Th Look on Your Face when You don't have all your P's in a Pod - and the $378.2m Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending FY 26 School Budget Fails

                                   Priceless

Vote - 4 Yes, 2 No, 1 Abstain, 2 Absent. Apparently, you need a majority of the Board (5) whether present or not.

Yes - Mr. Priceless, R. Patel, V. Patel, R. Errico

No - J. Romano, C. Lugo

Abstain - V. White

Absent - S. Peng, A. Patel

Anyhoo, off to a good start over there on Mythomania Lane under the inept & dictatorial leadership of Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed, Mr. Pac-Man.

Another Bloated School Budget, Another Year of Mis-$pending Keeping the School District from Moving Forward

 Well, just a Reminder that the FY 26 School Budget is up for Board Approval on Tuesday. 

Not that anyone's thoughts or concerns are important or matter under the unfortunate inept leadership of Jerry 'ReferenDumb' Shi, aka Mr. Shi-shed, Mr. Pac-Man, they already have the County Super's Approval before you even get a chance to see it - which is all they need to pass it. 

In summary again, this Preliminary Budget has appropriations of $378.2 million, which is up $10.9 million (offset by $10.9 million in other revenue) - leaving the School Tax levy the same as last year at $235.0 million.

The School tax rate built into this School Budget is 3.139. Unfortunately, this reduction in the School tax rate of 2.7-cents (over last year's 3.166) is solely due to the increase in the Ratables of $62.9 million - they kept the School tax levy the same as last year.

No $pending Reductions that affect Your School tax rate. So, when they tell you they kept the School tax Rate Flat again, you now know how - and is wasn't due to any reductions they made in their Ridiculous $pending. School Budgets that fail to show you or at least disclose to you what changed for 7 months of last year's Budget including staffing & benefits, which represents over half the total appropriations. 

When you look at the changes from the FY 25 'Revised Budget' in the Proposed FY 26 Budget, they're not comparing it to last year's Original FY 25 Budget. That's because they update last year's budget to actuals on Feb 1st. That should concern you since those 7 months (July 1 to Jan 31) becomes the breeding ground for the 'Staffing Shell Game' where they can hire non-budgeted positions and never disclose it to you while asking for new positions in the current budget.

Just another Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending Budget that continues to piss away all that State Aid money ($342.9 million over the last 5 years) with these piecemeal projects, some of which get around voter approval needed for capital additions and come with no state aid with these Lease-purchase agreements and that won't solve the Biggest Problem facing the School District.

We Need a New School.

Anyhoo, this is just another in a long-line of Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending School Budgets which is where the bulk of your property tax dollars go to get wasted -  and, you should be concerned what's going to happen when all that State Aid Money Stops coming in - and it will.

Edison School Districts $378.2 million Preliminary School Budget 2025-26

 Well, just received this County Super Approved $378.2 million Fiscal Year School Budget for 2025-26.

This Preliminary Budget has appropriations of $378.2 million, which is up $10.9 million (offset by $10.9 million in other revenue) - leaving the School Tax levy the same as last year at $235.0 million.

The School tax rate built into this School Budget is 3.139. Unfortunately, this reduction in the School tax rate of 2.7-cents (over last year's 3.166) is solely due to the increase in the Ratables of $62.9 million - they kept the School tax levy the same as last year.

No $pending Reductions that affect Your School tax rate. So, when they tell you they kept the School tax Rate Flat again, you now know how - and is wasn't due to any reductions they made in their Ridiculous $pending.

Just another Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending Budget that continues to piss away all that State Aid money ($342.9 million over the last 5 years) with these piecemeal projects that won't solve the Biggest Problem facing the School District - we need a New School.

You can see what this School Budget does to Your School taxes in the March 19, 2025 post.

Just some things you need to understand about School Budgets:

• They are prepared on a Fiscal Year Basis (July 1 to June 30)
• They are prepared by the Administration, Reviewed by their Finance Committee and Voted on by the Board to send down to the County Super for approval. You can't see the budget until after it's approved by the County Super and even when the Board puts the Budget up for a vote, it really doesn't matter what the Public thinks, all they need is the County Super's approval.
• They are required to update their Original Budgets on February 1st for actuals. So, when they're comparing the 2025-26 Budget to the 'Revised 2024-25 Budget, they're not comparing it to the Original 2024-25 Budget. By updating to February 1st, you don't get to see what happened or any of the activity that occurred between July 1 and January 31st in these budgets. All that activity is not disclosed to you and any non-budgeted new employees hired, you never see.
• Property taxes are prepared on a Calendar Year Basis so all they do to convert their Fiscal School tax levy is to take half of last years fiscal year school tax levy and half of this years fiscal school tax levy.
• These School Budgets have Salary & Benefits that far exceed half the appropriations yet they fail to show any headcount schedule by position. Last salary file I saw in January 2025, there were some 2,400 employees. Impossible to understand how they can fail to show the employees by position that go along with and whether it supports the salary dollars they're budgeting.
• This School Budget is up for Board approval on April 29, 2025. Once they approve it, they will post the 'User Friendly Budget' (which is not so user-friendly) up on their website. That posting is just a small amount of the full budget and detail they send down to the County Super for approval.

Here's what they sent down for County Super approval - it shows Revenue & Appropriations, Recap of Balances, Capital Projects, Cap Bank calculations, and Employee List and Benefits for the Contracted Employees among other things:

Anyhoo, this is just another in a long-line of Bloated, Out-of-Control $pending School Budgets and you should be concerned what's going to happen when all that State Aid Money Stops coming in - and it will.

Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi's Campaign Kryptonite - the Truth about his Record

Well, there are many words you can use to describe this character's dismal, inept and embarrassing Mayoral performance and one is that he lacks Character but there are others he lacks - maturity, experience, honesty, integrity, principles, credibility, trustworthiness, political leadership/acumen and transparency to name a few.

Just to update your calendar during this 2025 Campaign season - his next scheduled campaign flyer, photo-op, speech etc. where he'll actually tell the truth is on the 1st of Neveruary. 

Not for nothing but his Day-care provider (the guy who promised he wouldn't rest until he got to the bottom of that 2017 Racist Flyer and who is now his Chief of Staff) would of have at least taught him how to tone down his Outright Lies by telling Half-truths or better yet being Truthful but Misleading.

Seriously, haven’t you seen enough of the ridiculous spending, lack of transparency and his 'Pocket Council' which have made a mockery and embarrassment of this town? 

This town needs a Mayor who represents the People of Edison, Not a hand-picked and unqualified political neophyte who sold out the People of Edison for a chance to climb up the politically corrupt Dem-party ladder.

For the benefit of the People of this town, Recognize and Correct a Big Mistake on June 10th.

Anyhoo, recognize the Real Kryptonite to his 2025 Campaign for another 4 years isn't his Dem-party 'Gutter-politics' Campaign but the Truth about his Record of last 3 years of an Inept and Incompetent Stewardship.

When they Can't Defend 'Bubble-boys' Dismal & Embarrassing Mayoral Record of Performance, they switch to the only mode they have - the 'Gutter Politics' Mode

Well, if your Inept Stewardship has turned this town into the mockery and embarrassment it has become, then you really can't run on your record. 

Hence, typical Dem-party campaign strategy - blame onto others for the problems you caused, in spite of the truth.

Clearly, this guy is too inexperienced, too immature and too untrustworthy to be in the position he holds, no matter how hard they try and hide him in a protective bubble.

This guy sold out the People of Edison for a chance to climb-up the politically corrupt Dem-party ladder and you should recognize that after 3-years of unbelievable incompetence, disruption and chaos, it's time for him to be voted out of office.

Pretty funny though when Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi accuses someone else of lying.

Anyhoo, don't be fooled by garbage campaigning, recognize those who should be scared about their record are running scared and it's not about doing what's best for you they're worried about.

Looks like Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi has a slight adjustment to the Muni-tax increase in his $175.5m Introduced Budget for 2025

You gotta like election year budgets gamesmanship. First you Introduce the Budget with one tax rate increase, then you wait until the last minute to increase it further by Raising the Cap Limits. 

On tonight's agenda is Ordinance O.2247-2025 - an Ordinance to Exceed the Municipal Budget Appropriation Limits and to Establish a Cap Bank.

This Ordinance is asking that the 2.5% cap limit be increased to 3.5%, which increases it by $1,493,624 to $5,227,684 for CY 2025.

The already Introduced $175.5m Muni-budget came in within the 2.5% Cap with a tax rate of 1.491, which was up 1.4-cents over last years 1.477 or .95%.

Looks like the Ridiculous Overspending is catching up with them and time for You to Pay for it.

Don't know how much of this $1,493,624 is going to be added to the 2025 Budget Appropriations or how much will be carried over for the next two years but if this extra $1,493,624 is all added into the 2025 CY Muni-budget, it will add another 2.1-cents to the 1.4-cents in the Introduced Budget for a total of 3.5-cents and increase the Muni tax-rate to 1.512, which increases the Muni tax increase to 2.37% over last years 1.477.

Who knows what they're planning to do but you'll know when the 2025 Muni-Budget comes up before his 'Pocket-Council' for Adoption.

Anyhoo, what do you call it when you're told your tax increase will be one thing but you end up getting another?

Edison Property tax rates & changes by taxing entity - Last 4 Years under Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi

Well, pending the Council's adoption of the 2025 $175.5 million Muni-budget, here's the Property tax rates and changes by taxing entity over the last 4 years:

• Total Municipal Related taxes up 13.1-cents or 7.8%
• Total County taxes up 1.4-cents or 1.4%
• School taxes down (8.9-cents) or (2.8%)

 

Here's the 2025 Change in Property tax rates by taxing entity (pending Council adoption of the 2025 Muni-budget):

Here's the 12-Year History of Property taxes and changes by taxing entity:

Anyhoo, just so you know where your Property taxes are coming from and Who to thank when you get your tax bills.

NJ School Performance Report

 Just saw this Summary of the Edison School District on the NJ Doe site. Please check the website for more details.

Anyhoo, good information. 

Top 10 Primary Election Bumper Stickers for Mayor Sam 'the Big Lie' Joshi, aka Mr. Shrink-flation, Big-boy Pants, the Weathervane Millennial, the Malleable Marionette, the Event Planner, Sam the Flim-flam Man, the Emperor has No Clothes, the Debt-a-Nator, Mr. Swiper, Bubble-boy and One-termer

Wow..that's a Big Heading for a Top 10 List but, hey, it's a dozen reasons questioning why you would want 4 more years of this nonsense.

10. Vote 4 Sam - EdiSPAM I am, that's all I got. #OneAndDone.

9. Vote 4 Sam - Inexperience & Immaturity has brought us the National Embarrassment we enjoy today.

8. Vote 4 Sam - he reminded Rob 'Boo-hoo' Kentos, just like he did with Coyle, of the Dem-party Mantra - You gotta Go Along to Get Along.

7. Vote 4 Sam - Sold out the People of Edison so he could climb-up Politically-corrupt Dem-party Ladder.

6. Vote 4 Sam - Hey, Diegnan & Karabinchak previously endorsed him, after they first endorsed Bhagia.

5. Vote 4 Sam - Got a Raise to $150k but still needs More money to buy his Big-boy pants.

4. Vote 4 Sam - He'll make it easy for You by Kicking Everyone Else Off the Ballot.

3. Vote 4 Sam - He's done much but there's More to Do to Embarrass the Town.

2. Vote 4 Sam - He needs more time to learn how to upgrade his Outright Lies to Half-truths or Truthful but Misleading. #LiesMadeLiesKept

1. Run Brescher Run - on Brescher's Rear Bumper, on Bubble-boy's Front Bumper.

What are you doing Rob 'Boo-hoo' Kentos?!?

 Well, here's something that should make you question what the heck is going on in this politically corrupt town.

Seems Rob 'Boo-hoo' Kentos is now on Mayor Sam 'Bubble-boy' Joshi's ticket, endorsing and campaigning with him for the Primary on June 10th.

Now, think about this for a second. 

Kentos, who I much respected for taking on the MCDO (after winning the EDO Screening but being removed from the ticket by the County Chair and Joshi in the last election) now is teaming up with Joshi.

Not for nothing but this guy was so offended by Joshi and his 'Pocket Council' that he went up to Council Meetings complaining about Joshi's administration and his 'Pocket Council.' 

How is it he's now running with 'Bubble-boy?' Makes you wonder what he had to agree with to stay on the ticket after winning this year's EDO's Screening.

What does that say about him and why would he expect anyone to now vote for him? Given, we live in a town where there are no political friends, no political enemies - just political opportunities but I would never vote for such a Chameleon.

What's it all about with "Boo-hoo?' Who is he really endorsing in this Campaign for Mayor - 'Bubble-boy' or Brescher? Can't see how either of them would trust him now.

Sadly, it sure looks like the only person he's endorsing is himself, just to get on the Council.

Anyhoo, you get what you vote for in this town - and we don't need 4 more years of 'Bubble-boy' or his latest replacement to his 'Pocket' Council.'

Where's the Democracy in the Democratic Party?

 Well, seems to be the Dem-party's modus operandi in this election cycle - eliminate the competition at all levels and protect the status quo.

Simply disgraceful but at least there are others out there who won't stay silent.

Way to Go Rob!

Anyhoo, when are you going to learn that their definition of 'Democracy' is Two Wolves and a Sheep taking a Majority Vote on What's for Dinner - Don't be a Sheep.