1,500 of the 8,000 likely voters to support a consolidated CHANGE ticket:

Mayor-Jerry Fried (Unity)
At-Large-Starr Daniels (Thrive)
At-Large-Kathryn Weller (Unity)
First Ward- Roger Plawker (Thrive)
Second Ward-Cary Africk (Unity)
Third Ward-Nick Lewis (Unity)
Fourth Ward-Dr. Renee Baskerville (Independent)

2) Get the 1,500 supporters of the consolidated CHANGE ticket to bring one neighbor who wouldn't normally vote (3,000 total new change votes). Some of us could probably get more.

THE FINAL RESULT:

Consolidated CHANGE ticket 3,000+leftover Mattox/Fried firm support= should easily be more than the 3,600 needed for CHANGE.
Michaelson-Partnership slate 3,600
Mattox-Thrive slate 1,479
Fried-Unity slate 1,421
-----------------------------------
9,500 voter turnout

We independent voters can make a difference. We can shock Michaelson with a little internet organization. Baristanet has more than enough readers to make this difference. This is the only way I see CHANGE beating Michaelson's more of the same ESTABLISHMENT voting machine.

thomas

"IF WE DO NOTHING:
Joyce Michaelson's Partnership slate (ESTABLISHMENT) will most likely win the election. Ted Mattox's Thrive slate and Jerry Fried's Unity slate are likely to split the CHANGE vote." -- Thomas Paine.

This is a very interesting post and I believe that he's right.

ESTABLISHMENT has a lot of friends.

CHANGE will be split between two.

(This sounds just like McCain winning because Clinton and Obama are going to split the Dems.)

"IF WE DO NOTHING:
Joyce Michaelson's Partnership slate (ESTABLISHMENT) will most likely win the election. Ted Mattox's Thrive slate and Jerry Fried's Unity slate are likely to split the CHANGE vote." -- Thomas Paine.

I am convinced that Mr. Paine is correct.

I'm not convinced that the people of Montclair are happy with the job that the present town council is doing and with Ms. Michaelson who has been rude to her constituents and not good for the town.

Watching her on TV34 at Town Council meetings you can see her smirk at people and tell that she feels superior to them and doesn't listen.

Picking out the best of the best to vote on is always good though. I looked and like the CHANGE slate!

Mr.Paines CHANGE slate sounds good to me. The reason that Remesen & Co. were elected was because the reform vote was split.

Don't forget that the LWV Debate is this Wednesday at the High School.

Check the Baristanet Calender for details.

Mr.Paines CHANGE slate sounds good to me. The reason that Remesen & Co. were elected was because the reform vote was split.

Don't forget that the LWV Debate is this Wednesday at the High School.

Check the Baristanet Calender for details.

Change sounds good Mr Schwartz