Well, here's Brian 'the Mulligan Man' Rivera's 2nd attempt to get the Vote right on September 30th - even though an extension Now is so wrong.

 Well, here's the new Super Contract that was just posted - extended now for another year. 

Good thing it was erroneously Voted on from the dais by the Board in August - you'd think they'd at least have it first approved by the County Super. But hey, when their's no logical rationale for extending the contract after the Super being only 1-year into an almost 5-year contract already - even if you buy into that fairytale 5-Year Strategic Plan. Most prudent people would wait a year or two to see how the 5-Year Strategic plan is progressing before doing something this wrong.

And you wonder why it's a political cesspool over there on Mythomania Lane.

But hey, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that Brian 'the Mulligan Man' Rivera gets a chance to try and salvage his reelection bid after Not supporting the appointment of the Super - by now playing Kissy-face with him. 

Anyhoo, since they, apparently, like to make up their own rules as they go to suit their political needs - make sure you recognize that this guy needs to be Voted out on November 5th.

ETEA BOE Candidates Night - 2024

 Well, last night they had the annual ETEA BOE Candidates Night. This year there are 7 candidates vying for 3 seats. 

Column 1 is the Edison Students First slate of Ralph Errico, Jerry Shi (both former BOE members) and Ronak Patel. 

Column 2 is Dimple Malhotra.

Column 3 is the Champions for Students slate of Doug Schneider, Brian Rivera (both Incumbents) and Manoj Jaitly.

Candidates:

Candidates Night:

A Big thanks to ETEA President Matt Hrevnak and his Staff for putting this together, along with the live stream, so the Residents and Taxpayers can see and learn some more from and about the candidates:

Anyhoo, watch and listen to what the candidates have to say as part of your due diligence before you vote.

Pat attention to what's going on over there on Mythomania Lane on September 30th

 Well, looks like the Board of Mythomania, aka Board of Ed-Dems, Board of Hoarders, Board of Dysfunction and now Board of Unsavory Actions are up to their usual nonsense again.

According to their meeting schedule published on their website, the September Public Meeting will have the $36 million J Marshall Lease/Purchase Financing and the Super's 1-Year Contract Extension up for vote.

Let's start with the Super's 1-Year Contract Extension. Thanks to this sorry excuse of a Board Member. 

Thanks to this guy trying to pass that 1-year extension in a Caucus Meeting without Public Notice and No disclosure of what the Cost and terms would be or even if the Super agreed to the terms, they have to do a 'Mulligan' at the September 30th Public Meeting. 

Apparently, Brian 'the Mulligan Man' Rivera doesn't know that you can't do that without a Public notice or he's trying salvage his reelection after Not supporting the Super to be appointed Super.

As for the Super's 1-year Contract Extension at this time, it's purely political and totally not necessary at this time. The Super's current contract is for 4-Years and 10.5 months and runs from August 16, 2023 through June 30, 2028. This contract with Salary & Perks, according to their website, goes from $387,557 for 2023-24 to $426,274 for 2027-28

Why would they want to extend his contract now when he's only 1-Year into his almost 5-Year Current Contract. Their excuse is the 5-Year Strategic Plan, which is about a bogus and far-fetched as they are. Even if you buy into that fairytale, wouldn't you want to see how the plan works out over the next year or two before you commit to another year?

There's no valid reason since it's way too early to be talking about an extension.

Of course, this is what's wrong with this Board - there's No Financial Oversight:

Let's move on to that J Marshall $36 million Lease/Purchase Financing without any disclosure of what the construction and financing costs are before the vote. Of course, it's always important to ask how something they originally estimated to cost $30 million or so is now up to $36 million - as they continue to piss money away on these piecemeal projects that won't solve the overcrowding.

You know Lease/Purchase projects are the Worst. You get No State Aid and it bypasses any Voter approval for Capital additions.

So, what are the construction and financing costs they used to come up with $36 million and what that 1-Year Super Contract Extension will Cost? Your guess is as good as mine but let's see if we can get those documents through OPRA. The Board may not care or understand what they're exactly voting on but the Public needs to know.

Anyhoo, this Board is so desperate to hide their unsavory actions and avoid answering questions that they've eliminated all Caucus Meeting for the balance of the year. Think about what that means for a second or two.

Top 10 Things Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi leaves off his Campaign Flyer in his Undeserved Bid on Nov. 5th to Get Back on the School Board

 10. His twice failed architect driven $300 million Bond Referendums were Too Much of a Financial Burden for Too Little a Solution, which leaves School Overcrowding a major problem today. A huge waste of money including providing money for 3 elections to try and force it through - despite the Voters wishes.

9. He claims to of Saved the taxpayers millions when he Saved the taxpayers Nothing.

8. He changed the Board of Ed into the Board of EdDems.

7. He Disenfranchised both the Public and Fellow Board Members with his Dictatorial and Inept Leadership style and demeanor over his 9 years on the Board.

6. He tries to claim credit for that $100 million bogus piecemeal (with understated costs) plan that won't solve the Overcrowding yet goes around telling everyone that the some costs of that piecemeal plan are running twice the original estimates. He wants to claim credit for doing something while trying to blame others for the doubling costs.

5. He likes Hoarding $30-$40 million in taxpayer monies.

4. He wouldn't return $3 million to the taxpayers when they had DOE approval to do so.

3. He Claims a Zero School tax increase over the last 3 years that's Not true. They kept the School tax Levy flat over the last 3 years but Not the School tax rate. The School tax rate went up 5.3-cents in 2022, down by 3.1-cents in 2023 and down another 1.3-cents in 2024. But don't be misled, in 2024 the 1.3-cents reduction in the School tax rate had nothing to do with their cuts to their Out-of-Control $pending - it was all due to the increase in the Rateables. The $pending actually went up by some $51 million.

2. He Never has a Problem with Conflicts of Interest on the Board - as long as the Conflicted is Running on His Ticket.

1. He Spends most of his time competing with and trying to undermine Board Members on the other side of the Board of EdDems in the Struggle to Control and Mis-$pend all those hundreds of millions of dollars.

Edison 11-Year Property Tax Rate History by Taxing Entity

 As you know, our Property tax bills consist of School taxes, County taxes, County Open Space taxes, Municipal taxes, Municipal Open Space taxes, Library taxes and, if applicable, Garbage Dist.1 taxes.

Here's the 11-Year Property Tax Rate History:

You should save this history since some Politicians like to Lie about what the Changes are from the Prior Year when Presenting their New Budgets.

Here's the 2024 Changes in the Tax Rates from 2023:

Anyhoo, remember - nothing in this town will change until you change it.

Kudos to Edison Council VP Margot Harris - 'It shouldn't be so hard to do the right thing.'

 With all due credit the edisonreporter.com:

Council VP Excoriates Council President's Attempt To Limit Public Comment - Edison Reporter

The Edison Reporter StaffSeptember 10, 2024

Before any residents who came to the meeting to speak out against the council president’s policy to limit public comment had the opportunity, Council Vice President Margot Harris read a prepared statement. With a steely gaze and a voice filled with conviction, she delivered a prepared statement that excoriated Council President Nish Patel’s actions. Her words cut through the tension in the room, galvanizing the already simmering discontent among the attendees.

“I have written this, I don’t usually write my comments, but I this needed to written because I had a lot of them. The two word headline to describe my feelings about this ordinance is absolutely outrageous. 

It seems more than coincidental that this ordinance has come up in the wake of the 8/26 and 8/28 council meetings when council president had some issues with several resident speakers. I was vacation for those meetings, but I watched them on YouTube upon my return. 

My position on this ordinance change has not shifted since it was first discuss two years ago. I’m told part of the rationale behind this change is that it will help cut back the length of council meetings. But who is the real beneficiary of this change, I suspected this is more for the sake of council members, then it is for the public who have the option of leaving the meeting, whenever they want and can watch the rest of it on either Edison TV or YouTube. 

I would remind my Council Colleagues who are in favor of this ordinance change that we were elected to serve the best interest of the township of Edison and it’s residents; and while I don’t like long meetings anymore than the rest of you, I respect the needs of our constituents who very much value and want to keep the current ordinance and allow for transparency they seek. 

In my 2 1/2 years on the council never once has a resident complaint to me that the speaking time is to generous, in my view the only problem with the six minutes lies and the way they are handled by the council president or other members of council who interrupt the speaker instead of just allowing them to speak there peace and then sit down. Yes, some speakers can be provocative but as the saying goes; you don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to. 

In short, the resident who attend our meetings are the remotely deserve much more respect, and consideration than this therefore, I will emphatically be voting on this conceived ordinance. Thank you.”

The Council Vice President’s strong rebuke highlights the growing tension within the Council over Council President Patel’s leadership style. Critics argue that Patel’s approach is overly autocratic and dismissive of dissenting viewpoints. 

Council Vice President Harris’s statement is likely to further galvanize opposition to Patel’s policies and has already sparked a grassroots response. His attempt to limit public comment has led to a petition on change.org, urging the Council to maintain the current public comment time at meetings, has quickly gained traction. This public outcry underscores the deep concern among community members about Patel’s perceived disregard for transparency and public participation in the decision-making process. The petition serves as a powerful reminder that any attempts to curtail public input will be met with strong resistance.

The Infamous Council President Nish 'Choo-choo' Patel, aka Nish 'Don't let Brescher Speak' Patel and NOW Nish 'The Police-a-Nator' Patel

Well, who you gonna call when you can't Stop Residents from asking questions about 'Bubble-boys' inept stewardship? 

Guess he hasn't figured out yet that he's helping 'Bubble-boy' on his way to being one and done.

Anyhoo, just some more clouds hanging over 'Bubble-boys' fairytale wish for a political career.

Edson Council Looking to Reduce Public Speaking Time - Again

Well, seems at Monday's meeting there proposing O.2233-2024 to reduce speaking time from 6 minutes down to 4 minutes - to be voted on at the September 25th meeting.

Here watch this video:

Another Ridiculous attempt to reduce any query into the inept stewardship of 'Bubble-boy' down to 4 minutes before Council President Nish 'Choo-choo' Patel, aka 'Don't Let Brescher Speak Patel' has you escorted out by the police.

Enough with this nonsense and this disgrace of a Council President - what the Council needs to do is to Remove Nish Patel as Council President and side with the People of Edison, you know the People they actually work for and who pay their salaries.

Anyhoo, you get what you vote for in this politically corrupt town but nobody should have put up with Council President Nish Patel's outrageous conduct in the Council Chambers just to try and hide and protect the  incompetent governance going on here.

This is another Boe election cycle - let's try and keep it out of Gutter over there on Mythomania Lane

You know, I'm all for anyone supporting whoever or whatever they want in this politically-corrupt town. What I'm not for is what seems to be the norm now - the sleazy political tactics and cheap-shots used just to try and win elections.

All these Incumbents and former Board members have records you can check out for yourself and decide which candidate represents what you want to see on the School Board.

I tell you all the time what I think we need and the reasons why:

And this year is no different.

However, seems some people have an issue with my being friends with one of the candidates - Ralph Errico. They think that I would be biased in his favor, which is totally untrue. I know his history on the School Board and I'm aware why he stepped away from the Board back in 2020. I don't have a problem with that he did and I understand the reasons why, he wasn't the only person in this town that did the same thing for the same reasons.

So, let me be clear - he is my friend and has been for many years and that will not change. Sorry, if that disappoints anyone.

And, just so you know, when he was on the Board I didn't cut him any slack, he probably didn't appreciate all the times I was all over him for the Ridiculous $pending and the Serious-flak I gave him for $pending $1.5m on that EHS Baseball-field. Told him for that Ridiculous price, we should of gotten a major refund for the Ugliest Color Red Ever Created - You have to Wear Sun-glasses Every Time you drive by it, it's so Blindingly-Offensive.

Do your own research and Check out everyone's records running for the Board in this cycle and then Vote for who you want. I don't care who you're friends with or why you vote the way you do. It's Your Vote, do what you think is best however you define it - but don't do it based upon cheap-shots and sleezy political campaign tactics going around town now. 

That's what I do and if the only choice for me in this cycle is between Schneider, Rivera, Shi (who turned this School Board into a political-cesspool) or Errico, I'll take Errico every time.

Anyhoo, use to be a time when people could treat other people with respect regardless of their political preferences and choices but that's been long lost in this town.

Welcome to another Big Month under an Inept Mayoral Stewardship and a Politically-Corrupt Board of Ed-Dems

Well, it's hard to Not see this past month how quickly this town has gone down the sewer on both sides of town.

Over there on Oligarchly Blvd., who can Not See how the Council Chambers has turned into a place to go to See Free Speech and Public Scrutiny of a Non-Transparent Administration turn into a quasi-Police state to protect an Inept Stewardship by his 'Pocket Council?'

And let's not forget the Root cause of this unacceptable treatment of the Residents/taxpayers:

Over there on Pierson Ave. at the cross-roads of Mythomania & Dysfunction Streets we have this bit of unsavory practice going on with the School Board sneaking in a 1-year extension ambush to the Super's Contract without any Public Notice. 

And wait, there's more going on with this Politically-Corrupt Board of Ed-Dems. Check out this 5-year Strategic Plan which is about as much a political fairy-tale, as evidenced by their selection of Political Advisors, as is 'Mr. Shi-shed' & 'Mr. Hospitality' thinking their Inept Leaderships and on-going hissy-fits with each other warrant another term on the School Board - and let's not even get into how much this 5-year Strategic Plan must of cost to put together:

Anyhoo, it's another month where the norm is to Shut-out the Public from the incompetent governance going on in this town.

Welcome to Edison - Where You Go to See Free Speech Die and Let's Not Forget the Permanent Home of the 2017 Racist Flyer.