A Pathetic Mayor begets a Pathetic Lie - all at your expense

 Well, how low can this guy go to try and make himself look good? Apparently, there's no limit for someone who comes with a lack of credibility and trustworthiness and has an anomoly with the truth.

Guess we'll have to give him another name - Mayor Sam 'The Big Lie' Joshi, aka Mr. Shrink-flation, Big-boy pants, the Weathervane Millennial, the Malleable Marionette, the Event Planner and Sam the Flim-flam Man.

'The Big Lie'

Anyhoo, who does such a thing to the People they're supposed to be Representing?

The Edison Council lets 'The Big Lie' take precedence over the Residents & Taxpayers with Mr. Shrink-flation's 3% Muni-tax hike

 Well, this $170.2 million Muni-budget passed last night by a Vote of 5 to 2. Unfortunately, there was never any doubt that it would pass, no matter how Ridiculous it may have been or who it really serves, with Joe 'the Florist' Coyle on the Council.

Be that as it may, you can always question on the merits why the majority voted as they did but what you can't question is how they turned a Blind-eye to Joshi's Big Lie that resulted in the taxpayers getting scammed with an inflated 3rd Qtr tax bill and carried that scam into his 2023 Budget Presentation - just to try and hide his 3% tax increase.

It's one thing to go along with Mr. Shrink-flation's Out-of-Control $pending Budget for political reasons but it's quite another to close your eyes to the Big Lie that negatively impacted the Residents and Taxpayers that they're supposed to be serving.

Was it really necessary to erroneously increase the 3rd Qtr tax bills by approximately $250,000 just so Mr. Shrink-flation could hide his 3% tax increase from the Residents & Taxpayers?

Anyhoo, remember who Voted to turn a Blind-eye to the Big Lie and are up for reelection come November and how those not up for reelection have now joined Mr. Shrink-flation's Big Lie Club.

Mr. Shrink-flation's $170.2m Muni-budget Slide Presentation for 2023 - it's why he comes with a lack of credibility and trustworthiness

 Well, couldn't find a video of the meeting but did see this slide presentation that's about as helpful as he is in informing the Public about what he's doing. Blah..blah..blah here's the numbers he wants you to see.

Take for example Salary & Wages of $74.9 million (which represent some 44% of the total appropriations) and are up $4.0 million or 5.7% over 2022. Nowhere will you find a proper reconciliation of the dollars and headcount by department which bridges the gap between 2022 and 2023. They don't show you what caused the increases. How much was salary increases, new hires and other additions or retirements, resignations, terminations or other deductions. So, you have no way of understanding what that $4 million was for or if it makes any sense. The only thing they show you is a summary staffing schedule which doesn't even add up for 2022. 

Kind of interesting how he puts up a whole bunch of numbers about his budget and neglects to show you what the individual tax rates are and hides the only tax increases in the total property tax bill are his tax increases. It's deceptive and misleading, just like his stewardship.

Here take a look at this slide:

Notice it just shows you what the total dollars you would pay if you live in that imaginary home assessed at $182,400 but not the individual taxing entity rates. If you do the math with these numbers, you find it adds up to a total of $10,404.09 and on the assessed value of $182,400 - that equals a total rate of $5.704.

Now, if you continue doing the math, here's what you find is in the $5.704:

• School tax - $3.191
• Muni tax - $1.441
• Muni Open Space tax - .010
• Library tax - .088
• County taxes - $.974
• Total - $5.704

There are a few things wrong with these numbers. 

First of all, you need to recognize that the only increases in these rates from 2022 are with the Muni-tax of $1.441, which is up $3.9-cents or 2.79% and the Library tax of $.088, which is up $1-cent. All the rest of the taxing entities have reductions in their tax rates from 2022.

Second, the School tax rate is overstated. The School tax rate for 2023-24 isn't $3.191 - it's $3.184, which is down $1.3-cents from last years $3.197. The numbers used in this presentation are just plain wrong as they were in the numbers they used in the 3rd Qtr. Estimate tax bills which erroneously inflated the amount of money going into the township coffers. The School tax rate of $3.191 used in this presentation is overstated by $.007 - 7/10's of a penny, and a penny is worth approximately $738,000.

Third, there's a claim that 'Our 2023 budget projects the first property tax cut for Edison homeowners since 1988.' Now, here's an example how you can be truthful, yet misleading. 

Yes - the $5.704 total of all the taxing entities is less than last years $5.705 but No thanks to the Mayor Sam 'Shrink-flation' Joshi, aka Big-boy pants, the Weathervane Millennial, the Event Planner and Sam the Flim-flam man's Muni-budget, which has tax increases.

Fourth, the total tax rate should be $5.697, which is a reduction from the $5.704 used in this presentation and in the 3rd Qtr Estimate and you should see a reduction in your tax bills in the fourth quarter for that amount - and if the Council reduces that Muni-tax rate of $1.441 in this presentation, a further reduction of the $5.697.

Here's the Slide Presentation:

Anyhoo, it's a Ridiculous $170.2m Out-of-Control $pending Muni-budget that should be kicked to the curb by the Edison Council on July 26th - but unfortunately, Not as long as Joe 'the Florist' Coyle, aka Mayor of Clara Barton, Poster-child for Wards and Joe 180 is still on the Council.

$150K-Plus Salaries For Superintendents, Principals and other Admins within NJ Schools during 2022-23 School Year - Patch Across New Jersey

 Saw this piece in Patch Across New Jersey here about salaries for superintendents, principals and other admin positions making $150,000 or more within New Jersey schools for the 2022-23 school year.

There are over 3,200 administrators who made over $150,000 during the 2022-23 school year - an increase after 2,556 did so last year.

Downloaded their data file and put into an Excel Table file. This site can't upload Excel files with drop down boxes so the info below is in pdf format. The excel file allows you to drill down to anything you want to see by the column heading and anyone who wants that file can just drop me an email and you're welcome to it.

Here are the Top 100 in New Jersey making $150,000 or more in pdf format:

Here are all those in Edison making $150,000 or more in pdf format:

Anyhoo, interesting data from the NJ DoE.

JPS additions - 5-Year Lease Purchase Agreement up for a Board Vote on Saturday - $30,096,708

 Well, here we go. Looks like they'll be voting on this at their Retreat on Saturday. Part of that piecemeal plan that won't solve the overcrowding but just waste more time and money, as evidenced by the actual costs coming in that far exceed the costs used in this dubious plan the Board adopted.

Lease purchase agreements are the worst if you're a taxpayer - they avoid having to get voter approval for capital additions and don't get any state-aid for renovations or new construction.

Saw somewhere that this particular piece came in approximately $11-12 million over what was used in their original plan. A plan, by the way, that couldn't support the numbers used or justify the funding sources.

Trying to get a breakdown of the financing costs for this 5-Year Lease Purchase agreement and will share as soon as I get it.

Here's the agenda:

Anyhoo, with a School Budget of $352.2 million and state-aid of $73.5 million and all those Hoarded millions of taxpayer dollars, take it they think they can waste some more money for something that looks nice but won't solve anything.

Edison Dem-party infested Board of Ed-Dems shows their true colors with a Ridiculous Resolution

 Well, just watched last night's Board of Mythomania's, aka Board of Hoarders, Board of Ed-Dems, Board of Dysfunction and couldn't believe the stupidity that goes on with that Board.

Seems they've decided to put up a Resolution for a vote suggesting that the Malleable Marionette and his Council team should cut their muni tax levy to Zero  just like them. 

Now, clearly I'm not a fan of Mr. Shrink-flation's stewardship or his Ridiculous $170.2 million Mun-budget that comes with a Muni tax hike of almost 3% but this clearly shows you how politicized the Board has become.

Here's the Resolution:

And here's the vote - can you tell who's on the Joshi/County team and who's Not?:

Not for nothing but always thought you could only abstain if you didn't have enough information to vote or you had a conflict - looks like they all had enough information. Go figure.

Here's a note I just sent to Dr. Aldarelli:

'Always thought the Board of Education was supposed to be an autonomous body and to quote former ETEA President Emil Ferlicchi supposed to be ‘All about the Kids.’

Seems it’s Not all about the Kids but all about which side of the Edison Dem-party politics that the Board Members come down on. 

It’s not only disingenuous for the Board President Peng to push forth such a resolution but highlights their hypocrisy. It crosses the line of what we should expect from an autonomous Edison Board of Education and good to see it failed. 

If Board Members, as individuals, want to express their opinion on the Muni tax hike, then they should go the Council meeting and express their opinion. 

Not for nothing but we’re talking about a Board that has hoarded millions of taxpayer dollars for years, had an opportunity, with NJDoE approval, to reduce the 2022-23 School tax levy by $3 million but didn’t and just received some $73.5 million in state-aid for the 2023-24 school year, which was up $25.9 million or 44% over last year yet only holding the school tax levy flat, and still didn’t reduce the school tax levy - just increasing the $pending by some $51 million. The reduction in the school tax rate of $1.3-cents from $3.197 to $3.184 was solely due to the increase in the Rateables and not any decrease in $pending.

Claiming credit for holding the school tax levy is disingenuous at best when the school levy should have and could have been reduced for the last 3 years. 

Combing one hypocrisy with another - that $100 million piecemeal plan to fix the overcrowding will not fix the overcrowding but just waste more time and money, as evidenced by actual costs coming in that far exceed the costs used in that dubious plan the Board adopted. Throw in lease purchase agreements which by-pass the voters on capital additions and forgo state-aid for renovations and new additions, then you have a Board that has a demonstrated inability to spend the money the right way.

Seems someone should of pointed out to the Board President that this probably wasn’t such a good idea but clearly points out how Dem-party infested this Board has become at the expense of all the Kids & taxpayers. 

The Edison Board of Ed should concentrate on educating not pontificating outside their area of responsibility especially when they put you in an untenable position as leader of the School District.'

Here's the excerpt from last night's meeting on the Resolution starting at 24:05:

Anyhoo, it's time you woke-up and recognized how dysfunctional and politicized the Board of Ed has become with their internal Dem-party power struggles to control all that money - and obviously necessary to Vote These People Out as soon as they come up for reelection.

Top 10 Reasons Why you want to Watch Mr. Shrink-flation's $170.2 million Budget Presentation for 2023 on July 19, 2023

 10. Because you want to hear why $pending is up $12 million or 7.62% and the Muni-tax is going up by some 3% in an election year when the other two major taxing entities on your Property tax bill (County and School) are reducing their tax rates.

9. Because you want to see how many people he needs helping him during his presentation and if this Budget benefits the People of Edison or does it lay the groundwork for a Political neophyte trying to climb up the politically corrupt Dem-party ladder on the backs of the People of Edison - with Smoke & Mirrors.

8. Because you want to know which Council Members got a list of questions to ask him in advance about this Ridiculous $pending Budget that only serves the political interests of the Puppet-masters who now run this town.

7. Because you want to know if his $100k Day Care Provider will be using AI from the cheap seats to help him.

6. Because you want to hear about a Budget with Salary & Wages of $74.9 million (which is up $4 million or 5.7% over last year and represents some 44% of the entire Budget) that comes without a reconciliation of the headcount and dollars from 2022 to 2023, that the Residents & Taxpayers can see but whose taxes he wants to Raise in this Budget.

5. Because you want to know why his Introduced Budget for 2023 comes with a a tax rate of $1.441 but he now says his 3rd Qtr. Estimated Tax Bills has a rate of $1.453, and why then were the 3rd Qtr. Estimated Tax Bills inflated.

4. Because you really want to see how poorly $150,000 of you tax tax money gets spent when you have no Checks & Balances.

3. Because you want to watch Joe 'the Florist' Coyle, aka Mayor of Clara Barton, Poster-Child for Wards, Joe 180 show you whose interests are really being served and who's really benefitting from the political $pending in this Budget - and you'll see it's not you.

2. Because you really want to see what the County's vision is for Edison for the next two years before they expeditiously remove Mr. Shrink-flation after one-term.

1. Because Mr. Shrink-flation has no idea what he's doing, and he's really good at it.

Oh boy..here's a Conundrum that the Edison Council didn't see coming?!?

 Well, looks like Mayor Sam 'Shrink-flation' Joshi, aka Big-boy pants, the Weathervane Millennial, the Event Planner and Sam the Film-flam man is going to make his 2023 Budget Presentation on July 19, 2023.

How exciting - but here's the Conundrum for the Council. Which budget is he going to present? Is it the one he Introduced and gave to the Council on June 12, 2023, which has a Muni-tax rate of $1.441 that is up 3.9-cents or 2.76% over last year or the one he now says is in his 3rd Qtr. estimate (which was prepared long after the introduced budget), which has a Muni-tax rate of $1.453 that is up 5.1-cents or 3.63%? 

Oh boy..what's the Council to do? 

Interested parties should want to pay attention to the games people play with this Dog & Pony show.

Now, don't get me wrong about this 2023 Muni-budget - I think it's ridiculous in its $pending and is set up with all the budget games only to serve Joshi and his Puppet-masters interests and Not the People of Edison and the Council should Kick this budget to the Curb and start all over again. You can read about all the reasons why in previous posts.

But that's just me. Don't place much stock in any Checks & Balances in this one-party town and if anyone looks at this budget with eyes wide open, you'd see that it's as Bad as the corrupt politics in this town and Smells as Bad as the Stench that Still Hangs over this Town from the 2017 Racist Flyer.

As for Joshi's presentation on July 19, 2023 - it should be good for a laugh. Hard to believe he understands what's in his own budget even with all his help from his Puppet-masters. It should be easy enough for the Council to take his presentation apart piece by piece. There's certainly enough in this budget to easily be taken apart. Question is - will they do it? Will they be serving their own political interests, the party's interests or Your interests?

So, should be interesting to see what the Council does on July 26, 2023 when this budget comes up for adoption. Will it be what's in their own Best interests, the Best interests of Mr. Shrink-flation and his Puppet-masters and Party-line or the People of Edison?

Want to take a wild guess which way they'll go? Pretty safe bet.

But hey, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that Joe 'the Florist' Coyle, aka Mayor of Clara Barton, Poster Child for Wards will make sure that Clara Barton will always have flowers.

Well, this is kind of amusing so let's play along

 Wouldn't you know after questioning what the rates used in the 3rd Qtr Estimated tax bill and not getting a response and writing the post below - got a response today.

Here it is:

Now, let's ignore that it doesn't say it came from the tax collector's office. After seeing this, even more convinced that something's really wrong here.

Now, not for nothing, but if you believe these numbers then you'd have to believe that the Muni-budget that was introduced before this estimate was at $1.441, which was already up by 3.9-cents or 2.79% - is now $1.453 up 5.1-cents or 3.6%? Good luck with that fairytale.

Here's what most likely is closer to what was used in the original estimate:

Why is this important - the total property tax rate is $5.923 no matter the make up of the individual tax rates?

It's simple - because it looks like the $5.923 is too high by approximately 7/10ths of a penny. And a 7/10ths of a penny overstatement will erroneously bring in approximately $516,000 into the township coffers if not corrected.

These are the numbers they say they used in the estimate, which is questionable at best but, like I said before, it's easy enough to see if they're telling the truth with these numbers when they come out with the Final 2023/Prelim 2024 tax bills for November. 

Anyhoo, pay attention, it's your money.

OPRA me this - where's the individual tax rates used in the 3rd Qtr. Estimated Property Tax Bills?

 Well, you know those 3rd Qtr. Estimated tax bills that come out with just one number on it that say - 2023 3rd Qtr Tax Due. No other description of what's in it or even how they came up with it. The only thing you'll find in there is some Mr. Shrink-flation ill-timed propaganda.

I'll-timed since in an election year, and it looks like the only taxes being raised are on the Muni-side of town.

Be that as it may, every time they issue another 3rd Qtr. Estimated tax bill (which unfortunately always happens because the Muni-budgets are the last to be done - guess they can only figure out how to budget for 6 months of a calendar year), I make an OPRA Request to get the individual rates they used to come up with estimated number.

You can easily figure out that this year's 3rd Qtr. Estimated tax bill comes with a total property tax rate of $5.923 (Per 100), which is exactly the same as last year's total property tax rate.

Seems kind of odd though, wouldn't you think? 

There are 7 different taxes that make up the total property tax bill here in Downtown Edison:

• There are 4 Muni-related taxes; Muni-tax, Muni Open Space tax, Library tax and Garbage Dist. 1 tax (if applicable). 
• There are 2 County taxes; County tax and the County Open Space tax. 
• And finally, the School Tax.

Now, not for nothing, don't you think with 7 different taxes in the mix that it's a tad bit odd that this year's total property tax rate of $5.923 (Per 100) is exactly the same as last year's down to the tenth of a cent?

Sure does seem odd here. Something kind of doesn't make sense - and when something doesn't make sense, it usually will impact the 4th quarter taxes when nobody is paying attention. Don't know yet until I see the individual rates used but sure is a possibility that by keeping the total property tax rate the same as last year at 5.923 (Per 100) can hide the tax increase of nearly 3% built into the 2023 Muni-budget in these 3rd Qtr. Property tax bills for 2023. 

You know, these are difficult times these days for a lot of people in this town struggling with inflation and making ends meet who don't have time to pay attention to the nonsense that goes on in this town - and it would be awful to let people think there are no built-in tax increases when they look at their 2023 3rd Qtr Estimated tax bills.

Anyway, quickest was to see what's going on here is to get the individual rates used in the estimate and do some comparisons as well as comparing them to last year's property tax bill. 

All the budgets in this mix that make up the total property tax bill are done except for the Muni-side of town, so the only numbers waiting resolution are the Muni-budgets subject to Council review and adoption, which looks like on July 26, 2023.

Here's the OPRA Request sent on June 29, 2023 - the day I got my bill.

Now, given that the town has already paid someone to come up with this total property tax rate and the 3rd Qtr. Estimated tax bill for 2023 went out close to two weeks ago - you have to ask yourself what's the delay in providing the individual rates used in this estimate? Requested these rates every time in the past and never had a problem getting the rates quickly once the property tax bills went out.

Clearly, it's public information and readily available in the tax department and the People of Edison have a right to know how they came up with the amount they are forcing taxpayers to pay. Why the delay in showing that the $5.923 (Per 100) total property tax rate is correct? Surely, they understand a lack of transparency now will be easily seen when the 2023 Final/2024 Preliminary Tax Bill hits in the 4th Quarter.

Yet, here I sit here writing this post, still waiting for the individual rates. 

So, if (by chance) there are any Council Members who see or hear about this post, maybe you can help get access to these numbers (that apparently is meeting with some administrative resistance) so we all can see if these numbers make any sense. Not for nothing, but one would think you should already have them for your review of the 2023 Muni-budgets and just in case a resident asks a question about these one-number property tax bills - but I could be wrong about that, who knows what administrative resistance they face too.

Anyhoo, as soon as I can get a response or see the 4th Qtr. Property tax bill, whichever comes first - I will show you what's in there and see if it makes any sense.

Geez, Master Plan revisits Choi's Transit Village behind the Edison Train Station?

 Well, here's something from the Master Plan that the Puppet Masters gotta love:

'Edison Station area is one of the most underutilized assets in the township,' the draft says, adding the station, located off Plainfield Avenue, has the potential to be the ideal location for a transit village that combines mixed-used development with transit-oriented design, especially on the north side of the station which is largely industrial and has more opportunity for mixed-use development.'

If you recall, Choi tried to sell a transit village in the same spot years ago and the people adamantly rejected it. The builder moved it down the road into Piscataway and you have to see the traffic when it gets up to the one-lane overpass behind the train station.

So, let's bring it back and build another one right up the road. Duh!

Just out of curiosity (don't know), it would be interesting to know if any politicians that have ever climbed the hallowed stairs over there on 100 Oligarchy Blvd - own any of the property back there.

Good to know though that there are still openings for the Malleable Marionette in a career path better suited to his qualifications in the public service industry - when the puppet masters are done pulling his strings on this one.

Anyhoo, if you're gonna have a gigantic gas station back there to load up those diesel engines, then you might as well throw in a Transit Village to boot.

Good to know we have an 'Experienced' Council person Reviewing that $170.2m Muni-budget

 Well, you all know Council person Joe 'the Florist' Coyle, aka 'Mayor of Clara Barton, Joe 180 and proud member of the county's hand-picked 'Joshi Column B team.'

We all know that he's kind of a 'Bottom line' type of guy so it should give you a warm feeling over over to think he'll be Reviewing and scouring over Mr. Shrink-flation's $170.2m Muni-budget chicanery with a fine tooth comb - only question is who's 'Bottom line' will he be pursuing?

Not for nothing, but it would be nice if he did another 180 and actually opened the budget and looked at the silliness in it that just serves the political ambitions of those involved. 

Cleary, Mr. Shrink-flation is budgeting with his own self-serving ladder-climbing priorities in mind and counting on the 'Experienced' Joe 'the Florist' Coyle to stay at 180 if he wants to continue on his ride along the politically-corrupt Dem-party highway.

Anyhoo, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that Joe's a 'Bottom line' kind of guy.