Here's Your CY 2013 Property Tax Increases (Decreases):
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Top 10 'New Rules' (with apologies to Bill Maher) for the Edison Council!
10. No Council Member can vote on an ordinance or resolution in the last year of their term, whether they seek re-election or not. Their votes will be cast by a retired Board of Education member, effective immediately.
9. All new hires can apply for any position in the township without any relevant qualifications or experience, effectively immediately.
8. All introduced council ordinances must be pre-approved by an apolitical person - the EDO Campaign Manager.
7. All Council sub-committees must have at least 1 citizen on it - from Metuchen.
6. Education is a No..No for any position in the township until such time as the Board of Education lets us back in.
5. Any Council Member who abstains on a vote must contribute $1 to Charlie Tomaro's 'I do more than any other Council Member' Abstention Fund.
4. Edison's 'Strong Mayor, Weak Council' form of government will cease to exist as soon as we move the Mayor's office to the basement.
3. All references to the word 'Politics' will be stricken from the EDO's by-laws, effective immediately.
2. All Council Members will now be addressed as Mayoral Members of the Edison Township Council, effective immediately.
1. When describing what happens when abnormal politics becomes the norm in a town, the rest of the state shall cease and desist from laughing and referring to it as 'The Edison Way', effectively immediately.
9. All new hires can apply for any position in the township without any relevant qualifications or experience, effectively immediately.
8. All introduced council ordinances must be pre-approved by an apolitical person - the EDO Campaign Manager.
7. All Council sub-committees must have at least 1 citizen on it - from Metuchen.
6. Education is a No..No for any position in the township until such time as the Board of Education lets us back in.
5. Any Council Member who abstains on a vote must contribute $1 to Charlie Tomaro's 'I do more than any other Council Member' Abstention Fund.
4. Edison's 'Strong Mayor, Weak Council' form of government will cease to exist as soon as we move the Mayor's office to the basement.
3. All references to the word 'Politics' will be stricken from the EDO's by-laws, effective immediately.
2. All Council Members will now be addressed as Mayoral Members of the Edison Township Council, effective immediately.
1. When describing what happens when abnormal politics becomes the norm in a town, the rest of the state shall cease and desist from laughing and referring to it as 'The Edison Way', effectively immediately.
Edison Council's proposed amendment to police policy changes - looks transparent to me!?!
Saw the piece in the HNT here on the proposed Council amended police policy changes. Looks like it's going to get Council approval at the next meeting in August, so says Councilman Alvaro 'KaraMia" Gomez.
While I appreciate the paper covering the Council's amendment, it's always nice to see what it is they're talking about. So, I went to the town's website and looked at Wednesday's agenda where it was introduced - and this is what I saw:
'Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." Groucho Marx
But hey, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that the Council is trying to take the 'politics' out of politics.
Oh boy...where hypocrisy rises to arrogance!
While I appreciate the paper covering the Council's amendment, it's always nice to see what it is they're talking about. So, I went to the town's website and looked at Wednesday's agenda where it was introduced - and this is what I saw:
Doesn't get any more clear than this. Guess it's on a need to see basis and we, the residents, don't need to see it here in Downtown Edison.
So, while the Council wants to play Mayor and the Mayor wants to ignore the Council, it's hard not to equate the political silliness going on in this town to this:
'Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." Groucho Marx
But hey, at least we're comforted in the knowledge that the Council is trying to take the 'politics' out of politics.
Oh boy...where hypocrisy rises to arrogance!
Friday, July 12, 2013
Edison Twsp. 2013 Property Tax Bills are Out!
Well, the 2013 Final/2014 Preliminary Tax Bills are out here in Downtown Edison. The total property tax rate for 2013 (includes Muni, County & School taxes) is $4.776 per hundred, which is up 4.7 Cents or 1% over last year's $4.729.
Of that 4.7 Cent increase - 3.6 Cents is due to the School Tax, 1.3 Cents is due to the County Taxes and the Muni had a reduction of 2/10's of a Cent.
So, if you live in that imaginary home assessed at $176,700, then your taxes will go up $83.05 in 2013, which consists of $63.61 for the School Tax, $22.97 for the County Taxes and a reduction of $3.53 for the Muni Taxes.
In other words, 76.6% of your tax increase is due to the School Tax, 27.7% due to the County Taxes and a reduction of 4.3% for the Muni taxes.
If you don't live in that imaginary home assessed at $176,700 - then take you home's assessed value divided by 100 and multiply that by .047 to get your total property tax increase for 2013 and .036, .013 and -.002 to get the portion attributable to the School tax, County Taxes and Muni Taxes, respectively.
Here's the breakdown-a-mundo by taxing entity:
Anyhoo, welcome to another year of Board of Mythomania driven tax increases here in Downtown Edison.
PS - I added a short demo explaining how the change in the tax rate works. You can find it here.
Of that 4.7 Cent increase - 3.6 Cents is due to the School Tax, 1.3 Cents is due to the County Taxes and the Muni had a reduction of 2/10's of a Cent.
So, if you live in that imaginary home assessed at $176,700, then your taxes will go up $83.05 in 2013, which consists of $63.61 for the School Tax, $22.97 for the County Taxes and a reduction of $3.53 for the Muni Taxes.
In other words, 76.6% of your tax increase is due to the School Tax, 27.7% due to the County Taxes and a reduction of 4.3% for the Muni taxes.
If you don't live in that imaginary home assessed at $176,700 - then take you home's assessed value divided by 100 and multiply that by .047 to get your total property tax increase for 2013 and .036, .013 and -.002 to get the portion attributable to the School tax, County Taxes and Muni Taxes, respectively.
Here's the breakdown-a-mundo by taxing entity:
Anyhoo, welcome to another year of Board of Mythomania driven tax increases here in Downtown Edison.
PS - I added a short demo explaining how the change in the tax rate works. You can find it here.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Really Councilman Alvaro 'KaraMia" Gomez - and this is helpful...How!?!
Just saw the piece in the SL - 'Edison councilman accuses mayor of political police promotions' here. Just typical of what goes on here in Downtown Edison.
You know, someone once quipped 'First you fix the problem, then you fix the blame.' Seems Karabinchak's Council side-kick is happy to take his turn at casting stones in this silly season.
Can you believe that one Edison politician is claiming another Edison Politician did something 'Political.' Shocking, isn't it?!?
Here's a couple of random thoughts; (1) someone give Senor Gomez some cheese to go with that Whine and, (2) serious problems need serious people to solve - and he's not on my comfort list of people to do it.
Anyhoo, makes you proud to be a Dem here in Downtown Edison, doesn't it?
You know, someone once quipped 'First you fix the problem, then you fix the blame.' Seems Karabinchak's Council side-kick is happy to take his turn at casting stones in this silly season.
Can you believe that one Edison politician is claiming another Edison Politician did something 'Political.' Shocking, isn't it?!?
Here's a couple of random thoughts; (1) someone give Senor Gomez some cheese to go with that Whine and, (2) serious problems need serious people to solve - and he's not on my comfort list of people to do it.
Anyhoo, makes you proud to be a Dem here in Downtown Edison, doesn't it?
Monday, June 17, 2013
Really - Russomanno out front for the Local Dem Party?!?
Just saw the piece in today's Star Ledger 'Campaign manager for Edison Dems questions mayor's ban on police donations.'
Maybe it's me but is Senor Russomanno now the spokesperson for the EDO?
Is his sage advice on the legality of banning police contributions in Downtown Edison really the Local Party's position? If so, where are the party leaders?
Perhaps most concerning is this line - 'It's not the money or the in-kind support a politician receives it's the conduct of those writing and receiving the money or support. No legislation or executive order can bind a person to morality.'
Really, it's not about the money - it's about the morality?!? What town does he live in?
Anyhoo, whether you're for or against this ban, one thing is for sure - hypocrisy knows no limit here in this one-party town.
Maybe it's me but is Senor Russomanno now the spokesperson for the EDO?
Is his sage advice on the legality of banning police contributions in Downtown Edison really the Local Party's position? If so, where are the party leaders?
Perhaps most concerning is this line - 'It's not the money or the in-kind support a politician receives it's the conduct of those writing and receiving the money or support. No legislation or executive order can bind a person to morality.'
Really, it's not about the money - it's about the morality?!? What town does he live in?
Anyhoo, whether you're for or against this ban, one thing is for sure - hypocrisy knows no limit here in this one-party town.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Edison Council Follies - the disingenuous debate!?!
You know, it never ceases to amaze me how disrespectfully the all Dem-Council treats the residents and taxpayers here in Downtown Edison. Last night, I tried to watch some of Monday's Agenda meeting - hoping to hear about the Council Amendment to the $118.2 million Municipal Budget for 2013.
Not for nothing but it's already June and half the year is already over - if they wait any longer, we won't need a budget, we'll have the actual results! That's a tad bit sad but what did they say about their amendment to 2013 Budget?
Zilch, Nada, Nothing! It was listed on the agenda but they said nothing about it. Guess you had to be there on Monday to know what they did.
Anyhoo, we were treated to a 'Spirited Debate' on Council's role and responsibility for approving Library Board contracts. Apparently, Rob "March on Trenton" Karabinchak and his side-kick Alvaro "KaraMia" Gomez took exception to having to approve such a Library Board approved contract.
Senor Karabinchak went so far as to say he was pulling the resolution until he can get to the bottom of the matter. You Go Senor Karabinchak. And Senor Gomez, jumped right in arguing the process limits the Council's responsibility. It's all about the process, so they say.
So, is it that the Council doesn't know their own procedures or are they being asked to approve something they're not responsible for approving? Either way, it's all blah! blah!
Seems what they left out of their spirited debate is this tad bit of info - that the contract in question is for an award by the Library Board (not to exceed $6,300) for Lawn Services to Senor Anthony Russomanno.
You remember him, the campaign manager to the Local Dems here in Downtown Edison.
So, here's two things that should be done with this substance-lacking debate:
1. The Council Clerk should stash a bag full of Snickers on the dais for Karabinchak for every time he starts to lose an argument, and
2. The Council should stop with all the nonsense and just tell the residents who this contract was awarded to - whether they approve it or not.
Finally, it's hard to take Karabinchak & Gomez seriously - these are the same two people who adamantly said there was No Muni tax increase in 2011, when the tax bills were out and we already paid half the year's tax increase.
Oh yeah, guess who wasn't at that meeting for this 'Spirited Debate' - the Clerk, Senor Council Member Wayne Mascola (the Council Liaison to the Library Board) and Senor Tom Lankey (Chairman of the Council's Finance Committee). Guess it wasn't important that they try and make this meeting to engage in the debate. PS - I just heard why Council Member Mascola was not at the meeting. I wish him well and had I known, I wouldn't of included him above.
Don't you like being a Dem here in Downtown Edison and watching this stuff?
But hey, he's back:
Not for nothing but it's already June and half the year is already over - if they wait any longer, we won't need a budget, we'll have the actual results! That's a tad bit sad but what did they say about their amendment to 2013 Budget?
Zilch, Nada, Nothing! It was listed on the agenda but they said nothing about it. Guess you had to be there on Monday to know what they did.
Anyhoo, we were treated to a 'Spirited Debate' on Council's role and responsibility for approving Library Board contracts. Apparently, Rob "March on Trenton" Karabinchak and his side-kick Alvaro "KaraMia" Gomez took exception to having to approve such a Library Board approved contract.
Senor Karabinchak went so far as to say he was pulling the resolution until he can get to the bottom of the matter. You Go Senor Karabinchak. And Senor Gomez, jumped right in arguing the process limits the Council's responsibility. It's all about the process, so they say.
So, is it that the Council doesn't know their own procedures or are they being asked to approve something they're not responsible for approving? Either way, it's all blah! blah!
Seems what they left out of their spirited debate is this tad bit of info - that the contract in question is for an award by the Library Board (not to exceed $6,300) for Lawn Services to Senor Anthony Russomanno.
You remember him, the campaign manager to the Local Dems here in Downtown Edison.
So, here's two things that should be done with this substance-lacking debate:
1. The Council Clerk should stash a bag full of Snickers on the dais for Karabinchak for every time he starts to lose an argument, and
2. The Council should stop with all the nonsense and just tell the residents who this contract was awarded to - whether they approve it or not.
Finally, it's hard to take Karabinchak & Gomez seriously - these are the same two people who adamantly said there was No Muni tax increase in 2011, when the tax bills were out and we already paid half the year's tax increase.
Oh yeah, guess who wasn't at that meeting for this 'Spirited Debate' - the Clerk, Senor Council Member Wayne Mascola (the Council Liaison to the Library Board) and Senor Tom Lankey (Chairman of the Council's Finance Committee). Guess it wasn't important that they try and make this meeting to engage in the debate. PS - I just heard why Council Member Mascola was not at the meeting. I wish him well and had I known, I wouldn't of included him above.
Don't you like being a Dem here in Downtown Edison and watching this stuff?
But hey, he's back:
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