Monday, May 20, 2013
Home buyouts in areas prone to flooding expected to start soon, though participation remains voluntary. Sayreville and South River are both on the list.
Buyouts of properties in flood prone areas are expected to begin within a matter of weeks, beginning in Middlesex County and working south into the summer months as residents and their respective town officials make the difficult decision to abandon entire neighborhoods for good. Though buyout specifics have been limited, Bob Martin, commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection, said between eight and 10 towns along the coast have inquired about participating in the State’s Blue Acres program, which purchases severe repetitive loss homes in flood areas and converts the land into open space. Martin said he wanted to be cautious about naming the municipalities that have inquired about the property buyouts as many …
Residents may access online versions of the ballots before they are mailed.
Middlesex County Clerk Elaine M. Flynn has announced that sample ballots for the June 4 Primary Election are now available online at the County web site, http://co.middlesex.nj.us/countyclerk/sampleballots.asp. Sample ballots will be sent via post mail, but residents also can access the information online for informational purposes. Sample ballots are listed by town, and in some case by wards within the town. Most towns have only one sample ballot. However, some municipalities have multiple ballots based on specific local races for an elected position. The sample ballots are in a PDF format. Your computer must have a PDF reader to view the sample ballots. You can download a reader from the County site. “Our Elections Division already …
Jobless rate drops to 8.7 percent, revenues sufficient to avoid further cuts.
Gov. Chris Christie got a double dose of good news last week, as New Jersey's April unemployment rate dipped below 9 percent for the first time in four years and state revenue collections met his Treasury Department's revised targets. Echoing former President Ronald Reagan, an ebullient Christie declared at a town meeting in Sayreville that "the best social program is a job," and declared that his economic and fiscal policies were responsible for New Jersey's economic, employment, and revenue growth. “Revenues are up, jobs are up and unemployment is down," Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) declared. Treasury's announcement that April's revenues came in just ahead of target takes some of the drama out of Monday's Senate Budget…
Sunday, May 19, 2013
The public is invited to chime in with their thoughts on a lawsuit between the Eisenreich Family Foundation and the East Brunswick Township Council.
Members of the public are invited to submit their comments regarding a lawsuit between the landowners of the proposed location for Hatikvah International Academy Charter School and the township at a public hearing scheduled for Monday night. The council and the Eisenreich Family Foundation have reached an agreement regarding a lawsuit filed by the foundation after the council overturned a zoning board decision that would permit the charter school to relocate to a building owned by the foundation. However, the terms of the agreement will not be in effect until Monday night's meeting, if the council votes to finalize it. According to the consent order between the two, Hatikvah will be permitted to open in the Eisenreich Family Foundation's …
NJ results part of a national trend charted in just-released report from U.S. Census Bureau.
A new report on voting in the 2012 presidential election found that blacks in New Jersey, like those across the nation, turned out in greater percentages than any other racial or ethnic group and the youngest voters, those age 18 through 24, turned out in the smallest numbers. The report by the U.S. Census Bureau released on Wednesday said that a greater percentage of eligible blacks voted than whites for the first time since officials began publishing voting statistics in 1996. Nationally, two in three eligible blacks voted in the presidential election, which was slightly higher than the 64.1 percent of non-Hispanic whites. In New Jersey, 68.5 percent of eligible African Americans voted, compared with 63.4 percent of whites. James Harris…
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The state urges customers to consult the database before buying a car
The State Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) and Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) are urging all customers to consult their database of flood and salvage-titled vehicles before purchasing a car. That database now provides information on 31,000 such vehicles, the State MVC announced on Wednesday. It isn't illegal to sell vehicles with flood or salvaged titles. However, there are specific requirements that ensure potential purchasers are aware of the status of such vehicles, according to the MVC. “Damage sustained by vehicles must be disclosed to prospective buyers,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “We will hold car dealers accountable for violating our Consumer Fraud Act if they fail to make such disclosures.” The database was …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Christie administration wants $164 million in affordable-housing funds to help balance state budget.
Municipalities have won yet another reprieve from having to give more than $164 million in affordable-housing funds to New Jersey. A state appeals court panel late Monday issued a temporary injunction to stop the state from taking the money to help balance its budget. The Appellate Division of Superior Court issued a stay of the state Council on Affordable Housing’s attempt to seize municipal affordable housing trust fund money that has gone unspent for more than four years. Judge Jose L. Fuentes, who signed the order, set oral arguments for June 5 in Newark. Fair Share Housing Center sought the injunction last Friday, after COAH met on May 1 for the first time in more than two years and authorized its staff to begin the process of taking …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A history grants workshop will be held on May 22 in Piscataway.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Tuesday, May 14
The Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission would like to announce that the 2013 - 2014 History Grant Guidelines and Applications are available for download on the Commission’s Web site. These grants help support programs relating to the history of New Jersey and its people, staffing and technical needs and publications. All applicants must be Middlesex County based, not-for-profit organizations or municipal groups. All forms, guidelines, ADA regulations and instructions can be found on the Commission’s Web site at: http://co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage under History Grant Forms. “These grants are a great way for us to support all types of programming throughout the County,” said Freeholder Charles E. Tomaro, chair of the …
Monday, May 13, 2013
But Community Affairs chief says systemic reforms, cuts in total tax rate are key.
Assembly Democrats last week assailed Gov. Chris Christie for an 18.6 percent increase in net property taxes over the past three years, but Christie’s community affairs commissioner said long-term savings and cuts in overall tax rates are more important. Community Affairs commissioner Richard E. Constable III told the Assembly Budget Committee that the 2.4 percent growth in property taxes in 2011 and 1.6 percent rise last year were the smallest statewide hikes in 20 years and an improvement over an "increase of 70 percent in the 10 years before Governor Christie took office." But Democratic committee members disputed Constable’s view, citing a New Jersey Spotlight analysis showing that net property taxes -- the net cost of property taxes …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Residents are advised to take precautions to avoid standing or stagnant water pools on their property or businesses.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, May 12
To prepare for this year’s mosquito season, the Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission has begun inspecting and treating sites throughout the County. Experts use a comprehensive and integrated approach, which includes: mosquito surveillance, water management, biological control, chemical control and public education. “The Commission works to not only minimize the overall number of mosquitoes, but more importantly to reduce the spread and threat of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile Virus, that they may carry,” said Freeholder H. James Polos, Chair of the County’s Public Safety and Health Committee and liaison to the Mosquito Extermination Commission. John Kranz, Assistant Superintendent of the Mosquito Extermination …
Jarhead
9:11 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
After watching the meeting I wonder why we even have a Town Clowncil. Just to throw sand in the gears of progress and kiss up to the two SOS flunkies. Made my stomach turn to hear them refer to Wendell as " Mr. Council President". The guy is a complete buffoon and made a complete fool of himself when he took their own lawyer to task. And what's up with that hair do? Looks like some animal died on… more ›