Until they Remove the Stench Hanging over Edison from that 2017 Election Flier

You should Not Vote for another Democrat in Edison.

Let's get serious now, it's been over a year and still no resolution. What? They still haven't found out what happened? Really? In order to buy into this length of time without a resolution, you'd have to believe that our local elected officials must not even be capable of finding their own butts with both hands.

Geez? Do they think we forgot about it? Are they hoping it simply goes away with the passage of time and their less than convincing rhetoric?

No, that's not gonna happen. So, isn't it long overdue for them to Stand up and remove this Stench? The Stench Hanging over Edison really, really, really Stinks and it grows exponentially worse with every day they do nothing about it.

Anyhoo, as our local elected officials, if they can't protect the Good People of Edison from the dysfunctional politics in this town, then who needs them sitting there over at 100 Oligarchy Blvd.?

Two Big Thingies coming down the pike over there on Mythomania Lane

Well, as we take a look at what's going on over there on the other side of town under the mis-guidance of Jerry 'Needs to Step-down' Shi - you've got to start paying attention to what they're doing.

First, we have the search for a permanent Super, which is taking a tad bit long. Apparently, we've waiting for a response to a RFP (Request for Proposal) to hire a search firm and then $pend some $50k or so to bring in candidates.

All to be ready, hopefully, to have interviews by sometime in May - so they say.

Just a couple things to consider on this timeline. First, the Interim Super's contract expires at the end of the school year (6/30/19) and if they don't make their anticipated deadline on hiring a permanent Super, then we'll have to extend the Interim's contract. Second, it would be in everybody's best interests if the Board sets aside a day for each of their finalists during the interview process to meet with parents, teachers, staff and public so they can get to meet and ask questions of the finalists.Since it's such an important position to fill, then it should involve all the stakeholders in the process.

Second, while the Overcrowding task force continues doing its thing without any information about what they're planning to do and how much it will cost - guess what, they've already set a September date for a Bond Referendum. That's nice, isn't it? They say nothing, they know nothing about what they're gonna do - but they're setting up the date in September to do it.

You can see this in the Proposal from the recently Board approved Architects.

SSP Architects Proposal:



Now, not for nothing, but it's anticipated that this Bond Referendum will be Humongous in both Scope and Dollars. So, it would be nice if the Board gets around to telling the public what they've decided to do, how much it's going to cost and under what timeline, why they've chosen this direction to take and what alternatives have they considered.

The last thing we want is another Board of Mythomania Bond Referendum Ambush by getting the information at the last minute and hoping you miss it, just like they use to do over there on Mythomania Lane.

Anyhoo, pay attention folks, what they're doing over there will force you to buy a larger calculator to fit in the size of this Bond Referendum they're obliquely putting together.

Edison Democratic Organization (EDO) picks their candidates

Well, that was an interesting meeting last night. However, do appreciate the opportunity given for the public to attend.

Also, good to see some old friends again and to be ignored by others! On the latter, you know who you are Charlie 'I Abstain' Tomaro aka Deputy Dog! You're a class act.

Chairman Shariq Ahmad:

The EDO (140 votes cast - 90% turnout) picked the candidates they'll support for the four Council spots up this year:

Joe Coyle - 97 votes

Ajay Patil - 85 votes

Richard Brescher - 80 votes

Joyce Ship-Freeman - 72 votes

Anyhoo, the Stench still lingers over this town with the selection of Patil and Coyle.

NJ Public School Scores - 2017-18

Well, just saw this piece here in NJ.com on how the NJ DoE graded its public school scores for the school year 2017-18.

The piece says NJ DoE released the new scores, which are graded on a scale of -0- to 100 and consider standardized test results, graduation rates and other factors.

The piece also explains how the scores were determined and these scores are only one piece of the puzzle. You should read the entire article to better understand the meaning and value of these scores.

Apparently, a 50th percentile rating is considered average.

Anyhoo, whether you place much stock in these scores or not, you can't help but notice there's quite a difference between the schools in our town.

You Can't Change this town if You Don't Change the People Running it!

Well, not much of a fan of Edison's all Dem-party rule or the Silly Season that goes along with it here in the DemBadLands of Downtown Edison - but it's the only time you get our local elected officials out pandering for your vote - the rest of the year, you're not important. 

So, you can appreciate with this being time for the EDO to have their screening for the four Council spots up this year - you can expect a lot of rhetoric and hyperbole to be flying around town. 

In fact, the screening is on March 14th at 7:00PM over at the Pines. 

While I automatically feed all their glossy and expensive campaign literature right into the garbage can, it's particularly disconcerting when incumbents resort to robo-calls.

Here's the text of an amusing robo-call for Joe Coyle:

'Hello, I'm calling on behalf of your councilman Joe Coyle to give you a phone number where you can reach Joe if you have any questions about Edison, any problems Joe Coyle will try to help you. Phone number is 732-809-4827 and a Happy Valentine's Day. Bye..Bye.'

It's amusing since he's one of the incumbents up for reelection this year and will be screening on March 14th and obviously didn't screen his robe-call list. Why would he robo-call me? I did ask him to help with moving the school board election back to April and didn't get much help there. Guess that's why he says 'will try to help you' in his robo-call.

Seriously now, in a town where;

..the Council is nothing more than processing clerks for Lankey's doings

..checks and balances are a myth

..every Muni budget under Lankey was passed by the Council without a single penny change to his yearly tax increase,

..they still leave the Stench of the 2017 election hanging over the town 

..they Cluck..Clucked away from giving the People of this town a chance to hear arguments for moving the School Board elections back to April by cancelling their meeting the day before it was scheduled

..transparency is just a word they use 

..conflicts of interest are only important if you catch them

..and how could you ever trust these people to enter into such a humongous $811 million contract for Water and Sewer with their single-minded Dem-party mentality?

You Can't and You Shouldn't Trust any of them!

You know what I see when I look around this town - it's all about twisted and dysfunctional Politics, Not People. They'll only pay attention to you when it's election time and they want your vote.

And here's what I see when I look at these four incumbents up for reelection - the rest of the year: 

Anyhoo, Joe Coyle is the one on the right with phone in hand. He's waiting for your call. Better hurry and call him at 732-809-4827 'if you have any questions about Edison, any problems'  - the screening is only a couple days away! 

School State Aid - FY20

Here's the school aid figures off the NJ DoE's website for FY20:

By County:

Middlesex County by District:

To 25 District Increases:

Top 25 District Decreases:

$811 million - it's too Big to Fail so take it out of Lankey & his Cronies hands!

Geez, if this wasn't so Blatantly Obvious, it would be Funny! Anyone who has lived in this town long enough under it's all Dem-party rule has to be scratching their head and saying  - Seriously, You're Kidding Me, Right!?!

You want to let Mayor Tom 'Now 17.1% but Won't Debate' ChoiLankey and his Cluck..Cluck Council enter into an $811 million Water & Sewer 40-year lease on their own??? No problem, they say You'll get all your answers to this double-secret agreement at their March 28th meeting before they call two more meetings; one to schedule it for a vote and the other to vote on it.

DUH!?!

In a town where the Council is nothing more than processing clerks for Lankey's doings, where checks and balances are a myth and every Muni budget under Lankey was passed by the Council without a single penny change to his yearly tax increase, where they still leave the Stench of the 2017 election hanging over the town, where they Cluck..Clucked away from giving the People of this town a chance to hear arguments for moving the School Board elections back to April by cancelling their meeting the day before it was scheduled, where transparency is just a word they use and where conflicts of interest are only important if you catch them - how could you ever trust these people to enter into such a humongous contract with their single-minded Dem-party mentality?

You Can't and You Shouldn't Trust them!

But wait, there's more. Where Council members are also committee people - guess they get to vote for themselves again when the EDO holds it's screening on March 14th at the Pines - and sometimes they get to vote committee people for positions in town. That's nice, you vote for me and I'll vote for you!?!

Where Committee people screen for Council, not because they are doing a bang up job by keeping their district's constituents informed but just because they're committee people.

Maybe it's me, but both my District 31 committee people are screening for the Council on March 14th. Not for nothing but I've never ever, ever seen them canvass the neighborhood during elections or any other time or seen any attempt by them to keep the residents informed about what was going on over there at 100 Oligarchy Blvd. Certainly, they have never come a knocking at my door to share the knowledge or walk around with Council hopefuls.

So, all 78 District Committee people should take a pass on voting for Steven P. Nagel and Marie Wise.

You should also look around your Committee and see if it's being run in the best interests of the People of Edison.

You should also take a pass on the 4 incumbents, Patil, Sendelsky, Lombardi & Coyle. They've already proven many times over that they serve the interests of the Dem-party few and not your interests, which explains why, more often than not, you're left out of the loop..

But I digress, so lets move on.

Unfortunately, our town has long-been a politically disingenuous place to live where there's a stronghold on power through it's cronyism and nepotism and they do it by controlling what you get to know and when you get to know it and they do it right in Your Face! And for those who doubt it or haven't been around long enough, I refer you to the February 20, 2019 post.

So, when Lankey who has taxed us every which way he can (and that includes the Garbage and let's not forget the Humongous Sewer tax increases he imposed on us over the years) comes up with a scheme like this - You really have to say No Thanks and tell him and his 7 processing clerks to spare us their self-serving rhetoric and dubious transparency and put the question on the ballot.

DO NOT LET THEM VOTE ON LANKEY'S $811M SCHEME FOR WATER & SEWER!

Take a look at this seriously dysfunctional Council get all twisted up in their own inability to effectively respond to public questions at the last meeting:



And, since you can't really trust what the Council is about to do here with a company that has numerous public complaints in other towns, you should take the time to listen to a presentation from Food and Water Watch to educate yourselves on the negative impact of water privatization.

1-Monday March 11th 7:00pm
Grace Reformed Church 
2815 Woodbridge Ave 
Edison NJ

2-Wednesday March 20th 7:00pm
Edison Memorial VFW Post 3117
53 National Rd
Edison NJ

Anyhoo, this deal is too Big to leave in the hands Señor Lankey and his Cluck..Cluck Council - don't let them trick you into believing they know best for something that will last long after they're gone and for such a long, long, long time.