Cell Tower mock-up off of Knapp?!?

Just went to get some gas and saw this crane parked adjacent to the gas station!?!

Anyhoo, if anyone knows what this is all about, I'd appreciate knowing.

James Monroe Stuff the Bus - help the little ones if you can!

Saw this notice on a FaceBook feed. Please take the time to read and help in any way you can.

Jane Tousman - Edison's Environmental Activist - will be missed!

Saw the piece about her passing here in the Star-Ledger. For those who have been around Downtown Edison for a long time, she is remembered for her never-ending work to make Edison a better place.

But, more importantly, she was a kind, decent and compassionate person and that's the greatest accomplishment anyone of us can hope to achieve.

James Monroe Elementary School Information Update!

The Edison Board of Education has an update on their website here. Please take a moment to read.

Edison Property Tax Increase - 2009-2013

Well, not surprising but worth noting where the property tax increases came from over the last 4 years here in Downtown Edison. Source of data: NJ Dept. of Community Affairs website.
Sorry, had Muni & County mixed up on the chart - corrected now.

Average Property Tax Bills - 2013 & 2012

Just saw this piece in today's Star-Ledger here. Here's a summary of the 21 Counties and Middlesex County by Municipality:

For the curious in Downtown Edison, here's the numbers they used;

Total Tax Rate (excludes Garbage Dist 1 tax) 4.576 per 100 up 4.7 Cents over last year's 4.529.
(This increase was made up of 3.6 cents for the school tax, 1.2 cents for the county tax and a decrease of .1 cent for the municipality).

Ratables in 2013 of 6,997,886,834 and 2012 of 7,056,377,673.

Average Home Assessed Value - 2013 of 176,801 and 2012 of 176,704.

Hence, in 2013 - Average property tax of 8,090 (4.576 x 1,768).
                2012 - Average property tax of 8,002 (4.529 x 1,767).

Anyhoo, there's a bunch more detail that you can see if you wish (not just for Edison but for all the municipalities in the state) at the NJ Department of Community Affairs website - the source used by the SL.

Don't you find this a tad bit Disconcerting-a-Mundo?!?

We have Super Dr. Richard 'Build the Trust' O'Malley on the Internet for all the world to see as a finalist for a Super position in another state - yet, the Maeroff-led Board of Mythomania doesn't think is something worthy of mentioning to the people of Downtown Edison?!?

Didn't see any mention of that minor detail in Maeroff's - From the Desk of Gene I. Maeroff, Board of Education President's one-sided monthly highlights.

Anyhoo, somebody owes the people of Edison an explanation of what's going on over there on Mythomania Lane.

Dr. Richard 'Build the Trust' O'Malley on the move again?!?

Well, just saw this link on NJ.Com about some Super finalists in another school district. Who pops-up as one of the 3 finalists - our very own Señor O'Malley. Now, don't know what he's doing by interviewing or why. His contract runs from 2/7/11 (or earlier) to 7/1/15 (4.4 years).

Certainly, don't begrudge him or anyone else making their own career decisions but he does have a track record of moving around - a lot. So, it wouldn't be a surprise if he moves on.

Anyhoo, with Maeroff leaving - maybe he's worried about losing the Hugs & Kisses!

Candidates - April 23rd Edison School Board Election

Just watched the Edison BoE's March 13th poll drawing for the April 23 election. There are 8 candidates for 3 open seats.

Gene Maeroff, Dr. Frank Heelan and Jerry Shi (picked to replace Shah) are up this time around.

Looks like Maeroff is not running for reelection.

Here's the ballot positions:

A1 - Jingwei (Jerry) Shi (I)

A2 - Patrick Amaral

A3 - Kiel Thoms

A4 - Beth Moroney

A5 - Shivi Prasad

A6 - Chang-Hui Shen

A7 - Nasseeruddin Mohammad

A8 - Frank Heelan (I)

Board of Mythomania's 2014-15 Preliminary School Budget Tax Rate - $2.733!

Well, just saw the Ratable number for the 2014-15 school year - it's 7,028,001,196. That's a tad bit of good news since it's up 30,114,362 over last year's 6,997,886,834.

With that last piece, we can now see that the budget numbers in the Board's February 24th meeting will result in School Tax Rate of 2.733 per 100. That's up 2.9 cents or 1.1% over last year's 2.704.

When you look at the change in the tax rate, you can see that the 2.9 cents increase is the result of 4.1 cent (1.5%) increase due to Spending and a 1.2 cent (.4%) decrease due to the increase in the Ratables.

So, using these numbers, if you live in that mythical average home assessed for 176,700 - your school taxes will go up 51.43 (.029 x 1,767) and your total school taxes will be 4,829.21 (2.733 x 1,767). If you don't live in that mythical home, take your home's assessed value divided by 100 and multiply it times .029 to get your school tax increase and by 2.733 to get your total school taxes.

However, these are just numbers and until we actually see the budget, we don't really know if these numbers are good, bad or indifferent. Don't fall for the - it's only a few bucks more rhetoric.

Let's face it, this Board of Mythomania is just on a rampant Out-of-Control $pending spree with no signs of ever stopping. That's some $18.3 million in increased $pending since Super O'Malley took over. They also like to try and hide it by hoarding taxpayer relief money and using it to increase $pending while making it look like and claiming they're holding the tax rate down. And let's not forget the infamous staffing shell game that's added hundreds to the payroll over the years that they never disclosed and you never saw in the budgets they asked you to vote on.

Anyhoo, numbers don't mean a darn thing unless you know the substance behind them and we won't know anything about this preliminary budget until they release it to the public - probably at the March 26th meeting.

Time to pay attention folks - everybody over there is hoping you don't - again!

What their 2014-15 preliminary budget numbers actually result in:

What the $pending looks like:

Edison Board of Mythomania School Tax Increase 2014-15!?!

Well, saw the Board's approval of the 2014-15 Preliminary School Budget in the February 24 agenda here and wouldn't you know - there's yet another School Tax increase coming your way here in Downtown Edison.

If you look on page 54 you'll see a bunch of numbers but, of course, they don't tell you those numbers result in a tax increase. You won't even see the budget until probably their March 26th meeting and even get to comment on it until the public meeting, which will probably be on March 31st.

Just a reminder, the school board election isn't until April 23rd this year.

So, let's see what's going on with these numbers without seeing their budget. We can see that Spending is up $3,984,138, the Fiscal Year Tax Levy is up $3,806,189 and the Calendar Year Tax Levy is up $2,880,745 - over last year!

From this alone, the School Tax Rate will go up 4.1 Cents to $2.745 from last year's $2.704. And that's just for the Spending increase in the school budget.

The Ratables number is not yet available - so, we don't know how much further that will drive the School Tax Rate UP above the $2.745! If history is any indication though - they will pass along to us any drop in the Ratables. They only take credit when the Ratables go up - they run away when it goes down.

Anyhoo, looks like another year of school tax increases from over there on Mythomania Lane.

Numbers they don't show you in the agenda:

And here's what's in the agenda:

Blogs that help inform, share thoughts, spur conversation & provide info about Downtown Edison!

I recently became aware of Tyler Van Pelt's blog:

Tyler Van Pelt and the State of the American Public School.

After reading it, I enjoyed the material and 'goings-on' he covers over there on Mythomania Lane and his unique & thoughtful take on them. Very interesting and worth your time.

As such, I have added his blog to my blog roll and hope you take the time to check it out.

Mayor ChoiLankey of 'Badlands' - gotta like it!?!

As Senor Lankey quotes Bruce Springsteen in Badlands in his State of Edison address: 'Talk about a dream, try to make it real.' Let's dream, let's talk, and let's make it real together!

In conclusion, let me once again declare that the state of Edison Township is confident and optimistic.

Whoa..who writes this stuff?!?

Anyhoo, for a speech that said nothing and inspired no one outside Team ChoiLankey, it's good to know the state of Edison is confident and optimistic in his world.

Don't you just wonder if he feels the same about those mythical Checks & Balances under Team ChoiLankey here in Downtown Edison?!?

Just a final thought on this stuff. As someone who takes liberties with the english language, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not - there's really no reason why this goes unnoticed in the text of the State of Edison address by Team ChoiLankey:

Department Heads

Business Administrator Maureen Ruane 

Director of Engineering John Medina 

Director of Finance Janice Saponaro 

Director of Public Works Jeff Roderman 

Director of health Jay Elliot 

Director of Recreation Denise Halliwell 

Police chief tom bryan 

Fire Chief Brian Latham 

Library Director Judith Mansbach 

Human Resource Manager June Breshcer 

Purchasing Agent Laura Popick 

Township Clerk Cheryl Russomanno

Not for nothing but Team ChoiLankey's 'Fresh Start' Tour entourage should be a tad bit more respectful as they head on down the road.

Why Lankey can't be the Boy Who Cried Wolf for a Muni-Tax increase..

It only works in Aesop's Fables - not in Downtown Edison:

Anyhoo, let's stop all the false bravado and Whining to boot!