What are your solutions for property taxes? (Newark, East Orange: condos, mortgage)

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by tahiti

i agree that consolidation would help cut the fat - most states have some sort of consolidated districts. but is this something the NJEA doesn't want?

Of course the NJEA doesn't want it- many of their members would have to look for work elsewhere when they lost their bloated administrative salaries.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I don't think it's the NJEA exactly, but rather a function of how the school districts are set up by town. The first thing to do would be to consolidate services amongst towns, perhaps at a county level- this applies not only to the schools, but also police, fire, etc. While some of the larger towns may stand on their own (like Newark, Jersey City, etc), alot of the little boroughs, hamlets, etc., could be consolidated, thereby eliminating alot of redundant positions.

As an example, the majority of the schools down here in GA are organized by county. In my county, there are approximately 36,000 students in 39 schools, all under the supervision of one superintendent of schools, one business administrator, one personnel director, etc. If you looked at some counties in NJ, you'll find a similar number of students spread over a dozen or more school districts, which means a dozen or more superintendents, BA's, personnel directors, etc.- all of that redundancy means redundant salaries for these high-paid positions.

Now do the same thing with the fire department- instead of 12 fire chiefs, 12 haz mat response teams with their 12 sets of specialized equipment that barely (if ever) gets used, etc., take that and roll it all up on the county level. Do the same for police, building departments, tax assessors, and so on, and you'll cut alot of the tax burden you're currently experiencing.

Of course, none of this will ever happen, since no politician will ever commit the political suicide of suggesting such a thing, nor would the various unions and representative agencies ever let their supporters consider such a meaure.

that's it in a nutshell Bob

[stmaarten]

Originally Posted by njkate

Absolutley and each school district wanting "home rule".
NJEA is one of the most if not most powerful union in NJ

It is the most powerful union in NJ!!! Followed by many others. UNIONS are the money pit New Jersey needs to dig itself out of.
Until then taxes will continue to rise.
New Jersey doesn't merely need to "trim the fat". New Jersey needs full out LIPOSUCTION for the middle class to survive.

[casper324]

My stratagy..........Voting!

We need to get a handle on the State Workers Pension system, eliminate the double and triple dipping which results in retirees making more money then working folks! Municipal government needs to be controlled, Abbott Districts need to be reconsidered.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by casper324

My stratagy..........Voting!

We need to get a handle on the State Workers Pension system, eliminate the double and triple dipping which results in retirees making more money then working folks! Municipal government needs to be controlled, Abbott Districts need to be reconsidered.

So who do you vote for to fix these issues? Both sides are liars, and neither one does anything about these problems. Control of NJ has flopped back and forth from Dem to Republican over the past few decades, with little change from either party, so while "get out and vote" sounds great- it's a hypothetical pipe dream at best.

[Calico696]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

So who do you vote for to fix these issues? Both sides are liars, and neither one does anything about these problems. Control of NJ has flopped back and forth from Dem to Republican over the past few decades, with little change from either party, so while "get out and vote" sounds great- it's a hypothetical pipe dream at best.

I agree with you Bob. Who do you vote for in this day and age? I have almost gotten to the point of not wanting to vote at all, since I know that no matter who I vote for, they will be a crook. Republican, democrat, independent....what does it matter.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by Calico696

I agree with you Bob. Who do you vote for in this day and age? I have almost gotten to the point of not wanting to vote at all, since I know that no matter who I vote for, they will be a crook. Republican, democrat, independent....what does it matter.

Exactly- so at least if you don't vote, you can always say "who was the moron who voted for this guy anyway?".....lol

It's a real shame that this is what the democratic process has come to.

[emanon]

In Somerset County we have about 20 school districts each with their own Super and staff. All but one will have to give up control of their home town school district. Who are the voters who are going to vote to let some other towns Super run their schools?
Are the people in Watchung, Warren,Far Hills going to give up control so that the Super from Manville will be in charge? I don't think so.

Most of the people crying about NJ taxes make a whole lot more money working in NJ that they can working down South or even in PA.(you don't see many commuters going from NJ to PA in the AM)

Can you retire here ,probably not but that's another story but an awful lot of NJ working folks make the kind of money Southerners only dream about.

We are a spoiled bunch here.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by emanon

Can you retire here ,probably not but that's another story but an awful lot of NJ working folks make the kind of money Southerners only dream about.

Nah...I don't dream about it- I make it. I don't want to start another NJ bashing thread (or get accused of being an NJ basher again...), but please don't think that "the South" is a bunch of barefoot hillbillies all sitting around dreaming of moving to NJ- I'd say that nothing could be farther from the truth.

[stmaarten]

Originally Posted by emanon

In Somerset County we have about 20 school districts each with their own Super and staff. All but one will have to give up control of their home town school district. Who are the voters who are going to vote to let some other towns Super run their schools?
Are the people in Watchung, Warren,Far Hills going to give up control so that the Super from Manville will be in charge? I don't think so.

Most of the people crying about NJ taxes make a whole lot more money working in NJ that they can working down South or even in PA.(you don't see many commuters going from NJ to PA in the AM)

Can you retire here ,probably not but that's another story but an awful lot of NJ working folks make the kind of money Southerners only dream about.

We are a spoiled bunch here.

Spoiled by what? Making a good salary only to give it back to the gov't?
You'd be surprised by the wealth the South. I was amazed myself. Why do the buliders continue to build $2M homes? Someone is buying them. And they're not all transplants.