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Guest *Harrisonian*

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you got to be kidding ? there is more corruption in the Mc Cormicks life than all of the council and mayor , the McCormicks have practiced the art of deception and have mastered their game, sidestepping laws and rules that we all have to abide by. they don't pay their taxes like you or me and required permits that you and me are required to obtain is a joke to them. How can they correct the problems the town has , being one of the problems the town and yes it's citizens have to tolerate.

Typical McDonough brainwashed follower response. Organized corruption is what we have now so keep the current mobster in office and Harrison will be fine yeah right. The voters will have there say on November 2nd so get ready for a change the fat man is done.

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vote maria in???? she is a joke!!!! biggest partier around yet has the balls to criticize and judge others. someone ought to take a good look into her past and see who the real maria is :lol:

Who is she judgeing? whats her past about? did she get around? Who cares she talks to everyone she meets and very personable and honest.

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Who is she judgeing? whats her past about? did she get around? Who cares she talks to everyone she meets and very personable and honest.

The McComic ticket! What a joke the only ticket they have is several for illegal construction! Some people just never learn or think they can still get away with their crap. These two are much worse than what we now have in office!

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It is time for the campaigns to start. Let's see if Steve and Maria McCormick can actually run a campaign without the assistance of the guys who helped them get elected in the first place.

Can McDonough pull another four years out of his hat. He quit and then changed his mind. Does he have the stamina to run a door to door campaign. Can he sit through a council meeting when the McCormicks ask him questions?

How is McCormick going to handle the fact that Millan is his opponent in the 2nd ward? Can Millan gather his troops and regain his council seat after sitting out for four years on the sidelines.

Two months to election day. May the best man/woman win.

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Guest Joe Smith

Bonnie & Clyde sound good to me! My taxes just went up $240 in one quarter! Out with the old! They are all done. We need all new.

the mccormicks will raise your taxes too. even though i'm voting for them, i dont like them. the only reason they have my vote is because they are minor pieces of $h!t, while fat ray is a lying fake sleazy trash picking bastard. the only option is to get maria in and vote her out in one term.

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Interested to see how Maria works out for you. She can't pay her mortgages and taxes and you think she qualified to run our town? I DON'T THINK SO!!!

Once she is elected she can do what Dolaghan and the rest of them do, put every relative, friend, and campaigner, on the payroll. Then she will be able to pay all of her bills. Most members of the council could be considered unemployable if it wasn't for politics. Only in America can a person like Dolaghan, with little education, no experience, and no common sense step into a $100,000 a year job.

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Interested to see how Maria works out for you. She can't pay her mortgages and taxes and you think she qualified to run our town? I DON'T THINK SO!!!

Thanks. I'm interested as well to see how Maria works out. That's why we will be voting for her. She can't be any worse than McDumb and Co. I wonder what made him hire some of the people he put on the payroll. Many of whom have no experience, qualifications or character. They only know how to shake their heads up and down.

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Not sure who the bigger joker is Maria "the mouth" or Steve "Stevie boy" the brains of the outfit?!?! Can't imagine either as Mayor, yet they make good politicians (seeing it's the second oldest profession).

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I think the signage issue is part and parcel of a larger more pervasive attitude of the Democratic machine in power. It would have been simple to rescind the ordinance by taking it to a vote. It's not like they didn't have the votes; the majority of the council is on all on the campaign signs. Instead they come up with this ridiculous freedom of speech argument after polling - guess who - the very people on the signs. And of course it's secret polling because they didn't bother polling the McCormicks - and the ordinance is only 12 years old. They do these things just to prove that they don't have to follow the rules. It would have been easy to do, but for them it's more fun to show they don't have to.

This sense of entitlement will only change when you vote them out. Only then will the taxpayer find out what has happened to their money. Right now they just refuse to share information. Even with OPRA requests they stall and deliberately "misunderstand" what information you have requested. As long as the Democratic machine has a lock on town politics, we will keep sinking into debt and the money will flow to the entitled class.

The Mayor and his posse constantly drone on about how much they've "given" the town, and we little people are constantly told how much we owe them. Well we have a message to send. The people don't owe the politicians; the POLITICIANS OWE US. This is supposed to be public service gig, not a privately owned family business. Jobs should be awarded after careful scrutiny to the most qualified people - not to the "Funny Uncle" or the "Good-for-Nothing Brother-in Law". We the people need to seize control. We need to seek out the best advice and verify how other towns and small cities have turned things around. We need to elect people who are not so arrogant that they destroy anyone that questions their actions. Their contempt for the people cannot be overstated.

I personally never criticize a policy or decision unless I have an alternative suggestion or proposal. I have been rebuffed or ignored at every turn. No reason given, no acknowledgement of my ideas - even to refute them. I don't mind a debate, at least I can defend my position. Instead they just ignore you, blindly digging our financial hole deeper. I, and the rest of the Independents for Change candidates, welcome a free and open exchange of ideas - it is only by making sure our ideas can stand up to criticism that we know we are going in the right direction.

Please check out our website independentsforchangeharrisonnj.org. Take our survey on the "What's Your Take" page. Feel free to email us. We will be rolling out our platform over the next several weeks, but you will get an idea of what we're about. If you have an idea we will put it out there and give you credit.

Given our proximity to NYC, Harrison should be a haven for the mid-town commuter. If we clean things up, strengthen our schools and get a business-friendly agenda in place, I believe we can turn things around.

Edited by KOTW
KOTW This is a duplicate post. Other duplicate posts were deleted as Duplicates.
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I think the signage issue is part and parcel of a larger more pervasive attitude of the Democratic machine in power. It would have been simple to rescind the ordinance by taking it to a vote. It's not like they didn't have the votes; the majority of the council is on all on the campaign signs. Instead they come up with this ridiculous freedom of speech argument after polling - guess who - the very people on the signs. And of course it's secret polling because they didn't bother polling the McCormicks - and the ordinance is only 12 years old. They do these things just to prove that they don't have to follow the rules. It would have been easy to do, but for them it's more fun to show they don't have to.

This sense of entitlement will only change when you vote them out. Only then will the taxpayer find out what has happened to their money. Right now they just refuse to share information. Even with OPRA requests they stall and deliberately "misunderstand" what information you have requested. As long as the Democratic machine has a lock on town politics, we will keep sinking into debt and the money will flow to the entitled class.

The Mayor and his posse constantly drone on about how much they've "given" the town, and we little people are constantly told how much we owe them. Well we have a message to send. The people don't owe the politicians; the POLITICIANS OWE US. This is supposed to be public service gig, not a privately owned family business. Jobs should be awarded after careful scrutiny to the most qualified people - not to the "Funny Uncle" or the "Good-for-Nothing Brother-in Law". We the people need to seize control. We need to seek out the best advice and verify how other towns and small cities have turned things around. We need to elect people who are not so arrogant that they destroy anyone that questions their actions. Their contempt for the people cannot be overstated.

I personally never criticize a policy or decision unless I have an alternative suggestion or proposal. I have been rebuffed or ignored at every turn. No reason given, no acknowledgement of my ideas - even to refute them. I don't mind a debate, at least I can defend my position. Instead they just ignore you, blindly digging our financial hole deeper. I, and the rest of the Independents for Change candidates, welcome a free and open exchange of ideas - it is only by making sure our ideas can stand up to criticism that we know we are going in the right direction.

Please check out our website independentsforchangeharrisonnj.org. Take our survey on the "What's Your Take" page. Feel free to email us. We will be rolling out our platform over the next several weeks, but you will get an idea of what we're about. If you have an idea we will put it out there and give you credit.

Given our proximity to NYC, Harrison should be a haven for the mid-town commuter. If we clean things up, strengthen our schools and get a business-friendly agenda in place, I believe we can turn things around.

Are "Maria the mouth" and "Stevie boy" running on the bankruptsy and foreclosure platform again this year? If we get elected maybe, just maybe we can get legitamate jobs for a change (for us?!?!or our constituents?)so as to get out of the financial situation we put ourselves in! Think we can borrow from Adler again?, or should we try Amaral this time?, if we don't make it?!?!

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Are "Maria the mouth" and "Stevie boy" running on the bankruptsy and foreclosure platform again this year? If we get elected maybe, just maybe we can get legitamate jobs for a change (for us?!?!or our constituents?)so as to get out of the financial situation we put ourselves in! Think we can borrow from Adler again?, or should we try Amaral this time?, if we don't make it?!?!

Don't understand ???? what jobs did the council members receive? did they get a political/corruption job? don't tell me they are working for Doran now, where should I go to put my job application? Board of Education or Harrison Realty?

Give me some answers to your post please

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Guest R U SURE

Some more Dramatic changes to N.J. pension and health benefits proposed by Christie .

Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday unveiled a legislative package that as he described it is designed to make the state and local employee pension system sustainable for current and future retirees and to bring fairness and affordability to the public employee health benefits system.

Christie said the proposals are long overdue and needed to shake up New Jersey's "out-of-date, antiquated and increasingly expensive pension and benefits systems, and restore fairness and affordability to the level of costs that current and future generations of New Jersey taxpayers must bear.''

The cost of the pension system continue to grow and threaten to collapse it and force state and local governments to expend limited budget resources on what the governor sees as overgenerous pension and health benefits. The Christie agenda for pension and benefits is an attempt to modernize the pension and benefit systems and ensure long-term solvency without raising taxes or cutting essential government services.

Christie's plan addresses the problems of skyrocketing costs and taxpayer-borne expenses in these systems by offering what he described as comprehensive solutions, while rejecting the Trenton political culture that has expanding benefits without regard to how to pay for them.

"It is clear that our state can no longer afford a system that is rife with abuse, that promises substantial payouts with little buy-in, and that provides benefits that are wildly out of proportion with the private sector,'' Christie said. "The costs in the system remain dangerously out of balance and additional reforms are necessary to ensure the future solvency of the system."

Key changes in the governor's plan will attempt to modernize New Jersey's public employee health plans with the intention of providing savings for taxpayers, increasing choice for employees.

"I know these reforms will not be popular with everyone," Christie said. "I also know that failure to follow through with dramatic pension reform will imperil the system for everyone, and that failure to control and share costs of health care benefits will continue to eat away at our state and local budgets. We must reverse the damage caused by fairy tale promises that have fattened benefits and pensions to unsustainable levels while ballooning unfunded liabilities to breathtaking levels."

The pension legislation is designed to change the current system by bringing public employee costs into line with other states and the federal government. The governor argues that updating an out-of-date pension system will save taxpayer dollars, dramatically reduce unfunded liabilities over time and ensure long-term stability with better than 90 percent actuarial funding within 30 years.

Christie said that absent his proposals, New Jersey's unfunded pension liability will spike from $46 billion Tuesday, to $181 billion by 2041.

The governor also argues the cost of public employee benefits to taxpayers will grow 40 percent over the next four years. The cost to New Jerseyans for public employee benefits has already doubled as a percentage of state budget since 2001.

The proposals released Tuesday follow Christie's Ethics Reform Plan as the second specific policy proposals of the broader Christie Reform Agenda outlined by the governor last week. Additional proposals address the issues of economic development and job creation as well as education will be released in the coming weeks.

Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex) indicated Democrats are willing to consider the proposals but she also suggested that Christie needs to discuss the proposals with public employee union leaders.

"Our goal remains to create sustainable benefits for valued public servants such as teachers, police officers and firefighters that is also affordable to taxpayers,'' Oliver said. "To that end, the Assembly Budget Committee will review these proposals and the current state of our pension and benefits system.

"But I also want a higher level of discourse,'' Oliver added. "I am tired of the approach that divides our state. Leaders unite and build consensus. They do not divide and conquer and create enemies of the people who teach our children and protect our safety. I strongly encourage the governor to sit down with the public worker unions and negotiate meaningful reforms. All sides should do this with an open mind, without acrimony and the goal of doing what's best for all taxpayers."

Commenting on the proposals, state Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said, "For years, I have been concerned with the growing magnitude of the crisis that has left the pension system on the edge of collapse. Obviously, the governor shares that concern.

"The governor is halfway there,'' Sweeney said. "We do need further reform to keep the public pension system afloat, but we also need show we are committed to making the system work for the lifelong employees who are relying on it for a secure retirement.

"The governor must follow the law he signed only six months ago and put money into the pension system,'' Sweeney said. "I am more than ready to sit with the governor and discuss needed reforms, but they will not move in the Senate until a check is cut, deposited and cleared. We can't expect public workers to pay more and not hold up our end of the deal any longer. If the problem is as great as the treasurer says, we can't expect workers to shoulder the entire cost of fixing it. It doesn't matter what else is proposed. Unless we pay into the system, it will remain broken."

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the state Democratic chairman, provided another view of how the Democratic majority that controls the Legislature may react to Christie's proposals. He said the governor needs to live up to his commitments and re-pay money he borrowed from the pension system before pushing the changes.

"Even when considering changes, we have a moral obligation not to break the promises that have been made by the state of New Jersey to countless public employees regarding the benefits they will receive when they retire," Wisniewski said.

"As a candidate, Christie talked about the need to keep faith with those people that were promised certain benefits because they made plans for their life based on that,'' Wisniewski added. "Now he argues that we have no choice, but what he's really doing is breaking his promise and putting his own political agenda ahead of his moral obligations as governor."

Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Morris) said, "New Jersey can no longer wait to address its pension and health benefit crisis. Governor Christie is making the difficult and necessary decisions needed to give taxpayers relief and ensure the pension program is solvent for public employees. Unless major reforms are made to the present system its future is in jeopardy.

"The governor is attacking another problem that has languished in Trenton for years,'' DeCroce added. "His plan is the only one put forth that proposes substantive long-term solutions. It is imperative that we focus our efforts on making the pension system viable by working in a bipartisan manner to enact the reforms needed that will guarantee the program is sound for the future."

The League of Municipalities, the Trenton-based lobbying arm for municipal governments, welcomed Christie's proposals. Bill Dressel, the League's director, said personnel costs are the leading driver of property taxes. He added that pension and benefit costs continue to grow faster than any other local budget line items.

"The governor can count on our support in moving many of these reforms forward," Clifton Mayor Jim Anzaldi, the League's president, said. "We need to see action on management reforms and mandates relief initiatives immediately, so that local officials can cope with the new 2% cap next year. We need to see these new reform concepts introduced in bill form. Then, we need to see action on pension and benefits reform, so that we can continue to deliver high quality local services and long-term property tax relief, into the future."

Anzaldi said many of the proposals have been made by administrations over the years but little action was taken.

"The members of the Police and Fire system will continue to enjoy much more generous benefits than their colleagues in the public's service," Dressel said. "Those benefits are much more costly to our taxpayers. With the noted exception of the disability pension reform proposal, the governor's recommendations fail to recognize the disparity between PERS and PFRS benefits and costs. We regret that the proposals do not do more to address that disparity. We hope that we can work with the administration and the Legislature to correct that deficiency."

Here are the governor's proposals as described by his office:

Christie is proposing changes to bring solvency and long-term stability to the following pension systems: Public Employee Retirement System (PERS), Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF), State Police Retirement System (SPRS), Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS), and Judicial Retirement System (JRS).

Changes for All PERS and TPAF Employees:

Rolling back the 9 percent increase for future service: Christie's proposal adjusts the benefit formula to age 65 for future service from the current age 55. This change will roll back the 9 percent benefit increase for all future earned credit in the pension systems, a change that was authorized in 2001 without any way to pay for it, and will also conform the benefit formula to the proposed new retirement age. This change is not retroactive for prior service earned by current employees.

Changes for PERS and TPAF Employees with fewer than 25 years of service:

Updating the age for retirement eligibility:

Establishing the normal and early retirement age at 65

Increasing eligibility for early retirement from 25 to 30 years of employment

Adjusting the early retirement penalty to 3 percent for each year

A fairer calculation of retirement benefits: This change will require the use of an employee's average annual salary over the highest 5 years, rather than highest 3 years, when calculating their final retirement payout.

Changes for PFRS & SPRS with fewer than 25 years of service:

Updating the age for "special retirement" eligibility:

Changes eligibility for special retirement from 65 percent with 25 years of service to 65 percent with 30 years and 60 percent with 25 years.

A fairer calculation of retirement benefits: This change will require the use of an employee's average annual salary over the highest 3 years, rather than the highest year, when calculating their final retirement payout.

Changes for All Active Employees (PERS, TPAF, PFRS, SPRS & JRS):

Setting employee contribution rates at a fair, uniform level across retirement systems.

Employee contributions currently vary among the systems, from a low of 3 percent to 8.5 percent. Christie's reforms will align employee contribution rates at a uniform 8.5 percent.

Changes for All Current and Future Retirees:

Eliminating automatic annual payment increases: Christie's proposal calls for the elimination of additional annual future cost of living adjustments.

Many states are reducing pension liabilities by lowering or eliminating cost of living adjustments (COLA), or eliminating COLAs for current and future employees. For example, Colorado reduced its 2010 COLA from 3.5 percent to 0 percent with a rate of 2 percent starting in 2011. Minnesota reduced COLAs from 2.5 percent to 1-2 percent depending on the fund, and South Dakota made a 1 percent reduction in 2010 with future years COLAs based on investment performance.

Changes for a More Accurate and Honest Financial Forecast:

Adjust the anticipated rate of return used by the pension fund from 8.25 percent to 7.5 percent to reflect a more realistic picture of today's investment climate; and move the amortization methodology from a percentage of pay schedule (which defers the retirement of any unfunded liability) to a level dollar amount each year in order to retire part of the state's unfunded liability earlier.

Disability Reform Proposals:

Address the growing abuse of accidental disability expenses by better defining the standards for qualification.

Making PFRS and SPRS earnings tests match those used in PERS and TPAF: PFRS and SPRS members would not be able to earn more than the difference between the disability allowance and the projected salary that they would have earned had they remained in police/firefighter employment.

Action is required now before the pension problem Grows to out-of-control proportions

Without action, the total unfunded liability in the system will skyrocket to a shocking total of $181 billion over the next three decades. By 2041, New Jersey will be faced with a $119 billion state obligation, while local municipalities will be looking at a $62 billion burden.

The probability of investment returns making up for the shortfall is very low. The Pension Fund's annualized return on investment was 2.6 percent over the last 10 years and a negative 1.4 percent over the last three years. Additionally, costs will increase more than 430 percent over the next 30 years, and this funding burden will dramatically impact New Jersey's fiscal health and threaten critical resources for education, municipal aid and countless other priorities.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 September 2010 15:42 )

Comments (6) size matters 6. Thursday, 16 September 2010 12:14 (Mrs Logical) If the State can't afford the health benefits to its current roster of employees, how about reducing the size of government so you don't have to pay for so many benefits??? Yes, that implies layoffs, but that is what private companies do in tough times, which is what enables them to survive. I think the era of free benefits is over, but they should at least be in line with what everyone else gets on average.

Get in touch 5. Wednesday, 15 September 2010 07:55 (Timoteo el Vapor) I am a pensioner in a private pension plan. My medical premium was tripled in less than a year after I began my pension. That was subsequently rolled back to a doubling when some additional 1% was added to the un-retired participants medical contributions..

I ALWAYS contributed to my 401-K plan and Roth IRAs. In the last 5 years up to my retirement I had to make sacrifices in my standard of living to make the Max Roth contribution and do the 20% contribution to my 401-K. The failure of the legislatures and government in the public sector to negotiate pension contracts without any consequences to the pension plan's failure to meet actuarial projected rates of return and the highly compensated managers to protect assets from market risk, should not fall solely on the back of the tax payer. Higher contributions by taxpayers MUST in turn mean that participants will take actual distribution cuts so there is a shared sacrifice.

State's can not run pension plans as entitlement programs as the culture of entitlements is being blown up. In America today the social safety net is shredding itself because it is insolvent. The Swiss franc has moverd to par the Loonie from .85 to .97 in 18 months. Obama and "ZIRP" some Change! Who originally appointed the guy who has now brought us to the end game of Keynesian economics? Ben Bernancke is the guy trying to put half a dozen state pension systems into Chapter 9 bankruptcy, to pay off the cost of bailing out insolvent banks that like WFC,BOA and Citigroup who must still S**K our nations life blood to survive.

Why did the taxpayers not bail out the pension plans at US Air and Bethlehem Steel? The cheap Ba5ta8ds!

Get your 403-B plan up to speed and your lifestyle minimized!

So propose another solution, folks 4. Wednesday, 15 September 2010 07:31 (GeekyDad) I didn't vote for Christie, and I'm not sure I will next time--but what else do you want him to do? In my private sector job, I pay nearly 20% of the cost of my healthcare premiums, and I have no guaranteed pension. My employer does offer retiree healthcare benefits, but only if I work for them for 30 years (who works for the same private sector employer for 30 years these days?), and then not until age 60. By the way, these benefits are considered GENEROUS in the private sector these days. And I can be terminated at any time, with no automatic "right" to severance pay. I'm lucky. The unemployement rate in NJ remains over 10%.

Yes, I earn better than a public sector employee. And, actually, I have no problem with paying public-sector employees the same base salary that I earn. But their terms of employment should be the same.

For those of you who will now shout me down, consider this: My taxes pay public employee salaries, and if I lose my job, I'm going to have to leave the state to find another one--not out of spite, but out of necessity. And I'm not alone.

What a jerk! 3. Tuesday, 14 September 2010 21:59 (The Man) I am a teacher and I have my Masters in Edu. and I make 47,000. a year - I own my own home and I am single - I already have a second job - if he up's my pension contribution and healthcare contibution I wont be able to survive. Sometimes I wish that I was an illegal mexican so I could have free health care, food stamps, and cheap housing.

pension reform 2. Tuesday, 14 September 2010 18:10 (j w murray) Another politician who lied during his campaign to get elected. How unusual.

Christie can open CWA contract negotiations early and get reforms on his own 1. Tuesday, 14 September 2010 16:21 none The Governor made a big splash today as he rolled out his ideas on pension and health care cost reform for government workers. He then began to do some " spinning" as to how he needed help from the Legislature to get these reforms accomplished.

Someone needs to tell the "big guy" that he is the Chief Executive of the State and that the state workers work for the Executive and that they have a contract with the State that expires on July1,2011.

If Christie wants these reforms all he needs to do is push up the date by 12 weeks and start the process of negotiating with CWA and put all of these reforms in the new contract. Forget about Sweeney and Oliver,DO IT YOURSELF BIG GUY! That is exactly what Corzine did 4 years ago when he wanted the new state worker contract finished before his budget address.

But Christie appears to fear negotiations. He prefers press releases. CAN THE BIG GUY ACTUALLY BE SCARED OF TALKING TO THE CWA?

I hope that both the State Senate and the Assembly sit on every bill and force Christie to negotiate all of these changes. Do not give him anyone to blame.

I also hope that CWA calls his bluff and demands that new contract negotiations begin immediately.

He wants to be the BIG BOSS ,then the power is in his hands!

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Don't understand ???? what jobs did the council members receive? did they get a political/corruption job? don't tell me they are working for Doran now, where should I go to put my job application? Board of Education or Harrison Realty?

Give me some answers to your post please

Maria "the mouth" is running for mayor to get a job at Passaic Valley "the sh-t factory". She has experience dealing with all "Stevie boys" sh-t!

Stevie boy will get the head financial officer's position, because he's such a good handler of money. What a joke these McComics are!?!?! Did they run for anything or even help anyone prior to being turned down for their overutilization of and illegal construction at their building on Rodgers Blvd. So.

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Guest perplexed

I think the signage issue is part and parcel of a larger more pervasive attitude of the Democratic machine in power. It would have been simple to rescind the ordinance by taking it to a vote. It's not like they didn't have the votes; the majority of the council is on all on the campaign signs. Instead they come up with this ridiculous freedom of speech argument after polling - guess who - the very people on the signs. And of course it's secret polling because they didn't bother polling the McCormicks - and the ordinance is only 12 years old. They do these things just to prove that they don't have to follow the rules. It would have been easy to do, but for them it's more fun to show they don't have to.

This sense of entitlement will only change when you vote them out. Only then will the taxpayer find out what has happened to their money. Right now they just refuse to share information. Even with OPRA requests they stall and deliberately "misunderstand" what information you have requested. As long as the Democratic machine has a lock on town politics, we will keep sinking into debt and the money will flow to the entitled class.

The Mayor and his posse constantly drone on about how much they've "given" the town, and we little people are constantly told how much we owe them. Well we have a message to send. The people don't owe the politicians; the POLITICIANS OWE US. This is supposed to be public service gig, not a privately owned family business. Jobs should be awarded after careful scrutiny to the most qualified people - not to the "Funny Uncle" or the "Good-for-Nothing Brother-in Law". We the people need to seize control. We need to seek out the best advice and verify how other towns and small cities have turned things around. We need to elect people who are not so arrogant that they destroy anyone that questions their actions. Their contempt for the people cannot be overstated.

I personally never criticize a policy or decision unless I have an alternative suggestion or proposal. I have been rebuffed or ignored at every turn. No reason given, no acknowledgement of my ideas - even to refute them. I don't mind a debate, at least I can defend my position. Instead they just ignore you, blindly digging our financial hole deeper. I, and the rest of the Independents for Change candidates, welcome a free and open exchange of ideas - it is only by making sure our ideas can stand up to criticism that we know we are going in the right direction.

Please check out our website independentsforchangeharrisonnj.org. Take our survey on the "What's Your Take" page. Feel free to email us. We will be rolling out our platform over the next several weeks, but you will get an idea of what we're about. If you have an idea we will put it out there and give you credit.

Given our proximity to NYC, Harrison should be a haven for the mid-town commuter. If we clean things up, strengthen our schools and get a business-friendly agenda in place, I believe we can turn things around.

Are you for real ? Your nuttier than a bed bug. when did they let you out.............

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Don't understand ???? what jobs did the council members receive? did they get a political/corruption job? don't tell me they are working for Doran now, where should I go to put my job application? Board of Education or Harrison Realty?

Give me some answers to your post please

What don't you understand, Stevie boy and Maria trhe mouth are in it for themselves! They only ask questions and help people to make others look bad and themselves look good. Two of the biggest phonies you'll ever meet or deal with. They always have a hidden agenda, and it's to behoove themselves.

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Guest J O'Brien

Are you for real ? Your nuttier than a bed bug. when did they let you out.............

Dear Perplexed,

Thank you for your brief, insightful post. You may be right; I may be “nuttier than a bed-bug” by which I assume you mean I’m crazy. I may be a little crazy to want to try to clean up the financial disaster in progress under the McDonough regime. But really, what is the alternative?

Should I sit quietly by as 100 million in debt, becomes 150 million, 200 million? I may have come from New York, but I’ve invested over 20 years here, working over 15 years at the high school, and raised my child here. She was raised to be an independent, self-sufficient problem solver and NOT to give up her voice, her opinions or her dreams for some promise of security, because there is no security from the vagaries and misfortunes in life. I try to teach that to my students, whom I genuinely like. I want them to be problem solvers, too. I want them to think for themselves and to have better lives than the generation before them.

In this day and age, there is NO security that can be bought with blind obedience, loyalty and silence. If you think there is, look at the nephews of Frank E Rodgers, who were abandoned, discarded and humiliated by the town. Walking through town with Maria McCormick, I heard story after story of life-long Harrisonians, from families who have lived here for generations, who after giving their support and loyalty to the town fathers, were abandoned in their time of need.

I know what the McDonough administration is running from, hell Ray even tried escaping by declaring he wouldn’t run again, but what are they running for? The Independents for Change candidates may be a little crazy, but wouldn’t it be better to take a chance on a Mayor and Council that dares to dream that Harrison can be a haven for its residents? Wouldn’t it be better to have a Mayor and Council who will look outside to experts and successful problem solvers when they don’t know the answer? What do you have to lose?

So when the Mayor and his posse of “yes-men” come knocking at your door, soliciting your valuable vote, ask what are they running for. Ask them what have they accomplished. If they give excuses, blame others, or make personal attacks on their opponents, then you have your answer. And then ask yourself, “Am I really as secure as I think I am? Will I be abandoned next?”

Joanne O’Brien 4th Ward Candidate

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Guest Jack Rodgers

Dear Perplexed,

Thank you for your brief, insightful post. You may be right; I may be “nuttier than a bed-bug” by which I assume you mean I’m crazy. I may be a little crazy to want to try to clean up the financial disaster in progress under the McDonough regime. But really, what is the alternative?

Should I sit quietly by as 100 million in debt, becomes 150 million, 200 million? I may have come from New York, but I’ve invested over 20 years here, working over 15 years at the high school, and raised my child here. She was raised to be an independent, self-sufficient problem solver and NOT to give up her voice, her opinions or her dreams for some promise of security, because there is no security from the vagaries and misfortunes in life. I try to teach that to my students, whom I genuinely like. I want them to be problem solvers, too. I want them to think for themselves and to have better lives than the generation before them.

In this day and age, there is NO security that can be bought with blind obedience, loyalty and silence. If you think there is, look at the nephews of Frank E Rodgers, who were abandoned, discarded and humiliated by the town. Walking through town with Maria McCormick, I heard story after story of life-long Harrisonians, from families who have lived here for generations, who after giving their support and loyalty to the town fathers, were abandoned in their time of need.

I know what the McDonough administration is running from, hell Ray even tried escaping by declaring he wouldn’t run again, but what are they running for? The Independents for Change candidates may be a little crazy, but wouldn’t it be better to take a chance on a Mayor and Council that dares to dream that Harrison can be a haven for its residents? Wouldn’t it be better to have a Mayor and Council who will look outside to experts and successful problem solvers when they don’t know the answer? What do you have to lose?

So when the Mayor and his posse of “yes-men” come knocking at your door, soliciting your valuable vote, ask what are they running for. Ask them what have they accomplished. If they give excuses, blame others, or make personal attacks on their opponents, then you have your answer. And then ask yourself, “Am I really as secure as I think I am? Will I be abandoned next?”

Joanne O’Brien 4th Ward Candidate

Dear Joanne,

While I don't feel that KOTW is an appropriate venue to hang your dirty laundry,I resent and I'll let my brother speak for himself, being injected in a political campaign without being a candidate.Although you address some very valid issues I preferred to be left out of it.

One of your statements that I take particular issue with is the statement that "NO security can be bought with blind obedience,loyalty and silence." I know you worked in the same building I did for fifteen years,even though you rarely responded to my daily hellos.Anyone who knows me ,and yes my brother' would ever accuse us of blind obedience and ,God forbid, silence.

Get a hold of the newspapers the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 1986,front page below the fold Star-Ledger.I rocked the boat for forty years....always for the kids!

Loyal, I always was, but not at the expense of the kids.I battled for what was right my whole career and anybody that knows me knows I wasn't worried about buying security.Consult with the B.O.E.about some of the issues we battled about over the years.I was the"loyal opposition " on many occasions.Twenty five years before you stepped on board I was teaching my players to stand up for themselves and not to take garbage from anyone if you're right ,but make sure you're right.Maybe you're unaware but there's a whole group of my former players,mostly females,teaching and coaching in our system who know how to think and stand up for themselves

One other statement I take issue with is"nephews of Frank E. Rodgers,who were abandoned,discarded,and humiliated by the town"

Speaking for myself only,because my brother is more than capable of speaking for himself and he will,I need to address that statement.Abandoned?Discarded? not really....Lied to,betrayed.... absolutely.I could have stuck around and pushed someone else out of a job.For what? I had my time.I thought I would be valuable in the transition into the new league..but all that's for another day.

The word humiliated,though,is particularly irksome.Humiliated,never.I can walk with my head up knowing I gave my students, my players, my coaches,my co-workers,Harrison High and the Town of Harrison my best.I can say that about my brother,former Councilman and Director of the Harrison Housing Authority,my father who was the Chief of the Harrison Fire Department,his grandfather,the first Chief of Police of Harrison,and of course our GRAND-uncle Frank E. Rodgers,the Mayor of Harrison for 48 years.

There were/are many other Rodgers who have served this community and served it well. Our family has been here since 1878.If we wanted to get into political battles we did.We sure as hell didn't have to be dragged in.

Joanne ,I'm sure your intentions were honorable,but believe me you have plenty of issues to work with without bringing my brother and I into the fray.

Harrison has been good to me.I will never say a bad word about the Harrison... I grew up in.I will never speak badly of the place I worked at for 40 years.The school where I preached to so many kids ,students and athletes alike, to be proud of.

I still live in Harrison,vote in Harrison, and Love Harrison for what it was,and ,maybe someday, can be again.

I used to tell my players, "If you work harder than your opponent you will never be embarrassed.You can never be humiliated no matter what the score and you can always walk with your head held high because you did your best".Oh yeah,we did win some games.

My Dad when he passed had a notebook by the hospital bed because he couldn't talk anymore due to the Cancer.The last word he scribbled was...Harrison.When it's time,I hope I feel the same way.

Sorry for getting sentimental.I'm done!

Jack Rodgers

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N.J. education officials announce allocation of $268M in federal funds.

Hudson county receives.

East Newark Boro

$109,183

Guttenberg Town

$157,842

Harrison Town

$665,897

Hoboken City

$311,513

Hudson County Vocational

$706,451

Jersey City

$13,844,068

Kearny Town

$1,018,085

North Bergen Twp

$1,859,551

Secaucus Town

$54,621.

I SHould have stuck around and not listened my cuz.

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Dear Joanne,

While I don't feel that KOTW is an appropriate venue to hang your dirty laundry,I resent and I'll let my brother speak for himself, being injected in a political campaign without being a candidate.Although you address some very valid issues I preferred to be left out of it.

One of your statements that I take particular issue with is the statement that "NO security can be bought with blind obedience,loyalty and silence." I know you worked in the same building I did for fifteen years,even though you rarely responded to my daily hellos.Anyone who knows me ,and yes my brother' would ever accuse us of blind obedience and ,God forbid, silence.

Get a hold of the newspapers the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 1986,front page below the fold Star-Ledger.I rocked the boat for forty years....always for the kids!

Loyal, I always was, but not at the expense of the kids.I battled for what was right my whole career and anybody that knows me knows I wasn't worried about buying security.Consult with the B.O.E.about some of the issues we battled about over the years.I was the"loyal opposition " on many occasions.Twenty five years before you stepped on board I was teaching my players to stand up for themselves and not to take garbage from anyone if you're right ,but make sure you're right.Maybe you're unaware but there's a whole group of my former players,mostly females,teaching and coaching in our system who know how to think and stand up for themselves

One other statement I take issue with is"nephews of Frank E. Rodgers,who were abandoned,discarded,and humiliated by the town"

Speaking for myself only,because my brother is more than capable of speaking for himself and he will,I need to address that statement.Abandoned?Discarded? not really....Lied to,betrayed.... absolutely.I could have stuck around and pushed someone else out of a job.For what? I had my time.I thought I would be valuable in the transition into the new league..but all that's for another day.

The word humiliated,though,is particularly irksome.Humiliated,never.I can walk with my head up knowing I gave my students, my players, my coaches,my co-workers,Harrison High and the Town of Harrison my best.I can say that about my brother,former Councilman and Director of the Harrison Housing Authority,my father who was the Chief of the Harrison Fire Department,his grandfather,the first Chief of Police of Harrison,and of course our GRAND-uncle Frank E. Rodgers,the Mayor of Harrison for 48 years.

There were/are many other Rodgers who have served this community and served it well. Our family has been here since 1878.If we wanted to get into political battles we did.We sure as hell didn't have to be dragged in.

Joanne ,I'm sure your intentions were honorable,but believe me you have plenty of issues to work with without bringing my brother and I into the fray.

Harrison has been good to me.I will never say a bad word about the Harrison... I grew up in.I will never speak badly of the place I worked at for 40 years.The school where I preached to so many kids ,students and athletes alike, to be proud of.

I still live in Harrison,vote in Harrison, and Love Harrison for what it was,and ,maybe someday, can be again.

I used to tell my players, "If you work harder than your opponent you will never be embarrassed.You can never be humiliated no matter what the score and you can always walk with your head held high because you did your best".Oh yeah,we did win some games.

My Dad when he passed had a notebook by the hospital bed because he couldn't talk anymore due to the Cancer.The last word he scribbled was...Harrison.When it's time,I hope I feel the same way.

Sorry for getting sentimental.I'm done!

Jack Rodgers

I only hope that O’Brien doesn’t talk about her students and their family situation so openly to others as she has about the Rodgers family in this public forum!

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I only hope that O’Brien doesn’t talk about her students and their family situation so openly to others as she has about the Rodgers family in this public forum!

Maybe you should be reading this once again,where does it say she is speaking of their family situation? or personal situation? it mearly states how the Town of Harrison has treated hard working people. And if you read Mr. Rogers post, he certainly conccurs with different using other wording.

Maybe you misunderstood. Thank you

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