When you Have No Checks & Balances, You Have a Dictatorship

You know, under the Faulkner Act, our government structure is commonly referred to as a 'Strong Mayor, Weak Council' form of government.

Well, given the latest disconcerting circumstances being brought to light by Keith Hahn, that's half-true.

We have a 'Weak Council.'

Hahn raises a good question about a lawsuit settlement back in September 2022 - 'Can someone explain how Mayor Joshi was able to settle a lawsuit for $752,000 with Democratic Committee woman Fran Bar-Eli when on December 10, 2019 it was then Council Vice President Joshi who led the charge to eliminate her position at the Library?

Seems a lawsuit was settled by Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi back in September 2022 without Council approval.

Now, how is that possible that such a settlement can bypass the Council, responsible for the purse strings, and be unilaterally done?

Even if it's paid through the insurance fund, doesn't the Council get to have a say and People of Edison have a right to know about this settlement?

When you have a Mayor making such unilateral decisions that completely bypasses any Checks & Balances - you don't have any form of representative government - You Have a Dictatorship.

Here's Hahn's video of 'Mayor Joshi in December of 2019 telling the Library Board they do not have to listen to their attorney in eliminating the position of Democratic Committeewoman Fran Bar-Eli. One lawsuit later and a secret $752,000 settlement later and three words pop into my head; pompous, arrogant and wrong.'

Wow - according to Hahn, 'in 2019 then Council VP Joshi led the effort to eliminate the position of Fran Bar-Eli at the library, leaving her without a job. In September of 2022 he secretly settled the lawsuit for $752,000. None of the Council members were informed of, or approved the settlement.'

Kudos to Keith Hahn for highlighting something that has long been a reality in this all-Dem party town - We Have No Checks & Balances here in the 'DemBadLands of Downtown Edison.

Anyhoo, looks like the town has gone off the rails under the ill-prepared and ill-equipped stewardship of Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi, aka Big-boy pants, the Weathervane Millennial and the Council has turned a blind eye to it.

Current Salaries - Edison Board of Education

 As usual (with now $300 million plus School Budgets) this time of year - I made an OPRA Request for the Current Salaries. That request asked for the current salary file by year, name, location, department, title and total salary.

In response, I received a data file by name, location, title, salary and year.

According to this file, there are 2,147 employees with total current salaries of $159,802,072.

I put together a couple of summaries of this file; one that shows the salaries by salary range with corresponding average, median, high and low salaries for each salary range and, an Excel data table which will allow you to sort and drill down into the file by any of the file headings of name, location, title, salary or year.

This page doesn't accomodate drop-down tables so if anyone wants this Excel file, just drop me an email and you're welcome to it.

In summary, this file indicates that 33.6% of the employees representing 51.9% of the total salaries make $100,000 and above.

Here's the summary by salary range:

Here's a sort of the table which shows the Top 25 Salaries:

Here's another sort which shows Principal salaries:

Anyhoo, always helpful to see what makes up the single largest expenditure in the School Budget.

Board of Mythomania, aka Board of EdDems, Board of Hoarders, Board of Dysfunction picks its Committees

 Geez, looks like Shannon 'Shi-bot' Peng has picked the Board of Ed Committee Assignments. 

You really have to shake your head but you can't really be surprised when the School Board elevates someone to School Board President who should of been Voted Out of Office with the rest of the politically dysfunctional incumbents last November.

Who else but Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed is better equipped to be Chair of the Finance and Facilities Committee? The same guy who was behind that Ridiculous $300 million Bond Referendum to address the Overcrowding that was rejected twice by the voters as being Too Much of a Financial Burden for Too Little a Solution. It would of tripled the current year's school tax rate for the next 30 years.

Also the guy who claims to saved the taxpayers millions of dollars when, in fact, he never saved the taxpayers Anything. He hasn't quite grasped the concept that Repurposing money is Not the Same as Saving Money.

Also the guy who likes to hype No School tax increase while they continue to Hoard Tens of millions and wouldn't allow some $3 million in NJDoE approval to reduce the School tax levy in the School Budget for 2022-23.

And who has any trust in this guy to look out for the often forgotten stakeholder who pays all the bills over there on Mythomania Lane, the taxpayers, when negotiating the Teachers' Contract up for renewal this year? Nobody Here.

Pay attention to this years upcoming $300+ million School budget for 2023-24 with this guy behind the scenes. Kind of puts this years School Budget in play with all that Hoarded Money.

Worst possible choice to head up the Finance & Facilities Committee. His leadership was inept and so will be his role on the School Board this year behind the scenes. He needs to be Voted-Out expeditiously this year when he comes up for Re-election.

Seriously, newbie Vishal Patel with all these Chairs on important Committees? That gets a Big Duh! 

And, with the exception of Ginny White, the Township Liaison Committee is a Belly-buster. Further, who wouldn't want M. Patel, Peng, & Shi on the Community Relations Committee? That gets a Big Double Duh!

Looks like we're in for another wasted and inept year in moving the School District forward with this crew.

Anyhoo, what do I know? I still can't figure out why Joe Romano would let Shannon 'Shi-bot' Peng be President of the School Board.

The People in our current idiocrisy deserve the leadership they get

 Well, one is just a 'Shi-bot' who should of been voted out of office last November with the rest of the incumbents and the other just a Joshi 'Mini-me' - not equipped, prepared or ready for prime time.

Anyhoo, you get the type of governance you deserve in this one-party town. Enjoy.

Well, there you go, 'Mr. Shrink-flation' now has a Mini-me

 Well, makes sense when you have a 'Malleable Marionette' of the Powers that be from outside of town for a Mayor, you need another ill-prepared person to carry on the ineptness as Council President.

Welcome to the newbe John 'Mini-Puppet' Poyner - now Council President. 

When you thought things couldn't get any worse over there on 100 Oligarchy Blvd. with Joe 'the Florist' Coyle as Council President doing Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi's bidding and blocking any scrutiny of this Administration by both the Council and the Public - it just did.

Seems Joshi's 'Mini-me' got by with a vote of 5 - 2 with Brescher & Ship-Freeman voting No. 

Good thing our Legislative Branch here in the 'DemLands' of Downtown Edison doesn't let Checks & Balances interfere with their control over the purse-strings. 

Anyhoo, substantive leadership is important and maybe someday we'll get some in this one-party town.

Edison 'Clowncil' Reorganizes tonight

 Nah, why break with tradition - Lets Not have any Checks & Balances over the Administration.

Anyhoo, lets hope the Local Dem-party remembers their contribution to Mayor Sam 'Mr. Shrink-flation' Joshi when they're up for Re-election this year.

Edison Board of Mythomania picks new Leadership - just more 'Mr. Shi-shed' nonsense coming your way.

 Well, looks like Shannon 'Shi-bot' Peng has been voted in as Board President. Unlucky for us since she should of been Voted Out-of-Office with the other Incumbents last November. 

She's nothing more than a puppet for Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi and as about as inspiring and exciting as watching paint dry.

Poor choice but not unexpected from the Dem-party cesspool it has become over there at the Board of EdDems on Mythomania Lane - but hey, at least 'Mr. Hospitality' and 'Mr. Shi-shed' no longer hold the title with their inept leadership. Each should be Expeditiously Voted Out-of-Office for contributing to the Dem-party infested cesspool when they come up for re-election.

She received 8 of the 9 votes with Doug 'Mr. Hospitality' Schneider voting for Joe Romano - after Romano removed himself from consideration for President. Sure, a real meaningful vote by 'Mr. Hospitality' from a less than meaningful Board Member.

Board Vice-President went to former Board Member Joe Romano with a 5-4 vote over Ginny White. The only conundrum here is why Romano hooked with the Shi-crew and let them use him in the last election. You're better than that Joe. 

Now, not for nothing but Peng's first act as President was to eliminate the 6 minute speaking rule. Seriously, you just can't have unlimited time for an individual of the Public to speak and expect to get anything done or be able to run an effective and productive meeting.

That's just idiotic. 

Better off extending the 6 minute and rebuttal time rules, if that's what you're trying to do.

Here's the Re-org meeting:

Anyhoo, one Leadership Change down and one to go on Wednesday when the Edison 'Clowncil' Reorganizes.