That’s a shame because public employee unions are as serious a threat to Americans’ freedom as is radical Islam. Maybe more so.
In many states throughout the union, including New Jersey, public employee unions have more power and influence over government policy, operations and spending than our elected representatives. From our governor down to the councilman and school board member, elected office holders ability to manage and govern their jurisdictions are constrained by laws and contracts that protect employees from the public will.
Walker’s proposal in Wisconsin to remove unions ability to negotiate for pensions and benefits and Governor Christie’s reform agenda in New Jersey are considered bold because over the last 50 years unions have systematically and gradually taken over our governments. Their political power was extreme and unchecked. Before Christie took on the NJEA over the last year and thrived, no politician dared take on such a powerful special interest. Sure there where those who tried, but you don’t remember who they are and neither do I, because the unions destroyed them. Christie, and now apparently Walker, could be the right men at the right time to lead America back to a truly representative form of government in the States.
Yet, as bold and radical as the governors seem in the context of the last 50 years of growing union power, their proposals are relatively modest. Far from really “turning Trenton(or Madison) upside down” or doing “big things” Christie and Walker are modestly tinkering with the existing systems.
Christie has created a big storm, in part because of his aggressive style. But what he’s proposed is not that controversial. It leaves intact the entire collective bargaining structure. Yes, he would impose short-term pain, but the Walker plan goes to the root of the problem.
Walker’s plan might go to the root of the problem, but it only exposes the root, it doesn’t cut it:
Q. Is Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker really proposing to end collective bargaining?
A. Not exactly. He’ll retain it for police, firefighters and state troopers. But he is proposing a drastic rollback for teachers and other public employees. They will retain the right to bargain over wages, but not benefits.
Politically, Christie’s success over the last year and Walker’s anticipated success could well be due to the moderateness of their proposals being sold to the public with bold rhetoric. Christie took on the NJEA last year by calling for wage freezes and health care contributions of only 1.5% of teacher salaries in order to save jobs. The union looked petty in their vocal opposition and the public sided with the Governor by overwhelmingly rejecting school budgets at the ballot boxes. The public continues to support Christie’s agenda and now the debate in Trenton is over how much spending to cut, not whether to cut. That’s a big change, but it is not systematic change.
But systematic change was not politically possible a year ago. It is becoming possible, but it won’t be swift. The unions took over our governments incrementally over a period of a half century. We, the people, did not notice it happening for the most part. Now that the public is waking up to the relative largess of public employee compensation and benefits, systematic change becomes increasingly possible, but it will have to be accomplished incrementally.
DiSalvo makes the case why public employee unions must be broken in his National Affairs article published last fall. Every political leader should take the time to read the article.
On Monday while the Red Bank Council was discussing whether or not to change their meeting dates to accommodate Councilman Michael DuPont’s $90K part time job as the Borough Attorney of Sayreville, there was real drama in the the Middlesex County town over DuPont’s appointment.
Greater Media’s Suburban newspaper has the story of what happened in Sayreville, including the Mayor and some Council members walking out of their meeting over DuPont’s appointment.
Lots more dots to connect and questions to ask. Stay tuned.
WALL TOWNSHIP – Wall Township Committeeman and former Mayor George K. Newberry announced that he is seeking the Republican nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder.
“Being born and growing up in Monmouth County, I know first-hand what a tremendous jewel Monmouth County is. It is with that value in my heart for this County that I announce my candidacy for Freeholder,” he says.
“I believe I demonstrated as Mayor and as a Wall Township Committee member that I have the experience, knowledge and values to be an effective member of our Freeholder team, and I ask for the support of my party to place my name on the ballot,” he adds.
Newberry says that thanks to many decades of Republican leadership, Monmouth County is envied for having a high bond rating, low county taxes and the finest parks, recreational programs and library services. He says he plans to continue on the strong foundation laid by previous administrations and use his many years of business experience overseeing multi-million dollar budgets and large commercial projects as a member of the Freeholder Board.
“Today’s tough economic times call for vision and experience in controlling spending and waste. In continually controlling costs the Freeholder Board must keep in their vision what Monmouth County has become and make sure the high level of regard many have for Monmouth will remain. I promised the people of Wall and will promise the residents and businesses of Monmouth County that as I work toward efficiencies in budgets and they look in the future at the town they know and the County they love those places will be no less than what they envision them to be today. As a senior project manager for a large contracting company, I have hands-on experience negotiating contracts, budgeting, managing a large staff and making a dollar go further,” he says.
Living in Wall Township and working for 25 years in the Bay Shore area, as well as assisting his Father, who until his recent passing, lived in Cream Ridge, has given Newberry a bird’s eye view of the County on a daily basis for many years.
Newberry, age 55, traces his heritage back at least five generations in Monmouth County. He has been married to his wife Jeanne, formerly of Rumson, for 35 years. They have a son, Bill, and daughter, Beth.
Mr. Newberry has been a member of the Wall Fire Company #1 since 1988 and served as Chief for five years. A member of Wall Kiwanis, he was named VFW Citizen of Merit in 1996 and Wall Township Citizen of the Year in 2005. He was the second gentleman to serve as president of his local PTA in his 120 year old elementary school and is a participant of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association as well as St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Ocean Grove. He has volunteered with The National Park service in West Orange and served as a member on the Wall Township planning board as well as rent stabilization board. Newberry has been a member of IBEW Local 400 electrical workers union since 1977.
Why would a politician/lawyer give up a $90,000 per year part time job to keep a $3200 a year part time job as a Red Bank councilman?
That’s what Red Bank Councilman Michael Dupont says he’s considering if his colleagues on the Red Bank governing body don’t go along with his request that they change their meeting dates so that he can continue “serving” as the Middlesex County Borough of Sayreville’s borough attorney for $7,500 per month, according to Red Bank Green. Sayreville and Red Bank have the council meetings on the same nights.
So why not ask Sayreville to change its meeting day?
“I did that,” DuPont tells redbankgreen. No go.
But he tells redbankgreenthat if the Red Bank meeting schedule remains unchanged, “I’d probably have to give up Sayreville.”
DuPont says the Sayreville gig pays a flat $7,500 per month for all legal services.
Could be he doesn’t need the money, but he tells RBG otherwise.
“I’m just trying to make a living, in addition to being a public servant,”
Couldn’t/shouldn’t Dupont have resolved this before taking the Sayreville job? He’s been a Red Bank Councilman a long time.
Maybe it has something to do with the pension system or health benefits.
Sayreville is home to Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Chairman of the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee. Wisniewski is also chairman of the NJ Democratic Party and Co-Chair of the Legislative Redistricting Commission.
Lot’s of questions and dots to connect. Especially if Dupont runs for Senate or Assembly as has been rumored.
Community college is seeking an 8.2 percent tuition increase
FREEHOLD, NJ – Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley today called for a public review of Brookdale Community College’s 2011-12 budget after learning about expensive memberships and a housing allowance for college President Peter F. Burnham.
“While I am appalled at the contract Dr. Burnham was given, I can’t help but wonder what other extravagances are in that budget,” said Curley, liaison to Brookdale. “It’s time we go through Brookdale’s budget line by line to see not just what the president is spending, but the other departments as well. A good hard look at waste in all public colleges and universities is long overdue.”
Last week, Brookdale’s Board of Trustees approved a $99,166,064 budget that contains an 8.2 percent tuition increase. Burnham blamed the need for the increase on a Board of Chosen Freeholders’ decision to reduce funding to Brookdale this year by $6 million. The freeholders had understood that Brookdale would be able to achieve the cut without resorting to a tuition increase.
Brookdale operates on a fiscal-year. Its budget, for 2011-12, must be approved by the freeholders when the Board of School Estimate meets sometime in March.
Burnham receives an annual salary of $216,000, but is allotted another $39,000 for annual memberships, an $18,000 housing allowance and a $27,000 vehicle.
“I will be voting no on Brookdale’s budget if it contains a tuition increase,” said Curley, who sits on the Brookdale Board of School Estimate. “It is offensive to me that Dr. Burnham is seeking a tuition increase or more county funding when taxpayers are subsidizing his housing costs and private club memberships. I don’t know how he can look students in the eyes and ask for more money.”
Curley noted that the freeholders are trying to get the county budget down to a point where there will be no tax increase this year. The county budget is separate from Brookdale’s budget.
“Freeholders and staff have been squeezing savings out of budgets in each of the last three years, and we are always looking for new revenue sources or alternate methods of paying for county services,” Curley said. “Brookdale, however, has chosen to raise tuition and blame the county for cutting its funding when the college is sitting on $13.8 million in surplus. It’s disgraceful.”
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore sent the following message to the approximately 6000 Middletown residents who have subscribed to the township’s website and electronic communication program. The Mayor’s message about the library is also posted on the Middletown website.
Dear Township Residents:
I felt it was necessary for me to respond to the recent flurry of comments and emails regarding the Middletown Township Library. It is unfortunate that some have chosen to engage in the spread of completely false information with regard to the Township Committee’s request of the Middletown Library Board. So let me set the record straight.
First let me make it very clear that neither I nor any member of the Township Committee has ever suggested or proposed closing any library facility in the Township. We would simply not do such a thing.
The situation the Township finds itself in is not unlike that being faced by towns throughout New Jersey. With revenues sharply down due to the economic downturn we remain in and with state-mandated costs ever on the rise, we are now faced with an extraordinary fiscal challenge. This includes the potential for the layoff of a number of employees and even possibly police. Be assured that we do all we can to avoid layoffs and we take the matter very seriously.
The Library budget is different from the Township budget in that state law specifies how much must be allocated to the library each year, whether it is needed to operate the library or not. The result of this is that the library now has a surplus of $1.2 million. While some portion of this surplus is needed for ongoing support of library programs and initiatives, the vast majority is not needed for continued operations. I personally met about two weeks ago with the Library Director and the Board Chairman and asked that they bring back to the library board a request to transfer approximately $700,000.00 – $800,000.00 of their surplus to the Township’s budget. This would be used to offset layoffs and to help fund the continuation of many vital Township services and help to offset the impact of over $4 million in tax appeals.
The Township Committee is fully aware that the library board cannot be forced to do this. However we are asking that they work with us in a unified effort to help all of the residents and taxpayers of the Township. I would note that the Township Sewerage Authority dedicated a portion of its surplus to the Township last year and we anticipate them doing the same again this year.
Many people have expressed concern that the Township Committee is seeking to transfer operation of the library to the Monmouth County Library System. Let me be clear that the Township Committee has taken no action to do this. Such a move would be an absolute last resort, but without the transfer of some of the library surplus it may become a fiscal necessity. Not an option, a necessity. Should this action have to occur, the library would not close, it would simply move under the umbrella of the county and the staff would become county employees rather than be Township employees. Again, we do not want to make this move. We would like to see our library continue as the great Township facility it is. Our hope is that we can work with the Library Board as a team with the best interests of the Township as the goal.
Top-to-Bottom Reform Leads to Responsible Planning, Spending of Public Dollars
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced a complete revamping of the Schools Development Authority construction program and the first-ever statewide prioritization of SDA school construction projects to bring accountability to the spending of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually for school improvements and expansion. The new program embodies the fundamental reforms taken at the SDA since Governor Christie took office. The recommendations will be presented to the SDA Board of Directors in the coming weeks for their review and approval.
The new approach is the result of a comprehensive review conducted over a six-month period by an internal working group consisting of SDA and Department of Education officials and reflects a wholesale strategy shift from the SDA’s earlier 2008 Capital Plan. The changes reflect a commitment to the efficient and proper use of public funds, an objective prioritization of statewide educational needs and the advancement of sound design and construction principles. For the first time ever, the reforms will allow the Authority to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient, cost-conscious manner – unlike the wasteful, hands-off-the-steering-wheel approach of the prior program.
“We all know that the prior program was associated with the absolute worst kind of government waste, mismanagement and lack of supervision, where much was promised, too much was spent, but too little was returned,” Governor Christie said. “I could not responsibly or in good conscience let that history repeat itself at this agency. We will move forward smartly and deliberatively to deliver value to the school districts and to our taxpayers.”
“The completion of the Capital Plan Review marks a new day for school construction in New Jersey,” said CEO Marc Larkins. “With a statewide prioritization in place, new project delivery processes planned, and a full understanding of the SDA’s capacity, the Authority is poised to move forward with an efficient, responsible school construction program that will address the needs of our students and communities statewide.”
Highlights of the 2011 Plan include:
·A carefully considered, objectively prioritized Capital Program rather than merely a list of 52 projects
·An annual selection of projects to be undertaken – starting with 10 in 2011
·A strategic approach to standardization in school projects, allowing for design replication on multiple projects, resulting in estimated savings of nearly $4 million per project over less efficient prior project delivery methods
·Allocation of $100 million for the advancement of additional emergent projects in the SDA Districts
·A statewide Prioritization Plan to be reviewed annually, providing a framework for project advancement so that only those projects most needed and most efficient will proceed into construction
The new approach and reforms represent a shift away from design excess, costly change orders and mismanagement, and will allow the SDA to responsibly advance each project in the most efficient manner. The present review evaluated all projects using the same factors, where prior reviews showed a bias in favor of certain types of projects, including, for example, early childhood centers.
The comprehensive review resulted in the recommendation to advance the following 10 projects in 2011, representing a state investment of almost $584 million:
·Bridgeton – Cherry Street Elementary School
·Elizabeth – Academic Magnet High School
·Long Branch – Catrambone Elementary School
·Jersey City – PS 20 Elementary School
·Jersey City – Elementary School 3
·New Brunswick – A. Chester Redshaw Elementary School
·Newark – Oliver Street Elementary School
·Paterson – Marshall & Hazel Elementary School
·Paterson – PS Number 16 Elementary School
·West New York – Harry L. Bain Elementary School
The SDA review yielded a consistent and fair analysis of projects statewide with all districts and all projects rated for the same factors. For the first time, the SDA considered total project cost, cost per student and efficiency of construction. Using the same uniform process and selection criteria, the SDA will identify the next group of school construction projects for 2012.
Governor Christie directed a comprehensive review of the SDA early in his administration. In addition, the State Auditor heavily criticized the SDA’s 2008 Capital Plan in June 2010. Among the criticisms raised by the State Auditor was the requirement that every SDA District receive a project and that certain projects included in the 2008 Plan had never been properly evaluated.
Since Governor Christie vetoed a change order proposed by the SDA in January of 2010 and Larkins was named CEO in March of last year, the agency has seen sweeping reforms. The highlights of the reforms are improvements in handling change orders, with a renewed emphasis on protecting state resources, and a structural overhaul of the agency. The new change order process affords more Board oversight of agency operations, and the new organizational structure moves away from a departmental model to a “team-based” approach. The SDA has also reduced staffing by almost 20% and made other operational changes, reducing the organization’s budget by more than $4 million per year.
With the completion of the Capital Program and the organizational structure needed to support the program in place, the SDA will continue to implement strategies to execute projects more efficiently. Through the annual advancement framework, the Authority will promote design standardization leading to design replication on multiple projects. In addition, the SDA will continue to identify alternate methods of project delivery including design-build, which allows for overlapping of design and construction schedules leading to faster project delivery.
Beginning in March last year, with Larkins’ appointment as CEO, the SDA has undergone a sweeping reorganization. The new structure moves away from a departmental model for the delivery of school projects to a “team-based” approach. This structure provides for greater continuity, better communication and supervision throughout the life cycle of a project. In short, the Authority can now deliver projects more efficiently and with the strictest adherence to cost controls.
The Authority fully funds and manages new construction and modernization of school facilities projects in SDA Districts. Other SDA District projects for which the Authority is responsible are renovations and repairs deemed emergent by the DOE due to health and safety reasons.
The SDA also makes grants available to the 574 Regular Operating Districts (RODs) throughout New Jersey for projects approved by the DOE. These grants fund at least 40 percent of eligible project costs, with the remaining share coming from local communities, contingent on budget or voter approval. The SDA portfolio contains more than 1,000 active ROD grants, 388 of which have been advanced since May of 2010, and total more than $126 million.
Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich (D) compared Congressman Chris Smith and a planned Catholic procession organized by the Diocese of Trenton from St. Anthony of Padua Church to the Planned Parenthood clinic on Newman Springs Rd to the deranged man who shot Arizona Congressman Gabby Giffords and 18 others, killing six people, according to a story on RedBankGreen.
“In light of what happened to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, we need to pay attention to a matter of public safety,” Zipprich said, “especially since Congressman Smith has offered a bill to redefine rape.”
Zipprich’s comments were made while the council was approving permits for two dozen public events, including the Catholic Red Bank Witness for Life.
Zipprich abstained from voting on the permit which was approved by the council.
