Mayor Santos, Corzine, to Blame for years of spending

[Guest BriBaby]

I would like to hand power over to people who will actually get things done; who will follow through on development plans, who will be more creative and innovative, who will take actions and make decisions rather than rely on an army of attorneys for guidance and opinions; I prefer to hand power over to others who will lead rather than float aimlessly in the muddle of indecision.

Instead of repetitive nothingness I would like to see progress.

Why don't you run for office then? Or do you not have any idea of how municipal government works? Attorneys, auditors, accountants and all the people who provide guidance are necessary. Do you think that the CEO's of major corporations do the job all by themselves?

And creativity and innovation cost money. From where would you like us to get it?

No one is a fan of taxes and, yes, ours are on the high side here in the great state of NJ. But for all of the people who whine and complain that taxes are too high, I have yet to hear a viable plan to turn things around. Every candidate for governor for the past 20 years has stated that he/she will lower taxes and NOT ONE has been able to follow through. Why? Because after they get in office they realize that the programs they say they will cut to lower taxes are, for the most part, also necessary. And cutting them will almost ensure that they will lose the next election. And yet, year after year, cutting taxes is the issue that the candidates talk about most in their campaigns. And we keep falling for it.

For once, I'd like a candidate to say, "things cost money. If you want the services that you, the voters, deem as necessary, we have to raise the money to provide those services. We can cut spending only so much.....or do you not want enough police and fireman protecting our communities? Do you not want your children to get a good education? If you happen to lose your job through no fault of your own, would you like to receive unemployment benefits....or should we just sit back and let you lose your home and possessions?"

But we don't hear the hard truths....instead we hear, "I will lower your taxes."

Things cost money people. Get over it or come up with a viable plan.

[wu-su]

With all due respect, the people of Kearny have voted for Democrats because we believe the Democrats that have run for these offices are preferable to the Republicans. If the Republicans wish to change the situation, then they must put up candidates who gain the people's trust by offering us a more appealing alternative.

More often than not the Democrats do not have Republican opposition, so yes, the Republicans do need to put up candidates who offer viable alternatives.

Perhaps this run by John Leadbeater will provide the impetus that leads to a resurgence of Kearny's Republican Party.

[wu-su]

Since you haven't addressed any of the facts in the posting above, there's no use in trying to reason with you.

I'm not praising Santos. I'm trying to explain the complexity of the bat factory property.

I understand there were several opportunities for Santos to guide or take the lead towards development of the bat factory, but he let these opportunities slip by him. Why couldn't he make a decision; wasn't any proposal good enough for him? What was he looking for a Short Hills retail and condo development? Because of his indecisino we now have this situation with trustees, a situation that could have been avoided had the Mayor been a leader.

[wu-su]

Why don't you run for office then? Or do you not have any idea of how municipal government works? Attorneys, auditors, accountants and all the people who provide guidance are necessary. Do you think that the CEO's of major corporations do the job all by themselves?

And creativity and innovation cost money. From where would you like us to get it?

No one is a fan of taxes and, yes, ours are on the high side here in the great state of NJ. But for all of the people who whine and complain that taxes are too high, I have yet to hear a viable plan to turn things around. Every candidate for governor for the past 20 years has stated that he/she will lower taxes and NOT ONE has been able to follow through. Why? Because after they get in office they realize that the programs they say they will cut to lower taxes are, for the most part, also necessary. And cutting them will almost ensure that they will lose the next election. And yet, year after year, cutting taxes is the issue that the candidates talk about most in their campaigns. And we keep falling for it.

For once, I'd like a candidate to say, "things cost money. If you want the services that you, the voters, deem as necessary, we have to raise the money to provide those services. We can cut spending only so much.....or do you not want enough police and fireman protecting our communities? Do you not want your children to get a good education? If you happen to lose your job through no fault of your own, would you like to receive unemployment benefits....or should we just sit back and let you lose your home and possessions?"

But we don't hear the hard truths....instead we hear, "I will lower your taxes."

Things cost money people. Get over it or come up with a viable plan.

Although it may not be something I want to admit, I am somewhat aware of the workings of government; at least enough to know a little about the roles of professionals. My point is that Kearny doesn’t need the army of attorneys that the town seems to have paid during the course of the past year, particularly since they have three or four appointed attorneys. I have been told that spending on legal fees is excessive. In fact, I recently heard, and have yet to verify the information, that one firm, handling one case was paid over $600,000 last year and has received more money this year?

Or why pay over $100,000 to an accounting firm when the town has a finance department? Or why exorbitant payments to the town engineer on a project by project basis when the engineer already receives a more than reasonable amount of money through the firm’s contract; what’s the contract for anyway and what it covers? Or why a security firm is hired to patrol the Gunnell Oval when the town has a police department, and if there is trouble, the security firm calls the police anyway?

Excesses and waste, that’s the point I’m trying to make; not the fact that professionals have to be hired and paid to run government efficiently. How many of these professionals have ties to Hudson County or are cronies of Hudson County political leaders?

Where is the oversight when the Council is seemingly controlled by the Mayor, where is the oversight when the Business Administrator is seemingly controlled by the Mayor, where is the oversight, the checks and balances?

I would think that without a system of checks and balances, without more oversight of spending practices to control excesses and waste, taxes will continue rise.

A plan? Great idea, let’s use this forum to collectively formulate a plan.

[Guest BriBaby]

Or why pay over $100,000 to an accounting firm when the town has a finance department?

Because an independent auditor is required by law. And it costs lots of money to review the books for a multi-million dollar municipal operation.

Are there excesses? Most likely, yes. I agree that expenses should be reviewed very closely. I also can't stand when contractors are paid a ton of money before they even start to do any work. And then it seems to take forever for the projects to be completed. Annoying, yes. Illegal, no. Something to be reviewed, definitely!

[Guest Guest]

Because an independent auditor is required by law. And it costs lots of money to review the books for a multi-million dollar municipal operation.

Are there excesses? Most likely, yes. I agree that expenses should be reviewed very closely. I also can't stand when contractors are paid a ton of money before they even start to do any work. And then it seems to take forever for the projects to be completed. Annoying, yes. Illegal, no. Something to be reviewed, definitely!

We should be auditing the BOE and seeing where there spending all the money there getting.

[Guest Town Watch]

We should be auditing the BOE and seeing where there spending all the money there getting.

No Sign of Mayor Santos walking the streets. Is he hiding behind the great wall of the Town Hall, or is he afraid of what the taxpayers think of him and how he raised property taxes every single year he has been Mayor? If it were me I'd be afraid to walk too!!!!!

[Guest Guest]

No Sign of Mayor Santos walking the streets. Is he hiding behind the great wall of the Town Hall, or is he afraid of what the taxpayers think of him and how he raised property taxes every single year he has been Mayor? If it were me I'd be afraid to walk too!!!!!

You don't know what you're talking about. Just because you make a remark like that doesn't make it true. Al is spending more time talking to citizens than his opponent. He's also spending a lot of time doing something Leadbeater isn't doing: governing Kearny.

[Guest SmKat]

The problem is that the Republicans in town keep running the same old hacks to displace the Democrats. How many times did Hal Delaney run for Mayor? Campbell for council? Leadbeater for whatever he could?

They haven't won in the past and they won't this year either. Time for the Republicans in town to recruit viable candidates. Delaney was the most decent of the bunch. Campbell is known around town as a persistent whiner and Leadbeater is the guy who just doesn't know when to quit.

[Guest guest]

The problem is that the Republicans in town keep running the same old hacks to displace the Democrats. How many times did Hal Delaney run for Mayor? Campbell for council? Leadbeater for whatever he could?

They haven't won in the past and they won't this year either. Time for the Republicans in town to recruit viable candidates. Delaney was the most decent of the bunch. Campbell is known around town as a persistent whiner and Leadbeater is the guy who just doesn't know when to quit.

What year was Delaney?Campbell got elected to the KBOE!Leadbeater just does not know when to quit,just tells me one thing LEADBEATER CARES ABOUT KEARNY.Thanks smkat for showing us how our votes were wasted in past elections.LEADBEATER-CAMPBELL- CHRISTIE ALL THE WAY.

[Guest SmKat]

What year was Delaney?Campbell got elected to the KBOE!Leadbeater just does not know when to quit,just tells me one thing LEADBEATER CARES ABOUT KEARNY.Thanks smkat for showing us how our votes were wasted in past elections.LEADBEATER-CAMPBELL- CHRISTIE ALL THE WAY.

Delaney ran against Mayor Santos at least twice. Wow, for someone who accuses me of telling you that you "wasted" past votes, for you to not even know who you voted for in the past is pretty sad.

Campbell has been in Kearny politics for many years. He has run for every office available. I've seen his name on so many ballots in past years that I've lost count.

[Guest Guest]

Delaney ran against Mayor Santos at least twice. Wow, for someone who accuses me of telling you that you "wasted" past votes, for you to not even know who you voted for in the past is pretty sad.

Campbell has been in Kearny politics for many years. He has run for every office available. I've seen his name on so many ballots in past years that I've lost count.

Again let me ask when,what year did Delaney run against Santos?As for Campbell your point is?

[Guest SmKat]

Again let me ask when,what year did Delaney run against Santos?As for Campbell your point is?

Delaney ran against Mayor Santos in 2001.

My point about Campbell is pretty easy to understand. But since you can't, I'll spell it out for you - he's been around a long time, has run for a lot of elected offices, and is a spoiler. Being elected to the Kearny Board of Ed (elections that usually have an almost embarrassingly low turnout) isn't exactly an electoral accomplishment.

[Guest Guest]

Delaney ran against Mayor Santos in 2001.

My point about Campbell is pretty easy to understand. But since you can't, I'll spell it out for you - he's been around a long time, has run for a lot of elected offices, and is a spoiler. Being elected to the Kearny Board of Ed (elections that usually have an almost embarrassingly low turnout) isn't exactly an electoral accomplishment.

Who the hell is DELANEY?I think you my friend should get your facts straight.

[Guest SmKat]

Who the hell is DELANEY?I think you my friend should get your facts straight.

Here are the facts. Harold "Hal" Delaney is a Kearny resident who was the Republican nominee for Mayor of Kearny in 2001. He lost to Mayor Al Santos in the general election.

You can verify all of this by getting election results from the Hudson County Clerk's office and downloading the 2001 general election archive by visiting www.hudsoncountyclerk.org. Then click on Elections. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and download the 2001 general election .pdf and look at page 21.

Is that simple enough for you to follow?

[Guest Town Watch]

Who are you kidding????? Taxes have gone up nearly 70% since the mayor took office. It must be so nice to have 2 WONDERFUL WOMEN, working for the mayor, who keep responding for him. In fact the mayor quietly took 2 million dollars to reopen the Keegan Landfill and has not budgeted for the over 7 million still owed to the police and fire pension system. Where is this years budget at????? Will it contain the repayment to the pension????? Or is it just a gimmick to get through the election????? Inquiring minds want to know

The MAYOR needs to go on record. Will there be layoffs and a major tax increase next year if he is elected???????

[Guest guest]

The MAYOR needs to go on record. Will there be layoffs and a major tax increase next year if he is elected???????

Why would you believe anything this mayor says? He has raised taxes 9 times and in an election year he tells us we have a surplus. Sound strange to you? It should but then again DArco does all his stories ,right Joe?

[Guest Guest]

I hope Lead 1 does get elected as mayor. The comedy will be priceless.

[Guest Guest]

Why would you believe anything this mayor says? He has raised taxes 9 times and in an election year he tells us we have a surplus. Sound strange to you? It should but then again DArco does all his stories ,right Joe?

What would Leadbeater have done differently? If he wants the job, he should know and he should tell us. Where are the cuts going to come from? He can't touch the 64% of the budget that goes to the schools and the county. That's where most of your increases have come from.

So where can he cut? Fewer police officers? Lower pay for the firefighters? Let the roads deteriorate instead of repaving them?

He won't tell you. That's because he has no plan, and if he has no plan, then he can't do it without making a complete mess, like Vartan did.

This isn't a claim. It's a fact. He has no plan for cutting taxes. If he had a plan (if he knew how to do it), he would say "let's cut here and here and here and here." He hasn't done that. He's just telling you what he thinks you want to hear. He has no plan to make it happen. If he did, he would have told us what it was.

[Guest Guest]

What would Leadbeater have done differently? If he wants the job, he should know and he should tell us. Where are the cuts going to come from? He can't touch the 64% of the budget that goes to the schools and the county. That's where most of your increases have come from.

So where can he cut? Fewer police officers? Lower pay for the firefighters? Let the roads deteriorate instead of repaving them?

He won't tell you. That's because he has no plan, and if he has no plan, then he can't do it without making a complete mess, like Vartan did.

This isn't a claim. It's a fact. He has no plan for cutting taxes. If he had a plan (if he knew how to do it), he would say "let's cut here and here and here and here." He hasn't done that. He's just telling you what he thinks you want to hear. He has no plan to make it happen. If he did, he would have told us what it was.

Read the observer.(10/28/09).Get rid of mayors aides,too many lawyers,1 recreation supervisor, DE ARCO THE B.A. That would save the TOWN BIG MONEY.

[Guest Town Watch]

Had Enough Taxpayers of Kearny, Its time to let your voices be heard. Mayor Santos is a career politican who in his years as Mayor has managed to secure a high paying job working for the county, the same county he denounced years ago. While gas prices continue to rise he gets an expense account and county vehicle. Our Taxes have increased every year he has been Mayor. Its time to make a clean sweep and throw him and everyone on his council out of office in November. One party goverment doesn't work in Kearny. Come One, Come All, Let your Vote count. Mayor Santos, In to Long!!!! ITS TIME FOR HIM AND HIS COUNCILPEOPLE TO GO!!!!!!!!!!

Its PROPERTY TAXES STUPID. Again we ask the question "ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE 4 YEARS AGO". Did Mayor Santos make it better for you and your family? Are you struggling to pay your mortgage and your bills? Forget about the LIES that they tell about Leadbeater that take you away from the important issues that have put this town in the worse financial conditon in its history. The bottom line is the MAYOR PROMISED TO CONTROL PROPERTY TAXES, HE DIDN'T!!!! Sadly services have been reduced while TAXES have increased every year he has been Mayor, When you go into vote on Tuesday remember what this Mayor promised and failed to deliver and what he said he would do, Enough with the dog and pony shows, lets elect someone different like JOHN LEADBEATER and give somebody else a chance to tackle this difficult Property Tax Issue. Mayor Santos FAILED, where John Leadbeater if given the chance could make Kearny affordable again.

[Guest Guest]

Its PROPERTY TAXES STUPID. Again we ask the question "ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE 4 YEARS AGO". Did Mayor Santos make it better for you and your family? Are you struggling to pay your mortgage and your bills? Forget about the LIES that they tell about Leadbeater that take you away from the important issues that have put this town in the worse financial conditon in its history. The bottom line is the MAYOR PROMISED TO CONTROL PROPERTY TAXES, HE DIDN'T!!!! Sadly services have been reduced while TAXES have increased every year he has been Mayor, When you go into vote on Tuesday remember what this Mayor promised and failed to deliver and what he said he would do, Enough with the dog and pony shows, lets elect someone different like JOHN LEADBEATER and give somebody else a chance to tackle this difficult Property Tax Issue. Mayor Santos FAILED, where John Leadbeater if given the chance could make Kearny affordable again.

First off the criticisms against Leadbeater are not lies. They are based on his own words. When a man doesn't know better than to promise to settle all union contracts by a certain time, no matter what the terms might be, he can't be mayor. If you put all his promises together, they won't lower your taxes. That's why he won't tell you how much money he could save: it doesn't amount to anything, even if he could do it all, which he can't.

Second, yes Al Santos has made our lives better. Instead of facing financial problems like surrounding towns, we have a $5 million dollar surplus thanks to good government by Al Santos and the council. He has made many improvements in our streets and around town. He has made necessary investments in sewers and pump stations. He has attracted new investment into the community. That requires a mayor who knows what he is doing. Al Santos does. John Leadbeater does not.

It's always easy to blame somebody. But the last time we did that and the Republicans had control, they made a complete mess of everything and cost us a lot of money. If they were bringing in new people with new ideas, they might be competitive. But Leadbeater is one of the people who screwed us up last time. Vote for him? I don't think so!

[Guest Guest]

Read the observer.(10/28/09).Get rid of mayors aides,too many lawyers,1 recreation supervisor, DE ARCO THE B.A. That would save the TOWN BIG MONEY.

It would save about ten dollars a person, even if it could all be done. Governing a town is for grown-ups. It's not for people who make big promises they don't understand and can't keep. I'm voting for Santos and Doyle.

[Guest Long Time Kearny Taxpayer]

Had Enough Taxpayers of Kearny, Its time to let your voices be heard. Mayor Santos is a career politican who in his years as Mayor has managed to secure a high paying job working for the county, the same county he denounced years ago. While gas prices continue to rise he gets an expense account and county vehicle. Our Taxes have increased every year he has been Mayor. Its time to make a clean sweep and throw him and everyone on his council out of office in November. One party goverment doesn't work in Kearny. Come One, Come All, Let your Vote count. Mayor Santos, In to Long!!!! ITS TIME FOR HIM AND HIS COUNCILPEOPLE TO GO!!!!!!!!!!

That's all this Mayor has done since he has been in office, and now things have caught up to him and is buddies on the council. Who suffers for this mismanagement, The police and fire departments and town workers, and most of all The Taxpayers of Kearny that will pay more taxes this year and will get much less service than ever before. This is the kind of representation you want from Town goverment. Its time for a petition drive to recall this entire Mayor and Council before this becomes an even worse sitution than it is already.