Edison 'Board of Disgraceful Meeting' last night - Shi's out of control and the Public is shut-out of the picture!?!

 Well, just had an opportunity to watch last night's Edison Board of Mythomania's Public meeting.

Seems we learned a bunch of thingies - first and foremost that there is no Board of Education, there's just a  Board of 'Shi-shed' and his inept leadership taken too far. The quickest way to assure the School District fails to serve its stakeholders is to have Failed Leadership on the School Board:

Seems now he just doesn't have respect for the public but now for other Board Members too. His method of running these meetings, where there is 'no give and take', is as transparent as he is and demonstrates his inability to defend what he's doing on the merits and blocks any meaningful public discussion of what they're doing down in the details with that $274 million of tax money.

These aren't public meetings, they're public insults. And why are you going along with this nonsense Dr. Bragen? Clearly, this isn't what happens where you came from - is it? Or is it?

And what's with his treatment of Christo? Granted, he has his own unique approach but still deserves to be treated respectfully, no matter how much they may disagree with him.

Comments by Board President Jerry Shi-shed like 'Who's the Board President' and 'I already answered you, you just don't like the answer' -  are symptomatic of his inability to effectively communicate with the public and defend against those who question him about legitimate issues. He owes Anthony DePasquale, Christo and the ETA Vice-President Matt Hrevnak an apology - though I wouldn't hold my breath. 

This is not a dictatorship were this guy can do whatever he wants and perpetuate distrust and get away with it - and the rest of the Board needs to get off their butts and do something about it.

So, what else did we learn besides the fact that Board President Shi's leadership is inept and detrimental to the School district and all the stakeholders who want to have a say?

Seems their School Budget for 2021-22 was rejected by the State. You remember when they had that Public meeting on the school budget on March 18th without a having a school budget for the Public to see and just rambled on about what's in it?

That School Budget came with $264.2 million in $pending and a School tax rate of $3.149 (Per $100) and a minor reduction in the tax rate from last year's $3.166.

Seems now, according to the State, they can't reduce the School tax levy from last year. Guess they didn't know that before they offered to throw you a bone. That's too bad since this was the time to get rid of all that Bloat and Out-of-Control $pending carried forward in these school budgets. Will have to get our excess taxes back another way.

Anyway, this will increase the Bloated $pending up to $285.6 million, an increase of $11.4 million and drive the School tax rate up to $3.227, which is an increase of 6.2-cents or 1.97%. If you live in that imaginary home assessed at $180,392, then you School tax will increase around $112. If you don't live in that imaginary home, then just enter yours in the table below to get your school tax increase:

Here's the School Board Meeting for your viewing displeasure:

Anyhoo, this is what you get when you give power to those who shouldn't have it.

Top 10 'Thingies' You Should Know about Edison School Budgets

 10. Their School Budgets are just a synonym for Big, Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending 'Pots of Money' that get exponentially carried forward, at your expense, and result in unnecessary and outrageous increases in the school tax rate.

9. They carry forward excessive and unnecessary $pending every year and expand it exponentially with the 2% cap, use of the Bank Cap (to take back what they previously claimed as a savings) when necessary, hoard taxpayer relief money and build up reserves and engage in budget deception that lets them hire non-budgeted personnel and make other non-budgeted expenditures you never know about. The single biggest expenditure in the school budget is the Salary line - and it's the biggest padded line with its bogus 'breakage' budgeting among other things.

8. They often hoard additional aid that comes in after the school tax rate is struck and, more often than not, use it to increase $pending in the following year rather than return it to you.

7. The 'Public' copy of the School Budget you see is not the same format they send down for County and State approval.

6. Their budget line items are not always reflective of what they're thinking or where they'll be for the year since (unlike the Muni-budget) they can make budget transfers from line to line anytime they want during the year. It's a deceptive budgeting practice that allows them to later move money around to where they really want it.

5. They never tell you how they actually performed against these School Budgets they use to strike the School tax rate. A line-by-line comparison would shock you and you would see how bloated these School Budgets really are and how they move money around.

4. Even when you had the Right to Vote on these School Budgets, you were Never Voting to approve or disapprove the School Budget in total or its individual line-items - You were just Voting to approve or disapprove the School Tax Levy. They know that but You don't and they take advantage of it.

3. 'Public Meetings they have are a misnomer. These School Budgets are prepared by the School Board based on what they want - not what you may care about or want and hinder any attempt at public input. What they labeled and called this years's 'Public Meeting on March 18th was held without even presenting a School Budget to the Public, and most likely, to all Board Members.

2. The Bulk of the money to pay for these Bloated School Budgets, year after year, comes from you, the one who pays all the bills - the often neglected and maltreated Stakeholder, the Taxpayer.

1. This year's $274.2 million School Budget for 2021-22, aka 'Big Pot of Money' (that looks like somebody just picked the school tax rate change they wanted this year and worked backwards) is even more deceptive and egregious than in the the past. Don't be blinded by the deception and bite on the bone they're throwing out for you or you'll miss the whole steak. This is the year to clean out all the excesses and abuses in these School Budgets and get the Big Reduction in the School tax rate that's long overdue.

Here's the Board of Mythomania's Preliminary School Budget for 2021-22 - too bad You already had your 'Public Hearing' before you could see it!?!

 Well, just saw this posted on the School District's website. It's the Preliminary School Budget they sent down for County approval. 

You didn't get to see it before they approved it and sent it on its way but don't feel bad - most likely, most of the School Board members didn't see it either.

Be that as it may, given all the reasons I stated in earlier posts before - it's a joke and the numbers prove it. When you're due a Big School Tax Reduction and You don't get it, like in this basically flat tax rate school budget, You really have to call out the games they're playing.

If you look at the first page, they're saying they already had the 'Public Meeting" on the Proposed Budget on March 18, 2021.

You remember that meeting where they had a meeting but they didn't have the budget you could see and review. They're calling that the "Public Meeting on the Proposed Budget.

Unlucky, You had your chance to have a say - too bad you didn't have anything to look at to have a say.

Another Big Joke on You. You already had your chance to comment.

And don't kid yourself, it really doesn't matter - they only care about the County Super approval, your approval doesn't matter. Once they get that approval, they will just call a meeting and adopt it. They have until sometime in early May to adopt it.

So, just for heck of it, I will spend some time going through this School Budget and point out why it's as Ridiculous as the School Board members who went along with this fiasco and the serious 'dis' to the People of Edison they're supposed to represent. 

From the look of this, it will be easy and probably won't take that long. Clearly, long before they they adopt it on 'TBA,' whatever date that is.

Just some things you should know before then. The numbers they use to compare the 2021-22 numbers in this budget to is the 2020-21 numbers. But if you look, you'll see that the numbers they use for 2020-21 to compare to the 2021-22 numbers in this school budget are different than the 2020-21 numbers in last years Approved Budget for 2020-21. Go look, you'll see it.

Now, I know why they do this and there's nothing wrong with it EXCEPT you don't know because they never disclose it to you in this school budget. And because they don't disclose it to You, the infamous Staffing Shell-Game stays alive and well and they continue to add Staffing to the payroll that were never budgeted.

And what's the Staffing Shell-Game (you can go back to prior posts and see what it is and how it works and also see the effect over the years that I paid attention to it) and how does it take your money without you ever knowing it?

Let's see it at work in this school budget - in this school budget, if you look at the General Summary - Position on page 45, you'll see that they're budgeting for 23 new additions to staff. Well, that's nice but look at what's going on here. 

Look at the Teachers line - they're saying they want to take the headcount from last year's 1,266 heads to 1,273 heads. That's an increase of only 7 heads. Okay not that big of an increase.

But now look at the 2020-21 number of 1,266 and compare it to last year's Approved budget line item for Teachers and you'll see it's 1,240. 

Now, you say What?!? 

So, here's what's happening - they already added 26 teachers that weren't budgeted (1,266-1,240) to the payroll during the year and never told you or disclosed it in this School Budget for 2021-22. That's a total of 33 now if you add the 7 they're showing.

Now, if you knew they already added 26 Teachers to the payroll that weren't budgeted, wouldn't you question why they want 7 more? 

I would - but you don't get that chance since they don't disclose it to you. And since they don't disclose it to you, you don't get to ask where the money came from either to hire the additional non-budgeted staff.

Now, apply the same to every line in their staffing schedule and you'll see it can and has amounted to Big money they $pent and never told you about and was never budgeted over the years.

Anyhoo, just Disgraceful - You're being disrespectfully treated by this Jerry 'Shi-shed' Shi Led Board of Mythomania with this School Budget for 2021-22 - from your right to even see it and have a chance to comment on it once you've seen it to being seriously denied the Big School Tax Decrease You should be getting this year.

NJ Attorney General steps in to investigate the Edison 2017 Racist Flyer - all right!

 Saw this piece here in the New Jersey Globe. 

'Attorney General issues subpoena for Edison racist flyer records.'

Now, hopefully we can get to the bottom of this thing once and for all and put an end to this embarrassment and the Stink that's been hanging over this town for the last 3-years.

The only thing missing from this show of Unity is Charlie "I Abstain' Tomaro - the 'Poster Child' for Everything Wrong with the EDO

 Saw this piece here in Our Edison. 'Democrat Leaders Unite Behind Mahesh Bhagia for Edison Mayor.'

Geez, the only thing missing from this picture is Charlie 'I Abstain' Tomaro and you'd have a clean sweep of everything that's wrong with the EDO - the Party that made Edison Safe for Hypocrisy a long time ago.

I can understand Councilman Coyle trying to hang on for self-preservation but seriously Rob, what are you doing?!? 

With everything going on in this town, shouldn't your show of unity be to the People of Edison and helping to resolve the Racist Flyer that's been stinking up this town for over 3-years now?

Seems nothing changes in this town and that includes the Local Dem-Party politicians pecking order of interest:

1. Self-serving
2. Party
3. Constituents

Anyhoo, what do I know? I still can't figure out why Charlie was a no-show - he usually will back anything the Local Dem-Party tells him to back.

Wow..how do you have Public comments on a $274.2 million School Budget for 2021-22 - without a Budget!?!

 Well, looks like the Edison Board of Mythomania in their indomitable wisdom actually had the nerve to hold a public meeting on the School Budget for 2021-22 without allowing anyone to see the school budget they were commenting on and sending down to the County Super. 

Double Duh!

What we got was Super Dr. Bernie 'Shi-ReferenDUMB-er' Bragen spouting out numbers and comments about the double secret school budget that no one could see and that only makes sense in his own mind.

You can see what their school budget is proposing in the March 17th post below.

Before I go any further, a Big Shout-out to Tony DePasquale for raising questions about the school budget that were clearly relevant and poorly responded to by Super Dr. Bragen. 

Bragen must own a smoke machine or is so afraid of Jerry 'Shi-shed' Shi that he'll agree to anything he wants to do.

So, here's some things you should take away from last night's meeting:

• The taxpayers are being screwed and not getting the school tax rate reduction they should be getting.
• You can't have a Public meeting on the school budget without anyone seeing the budget.
• There's No need for a Finance Committee since Mr. Shi-shed just does what he wants after the Finance Committee meets.
• You can't have a discussion about the school budget if you have to ask all your questions first. That's just Shi's way of blocking any give and take on follow-up questions.
• The School Board doesn't want any public input and treats it as an annoyance. Most of them likely don't even understand the school budget and those that do seem to cower to Jerry Shi.
• Apparently, seems there are double secret committees floating around.
• Anyone who takes the word of this School Board about what's in this school budget they won't show you is being short-sighted and silly.
• Dr. Bragen is a disappointment for going along with this Ridiculous School Budget when he should know better. Of course, he was the 'Fiscal Malfeasance Recipient' of a new contract by the School Board less than a year on the job.

Here's the meeting:

But hey, who needs a School Board Finance Committee to approve anything when you have the inept leadership of Jerry 'Shi-shed' Shi just doing what he wants anyway?!?

Anyhoo, wake-up People and recognize that Edison the Board of Mythomania, aka Board of Ed-Dems is treating you like they always do with this School Budget for 2021-22 - a Big Fat Cash Cow!

Edison Board of Mythomania's Preliminary School Budget 2021-22 - just so you know what they're proposing

 Well, the preliminary school budget is on the agenda tomorrow night for approval to send down to the County Super by March 22, 2021.

Here's the resolution for their Fiscal Year (FY) School Budget:

This is just a resolution and, of course, it doesn't say or tell you what this School Budget means to you and your school taxes for 2021. So, I'll tell you and show you how you can see for yourself.

From this you can tell that the total $pending for the FY July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 is $274,225,476. Total other anticipated aid is $50,583,996 leaving a FY school tax levy of $223,641,480.

Here's the change to last year's FY school budget ( you can see this by downloading their Adopted School Budget for the school year 2020-21 on their website):

Looks like the total FY $pending is down around 3.0 million, other aid up by 8.4 million and the school tax levy down by 11.4 million.

Now, when they convert this FY school tax levy of $223,641,480 to a Calendar Year basis for school tax purposes (they just take one half of last year's FY school tax levy and one half of this year's FY school tax levy and add them together) you get $229,327,324. They just take that number and divide it by the ratables ($7,281,327,324) and they get a tax rate per $100 of assessed value.

This preliminary school budget comes with a school tax rate of $3.149 per $100 of assessed value. This is a small reduction (1.7-cents) from last year's (property tax bill) school tax rate of $3.166 per $100. 

Given we've lived with the Pandemic for the past year, the bloat exponentially carried forward in these school budgets, the hoarding and huge increases in state and federal aid this year, you'd think we should of gotten a huge reduction in the school tax rate - but it's not showing up in this Preliminary School Budget for the School Year 2021-22.

Gee, I wonder why - but I also wonder how they can have public comments on the School Budget for 21-22 tomorrow night when they haven't made the school budget public yet. 

Guess you have to wait until after they vote tomorrow night to have a preliminary say or show up at the public meeting and maybe they'll give you a copy of a 30+ page document that you have little time to review and comment on before they vote at the meeting.

I don't know what they're going to do tomorrow night but if history is any guide, they will most likely tell you they can't make the school budget public until after the County Super approves it. The Public meeting on the School Budget for 21-22 isn't until sometime in early May 2021 - and that doesn't really matter either since you don't get to vote on the school budgets anymore.

But I guess we'll see. But don't kid yourself - if they really wanted your input they would of put the school budget out in public weeks ago.

You can put in your home's assessed value below and find out what this Preliminary School Budget for the School Year 2021-22 (as it stands now) means to Your school taxes:

Anyhoo, these are just numbers - they need to explain the numbers in this budget and the substance behind those numbers and we need to see the school budget itself and what's in the details before determining if it makes any sense and commenting on it's validity. It certainly doesn't look like it makes much sense at this point in time.

Let the games begin here in the 'DemBadLands' of Downtown Edison - out of the blocks first - EdisPam-I Am!?!

 Well, it's that time of the year again when all the glossy political flyers come out pandering for your vote.

And to my surprise, look what I got today. A flyer from Sam Joshi - the 'Weathervane Millennial' aka 'Big-boy pants for Mayor. 

I actually couldn't Stop laughing.

Now really, it you read this blog, then you know I'm not a likely voter for him for anything - much less for Mayor. Yeah, a 17-year unmatched record. Look at what happened to this Dem-party town over the last 17 years - no one would want to even admit it, much less match it.

This town is so screwed-up with everything going on thanks to him and his Local Dem-party buddies.

So, there's three things he should immediately do:

(1) Immediately take me off the mailing list used to send this nonsense to me, (2) don't assume the People of this town are as uninformed or dumb as you may think they are, and (3) Stop talking about yourself in third person  - it's is a Tad Bit creepy.

Finally - just sayin' - don't really care but with the amount of text on this flyer, it should be sent out a a newsletter. Guess he couldn't figure out what was important to say to get his message out - so he said everything he could think of that nobody cares about. Nobody's gonna take the time to read all this nonsense.

Be that as it may, here's my take on his Big-boy flyer - with my notes attached:

Anyhoo, - unlucky for me, there's 20 minutes or so gone in my life that I wasted reading and commenting on political egomaniacal narcissism at its worst.

Just a heads-up - Board of of Mythomania, aka Board of Ed-Dems about to send their 2021-22 School Budget down to County Super

Well, it's that time of the year again when the Board of Mythomania, aka Board of Ed-Dems over there on Mythomania Lane, at the cross-roads of Dysfunctional and Politically Corrupt Streets has to approve a preliminary school budget and send it down to the County Superintendent.

Seems their School Budget for 2021-22 has to be down there by March 22nd so pay attention to this months Caucus and Action Meeting over the next two weeks.

Just a reminder, you should always pay attention to what goes on over there - that's where most of your money goes to get hoarded and wasted. Last year's Bloated and Out-of-Control $pending was $277.2 million and came with a school tax rate of $3.166 (Per $100). 

Kind of dwarfs all the other taxes on your property tax bills.

Worse than that, it continues under the inept leadership of the Biggest detriment to the Edison 2021 School Year - Mr. Shi-shed:

 

You remember this guy, don't you? Good times!?!

You know, the guy who claims to have saved us millions of dollars when he saved Nothing.

And who can forget how we lost two years in fixing the overcrowding under this guy with this twice failed and ridiculously overpriced, idiotic and ineffective $300 million plus school bond referendum that would of tripled your current year's school tax for the next 30 years:

So, let's see what they do with this year's school budget after they got that increase of $11.5 million (47.17%) in state school aid for a total of $38.5 million.

Anyhoo, pay attention folks - without credibility and trustworthiness, you don't want to take your eyes off of Mr. Shi-shed's Board of Ed-Dems until this school budget has been put out in the public for review in a timely fashion, is properly explained and justified and critically scrutinized.

Seems there are No political friends or political enemies here in 'Downtown' Edison - just political opportunities - all at your expense, of course

 Well, saw this piece here in the New Jersey Globe - 'Karabinchak, Stanley rout Coyle for renomination for 18th district Assembly seat.' 

Seems in the Middlesex County Dem-party screening - Stanley defeated Coyle by a vote of 189 to 136 (58% to 42%). 

Yeah, like the Dem-party was going to allow the two 18th District Assembly seats to be filled with people from the same town. 

Kind of would of made East Brunswick, Helmetta, Highland Park, Metuchen, South Plainfield and South River committee people stand up and take notice.

Be that as it may, you can't help but notice some things here. Seems the EDO Chair and Mayoral candidate Mahesh Bhagia backed Joe Coyle for the Assembly seat. 

Coyle, who recently put out his own video, asked for the resignation of Sam 'the Weathervane Millennial' aka Big-boy pants Joshi (a Bhagia challenger for Mayor) from the 'Committee of the Hole' investigating the 2017 Racist Flyer here in Downtown Edison.

Now, not for nothing, but doesn't this just make the 'Committee of the Hole' even more of a joke? They all need to resign from the 'Committee of the Hole' and put an end to this self-serving demonstration of idiocracy. 

Seems there's more interest in political opportunities here than there is solving the 2017 Racist Flyer for the People of Edison.

The entire Edison Council is tainted and its 'Committee of the Hole' in search of themselves a disgrace.

So, said it before and will say it again. 

Don't vote for any Local Democrats and if the Middlesex County Dem-party Chair doesn't recognize what's going on here in Edison with the yet to be Resolved 2017 Racist Flyer and chooses not to open up the primary, then you should Not Vote for any Democrats up the line as well. 

As a Democrat, I know - I won't. I don't want the Dem-party line to carry the Stink of this town with it any longer.

Three years is too long to allow the Stench to be Still Hanging over our town from that 2017 Racist Flyer, thanks to the Local-Dem party.

Anyhoo, what do I know? I still can't figure out why our 18th District representatives have been so silent for so long as we continue to be labeled a racist town - thought they represented the People of Edison?!?

The Latest in the 'Who's on First' Edison Dem-party Racist Flyer Fiasco

 Well, saw this piece here in Insider NJ - Bhagia: 'I Trust Law Enforcement, Not Politicians to Investigate Racial Flyer.'

No doubt you can't expect the Local Dems to investigate themselves. That's a Big True Dat! 

But so far, as far as I can see, nobody seems to know for sure if they'll be any State or County investigation that will get to the source of the 2017 Racist Flyer and puts this 'Committee of the Hole' nonsense to rest.

Everybody just tossing accusations and comments out there to see what sticks.

Now, fair enough - after Lankey, Diehl, Patil, Coyle & Joshi have had their turn, Mr. Bhagia is taking his turn:

Well, looks like Mr. Bhagia, who has been accused of involvement on the Racist Flyer, is tossing the ball back to Mayor Lankey, Council Members Bob Diehl, Sam Joshi and Ajay Patil.

Ok, a tad bit of tit for tat but what does it mean without proof one way or the other?

Without any outside investigation (and I'm really, really hoping there is or will be one), sure seems like we're never really going to get to the bottom of that 2017 Racist Flyer. All we will continue to see is the Local Dem-party factions accusing each other in their internal power struggles and politicizing it in yet another election cycle and that helps nobody in this town.

Maybe it's me, but I still can't honestly say who did this and, if you're honest with yourself, neither can you.

If, like me, you're really tired of all this nonsense and embarrassed that the Stink of that Racist Flyer is Still Allowed to Linger Over this Town by the Local Dem-party 3-years later - then, if we can't get an outside investigation, there's a simple solution.

DON'T VOTE FOR ANY LOCAL DEMOCRATS

At least you'll be assured that whoever was involved won't be holding public office in Edison and those who sat around and let this thing fester for over 3-years or made unwarranted accusations won't be rewarded. 

It's unfortunate that the innocent in this fiasco have to be sucked in but that's Much Less Worse than how this Local Dem-party has treated the People of Edison with its handling of this 2017 Racist Flyer for over 3-years now.

3 years later, where's the loyalty - to the Democratic Party or to the People of Edison?!?

 Well, saw this piece here in the New Jersey Globe - 'Petersen demands Grewal recuse himself from racist flyer investigation.'

Seems a Republican Assemblyman from the 23rd District is asking Grewal to recuse himself from an investigation into the racist flyer in Edison.

That's good that someone is pushing for an investigation.

But you have to ask yourself - where are our own District 18 people?

Anyhoo, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that someone who doesn't even represent our town and district steps up for us.

Joe Coyle for 18th District Assembly - you got to be kidding me!?!

 Well, just saw this Edison Councilman Joe Coyle piece here in the New Jersey Globe. Geez, how low can you go?

Seems the 'Committee of the Hole' gets more ridiculous every day. Everybody accusing everybody and yet - the 2017 Racist Flyer remains unsolved.

Can this guy be anymore oblivious and self-serving? The train left the station on this Racist Flyer a long time ago and it's a tad bit too late for Coyle to try and jump on.

Oh wait, he's trying to get the Dem party's open 18th District Assembly seat in the primary. Geez, even Rob 'Mr. Temper-a-Ment' Karabinchak has to be shaking his head on this one.

Seriously: Note to Kevin McCabe, Middlesex County Dem-party Chair - don't allow anyone from this town on the party line for the open seat in the primary until the Racist Flyer has been resolved. The Stench is Still hanging over this town 3-years later and it comes with anyone you attach to the line. And I say this as a Registered Democrat in Edison. 

What a Guy:

Here's Joe Coyle's letter of intent and resume for the 18th District Assembly seat:

Anyhoo, stlll waiting for the Local Democratic-party to return to their old slogan 'People Not Politics' rather than the now 'When Rats Run Out of Food, They Eat Their Own.' 

Makes you Proud to live in Edison, doesn't it.

Edison's Sapana Shah urges Middlesex County Dem-party Chair McCabe to step-in

 Well saw this post here in Insider NJ - 'Shah Urges McCabe to Dump Bhagia.' 

You know, she's right - it's time for someone to step-in and put an end to this nonsense and restore some order for the sake of the Democratic Party.

You know, 3 years later with this all-Democratic 'Committee of the Hole' still in search themselves - how much longer are we going allow the Stench to Linger over this town from that 2017 Racist Flyer?

Accusations flying all over the place against sitting elected officials and party supporters but nothing yet proven. 

Seems this thing is never going to end when you have one-party investigating it's own.

I don't know who put out this disgusting flyer but given the state of affairs, I don't know how you could believe anything coming out of this one-party town anymore. 

It's a Local Dem-party political mess that leaves a Stench hanging over all the Good People of Edison - for no good reason.

So, the question becomes how much longer is the Middlesex County Dem-party chair going to sit by in silence? Can't he Smell the Long-lasting Stench Hanging over Edison from where he reigns?

There's a primary coming up and as a Life-long Registered Democrat here in 'Downtown Edison' - is he really going to allow this out-of-control local party and its elected officials and supporters slamming each other to decide who should be on the party line - with all this crapola going on and the Racist Flyer still unsolved?

The better idea is to not reward any of the Local Dem-party candidates for what they're doing to this town by getting the party line in the primary. Let whoever wants to run for Mayor run without party support - and whoever wins gets the party support in November. Let the people decide who they want - until this Racist Flyer is resolved, you can't rely on those fighting with each other to make the choice. 

Kind of tired of the Dem-party line in Edison always being the 'Unsolved Racist Flyer Ticket.' And if it is again, it just continues to make Democrats like me - vote Republican.

And, by the way, where are all the other so-called Reform Democrats in this town? When are you going to step-up and say enough is enough in this town?

Anyhoo, it's time for the Middlesex County chair to step-in and not turn a blind eye to the Racist Flyer from this town that continues attaching to his Dem-party line.

Reminder - Property tax budget time - Pandemic Round 2!?!

 Well, it's that time of the year again when 2021 County, Municipal and School Budgets are being put together.

The total Property tax rate (County, Municipal and School) in 2020 was $5.849 (Per $100), which increased by 22.1-cents over 2019's $5.628.

Just a reminder of where we ended 2020 Property tax wise - by taxing entity:

Anyhoo, given 2020's Pandemic Property tax whack all around - time for some property tax rate reductions this year. And spare me over there on Mythomania Lane with your zero % tax change - your school budgets are so bloated that we should have had a reduction in the school tax rate years ago. And let's not play a game with that $11.5 million or 47.17% increase in state school aid meant for taxpayer relief - don't just add it to additional $pending.

Edison's 2017 Racist flyer - 'Committee of the Hole' needs to be terminated for cause

 Well, saw this piece here in the NJ Globe about Mayor Lankey and Councilman Diehl's press conference on the 2017 Racist Flyer.

Apparently, they're still calling for the State or County to step-in and investigate the 2017 Racist Flyer. Seems the County says it's with the State and the State won't confirm or deny any investigation.

Never been much of a fan of the 'Committee of the Hole' that is still searching for themselves 3-years later. On a good day, it's like watching a baseball batter call balls and strikes and on a bad day watching the Keystone Cops.

So, this latest plea for help by Lankey and Diehl strikes me with a sense of uselessness. Doesn't seem anyone outside of Edison is interested and they seem to know it. 

Based on what this 'Committee of the Hole' has put together, I can't tell for sure who is behind this 2017 Racist Flyer and neither can you, if you're honest with yourself. It's still an unknown.

Now, we are left with the politicization of a horrific event by all those Mayor wannabes.

You know, I'm just a beancounter but here's where I'm at on this 2017 Racist Flyer fiasco - 3-years later:

• You can't investigate yourselves or your own Party.
• You can't make allegations in public without proof or a chance for rebuttal.
• You can't rely on testimony from someone who was part of the investigating committee and failed to timely disclose direct knowledge of the event without corrorboration. It doesn't strike me that a tape that mysteriously shows up at a Local Newspaper after the fact qualifies.
• You can't send stuff to the local papers without giving those being implicated a chance to see what you're saying and given a chance to respond. 
• You can't have members of the 'Committee' jumping out and making their own conclusions when the investigation is still on-going.
• You can't be a Kangaroo court.
• You can't allow Councilmen Patil, Diehl and Joshi to remain on the Council.
• You can and should terminate this 'Committee of the Hole' and put an end to this fiasco.
• You can and should Not vote for any Local Democrats in this town.

Anyhoo,  what do I know? I still can't figure out why you'd still take sides in this internal Local Dem-party war when the Stench Still Lingers over this town and those behind this disgusting flyer get away with it.

Oh Bob..let's make a deal - get control of your 'Committee of the Hole'

 Well, take it that we can shut-down the 'Committee of the Hole' in search of themselves now since Sam 'the Weathervane Millennial' aka Big-boy pants has decided who the culprits are behind the 2017 Racist Flyer.

Silly me, I thought they were still investigating the matter and haven't yet concluded so I sent an email to Bob 'See No Conflict' Diehl:

Of course, I don't know if he'll answer me but, what the heck, he is in charge.

Not for nothing but seems Joshi just shot a Big hole in the credibility and reliability of the 'Committee the Hole' - if there ever was any. 

At a minimum, he should be removed from the 'Committee of the Hole' for jumping the gun and trying to grab headlines in his self-serving and laughable EDISPAM bid for Mayor.

Anyhoo, don't you just like where we are with this Racist flyer in this one-party town - 3 years later?

Geez, Sam 'the Weathervane Millennial' Joshi, aka Big-boy Pants - proves once again he's more a political opportunist than a political force

 Well, saw this piece here in the NJ Globe - 'Rival seeks Bhagia resignation after being implicated in the racist flyer scandal.' 

Seems Joshi is running with allegations on a tape of Councilman Patil meeting with two community leaders - and wants the EDO Chair to resign his post and withdraw from the race for Mayor.

'As member of the Township Council committee investigating this matter, I have been aware of this recording for some time, but I have been unable to speak about it publicly due to the ongoing review.' Joshi said. Now that is out in the open, I feel that I must speak out on it to ensure that Edison residents are aware of this disgraceful act committed by Chairman Bhagia and his associates leading into the upcoming election.'

Geez, what's in the open? A tape of what Councilman Patil is alleging with no rebuttal as yet. Well, ok - this is what Patil is saying now. 

Of course, consider too that Councilman Patil was sitting in judgment on the 'Committee of the Hole' when he had knowledge of the racist flyer yet said nothing for a long time.

Aren't we still dealing with a he said..he said? How do you go from that tape as identified in the piece to Joshi's conclusion? 

'Mahesh Bhagia has proven through his involvement in this incident that he is simply the wrong choice to represent our community, and I will not sit back and allow him to run in this election unchallenged' Joshi said.

Now don't get me wrong, nobody wants to know more than me who is behind that 2017 Racist Flyer but this isn't getting to the bottom of anything - it's just one political novice for Mayor proving he's more an opportunist than a worthy candidate. And to all those making contributions to his Mayoral campaign in the Primary (last time I looked) - if you contributed more than $1.00 (in currency no less) to his campaign, then you have that many more times invested in him than he does in himself.

Not for nothing, but Joshi should stick to making childish and self-serving charts like this with his electronic crayons and leave the race for Mayor to the Adults in town:

 

You know, I always have hope that the EDO would return by action to their old motto of 'People Not Politics' but these days it seems they're running with  'When Rats Run Out of Food, they Eat their own.'

Anyhoo, had enough of the EDO and it's back-stabbing antics yet?