A while back, Mayor Fried introduced an ordinance to mandate bicycle parking spots in Montclair. It was initially shelved, but is now slated for discussion at the next town council meeting, Tuesday, March 8.
According to the ordinance (which calls for amending chapter 347 of the township zoning code) the intention is to reduce traffic congestion, noise and air pollution and promote citizen health by encouraging the use of bicycles. The ordinance would establish mandatory off-street bicycle parking for new development. The requirements would vary according to “type, location, and intensity” of each project.
The wording of the ordinance details specifications for types of bicycle parking facilities that would be required of different types of structures.
Cary Africk doesn’t share the mayor’s priorities on this topic. Here’s what Africk has to say:
As most people in Montclair are aware, my top priorities in terms of Council business include taxes and services. School taxes and Municipal taxes. Snow plowing and trash pickup. I have received over one hundred emails in the last ten days imploring the Council to take action and insure a flat tax. And during the last series of snowstorms I received scores of emails and telephone calls asking for help in clearing roads.
This year the budgeting process has been excruciating. Decisions are being made that will affect services, and decisions are being made that will cost people their jobs, salaries, and benefits.
Several months ago the Mayor introduced a Bicycle Parking Ordinance. It was put on hold. Plans are to discuss it this Tuesday night at our Council meeting.
I think it should remain on hold. It’s not that I don’t “like” bicycles. I even bought a new Trek this past October with the help of some of my bicycling friends! And I do support their increased usage. Its just that it’s not a priority for me, at this time.
Realizing that I left all perspective off when I paid my last tax bill, I am turning to you, residents of Montclair.
In an email to Baristanet after the posting of this story, Mayor Fried responded to Africk’s comment:
Most Council members have no problem considering a variety of things at Council meetings. This item was discussed among the Council over a year ago and fell by the wayside as we transitioned to a new Township Manager. In fact, at the time Councilor Africk suggested a change in the requirement for any new schools to supply bike racks, and this was indeed changed based on his suggestion. At the time, the majority of the Council supported the Ordinance with the changes. This is not a new initiative and in fact it comes out of a recommendation from the Planning Board, which proposed its adoption.
Fried recommend looking at the video about Hoboken, which he posted on his facebook page. “It puts bike and pedestrian issues in their proper context, as examples of forward-thinking initiatives to help create more attractive, healthy, friendly and sustainable communities,” he said.
Montclair’s New Motto:
Hotel: If you build it, they will come (on a bike)!
Good for you Cary
In times of economic crisis, this tool is worried about bike parking!?!?! I agree with Cary, lets get our priorities straight, and start by getting rid of Mayor Fried!
over 100 emails supporting a flat tax! well, by all means, let’s implement!
this is why i don’t care to respond to your grandstanding, Cary. cause other do.
you were part of an an orchestrated campaign, yet you cite it here like it was pure vox populi.
doesn’t give me the best confidence in your judgment, sorry.
I guess my questions is,if you ride your bike to the meeting to appeal your property taxes are you still considered a bad citizen?
Our mayor doesn’t give a hoot about the economic crisis in this town. He is concerned about mandatory bicycle parking????? Whatever, Jerry. Why don’t you get on your bike and pedal on over to another town. We need a mayor in Montclair that actually cares about the financial straits this town is in and will do something about it. That person clearly is not Jerry Fried.
Why isn’t the agenda for the meeting posted on the Township webiste? Is the budget even going to be discussed or are they going to continue to talk about nonesense that is not budget related?? Why isn’t the Town Council and Manager taking direction in transparency from the BOE?? The 2011 budget still hasn’t been made public and we are in March already.
Not sure why anybody is surprised. He basically promised this type of nonsense during his campaign. Montclair voters foolishly swooned at his Green Flag, then gave him the keys to the city. Well done.
If the mayor is going to again waste our governing cycles on junk then perhaps it’s time to dust off the recall petitions.
I wouldn’t start pointing to the BOE as a good example quite yet, Dazed.
There is a new article on northjersey.com that the outsourcing of the aides is not a done deal. That one item was going to account for almost half of the $3.5 million in cuts to the budget. If that doesn’t happen, we’re going to see a less positive impact on our taxes.
He actually campaigned on “transparency”. And Cary was on the ticket – and they did say there would be a focus on the school budget ( we had an 8% tax increase right before they were elected). So people who thought they were getting a team that included Cary with all his OPRA requests didn’t exactly get what they expected.
While i like B-Net and the Baristas, I hope this article does not get a lot of attention. With what this town has gone through since 2008 and is facing in the coming two budget cycles this story is just a distraction.
Cary,
I suggest not wasting your time on this type of non-sense. Who cares what the Mayor wants on the agenda, it is going to happen anyway. Vote NO, and lobby your cohorts Murnick, Terry, and Baskerville to do the same. The three Amigo’s(Fried, Lewis, Weller-Demming) will never actually listen to you.
Howard, I referred to the BOE on how the process was conducted, I didn’t infer that I was for or against any of the decisions.
Agreed, Dazed. I’m just concerned that the results of that process seem to be unraveling.
Again Howard, The process was one of transparency, BOE showed the numbers, where they came from etc… Have you seen anything at all like that from the Town, the 2011 Budget isn’t even avaialble yet and it must be voted on in 1 month, can you tell me where all the money is being spent like the BOE did? If so, please share. If not, please stop twisting this around. If the cuts unravel that has NOTHING to do with transparency of the process.
Fried talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk or pedal the pedal.
Why has he refused to sign the interlocal agreement for the Ice and Iron Trail ~ a project to convert an under-utilized rail corridor that runs from Montclair to Jersey City into a rail-trail. This right of way passes through Newark and links with the East Coast Greenway. The route could link Branch Brook Park in Newark with the Meadowlands and other open space in Hudson County. It could also provide sustainable transportation between churches, schools, and hospitals in Newark and the surrounding areas.
Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Belleville have all signed. Newark should sign soon…but Montclair with only 900 feet of rail line has refused to sign. This won’t cost the town one red cent.
So, let us know Jerry ~ when will you truly pedal the pedal instead of just showboating?
I went to the mayor’s facebook page and his posts were primarily about green initiatives and bike programs. While I think these things are worthwhile long-term goals, I think the mayor should absolutely not be focused on them until our budget issues have been addressed. We can’t plan for the future if our infrastructure is crumbling and our residents are running away.
Listening to the Mayor, I sometimes think he is playing some role, ‘The Big Thinker’ or some other hero, in the movie that’s playing in his head. If he wants to focus on these somewhat narrow subjects rather than take on the difficult and mundane issues of actual government, he should resign. He can then offer his services as a volunteer on the ‘Green Initiatives and Foreign Relations’ task force.
Cary Affrick, you ran with these clowns on the so-called “transparency” slate. Did you take any time before the election to find out where Fried, Weller and Lewis stood on *any* issues? You completely misread your own teammates, and now the township is going down the tubes. You’re the odd man out now, reduced to complaining while your chums steamrolller over every idea you present, just like Ted Mattox before you. Why should anyone support you next time around? Frankly, you seem almost as in over your head as Fried, Weller and Lewis. A bit smarter yes, but just as easily-led.
Example: You seem determined to give the go-ahead to any development (regardless of how far-fetched the plan) for the defunct DCH automobile dealership, which is arguably our one and only chance for a big development in the downtown. Did you really think 1,000 MSU students wouldn’t bring their cars with them? Really, old sport, you were supporting that idea before it was even presented as an official plan, and were completely prepared to give them anything they wanted. Ever heard of hard bargaining? Next time someone wants to put in a project that will fundamentally change the nature of our downtown forever, could you exact some concessions from them instead of giving them to the developers? I would have told them to pony up the money for the Park Street streetscape. At least we taxpaying homeowners wouldn’t get stuck with the bill for that ridiculous plan. I don’t believe for a minute that we’ll ever see that money returned through higher ratables. Pure fantasy.
Our town is slowly suffocating to death, and the best you and your teammates can manage is to argue like children.
Hellvua job there, Brownie.
Dear mister,
Boy, you are way off ….
The DCH deal for 1,000 MSU students was in “negotiation” for months. The payments had been increased to an up front payment of over $500,000 and revenue to the town of over $35MM over the life of the lease. Oh, and by the way? We were starting to argue concessions such as South Park.
As to the development that is on the table, the eco paradise? I’m sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what happens.
The residences had lots of the details worked out, including the parking for student cars. Since the university was in the position of TELLING the students where to park, we were going to use designated parking lots.
Some other things? No food service at the dorms, plus negotiated discounts with restaurants would have brought something like $3MM in additional revenue to Montclair businesses. A restaurant and possibly a Staples was also on the drawing board. We also spoke of an MSU “book store,” and possibly faculty offices. And by the way, our Consultants on the impact of the project saw no “negatives” that couldn’t be overcome.
There was very serious negotiation, but in the end it wasn’t attractive enough, for some.
As to the election several years ago, and who I chose to run with, etc., that will have to wait until we can talk face to face. If you want.
The Town is not going down the tubes. People are working to make a real difference to how the town is run, financially. The BOE has made giant strides. We are reassessing the town. Debt is being reworked. This is a full time job for me, and I don’t give up. Ever.
Requiring new development to have some space for bicycle parking isn’t quite the tornado of cash-suck that the hullaballoo above would make it seem. I’d hope that the council would be able to handle a minor agenda item like this as well as other items.
Budget crises don’t have to mean everything else comes to a stand-still.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbVoDVWZsc
Schooled,
Insofar as the bicycle ordinance would require developers to set aside considerable space for “bike lockers” this ordinance could have a significant negative impact on development in Montclair. For example, say the Crescent lot has 400 parking spaces. Under this ordinance 140 additional bicycle lockers, each 6′ by 2′, would have to also be built. Do you really think 140 people a day want to park bikes there? And a new school the size of Montclair High School, with approximately 2,000 students would require 200 bike lockers. I live in the neighborhood and have never seen more than 30 bikes parked in front of the school. The Sienna, with 100 apartments would require 100 bike parking lockers.
I was on the planning board. Projects came to a halt over arguments of less than a handfull of parking spaces. Hundreds of bike lockers “might” be an issue. Has anyone even asked a developer for their opinion?
Riding a bicycle is a lifestyle choice. We don’t need towns legislating it.
It does seem like a lot of “locker” space. However, isn’t that why it needs discussion? Why couldn’t it be combined with bike racks (or whatever the modern version of that would be)?
My interpretation of “The requirements would vary according to ‘type, location, and intensity’ of each project” is that there would be some leeway in deciding how many lockers/spaces would be appropriate.
Something like the Sienna must (well, okay, *ought to*) have storage space set aside for each apartment already. In my experience (vicarious since I’ve never owned or rented in a condo), most condominiums do have space set aside for bicycles and/or other equipment (skis, snowshoes, surfboards, strollers – other transportation that starts with S).
I currently live in an owner-occupied multi-family dwelling. If I want to make an extension to say my living room, I need to install bike lockers for my tenant. Yup, as Rome burns, Fried is building bike lockers at the Coliseum.
Cary –
Since no deal was signed, you might as well tell me that MSU was going to pave Bloomfield Avenue with gold. All of those nice sounding details about stores, dorms and millions in revenue are all theoretical until a contract is signed. No contract? Then all everything you listed is moot.
Designated parking lots for students? Where, where where? The Bay Street deck that no one else wants to use? Where are these mystery lots controlled by MSU? Speaking of parking, we’re not getting the annual two million from the Parking Authority as promised. How’s that “negotiation” going Cary?
Progress at the BOE? Why did we spend over 30 million dollars on a new school only to turn around and suggest closing another school in the system? Yes, not this year, but if Shirley Grill gets her way, or if we lose money from the state, then it will most likely happen. Our schools educate the children well, but when it comes to capital expenditures, the BOE (historically) has not done such a great job. They’re a little late to the fiscal responsibility party.
Reassessing the town? We just did that. (And look at all the successful appeals.) That’s supposed to be a good thing? How? So my tax bill can go up even higher?
As for my comments regarding you running mates, you punted on that one Cary. You have long, complicated, considered answers regarding all sorts of comments by every crackpot on this board, but you don’t have the guts to talk about how you came to run with these people? You’re more opaque than transparent on that one.
Cary, it’s admirable that you don’t give up. Ever. But where are the results that will lessen my financial burden to live in and own a home in Montclair?
Tell you what Cary… when my tax bill goes down instead of up, I will come to very next council meeting, publicly introduce myself, apologize to everyone I have listed in my posts and will go door-to-door campaigning on your behalf.
Until then, I’ll view your so-called “transparency” slate is exactly the same as the people you replaced in the previous election.
Color me unimpressed.
Dear mister,
Thanks for the note … now you’re getting into some areas that we definitely agree on!
By the things in your note, I know we could “do breakfast” and walk away with agreement on 90% of what you’re discussing. There are “facts” that could help you.
Parking Authority negotiations? Check! We’re together on that. In fact, I arranged for a superb consultant, “gratis,” to review their performance.
New school? Go over my postings on that subject. Find out which Councilor was urging the project to be shelved up until the day ground was broken.
Reassessment? We reassessed at the precisely WRONG time. Find out which Councilor researched the supposed reasons why we couldn’t do a reassessment and who got the ball rolling for another reassessment this year.
Uhh – Uhh re. my discussing choice of running mates. That info is going to require face to face.
Do give me a call, mister. I’ll never tell we met. Bluestone makes superb omelets fro breakfast.
I love to ride bicycles. I ride hundreds of miles per year. I own two road bikes and two mountain bikes. I also see many drawbacks to riding in Montclair, either recreationally , or for transportation.
The concept of the town legislating how much space should be set aside for “bike lockers” is absurd on the face of it. Think about a place like, say Holland, arguably the Mecca of bicycling as transportation. People that choose to ride, and there are more than you can count, ride servicable, nondescript, bikes which they simply lock to minimalist style racks. They don’t ride flashy bikes that would be targets for thieves. I would venture that there isn’t a “bike locker” in the entire country. Oh, and the place is flat as a pancake, which is a tremendous consideration when looking at biking as transportation vs a pure fitness/recreational pursuit. Bike lanes are everywhere. They were designed into the streetscape, not just painted into existing heavily used streets as an afterthought.
Now, lets look at Montclair, Which to put it charitably, is not the most bicycle friendly town I’ve ever seen. First, the town is located on the side of a significant ridge, and the traffic density (particularly during rush hours) is enormous. Even my quiet side street is like a race track for drivers looking for a shortcut around a nearby intersection. If I were to opt to allez au bicyclette to the train station, I’m looking at a mile long grind straight uphill. I suppose I could give myself a sponge bath once I arrived at the office. Then, on the way home more excitement in the form of streaking down one of the busier thoroughfares in town, in the dark.
Cheers to all of the nattily attired recreational riders out after work in their full regalia, but I’ll take my bikes out to the country where I can put in some miles while actually enjoying the scenery and not having to inhale exhaust and stop for traffic lights every few hundred yards. Biking and Montclair, to paraphrase the old NJ tourist slogan, Not Perfect Together…
Cary –
Yes, by all means let’s have a meal at Bluestone’s! I haven’t been there in ages. Their coffee was outstanding during my previous visits.
I hope you don’t mind if I bring a digital recorder with me and post a verbatim transcript to post here on Baristanet. You know, for that whole “transparency” thing that you ran on? You see, I have other concerns regarding zoning, code enforcement, pension benefits, the cashing out of sick days for municipal employees… why, I could bend your ear well past breakfast until lunch! And I’m sure a lot of people on this board would enjoy your positions on these topics.
Thereby, everyone here can see your point-by-point rebuttal (or agreement) of my posts, including how you came to run with Fried, Weller and Lewis. And so as to be fair, when I do post this transcript, I will out myself to the Baristaville community.
Still wanna chat? If yes, you can expect a phone call before the weekend is over. I am completely serious about this offer.
Cheers,
mistercranetown
Mandatory “Bike Lockers”??
I’m not convinced that’s the way to make Montclair more “bike-friendly”. Try creating real bike lanes and installing handy bike racks.
Make it more pedestrian-friendly while you’re at it [but make pedestrians obey the law, too].
We could stand to make Montclair more car-friendly, too, by increasing the meter/permit space ratio — it’s been going the wrong way for the last few years.
Need more revenue? — Try enforcing the 25 mph speed limits, so that folks doing the speed limit don’t have worry about being rear-ended by the mega-SUV driver on their cell-phone.
oakey, doakey, mister!
But here’s what I prefer. Give me your questions in writing. I’ll answer them in writing. Therefore rather than tax my feeble brain for facts while your record whirls away at Bluestone, I’ll be able to look them up while writing and sitting on my computer.
And thus, we’ll be able to sail through breakfast, lunch, and even dinner!
Thx!
Cary
Cary -
Here’s my counter offer, which I hope you will accept as is.
No, I will not give you written questions in advance, but I will bring a written set of questions with me. I will pose the questions to you as a standard interview, but when we are done, would also like for you to take them home and answer more fully at your leisure.
Yes, I would record our conversation, but use it only as a reporter’s tool to collect data. This would be fair to both of us, and also not have either of us write notes while we eat.
You can send your written answers back to me, and from my audio notes and your written comments I will compose an editorial describing our discussion, which hopefully our Baristanet friends will publish. You could simultaneously write your own editorial describing our meeting, and we could dual-post under the headline “My Breakfast With Cary.”
You have my absolute word that I will be civil, polite, and respectful to you and our fellow diners. In return, you could give me your word that you will not reveal my name until our editorials are published. Just a simple conversation between two Montclair citizens. When we’re done, we split the check, shake hands, and go on our respective ways to enjoy the rest of the day.
If you agree, I will send you prospective meetings dates and times offline.
Until then you will know me only as,
mistercranetown
mister,
Sounds OK to me!
Cary
I hope you don’t mind if I bring a digital recorder with me and post a verbatim transcript to post here on Baristanet. You know, for that whole “transparency” thing that you ran on?
Oh, snap! Let’s get it on the record!
mistercranetown = ROC
Cary –
You’ll hear from me soon. Thanks very much.
As the kids say, I’ve got to give you some “props,” at least for agreeing to meet with me under my somewhat theatrical terms.
Walleroo, never in a million years. I watch Anderson Cooper, not Bill O’Reilly.
- mistercranetown
My advice, mistercranetown, not that you asked for it, is to make sure you have a lot of memory in that recorder. Cary can really fluff it up.
Hope you’ll both ride a bike to Bluestone’s. That’ll get you in the Montclair spirit.
mistercranetown=d*uchebag
I usually ride my 2001 Acura SUV — the one with 160,000 miles on it. At least it doesn’t need a charging station. Tell me again how that works? We give away the electricity because we can’t sell it but its good for the environment and people will drive to Montclair just to charge their cars and maybe shop?
Even though the electric to charge it comes from the coal plant?
Shai Agassi has the electric car idea figured out, in great detail, Cary. Check it out at
betterplace.com
Looks nice, Jon, but let me ask (although I’m very naive when it comes to this kind of stuff):
In Europe they can get cars with 40mpg+ On gasoline. Why isn’t this a good “next step?”
Why not increased tax on gas to encourage new models with high mpg/discourage unnecessary driving?
Thx,
Cary
A hybrid car owner needs a recharging station about as much as Steven Plofker needs a heart. Approximately none of the hybrids now on the road can be plugged into an electrical outlet (a fact the Montclair Times failed to mention in its recent article, probably because Gray Russell, the town’s green guru and sole source for the story, didn’t tell Times reporter Linda Moss).
Certainly Montclair, being such a special place, is a bellweather, no? Is there even one green-minded hedgie with a Volt in the driveway? Surely Perlstein drives one.
First, you meet with me at our “office,” Cary. That’s long overdue. I don’t need a recorder or notes. Have perfect recall and extensive memory skills. An elephant never forgets, after all. Give a call, shoot me an email. How about next Tuesday or Friday? You know you miss my biting wit. I’ll share the latest “Buzz” with you while we’re at it. As for whole transparency bit, it merely makes me think, “I can see right through you.” That’s never a compliment.
I know you know who I am.
Not yet walleroo. Mine’s a Honda Civic, presently.
Cary, 40 mpg is pretty good. I’d go for that. It’s a good next step, as you suggest.
I hope you meant to say that you drive a Civic hybrid.
lucy,
You have always been a lot more fun than anyone else I know! And a source of constant “education.”
Hugs and kisses!
Cary
Cary, while there are many more options available in Europe, (like the little Audi A2), you can actually just go to Gensinger’s and pick up a VW TDI. After researching, we felt for now clean diesel was a better way to go and love our Jetta. And the Valero station on Rte. 46 has pretty good diesel prices. But you’re right about the Europeans. Americans would take to the streets with pitchforks if we had the same kind of taxes on our fuel – but we’d have more money for highways and rail and the air would be cleaner. FYI. Speaking of taxes. Newsflash: MAPLEWOOD HAS A BUDGET ON THE TABLE THAT WOULD REPRESENT A ZERO PERCENT INCREASE IN TAXES. I guess they must have gotten one of those fairy wands our mayor said we’d need.
http://montclair.patch.com/articles/with-montclair-set-to-take-up-budget-again-a-look-at-maplewoods-proposed-zero-percent-tax-increase
The problem is those pesky tax appeals!
http://montclair.patch.com/articles/mayor-jerry-fried-a-word-on-the-budget
JG,
Bloomfield did ok on it’s school budget as well. I’m not sure yet about the town budget but for the school’s the tentative budget looks pretty moderate.
http://bloomfield.patch.com/articles/boe-passes-862-tentative-budget
The tentative budget means an increase of $97.93 a year, or $8.16 a month, in taxes for the average assessed home of $286,871, according to a flier distributed at the meeting.
I believe Cary’s underlying point is that if Fried an others had spent 10% of their energies on the budget and on municipal operations from the start, instead focusing on ancillary issues like bike lockers, green technologies and fair trade — we’d potentially be in a different place.
However, even with more time on priorities — for individuals who really can’t really analyze data impartially and see the world in real time for what it really is, (as opposed to responding as if it’s already in the dream state they might wish for) — those individuals will still likely make warped decisions — even trying to accomplish the very goals they seek.
I think this is a political example where those running with Cary presented themselves much more rationally and savvy than they really were at the time. And many people were fooled by those presentations — myself included, along with many others on every side of the political spectrum.
While the last Council and the Remsen-Michaelson orbit who ran after it should have been opposed rightly on philosophical and decision-making grounds for what they did while in office — this group should be responded to today largely for their inactions and their incompetancies. What their politics were or are, is not that important at this time. What their skill set has shown as legislators in how they come to, or don’t come to decisions — is what really gets everyone up in arms I feel.
Nonetheless, , something universal has now come out of this Council’s actions after almost 3 years of governance. It’s clear for most intelligent residents now who pay attention to local Montclair politics — whether right, left or center — that many on this Council crew just don’t see it, don’t get it and even worse, don’t know what to do with it when they do understand the stakes, or grasp the issues at hand.
And that bodes well as a good resident mindset starting up for the next Council election. Finding 4 smart votes….that should be the goal going forward.
You’re right, Martin. I think people voted against Michaelson and Mattox after seeing that huge tax bill – the result of the big BOE increase and thought this council would be serious about “transparency”. Clearly, the budget has not been a priority – at all. While the financial ground was dropping beneath our feet, our council was forged ahead with a new school, almost bought a $3.5mm building, wanted to use eminent domain to get a parking lot for the police when there is already an empty deck a block away(is that still on the table?), and refused to consider asking people to pay more for recreational services. Instead, our Mayor harps on people appealing their taxes. Of course they are! Taxes have gone up 20% and home prices have gone down by more. Perhaps if our tax bills didn’t come with large increase every year, there wouldn’t be so many appeals. It’s easy to blame Christie and tax appeals — but the blame really rests with the council who, despite a global economic collapse, focused on just about everything but the town’s finances. If we had asked the BOE to make cuts BEFORE Christie cut funding, if…..well too many if’s. But you don’t go out and buy more stuff when the economy is collapsing and you’re under water.
Anyone that doesn’t yet realize how utterly detached from reality this mayor is, should visit his Facebook page. His priorities are there on full display, and they aren’t fiscal. Also, he may harbor a delusion that he is the mayor of Hoboken.
I think the majority of this Council will vote in favor of a Municipal increase of 7% because the overall increase, with the BOE decrease, will then come up less than 2%. I think there is room for reduction and I think we’ve just scratched the surface of reorganization possibilities.
I am also disappointed in the failure to institute a series of committees (not just one appointed by the Council). It worked at the BOE.
There has been no consideration for what is going to happen next year, 2012, when the reduction in school tax levy hits the deferred school taxes, which will dramatically affect the Town, adding another burden on top of the debt reissue, and yet additional tax appeals.
We NEED analysis. We NEED focus on finance.
Cary
Cary – this kind of thinking is exactly the problem. No one says let’s overhaul and fix this. Why is 2% acceptable? Why is ANY increase right now acceptable? The BOE got it down and now that gives the council the wiggle room to increase the budget by 7%? That’s an outrage. And I am sick to death of getting letters with ever increase that “applaud” the responsible budget and small increase. ZERO. Go back and make it ZERO. 7% is irresponsible and this council and mayor will tell the town they did a great job keeping tax increases at 2% without telling anyone it was done on the back of the BOE and they couldn’t keep the municipal portion down below 7%. I’m going to cry now.
I am saying let’s overhaul and fix this.
- I agree… don’t blame Christie, but will one of you at least put blame on the residents.
- As far as the better councils in the future? Doubtful. 75% of the registered voters didn’t vote, more than half that did got it wrong (or exactly what they wanted).
- Why would anyone vote for someone who has transparency as their main offering? How big a red flag do you need? We spend $110MM on our schools, $50MM on public safety and collecting taxes, fees, pensions & garbage. $20MM is discretionary. We basically duplicate every job position in every other town in NJ and each and every one of our 12 schools is unique. If you don’t cut mine, I won’t cut yours. I’ve said all you need to know, can I get elected?
- Also, to the newbies, the school budget is not a done deal yet and most of the recommendations of their working groups was ignored or deferred.
bebop,
Bloomfield’s budget will be discussed (including the now infamous and ever morphing sewer charge) in a special meeting in the Municipal Building on Saturday 3/12 starting at 9am and ending who knows when.
Please come and bring your comments.
Department heads will address the TC with their departmental budgets. This will include FD and PD who have ramped up by screaming for more employees and with dire predictions both on NJ.com and at previous TC meetings.
Be prepared to bring your hanky when they come up to perform.
You all make some excellent points. Cary, I believe you when you say you want better data to allow for more meaningful analysis, which can lead to real decisions that are hard to face but need to be made. Jersey Gurl, I agree completely with so much of what you say. Why is ANY increase right now acceptable? The town council IS trying to slide through a budget that takes advantage of the wrenching decisions and cuts made by the BOE. Agree with the ultimate choices or not, the BOE is trying to make smart choices for our children and our town. Our town council is taking advantage of these efforts and is taking advantage of our children.
There is a petition going around that talks about responsible, smart government — and tells the Mayor and the council that people are very, very serious about change. Click on:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/concernedcitizensofmontclair/
There is a conversation going around about recalling the mayor and all of the township council who apparently doubt Montclairians have the balls or the time to do it. It’s a fair question to ask whether more than a handful of people are worked up enough to do anything.