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Message |
    
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1574
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 11:28 am: | 
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I just read through the SID ordinance, and have a few questions, which perhaps someone more knowledgable can answer.
It's unlikely that I can go to Monday's board meeting, so I want to capture my thoughts in one place here, in case they are at all useful. Maybe I'm naive, but some of the clauses in this ordinance rise red flags in my head.
http://www.southorange.org/clerk/SIDOrdinance.pdf
(Please note -- I do not own or operate any business downtown, and am not particularly close to anyone who does. I'm reading this purely as a concerned taxpayer/citizen)
Going through the ordinance in order, my questions:
1. I'm having trouble finding language which makes clear how much borrowing/bonding capability this SID would have. Does anyone know?
2. How broad is the authority to "provide special parking arrangements for the district"? What does this mean? Does it include building new parking? Also, how broad is the mandate to "accept, purchase, rehabilitate, sell, lease or manage property in the district"? Again, what forms and levels of financing can the SID use?
3. Why are taxed district members never allowed to elect their own representation? As far as I can tell, all business representatives will be appointed by the BOT. This smacks of taxation without representation to me.
4. The "Plan of Coordination" seems to say that the SID and the BOT can choose to transfer costs of maintaining the SID area from the town budget to the SID budget. What protections are there to make sure that business owners are not taxed twice for the same basic municipal services?
5. Termination -- if this SID is a good idea, why is it written to end Dec. 31 2010 unless extended? At that time, the Village acquires its assets and assumes its liabilities, unless the SID is extended. Is the BOT designing this to be a long term organization, or simply to move "responsibility" for some financial decisions and town maintenance costs to a different authority during the difficult years before our downtown revitalization is complete and PILOT payments start arriving? (yes, I know this is a loaded question)
6. What percentage of the properties listed will actually be paying the SID tax? There seem to be quite a few churches, town properties, and other non-business properties in the zone. (which, I will note, stops a few storefronts short of Calabrese's pharmacy)
Thanks!
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SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 307
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 12:24 pm: |
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What a great concerned citizen. Thank you Susan1014.
I'll be brief, but I'd like to make a few comments.
First, WOW.
The building Calabrese is in is cut out...if these folks had any shame, this kind of thing wouldn't make the first draft. There is no way you can say that is not part of the CBD of South Orange (I think the building's owner is a well connected Essex County democratic operative who is a SO parking authority commissioner).
The real purpose of this is probably related to your point #5.
#5 & #3 both lead to empire/patronage building.
If this is to happen at all, governance issues must be watched with total vigilance. Is this all just a vehicle to ensure the current powers maintain control (ability to cut insider real estate deals with Sayid and partners) after the 2007 election?
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Spitz
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 1771
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 5:55 pm: |
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Thank you Susan1014 for your thorough review of the proposed ordinance. You're the only one who caught the fact that Calabrese's pharmacy is not included (it's 23 Scotland Rd.) Neither is Mar Ant Tailors, which is the same building (17 Scotland Rd.). It's really beyond words that these would be intentionally left out. Had Susan1014 not caught it, they just might have gotten away with it. |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 657
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 6:39 pm: |
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And none of the properties which Saiyd owns on Irvington Avenue are included either. |
FlyingSpaghettiMonst
Citizen
Username: Noodlyappendage
Post Number: 140
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 7:37 pm: |
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Susan, thank you. If it is true that it doesn't include the Presception Counter Building , that is OBSCENE> I think Calabrese and G. Iversen own the building ( and he is no longer on the Parking Authority). |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4083
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 8:19 pm: |
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jayjay had raised the question of Calabrese's inclusion, but seemed to confirm that it WAS included: http://www.southorangevillage.com/cgi-bin/show.cgi?tpc=3133&post=589321#POST5893 21
Has the ordinance recently changed to exclude Calabrese, or was this simply an oversight by jayjay? |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5093
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 9:30 pm: |
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A major problem with this whole thing is according to our wondeful BOT (and these two statements are somewhat opposite):
(might not be exact words but I'm pretty sure Howard, MHD, maybe even Joel knows where to find them)
We're not trying to force this on anyone
and then
Nobody in the SID area will have the option to opt out... |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 659
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 9:37 pm: |
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I saw that a property owned by Caliver (13 Scotland) was included in the SID ordinance and I had assumed that that was the address of the Prescription Counter. I should not have assumed. I apparently was wrong. |
Spitz
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 1772
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:37 pm: |
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13 Scotland Rd. is the address of We Got Movies. Perhaps that's the way the entire building is identified on the tax map. 13 Scotland may have been the address before the building was sub-divided. The same seems to be the case on Village Plaza. Only nos. 9 and 10 are listed. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1577
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 1:25 pm: |
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Looking forward to clarification on this point...but not going to jump in the car and go see if it is all one building right now.
If Calabrese's property is indeed included, my apologies for naivity in just looking at the address list in the ordinance.
However, all of my other questions will still stand! |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 489
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 7:02 pm: |
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Rosner:
Is Calabrese's business in the district, and how about the always silent Sayid's properties, including any not in tax arrears?
jd |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 490
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 7:08 pm: |
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Why don't they identify all businesses within the listed properties?
And since there is to be no more than a ten percent increase in taxes, why not list the current taxes paid for each business, so we all can see how much money the board will be putting in the hands of the SID board.
While I was away for a week, did the Beifus site get finished?
If not, why give anything to any entity promoted by Calabrese and Taylor, Rosen and the like?
jd |
SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 308
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 9:47 am: |
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This should be clarified, but from the street it appears that Prescription Counter and We Got Movies are part of the same building and both are probably included.
I agree with Susan that her other questions stand.
A cautionary tale for all: Yesterday's page 1 Star Ledger article on Alfred Faiella, the former Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in Newark, who over a period of 20 some years became a multimillionaire while serving in a public position but serving his personal financial interests.
A couple factoids that are apparently well known but news to me: Sharpe James has a Rolls Royce and lives in a mansion. No wonder Calabrese is surprised by the hubbub over his Sayid dealings, apparently this kind of thing is the norm in these parts.
A couple quotes that could be read to have some bearing on the SID, Parking Authority, South Orange development generally, etc.:
"That role sprang from Faiella's perch as executive director of the Newark Economic Development Corp., a non-profit agency charged with attracting investment to the city. The NEDC's charter permitted it to construct buildings, bor row money, dole out loans and channel tens of millions of dollars in federal and state grants, and it was Faiella who controlled the purse strings."
"Dennis Gale, a former city planner and now a professor of politics and government at Rutgers University, said Faiella's power was mag nified because of a gap in Newark's planning expertise."
"You go to any city the stature of Newark -- the largest city in New Jersey, a very old city -- and with very few exceptions you'll find a bona fide office of city planning with a professional planner at the head of it," Gale said. "What do you get in Newark? This guy Al Faiella. That just amazed me."
"Faiella left his deputy mayoral post in 2002 but remains a force in the city as president of a group of private companies once associated with the NEDC. The firms, which own two parking garages and a warehouse in Newark's South Ward, provide cash grants to city organizations in the name of economic development.
In addition, James in October appointed Faiella vice chairman of the Newark Parking Authority's board of trustees. The position carries no pay, but it provides Faiella with continued influence at a time when construction of a downtown arena for the Devils places a renewed importance on parking in the city."
http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1148186659212800.xml?starledger? ntop&coll=1&thispage=1
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susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1579
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 7:32 pm: |
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Home with no babysitting, dinner to serve, and homework to push along (both child' homework and my own non-profit homework).
Hoping someone will be able to ask the tough questions on this one...sorry it can't be me. |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 4096
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 7:58 pm: |
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Susan,
Isn't tonight "Call-in Remonstrances Night"? What a perfect opportunity to take advantage of it..... |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1581
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 8:20 pm: |
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Except for the fact that I don't get to watch the meeting live when helping a 6-year-old finish homework and get ready for bed! The little red bar on the TV tells me that it is taping while the little one gets her 15 minutes of "Little Zoo that Could"
All I can say is that I do what I can, but not as much as I'd like to as a citizen... |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3473
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 8:25 pm: |
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973-378-7715 x2238
Two minutes to leave name, address, phone number and a question. |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 1582
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 9:24 pm: |
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Have they expanded eligibility to leave a message beyond a 15 minute or so segment? My daughter can't do her homework if I have the trustees on, so I didn't get to listen for the instructions.
Last time I paid attention to this, the call-ins had to come during a small slice of time near the start of the meeting. Has that changed? |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 373
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 9:28 pm: |
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I have a sick child here and my husband couldn't get home in time so I couldn't go and with both my children screaming and crying, the only option I had was the "e-mail" which also flashed up on the screen as I couldn't have called. I searched the website but couldn't see anything about sending an e-mail to the BOT for tonights meeting...where do I look?? |
Sheena Collum SHU
Citizen
Username: Sheena_collum
Post Number: 698
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:15 pm: |
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I called in tonight - so we shall see if it works. I'm in the middle of watching Terriann yell at the woman whose husband served in Vietnam War and was offended by the 'gun art'. Really unbelieveable... |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 374
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
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According to Trustee DeVaris there were no call ins tonight |
Sheena Collum SHU
Citizen
Username: Sheena_collum
Post Number: 699
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:51 pm: |
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(Gasp) - I'm creating a new thread... |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 665
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 9:46 pm: |
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Why does the BOT think that a SID will be able to achieve something they have been unable to achieve...namely a lively respectable successful downtown. Let them finish the downtown projects before they start talking about a SID. And if they want to fund something, let them hire a professional real estate attorney to write the development agreements with some teeth. |
jeep
Citizen
Username: Jeep
Post Number: 138
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 11:17 am: |
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Terriann is an embarrassment to our town. I guess she forgets she serves the public! |
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