Well, seems to be the Dem-party's modus operandi in this election cycle - eliminate the competition at all levels and protect the status quo.
Simply disgraceful but at least there are others out there who won't stay silent.
Way to Go Rob!
Well, just noticed the above-mentioned meeting of the Board of Mythomania, Board of Hoarders, Board of Dysfunction, Board of Ed-Dems, Board of Muck & Mire and now Board of Shi-bots.
Seems it didn't take long for us to return to the dictatorial inept leadership of Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed, Mr. Pac-Man.
You can't say you weren't warned about letting this guy back on the Board - much less let him be President of the Board. He'll just keep the School District from moving forward - like he did with the previous 12-13 years he was there.
Here, watch this meeting and Reap What You Sow:
Well, here's a summary of the 2025 Muni-budget introduced at the last Council meeting;
Here's a summary of the changes over last year's adopted Muni-budget (modified for transfers):
The Municipal tax levy is up $2,316,193 (3.12-cents) over last year offset by an increase in the Ratables (1.34-cents) of $62,899,400.
This brings the Local tax increases under Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi's 4 year reign of political disaster to 10.3-cents or 7.4%.
Anyhoo, what can you say other than it's an election year.
Well, just saw the agenda for tomorrow night's meeting and the information they provided for approval by the Board to send the 2025-26 School Budget down to the County Super for approval (see below).
Unfortunately, we can't see the school budget until after it's approved by the County Super.
But with their notice and a copy of Last year's Budget and this year's Ratables we can tell some top level things about the School Budget for 2025-26 and the change from Last year.
This Preliminary Budget has appropriations of $378,167,002, which is up $10,863,586 (offset by $10,853,586 in other revenue) - leaving the School Tax Levy the same as last year at $235,013,168.
The School tax Rate built into this School Budget is 3.139. Unfortunately, this reduction in the School Tax Rate of 2.7-cents (over last year's 3.166) is solely due to the increase in the Ratables of $62,899,400 - they kept the $pending the same as last year.
No $pending Reductions - Not good signs.
If you live in that imaginary home assessed at $183,400, Your 2025 School taxes will be $5,757 and you'll see a whooping reduction in your School taxes of $49.
If you don't live in that imaginary home assessed at $183,400, just take your home's assessed value and divide it by 100. Then, take that number and multiply it by 3.139 and .027 to get your total School taxes for 2025 and School tax Reduction from Last year, respectively.
Here's their notice:
Here's the numbers:
Anyhoo, can't really see what's going on here until they release the School Budget once the County Super approves it but it sure looks like they'll be a lot of questions and have a lot of explaining to do with these numbers.
Well, in case you didn't know, School Budgets are different. The way it works is the Administration puts together a preliminary budget and is reviewed by the School Board's Finance & Facility Committee who then brings it to the full Board for a vote. That is scheduled for March 20, 2025
But it's not a vote for You to see the proposed School Budget or have a say. It's a vote to send it down to the County Super for approval. Once approved by the County Super, it's then scheduled for a Public Meeting, which is scheduled for April 29, 2025.
But that's just a formality since once approved by the County Super, it rarely matters what the Public thinks or has to say. There's more oddities and opaque structure of these School Budgets that will be made apparent again when they put out their 2025-26 School Budget.
So, it becomes critically important that we have Oversight with School Budgets now approaching some $400 million.
Unfortunately, we have Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed, Mr. Pac-Man again in charge.
Anyhoo, you need to pay attention to what goes on over there on Pierson Ave., at the junction of Dysfunctional & Political Cesspool Streets. It's Your money and all that state aid money they're mis-spending and pissing away with their Bloated and Out-of-Control $pending Budgets, without properly addressing and solving the Overcrowding problem.
A Big Shout-out to Joel for telling it like it is.
I’m Joel Bassoff, and I’m here because I’m angry and I need to vent.
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi is spending almost $12 million on the Sports Complex in Papaianni Park – a rectangle of artificial turf and a prefab steel building that was supposed to cost $5 million. Our full-time Mayor let the cost balloon to $12 million!
· I’m angry about the Silver Lake lawsuit. Sam Joshi spent almost $13 million for land that the next door property owner has a legal claim to. Our full-time Mayor testified under oath that reading the documents would have been, quote, “a complete waste of my time.” A waste of his time to find out what he was buying for $13 million of our money?!
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi brought an entourage of four police officers on a trip Chicago – at taxpayer expense!
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi gave a million dollar no-bid contract to an engineering firm – after the firm hired the Business Administrator’s husband.
· I’m angry about the water main breaks in South Edison. Our full-time Mayor had no plan to replace crumbling water infrastructure? Running water is about as basic as it gets.
· I’m angry that the Mayor held a campaign fundraiser at the Ray Catena dealership – while Ray Catena has a case in the Zoning Board to expand their parking lot into a residential neighborhood. How would you like it if a car dealer put a parking lot next to your house?
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi let Edison miss a crucial deadline for affordable housing. He’s opening up Edison to builders remedy lawsuits, which means that outside developers decide where to build their apartment complexes regardless of what’s best for the residents.
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi tried to take the library away from the Clara Barton neighborhood, and that he fired the Library trustees who stood up to him.
· I’m angry that Sam Joshi evicted the Arts Society from the Municipal Building so that he could turn the space into a shrine to himself.
· See this refrigerator magnet that says “Mayor Samip Joshi” in big letters? I’m angry that Sam Joshi uses taxpayer money to mail his campaign materials. I’m angry that we have to pay for campaign brochures like The Illuminator. I say: Pay for your own campaign flyers with the money you got from Ray Catena.
· I’m angry that Edison is an international laughing-stock because Sam Joshi’s yes-man tossed a resident out of a Council meeting – for holding up an American flag!
You can cross my name off the ballot. I’m not running for anything. I just needed to vent.
I just want Edison Democrats to nominate candidates that we can be proud of.
Thank you for listening. Good night.
Anyhoo, we need more Joel's and less Joshi's in this politically-corrupt town.
Well, just saw this on the NJDOE Website. Looks like Edison Received State Aid of $91,542,019, which is a reduction of $2,831,196 or 3% from LY's $94,373,215.
However, from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 this brings the total State Aid received by Edison to a Whopping $342,858,061 over the last 5 years - and they Still Haven't Solved the Overcrowding Problem.
FY 2026 State Aid by District:
FY 2026 State Aid Middlesex County:
Anyhoo, let's see how they use this money in this year's FY 2025-26 School Budget.
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