Why You Really Need to Clean House on Both Sides of 'Downtown' Edison!

After two years of waiting for the Council of the Whole to find themselves and with the latest attack on a current Board of Ed candidate - you really gotta appreciate it when our elected officials start going after each other.

Here, take a peek at Councilman Sendelsky at Monday's Worksession ripping into Edison Board of Mythomania President Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and Board Member (and Current Council Candidate) Richard Brescher.

Something how the truth trickles out when you're on your way out the door.

While the Board of Mythomania unilaterally moved the BoE elections to November to block the People from having a say on their now $262 million Bloated and Out-of-Control $pending School Budgets and Hoarding practices every year and made the Board of Education a pawn in the twisted politics of this town - they aren't alone.

Seems the Edison Council had an opportunity a while back to move the BoE elections back to April but canceled their meeting at the last minute. Cowards! Politics prevailed over People!

So, you reap what you sow in this town but listen to Mr. Sendelsky spout out some of the truths about the inept leadership of Jerry Shi and his Board of Silence that goes right along with him. Pay attention to what he has to say about this idiotic $189.5m School Bond Referendum that will triple you current year's school tax increase for the next 30 years.




Anyhoo, aren't you Happy Now that both the Cowardly Council and the Inept Board of Education are now hiding behind and using the twisted politics in this town against what's in the Best interest of the Kids? You Should Be!

Edison Board of Mythomania, aka Board of Silence Unanimously Approves the $189.5m 'Money Grab' on December 10th! Now there's a shocker.

Well, in the spirit of truth and transparency, all eight Board Members went along with Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi's idiotic, ill-conceived, overpriced and unnecessarily burdensome plan to stick it to the People of Edison on December 10th.

Apparently, they don't have a problem doubling your last school tax increase for the next 30 years, which in effect triples it - they just have a problem publicly talking about it. Take it they'll wait to take their nonsense to the captive audiences in the schools and go with the old standard - it's all about the Kids. Good luck with that approach.

Here, let me help you out. At the ETEA's Candidates' Night tomorrow night, grab a hold of Emil 'Do the Right Thing' Ferlicchi and get him back on the 'It's All About the Kids' Bandwagon.

I miss the old days whenever the People of Edison properly said No to a Ridiculously Bloated School Budget or Bond Referendum, he was out there telling us 'Do the Right Thing' and give it to us anyway. Always said he was the Best at shoveling it and, if I didn't know better at the time, I would of actually believed him. Look forward to engaging in conversation with Emil again.

Remember that they all did this last night after first burying the Vote in the Public Agenda and then without any discussion or comments on this $189.5m 'Money Grab' before their Yes Vote.

Remember as we work our way to the December 10th Vote - they all agreed with Señor Shi.

Remember too, that they budgeted for 3 attempts to get this 'Money Grab' passed because they know that after 3 failed attempts, they can go to the State and have them Overrule the People of Edison. That's how they plan and that's how they think. That's the kind of hideous and deceptive planning being put forth on the backs of People of Edison by these People who are supposed to represent You.

Just knowing you're throwing out a ridiculous number because you're planning to take it to the State if You don't give it to them after 3 bites of the apple - says a lot about these so-called elected officials and makes you proud to live in this town, doesn't it?

Here's a thought - kick this nonsense to the ground every time they try and take advantage of You and let them go to the State. No problem there. It won't be too hard to show how ridiculous this thingie is. This is Not the plan to solve the Overcrowding problem, it just a number they picked because they couldn't properly and practically solve the Overcrowding problem. There's a practical and rational way to fix this problem that doesn't have to put such an unnecessary and unfair burden on the residents/taxpayers of Edison.

It's a long way to December 10th and as the song says, 'It's a long way to the top, if you want to Rock & Roll!'

Here, enjoy Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his Board of Silence discussing and explaining their rationale for this Vote on this $189.5m 'Money Grab' - Not!

Anyhoo, you gotta like how all these Board Members saw the very dim light of Jerry Shi on this one. You should remember this as we move on down the road.

Tonight's Board of Mythomania's, aka Board of 'No Taxpayer Friendly Members Here' Public Meeting!?!

Just an update: Just for the record - been told that all 9 members of the Board of Silence Voted Yes to place this ill-conceived and outrageously overpriced $189.5m Bond Referendum on the ballot on December 10th - in SILENCE and without comment or discussion, of course.

Well, this is interesting. Just saw the agenda for tonight's meeting and I don't know - maybe it's me but wouldn't you think that the most important thing up for vote tonight over there on Mythomania Lane would be that idiotic $189.5m December 10th Bond Referendum put together by Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi ands his band of architects?

If so, then why wouldn't it be highlighted on the Summary on Page 1 of the Agenda? You have to scroll down some 50-60 pages or so to see it's even up for a vote.

That's Nice if transparency isn't your thing, don't you think?

But you know what's important for them to highlight on the Summary Page? The Superintendent's $24,553.35 in Merit Goals.

Hmm...let's see, a Vote on $189,500,000 or $24,553.25 - I wonder which is more important for the Public to be aware of and to know?

Ok, so let's play this one out. You know this Board has a history of putting together sophomoric merit goals for their Supers' that are usually laughable and could probably be achieved by just showing up for work. Even worse, let's face it - it's the teachers' that deserve all the credit for achieving these quantitative goals and yet the administrators get the money. That's a Tad Bit unfair and as is - it's silly and a waste of taxpayers' money.

Anyway, in this case, there were 5 Merit goals and you can see them below. The first 3 qualitative goals relate to computer science, math and language arts, respectively. The 2 qualitative goals relate to a Bond referendum and security, respectively.

There are 3 quantitative goals each worth 3.33% of base salary or $6,546.25 and 2 qualitative goals each worth 2.50% $4,914.60 for a total of 14.99% for a Max payout to be earned of $29,467.85.



So, how much did Mr. Saxton earn? He earned $24,553.35 and you know which goal he failed to achieve and got a big zilch, nada, nothing? The Bond Referendum one and are you surprised that they only show you what was achieved and don't show you what he was eligible for so you can see what was missed? Even worse, are you surprised that Board Prez. Shi didn't make sure that was the Bond Referendum was the number one priority for the school district?

You shouldn't be and goes to show you that this $189.5m disaster lies in the inept hands of Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his band of architects and a Board of Silence that does nothing about it. And you wonder why we still don't have a full time Super?

Pay attention to how each Board Member Votes on this Bond Referendum tonight - that will tell you everything you need to know about this November's BoE Election.

Seriously now, isn't 30 years a Tad Bit too long and too expensive to be played for a fool by the powers that be?!?

Well, you know what they say about both sides of town here in 'Downtown Edison' - One Hand Washes the Other and Both Hands Pick Your Pocket.

Anyhoo, pay attention folks - this ill-conceived, grossly-overpriced and piecemeal Overcrowding plan that makes no sense put together by Senor Shi and his band of architects isn't all about the Kids, it's all about Grabbing Your Money for something they can't even justify. It's how they play You here in 'Downtown Edison' - they make sure everyone isn't dealing off the same facts at the same time.

Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi's Idiotic Overcrowding Plan that adds double the Unnecessary School tax increases You're Paying Now!?!

Yeah, makes a lot of sense to ask the People of Edison to fund an opaque and single-minded piecemeal plan for just 6 schools with an Outrageous cost of $312,772,719 for the next 30 years.



Anyhoo, this takes the Board of Mythomania to new heights or should I say new lows- to the Board of No Taxpayer Friendly Members Here!

What they didn't tell You last night about the $189.5m School Bond Referendum - it will cost You $269,164,093

Well, watched last night's Board of Silence Caucus meeting and watched their experts roll out their Proposed $189,500,000 Bond Referendum which is seriously opaque, based on an ill-conceived plan, is grossly overpriced with ridiculous costs (cost per sq. ft. and other allowable costs), has no scheduling plan and many other things wrong with it.

It's a Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his band of architects plan as a result of failed Overcrowding Committees on both sides of town.

There's a lot more to say about this Proposal but I'll wait until after they vote on this Resolution next Monday to get into the details.

The purpose of this post just to let you know what they conveniently neglected to tell you at last night's meeting.

They conveniently didn't tell you that the total cost of these six (6) schools is $312,772,719 ($189,500,000 + interest of $123,272,719) and with only $43,608,626 in state aid, the total Cost to You is $269,164,093.

While they talked about the what you'll see in the language of Bond Question on December 10th was only the names of the schools involved and the insignificant state aid numbers - they conveniently left out the most important thing that will be on the Bond Referendum Question - the increase in the School Tax Levy.

What You'll be Voting on is to Approve a Tax Levy of $269,164,093.

YUP..that's $269,164,093 on You!

That's a Tad Bit Not Nice to be so deceitful to the public to try and sell something that only deserves to be laughed at and then kicked to the curb.

Even with their own numbers, they want to double what you pay now in school tax increases for the next 30 years.

Now, these aren't my numbers, it's their numbers, which they conveniently didn't show or tell You about last night.  I OPRA'd the numbers from the financial consultant and you can see them in the picture below. There's some obvious financial questions about some of the numbers used in this report but that's a discussion for another day.

And seriously, what's all this jibber..jabbish on state aid? On the $189,500,000 they only got $31,083,781. It's simple - renovations are funded at 40% of full cost and new additions are only funded at 40% up to $143 sq. ft.. And if you go back and look at the compilation post (July 11, 2019) in this blog, you will see that the sq. ft. run in the $400 range. They should of spent more time talking about the $189,500,000 than the $31,083,781. Oh wait, they couldn't do that - then they'd have to explain their ridiculous numbers.

Be that as it may, this is an Excel file which is a calculator so you can see what this Proposed Disaster will cost You over the 30 year life of the bonds with their own numbers. All you have to enter is Your assessed value and it will show You how this will effect You.

Not everyone, except Mayor Tom 'Now 24.1% but Won't Debate' ChoiLankey claims to live in that mythical average home assessed at $173,800 - so enough with that nonsense, it's just a point of reference but reference points don't help You in knowing what it will Cost YOU. Use the calculator below.

Feel free to hit the 'Email Me' button up top and I will forward you the file. I can't upload that file here since this Blog doesn't handle the calculations.

Here's the Financial Consultant's Report from which I put together the calculator above:




And here's last night's Caucus meeting. Pay attention to the experts discussion and then compare that to the numbers in their report above - and You'll see exactly why You Got Played. And if you don't see that - ask yourself why the experts didn't put up all their usual fancy slides with all the numbers on it for you to see.




Anyhoo, pay attention folks, this Bond Proposal is Ridiculous and they're trying to sneak it in past you. Don't fall for it. There's a better way to deal with the Overcrowding and a lot less expensive than the Jerry 'Needs to Step-Down' Shi and his band of architects way.

$25k later - we're still $uing ourselves - can we get anymore ridiculous in this town?

Well, saw this piece here about Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his Board of Silence appealing the decision in their suit against the Edison Zoning Board.

Apparently, Shi thinks it's justified to continue litigating ourselves.

This is what happens to your tax dollars when you have a Board of Ed that turns a blind eye to this mistake:

Anyhoo, and you wonder why your School Budgets are so Bloated with Out-of-Control $pending every year?

Board of Mythomania's Presentation on the December 10th School Bond Referendum

Well, looks like that Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his Board of Silence will be making some kind of presentation on the ill-conceived and Ridiculously Overpriced Proposed $189.5 million December 10th Bond Referendum at Wednesday's Caucus Meeting. You can see how ridiculous the numbers are in the compilation in the July 11, 2019 post.

Now, not for nothing, but this has got to be the most opaque and ill-timed roll-out of such a significant school district proposal ever and only topped by the fact it's being put together with the inept and ineffective leadership of Board President Jerry Shi and his band of architects - without a full-time super in place.

Yeah, I'll bet Jerry Shi and his architects know what's best for the Edison School District. Once again, go look back at the numbers in the July 11, 2019 post.

And, if you try and get information on this Bond Referendum ambush on the People of Edison by Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi and his Board of Silence, you get no response.

There's a Shocker!

Unfortunately, this Board of Silence doesn't recognize that just because we have to do something with the overcrowding doesn't mean we just do anything. And this is an anything you really don't want to do.

Here's some latest correspondence:

Finally, with a Board of Ed Election coming up this November, you might want to pay attention to the candidates in this cycle. For sure, you might want to consider staying away from Shannon Peng and her Jerry Shi team and the 'Narcissism a La Smart Phone' and You Tube Candidates.

Anyhoo, pay attention folks - this Board of Mythomania ambush will undoubtedly end up costing you an untold amount and probably won't do much for the overcrowding.

A Big Round of Applause for the 7 Processing Clerks' 'Do Nothing Amendment' here in 'Downtown' Edison!

Well there you go - saw this piece here in TapIntoEdison about the 7 Processing Clerks adopting yet another in a long line of Señor Lankey tax increases without a penny change.

Something how Señor Lankey and his 7 Processing Clerks sandbagged you with that 3rd Qtr Estimated Property Tax Bill only to have you eat it with your 4th Qtr Tax Bill - and not even saying a word to you about understating those 3rd Qtr tax bills by some 35%.

But hey, at least the 7 Processing Clerks are consistent - they've agreed with every tax increase Señor Lankey has put forth during his tenure.

They're consistent all right - they consistently leave Checks & Balances at the Council Chamber doors over there at 100 Oligarchy Blvd.

Buy hey, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that at least 4 of those 7 Processing Clerks think they should actually be your next Mayor!

Top 10 Reasons you Gotta like the EDO's Recycle Bin for Mayor in 2021!?!

10. Because you wanna give Mayor Tom 'Now 21.4% but Won't Debate' ChoiLankey another 4 years to tax you some more and work behind your back with outside sources against you.

9. Because you like the 7 Processing Clerks who, after two years since the racist flyer, are still searching for themselves with the Committee of the Whole.

8. Because it's always a good idea for Mahesh Bhagia, the Mayor's Aide, to succeed him and carry on his ineffective policies and leadership.

7. Because you like the 'Weathervane' millennial Councilman Sam Joshi who has yet to demonstrate that he knows how to put on his Big-boy pants - and let's not forget Councilman Joe 'Mr. Neutral' Coyle for picking the worst place imaginable to jump back on the fence.

6. Because you like Councilman Bob 'See No Conflict' Diehl, aka..'Suez 'Man of the Year' who now has become the EDO's Poster-child for term limits.

5. Because you really like Councilman Ajay Patil and can't wait to see if Señor Lankey takes him up on his offer to testify before him at the Committee of the Whole.

4. Because you really want to see Sapana Shah, the Former Dem Councilwoman and Board of Ed Member to make a comeback after losing a bid for the Assembly to Rob 'Mr. Temper-a-Ment' Karabinchak - the EDO's Greatest Failure.

3. Because you really don't mind picking another candidate from the EDO Recycle Bin since you like your town being ruled by the Party that has long made Edison Safe for Hypocrisy.

2. Because you like elevating Council people to another job when they haven't done the job they have now - even when you see how that works out with Charlie 'I Abstain' Tomaro, aka..Deputy Dog.

1. Because it doesn't bother you that with the resounding defeat to Mayor Lankey's clandestine deal with Suez, the Democrats are looking to 2021 rather than seriously focusing on how they're going to manage and run the Sewer and Water Utilities.

Edison Board of Education - Current Total Salaries 2019-20 School Year

Here are the Current Total Salaries as they stand now from an OPRA Request for the 2019-20 School Year:

Summary - Salary Ranges:

Summary - by Department:

Summary Tables (where you can see the original date by name, school, department and title) Drill-down Table:

Another way of drilling down on the data provided - Pivot Table:

Anyhoo, unable to upload actual Excel tables that will work with this blog but if anyone is interested in the Excel file which has the tables and all the other worksheets pictured above, just email me and you're welcome to it.

Suez $851m Deal - too Big & too Long to Fail - Vote YES today!

Update - Unofficial September 10th Referendum results:

Don't let a handful of all-Dem party politicians over there on Oligarchy Blvd. dictate to You what's best for You.

Today's Your chance to take back control of Your local government and Stop them from locking in Your future for decades to come!

VOTE

YES

Why You Just Can't Trust any of Senor Lankey's 7 Processing Clerks!?!

A Big Kudos to Councilman Joe Coyle for Publicly highlighting the Hypocrisy of the Edison Council in this fight against the Suez Deal that Senor Lankey (with help from Suez) is trying to force down your throat.

What is Your Problem Joe Coyle?

Thought you were supposed to represent the People of Edison? What are you doing at a 'Vote Yes' Rally put together by a dedicated Group of Residents who are pushing back on such an egregious Lankey contract if you're trying to jump back on the fence?

Go ahead and continue to work with Senor Lankey and the Council but don't think You haven't Shown Yourself for What You Are - just another in a long-line of one-party political hacks forced on the People of Edison.

Anyhoo, Vote YES on Sept. 10th and No to Councilman Coyle in November!

Just another Reason to Vote YES on Sept. 10th!?!

Well, just saw on FaceBook where this guy stands on the Sewer & Water Vote on Sept. 10th. You remember this guy who never met a tax he didn't like here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison or over there as 'Deputy Dog' of the Middlesex County Freeholders.

Yup, none other than Charlie 'I Abstain' Tomaro, aka 'Deputy Dog' - the Poster-Child for Everything that's Wrong with the EDO and who blindly follows whatever those in the Local Dem-Party Oligarchy tell him to do - just like he did when he supported Lankey's team of Sendelsky & Lombardi in the primary election for Council his year.

You gotta know that if he likes something, it Can't be Good for You.

And he likes Voting NO on Sept. 10th!

What a Guy! A follow the Lankey-guy if there ever was one. Not for nothing but if an original thought ever found it's way into his head, it would probably explode.

Anyhoo, take Your Lead from Charlie, if he's for Something - You should be Against it!

Vote YES on September 10th!!

Anybody else see what I see every time you get another Suez flyer?

Well, not for nothing but Señor Lankey, this is what I see every time a get another one of these many, many, many flyers:

Doesn't it just give You that Warm Home-Town Feeling all Over when Your Mayor Works Against You?

And let's not forget to give Councilman Bob 'See No Conflict' Diehl, aka 'Suez Man of the Year' - a Big Round of Applause for casting the deciding Council Vote to keep Senor Lankey's opaque dreams alive.

But hey, thanks anyway for the reminder Senor Lankey.

In the Category, 'How Low Can You Go, How Low Can You Go Señor Lankey - We just found out!

Saw this desperate 12th hour piece here in TapintoEdison with Mayor Tom 'Now 24.1% but Won't Debate' ChoiLankey's latest offering before the September 10th Vote on the $851 million Suez Deal.

Sell your town out by Voting No on the Suez Deal and You can have free air conditioning in the schools. 

Isn't that Nice of him?

Now there's an offer no respectable public official would or should make unless he was trying to hope you'll bite on the bone he's throwing out and upon which you'll no doubt be choking on later on.

And think about it - who do you think is going to pay for this offer of free air conditioning. Nothing is for free.

Here's a thought, let that inept leadership over on Mythomania Lane pay for their own air conditioning - they certainly built up enough bloat in their school budgets and hoarded reserves over the years to start to do it - probably even faster than a promise from Lankey would. We all see how Lankey's promises come to bear - Not.

Stop getting jerked around by these so called 'Stewards' on both sides of town and recognize they're both putting the screws to you. Aren't you tired of the Stench that Still Lingers on both sides of this town?

Anyhoo, Vote Yes on September 10th and No on December 10th (if they ever come up with with a yet unidentified $189.5m School Bond Referendum) and take back your town and tell both these 'Stewards' you had enough of them and their disingeneous practices and gamesmanship - it's Not a Game.

It's Deja Vu all over again over there on Mythomania Lane - things will never change until you make it happen!

There was a time back when I wrote Letters to the Editor to all the local papers about Downtown Edison.

Came across this one today and it seems appropriate that I share it with you because it highlights something that's been going on a very long time over there on Mythomania Lane - and that's they've been sticking it to the residents/taxpayers for a very long time.

This very practice of generating Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending Budgets combined with Hoarding taxpayer relief money year-after-year continues to this very day.

And Why?

Because we have no one on the Board who is willing to step-Up to STOP it. Throw in these ridiculously overpriced  Bond Referendums and Lease Purchase agreements and anyone with an ounce of common sense would be offended.

We never had anyone on this Board willing to do it and look where we are today. An opaque, inept and dysfunctional School Board led by someone whose actions deserve rebuke and removal and Not Silence by his fellow Board Members.

Moral of this story - if you want to get this Board under control, then you need to replace them all and get serious people on there who want to seriously give the residents/taxpayers a seat at the table in the decision-making process.

Leaving this Board the way it it, will only continue to perpetuate the waste, inefficiency and outright disrespect for the stakeholders who pays all the bills - the residents/taxpayers.

With School Budgets now exceeding $260 million (which you can't vote on anymore), Lease Purchase agreements they use to go around a public vote one capital additions, Hoarding taxpayer relief money and using it to increase $pending, the Staffing Shell Game that allows them to secretly add heads to the payroll in the school budgets without telling you, coming up with clandestine Bond Referendums that don't make sense to anyone and an overall lack of transparency and respect that it's you they're ignoring and it's your money their wasting.

Finally, this is where most of your property tax dollars go and it's an important place to make sure is answerable to the People of Edison and they are Not.

You need to wake up and recognize this tad bit of fact and ask yourself why I'm still writing the same thing that I wrote about on 3/15/12 - 7 years later.

Here read the letter and see if the same thing isn't still going on - and then ask yourself Why:

Anyhoo, do yourself a favor and get some Oversight on this School Board as soon as possible because we certainly haven't had any in a long, long time and it really shows in your property tax bills.

Keith Hahn to be on WCTC (1450) tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM discussing the Suez Sewer & Water Deal - and why You Should Vote YES!

From 'Keith Hahn for Edison' FaceBook page - Keith will be on WCTC (1450) tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM. 

'He will be talking about the September 10th referendum, why you should vote "YES", (Suez is spending big money to get you to vote NO, if that helps make up your mind) and what it means for the future of our water and sewer utilities in the future if the referendum passes.'

Here's Keith Hahn discussing the facts behind the Suez deal and the upcoming September 10th referendum on FaceBook last night.


Anyhoo, take the time to watch the video and tune-in to WCTC (1450) tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM to hear Keith.