Yet another lie; MVC Fees Not Going for Trooper Classes or New Helicopters as Promised

From our friends at Millennium Radio:

Motor vehicle registration fees were raised by $3 in 2006. The increase has produced about $29 million per year and was supposed to be used for new State Police Medivac helicopters and more state troopers. Thus far, not a single new helicopter has been purchased and there is no state trooper class planned for the upcoming fiscal year.

"This is why people are so against fee increases and charging things because the money doesn't go where it's supposed to be," says State Senator Steve Sweeney. "We were promised these classes would be funded. It's another broken promise……we promised the State of New Jersey when we charged these fees that we were going to put State Police on the ground to protect our communities and we're not doing that."

"I do believe that we can survive for a year without getting an additional State Police class," says State Attorney General Anne Milgram. She explains the State Police should ideally have as many as 3,400 troopers, but the agency expects to lose 200 troopers per year to retirement. Milgram admits, "We don't have what I would say is a lot of cushion right now."

Budget language that can supersede state law diverted the money to other purposes. Milgram says when the legislature adopts a budget that allows for the money to be used elsewhere, what they're really doing is amending a previous law. She says lawmakers could still pass a budget that dedicates the MVC fees to the original purposes.

Milgram says the State has been seeking manufacturer bids for as many as five new helicopters since March, but estimates it will take 18 months to deliver the helicopters once a contract is awarded. The nine State Police emergency medical helicopters currently in use are designed to fly accident victims to hospitals, but according to Milgram they've each been grounded an average of 81 days since July 1 for maintenance and repair.

Treasury Department spokesman Tom Vincz says, "Any changes to the original statutory purpose have been done through authorizing statute, and surcharge revenues have been used to support the state police." He points out that the registration fees collected have been used to buy 250 new state police vehicles and to pay for State Police salaries, medical helicopter repairs and general state expenses.

State Trooper NCO Association president Dennis Hallion says, "Do more with less now becomes do more with nothing…..I'm always concerned about how we're going to continue to fill the need for bodies for troopers that are out there."

"It's a dedication," says State Senator Kevin O'Toole, "I think that word speaks for itself…..it is just troubling that things are not as they appear."

Bucco: New COAH Map Absurd And Ridiculous

Senator Anthony Bucco asked Joe Doria, Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, in a letter today to correct huge flaws in the new Council On Affordable Housing (COAH) study. The study was intended to identify open acreage available for the construction of court mandated housing. Instead the study identified areas that are clearly closed to development. The letter is attached. Examples include:

• Parts of the Army’s Picatinny Arsenal,
• A rest area and parts of the median on Route 287,
• Areas between the runways and taxiways at Morristown airport,
• More than half of the Schiff Natural Lands Trust,
• Watersheds surrounding the Clyde Potts and Jersey City Reservoirs
• Private homeowners’ back yards

“This is absolutely ridiculous,” Bucco stated. “Let’s put houses on an airport runway or the median of 287. Better yet, develop the Picatinny Arsenal I’m sure the homeowners won’t mind the noise.

“At the very least we should get the money we paid for this study back. They used aerial photographs taken in 2002. This document needs to be fixed before it is submitted to the court this June. I look forward to working with Commissioner Doria to ensure that this seriously flawed study is fixed by then,” Bucco concluded.
April 11, 2008

Honorable Joseph V. Doria Jr.

Commissioner,

Department of Community Affairs

William M. Ashby Community Affairs Building

101 South Broad Street

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0088

Dear Commissioner Doria:

I am deeply concerned by published reports that some of the areas identified as available for development under a new Council On Affordable Housing (COAH) study are, in fact, closed to development. Some of the areas listed as open acreage in the (COAH) report include: parts of the Army’s Picatinny Arsenal, a rest area and parts of the median on Route 287, areas between the runways and taxiways at Morristown airport, more than half of the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, watersheds surrounding the Clyde Potts and Jersey City Reservoirs, and private homeowners’ back yards.

It is clear that the study conducted by Rutgers Professor Henry J. Mayer and the University of Pennsylvania is deeply flawed and must be reworked. It is vitally important that this report must be corrected before the document is submitted to the court in June. To do otherwise would be a grave disservice to municipalities across the State who have labored in good faith, for years, to comply with the arbitrary and unpredictable dictates of the council.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to speaking with you about this issue.

Sincerely,

Anthony Bucco

It's official: Unanue out, Zimmer in

Andrew Unanue, a former chief operating officer at family-run Goya Foods Inc. courted last month to run for U.S. Senate by Republican Party leaders, dropped his bid for the nomination Friday morning.

Unanue's given reason for dropping out was "extensive business commitments along with new business opportunities," and he will be replaced on the ballot in June by former U.S. Rep. Richard A. Zimmer.

"After much thought and careful consideration, I have decided to end my candidacy for U.S. Senate," Unanue said in a statement. "I made the decision to enter the race after serious deliberation and I have no regrets. My decision to withdraw is based on an equally thorough deliberation.

"The opportunity to represent the people of New Jersey is a privilege that I accepted with great honor," he said.

Unanue is now back on a skiing trip with his family in Vail, Colo., where he launched his Senate campaign from on Easter Sunday and remained until he filed papers to run this past Monday.

Along with Zimmer, state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, R-Morris, and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin are in the race to win the GOP nomination.

Pennacchio's campaign yesterday said it planned to file a complaint with the state Division of Elections challenging the validity of Unanue's candidacy and claiming he never intended to run but was merely a placeholder until another candidate was found.

Bergen County Republican Party chairman Rob Ortiz, a member of Unanue's "committee on vacancies" that chose Zimmer to take his ballot spot, said, "It's ludicrous to say that Andy filed for his candidacy in bad faith."

Michael Rispoli: mrispol@gannett.com

DOE Commissioner Lucille Davy to get grilled today about VERY questionable spending

"There are cocktail parties in the audit report,
there are administrative dinners, there are hotel costs, there are Atlantic City trips,
there are staff parties."
Davy is scheduled to testify before the Budget panel this afternoon.

Some examples of our hard earned money being spent "wisely" at:
The School District Cosa Nostra:

A review of the KPMG audit for the Union City School District (formerly known as an Abbott district) shows the following:

·One individual was paid for 14 pay periods after termination at the employee's request.
·Two individuals were paid 21 and 24 pay periods after termination.
·The audit report says that, according to the contract, school bus drivers are paid 6 hours of overtime each month in order to charge their cell phones.
·One bus driver in the 05-06 school year earned $73,125 in overtime, which accounted for 237% of the driver's base pay. In other words, the driver earned over $100,000 in wages that year.
·A bus driver in the 04-05 school year earned $61,456 in overtime, 217% of base salary.
·One bus driver in the 05-06 school year earned $51,725 in overtime, 204% of base salary.
·$150,000 for an annual lease of the Ronald Dario Swimming Complex, which was used only part-time in year 05-06; and $100,000 for 04-05, again for part-time use?
·The district spent $72,843 for cable TV spots.
·$55,000 was sent to a PR company for helping the district to prepare monthly superintendent's newsletters, which were sent out in August 2004.
·Another approximately $50,000 was expended in printing costs for 1,000 posters and 25,000 brochures.
·$32,302 was sent to a DC law firm to help the district secure grants
·$26,000 in monthly payments were made for website development. Monthly?
·The district paid $2,315 to send kids to Medieval Times. See the following link: . Medieval Times is a chain corporation, which provides dinner and a live jousting show.
·$2,600 for a staff party.
·Taxpayers spent $9,268 for hotel expenses incurred for an out-of-state administrative retreat.
·$3,476 was spent to send 28 students to visit colleges; one trip went to Boston.
·The district spent $3-K to pay for "floats for [a] Thanksgiving Day Parade."
·A firm called Furia Rubel, based out of PA, was paid big bucks from the district for PR and website development. Just singling out the period from October 2004 to February 2005, the firm received over $148,000. And the payments don't stop after that.
·A trip to a Poconos resort, paying for a "field trip" for 140 seventh graders and chaperones back in June 2004.
·$400 for a "clown show" at Gilmore school, which the auditor labeled "questionable."
·$13,411 monthly payment for 39 cell phones used by bus drivers.
·A "Cocktail Dinner" for 50 people at the Old Tapas Restaurant -- $1,150. "Food for staff."
·$21,125 for 25,000 brochures called "Keys to the City," which were sent to the entire City.
·$1,716 for an LCD flat panel TV for the HR Director's Office.
·$2,268 to the Sheraton Edison Hotel back in February 2005, which paid the tab for students and two teachers. According to the audit report, no agenda was found and they were unable to determine the purpose or necessity of the trip.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Former Republican Congressman Dick Zimmer Is Ready To Run

As millionaire businessman Andy Unanue appeared to be ending his Republican race for U.S. Senate, former Republican congressman Dick Zimmer said yesterday he is ready to run if asked by party leaders.

The 40-year-old Unanue informed his campaign staff yesterday he was quitting, three ranking Republicans with knowledge of the situation said last night. They declined to be identified because they were not authorized by Unanue to announce his intentions.

Earlier in the day, Zimmer said he had been asked to consider running for U.S. Senate and would do so if one of the three Republicans in the race dropped out.

"I got some calls from some people pretty prominent in the party, just within the last couple of days," Zimmer said. "This is a pivotal time in America history. It would be an honor to help shape our policy."

"I have to emphasize, this has not happened yet," said Zimmer, who is 63. "This depends on whether the party leadership asks me to step in."

Zimmer, now a lawyer-lobbyist in Washington, D.C., served nine years in the Legislature before winning a seat in Congress in 1990. He served three terms in the House of Representatives before seeking Bill Bradley's open U.S. Senate seat in 1996. He lost to Robert Torricelli.

Monday was the deadline for filing nominating petitions, but candidates have until next Wednesday to drop out and allow their parties' three-member committee on va cancies to name a replacement.

Bergen County Republican Chairman Rob Ortiz, who is on Unanue's committee, said yesterday a switch was a possibility.

Read the rest RIGHT HERE

Republicans will have primary in Manalapan

News Transcript - BY KATHY BARATTA and MARK ROSMAN

There will be a Republican primary in Manalapan in June as four candidates seek the nod to run for two seats on the Township Committee in the November general election.

As previously announced, Ryan Green and William Garcia were nominated by the Manalapan Republican Party to run for a pair of three-year terms. They will run under the banner of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

On April 7, which was the deadline for candidates associated with a party to file to run, Kalman “Butch” Budai Jr. and Steven Johnson filed paperwork with the Township Clerk’s Office to run under the banner of Manalapan Republicans.

The decision by Budai and Johnson to run for the committee appears to confirm behind-the-scenes maneuvers that have been taking place in Manalapan over the past week and signals a split in the Manalapan Republican Party.

Budai and Johnson were unsuccessful in their bids two weeks ago to secure the nomination of the Manalapan Republican Party to run for the Township Committee.

Municipal Clerk Rose Ann Weeden said Budai and Johnson stated their desire to have their own line on the ballot, and said they also filed candidates to seek seats on the Manalapan Republican County Committee.

The county committee is made up of residents from each voting district in the municipality and helps to select individuals to run for office.

Neither Budai nor Johnson returned messages left by the News Transcript over the weekend of April 5-6. The News Transcript was calling to ask if they were planning to force a showdown among Republican voters in the June primary.

Several Republicans confirmed to the News Transcript over the weekend that they had been approached by individuals who asked them to start a breakaway faction of Republicans.

Richard Frenkiel and his wife, Maizie, said they were solicited for membership in the new organization, but declined to join.

Richard Frenkiel is a former member of the Township Committee who served as mayor during his term of office. Both are members of the Manalapan Republican County Committee.

Maizie Frenkiel said her decision not to leave the regular Republican organization was an easy one because not only was the Manalapan Republican Party’s strength being jeopardized, she also felt the matter spoke to the loyalty of Manalapan’s registered Republicans.

“I hate to see the party split. It’s never a good thing to split the party. I understand there have been disagreements, but I wish they (reform Republican candidates) would simply run in a primary rather than starting a new party,” she said.

“I was approached to join (the Manalapan Reform Republican Party) by another (regular Republican) county committee person and I refused. I have been a member of the regular Republican Party for 30 years and a county committee person for just as long. I didn’t think it was appropriate to switch. I told them it’s a matter of loyalty,” she said.

Richard Frenkiel offered his thoughts on the idea of forming a new Republican faction, saying, “If people formed a new party every time there was a disagreement there wouldn’t be a party.”

Manalapan resident and political gadfly Rhoda Chodosh, who is a regular attendee at Township Committee meetings, has been aManalapan Republican County Committee member for two years. Chodosh said she was approached by a member of the county committee in an effort to get her to join the reform faction.

She said she refused the offer, saying her reason for doing so was also about party loyalty.

“I’m staying where I am because I want strong Republicans in Manalapan. Being on the county committee is not only about the municipal level. It’s more than just the one - I look at the whole, the greater good of the party.”

Manalapan Republican Party Chairman Stephen McEnery said, “The Republican Party is made up of individuals who want to work toward making Manalapan a better place for their families.Whenever a splinter group forms, chaos develops and family focus disappears. Friends and neighbors start to distrust each other and sometimes become enemies. It has happened in Howell,Marlboro,Wall and other towns that have lost their focus.When two parties debate on issues it’s about beliefs. When a party splits it’s not about beliefs, it’s about ego.

“Ego exists through all levels of politics, but when it becomes just about ego with little regard for the township, the residents need to reject that behavior. When people such as Butch Budai, who was the low vote-getter at our convention, uses his position as a party boss to bring people together for him, it’s called a gang, not a party.

“The Republican County Committee in Manalapan had an election for candidates and some people lost. Such is life. But this is not Steve McEnery’s party, it’s simply the Republican Party of Manalapan. It was here long before I was elected chairman and it will be here long after I’m gone.”

Howell: Republicans may be unopposed

Two former Republican Planning Board members were the only ones who filed to run for mayor and a seat on the Township Council Monday; although an independent councilman indicated that he may still enter the race for mayor in June.

Republican Russell F. Bohlin of Belmar Boulevard filed to run as mayor to replace current Republican Mayor Joseph DiBella, who chose not to seek re-election. Republican Paul Schneider, a former Planning Board chairman, filed to run for the Township Council for the seat currently held by GOP Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker, who also is not running for re-election.

No Democrats or independents filed to run for either post. Three of the four council seats in Howell are currently held by independents.

Bohlin said he believes he can bring a fresh perspective to the challenges facing the township. "I know I can make a difference," the 55-year-old said of his decision to run for mayor.

Bohlin, who first drew public attention in 2005 for leading a challenge on behalf of 61 neighbors against a residential developer, recently championed an opposition to the rezoning of a mobile home park.

"I constantly advocated to minimize the impact of development proposals on neighboring residents and the community as a whole," Bohlin said of his time on the Planning Board.

While he currently has no opponents in the November election, that could change. Independent Councilman Robert Walsh, who served as deputy mayor last year, said he has not made a decision as to whether or not he will run for mayor but that he will decide before the June primary.

Schneider also will run uncontested in the Republican primary for the open council seat. Appointed to a number of township panels and commissions dating back to the late 1950s, Schneider said that now that he has retired from his job as director of a pharmaceutical chain, he can devote what he calls the necessary time needed to sit on the township's governing body.

"I consider this position on council as more time consuming," said Schneider, who served on the township's now defunct Board of Health from 1958 to 1985, helped to establish the township's Shade Tree Commission in 1967 and was also a member of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the township's Mobile Home Rent Control Board and Environmental Commission, as well as professional associations.

No Democrats filed for either the mayor or council position before the Monday deadline, although a nominee could emerge through write-in votes.

"We had a few prospective candidates, but at the end of the day no one wanted to run," said Democratic Club President Steven Morlino.

Manalapan/Englishtown: Teachers picket school board

More than 150 teachers — carrying signs with slogans such as "No contract, still working, always caring" — protested outside Manalapan-Englishtown Regional Schools' Main Street administration offices Monday, urging district officials to settle contract negotiations as soon as possible.

Among sticking points in the negotiations are salary and benefits, said teachers of the Manalapan-Englishtown Education Association, who have been working without a contract since June.

But district officials, who did not wish to discuss specifics Monday, said they've offered a fair settlement that teachers won't accept.

Association President Ken Weber, a teacher at Pine Brook School, said in his recollection the kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district has settled a contract only once before it expired in his 30-plus years working there.

"I'd like someone to explain why it's fair to offer teachers in Manalapan the second lowest increase in the county," Weber said before the demonstration, which preceded a fact-finding session at administration offices Monday night. "If someone can explain to us how that's fair, we'll take a look at it."

The district is offering teachers below the 4.64 percent average 2007-08 salary increase in Monmouth County, Weber said, although he would not divulge what the number was. He was flanked during the protest by New Jersey Education Association President Joyce Powell, who attended the rally to lend her support to the association's cause.

(Just for the record, I got a raise of 3% and was very happy)

Wasteful Spending Raises Questions About Universal Health Plan

Questions about whether the state could manage a health insurance program for all residents.

An audit of New Jersey's health care programs for the poor found
examples of wasteful spending.

The audit found people earning nearly $300,000 per year enrolled
in a program meant for working poor parents and their children.

It found the state paying more than $2 million for medical
equipment that should have been paid for by nursing facilities.

The audit comes as some legislators push a plan that calls for
expanding health care programs for the poor and offering state-run health insurance for other residents by 2011.

HAVE YOU SIGNED THE RECALLCORZINENOW PETITION YET???

FIND A NOTARY...
DOWNLOAD THE PETITION...
LET'S GET IT DONE CITIZENS!!!

No need to go crazy - even if you just get
yours and your voting household
to sign the petition - we can do this!!

Clean Energy Program: Something Stinking at the B-PU. The State Is Not Mailing Out Rebate Checks

The State of NJ continues to write the book on mismanagement - this time its the rebate checks that are just not making it to the mailboxes; unfortunately no-one can explain why, but the likely truth, is that anyone appointed by Fox is incapable of putting a check in the mail...

The State of New Jersey has been recognized as a leader in promoting solar power, thanks in large measure to a generous rebate program that's run by the Board of Public Utilities Office of Clean Energy, unfortunately there's a serious problem that threatens the whole program.

It seems rebate checks are not being mailed out in a timely manner, and that's causing a domino effect of negativity for individual homeowners as well as solar installation companies.

Shannon Whitworth, the Director of Operations for The Solar Center in Denville says her company, like many others, is stuck in limbo - unable to begin any new projects for customers "because we've hit our credit limit with our distributors- because the State has not paid rebates for customers previously installed in the past."

She says the State owes her firm more than 1-point-3 million dollars, but to this point, no one can figure out why the checks aren't in the mail.

"We meet with them on a regular basis…we tell them how stressed the industry is- but we're not getting a lot of response…we just don't get any straightforward answers….we're facing potentially laying off half of our staff, because we cannot sustain without the rebates payments coming quickly."

Whitworth adds many solar installation companies have gone out of business because of the financial problems caused in part by the BPU's handling of the rebate program, "but no one can explain why."

She says this is causing another problem - homeowners who have been approved for rebates can't find a company to do the work within the specified time before their rebates expire.

A spokeswoman for the BPU says - in an e-mail message- the difficulty was caused by a change-over to a new online billing system which created a backlog, but the problem has now been resolved. (after $650,000 and a year later - the system does not work.. yeah right)

She says "The Clean Energy Program apologizes to our valued customers for this delay, and thanks them for their patience."

She adds the Office of Clean Energy is going to recommend that rebate deadlines be extended 90 days, so customers can be assured they can install their desired solar system - and get their rebate - without a problem.

Another Fine Mess by our State Government: People earning as much as $295,000 are enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program.

State Department of Human Services failed to properly oversee a special health care program for the poor.

In another example of why New Jerseyans generally don't trust the government in Trenton with their money, a state auditor on Monday said the state Department of Human Services failed to properly oversee a special health care program for the poor, allowing ineligible residents to score subsidized health care.

People earning as much as $295,000 are enrolled in the NJ FamilyCare program which is designed for working poor families. The state auditor found vendors aren't performing eligibility checks and the state isn't checking applications for unreported income. The state also failed to try to collect $4.6 million owed to the program by 16,300 people who were disenrolled.

State Senator Barbara Buono, the Democratic chairwoman of the Senate's Budget Committee, was furious with the findings in the audit and called for hearings.

"What really bothers me is that I have people calling my legislative office every single day who are trying to qualify for FamilyCare and maybe miss out by one hundred dollars. And then for the Division to essentially defend the procedures they have in place when they clearly aren't doing the job is just beyond belief," said Buono, in an interview with Millennium Radio.

The audit found at least three people with self-employment incomes of $295,000, $186,000 and $177,700 enrolled in the program.

A Department of Human Services spokeswoman told Millennium Radio the problems stem from the process in which people apply for the program. Residents are allowed to self-report income, and the spokeswoman said there are obstacles to checking if the reports are accurate.
The Associated Press also reported some of the other findings:

-- About 13,000 participants weren't sent renewal applications as of September, though regulations require eligibility be determined annually. The audit found $43.1 million was paid to these participants from July 2005 to September without knowing if they
remain eligible.

-- Some beneficiaries failed to report all income on FamilyCare applications, including income earned through self-employment, rentals, interest and dividends. Applicants authorize the program to match applications with their tax return, but the state isn't
checking all tax files.

-- Auditors found nearly 7,000 cases where the applicant reported $10,000 or more in self-employment income on their 2006 tax return, including those who failed to report self-employment incomes of $295,000, $186,000 and $177,700 on their NJ FamilyCare
applications.

Corzine's Ratings continue to slip... now Corzine "the person" rating is tailspinning too.

The Governor's favorable rating which is a general impression of the person rather than approval of the job he does is finally catching on just like his toll hike plan - 38% say they have a favorable impression of the Governor.

"66% say the state is headed in the wrong direction and that is a new high," says Fairleigh Dickinson University-Public Mind poll director Peter Woolley. Just 26% say the state is off on the right direction.

In the new poll out today, the public splits over the Governor's performance with 44% approving and 45% disapproving, similar to his 42%-43% showing in February, but Woolley points out, "Back in October he had an approval rating of 51% against just 29% disapproving so, things really have changed."

Also changed is the Governor's favorable rating which is a general impression of the person rather than approval of the job he does. Woolley explains, "38% say they have a favorable impression of the Governor. 52% say their impression is unfavorable…..For a long time voters have given Jon Corzine high personal marks even if they didn't approve of this or that proposal. He may have come to the end of that good will."

"77% think their property taxes will increase in the coming year; and 43% say their (property) taxes will increase 'a lot,'" says Woolley. That's an increase of 10 percentage points from the same question asked a year ago. It is not a partisan issue. Nearly half of Republicans (48%) expect their property taxes to increase "a lot," nearly as many Democrats (41%) expect the same.

Just shy of half of New Jersey voters say they prefer "very steep budget cuts" to other possible options such as raising highway tolls or the gas tax or the income tax. Before the Governor announced his deep budget cuts, 51% said they preferred cuts. "The blood and gore of the budget cuts has not yet shaken voters even though the lobbyists are swinging into high season," says Woolley.

Staunch opposition remains to the Governor's proposal to restructure the state's finances by issuing bonds against an 800% toll increase. 60% oppose the plan, including half of Democrats (51%), three of five independents (62%), and most Republicans (70%). Woolley says, "How the budget cuts play to Democratic voters is key to the Governor's success or failure in the legislature."

The poll of 816 New Jersey registered voters statewide was conducted from March 24 through March 30 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.