HuffPo stands up for Jersey

From the Huffington Post:

Strange Yet Interesting Facts About New Jersey

New Jersey gets a bad rap. Sometimes referred to as “the armpit of America” by residents of other states, the peninsula is actually a pretty unique place that has a lot of good qualities. Unfortunately, people often form their opinions and judgment on the state, not for its major contributions and offerings to America — such as being the first state to sign the Bill of Rights, or being the diner capital of the world (hey, breakfast is important )- -but for the fist-pumping monstrosity that was the MTV “reality show” Jersey Shore.

As with anywhere else in the world, it has pros and cons. There are a lot of interesting facts about the state of New Jersey, and while they may not be reason enough to up and move there, they are, at the very least, interesting — even if some are quite strange (like the fact that it’s illegal to plant trees in the middle of the street in Blairstown. You know, just in case that’s something you wanted to do).

It is/was home to many of America’s biggest icons and legends. Imagine how much more credible the state would probably seem if people knew that people such as Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Jack Nicholson and Whitney Houston were born in New Jersey, rather than assuming “Snooki” and “The Situation” are the biggest celebrity natives.

And home to many other people — record-setting amounts, in fact. With a population of nearly nine million people, New Jersey has the highest percentage of population density in the United States — with 13x the amount of people living per square mile than the national average, and is the only state in the country to categorize all its counties (21) as metropolitan areas.

New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in America to live. Contrary to popular belief, people actually do choose to move here, and they don’t do so for the cheap real estate. Not only is New Jersey one of the pricier states to live in, with average rent being approximately $1,800 a month, it also has the most expensive auto insurance. But choosing one of the few insurance companies they offer isn’t something you should skip out on. Especially when you consider the fact that…

It is one of the top states for car theft. Among the most common cars to steal are Honda Accords and Civics, Toyota Camry’s and Nissan Altimas. Also, most cars are stolen in Newark. But owning a car in Jersey isn’t all bad, considering…

You never have to pump your own gas, since it is one of only two states in the country where self-service gas stations are permitted. (The other state is Oregon.)

Tourism is the second largest industry in the state. Trying to catch a glimpse of the Jersey Shore cast isn’t the only thing that draws tourists here, either. It is the home of Atlantic City, which has the longest boardwalk, as well as the tallest water tower, in the world. From beaches to cityscapes, it also offers amazing and scenic views, including 127 miles of coastline running along the Atlantic Ocean, and 790,000 acres of farmland.

There are a lot of shopping malls. And you don’t have to travel very far between them. With 7 major shopping centers located within a 25-square mile radius, New Jersey holds the nation’s record for most shopping malls located in one area.

This entry was posted in Humor. Bookmark the permalink.

112 Responses to HuffPo stands up for Jersey

  1. grim says:

    Bahamas must be getting absolutely pummeled.

  2. D-FENS says:

    Great. Now we have to worry about murderous god hating atheists. I have enough to worry about.

  3. grim says:

    Irreligious Extremism?

  4. D-FENS says:

    Random Coincidence….One of the marines who took down the French train jihadist before he shot it up with an AK-47 went to that same Oregon Community College.

  5. grim says:

    Jobs Day, numbers out in a little over a half hour, get your predictions in.

  6. grim says:

    I’m going near top end of the consensus range, 220,000. However, it’s probably a risky move given the lower ISM numbers.

  7. D-FENS says:

    If Obama convinces anyone in Congress to pass any laws as a result of this, it should be that if you declare someplace a “gun free zone”, you must have proper security and check everyone who enters for guns. Without it, gun free zones just don’t work.

  8. anon (the good one) says:

    @Reuters: The Labor Department’s jobs report, today at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Job growth, Fed hike expected

  9. anon (the good one) says:

    nope, that’s not true

    D-FENS says:
    October 2, 2015 at 7:58 am
    If Obama convinces anyone in Congress to pass any laws as a result of this, it should be that if you declare someplace a “gun free zone”, you must have proper security and check everyone who enters for guns. Without it, gun free zones just don’t work.

  10. D-FENS says:

    I hereby declare the middle east a gun free zone.

    There see anon? Problem solved.

  11. NJT says:

    #126 from yesterday.

    We almost moved to Oregon back in 2008. Had a town and house picked out. Boss was OK with telecommuting. Well, until I told him I was going to actually do it.

    *Several of my co-workers lived in remote locations across the U.S..

    Complete reversal of the policy a few months later and ALL remote workers were let go.

    Strange thing about that trip (to explore living in OR). After the 2011 Hurricane (Irene) I applied for a grant from FEMA to fix my basement (got it). When filling out the forms online they asked (to prove my identity) where I had lived all my life. One of the choices was Bend, Oregon! Wha!? Of all the towns in the U.S. they picked that!?
    NO WAY was it a coincidence. There were other questions, too. FEMA knows more about you than the IRS!

  12. Libturd in the City says:

    I don’t even understand the heightened security at schools. In every case, it’s a student with the guns. Was it ever an outsider? I can’t get within ten feet of the entrance of my son’s school without a full body cavity search. How much time is wasted on lockdown drills that could be used for teaching? Security in this country is so pathetic. It’s always reactive instead of proactive. I guess that’s what happens when you believe it’s better to provide government jobs for people than it is to pay them to stay home.

  13. anon (the good one) says:

    I hereby declare you are insane

    D-FENS says:
    October 2, 2015 at 8:11 am
    I hereby declare the middle east a gun free zone.

    There see anon? Problem solved.

  14. Libturd in the City says:

    Seriously. What’s going to stop a kid from putting a semi-automatic in their backpack? Certainly, not making it difficult for kids to get into the school. And even when I get buzzed in, they say, “Sign in at the Office.” If my plan is to cause havoc, I’m not stopping by the office to sign in. Great security. I wonder how much the consultants got paid to come up with this great school hardening plan.

  15. Libturd in the City says:

    “I hereby declare you are insane”

    Takes one to know one.

  16. anon (the good one) says:

    access to it for one thing

    Libturd in the City says:
    October 2, 2015 at 8:19 am
    Seriously. What’s going to stop a kid from putting a semi-automatic in their backpack?

  17. 1987 Condo says:

    Woops; Jobs 142k, revisions down for last 2 months

  18. D-FENS says:

    anon: This dude had a glock 19 and 30 round magazines……

    in the UK (Didn’t they ban civilian handgun ownership?)

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3248889/Teenage-loner-bought-handgun-bullets-pipe-bombs-dark-web-amass-Columbine-style-kill-bag-bedroom-jailed-eight-years.html

  19. D-FENS says:

    Wow, on the radio on the way in this morning they were all patting each other on the back….calling for 200k +

    1987 Condo says:
    October 2, 2015 at 8:32 am
    Woops; Jobs 142k, revisions down for last 2 months

  20. NJT says:

    Napoleon asked his Generals to provide plans to counter an invasion of France. The map they gave him had troops stationed at all the borders.

    (Napoleon) “I didn’t ask you to stop smuggling”.

    *My son forgot his lunch one day. The school was on ‘lockdown’. Got it in…easily.

    NJSP does a good job but this ‘lockdown’ thing is ridiculous and dangerous.

    Example:

    Warren County Tech. was ‘locked down’ because of a potential threat. The welding room was locked. Two State Troopers used a key to enter and found…the teacher and students rushing them with hand made weapons (imagine what you can create in a welding room). Thankfully no one was injured.

  21. Libturd in the City says:

    Honestly. The whole security plan does absolutely nothing to deter a Columbine type school shooting. And they do these drills once a month year round. For the serious lock down drills it can use up an entire class period. Multiply this by the 100,000 public schools in the US and the costs and time lost are staggering. And of course, none of this does anything to keep some crazed kid from driving his dad’s pickup truck across the playground at recess. And get this. At my son’s school, if the kid forgets his lunch, he must buy lunch. Parent’s can’t drop it off anymore. What kind of country of pussies have we become? Does no one look at odds or statistics?

  22. Bystander says:

    They will produce job numbers to fit the narrative that Fed requires to back off interest rate hike. This should not surprise anyone. Yellen will use this report to delay out until next year. Now, the media and financial fluffers can back her up on her decision. Anything not to move rates. Pathetic times..

  23. nwnj4Trump says:

    The single best way to reduce these shootings is to stop providing coverage of the loser perps. The sheriff out there has it right. Nearly all of recent ones aren’t politically motivated, their selfish losers who had nothing of value to provide society so they lashed out.

    Stop covering their stories and providing the attention that they crave and these things will tail off. Terrorists, etc. can be dealt with by other means.

  24. Libturd in the City says:

    Futures – http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=YMZ15.CBT+Interactive#{%22range%22:%221d%22,%22allowChartStacking%22:true}

  25. JJ says:

    S&P Futures are down 27 pts with Dow Futures down 210 pts.

    Another fun day on Wall Street. Watch the Bell.

  26. Comrade Nom Deplume, the Answer says:

    [14] anon

    Is it just me or did anon just prove DFENS point by trying to use DFENS’ rhetorical device against him?

  27. Ragnar says:

    On grim’s NJ post. I thought it was kind of fair. But then the article pissed me off with this quote “You never have to pump your own gas”. As if residents had any choice. “You are forbidden to pump your own gas, and as a consequence, you may run out of gas if driving through the state late at night, unable to find a gas station willing to employ someone 24 hours”

  28. grim says:

    Surprised there aren’t cheers at the low job numbers, surely a disappointment will push the hike another meeting.

  29. Comrade Nom Deplume, the Answer says:

    [11] DFENS

    Aren’t all the schools in New Jersey considered “drug free zones”?

    How’s that working out?

  30. Comrade Nom Deplume, the Answer says:

    I’ve heard lots on the Oregon shooter, and what appears to be pretty concrete is that he is, and always was known to be, a whack job. Lots of other deets both sides are throwing at each other but that much is at least known.

    Which begs the questions: Where’d he get the guns? Was there info in the system that was missed? Or was there simply no info in the system?

    Those answers will be devined. I’ll wait for them.

  31. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [17] fool

    “access to it for one thing”

    And we all know where you are going with that. Go ahead. Say it. C’mon.

  32. Ragnar says:

    I know a lot of atheists because I’m involved in an organization explaining why reason is man’s primary means of survival. (Being involved in Ayn Rand Institute activities).

    There are a number of cranks that also sometimes show up to these kinds of activities. I remember a local Florida discussion group back in the late 80s where some weird guy showed up and all he wanted to talk about was atheism. The thing about atheism is that it’s a philosophical side-street, basically a disagreement with something else, but in itself, atheism has no structure, gives no guidance on how to live, etc. Anyone can be an atheist, rational or irrational, moral or immoral. Anyway, this guy seemed kind of mentally unstable and scary, and led to an argument about how to understand and study philosophy, so I was relieved that he never came back. This definitely wasn’t the same guy, but I can imagine a guy like this, mentally unstable, fixated on atheism and blaming religion for all his problems, cracking sometime. Just as I can imagine (and witness repeatedly) unstable religious people doing the same and attacking people of a different religion or no religion at all.

  33. anon (the good one) says:

    @stiglitzian:

    “The argument for raising interest rates focuses not on the wellbeing of workers, but that of the financiers.”

  34. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [33] Ragnar,

    One thing that struck me, and I am further struck by the fact that there isn’t any sort of focus on this, is the correlation between gun violence and economic and political conditions.

    If you look at charts, there isn’t a lot of correlation. Many on the left argue that gun violence “took off” after the end of the AWB but that took several years to happen and even those charts show the uneveness of the trend line. In fact, one of the largest spikes in mass shootings took place during the ban. It is simply a false causation argument. In fact, I would posit that there is a stronger correlation between the Obama presidency and mass shootings, something liberals would scream about were it made.

    But there does seem to be one strongly correlative trend, and I think many in various disciplines would agree: When there is economic distress, these sorts of shootings go up. And it need not be tied to economic indicators–the perception seems to be what drives this.

    Finally, it doesn’t seem to be much of a stretch to note that the demographic groups (the archetypical ones being white, male, under- or unemployed, and/or prone to mental disorders) that are bearing the brunt of economic and political trends are the ones lashing out. At least it seems that way to me, and I am willing to submit that there is probably research that bears this out.

  35. Juice Box says:

    Blame the mother for enabling him with guns and perhaps we shall see his doctor depending on what kind of antipsychotics he was on.

    “Neighbors at a sprawling apartment complex in Torrance said they thought it was odd when a few years ago they saw Chris Harper Mercer and his mother carrying black cases that the neighbors suspected held firearms.”

    The murderer moved two years ago to Oregon from Torrance California and while in Californica graduated in a class of 5 troubled kids from a school for troubled kids at apparently 20 years old, he may have washed out of the Army too.

    Sigh….. Mom called him BABY and he was an adult..

    http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-oregon-college-gunman-torrance-20151001-story.html

  36. Anon E. Møøse, Who never bit anyone's sister says:

    Good job, Gourd; almost 200 comments yesterday. You must be proud.

  37. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [36] redux

    Line in second para should read “If you look at the charts, there isn’t a lot of correlation being examined between shootings and economic data “

  38. Essex says:

    Guns don’t kill people….people with guns kill people.

  39. Juice Box says:

    re: # 35 – JJ what would these home go for in NY Metro?

    http://www.beazer.com/dallas-TX/prestwyck

  40. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [40] essex

    A pretty strong argument can be made that only certain people with guns kill people. And there are laws that purport to keep some of them away from guns.

    I don’t know what the answer is. But I do know that both sides are so far apart, there isn’t likely to be an answer anytime soon.

    Back to the salt mines.

  41. grim says:

    Online news media must have had the hopper full of panic-inducing hurricane stories tee’d up for release this weekend. They are now publishing them, and they make no sense. A story about where to buy a generator? Dams failing? For what? C’mon.

  42. grim says:

    41 – A lot more, but the resale would be a lot more too.

    Check out resale values of 7 year old subdivisions. The land is essentially worthless and the house is priced as a consumable. In 15 years the house is nearly worthless once you factor in inflation.

    Nobody buys used houses in Texas.

  43. Ragnar says:

    I wouldn’t have a problem making gun ownership more highly restricted. I certainly don’t think much of US gun sales or ownership is directed toward the maintenance of “a well regulated Militia”.

    Guess who said this:
    Q: What’s your attitude toward gun control?
    A: It is a complex, technical issue in the philosophy of law. Handguns are instruments for killing people — they are not carried for hunting animals — and you have no right to kill people. You do have the right to self-defense, however. I don’t know how the issue is going to be resolved to protect you without giving you the privilege to kill people at whim.

    Forbidding guns or registering them is not going to stop criminals from having them; nor is it a great threat to the private, non-criminal citizen if he has to register the fact that he has a gun.

  44. grim says:

    And what my buddies down there tell me is as soon as the new development isn’t the new development, and used resales start happening, it’s pretty much game over, and everyone moves.

  45. A Home Buyer says:

    Well ain’t this wonderful…


    Another account came from Autumn Vicari, who described to NBC News what her brother J.J. witnessed in the room where the shootings occurred. According to NBC: “Vicari said at one point the shooter told people to stand up before asking whether they were Christian or not. Vicari’s brother told her that anyone who responded ‘yes’ was shot in the head. If they said ‘other’ or didn’t answer, they were shot elsewhere in the body, usually the leg.”

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/10/02/oregon-shooter-said-to-have-singled-out-christians-for-killing-in-horrific-act-of-cowardice/

  46. grim says:

    Way to go Chris Mintz…

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3257223/He-wasn-t-going-stand-watching-horrific-happen-hero-Army-veteran-shot-five-times-charged-Oregon-college-shooter.html

    ‘He wasn’t going to stand and watch something horrific happen’: The hero Army veteran who was shot seven times as he ‘charged at Oregon college shooter’

  47. Juice Box says:

    re # 47 – I am more interested who enabled this massacre and bought the weapons. This story has shades of Newtown, where mommy was teaching her baby how to shoot to relax him.

  48. Ragnar says:

    Has Obama said about the killer, “If I had a son, he’d look like Chris Harper-Mercer”?

    http://nypost.com/2015/10/01/oregon-gunman-sought-fame-for-killing-idolized-ira-and-nazis/

  49. grim says:

    I certainly don’t think much of US gun sales or ownership is directed toward the maintenance of “a well regulated Militia”.

    That comma is pesky indeed – “the right of the people to keep and bear arms”…

  50. D-FENS says:

    45. – Ragnar, I completely, but respectfully, disagree with everything you just said.

  51. joyce says:

    Taking a look at prescription medication might rival that as the best way.

    nwnj4Trump says:
    October 2, 2015 at 8:48 am
    The single best way to reduce these shootings is to stop providing coverage of the loser perps.

  52. phoenix says:

    52. Ditto.

  53. phoenix says:

    49. Sounds about right…

  54. phoenix says:

    “the right of the people to keep and bear arms”
    “I wouldn’t have a problem making gun ownership more highly restricted”

    Some people are more equal than others…..

  55. NJT says:

    #53 More like “Girly men”. Ahem.

  56. The Great Pumpkin says:

    Definitely grateful that I live in an area where the land is worth something, it’s high cost upfront, but long-term, a much better position to be in.

    grim says:
    October 2, 2015 at 10:36 am
    41 – A lot more, but the resale would be a lot more too.

    Check out resale values of 7 year old subdivisions. The land is essentially worthless and the house is priced as a consumable. In 15 years the house is nearly worthless once you factor in inflation.

    Nobody buys used houses in Texas.

  57. nwnj4Trump says:

    Bankers hate gun rights for the same reasons that collectivists do. They want a subdued populace. It makes oppressing them far easier.

  58. joyce says:

    Taking a look at pres-cription medication might rival that as the best way.

    nwnj4Trump says:
    October 2, 2015 at 8:48 am
    The single best way to reduce these shootings is to stop providing coverage of the loser perps.

  59. Anon E. Møøse, Who never bit anyone's sister says:

    Rags [45];

    Forbidding guns or registering them is not going to stop criminals from having them; nor is it a great threat to the private, non-criminal citizen if he has to register the fact that he has a gun.

    Tell that to the registered firearm permit holders in Westchester who had their names and addresses indiscriminately published by the local fishwrap newspaper.

  60. Simon says:

    RE Assessment question:

    I recently renovated a bathroom. Nothing different, same sq footage, no change in layout. The renovation had permits with the town, it was done with a contractor.

    I received a letter from the assessors office stating the assessed value on my home would increase by 25%. When I called to ask the assessor why such a large increase, they said values are up and your house was under assessed. Because the value of the assessment increase is multiples of the renovation cost I was a little upset.

    Is it normal/allowed/typical to go in and mark to market the entire house when doing a small permitted project?

    They said I could contest the assessment, but I assume it might be correct, I am questioning why the whole house gets marked.

    thx

  61. chicagofinance says:

    Stu: you out there? Which PBM’s do you like? You’ve been riding some right? or at least some of the providers…….

  62. phoenix says:

    60. nwnj4Trump
    Collectivists. Interesting term. How does that equate with nationalism? Can you be a nationalist without being a collectivist?
    If you are a citizen of the USA and live here, work here, profit from here, but have a love for any of the countries on the list below more than you love the USA, does that not make you a traitor? Can you be an individualist, work here, live here, be a citizen but not actually have any “loyalty” to any one or any country?

    A
    Afghanistan
    Albania
    Algeria
    Andorra
    Angola
    Antigua and Barbuda
    Argentina
    Armenia
    Australia
    Austria
    Azerbaijan
    B
    Bahamas
    Bahrain
    Bangladesh
    Barbados
    Belarus
    Belgium
    Belize
    Benin
    Bhutan
    Bolivia
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Botswana
    Brazil
    Brunei
    Bulgaria
    Burkina Faso
    Burundi
    C
    Cabo Verde
    Cambodia
    Cameroon
    Canada
    Central African Republic
    Chad
    Chile
    China
    Colombia
    Comoros
    Congo, Republic of the
    Congo, Democratic Republic of the
    Costa Rica
    Cote d’Ivoire
    Croatia
    Cuba
    Cyprus
    Czech Republic
    D
    Denmark
    Djibouti
    Dominica
    Dominican Republic
    E
    Ecuador
    Egypt
    El Salvador
    Equatorial Guinea
    Eritrea
    Estonia
    Ethiopia
    F
    Fiji
    Finland
    France
    G
    Gabon
    Gambia
    Georgia
    Germany
    Ghana
    Greece
    Grenada
    Guatemala
    Guinea
    Guinea-Bissau
    Guyana

    H
    Haiti
    Honduras
    Hungary
    I
    Iceland
    India
    Indonesia
    Iran
    Iraq
    Ireland
    Israel
    Italy
    J
    Jamaica
    Japan
    Jordan
    K
    Kazakhstan
    Kenya
    Kiribati
    Kosovo
    Kuwait
    Kyrgyzstan
    L
    Laos
    Latvia
    Lebanon
    Lesotho
    Liberia
    Libya
    Liechtenstein
    Lithuania
    Luxembourg
    M
    Macedonia
    Madagascar
    Malawi
    Malaysia
    Maldives
    Mali
    Malta
    Marshall Islands
    Mauritania
    Mauritius
    Mexico
    Micronesia
    Moldova
    Monaco
    Mongolia
    Montenegro
    Morocco
    Mozambique
    Myanmar (Burma)
    N
    Namibia
    Nauru
    Nepal
    Netherlands
    New Zealand
    Nicaragua
    Niger
    Nigeria
    North Korea
    Norway
    O
    Oman
    P
    Pakistan
    Palau
    Palestine
    Panama
    Papua New Guinea
    Paraguay
    Peru
    Philippines
    Poland
    Portugal

    Q
    Qatar
    R
    Romania
    Russia
    Rwanda
    S
    St. Kitts and Nevis
    St. Lucia
    St. Vincent and The Grenadines
    Samoa
    San Marino
    Sao Tome and Principe
    Saudi Arabia
    Senegal
    Serbia
    Seychelles
    Sierra Leone
    Singapore
    Slovakia
    Slovenia
    Solomon Islands
    Somalia
    South Africa
    South Korea
    South Sudan
    Spain
    Sri Lanka
    Sudan
    Suriname
    Swaziland
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    Syria
    T
    Taiwan
    Tajikistan
    Tanzania
    Thailand
    Timor-Leste
    Togo
    Tonga
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Turkmenistan
    Tuvalu
    U
    Uganda
    Ukraine
    United Arab Emirates
    UK (United Kingdom)

    Uruguay
    Uzbekistan
    V
    Vanuatu
    Vatican City (Holy See)
    Venezuela
    Vietnam
    Y
    Yemen
    Z
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

  63. phoenix says:

    Or maybe we are just nationalists at the beginning of a military conflict (flags flying everywhere) and then after a while we just sit back down in our easy chairs and go back to being individualistic tv watchers….

  64. nwnj4Trump says:

    Seemingly unrelated to what I said before but here goes:
    Nationalism and collectivism are independent of each other. Yes. Not necessarily. Yes, certainly possible.

    60. nwnj4Trump
    Collectivists. Interesting term. How does that equate with nationalism? Can you be a nationalist without being a collectivist?
    If you are a citizen of the USA and live here, work here, profit from here, but have a love for any of the countries on the list below more than you love the USA, does that not make you a traitor? Can you be an individualist, work here, live here, be a citizen but not actually have any “loyalty” to any one or any country?

  65. NJT says:

    #63 [Simon]

    You’re in a kettle of fish. Best bet is to be (or pretend to be) a shark.

    To quote Quint (from the movie ‘Jaws’) “…Sometimes it worked…. sometimes not…” or something like that.

    Yeah, you should have not got a permit and paid the plumber/bathroom renovator in cash and did it on the sly but you’re past that point now.

    When you ‘grieve’ be DEMANDING.

    *I was lucky once as the assessor died from a heart attack – neighbor kids ratted me out about a finished basement. Damn, I watched and fed them when their parents were absent.

    Live and learn.

  66. The Great Pumpkin says:

    You don’t give enough details to give an honest answer. There is no way your house went up 25% in assessed value from an update bathroom. On my rental, put all new siding and new front entrance, and my assessed value only went up a little amount. You probably were getting lucky and paying low taxes because other property owners were picking up the slack for you. I don’t know, just trying to make sense of a 25% jump.

    Simon says:
    October 2, 2015 at 1:15 pm
    RE Assessment question:

    I recently renovated a bathroom. Nothing different, same sq footage, no change in layout. The renovation had permits with the town, it was done with a contractor.

    I received a letter from the assessors office stating the assessed value on my home would increase by 25%. When I called to ask the assessor why such a large increase, they said values are up and your house was under assessed. Because the value of the assessment increase is multiples of the renovation cost I was a little upset.

    Is it normal/allowed/typical to go in and mark to market the entire house when doing a small permitted project?

    They said I could contest the assessment, but I assume it might be correct, I am questioning why the whole house gets marked.

    thx

  67. D-FENS says:

    69 – I put all new siding, and added a second bathroom to my house all at once. The new bathroom was inside a new dormer added to the second level of the house at the same time.

    The siding was considered repair work, and did not add to the assessed value.

    25% increase in value sounds high. But I will say, I don’t have much confidence that the assessors actually use any sort of scientific or consistent process to assess value.

    For example, my house’s assessed value went up after the bathroom addition exactly the same amount that it cost me to add the dormer and bathroom. I think the guy literally looked at what it cost me and just added it to my assessment.

  68. joyce says:

    Simon,
    “You probably were getting lucky and paying low taxes because other property owners were picking up the slack for you.”

    It’s your fault you freeloading profit king.

  69. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [19] DFENS

    Sadly, that kid was from Tyneside. If he was a mackem, it would have been understandable.

    Just a shame he didn’t off a few Gooners before they caught him.

  70. JJ says:

    Why would someone get a permit to just renovate an existing bathroom then let town inspector into house to look around?

    The Great Pumpkin says:

    October 2, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    You don’t give enough details to give an honest answer. There is no way your house went up 25% in assessed value from an update bathroom. On my rental, put all new siding and new front entrance, and my assessed value only went up a little amount. You probably were getting lucky and paying low taxes because other property owners were picking up the slack for you. I don’t know, just trying to make sense of a 25% jump.

    Simon says:
    October 2, 2015 at 1:15 pm
    RE Assessment question:

    I recently renovated a bathroom. Nothing different, same sq footage, no change in layout. The renovation had permits with the town, it was done with a contractor.

    I received a letter from the assessors office stating the assessed value on my home would increase by 25%. When I called to ask the assessor why such a large increase, they said values are up and your house was under assessed. Because the value of the assessment increase is multiples of the renovation cost I was a little upset.

    Is it normal/allowed/typical to go in and mark to market the entire house when doing a small permitted project?

    They said I could contest the assessment, but I assume it might be correct, I am questioning why the whole house gets marked.

    thx

  71. D-FENS says:

    73 – Well JJ, the way it’s supposed to work, is that the “inspector” is supposed to inspect the contractor’s work and make sure it is up to code so that the residents aren’t endangered by shoddy work. Also, in NJ, by law you do not have to make final payment to the contractor until the work passes inspection.

    Of course that process has become completely fcuked up, and because people fear what the tax Assessor did to Simon, like you, they do not file for permits.

  72. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [45] Rags,

    There probably has been a departure from the historical genesis of the 2nd. That is what is fueling the left.

    I predict that, should a future bevy of Warren SCOTUS appointees overturn Heller, lots of southern states, and political subdivisions thereof, will greatly expand their militia laws to incorporate nearly every legal gun owner.

    It will be a legal clusterfreak but the feds may be handcuffed there. The only foreseeable avenue is to get the marionettes on the newly-configured bench to declare that the militias aren’t “well regulated” and therefore don’t qualify. Collier County, FL did that, and while the “militia” designation doesn’t add any protections, the left has already signaled that they would attack it were it not for existing law.

    Should they come to power, Warrenistas could go further and limit state militias but that would be a gross overreach IMHO, and would come closer to triggering Civil War 2.o than we’ve ever been.

  73. POS cape says:

    Another unique thing about Jersey: Unlike with other states, even NY, I’ve never heard of anyone from out of state say “I’d like to retire to NJ.” I mean, it sounds funny even saying it.

  74. Libturd in the City says:

    CHI…I was riding the big one. UNH. Though I bailed in January. Compared to the index, I would have been up another 20% on it had I stayed the course. P/E was 19 at the time with a 5 year average of 13 and a low of 8.5. I’d say it’s now a case of, “Too late to the party?” Though P/E is right around 20. PBM is pharmacy benefit though, like Scripts right? That wasn’t me.

    I like Pricel1ne and Airlease right here. Air Lease looks very cheap. I recently got PCLN right around 1K.

    http://ycharts.com/companies/AL/pe_ratio

  75. Libturd in the City says:

    CHI…I was riding the big one. UNH. Though I bailed in January. Compared to the index, I would have been up another 20% on it had I stayed the course. P/E was 19 at the time with a 5 year average of 13 and a low of 8.5. I’d say it’s now a case of, “Too late to the party?” Though P/E is right around 20. PBM is pharmacy benefit though, like Scripts right? That wasn’t me.

    I like Pricel1ne and Airlease right here. Air Lease looks very cheap. I recently got PCLN right around 1K.

    http://tinyurl.com/airlease

  76. Libturd in the City says:

    CHI,

    I was riding the big one. UNH. Though I bailed in January. Compared to the index, I would have been up another 20% on it had I stayed the course. P/E was 19 at the time with a 5 year average of 13 and a low of 8.5. I’d say it’s now a case of, “Too late to the party?” Though P/E is right around 20. PBM is pharmacy benefit though, like Scripts right? That wasn’t me.

    I like Pricel1ne and Airlease right here. Air Lease looks very cheap. I recently got PCLN right around 1K.

    http://tinyurl.com/airlease

  77. Libturd in the City says:

    CHI,

    I was riding the big one. UNH. Though I bailed in January. Compared to the index, I would have been up another 20% on it had I stayed the course. P/E was 19 at the time with a 5 year average of 13 and a low of 8.5. I’d say it’s now a case of, “Too late to the party?” Though P/E is right around 20. PBM is pharm@cy benefit though, like Scripts right? That wasn’t me.

    I like Pricel1ne and Airlease right here. Air Lease looks very cheap. I recently got PCLN right around 1K.

    http://tinyurl.com/airlease

  78. Simon says:

    Thanks all:

    JJ: He never went in the house, the permit was closed and because he closed it he reassessed the house.

    Joyce: Assessor implied that I had a favorable assessment for a while and this was getting it back in line.

    Pump: My assessed value went up 25% and the renovation was the excuse. That’s the rub.

  79. JJ says:

    I have permits I got after I bought my house. For prior work done. Inspector never really looked at anything. Did charge mumbo jumbo fees which I paid out of escrow. Permits are a revenue source and a way to raise taxes.

    D-FENS says:

    October 2, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    73 – Well JJ, the way it’s supposed to work, is that the “inspector” is supposed to inspect the contractor’s work and make sure it is up to code so that the residents aren’t endangered by shoddy work. Also, in NJ, by law you do not have to make final payment to the contractor until the work passes inspection.

    Of course that process has become completely fcuked up, and because people fear what the tax Assessor did to Simon, like you, they do not file for permits.

  80. joyce says:

    Simon,
    I was doing my best (or worst) to make fun of pumpkin. Your situation stinks and I would definitely appeal when you can. I’m not a fan of the almost unchecked power that the assessor’s office has, and the fact that you’re guilty (their word is gold) until proven innocent (winning an appeal). I’m also not a fan of these one-off reassessments. If you’re doing to make a small adjustment for a renovation, that’s fine. But if you’re going to re-assess or re-value, do the whole jurisdiction. What’s fair is fair, right?

  81. Simon says:

    And DFENS:

    Yes, I like a good inspection, it has helped in the past, I am also an up and up kind of guy, even to my detriment. So I get a permit when someone is ripping out 90 year old infrastructure, putting in new wiring and plumbing and has the convenience of covering it up quickly.

  82. joyce says:

    Permits are a revenue source and a way to [not] raise taxes.

    Whoda thunk it

  83. JJ says:

    In NY you cannot raise the assessed value of a house more than 6 percent in a given year or 20% over a five year period.

    However, the sale or a home or a renovation are loopholes they can use to break cap.

    So if you have a home assessed at 200k that should be 500lk the cap keeps you at low taxes for a lifetime. But do a renovation you can open flood gates of raising assessed value.

  84. Libturd in the City says:

    “On my rental, put all new siding and new front entrance, and my assessed value only went up a little amount.”

    It shouldn’t have gone up at all. As for pulling permits to redo a bathroom? Really why? It’s not about ethics. It’s just plain stupid. Perhaps if you were adding a fixture, but what’s to inspect on a redo?

    As for how these assessments are done…they don’t even look at the house. It’s based on the sales of all of the other homes in the area. It’s all done by computer.

  85. Simon says:

    Joyce,

    I got the tone on Pumpkin, I’m a regular here, just don’t post t much. I actually told him that he should do the whole town to be fair. Hasn’t been done in 20+ years. He did admit the inequity and that it is still his job and that they can do this. Thats the point of my question to the board. Can they do this, not the results. I can only contest the results with comps, but what I really want is them not to do the assessment at all. He said its in the NJ assessors handbook, and they can. And that document is 750 pages of nonesense.

  86. jcer says:

    yep I’m with JJ, cosmetics means no permits. My sister gutted her kitchen, moved appliance, totally redid the master bath and took down a load bearing wall and had a microlam beam put in without permits. Their taxes are lower than their neighbors and they are now super upgraded, they specifically did this because of property taxes. My Brother-in-law’s best friend does high end remodels and gave them a good price. The problem being when you go to sell the house you have to be careful that the buyer doesn’t catch wind of it and try to demand concessions which happened in their house before this when they added a powder room in the finished basement.

  87. Comrade Nom Deplume, from the Hub of the Solar System. says:

    Big Ben denies using a cellphone on he sideline

    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/02/steelers-roethlisberger-wasnt-using-a-phone-on-the-sideline/

    Problem is, there’s a video closeup of the flat, black object with volume controls on the side. Doesn’t look like any wristband I ever saw.

    If Brady did this, we’d be looking at Wells 2.0

  88. Comrade Nom Deplume, from the Hub of the Solar System. says:

    [19] DFENS

    here’s one today from Australia, where they literally confiscated every firearm decades ago in response to a mass shooting.

    http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/02/world/australia-shooting/index.html

  89. JJ says:

    But this sounds like stuff that is already there. She should be fine. After awhile no one cares. My kitchen is from 2003 I doubt if I sold in 2016 someone would asked me for permits.

    Even my bathroom, Den, Laundry room, from Sandy people no longer care. After awhile it does not matter.

    jcer says:

    October 2, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    yep I’m with JJ, cosmetics means no permits. My sister gutted her kitchen, moved appliance, totally redid the master bath and took down a load bearing wall and had a microlam beam put in without permits. Their taxes are lower than their neighbors and they are now super upgraded, they specifically did this because of property taxes. My Brother-in-law’s best friend does high end remodels and gave them a good price. The problem being when you go to sell the house you have to be careful that the buyer doesn’t catch wind of it and try to demand concessions which happened in their house before this when they added a powder room in the finished basement.

  90. The Great Pumpkin says:

    I was right. His town hasn’t been assessed in 20 years….that’s 1995, which was bottom on real estate values. He’s been fortunate enough to be paying lower taxes all these years, and now is upset that he has to pay for it? 25% gain in 20 years seems like a gift on the increase in the value. Don’t know the location, so can’t really know for sure.

    So many people here don’t realize how unethical they are. You want the upgraded house with all the bells and whistles, but don’t want to pay fair value in taxes on the upgrade. Should I have expected anything less? There has to be a better way of collecting taxes, one in which certain individuals are not stuck carrying the burden of paying for the people that hide from paying their fair share of taxes. When you get over on your taxes, you are getting over on the people in your community that do pay taxes. Life is messed up, human nature can never be trusted.

    joyce says:
    October 2, 2015 at 2:40 pm
    Simon,
    “You probably were getting lucky and paying low taxes because other property owners were picking up the slack for you.”

    It’s your fault you freeloading profit king.

  91. The Great Pumpkin says:

    If you don’t want to pay the tax, then don’t upgrade. Simple as that. That’s why consumption must be taxed. It’s the only way to free us from this current madness. You spend a 100 million, then you get taxed on that. It will be funny to see these cheapos make a mill and never spend a dime, just so they don’t have to pay taxes. Lol

  92. The Great Pumpkin says:

    90- you know what will happen if there is a consumption tax? Human nature will create the biggest black market ever, the govt won’t be able to sustain services with such a large drop in tax revenue.

  93. joyce says:

    He said the whole town hasn’t been assessed in 20 years… so what do you think 95% of the housing stock has out dated assessment values? Go back to kindergarden

  94. joyce says:

    90
    Maybe the problem is your fcuked definition of “fair”

  95. jcer says:

    88, a through home inspector will see if permits have been pulled and can generally identify newer work. That is what happened to them with their basement and the buyers made them get retroactive permits.

  96. joyce says:

    Exactly, Simon. The 750 pages of nonsense mean they can do pretty much anything and you the homeowner is stuck (pending appeal). God forbid we make the government prove something before they make a change.

    Simon says:
    October 2, 2015 at 3:07 pm
    Joyce,

    I got the tone on Pumpkin, I’m a regular here, just don’t post t much. I actually told him that he should do the whole town to be fair. Hasn’t been done in 20+ years. He did admit the inequity and that it is still his job and that they can do this. Thats the point of my question to the board. Can they do this, not the results. I can only contest the results with comps, but what I really want is them not to do the assessment at all. He said its in the NJ assessors handbook, and they can. And that document is 750 pages of nonesense.

  97. joyce says:

    If the number of taxes are few, if each tax is relatively low, flat, & simple (with severe non-selective unbiased enforcement for evasion and fraud), and as local as possible (making it tough to waste that much via corruption) … individuals wouldn’t take the risk of getting caught.

    However to achieve this, we have to stop centralizing activity that is best left to the individuals to do for themselves, their families, and communities privately.

  98. The Great Pumpkin says:

    If they raised his taxes based on new reassessment, would they be ripping him off? You have no problem letting him pay below value taxes, but you have a problem with fair value tax payment. Joyce, you suck. What happened in the past with you and the govt that you hate it so much?

    joyce says:
    October 2, 2015 at 4:15 pm
    He said the whole town hasn’t been assessed in 20 years… so what do you think 95% of the housing stock has out dated assessment values? Go back to kindergarden

  99. joyce says:

    98 see 94

  100. nwnj4Trump says:

    Hahaha, right up there with, “learn some grammer”.

    Go back to kindergarden

  101. The Great Pumpkin says:

    I get it, you think we should rely on ourselves and not a government. Self-preservation. I get it, but what are you going to do with all the losers out there when you minimize govt and have almost no services from the govt? Landscape will get ugly, a lot people out there reliant on social services, like public schools and public housing. It will get ugly real fast. The govt serves a purpose. Yes, it’s corrupt, but so is everything else that human nature touches.

    “However to achieve this, we have to stop centralizing activity that is best left to the individuals to do for themselves, their families, and communities privately.”

  102. anon (the good one) says:

    can’t believe we have found one more Fundamentalist than Rags!

    D-FENS says:
    October 2, 2015 at 11:26 am
    45. – Ragnar, I completely, but respectfully, disagree with everything you just said.

  103. anon (the good one) says:

    this blog won’t be fun anymore with you talking that way. stop it!

    Ragnar says:
    October 2, 2015 at 10:46 am
    I wouldn’t have a problem making gun ownership more highly restricted. I certainly don’t think much of US gun sales or ownership is directed toward the maintenance of “a well regulated Militia”.

  104. Ragnar says:

    I do believe in the right to bear arms, in a broad sense, anon. But they aren’t and shouldn’t be sold like skittles either. The current system seems to make legal and registered gun owners go through a great deal of trouble, (which may be proper) yet fails to screen out inappropriate owners, while the black/grey market also seems to flow easily.

  105. Ragnar says:

    100,
    Pumpkin is like one of these Soviets who feared that they’d be left shoeless after the government stopped running shoe factories, and homeless after the government got out of the apartment business. After decades of propaganda of how benevolent government was making their lives better, their ability to imagine a better way atrophies.

  106. Comrade Nom Deplume, the anon-tidote says:

    [90] pumpkin

    Now you are advocating a consumption tax? You, who rails about slackers one day and the unfairness of wealth accumulation the other six?

    You should see about getting your Risperdal upped.

  107. D-FENS says:

    103 – Jesus now you want to register gun owners?

  108. D-FENS says:

    Shootings are not on the rise. Hysteria is.

Comments are closed.