Thursday, August 31, 2017

Dr. Frank's Double-Secret Going-Away present to Super O'Malley - tabled until next month! Unlucky!!

Well, looks like Dr. Frank didn't have the votes to Sneak-in an early extension of Super Dr. Richard 'Looking for the Exit Ramp' O'Malley's contract until June 30, 2022. Seems there were 3 board members (Moroney, Peng & Ward) absent from the meeting. So, he tabled it until next month.

Good thing since you would of never of known what's in that contract until after it was approved by the Board and by then, your opinion wouldn't matter, would it?

Sneaky, Sneaky, Sneaky!

Think about what's going on here. They send an early extension down to the County Super, he approves it and then it comes back to them for a vote - a vote which they take without providing the public with any information about what is in the contract and what exactly they're voting on. That's a good way to block any public input and discussion on what they're doing with Señor O'Malley's contract.

That's just Nasty!

So, here's a suggestion for Dr. Frank on his way out the door. If you feel the need to extend O'Malley's contract now some 2 years early, then put the contract out into the public so they can see and review it before you have a meeting to vote on it. Give the resident/taxpayers a chance to chime in and have an open and free discussion of the rationale, justification and cost that will impact us out out to 2022, if approved. Surely, you must believe Dr. O'Malley's performance justifies your actions and it should be easy for you to then make the case.

Now, in the event Dr. Frank doesn't put the contract out to the public, here's what you do. You go to the meeting when it's up for vote and you ask them to disclose in public what's in the contract before they vote - since they're going to ask for public comments before they vote and how could you possibly comment if you don't know what's in it?

Make them disclose the details before they vote so you can have a basis for commenting. As I understand it, their next Caucus Meeting is September 13th and the Public Meeting is Sept. 18th. You should attend if possible and share your thoughts.

Don't let Dr. Frank and this Board of Mythomania let Señor O'Malley get a second Safe-haven contract without making them justify what they're doing and why.

Here's last night's meeting where they tabled the resolution on Super O'Malley's contract. and pay attention to Dr. Frank's comments ..it's (the contract) been discussed and reviewed and will be dealt with at next month's meeting. Guess he is referring to the County Super and the Board - JUST NOT YOU!



Anyhoo, just another reason why you really need to vote these board members out as they come up for reelection. Doing stuff like this is an insult, a slap in the face and a tad bit Disrespectful to the People of Edison. Guess Dr. Frank's a tad bit concerned that with 4 seats up for grabs in 10 weeks or so, Super O'Malley may not make the cut with a different board not so interested in protecting their guy.

O'sooo..MaL Conundrum in Full Force over there on Mythomania Lane - early extension of O'Malley's contract!?!?

Well, don't know if this extension of Super Dr. Richard 'Looking for the Exit Ramp' O'Malley's contract was approved at tonight's meeting but sure looks like they're trying to pull a fast one here.

Really Now - rescinding his existing contract that runs until June 30, 2019 and retroactively giving him a 5-year contract from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022?

That's seriously Not Nice to do to the People of Edison.

I object to any early extension of his contract and would like to see the contract they're proposing and have just made an OPRA Request to see it - (apparently, a contract which they already have approved by the County Super).

If the Board did vote on and approve this tonight - SHAME on YOU!

If you didn't vote on this tonight, then don't vote until the People of Edison can see the contract and can be heard on it. Geez, wasn't it bad enough enough you gave Senior O'Malley a Safe-Haven contract (see the 8/25/14 post) in spite of the fact that he was out publicly interviewing for another Super gig and didn't get.

With all due respect, I certainly would like to be given an opportunity to be heard on any renewal of Super O'Malley's contract.

Here's the excerpt from the Public Meeting Agenda I just saw on their website:




Anyhoo, can you believe the gaul of these Board Members to try and rush through an early extension of his contract in an election year when 4 seats are up for grabs no less - and a year in which the teachers are working without a contract and having their salaries frozen?!?

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Keith Hahn for Edison Mayor - now there's something you don't see every day!

Well, just saw this piece here in the SL about November's Mayoral election here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison. Seems there's gonna be some competition.

As a general rule, not much of a fan of the EDO, which I consider the Party that Made Edison Safe for Hypocrisy.

You remember the EDO, the party that elevated the 'Poster-Child' for Everything that's Wrong with the EDO to Freeloader - Charlie 'I Abstain' Tomaro.  And, of course, let's not forget the EDO's Greatest Failure, elevating Rob 'Mr. Temper-a-Ment' Karabinchak to Ass'man for the 18th District.

Now I don't take much interest in their dysfunctional and twisted internal fighting, bickering and backstabbing but you just can't ignore this article.

I kinda found this section in the piece hard to take seriously but did find it humorous?!?;

 'Shariq Ahmad, a former staffer for U.S. Sen, Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and now chief-of-staff to Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak, now runs the local party organization of 156 seats, which are voted on by party members during the June Primary.'

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Ahmad called Hahn a 'scorned lover' after his falling out with the party. 'Mr. Hahn pleaded with the Edison Democratic Party to make him Chairman for another term, 'Ahmad said. 'He agreed that the Democrats had a great team, right up until his bizarre decision to suddenly switch political allegiances. Edison residents recognize these are self-serving opportunistic actions, just as they know the great job Mayor Lankey has done in his first term.'

Well, guess Mr. Ahmad can characterize his assessment of Mr. Hahn's actions anyway he wants but come on now - 'Edison residents recognize these are self-serving opportunistic actions, just as they know the great job Mayor Lankey has done in his first term.'

Geez, if we're gonna talk about self-serving actions by politicians in this town, I'm sure there's enough of that to go around this election cycle, and maybe it's me, but I'm a resident of this town and I don't know the great job Mayor Lankey has done in his first term.

But hey, I'm open to having Mayor Tom 'Now 15.4%' ChoiLankey explain it to me.

Well, I digress, so let's move on. What can you say about Hahn entering the race?

You can say things like;
  •  Competition is healthy in politics
  •  More candidates, more choices
  •  Edison residents must understand the unbalanced power our current at-large system provides
  •  Too much control and power into a few hands is problematic
All true and you should recognize and believe it with Mayor Tom 'Now 15.4%' ChoiLankey and his 7 Processing Clerks (aka the Edison Council) in this Local Dem-Party 'Oligarchy' we got going on here in Downtown Edison.

And, in this case, you don't have to take my word for it because I didn't say those things. Those quotes about our long-standing political environment here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison come from somebody who knows better than me - Lankey's past and or current campaign manager and the guy with the longest title in town - Mr. Anthony Russomanno.

Here's his Letter to the Editor from the Sentinel back when Wards were up for vote:



Seriously now,  do you think this is the first time a Local Dem has switched parties to win an election here. Dave Papi did it and he won his seat back on the Council.

If there's one thing you should understand about this town - there are no political friends and there are no political enemies, just political opportunities and everyone who has ever flowed through that Local Party that has Made Edison Safe for Hypocrisy has taken advantage of those opportunities one time or another. So, let's not give Hahn crapola for doing what everyone else in this town does when it's to their political advantage.

Anyhoo, looks like we now have a choice for Mayor.



Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Makes you wonder if the Total Eclipse in Downtown Edison will ever end?!?

Pretty amazing eclipse yesterday. Something what sunshine coming back looks like!

Kind of reminded me what a little sunshine can do.

Photo credit - NASA:


Anyhoo, there's you Final Property Tax Rates & Amounts for 2017 here in the 'DemBadlands' of Downtown Edison.




Friday, August 18, 2017

'New Rules' for Edison's Board of Mythomania - with apologies to Bill Maher!?!

Time for that Leader-less board over there on Mythomania Lane to Publicly address the Elephant in the room - and it's Overcrowding, Space, Overcrowding, Space, Overcrowding, Space!

This has been a serious problem since Coach Capraro was Super (and probably longer than that) and made worse by former Board President Dickinson when they eliminated full-day kindergarten and put out those ridiculously outrageous and over-priced failed bond referendums to address it. So, stop wasting time over there and put together a cogent, cohesive, cost-effective and practical plan for the public to address the issue and get it out there. Enough of these short-term plugs in the dike using these lease-purchase agreements that do nothing permanent but block the public from voting on these capital additions.

History of bloated and ill-conceived Bond Referendums:

No one should seek or allow the political friendship of the Pols on the other side of town to get on the board. 

For turning the BoE election into a partisan election, Jerry Shi, Beth Moroney and Paul Distefano should be voted into forced retirement come November. No great loss from my perspective, haven't quite seen either of Shi or Moroney do anything worthwhile since they've been there except whine about not getting our fair share of state aid under the 2008 SFRA, among other things - like that's even realistic and more important than what they're doing with the $238M they already have and $pend. And, unless you like what's going on over there on Mythomania Lane and not having full-time kindergarten anymore, you don't really want either of them taking over for Dr. Frank, if reelected.


The Board should Lead and Not Follow.

Enough of playing follow the leader behind Super Dr. Richard 'Looking for the Exit Ramp' O'Malley and certainly any discussion about an early extension of his safe-haven contract shouldn't be without a thorough review of his record and public input when you do.

Here's his current contract which expires on June 30, 2019 and which includes salary, inflation increases and performance bonuses that go up to 12%. This contract now makes him the 16th Highest paid Super in the State.




Make Board Goals and Performance Bonuses substantive to the needs of the District and less sophomoric and pedantic.

Given all the serious issues facing the District, don't think this board quite grasps what needs to be timely done. Hard to see how simple purchasing acumen merits a bonus or how space, budgets and test scores don't quite make the cut.

Make the Community part of the decision-making process regardless of who shows up at the Monthly Meeting or has the time to look at the Website.

You can start with publicly discussing your plans to fix the Overcrowding issue.

Anyhoo, it is what it is here in Downtown Edison - at least until you take the time to pay attention to what's going on and do something to change it.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

And You thought it was a good idea to move the elections to November here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison!?!

Well, just saw the list of candidates for the Edison Board of Education, aka Board of Mythomania, Board of Hoarders, Board of EDems this coming November.

Looks like there are 11 people in total running. There are 9 running to fill the 3 seats for the regular 3-year term and 2 people running to fill the 1 seat for the 1-year unexpired term.

Seems Dr. Frank is not running for re-election.

The 9 candidates running for the 3-year term, in no particular order, are:

1. Beth Moroney (I)
2. Jerry Shi (I)
3. Carol Bodofsky
4. Elizabeth Conway
5. Ruchika Juneja
6. Falguni Patel
7. Aqib Virani
8. Sunil Vuppula
9. Maria Wise

The 2 candidates running for the 1-year unexpired term are:
1. Paul Distefano (I)
2. William Araujo

In case you didn't know and just so there's no mistake who Mayor Tom 'Now15.4%' ChoiLankey is supporting over there at 100 Oligarchy Blvd, here they are:



Bet you didn't know there's a Lankey Team for the Board of Education to $tabilize Your Taxes over there too! And you wonder why I refer to them as the Board of EDems!

Well, at least you now know who not to vote for unless, of course, you want more of 'one-hand washes the other and both-hands pick your pocket' routine here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison.

Anyhoo, makes you wonder if Señor Lankey has a Lankey Team for You Got to Be Kidding Me?!?


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Edison Board of Mythomania announces Giveback to Taxpayers of $1,456,534 in Add'l State-Aid


Well, looks like Dr. Frank and the Edison Board of Mythomania, aka..Board of Hoarders, Board of EDems are keeping their word this time and returning that additional $1,456,534 in state-aid meant for taxpayer relief (and not for additional $pending) to the residents/taxpayers here in Downtown Edison.

If you recall, their original Bloated 2017-18 'Pot of Money' they call a School Budget came with a School tax-rate of $2.988, which was an increase of 5.6-Cents over last years' $2.932. If you lived in that imaginary home assessed at $178,300, then your tax increase was $99. If you don't live in that imaginary home, you can get your tax increase by simply taking your home's assessed value divided by 100 and multiplying that number by .056.

By returning that additional state-aid, their new School tax-rate dropped from $2.988 to $2.978 (One-Cent), and reduced that $99 to $81 or $18 if you live in that imaginary home assessed at $178,300.

While it's not a lot of money, it's the action by the Board that's important.


Anyhoo, in the words of my buddy (and my daughters 5th grade teacher, who always told me to leave him alone) Emil 'Do the Right Thing' Ferlicchi,  A Big-Kudos for doing the Right Thing this time.