JPS Expansion & Renovation Proposal - the preliminary numbers are even more ridiculous than the concept

 Well, got to see the preliminary numbers that go along with Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed and his band of architects latest vision for addressing the Overcrowding.

Nor for nothing but Mr. Shi-shed had ample time to address the Overcrowding and has failed miserably under his inept leadership. It's not like he didn't have enough time to come up with a plausible, practical and cost efficient plan.

Jingle bells..jingle bells 2021:

Come on now, this is a serious joke. 

Two options - one for a 5-year Lease Purchase and the other a 15-year Bond Referendum - both for $50 million. With all the taxpayer relief money they've been hoarding over years in the Capital Reserve, you can expect the price they're willing to waste will probably will rise to at least $70 million.

You can also expect that they would prefer a Lease Purchase agreement since the Board can approve it themselves and avoid having it go out to the public for a Vote with a Bond Referendum.

Who in their right mind would think that putting that amount of money into one school will solve the Overcrowding problem or even have a major impact on it. This ridiculous piecemeal and overpriced plan will actually make things worse at JPS. It's one dumb idea to even suggest putting all that money in one school.

This Lease Purchase thingie will take forever to complete, relies on unrealistic future increases in state aid to pay for it and only a numbers challenged person would believe that it will be covered in the school budget without major school tax increases down the road. Besides, way Too large a number for a Lease Purchase agreement on anybody's radar. It's one thing to do it for a $5 million project but not for $50 million.

Don't want to bore you too much with the detail reasons why but the preliminary numbers in this plan are as disingenuous as as those proposing it at the last minute. 

Too many assumptions for either option that are only believable if you live in the Land of Mythomania.

Here's the preliminary numbers:

Plain ands simple - this plan is ridiculous and the numbers just highlight it. As is the Mr. Shi-shed way - Too Much of a Financial Burden for Too Little a Solution.

If you want to seriously address the long-time Overcrowding (and you should), then 3 things need to happen.

First, the Board needs to Remove the Inept Leadership of Mr. Shi-shed on January 3rd. Second, a 5-7 year plan needs to be developed that truly addresses all aspects of the Overcrowding and the related costs. Finally, they need to accept that we need a new school and need to do something about it in their plans.

Anyhoo, if the Board has any vision of reality and a tad bit of good sense, they will kick this plan to the curb along with Mr. Shi-shed and lets (at long last) turn the School Board into a functioning one that realistically addresses the Overcrowding for the Betterment of the School District and the People of Edison.

Just a heads-up - looks like Mr. Shi-shed is up to his old tricks

Well, just watched the Edison Board of Mythomania's November 23rd Action meeting. And wouldn't you know it, Jerry 'BondReferenDumb' Shi and his band of architects are proposing a last minute major Expansion and Renovation to J.P. Stevens.

Remember this guy?

Seems the rest of the Board was as surprised as I was with this proposal. Looks like the total cost may approach $100 million but it's not clear as yet.

Apparently, they already have a report from the Acacia Financial Group that outlines two options under this proposal; another bond referendum and a lease purchase agreement. The first requires resident voter approval and the second does not.

No doubt Mr. Shi-shed will probably try and go with the Lease Purchase option since it avoids having to get Resident Voter Approval.

Seems like a good report to see if you want to understand what these options may cost and where the money will come from, so I'll make a OPRA Request for it on Monday next. 

Kind of surprised though that it seems Board Members haven't seen this report if they were going to let the architects give a picture presentation in this meeting.

Not for nothing but something this large needs to be thoroughly reviewed and discussed and see if it makes any sense in addressing the overcrowding issue and not just be dropped on the pubic at the last minute without all the facts. 

Unfortunately, Mr. Shi-shed is infamously known for proposing things with Too Much of a Financial Burden for Too Little a Solution.

Any thoughts that it be put up for a vote at the December 21st meeting should be rejected. His leadership role under a newly constituted school board may soon be coming to an end. 

You'd probably first want to see if Mr. Shi-shed gets ousted from his inept leadership at the Reorg meeting in January 2022 before the board makes such a decision, and which he should be if you want to see this school district move forward.

Here's the Action Meeting: 

Anyhoo, don't let the inept leadership of Jerry Shi-shed propose anything that supposedly addresses overcrowding. He already wasted 2 years with his inept and outrageously overpriced bond referendums that were appropriately rejected by the voters twice.

Edison Mayor-elect Sam 'Big-boy pants' Joshi seems to be looking to feather his own nest!?!

 Well, you can't run for Mayor knowing full well what it pays and expect the People of Edison to be ambushed with a Raise in the Mayor's Salary just because you won.

It's not even a question of full or part time mayor - it's all about rewarding someone just because they won an election. 

Barf!

With no Mayoral experience and Performance to measure from a first-time candidate, the smart move would be to wait a year or so before doing something that's just politically stupid as this and 'In Your Face' egregious - but hey, these are politically corrupt Democrats we're dealing with here in 'Downtown Edison' so nothing should surprise you.

Anyhoo, can't wait to see when this pops up at a Council meeting for discussion and vote and out of the back room politicking going on behind the scenes. Looking forward to that discussion and if they're going to throw in Raises for the Council too.

Anyhoo, what do I know - I still can't figure out why you don't see why this guy would be overpaid at the current Mayoral Salary of $49k - the powers that be from out of town that picked him will be running the town anyway.

Mayor-elect Sam 'Big-Boy pants' Joshi, aka the Malleable Marionette having his Strings tugged early - DUH!

 Well, that didn't take long to see what happens when you failed to address '2 of the 3 Big Mistakes' on the Muni-side of town on November 2nd.

Looks like someone is surprised with just More of the Same from Dem-party Rule and having a little early Buyer's remorse:

Bet you're happy you signed on to tax yourselves forever with this 1-Cent Forever Open Space tax after seeing this bit of in your face. Yeah, they're looking out for open space.

Here's the entire November 10th Edison Council Meeting:

Anyhoo, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that the ill-equipped and ill-prepared 'Big-boy pants' won't be running this town for the next 4 years.

Edison (unofficial) election results - Congratulations to the Winners

Here's the latest unofficial info on yesterday's Edison election. Congratulations to all the Winners and to challengers who took the time to make this town a better place and came up short.

It's never my thing to rain on anyone's parade or kick anyone while they're down - so, I'll defer my comments about these results until a later time.

Mayor:

1. Samip Joshi               10,930  52.8%
2. Keith Hahn                     9,459  45.7%
3. Christo Makropoulos         301  1.5% 

Council:

1. Margot Harris     11,043   18.8%
2. John Poyner         10,593   18.1%
3. Nishith Patel         10,553   18.0%
4. Joe Luistro               9,022   15.4%
5. R. Tali Epstein         8,753   14.9%
6. Payal Mehta             8,709   14.8%

Board of Ed:

1. Douglas Schneider          6,332   16.2%
2. Biral Patel                        6,257   16.0%
3. Brian Rivera                    5,711   14.6%
4. David Tingle                     4,267   10.9% 
5. Elizabeth Conway             4,040   10.3%
6. Padmaja Chinta                 3,939   10.1%
7. Gabriel Haller                    2, 680    6.9%
8. Ralph Errico                       2,230     5.7%

The Edison 1-cent Open Space tax passed 10,004 to 7,796.

On Nov. 2nd., Vote for Democracy in Edison, Not Democrats - Time for Change is Now

 This Mayoral election is simply about what kind of town you want to live in for the next 4 years and who will be in charge of our town - the People of Edison or the Dem-party powers that be from outside of town. 

Do you want to to see long overdue Change come to Edison or not?

The choice is clear. You can Vote for Change with Hahn or you can Vote for more of the same that you've been getting, albeit on steroids with Joshi and his puppet masters from outside of town.

Clearly, I'm Voting for long overdue Change in Edison because of the damage and disrespect heaped on the People of Edison over the years by the Dem-party's one-party oligarchic rule:

Anyhoo, Now is the time to Stop Voting the Dem-party Line up and down and Start Voting for issues and People who will actually do what's in Your Best Interests and be loyal to you - and Not what's in their own self-serving or their political party's best interests.