School Budget 2010-11

According to sources BOE was looking at a preliminary 2010-11 school budget approximately $91 million dollars. Thats $11 million over the cap. School officials have already promised many revisions to bring it in line with the maxim state-mandated 4% property tax increase.

This has school officials shooting for a total School Budget of $79,828,606. The BOE claims its facing a 25% increase in health insurance premium costs, a stepped up 11% increase in maintenance, and a 13% increase in tuition for special education students.

Gov. Chris Christie recently froze state aid for the remainder of this school year in an effort to help close the state’s $2 billion budget gap. Ridgewood would not receive $808,066 in state funding, and to recoup that amount, it must pull from its $1.3 million excess surplus. Using $808,066 from its $1.3 million surplus to fill this year’s aid gap will leave the Ridgewood district with $553,115 to cover the loss of aid in next year’s budget.

The state has already announced will be 15% less than the district would normally receive. With the decrease in state aid plus the addition of new state mandates the projected shortfall according to Dr. Fishbein would be $650,000.

If voters were to approve a 4% property tax increase, the average homeowner’s school taxes would increase about $349 next year in addition to the $300 tax increase on the average home assessed at $800,000 to cover the cost of the recent $48 million bond referendum.

NOTE NEW DATES FOR DR. FISHBEIN'S BUDGET WORKSHOP

School Budget 2010-11


Community Budget Workshop:
An Opportunity to Learn About the Process, Ask Questions, Make Suggestions
Hosted by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein

Two sessions:
Tuesday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Middle School Auditorium

Or

Wednesday, March 10, at 1 p.m.
RHS Campus Center (parking will be allowed on Brookside Avenue)
A great opportunity for the general public and RHS students and staff!

For more information, call the Office of the Superintendent at 201-670-2700, ext. 10530

Mark Your Calendars and Plan to Attend!

Read:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/85451647_Preliminary_total_is_around__11M_over_cap.html

Read:
http://ridgewood.patch.com/articles/first-stab-at-school-budget-comes-in-high

NJEA a Race to the bottom

Thursday's WSJ had an article about the states, whose school systems were selected as finalists to receive $4.35 billion in EXTRA federal education funding through the Race to the Top Program. At a time when school budgets are being cut because of state budget cuts, this program is particularly critical. All states were judged on 19 categories in three basic areas:

1) Standards for systems to track student performance

2) Processes to evaluate teachers and hold them accountable for their performance

3) Willingness to embrace change and consider improvements to their educational systems

Despite strong results in the first category, NJ scored miserably in the second two. The comments on this threat illustrate why. If you read NJ's application, it is clear that it was difficult for our educational administrators to spin these categories in a positive light. The NJEA and its members have not been open to changes and have don't seem to understand that comprehensive evaluations and compensation tied to those evaluations are not only a good idea, but are vital to the future of public education in NJ.

So, we can thank the NJEA and its members for preventing NJ from receiving a single dime of the $4.35 billion of educational funding that is available. Way to go, NJEA! That money would have gone a long way toward funding programs in Ridgewood's budget and ultimately making more funds available for teachers. What a shame that they can't "see the forest through the trees" and the taxpayers will continue to pay the hefty price. Do you think the NJEA and its members will accept their responsibility for this? Not a chance! You can bet that they will find some other excuse. NJ taxpayers should be furious over this. It is indefensible. The public should no longer tolerate the NJEA's policies and this should be the straw that breaks the NJEA's back.

The article can be found at this link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704187204575101553383922336.html?KEYWORDS=education+finalists+picked

Can't Watch the Oscars who needs TV

Caught in the middle of ABC Channel 7 vs Cablevision? Here's how you can still watch the Oscars

Sunday, March 7th 2010, 1:24 PM

If you have Cablevision and ABC has gone dark on your TV, here are some alternative ways to follow tonight's Academy Awards:

ONLINE: Starting at 6 p.m., the red carpet arrivals will be streamed live online at Oscar.com. If you have a Facebook account, you can even ask some of the stars questions.

Oscar.com will also have a "Backstage Cam" showing footage from behind the scenes and press room interviews of winners after they've left the stage.

Red carpet coverage from the Associated Press will also be available at www.livestream.com/academyawards, starting at 6 p.m. The AP stream is also on Facebook: become a fan of AP Live to see it.

ABC's Oscars site has not announced plans to stream the actual ceremony live, but clips should be posted frequently at abc.com.

Clips should also show up quickly at the official Oscars YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/Oscars) and on Hulu.com

Unofficial live streaming may be available at video sites like justin.tv, tv.com, ustream.com, freedocast.com, and atdhe.net.

This Russian site claims it will carry live stream of the telecast: watch-oscar-online.com

ON A BLOG: Hundreds of sites are live-blogging the ceremony. Best bets include Entertainment Weekly, Film.com, the Onion's A.V. Club, the LA Times and, presumably, oscarsliveblog.com

ON TWITTER: search for the hashtag #oscar for a flood of news and opinion from micro-bloggers across the land.

ON YOUR IPHONE: Several free apps promise to update results as they are announced, including the AT&T Film Awards app and the Vanity Fair Hollywood app. The AP's Livestream feed can also

FROM A CUSHY THEATRE SEAT: If you have $150 and some fine duds, head to the official Oscar watching party at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. Viewers get hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and live jazz before the show and can watch the telecast from theater seats on a giant screen. The open bar runs all evening. More info at www.nycgo.com/OscarNight.

AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE: Lean on pals who have Time Warner, RCN, Verizon, a satellite dish or Direct-TV to host an Oscar party.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/03/07/2010-03-07_caught_in_the_middle_of_abc_channel_7_vs_cablevision_heres_how_you_can_still_wat.html#ixzz0hWXcHOho

Chris Christie : No Time Left, No room to Borrow and No room left to Tax

What the media forgot to tell you :

A leader opts for painful honesty in the Garden State

Ron Smith

March 5, 2010

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.smith0305,0,7737968.column

In these times of economic distress, massive job losses, shrunken businesses, bloated governments and runaway public spending, we've been waiting for some politician (other than Ron Paul) to stand and tell the truth. Politicians excel at "kicking the can down the road" -- that is, postponing the inevitable reckoning for unsustainable spending until they are either safely out of office or dead.

But behold! The newly elected governor of New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie, stood in front of 200 of his state's mayors last week and told them basically that there is no more road down which to kick that proverbial can. In his speech at the New Jersey League of Municipalities, Mr. Christie began by calling the legislature's $29 billion budget something out of "Alice in Wonderland." He told the collected hizzoners that the old game of tax and spend was over. He described unhappy meetings in his treasurer's office, where he was presented with 378 possible freezes and lapses to be used to balance the budget. He accepted 375 of them.

One would think this frank talk would get a lot of media coverage, but as important as I think it to be, the only way I learned about it was from Mike Shedlock's invaluable blog, Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis. The talk was 24 minutes long and contains blunt descriptions of New Jersey's huge fiscal problems and the necessary, painful steps that must be taken to remedy them.

"Our citizens are already the most overtaxed in America," the governor said. "U.S. mayors hear it all the time. You know that the public appetite for increasing taxes has reached an end." Later, he said, "You know, at some point, there has to be parity between what is happening in the real world and what is happening in the public sector world. The money does not grow on trees outside this building or outside your municipal building. It comes from the hard-working people of our communities who are suffering and are hurting right now.

"And so we need to get honest with each other," Mr. Christie said. "In this instance, the political class [is] lagging behind the public on this. The public is ready to hear that tough choices have to be made. They're not going to like it. Don't confuse the two. But they are ready to hear the truth." The truth is, for New Jersey and any number of other states and municipalities, it's useless to pretend; we can have no more of telling people that somebody else is going to foot the bill when that's no longer true.

"We have no time left," said the governor, "We have no room left to borrow. We have no room left to tax. So we merely have time left to do this. We are all reaching the edge of a cliff. And it reminds me a bit of that part of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' where he had the seminal decision to make. So what did they do? They held hands and jumped off the cliff. We have to hold hands at every level of government, state, county, municipal, school board. We have to hold hands and jump off the bridge."

full story :
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.smith0305,0,7737968.column

Ron Smith's column appears Fridays in The Baltimore Sun. His e-mail is rsmith@wbal.com.

The Village Council is considering a plan to add more parking at the Hudson Street municipal lot

Three options considered for Ridgewood parking lot
Thursday, March 4, 2010
BY MICHAEL SEDON
The Ridgewood News
STAFF WRITER

http://www.northjersey.com/news/86375702_Three_options_considered_for_Ridgewood_parking_lot.html

The Village Council is considering a plan to add more parking at the Hudson Street municipal lot that bears some similarities to the one previously abandoned at the North Walnut Street Redevelopment District.

At its meeting Wednesday, the council floated the idea of issuing request for proposals (RFP) to get design concepts and cost estimates for three different options at the site. The first two options would be to add one or two parking decks to the surface lots. The third would be a parking structure that would include big-box retail spaces to attract anchor stores and possibly a developer who would finance the construction in exchange for tax abatements.

"In looking over this, I’m looking for more of a [North] Walnut Street type deal, where it limits the cost to the village, but yet we receive the parking," Killion said. "In order to do that there has to be retail, and to answer some of the [Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce’s] questions about having these box stores and anchor stores to bring in business. I know the location isn’t prime, but it is in the CBD [Central Business District] area."

Killion added that if something is built at the Hudson Street site, it would have to fit in architecturally with the surrounding area.

"I don’t want to see a precast formed parking lot in the middle of the [area]," Killion said.

Councilman Paul Aronsohn requested that a study be performed that would look at the impact of additional retail in the CBD, and he asked for an explanation of the difference between a redevelopment district and a special improvement district, which are two options the council would have in moving forward.

"I think we all want parking at no cost to the village, I think that’s fair to say," Aronsohn said.

Village Attorney Matt Rogers said that the redevelopment district approach, which was taken with the North Walnut Street site, allows the municipality more leeway in dealing with potential developers regarding the building design. Also, he said, the municipality does not have to accept the lowest bidder and it could work with developers through the RFP process. The drawback is the length of the process, which involves a Planning Board review and recommendation to the council for a vote.

Declaring the Hudson Street site a special improvement district would speed up the process and could be done through a council ordinance, but the village would have little leeway in design changes and it would have to accept the lowest bidder for the project, Rogers said.

Mayor David Pfund said the village entered into discussions with the Chamber of Commerce "years ago" about a possible special improvement district, but because state statute requires that all businesses in the area would have to pay extra taxes to cover the cost, the chamber was uninterested in pursuing that option.

Councilman Pat Mancuso suggested using Hudson Street as a "measure" to find the "least expensive route and the fastest route" to get additional parking in the CBD. He said if the village’s plans for additional parking at Hudson Street are successfully carried out, the council should look to place similar parking structures at other municipal lots around the CBD.

"Add one deck [at Hudson Street], and at least demonstrate to the CBD and the residents that we are moving in that direction," Mancuso said.

Village Manager Ken Gabbert said there currently are 80 spaces at the Hudson Street lot, and an additional deck would net 70 additional spaces, for a total of 150 spaces.

Councilwoman Anne Zusy said she was in favor of adding a retail component to the project.

"I’m not so sure 150 parking spaces or 70 is going to cut it, given the residents and people who shop in town and also commuters," Zusy said.

E-mail: sedon@northjersey.com

http://www.northjersey.com/news/86375702_Three_options_considered_for_Ridgewood_parking_lot.html

NJ TRANSIT looks to boost fares 25%

NJ TRANSIT RELEASES FARE AND SERVICE PROPOSAL

Public hearings scheduled for March 25-27

March 5, 2010
NJT-10-020

NEWARK, NJ — Citing a looming $300 million budget deficit for the coming fiscal year, NJ TRANSIT today released a proposal to increase fares by 25 percent systemwide and trim service proportionate to recent ridership declines.

Under the proposal, a one-zone local bus trip or one-way ticket on Newark or River Line light rail lines would increase from $1.35 to $1.70 per ride, remaining lower than base fares on transit systems in New York ($2.25) and Philadelphia ($2.00). One-way commuter rail tickets would increase about 25 percent, subject to rounding. Rail ticket prices vary based on distance, but one-way fares would rise from a range of $1.25-$13.25 to a range $1.50-$16.50. (For example, a trip from Metropark in Iselin, NJ to New York Penn Station today is $8 and under the plan would rise to $10.) Hudson-Bergen Light Rail tickets would increase from $1.90 to $2.40 per trip.

“We recognize that any increase is a burden for our customers, particularly during a recession,” said Executive Director Jim Weinstein. “However, we have worked to keep local bus fares below the regional average and preserved some important discounts for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as for students and others who are among the most transit dependent.”

Commuters will be able to continue to take advantage of discounted travel by purchasing monthly passes, which in many cases provide a discount of 25 percent or more off full fares. The plan also continues interchangeable features that allow customers to connect between trains and buses without paying additional costs. However, off-peak roundtrip discounts—used today by about 17 percent of rail customers—would be eliminated and 10-trip bus discounts would be capped at 15 percent off the full fare price.

The plan calls for most of the changes to take effect May 1, 2010, and NJ TRANSIT expects to generate more than $140 million in revenue. The agency pointed out that with the proposed increase, fares will be three percent lower than they were in Fiscal Year 1991, based on inflation-adjusted dollars.

On the service side, NJ TRANSIT set a goal of reducing service proportionate to ridership, which has declined systemwide by about four percent as a result of the economy and low fuel prices. In all, the agency proposes to eliminate 32 of 725 commuter trains, with at least two trains scheduled for elimination on each of the system’s 11 lines. A few lines will see a handful of trains cut, mostly those that today have the greatest service frequency, such as the Northeast Corridor, which is slated for a reduction of five weekday trains. Morris and Essex line service would be reduced by seven trains on weekdays (four are off-peak), as ridership to Hoboken has declined faster than ridership to New York. Since Fiscal Year 2009, rail ridership to New York has declined about three percent, while ridership to Hoboken declined 13 percent.

“Our service plan is designed to size our service to match ridership demand,” said Weinstein. “We also looked at where we could squeeze out the most costs while impacting as few customers as possible.”

Under the plan, bus customers would experience reduced service frequency on about 50 routes systemwide. In most instances, the interval between bus arrival times will grow by a range of five to 20 minutes. NJ TRANSIT’s proposal also calls for service to be discontinued on three NJ TRANSIT bus routes (nos. 68, 134 and 138) and several local routes operated by private carriers. In addition, WHEELS minibus service would be discontinued in all counties. WHEELS is a legacy program that has exhausted its original federal funding to connect people to transit rail stations, and is underutilized in most areas, particularly in rural parts of the state.

Likewise, light rail customers will see frequency decrease under the plan. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail intervals between late night trains would extend from 20 to 30 minutes on weekdays, and redundant weekend service on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Tonnelle Avenue to Hoboken branch would be eliminated.

Frequency of Newark Light Rail service between Broad Street and Newark Penn stations would decrease during weekday midday hours from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes; Sunday service would operate every 25 minutes, rather than every 20 minutes. On the River Line, select double car trains will be operated with a single car and late-night trips between Entertainment Center and Pennsauken Route 73 stations would operate for concerts and special events only, rather than nightly, according to the proposal.

“I look forward to hearing the feedback personally from our customers at the public hearings because we need to understand the on-the-ground impacts for folks, not just how this works on paper,” said Weinstein.

The public hearings are scheduled in 11 locations across the system from March 25-27. The hearings and information sessions will be held in the evenings and on Saturday to encourage participation.

For more information: www.njtransit.com/budget

The Preserve Graydon Coalition Next Meeting Tuesday evening, March 23

Group meeting—save the date:

Tuesday evening, March 23
(time TBA)
Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center, 475 Grove St., Ridgewood

Invite a friend or neighbor who wants to learn more about why we care.

More soon.

Swimmingly,
Marcia Ringel and Suzanne Kelly, Co-Chairs
The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit corporation
“It’s clear—we love Graydon!”

info@PreserveGraydon.org www.PreserveGraydon.org

In Hong Kong, star tutors earn $1.5 million salaries

In the Hong Kong cut-throat world of Chinese education, star tutors drive Ferraris and earn $1.5-million salaries

By Isabella Steger Contributor / March 2, 2010

Their confident faces smile out from billboards across the city. Their promotional grins are plastered across double-decker buses, subway light boxes, even on TV.

In China, kindergarten costs more than college China leads surge of foreign students into US colleges Big market for tutoring These are Hong Kong's "star tutors," accorded near-celebrity status for their ability to make learning fun and help students pass exams in everything from English to chemistry.

Tutoring is common in Asia, where intense emphasis on grades and exams means parents are willing to shell out. More than half of Hong Kong's youths get assistance outside school, a recent survey found.

The industry here is especially competitive and commercialized as tutors mimic the city's showbiz industry to attract students and grab a share of the $460 million market.

"Those images of fame and stardom have been sustained and re-invented in different forms, resulting in tutors now packaging themselves as the superstars of the education sector in order to appeal to students," says Gerald Postliglione, a professor at the University of Hong Kong.

Star tutors spare no costs on publicity. Even tutors who belong to one of the four major chains here must self-promote. But successful tutors can command hundreds of students.

Those at the very top see their lives splashed across the pages of the city's gossip magazines, revealing how many luxury cars they drive or properties they own. Some reports put their salaries as high as $1.5 million a year. One English tutor, Richard Eng, is famous for his love of Ferraris.

Critics worry that the emphasis on good looks and brand names sends youths the wrong message, but some tutors say the gimmicks are indispensable – and that the results are real. "The marketing is only for attracting students – we still need to deliver to keep the students coming back," says Antonia Cheng, an English tutor at Modern Education, a major chain.

Ms. Cheng says she tries to make English fun, using interactive methods and discussing contemporary issues. Cheng gives out her phone number; many tutors also are on Facebook.

"Teachers communicate in a way we understand, unlike at school, which we find really boring," says Casper Chan, a high-schooler.

Tutors have capitalized on changes roiling the educational system since 1997, when Hong Kong reverted to China. The government introduced "mother-tongue teaching" to popularize Cantonese in the classroom, but that weakened English proficiency and was scrapped. It also recently switched to a more US-style "3-3-4" system for junior high, high school, and college. This year it introduced liberal studies in high school, to improve critical thinking skills.

"There's been a lot of confusion ... in the last few years. Tutor centers have to be result-oriented," says Trino Chan, who recently opened his own center. "When the system doesn't deliver what parents expect, they are willing to pay for tutors. This is why there will always be money to be made in tutoring in Hong Kong."

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0302/In-Hong-Kong-star-tutors-earn-1.5-million-salaries

Math Wars: The percentages of students scoring Advanced Proficient have increased the most.

Posted on Laurie Goodman's blog:

Middle School math scores are up.

At Monday night's Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Regina Botsford and Grade 6-12 Math Supervisor Dan Ilaria gave a presentation of NJASK math scores in grades 6-8, showing improvement in scores since the current Connected Math curriculum (program) was introduced. The percentages of students scoring Advanced Proficient have increased the most. This has sometimes been a popular topic of discussion throughout our math journey here in Ridgewood, so it was good to see and share some data that supports what the district has been doing with middle school math.

Click here to see the full report, which is on the District website.

As always, standardized test scores are just one measure of student learning, but it is noteworthy to see these particular scores moving in the right direction. It's also worth remembering that a textbook or program (like Connected Math) is just one element of teaching -- many other factors influence student performance, most importantly the teachers themselves. Not every change (up or down) in student test scores can be attributed to textbooks alone. In other words, news like this is good, but it's a snapshot.

NJ TRANSIT ANNOUNCES INTERNAL CUTS, SPENDING FREEZE TO HELP FILL BUDGET GAP

NJ TRANSIT ANNOUNCES INTERNAL CUTS, SPENDING FREEZE TO HELP FILL BUDGET GAP

March 2, 2010
NJT-10-019

NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT today implemented an emergency spending freeze and told employees that it will reduce its workforce by more than 200, rollback spending on retirement accounts, and cut executive salaries.

A total of more than $30 million in reductions have been identified to help solve a combined $300 million budget gap projected for FY 2010 and 2011. The force reduction represents about 2% of the total workforce, and includes both union agreement and non-agreement employees.

“These are extremely painful steps, but unavoidable ones. We must close our serious budget shortfall, and we at NJ TRANSIT must do our part by making this the leanest, most efficient agency possible, without compromising safety,” said Executive Director James Weinstein. Weinstein noted that the workforce reduction will be the deepest one-year reduction in NJ TRANSIT’s 30-year history.

Meanwhile, the corporation’s contributions to employee 401K accounts will be reduced by one-third, and executive salaries will be cut 5%. These reductions follow in the wake of hiring and salary freezes that began last year, as well as unpaid furloughs for administrative (non-agreement) employees.

NJ TRANSIT officials also have identified cost reductions in parts, fuel, utilities, and contracts that will be renegotiated to avoid escalations. The emergency spending freeze allows the agency to halt spending that is not directly tied to operations or that is not critical for safety.

The agency also is continuing to develop fare and service change plans to respond to this financial crisis. Those proposals will be announced next week.

“Unfortunately, fare and service changes will have to be a part of NJ TRANSIT’s overall response to this financial crisis,” Weinstein said. “I know this will be painful for our customers. I welcome their suggestions and ideas as well as those of the public.”

He added: “The decisions we must make will not be easy. But together we can get through this very difficult time, and NJ TRANSIT can emerge a strong, stable agency that will be ready to respond to the transit needs of New Jersey citizens.”

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

Global Warming: Europe's system for industrial carbon quotas has enriched the continent's biggest polluters

Europe's system for industrial carbon quotas has enriched the continent's biggest polluters, with ten firms together reaping permits for 2008 alone worth 500 million euros, a new report revealed.

Dominated by steel and cement makers, the same "carbon fat cats" stand to collect surplus CO2 permits that -- at current market rates -- could be worth 3.2 billion euros (4.3 billion dollars) by 2012, it said.

This is roughly equivalent to the entire EU investment in renewable energy and clean technology under its economic recovery plan, according to Sandbag, a non-profit group in Britain that analyses carbon market policy.

"Emissions trading is meant to be the central policy for cutting CO2 levels," said Anna Pearson, Sandbag's top policy analyst.

"The fact that companies are able to make large sums of money for doing nothing highlights that the trading scheme must be reformed and EU climate change target strengthened."

Under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the European Union allocates carbon polluting allowances to member states to meet obligations laid out in the UN's Kyoto Protocol, for which the first commitment period runs through 2012.

The states then assign quotas to the industries that belch the most CO2 into the atmosphere.

Companies that emit less than their allowance can sell the difference on the market to companies that exceed their limits, thus providing -- in theory -- a financial carrot to everyone to become greener.

But the energy, steel and cement sectors that dominate the system, hit by the global crunch, are emitting less CO2 than forecast, which means surplus carbon permits are flooding the market.

Among the top ten beneficiaries, steelmaker ArcelorMittal collected more than 40 percent of the 2008 excess permits, reported Sandbag.

French cement giant Lafarge got about 12 percent, with Tata steel group subsidiary Corus and Swedish steel maker SSAB-Svenskt Stal each claiming about 10 percent.

Even if the permits are not directly resold for profit, the value will still remain on the companies' books, rising or falling with the market.

Most of the permits were generated simply because the companies were allocated more free permits than they wound up using, according to the report.

"Little or no actual 'effort' toward emissions reductions need have taken place, yet these companies will be able to literally bank the profits," it said.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.6a237570be4660439e371341ae8452d5.a41&show_article=1

I have one nagging question. How would one measure Teacher 'merit' ?

I'm a teacher who sometimes posts on this blog. I have one nagging question. How would one measure 'merit'? Let's assume we're talking about an art teacher, a music teacher, etc. Is there some type of test you propose to give the kids? Would that prove the teachers' merit? What about special education teachers?

If I'm a good teacher, I may get more kids in my classes that have 504 plans and IEP's (google it) because "I can handle it" or maybe my schedule works better with the services that these kids get. Now if you test my classes, my kids would score lower overall. Do I get punished?

The second that someone can explain to me exactly HOW merit pay would work, I would jump on board. Maybe then I would finally make what I am worth.

Appellate court panel rules against teachers union

Appellate panel: State not required to pay millions toward teacher pensions

In a ruling against the state’s largest teachers union, a three-member appellate court panel Thursday said New Jersey is not constitutionally required to pay the millions it owes every year into the fund for teachers’ pensions. The decision came amid a fight in Trenton over how to fix the state’s underfunded pension plan — including a proposal that could make full funding a constitutional requirement. The New Jersey Education Association, which represents more than 200,000 workers in the state’s school systems, is considering appealing the ruling, union spokesman Steve Wollmer said. The union sued in 2003 saying their members’ pensions were at risk because the state did not pay its pension bills in full. (Fleisher, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/politics/030410_Appellate_panel_State_not_required_to_pay_millions_toward_teacher_pensions.html

Assemblyman Joe Malone unveils measure to freeze NJ public worker salaries

Lawmaker unveils measure to freeze NJ public worker salaries

A Republican lawmaker introduced legislation Thursday that would freeze the salaries of New Jersey public workers for up to three years and would keep property taxes at current levels. Assemblyman Joe Malone of Burlington County said the continued rough economy necessitated the measures he introduced. (Delli Santi, Associated Press)

http://www.app.com/article/20100304/NEWS03/100304072/Lawmaker-unveils-measure-to-freeze-state-public-worker-salaries

Senator Jim Bunning : "Pay-Go"

Why I took a stand

‘If the Senate cannot find $10 billion to pay for a measure we all support, we will never pay for anything.’
By Jim Bunning

I have been serving the citizens of Kentucky for nearly 24 years in Washington. During that time I have been a member of both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. I have taken thousands of votes in relation to spending the taxpayers' money. I will be the first one to admit that I have cast some bad votes during my tenure, and I wish I could have some of them back. For too long, both Republicans and Democrats have treated the taxpayers' money as a slush fund that does not ever end. At some point, the madness has to stop.

Over a month ago, Democrats passed and President Obama signed into law the "Pay-Go" legislation. It calls on Congress to pay for bills by not adding to our debt. It sounds like a common sense tool that would rein in government spending. Unfortunately, Pay-Go is a paper tiger. It has no teeth. I did not vote for the Democrats' Pay-Go legislation because I knew it was just a political dog-and-pony show to get some good press after some political setbacks. Since the Pay-Go rule was enacted, the national debt has gone up $244,992,297,448.11 (as of Wednesday, that is).

Why now?

Last week, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., asked to pass a 30-day extensions bill for unemployment insurance and other federal programs. Earlier in February, those extensions were included in a broader bipartisan bill that was paid for but did not meet Sen. Reid's approval, and he nixed the deal. When I saw the Democrats in Congress were going to vote on the extensions bill without paying for it and not following their own Pay-Go rules, I said enough is enough.

Many people asked me, "Why now?" My answer is, "Why not now?" Why can't a non-controversial measure in the Senate that would help those in need be paid for? If the Senate cannot find $10 billion to pay for a measure we all support, we will never pay for anything.

America is under a mountain of debt. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a hearing last month that the United States' debt is unsustainable. We are on the verge of a tipping point where America's debt will bring down our economy, and more people will join the unemployment lines. That is why I used my right as a United States Senator and objected.

Only in Washington

After four legislative days of impasse, I reached a supposed deal with Majority Leader Reid to have an up-or-down vote on a pay-for amendment that would fully fund the legislation and not add to the debt. Only minutes before the vote, Democrats used a parliamentary maneuver to set aside my amendment and not vote on the actual substance of it. Only in Washington could this happen. The Democrats did not want to vote on my amendment because they knew they were in the wrong and ignored their own rules. Hypocrisy again rules the day in Washington.

I have 40 grandchildren, and I want them to grow up in a country where they have all of the same opportunities I had as a child. I fear that they will not have those opportunities if Washington continues on its course of spending without paying for it. We are at over $12 trillion in debt. I know many Americans sit around their kitchen table and make the tough decisions. It is time for the politicians in Washington to do the same.

Jim Bunning is a Republican senator from Kentucky.

Open Space tax is being misused and that it must be cut to provide tax relief,

Yudin: McNerney stole GOP idea

Bergen County Republicans say that County Executive Dennis McNerney stole their idea to cut an open space tax because he’s facing a tough reelection battle.

“Our organization and our candidates have argued for years that the open space tax is being misused and that it must be cut to provide tax relief, but the Democrats have ignored our proposals,” said county GOP Chairman Bob Yudin in a written statement. “Now all of a sudden, when McNerney is facing a desperate election, he is trying to co-opt our ideas that he ignored for years.” 

McNerney, a Democrat, mentioned the idea in his “state of the county” address last night.
 (Friedman, PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/37369/yudin-mcnerney-stole-gop-idea N.J.

Resident Ejected From Village Council Meeting

Ridgewood Police officers were directed by Mayor David T. Pfund to escort a Linwood Avenue resident from Wednesday evening's Village Council meeting.

The individual had reportedly threatened to throw Council members down the stairs if they voted to approve the County of Bergen's plan to extend the Saddle River Area Bike Path north to Linwood Avenue.

It is not known if the individual was charged with any crime.

Parking in Graydon South Lot Will Now Cost $425 Per School Year

The time honored tradition of Ridgewood High School students being able to park for free in the Graydon South lot will soon come to an unceremonious end.

Students may thank Village Council members for this bit of bad news. Council members are still seeking to plug major gaps in the municipal budget by squeezing revenue from every possible source; an increase in permit parking fees is one of those sources.

Beginning in September of 2010, anyone wishing to park in the South Graydon Lot between the hours of 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM, from September 1 through June 30, will be required to display a permit. The permit fee for a school year will be $425.

Sixteen (16) parking spaces in the lot will be set aside for "recreational" and "Village Hall/Library" use. Parking will be limited to two (2) hours in these spots; parking in the entire Graydon North lot will also be limited to two (2) hours from September 1 through June 30.

It is time for the NJEA and school boards to agree on merit based pay

Both sides of this discussion are missing the point.

The NJEA exists to get the highest compensation/benefits and maximum number of days of with pay for its members that it can. That's it! It doesn't care about the students or the quality of education.

Now that we understand the NJEA's purpose. The question is whether the $731 that a full-time teachers pays to the union each year ($98mm in NJ annually) achieves that goal. By the teachers' own admission, the answer is "no". Every teach on this blog has complained about being underpaid in comparison to the private sector. So, clearly the private sector non-union approach allows deserving professionals to earn higher levels of compensation. If I was a good teacher, I would be angry about having my earnings potential artificially capped, in exchange for minimum guarantees. I would be angry that other teachers, who are not as qualified or as effective as me, earn as much or more than I do. I would want the opportunity for my hard work provide a higher standard of living for my family.

From the taxpayer's perspective, the current cost structure for public education and its source of funding is unsustainable. At the current rate in Ridgewood, we will see more and more service, programs, athletics and curricula cut to accommodate the NJEA's negotiated terms and meet the budget. Eventually, this leads to uncertainty about the existence of some teachers' very jobs. This is the opposite of what teachers want. Taxpayers want the best school systems for their children. That means the BEST teachers. In a free market environment, the best teachers will go where they are rewarded for their efforts and receive the best treatment. This would require school systems to compete with each other to attract the best talent. In other words, quality teachers could command the best benefits. There is no reason why the best teachers should not earn well over $100K a year.

There is a common ground here. And, the common ground does not require the abolition of the union. However, it does require that the terms of the discussion change. The nature of the workplace has evolved dramatically in the past 100 years.

Few, if any, employers can afford to cover the cost of their employees' benefits without a substantial shared financial responsibility from the employee. Yet, it is as if the people, who support the NJEA's current position, are ignoring the facts that come out of Washington every day on the healthcare debate. Costs have risen exponentially. It is unrealistic to expect the status quo to continue, without something breaking down. And, what is breaking down is the ability to fund our current level of education. So, teachers must begin to assume a greater financial responsibility for the cost of their benefits - across the board, not just with new teachers. I would argue that the majority of teachers' union dues would be better spent to help cover the cost of their family benefits.

It is time for the NJEA and school boards to agree on merit based pay. Maximum pay scales must rise and guarantees on the other end must be removed. The incentive to earn more money as a result of superior work is a powerful motivation. So is the fear of unemployment or reduced compensation. It is possible to phase this in. But, the devil is in the details and it will be a difficult transformation. This is in the best interest of teacher, students and taxpayers, alike. It must be done to salvage education in NJ.

The reality is that tenure must be abolished to allow for these changed to work. Tenure serves no legitimate purpose toward meaningfully increasing a teacher's earning potential, improving the quality of education or motivating a teacher. The natural tendency is for a teacher to view tenure as the "goal". Tenure is not particularly difficult to attain and, once attained, there is no motivation not to "coast" to retirement.

Bernadette (Bernie) Walsh, current Junior Woman’s Club of Ridgewood President, has announced that she will seek election to the Village Council

March 3, 2010

For Immediate Release:

Bernadette (Bernie) Walsh, current Junior Woman’s Club of Ridgewood President, has announced that she will seek election to the Village Council. A 13 year resident of the Village of Ridgewood, Mrs. Walsh is seeking her first term as a member of the Village Council.

Many of you have already seen me pounding the pavement for my 165 petitions needed to secure a place on the May 11th ballot. It has allowed me to hear the voices throughout Ridgewood and your support gives me even more inspiration to take on this challenge.

Ridgewood has long been an envied community for its exceptional schools, vibrant downtown and friendly atmosphere. While we all enjoy these benefits, it is imperative that we create a stronger village without the encumbrance of excessive debt.

Under strong leadership, I am confident that what the future holds for the village is: fiscal growth, responsible spending and economic recovery.

Ridgewood is my home, I have a stake in this community and its future – WE ALL DO!

For those supporters that I have missed on my walk through the village, a petition may be obtained by contacting me directly. coghlanwalsh@gmail.com

Doug Cronk and Brian Dowd announced their intention to run for the two Council seats

Dear Supporters,

Last night my husband, , and another parent active in the community, Brian Dowd, announced their intention to run for the two Council seats that we believe will be vacated this year by David Pfund and Pat Mancuso. I will forward their bios as well as their position paper, but our immediate need is to collect 165 signatures from registered voters to enable them to be candidates. Here is the text of the message that was sent last evening, and I apologize of you already received this directly:

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

We are pleased to announce that we are running for the two Village Council seats that are available this year. We feel strongly that Ridgewood is a very special town that is reaching a pivotal point in its history, and it requires responsive government. As parents of school age children who plan to make the Village our home for many years, we are committed to preserving the fabric that makes our town unique, while providing the strong leadership and business acumen needed to manage our current fiscal situation and adequately plan for our future needs.

We look forward to discussing our thoughts with you in more detail in the coming weeks, but our immediate focus is to collect the 165 signatures needed to secure a place on the May 11 ballot.

We ask for your support by having each registered voter in your home sign both petitions by Friday, March 12. The petitions can be printed from:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/nzoozdmuwmm/Petition_Cronk.pdf

http://www.mediafire.com/file/wmlnz3tmn5w/Petition_Dowd.pdf


Please note that each registered voter in your home may sign a maximum of two petitions this year. Additional nominations will be voided by the Village Clerk.

The signed petitions can be dropped at 404 Shelbourne Terrace
(mail slot located on front door), or, if you contact us, we are happy to pick them up.

Thank you very much for your support.

Sincerely,

Doug Cronk & Brian Dowd

Why a Union : Teachers are supposed to be professionals

Professionals do not need a union. In college I worked in a factory and was automatically a member of a union. More than half of my coworkers were immigrants and the working conditions were not great. I understand what the union was doing. After college I never needed a union. I did a good job, mostly because I was looking to move up and get promotions. There were financial incentives for doing a good job. A union would have removed all the incentive for me to excel. If everyone gets the same (guaranteed) raise and there is no threat of ever losing a job, why work hard? And after three years they have a job for life. This is a recipe for mediocrity.

Teachers are supposed to be professionals.

Reasearchers say Obama administration’s targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions mean gas at $7 a gallon.

March 2, 2010, 6:35 pm
Fuel Taxes Must Rise, Harvard Researchers Say
By SINDYA N. BHANOO

To meet the ,Obama administration’s targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions some researchers say, Americans may have to experience a sobering reality: gas at $7 a gallon.

To reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector 14 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, the cost of driving must simply increase, according to a forthcoming report by researchers at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

The 14 percent target was set in the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget for fiscal 2010.

In their study, the researchers devised several combinations of steps that United States policymakers might take in trying to address the heat-trapping emissions by the nation’s transportation sector, which consume 70 percent of the oil used in the United States.

Most of their models assumed an economy-wide carbon dioxide tax starting at $30 a ton in 2010 and escalating to $60 a ton in 2030. In some cases researchers also factored in tax credits for electric and hybrid vehicles, taxes on fuel or both.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/fuel-taxes-must-rise-harvard-researchers-say/

Obamacare Plan Is a Net Tax Hike of $748 Billion

Via Americans for Tax Reform:

UPDATED: Obamacare Plan Is a Net Tax Hike of $748 Billion

Many of the Tax Hikes Fall on Families Making Less Than $250,000

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the White House released President Obama's draft healthcare plan. Below is a comprehensive analysis of all the tax provisions Where possible, scores have been assigned based on earlier versions of the legislation passed by the Senate, the President's budget, and (in the case of applying the Medicare tax to unearned income) ATR staff estimates based on IRS data (all scores are 10-year estimates):

*** Overall proposal is a net tax hike of $748 billion over 10 years ***

Title I (Net tax hike of $85 billion)

Same individual credit as Senate bill (-$102 billion)
Same small business credit as Senate bill (-$38 billion)
Reinsurance program ($121 billion)
Individual and employer insurance mandate penalties ($43 billion)
Associated effects on coverage provisions ($61 billion)
Title IX (Net tax hike of $663 billion)

Corporate 1099-MISC information reporting ($17 billion): Requires businesses to send 1099-MISC information tax forms to corporations (currently limited to individuals), a huge compliance burden for small employers
Black liquor credit repeal ($24 billion): This is an excise tax hike which is contained in the President's budget

Economic substance doctrine ($4 billion): This would require taxpayers to prove to the IRS that a perfectly-legal tax deduction or strategy is "economically substantial," and not simply a way to pay less in taxes
Medicare payroll tax hike ($87 billion): Increases Medicare payroll tax rate from 2.9 percent to 3.8 percent on wages and self-employment income which exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 married)

Apply Medicare tax to unearned income ($334 billion): Would apply the current 2.9 percent Medicare tax rate to unearned income in households earning at least $200,000 or $250,000 married (interest, dividends, capital gains, rent, royalties, and passive investment in pass-throughs like S-corporations and partnerships)
Cadillac plan excise tax ($60 billion): 40 percent excise tax on health insurance plans to the extent they exceed $27,500 in cost for family plans, and $10,200 for single plans (starting in 2018)

http://www.americansforprosperity.com/022310-obamacare-plan-net-tax-hike-748-billion

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY

Greatest Science Extravaganza in Northern New Jersey
Presented at Ridgewood High School, E. Ridgewood Ave. from 9am to 1:30pm - FREE ADMISSION - Previous Presenters Are NASA & Cornell on the Mars rover Findings; Valley Hospital & Youth Fitness; Ridgewood Police & Fire; Whole Foods Nutritional Experts; Goffle Poultry Farm & Turtle Back Zoo - check out the website for updated infor www.SuperScience Saturday.org Join us at Ridgewood Middle and High School Students for a special area for you to present your projects. Meet doxens of professional presenters along with hundreds of other students also excited about science. More information - Michael Aaron Flicker 201/300-2900 or info@supersciencesaturday.org

DR. FISHBEIN'S $79 MILLION BUDGET WORKSHOP

NOTE NEW DATES FOR DR. FISHBEIN'S BUDGET WORKSHOP

School Budget 2010-11

Community Budget Workshop:
An Opportunity to Learn About the Process, Ask Questions, Make Suggestions
Hosted by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein

Two sessions:
Tuesday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m.
George Washington Middle School Auditorium

Or

Wednesday, March 10, at 1 p.m.
RHS Campus Center (parking will be allowed on Brookside Avenue)
A great opportunity for the general public and RHS students and staff!

For more information, call the Office of the Superintendent at 201-670-2700, ext. 10530

Mark Your Calendars and Plan to Attend!

the middle class is overwhelmingly made of the people, who are being milked by the NJEA's strong arm negotiating tactics

You are as clueless at Giordano. He is all about the power of the union, its $100mm war chest to buy political favors and his $270K salary with "no cost" golden benefit package - nothing more. First of all, the middle class is overwhelmingly made of the people, who are being milked by the NJEA's strong arm negotiating tactics.

Secondly, if the NJEA REALLY wanted to ensure the highest APPROPRIATE pay for teachers, they would embrace pay for merit policies, which would reward deserving teachers with pay scales that are far above what they are today and eliminated the guaranteed compensation for teachers on "autopilot". There is no question that good teachers should be well compensated.

Thirdly, if the NJEA was really interested in fostering a strong educational system in NJ (thereby ensuring long-term job security or its members) it would not endorse the same policies that have been bleeding it dry for years...just as the UAW has done in Detroit for decades. That has turned out pretty well, hasn't it?

Do you realize how ridiculous you sound when you suggest that nefarious "institutions" want to eliminate benefits or drive a knife into working class families?

The public wants healthy schools. This means content, thriving and motivated teachers. The current NJEA policies don't deliver that. What is worse, these policies provide no motivation for teachers to improve the quality of their classroom education and do so at an unrealistic cost to taxpayers, which is bankrupting NJ school systems.

Stop towing the "party line" for a few minutes and open your eyes to what the possibilities are beyond the union mentality.

Unemployment insurance fund : NO Bail out From the Feds

Menendez: Feds won't bail out unemployment insurance fund

The federal government will not bail out New Jersey’s insolvent unemployment insurance fund, but it may find ways to lessen the state’s burden, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said Monday. With 27 states having borrowed about $30 billion from the feds to pay their unemployment claims, it is "just not possible" to cover all of the costs "in this budget climate," Menendez (D-N.J.) said following a meeting of New Jersey’s congressional delegation with Governor Christie. Menendez said he would work to delay New Jersey’s interest payments, or perhaps forgive them entirely, to provide some degree of federal help. The interest payments of about $180 million would be due in 2011, state Labor Commissioner Hal Wirths said, adding "any help would be great." (Heininger, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/politics/030110_Menendez_Feds_wont_bail_out_unemployment_insurance_fund.html