| Author | Message | ||
     sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10216 Registered: 10-2001  |
Dearest Arturo, It would be a shame to drain the entire Republican war chest. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| Nohero Citizen Username: Nohero Post Number: 2081 Registered: 5-2001  |
Hmm. Sbenois declares that he will use his considerable gift for satire, against the plucky underdogs, and in the service of the establishment ticket. Does this mean that S. may jump the shark? | ||
| steel Citizen Username: Steel Post Number: 344 Registered: 2-2002 |
For those who forgot the gentleman, -Here is a file photo of Mark thanking Art for his vote-getting leadeship.  | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 1872 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thanks... that was pretty much the way it was.  BTW, Mark and his family are doing good, and his wife Jamie is expecting their second child. He misses living in town, but comes back often to shop and visit with friends. We also still see him regularly at Maplewood Rotary on Tuesday nights. Although Mark still prefers not to post on-line, he does read all the comments and sends his best wishes to "All The Candidates" for the upcoming election... | ||
| Ed May Citizen Username: Edmay Post Number: 1708 Registered: 9-2001  |
Answers from Ed and Joel: 1)Question: Please identify five items from the Maplewood Municipal budget that you would eliminate and how much of a tax savings they would represent to a homeowner with an assessed value of $250,000. Answer: Sbenois, that is certainly a relevant question. And putting the answer in terms of the savings for a given homeowner, a good way to look at it. Unfortunately, at this time we are not privy to all the information necessary to answer the question in detail. We have the same Municipal Budget document that is available to all citizens. This document is only a forecast and does not represent the real dollars actually spent. It is not sufficiently detailed or current for a meaningful analysis. In any case it is presented in a traditional accounting format instead of in an activity based costing or cost of quality format. In plain English, we don’t really know where all the money is being spent, because the financial reporting is “post mortem” oriented and not designed to make managing the taxpayers money an easy task. We offer a process that will facilitate enduring answers to questions like yours. Once elected we would put the town’s financial data into a more usable format, identify and rank all the budget items, and oversee a process that would, with public input, list each service performed. its actual cost, and its perceived value to the taxpayers. Using pareto analysis (also known as the 20:80 rule or ABC analysis) we would identity the services that delivered the least “bang for the buck” and cut them. 2) Question: What specific actions would you take to influence a reduction in the Essex County portion of the Maplewood taxpayers bill? Answer: We will take a page from Candy Straight’s playbook on this one. She lost last fall in her bid to become Essex County Executive. None-the-less she continues to put together an approach to eliminating the waste, redundancy, inefficiency, and corruption in our county government, based on sound financial analysis, forensic accounting, planning, and courage. We support her program.Follow up question: How would you expect to influence a Democratically controlled county organization? Answer: Influencing the Democrat controlled Essex County government will not be an easy task for a couple of Republicans on a Democrat controlled township committee. If enough citizens, candidates , and elected officials in both parties bought into candy Straight’s approach, I believe that together we could “straighten” out Essex county. Suggest that you “google” the information about her program on the internet. Let us turn this around, however. Perhaps this question is better asked of Kathy and Ken. Their ties to the Essex County Democrats are well known. See their primary campaign information. What actions would they take to reduce the taxes that we all pay to Essex County? Perhaps they feel that Joe D is going to lower our taxes? Perhaps Kathy and ken don’t see the taxes that we pay to Essex County as a problem, or do not think that they can do anything to get them lowered? 3) Question: What specific legal actions would you take to identify and remove from our schools any student that is illegally receiving an education in our schools?Follow up question: How would you implement your actions under the authority of the Township Committee? Answer: Let us expand upon my previous answer to question #3. There are at least three components to the illegal students in the schools issue. There are non-domiciled students; students that otherwise would be considered illegal but recent state laws deem ‘legal’ and we end up paying for; and students that are living in Maplewood in violation of the habitability codes.Since we spotlighted the illegal student issue, and perhaps not coincidentally, the BOE has started to remove non-domiciled students. A trickle to start, but hopefully more to follow. We must legally go after those students, their parents, or legal guardians for the monies that we the taxpayers expended for their education in order to recoup those monies. This is what the law requires. This was my point at the last BOE meeting. Perhaps there should be a reward or bounty for information leading to the removal and prosecution of illegal students. Perhaps something like the program next door in Union, NJ, that uses investigators and investigatory techniques?Joel and I urge our Republican lawmakers in Trenton and Washington to remove obstacles to keeping out students that we are not compensated for teaching. If the parents or guardians do not pay taxes in Maplewood, we should be reimbursed for educating these students.Joel and I would put the onus on landlords who aid and abet the illegal housing of families and students in Maplewood, similar to what Somerville, NJ is doing. We would work to change the habitability codes to prevent groups of non-related persons from living as a “family” in excessive numbers under one roof. We would move towards the Waukegan, Illinois standard in this regard. The number one thing that Joel and I would do as elected TC members, is to fully enforce the laws on the books with respect to zoning, which is not being done. Ed May | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10217 Registered: 10-2001 |
A nice start Ed and Joel. I shall be grading your answers at the end. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10218 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Ed and Joel, Follow-ups for Response to #1.
1) Surely you can identify 5 items that were in the forecast that you would take issue with. 2) How exactly will you determine which services offer little "bang for the buck"?? Where is the cutoff? Keep in mind that some services/programs are mandated by the law with little or no measurable ROI. That is the nature of government versus the nature of business. 3) Is it fair to say, based upon your last sentence, that your policy position guarantees the taxpayers of Maplewood cuts in services? ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| Ed May Citizen Username: Edmay Post Number: 1709 Registered: 9-2001 |
More Ed and Joel answers: 4) What is your position on the Verizon Property in terms of using it as a new police headquarters? First of all, it is a shame that the existing Police Headquarters on Dunnell Road has been neglected for so many years, and been allowed to reach its current sub-standard condition. The Police need a state of the art HQ to do their job and deliver the services that the taxpayers are paying for. We commend the Police for performing at such a high level under such adverse conditions. A new HQ is only part of the solution to improved Police morale but an important one. We do not think that renovating the existing Police HQ makes sense. (There is a sign on Dunnell Road advertising 5,200 sq ft available near the Police Station. Perhaps that space might fit somehow into the equation, even on a temporary or partial basis.) We cannot fault the town for looking at the Verizon Building, but in our opinion the examination so far shows that the Verizon Building is too big, does not comply with the requirements for a Police Station, and would be too expensive to convert. We would not spend anymore time and money looking at the Verizon Building. At this time the idea of building the new Police HQ near the Hilton Library looks promising. Perhaps even converting the Hilton Library and environs into the new Police HQ and moving the Hilton Library to the underutilized DeHart Park Rec Center, where that library could be modernized. There are benefits to creating a greater Police presence on the other side of town. In any case, the new Police HQ location must be viewed in the context of the total package of resources that the Police Department needs to serve Maplewood over the new several years. Any decisions on the resources needed by the Police to do their job, including the location and configuration of the new HQ, should include members of the Police Department at all levels. 5) What specific actions would you take to alleviate the parking problem in town? After taking common sense steps to alleviate the consumption of legal and illegal parking spaces by trucks that deliver during the business day along Maplewood Avenue and Springfield Avenue, and addressing the parking spaces used by merchants and employees, we would reopen the debate about locating a parking garage, especially if New Jersey Transit funded, near the train station. There are areas around town that might be suitable for park and ride. The jitney has helped relieve some of the parking problems, but we question the economics of the jitney as they currently exist. Art Christensen’s all day jitney idea should be seriously studied, from a transportation and economic point of view, and we have signed the petition for that. The proposed bike trails might eliminate some of the all day parking problem also. The best solution will be a hybrid solution that is both economically and environmentally acceptable. 6) How will you ensure that the Hilton section of town is fairly represented in Town Hall? Answer: Are you saying that Vic has not fairly represented the Hilton Section in which he lives? Or are you saying that after Vic leaves the TC in January, that the Hilton section will be missing representation? The Hilton Neighborhood Association (perhaps the most active in town) does a pretty good job looking out for its interests in the town. Obviously all 21 voting districts cannot have their own representative on the TC. I currently live on Oberlin Street in the College Hill area, but my wife and I are looking to downsize (now that we are “emptynesters”) and planning to move into the Hilton Section (if all goes well) in the spring. So maybe I will get to represent that section, per se. For what it is worth, over the last 23 years Marilyn and I have “upsized” from an apartment on Elmwood Avenue to a two family on Dunnell to a home on Meadowbrook Road to a home on Oberlin Street. Maria is now helping us look for a cute one family over in the Hilton Section. In a few years could be looking at Winchester Gardens, who knows? Ed May | ||
| stefano Real Name Username: Stefano Post Number: 361 Registered: 2-2002  |
Dearest Ed, Do you take issue with Kathy Leventhal's sole contribution to the campaign debate thus far? I mean, look at that photo! I believe your classified ads showed much greater promise. And what's up with that green carpeting, K? Is that the putting green room? dr stefano | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10219 Registered: 10-2001 |
#2
1) Candy Straight lost. She has no political clout or capital. Given this fact, along with your comment that it will "not be easy" to force change, aren't you really admitting that your ability to reduce the 18% tax burden of Essex County does not exist? Regarding K&K, I think you raise a fair question but it seems to me that your answer offers no hope while their party affiliation at least gets them heard amongst the people who count. So I ask you: please articulate how you would energize the citizens to action while sitting in the minority. It is a political reality you must address. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10220 Registered: 10-2001 |
#3
1) Earlier in this thread you mentioned that K&K are being supported by Fred Profeta. It is well known that Mr. Profeta has long advocated rooting out illegal students in our schools. This includes numerous discussions on the subject by him at TC meetings in 2001 and 2002. Why would the average voter get behind you and Joel on this issue when Team Profeta is already well in the lead? 2) Late in 2002, the TC revised the occupancy ordinances to keep better track of rental units and their occupants. One by-product is a greater ability to determine the legality of students in our system by the BOE. Is there anything in the ordinance or logic behind it that you would have done differently? ****NOTE: ED, I am troubled by the fact that you seem to be answering all of these questions. While I obviously cannot determine whether you are legitimately discussing these answers with Joel, I must be candid: I don't believe that you are. Didn't you learn anything from last year when I dubbed Fred and Ian IanandI?. It is silly that the candidates in this town are afraid to speak as individuals at a time when we need diversity of thought and ideas. After all Ed, if you and Joel think alike, do alike, and vote alike, then TQM calls for one of you to be deemed redundant. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10221 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Dr. Stefano, I am glad that you brought that up. I was considering buying that lovely pressboard and 1/256" veneer desk until I noticed the appalling carpet underneath. I do hope that Ms. Leventhal puts Maplewood's last second bulk pickup to good use and jettisons the furry little green monster. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10222 Registered: 10-2001 |
#4
1) To my knowledge, the first person in this town who publicly spoke about severe concerns within the Police Department was Mr. Pettis at the Hilton Debate. From there the issue heated up in Town Hall and throughout May during the Democratic Primary. While there are lingering doubts over their motivation, the local PBA endorsed K&K during the June 3rd Primary. My recollection is that K&K's position on the Verizon Building is the same as yours. So on issues regarding the police and their headquarters, it appears that K&K are well ahead of you. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10223 Registered: 10-2001 |
#5: Good answer. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| Joel S. Ziegler Citizen Username: Joelziegler Post Number: 27 Registered: 4-2003  |
Sbenois 7) What would your plan be regarding Springfield Avenue? In terms of a full time planner, are you for it or against it? If you're for it, where will you get the funds to cover the hiring? Ed and I both want the best possible future for Springfield Avenue. My law office is on Springfield Avenue, in the Victoria Building, and I commute to work every day practically the entire length of Springfield Avenue in my car. Just today Ed and I had lunch at the New Sage Diner on SA to discuuss campaign strategy. Dr. Kook the chiropractor(real name) and Big Mo at the diner are witnesses. Ed lives less than two blocks from SA and frequents SA businesses from the Quick Check to the Maplecheck I know. Yesterday we picked up potate salad and macroni salald for the BBQ on Broadview that we attended. His friend Deanna is moving her computer coffee shop to SA nears Topf’s and the two banks. It looks like the town’s plan for SA is rolling along, judging by the never ending construction. Our beef has always been the $10,000,000 price tag. If we had invested that kind of money we would darn sure want lots of progress reports, accounting for the money, and a good return on our investment. How much of the 10,000,000 has been spent so far? We don't know. We have not heard any TC responses on that lately. MAybe they will give an update tomorrow night. At the moment we just have to wait and see, because we could not do anything before January anyway, assuming we get elected in Nvoember. Sure we could question the changes to the traffic, why some work was done more than once, if there really is master plan for SA, why the town paid consultants but did not always follow their advice, debate whether the town folded on the Apter site too soon, etc. We elect to wait and see. We do not associate the planner question with SA per se. We do not favor hiring a full time planner. We favor planning done by people already in the town and tapping into outside advice only when needed. No problem defining the “role” of the planner. No problem having an existing person/position plan, or an as needed outside person. We just don’t want to add a new permanent position. A planning function well executed might pay for itself, especially if that function could be performed without hiring a fulltime fully burdened employee. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10224 Registered: 10-2001 |
#6:
**Note** I am most certainly not saying that Mr. DeLuca did not represent Hilton well. On the contrary, Mr. DeLuca does a splendid job representing them and all of us. 1) It seems to me that the Hilton section of Maplewood is going to need attention during the next few years to ensure that the funds we've put into Springfield Avenue show results. You don't agree? As a member of the TC don't you believe it is vitally important to place extra focus on the areas where we're investing? 2) Have you checked with the people in Hilton regarding your move? 3) Is "Maria" helping Joel also? Or is this another Ed only answer? Earth to Joel: Please join the election campaign. Thankey. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| stefano Real Name Username: Stefano Post Number: 362 Registered: 2-2002 |
Dearest S- I fear that Mr. Rickles is one step ahead of us. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10225 Registered: 10-2001 |
#7 : Accepted without comment for two reasons: A) Kathy has over the last two years advocated two very different positions on the Full time Planner question. B) I've got to go to the diner to get some potate salad and macroni salald I'm hungry! Thanks for joining Joel. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| Joel S. Ziegler Citizen Username: Joelziegler Post Number: 28 Registered: 4-2003 |
Joel here again 8) What is your position on Maplewood's current reserve? Is it sufficient or do you believe it is too low? If it's too low, how do you plan on increasing it while you cut taxes? The minimum reserve value is legally mandated. We favor only the minimum reserve. Too tempting to have a reserve around like the library reserve and the pool reserve. In a real emergency that depleted the reserve, we would ask the town if they favored a special assessment. We would not favor to raise taxes to add to the reserve. We are more inclined to give back any excess reserve as tax relief. ps ed went back to his office - we are done answering for tonight. too tired to tyoe # 9 and 10 right now, and ed will answer 11 and 12. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10226 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Doctor Stefano, On the contrary, I am WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY ahead of Eduardo and Mr. Rickles. They still have to answer five more questions and then they've got to answer the follow-up questions. I have lapped them silly. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian |
