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Messages - ericmartindale

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17
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Property Taxes
« on: June 17, 2020, 06:25:13 AM »
Yes Victor, that's how gentrification works.  Bring in one large development, and suddenly everything nearby is worth much more, for two main reasons.  (1) because a new and higher use has been established for the neighborhood, and theoretically other properties can be redeveloped (2) These are higher-income residents, and their spending power means that higher-end restaurants and retail can flourish in the vicinity. That also increases the business climate and attract more business. Even office use will be attracted.

One would have to look at the census reports from 2010 to establish the identity of the neighborhood, which I have not done.  But it's common knowledge that the downtown neighborhood is sparse, just a few people scattered about, living above storefronts, and just a few nearby homes and buildings. The population is low. They basically working class, and very heavily Latino and Black. The new neighborhood is middle to middle-upper income, and there will be significant numbers of Whites and Asians moving in. It'll be a very different neighborhood.  I'm sure they will be heavily supportive of "progressive" politics, whatever their background is. People wanting to live in a diverse downtown neighborhood are usually of that mindset. Who knows, they might even vote for Victor Sasson. God help us.

18
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Maywood no longer sending to HHS
« on: April 08, 2020, 04:09:04 AM »
The decision needs to be appealed because a REGIONALIZED school district means that taxpayers in the sending districts will have to share in the cost to expand any and all schools in Hackensack. This is far more advantageous to Hackensack than the reduction of student enrollment at the high school if Maywood leaves.  The decision was made on March 3rd, and I believe there are 45 days to appeal before it's final. To follow are excerpts from my March 8th letter to the Hackensack Board of Education.

"The Hackensack Board of Education is overlooking an enormous financial incentive to keep hold of Maywood as a sending district.

As you are aware, New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney has prioritized merging school districts and sending districts into regional K-12 Districts.  The Maywood, Rochelle Park, and South Hackensack Boards of Education are specifically targeted for elimination.  If this happens, there will be ONE school district and ONE elected Board of Education covering Hackensack and it’s sending districts.

Economically, this would be very advantageous to Hackensack taxpayers because the cost of expanding any school in Hackensack would be spread out among the property owners in the city AND it’s sending districts.  Therefore the portion paid by City of Hackensack property owners will be dramatically less. This is true not just for expanding the high school, but for expanding any of the city schools. While it is theoretically true that school expansions in the sending districts would be largely paid for by Hackensack taxpayers under Sweeney’s merger plan, the reality is those schools are not in need of expansion, and there is scarcely any residential growth in those towns. 

It is extraordinarily short-sighted to let Maywood go, when there is so much pending school expansion in Hackensack that will need to be paid for.  Hackensack taxpayers cannot afford to let them go.

I ask the Hackensack Board of Education and the Mayor & Council of Hackensack to promptly seek an opinion on this from the city’s Tax Assessor. He could give a percent of future school expansion costs that would be absorbed by the other communities, based on property tax ratables in all of the communities. Unsure to include Teterboro?

When new facts are brought to light, public policy has to change in response.  In light of this economic perspective, the Hackensack Board of Education would be prudent to re-evaluate its position on Maywood leaving. It is not too late to appeal the decision by Lamont Repollet, State Commissioner of Education."





19
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Masked citizens - the Coronavirus
« on: April 02, 2020, 09:56:18 PM »
Giant Farm is price gouging on eggs and butter

21
Hackensack History / Serious fire in David Beyer House
« on: February 03, 2020, 08:57:55 PM »
This afternoon, there was a fire in the first house on Clinton Place, near Pangborne Place and next to the parking lot for Holy Trinity.  This is the office of the realtor, David Beyer.  At one time it was his residence, but unsure if that is still the case.  Multiple fire engines came, including one from Englewood that was heavily involved with the actual fire fighting. Smoke was coming out of the windows, and the firemen were using a buzz saw to cut a hole in the roof to vent the fire.

22
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Maywood no longer sending to HHS
« on: January 31, 2020, 10:19:17 PM »
Evidently the State Commissioner of Education is still deciding Maywood's application.  His name is Dr. Lamont O. Repollet, and he was appointed by the current Governor, Phil Murphy. He's a minority and a Democrat, so my guess is it's going to be a tough sell to convince him to let a suburban town leave an urban school district.

One serious obstacle is that State Senate President Sweeney has announced a plan to consolidate local Boards of Education, and Maywood along with Rochelle Park and South Hackensack are all targeted for elimination and consolidation with the Hackensack Board of Education to make a Hackensack Regional Board of Education.  Maywood would effectively gain partial ownership of a major asset that it didn't pay to build, which is the high school. And that is in the best interests of Maywood.

I have to wonder openly if the municipalities will be consolidated next, based on having a common Board of Education. That could be 5 or 10 years out, it's entirely possible. The politics seems to be moving in that direction. So a lot is at stake here, and I feel that our Hackensack elected officials haven't thought this through thoroughly.

If a municipal consolidation ever happens, I think each town should "come in" as a unit with it's own Neighborhood Council with significant decision-making authority. And then Hackensack should be divided into several Neighborhood Councils, one for Fairmount, one for the hill south of Passaic Street, one for what is traditionally called "the first ward" up to Essex Street and Green Street, and one for Central Hackensack. So there would be a strong sense of community for each area and lot's of local decision-making, and maybe even a Zoning Board for each. And then there would be a regional Mayor and Council elected for all of Hackensack, Maywood, Rochelle Park, and South Hackensack. And one regional Planning Board.

Really a lot is at stake, and for Maywood to leave the high school jeopardizes a whole lot more than people realize. It's like the future is being decided now, and everyone is asleep at the wheel.

I am aware of no official call for public comment on the school secession plan, but I did send a long and detailed letter to Dr. Repollet in opposition to the proposal.  I didn't mention anything about any possible municipal consolidation.

The only other news on this is that the Borough of Maywood passed a Resolution in favor of severing the sending relationship, based on it saving Maywood about a million dollars a year. To Maywood, that's a lot of money. I did the math, it comes to less than a dollar a day to the average homeowner. 

I live in Maywood, and my goal is to make $100 or more a day buying and selling stocks. Does anyone think I care about a dollar a day on property taxes???  Even if I owned a house and wasn't renting, it's peanuts compared to $100 a day. It's not even worth thinking about. It's a small-minded concern, and I'm far more concerned about how much time Maywood kids will spend on buses travelling so far. And how I will have to jump through hoops to get my child to school, or to home, if she misses the bus ride either way. 

And I have a longer view on what may happen with municipal consolidations.


23
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Teterboro Airport
« on: January 31, 2020, 09:52:29 PM »
I live smack on the border of Hackensack and Maywood, and the current flight path is 100% exactly direct over my house. I look forwards to having most of the planes moved to the Route 17 flight path. However, in stormy weather the planes will revert to the "direct approach" over my house. So if there is a micro-burst, and a plane comes down, I'm doomed.

24
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Maywood no longer sending to HHS
« on: January 11, 2020, 10:59:17 AM »
Does anyone know how this was resolved.  I notice the advocates of Becton Regional are no longer talking about it on Maywood facebook pages and blogs.  That could mean it was denied.

I was able to determine that on October 21, 2019, Judge Moscowitz "sent it back" to the State Commissioner of Education, and said that he (Moscowitz) lacks jurisdiction to make a determination either way.

25
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Clean Communities Day ?
« on: October 27, 2019, 03:40:23 AM »
there was the most phenomenal turnout ever for the Cleanup Day. It looked like 250 - 300 people, so many that the organizers are having a hard time keeping up with everything. They ran out of plates, they ran out of shirts and give aways, but they did have enough food. The Riverkeeper group alone turned out 79 volunteers to clean the riverfront from Route 4 to the northern tip of Hackensack. I saw Councilman Sims down there, greeting some of the volunteers.

26
Hackensack Discussion / Re: Clean Communities Day ?
« on: October 25, 2019, 05:54:38 AM »
CLEANUP DAY: Saturday 10/26/2019 is Clean Communities Day, aka Slam Dunk the Junk. The event is held twice a year, and draws over 200 people. It's mostly non-profits and churches that are organizing volunteers to clean various areas.  We clean most of the city's parks, nature areas, the riverfront, the railroads, etc.

9 AM: Registration & Free Breakfast: Volunteers meet at the HACPAC Performing Arts Center on State & Atlantic Street. They give out bags and gloves.  Lots of food.

10AM; Volunteers disperse to their designated cleanup locations. My group is sponsored by The Summit Church, and we are cleaning Borg's Woods.

12 noon: Return to HACPAC, free lunch, T-shirts, and other gifts. Tell them how many bags were left to remove. Free lunch is provided, again lots of food.

It's all paid for by a State grant available to any city or town that wants to participate. Come hungry, there's always lots of food. Hackensack has one of the largest and best programs running. It's coordinated by Greg Liosi, Director of the Arts Dept in Hackensack.

27
I know that guy. His name is Chris, and he is a home improvement contractor who lives on Summit Avenue near Golf Place.

28
great wildlife pictures !!!

29
Question for Mr. Reynolds. I was unaware that there was a residential apartment in the main storage building. Is that the apartment that you lived in?  OR did you live in the house on Maple Ave. And when was that house torn down? I don't remember it, all I remember was the truck storage. I also vaguely remember stores on Main Street being torn down and replaced with the tall brick wall of the storage complex. Those additions were not very popular among Hackensack residents. Folks liked the stores, and didn't like the blank and imposing walls along the retail corridor. I hope you will continue the story. And tell us everything about the political career of George B. Holman. I believe he served as a city councilman. Thanks

30
I was astounded to learn recently that a large section of Second Street stretching south from Atlantic Street will become a tunnel under a new hospital addition.  That's even worse than a zero-foot setback. Now they even have the air over the street. And I can't find any information if they bought the air rights from the city, or was that just conveniently overlooked.

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