Leadbeater was right

[Guest Oldtimer]

I just got done reading this weeks Observer and am totally shocked at what our supposed mayor says. We are going to layoff essential service personnel, police and firemen, because of a 5 million dollar shortfall. When Leadbeater was running against Santos he continued to tell us how they were lying about the surplus. Yet you Kearny residents fell for his line of s__t once again. Well I guess he was right. Instead of getting the board of education to look at reductions (because they represent over 50% of our taxes) the mayor has stooped to a new low. Stop spending money on playgrounds and keep the employees. Rid yourself of all the attorneys and see how much you save there.

[Guest scott]

I AGREE! Something needs to be done. We need to get Santos and company OUT. And I am a Democrat saying this! What he is doing to the town is borderline criminal. I also like what you say about the BOE budget, and all those thieves stealing money, that is how to lower the taxes, along with bringing industry back to South Kearny. With our Town's proximity to the biggest city in THE WORLD and all the access around our area, can aomeone explain how Western Electirc leaves and we get no big corporation to take its place?

[Guest guest]

your right, Leadbeater was correct, and the voters of Kearny chose to relect SANTOS once again! When are people gonna get it??? They continue to lie, and tell us the taxpayers what they think we want to hear. Well now they want to cut our services police,fire DPW and continue to raise our TAXES. They are making it IMPOSSIBLE to live here.For over 30 years my family and I have been residents,we have paid the constant tax increases,and have struggled to do so. Nothing has changed but, our taxes,the Mayor and Council are pushing the middle class families right out of town, soon there will be another FOR SALE SIGN on my block,Wake up Kearny residents this town needs CHANGE. LEADBEATER

[Guest Guest]

I just got done reading this weeks Observer and am totally shocked at what our supposed mayor says. We are going to layoff essential service personnel, police and firemen, because of a 5 million dollar shortfall. When Leadbeater was running against Santos he continued to tell us how they were lying about the surplus. Yet you Kearny residents fell for his line of s__t once again. Well I guess he was right. Instead of getting the board of education to look at reductions (because they represent over 50% of our taxes) the mayor has stooped to a new low. Stop spending money on playgrounds and keep the employees. Rid yourself of all the attorneys and see how much you save there.

The board of education budget has nothing to do with the town budget and does not come under the mayor's juristiction. After reading the article in the Observer this morning written by the police union, I decided to do a little research and find out exactly how much a police officer makes in Kearny. The median salary for a Kearny police officer is $97,007.00 and of the 118 officers, 44% of them make six figures. Not bad. I don't think they have anything to complain about.

My heart does go out to the young officers at the bottom of the lists who have families and or are trying to move on with their lives and maybe start families that are in danger of being laid off.

[Guest Guest]

The board of education budget has nothing to do with the town budget and does not come under the mayor's juristiction. After reading the article in the Observer this morning written by the police union, I decided to do a little research and find out exactly how much a police officer makes in Kearny. The median salary for a Kearny police officer is $97,007.00 and of the 118 officers, 44% of them make six figures. Not bad. I don't think they have anything to complain about.

My heart does go out to the young officers at the bottom of the lists who have families and or are trying to move on with their lives and maybe start families that are in danger of being laid off.

Correct me if I`m wrong. When the budget for the B.O.E is voted down they turn to the town for the money,and our Mayor and Council members always give them the money. WHY THEN DO WE VOTE ON A B.O.E BUDGET WHEN THEY DO AS THEY PLEASE. The B.O.E IS NOTHING BUT A POLITICAL PLAYGROUND FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, JUST CHECK THE LIST OF BOARD MEMBERS WITH FAMILY WORKING FOR OUR KEARNY SCHOOLS. Talk about wasting money the building on midland ave 1 MILLION DOLLARS for what.the building is just sitting there wasting away because of a problem removing tanks from within the building that are contaminated.My suggestion to the BOE IS SELL THE BUILDING, TAKE THE LOSS RECOUP SOME OF THE MILLION BE FORE IT`S TO LATE!!!!!. As for our KPD AND KFD DEPT. We have the best in HUDSON COUNTY. They put their lives on the line everyday to PROTECT AND SERVE US THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN OF KEARNY.

[Guest guest]

The BOE says we must pass the buget, programs will be cut, its for the KIDS BS, its for the salries for administrators.How about $700.00 a day x 5days a week = $3500.00 a week for our Assisant superintendent !!!! Is it me, or is this just plain CRAZY, who makes this kind of money ? Do we need him 5days a week ? Absolutly not, this is just a decision made by Digesire and his croonies.He says jump, and the majority of the board says how high Frank ? This is over 50% of our tax dollar,which you would not know about, since you do not pay taxes here. Heres where cuts need to be made, not our police, fire, and other town services that we need.I was told yesterday, of an Independent Tax Payers group now forming,they will be meeting at the Lith Club, 10 Davis Ave Kearny, Dec,8 7:30,I think unhappy taxpayers should attend,the place probably is not big enough! Times are so difficult for almost everyone,lets step up to the plate, as taxpayers, and stand together, and try to make a diffrence,no one else has, its all about PERSONAL GAIN.

[Guest Guest]

The board of education budget has nothing to do with the town budget and does not come under the mayor's juristiction. After reading the article in the Observer this morning written by the police union, I decided to do a little research and find out exactly how much a police officer makes in Kearny. The median salary for a Kearny police officer is $97,007.00 and of the 118 officers, 44% of them make six figures. Not bad. I don't think they have anything to complain about.

My heart does go out to the young officers at the bottom of the lists who have families and or are trying to move on with their lives and maybe start families that are in danger of being laid off.

Hate to see anyone laid off but it is the fiscal reality throughout most of the world. The town should significantly cut the salaries for all town employees including fire and police. I don't think there would be a shortage of candidates at half their salary. The average military member with 10 years experience is making about $45,000. Before you jump on that figure I do know there other pays (flight, combat, etc) but they don't come close to $97K. Plus they deploy away from their families for over a year at a time and work in an environment slightly more hazardous than most US municipalities. KPD or KFD, in fact, any FD or PD has many former military that left the military for the more lucrative, less stressful, home at night life of a local job.

[Guest Tired of the BS]

Hate to see anyone laid off but it is the fiscal reality throughout most of the world. The town should significantly cut the salaries for all town employees including fire and police. I don't think there would be a shortage of candidates at half their salary. The average military member with 10 years experience is making about $45,000. Before you jump on that figure I do know there other pays (flight, combat, etc) but they don't come close to $97K. Plus they deploy away from their families for over a year at a time and work in an environment slightly more hazardous than most US municipalities. KPD or KFD, in fact, any FD or PD has many former military that left the military for the more lucrative, less stressful, home at night life of a local job.

Where are you getting your info? I served in the military for over 10 years as well and i can tell you that i made a hell of lot more than the police and firefighters who are being laid off make. The KPD and KFD personnel that are in jeopardy are all on the bottom of the payscale. 5 of them make under 30K per year. The rest are still under 50k and that includes all extras. Maybe you should pull up some facts before you attempt to speak your mind. Also your post contridicts itself, first you say that they should get a pay cut and then go on to say that they work in a "slightly more" Hazardous environment. I dont know about you but i would certainly want to be paid more if i was being placed in harms way. And I can assure you Iraq or Afghanistan is much more than slightly hazardous. All of the veterans that are being laid off served in those regions. And is chasing criminals or running into a burning building less stressful? Please try it for yourself or are you all mouth and no backbone.

[Guest Guest]

The board of education budget has nothing to do with the town budget and does not come under the mayor's juristiction. After reading the article in the Observer this morning written by the police union, I decided to do a little research and find out exactly how much a police officer makes in Kearny. The median salary for a Kearny police officer is $97,007.00 and of the 118 officers, 44% of them make six figures. Not bad. I don't think they have anything to complain about.

My heart does go out to the young officers at the bottom of the lists who have families and or are trying to move on with their lives and maybe start families that are in danger of being laid off.

The word all over town is "Watch out the police are doing a ticket blitz". I have to ask these two questions.

Why would they take out their labor issues against the people that generate the money that funds

their salary. As a taxpayer, I find this activity very insulting.

A ticketable offense only gets inforced when the police have labor issues? Doesn't that suggest

that they were not doing their job until they had labor issues?

[Guest jus sayin]

When the Town hires new Police Officers and Firefighters the night of their appointment they are required to take an oath of duty and loyalty before the mayor and town council.

Now as times get tough, for everyone, the Town once again lays the blame for all of it's problems on those very individuals they require an oath of loyalty from and as predictible as usual the residents turn on their employees with the typical rhetoric, cut their saleries, get volunteers,hire someone else for half the salery etc...

New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in the country to live in,for all of us, these "high saleries" are by no means even close to the top in Hudson county for these positions, don't take my word for it check for yourself.

The Firefighters of the Town of Kearny have not recieved a pay raise since 2006,in fact there was a decrease in pay of 1.5% in the beginning of this year and for years the Town enjoyed a pension "vacation" yet still your taxes continued to rise, how is that possible?

Sadly, There is no doubt in my mind that these layoffs will occur and yet your Firefighters and Police Officers,those that are left will continue to do the best they can for you because it's more than a "job" it's a life it gets in you and defines you it becomes your identity.

In my readings on this board in regards to the "opinions" voiced on the PD and FD I think it's fortunate that many of the posters are not working for people such as themselves, very fortunate.

I also think that perhaps when you require an oath from someone you should be bound by the very oath you required of them.

All of you.

jus sayin

[Guest Guest]

The word all over town is "Watch out the police are doing a ticket blitz". I have to ask these two questions.

Why would they take out their labor issues against the people that generate the money that funds

their salary. As a taxpayer, I find this activity very insulting.

A ticketable offense only gets inforced when the police have labor issues? Doesn't that suggest

that they were not doing their job until they had labor issues?

I think the "word all over town" is mistaken. I have seen no more, or less, activity. But, Jesse Ventura would love to have you on his Conspiracy show.

[Guest Guest]

Where are you getting your info? I served in the military for over 10 years as well and i can tell you that i made a hell of lot more than the police and firefighters who are being laid off make. The KPD and KFD personnel that are in jeopardy are all on the bottom of the payscale. 5 of them make under 30K per year. The rest are still under 50k and that includes all extras. Maybe you should pull up some facts before you attempt to speak your mind. Also your post contridicts itself, first you say that they should get a pay cut and then go on to say that they work in a "slightly more" Hazardous environment. I dont know about you but i would certainly want to be paid more if i was being placed in harms way. And I can assure you Iraq or Afghanistan is much more than slightly hazardous. All of the veterans that are being laid off served in those regions. And is chasing criminals or running into a burning building less stressful? Please try it for yourself or are you all mouth and no backbone.

My " they work in a slightly more hazardous environment" comment was tonque in cheek. Chasing criminals and running into burning buidings in Kearny is a rarity but a daily fact of life in the military. The avg Joe has been shot at more in a single tour in the sandbox than all of the KPD combined will be in a career and 100 hour weeks (or more) are common without overtime. A poster above said the median salary is $97 K and neither you nor anyone else challenged it. Median cop salary in Kearny is higher than in Newark, see:http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2010/09/high-cost_cops_taxpayers_cant.html and the risks are far from equal.

PS I have lots of backbone - I did over 30 years in the Army including seven combat deployments. Bottom line I'm not a cop hater...but I am a tax hater. If we do have, as you say, have several under $30K, you make my case for me.We must have lots of six figure people if the bottom is in the 20's. Retire them and bring in more of the 30K's. We can get 3 new guys for each $100+ person we retire.

[Guest Guest]

When the Town hires new Police Officers and Firefighters the night of their appointment they are required to take an oath of duty and loyalty before the mayor and town council.

Now as times get tough, for everyone, the Town once again lays the blame for all of it's problems on those very individuals they require an oath of loyalty from and as predictible as usual the residents turn on their employees with the typical rhetoric, cut their saleries, get volunteers,hire someone else for half the salery etc...

New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in the country to live in,for all of us, these "high saleries" are by no means even close to the top in Hudson county for these positions, don't take my word for it check for yourself.

The Firefighters of the Town of Kearny have not recieved a pay raise since 2006,in fact there was a decrease in pay of 1.5% in the beginning of this year and for years the Town enjoyed a pension "vacation" yet still your taxes continued to rise, how is that possible?

Sadly, There is no doubt in my mind that these layoffs will occur and yet your Firefighters and Police Officers,those that are left will continue to do the best they can for you because it's more than a "job" it's a life it gets in you and defines you it becomes your identity.

In my readings on this board in regards to the "opinions" voiced on the PD and FD I think it's fortunate that many of the posters are not working for people such as themselves, very fortunate.

I also think that perhaps when you require an oath from someone you should be bound by the very oath you required of them.

All of you.

jus sayin

I don't think anyone is blaming anyone except you.

[Guest Guest]

My " they work in a slightly more hazardous environment" comment was tonque in cheek. Chasing criminals and running into burning buidings in Kearny is a rarity but a daily fact of life in the military. The avg Joe has been shot at more in a single tour in the sandbox than all of the KPD combined will be in a career and 100 hour weeks (or more) are common without overtime. A poster above said the median salary is $97 K and neither you nor anyone else challenged it. Median cop salary in Kearny is higher than in Newark, see:http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2010/09/high-cost_cops_taxpayers_cant.html and the risks are far from equal.

PS I have lots of backbone - I did over 30 years in the Army including seven combat deployments. Bottom line I'm not a cop hater...but I am a tax hater. If we do have, as you say, have several under $30K, you make my case for me.We must have lots of six figure people if the bottom is in the 20's. Retire them and bring in more of the 30K's. We can get 3 new guys for each $100+ person we retire.

The Civil Service and Boe Unions are killing this town and the rest of the state.

When you add up six figure salaries plus health benefits plus pensions and all the other perks, they are all making in excess of 200K per year. Yet the average hosehold income in Kearny is 52K per year. It's called civil SERVICE. They SERVICE the people who live in the town. Sounds to me like the people of the town are working for the civil service people.

[doc13mets]

The Civil Service and Boe Unions are killing this town and the rest of the state.

When you add up six figure salaries plus health benefits plus pensions and all the other perks, they are all making in excess of 200K per year. Yet the average hosehold income in Kearny is 52K per year. It's called civil SERVICE. They SERVICE the people who live in the town. Sounds to me like the people of the town are working for the civil service people.

Does anyone know if Christie's reforms for civil service got passed? Everytime I had heard the vote was being pushed off. In those reforms it would allow Kearny to opt out of Civil Service. Then I'm sure the NCAAP will just sue us again and tell us they want to control our hiring.

Another poster said its more then a job. Well for most of the older guys I believe that. Some of the younger guys from other towns I know for a fact its not. I even heard on say "I would never step into a fire house in Kearny unless they were paying me..." obviously working for our great fire department is little more then a job to this guy. I really do believe most of them don't think that way but this is what you get when the NCAAP forces you to hire out of town people.

BOE needs to make cuts. To many nonsense positions. Lets keep our PD and FD intact.

[Guest guest]

The word all over town is "Watch out the police are doing a ticket blitz". I have to ask these two questions.

Why would they take out their labor issues against the people that generate the money that funds

their salary. As a taxpayer, I find this activity very insulting.

A ticketable offense only gets inforced when the police have labor issues? Doesn't that suggest

that they were not doing their job until they had labor issues?

Word all over town? Nice try. I wonder which town hall employee wrote this post? Maybe somewhere in town hall you can find a spell check. The police would be enforcing offenses, Not Inforce.

[Guest Guest]

The Civil Service and Boe Unions are killing this town and the rest of the state.

When you add up six figure salaries plus health benefits plus pensions and all the other perks, they are all making in excess of 200K per year. Yet the average hosehold income in Kearny is 52K per year. It's called civil SERVICE. They SERVICE the people who live in the town. Sounds to me like the people of the town are working for the civil service people.

This poster is absolutely correct. This is the entire problem in a nut shell. Somewhere along the line the equation got reversed. Civil Service. Service the civilians. Not the other way around. The public sector is being held hostage and raped.

[Guest Guest]

Word all over town? Nice try. I wonder which town hall employee wrote this post? Maybe somewhere in town hall you can find a spell check. The police would be enforcing offenses, Not Inforce.

Sounds to me like someone hit the nail on the head with the secret ticket blitz that is not much of a secret.Come on KPD do your job all year round like you are supposed to,not just when you are trying to prove a point in your labor negotiations.

[Guest Guest]

I just got done reading this weeks Observer and am totally shocked at what our supposed mayor says. We are going to layoff essential service personnel, police and firemen, because of a 5 million dollar shortfall. When Leadbeater was running against Santos he continued to tell us how they were lying about the surplus. Yet you Kearny residents fell for his line of s__t once again. Well I guess he was right. Instead of getting the board of education to look at reductions (because they represent over 50% of our taxes) the mayor has stooped to a new low. Stop spending money on playgrounds and keep the employees. Rid yourself of all the attorneys and see how much you save there.

This is stupid talk. The school budget and the town budget are separate. The economy all over the country is in a deep recession. Everyone whose head isn't buried under a rock knows that localities are facing shortfalls and cutbacks. Oh and yes of course, let's just get rid of all the lawyers, so we can walk ourselves into some big legal problem and get hit with a big fine or a lawsuit.

Moron.

[Guest guest]

This is stupid talk. The school budget and the town budget are separate. The economy all over the country is in a deep recession. Everyone whose head isn't buried under a rock knows that localities are facing shortfalls and cutbacks. Oh and yes of course, let's just get rid of all the lawyers, so we can walk ourselves into some big legal problem and get hit with a big fine or a lawsuit.

Moron.

How about hiring 1 attorney at x amount a year and he or she works strictly for the town.....

[Guest guest]

".......How about hiring 1 attorney at x amount a year and he or she works strictly for the town..... "

This would never work. They would no longer be able to draw multiple pensions? Right Al? Oops did I say that?