Pyrrhic victory?

From the Star Ledger:

N.J. Legislature clears way for $5B in Amazon tax breaks

The state Legislature on Monday embraced Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to offer Amazon $100,000 per job it creates should it build its sought-after second headquarters in Newark.

New Jersey’s offer, which could total $5 billion in tax breaks, rivals some of the largest incentive packages hatched by states looking to land big businesses, and would set a record within the state.

These deals are often controversial, with governments giving away their claim to badly needed tax dollars businesses would generate otherwise. But those same tax dollars and the ancillary economic benefits wouldn’t exist at all, supporters say, if the business located somewhere else.

Here, lawmakers said the rare opportunity to compete for such a major development — Amazon predicts it will hire 50,000 workers and invest $5 billion in its new headquarters — is too big an opportunity to risk coming up short.

“When a company like Amazon is looking to invest billions and create tens of thousands of jobs, we simply cannot afford to be overlooked,” state Sen. Samuel Thompson, R-Middlesex, a bill sponsor, said in a statement. “This legislation sends the message that New Jersey is a serious contender.”

Christie’s administration has said residents stand to gain some $9 billion in economic benefits if Amazon comes.

xperts say Newark isn’t likely to be high on Amazon’s list.

Moody’s Analytics’s list of Top 10 candidates led with Austin, Texas, followed by Atlanta, Philadelphia, Rochester, N.Y., New York/Jersey City, Miami, Portland, Ore., Boston and Salt Lake City.

Newark’s bid has been criticized as too generous by those who call corporate tax breaks a race to the bottom. Christie’s administration dramatically scaled up the state’s awards to recruit and retain businesses.

State Sen. Michael Doherty, R-Warren, voted against the Amazon package, saying “New Jersey shouldn’t be in the business of picking winners and losers, nor should we give special tax breaks to a company that’s driving our mom and pop shops out of business.”

This entry was posted in Economics, New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

88 Responses to Pyrrhic victory?

  1. D-FENS says:

    NJ would benefit if Amazon located in NY or Philadelphia. This might even be the better scenario for NJ.

  2. Very Stable Genius says:

    @KeithOlbermann
    Spoiler Alert: it was about your father.

    @IvankaTrump
    Just saw @Oprah’s empowering & inspiring speech at last night’s #GoldenGlobes .
    Let’s all come together, women & men, & say #TIMESUP ! #United

  3. chicagofinance says:

    Bond offerings have contractual terms of repayment, covenants that restrict management decision making, and definitions of default putting company assets at risk.

    Issuing stock is free of such restrictions. However, it is far more expensive and the dilution has a negative impact on stock prices.

    Oh that’s right……

    Blue Ribbon Teacher says:
    January 8, 2018 at 10:11 pm
    Elon Musk doesn’t need insurance. He has bond offerings.

  4. leftwing says:

    Usually don’t re-post but here’s one from last night.

    Background story too long. Summary is I had emails regarding a very specific topic one day after we had several long conversations, and only conversations, about it. Tried to get to the bottom and what i found out is below. If you have an android, especially late model, do it.

    Log into google from a PC using your gmail account. You have one even if you don’t remember it. Your android phone forces you to make one.

    Go to the nav bar and type: history.google.com/history

    Have fun. Four years of geolocation to the minute and voice were my faves.

  5. Juice Box says:

    Fun morning at the cattle call for Jury Duty down here in Monmouth County.

  6. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    D,

    Since when did the amount of local taxes collected ever impact government payrolls in NJ? Whatever the feds took away, the locals governments will simply raise taxes to cover the shortfall. Why? Because the masses are asses. They are completely clueless or more likely, they simply don’t pay attention. And the few that have a clue, tend to be the progressives who think everyone in the public sector should have the same compensation as CEOs.

    La pura vida no puede venir lo suficientemente pronto!

  7. Blue Ribbon Teacher says:

    Bond offerings have contractual terms of repayment, covenants that restrict management decision making, and definitions of default putting company assets at risk.

    Repayment? Don’t you know that TESLA is going to control 30% of the automarket in 3 years?

  8. D-FENS says:

    8:50 – People don’t vote. They get what they deserve and have no right to complain.

  9. You didn't build this says:

    Obama spent more public funds on “stimulus” than all previous stimulus programs combined, with wretched, counterproductive results. On his watch, millions of additional Americans fell below the poverty line. The number of food stamp recipients soared. The national debt doubled to an incredible $20 trillion. According to the Pew Research Center, the share of young adults (18- to 34-year-olds) living in their parents’ homes is the highest it has been since the Great Depression.

  10. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    Obama didn’t cause the residual and long-lasting affects of the great recession. He just did a lousy job turning the ship around since he was beholden to the Dem playbook.

    I would also advise most to not judge Trump on his short-term market defying performance. When this baby crashes, it could very well make the financial crisis look like a minor correction.

  11. leftwing says:

    “NJ Property Taxes: Will federal tax bill spark property tax reform?”

    NJ Politicians: Dragged kicking and screaming into reality after all gimmicks are exhausted.

    Too long for a bumper sticker I guess…

    Although, the article is disheartening in that most people talking about reform speak of shifting the school funding burden from property taxes to something else as a solution. Uhm, doesn’t really solve the spending problem does it? Means we’ll still pay the same, just somewhere else?

  12. leftwing says:

    LOLOL. Probably the best line in the article, and as carefully crafted as I’ve ever seen.

    Whaddya mean?! Millburn and South Orange-Maplewood schools are different?

    “Choosing how and where to consolidate school districts could prove tough for lawmakers and educators, Granelli added. She said while school districts may share close geographic boundary lines often times they have different challenges for their academic missions and philosophies.”

  13. 3b says:

    Left that’s exactly what I was thinking!

  14. Fast Eddie says:

    Towns will need to consolidate and it’s never going to happen. It will be the same as usual. I said this a long time ago; houses will cost very little and prices will slowly decrease over time to be replaced by an enormous tax burden. Property taxes of 60K and 70K will be common place within the next 20 years and a nice cape in west essex or upper bergen will cost around 175K. This will be the new norm.

  15. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    Screw that. Get rid of all of the individual towns. Regionalize at the county level. The problem isn’t how much we spend on our schools. It’s a known fact that family income determines performance. NOT how much is spent in the school system. GR spends nothing compared to most school systems. I would personally welcome the aid that that Newark schools get from the state. We get none. We have too many cops. We have too many firemen. We have too many libraries and courthouses and municipal staffs. Stop looking at just the schools.

  16. 3b says:

    Left there are small towns that could merge but they don’t want to merge with a town that has a lot of apartments. These apartments were formerly occupied by old people young married divorced moms etc. Many of them are now filled with immigrant families with kid’s and sometimes two families in one apartment. The town without these apartments don’t want to merge with the towns that have them.

  17. Fast Eddie says:

    We have too many cops. We have too many firemen. We have too many libraries and courthouses and municipal staffs. Stop looking at just the schools.

    That’s what I meant by consolidating – everything need to be combined.

  18. D-FENS says:

    Everyone…I mean every single fkuking person residing in NJ and beyond understands that school funding is the issue when it comes to property taxes.

    The union is far too strong however. They’ve managed to make it law that teachers and other union members are a conduit through which taxpayer money is funneled to leadership. This money is, in turn used for political purposes.

  19. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    Consolidation won’t happen because the government is only interested in making government bigger. Not smaller. Outside of two years during the “Great Recession,” I can not remember a single time in my life that the size of local government was reduced.
    The state assembly is made up of former mayors. Our Governors are always beholden to the unions who paid for their endorsements. It’s really a joke. We must CUT the size of government.

  20. Fast Eddie says:

    In other news, Red Robin has announced that it is eliminating bus boys due to minimum wage hikes. It will save $8,000,000 per year. Many companies will follow. You can thank the bleeding heart progressives for their feel-good intentions. I want to personally thank the liberals for bolstering the stock holders. As I’ve stated previously, liberals serve as useful tools when utilized properly. Just ask the democrats running for office.

  21. D-FENS says:

    More schools = More Union dues. That’s all this is about.

  22. 3b says:

    Bergen county should be one city of a million people . 7o plus individual towns is insane!

  23. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    That will sure be nice for recognized religions (hint, hint).

    Property taxes of 60K and 70K will be common place within the next 20 years and a nice cape in west essex or upper bergen will cost around 175K. This will be the new norm.

  24. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    ^^^A little part-time Sunday gig will effectively pay you 70K per year, even if you rent your tiny church somewhere, the rectory will be tax free.

  25. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    rectory/parsonage, etc.

  26. Fast Eddie says:

    The Reverend Fast Eddie…. I think it fits well! ;)

  27. Not Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Hey 2x don’t let out the secret.

    That’s how it is in Englewood, Monsey, Lakewood, Union City, with the conservative/hasidic jewish crowd. The only one that pay taxes are the local minorities and non-tribes that don’t know any better.

    By the way, this is also big with the Pentecostal crowd, which tends to have a lot of solo contractual preachers with a traveling/visiting churches circuit.

  28. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    Cantor Cheapo has a nice ring to it.

    There is no Sin in Savings!

  29. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    If you want to see a really nice tax free parsonage, check out 91 Beach Street in Bloomfield. I you are using Google streetview be sure to travel around the corner to see the very nice attached office and two car garage.

  30. leftwing says:

    91 Beach is tax exempt?

  31. JCer says:

    Leftwing the real difference between South Orange-Maplewood and Millburn school district comes down to race. SOMA has black people(of all classes) and Millburn has none, the liberal elite in Millburn pretend not to be racist but are actually more racist than working class people who actually interact with black folks on a daily basis.

    Changing the funding formula for schools make sense, some towns that are predominately suburban, no industry to speak of carry the full burden of education, while others with a more diversified tax base can have a more reasonable tax rate. Change the school aid to be equal among all districts, move school funding to the county i.e have the county cover funding that could conceivably completely cover education costs(today’s costs in NJ I think providing 17k per student approximately 10k-11k above the equally distributed state aid, towns wishing to spend more could fund it out of property taxes). Push administration and services to the county level for schools. Eliminate many of the smaller town police forces. Places like Maplewood and South Orange should be one town, most people don’t realize that Maplewood was originally a Town Called South Orange in the 19th century(Not to be confused with the village). There schools are already consolidated, the fire department will be soon.

    Why we send a billion in aid to cities like Newark and Jersey City, places with highly diversified property, airports, ports, industry, office space, retail. I mean come on it is ridiculous that as place like Glen Ridge or Maplewood needs to send tax money to Newark for them to provide education when Newark should have a huge tax base, while middle class people in those towns pay 20k a year in property taxes. We really should be subsidizing a corrupt inefficient government in Newark. There is some waste in municipal spending but in a lot of towns it in and of itself is not the real issue, in that reducing it or fixing it would not measurably change the tax levies.

  32. leftwing says:

    “Bergen county should be one city of a million people . 7o plus individual towns is insane!”

    You may be joking but it actually makes a ton of sense…..and this coming from someone who almost as a matter of dogma believes smaller government units are inherently better than larger.

    940k residents on 246 sq miles. Why not, NYC is over 400 sq miles.

    As one jurisdiction you could gut all the feel good regulations and expenses.

    COAH? Not relevant. Dump the apartments in whichever existing town has them. That’s your Harlem. You won’t need to dilute CPW (Alpine). Alpine is ‘neighborhood’, not a municipality.

    Schools? One big district. Everyone can fight to get into their best local school like PS 321 (Park Slope). No Abbott District, it’s all one big pot.

    Cops? County sheriff has jurisdiction. All local forces disappear, half the station houses go, the other half become sheriff stations.

    I really like it. Everyone has been thinking too small, merging contiguous towns. This is bigger and, ironically, likely easier than trying to just jam two neighboring towns together.

  33. JCer says:

    What I don’t get is when a structure is clearly a home it is taxable just because you hold services one day a week in a structure otherwise entirely used for a different purpose should not make it tax exempt. If it is a real temple or church it will be primarily used for worship, when it is not used for worship it is either closed or not used for other purposes. Towns should be aggressive in ensuring the religious designation is legitimate, there are 168 hrs in a week using part of your home for 1 hr a week should entitle you to 1/168 reduction in property tax.

  34. JCer says:

    leftwing the issue is that small units of government are better. I wish our state government was as well run as Millburn, Maplewood, Glen Ridge, Ridgewood or Franklin Lakes. I can actually see where the money goes, the people living in those towns hold the politicians(there neighbors…) accountable. Large scale governing in NNJ would present problems the left leaning liberals would take control and you’d wind up with a giant montclair.

  35. leftwing says:

    So I could go out and buy one of these mansions, claim the largest room as the ‘church’; not touch the billiards, pool, basement rec room, bar, and theater leaving them as the ‘community center’; and hive off the kitchen, a different living room, office, dining room, and at least one BR as the ‘rectory’.

    I have a 45 minute ‘inspirational’ get together with 25 of my closest friends each weekend in the ‘church’ and then we all hit the pool, bar, and billiards all afternoon? And have it all be tax exempt? Fcuk, I’m in.

    I’ve posted the below before in another context. It is now consecrated as “The Church of the Hills”. Grim, we do offer community service during the weekdays as well, donating our space trying to help local merchants and communities. Bring some grains and invite everyone. And munchies.

    https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/52403071_zpid/priced_sort/40.772449,-74.56717,40.707808,-74.659438_rect/13_zm/

    Next up, the congregation’s “Shore Retreat”.

  36. leftwing says:

    Oh, and I forgot, I’ll give documentation for the (still preserved) tax deduction for the grain and munchies.

  37. leftwing says:

    Sh1t, I can also take cash as donations. So not only do I get off tax free but I can also get a de facto mortgage subsidy?

    Live for free in a manse as single guy with no kids with a rolling party in exchange for talking for 45 minutes a week?

    Done.

  38. 3b says:

    Anyone have any ideas on how much snow plowing costs for a parking lot that holds about 25 cars ? I assume they charge by the amount of snow.

  39. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Oh yeah, check it out using the Monmouth County tool in the upper right(ish) of this page. I used to be on the board of trustees for that church last century.

    91 Beach is tax exempt?

  40. JCer says:

    Here is the key to the religious property tax waver…

    houses of public worship and other additional buildings and property used SOLELY for administrative, education, literary, benevolent, charitable, entertainment and recreational purposes by religious organizations, the lots on which they are situated, and the pews, slips and furniture therein. However, any part of any house of public worship or other additional buildings or property which is kept or used ***** for any purpose other than those stated in this section shall be assessed and taxed the same as other taxable property. Humble rooms attached to a religious building for the clergy, ok…large home not allowable based on the rules.

  41. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    JCer – You are missing the point. The church doesn’t even claim it to be a place of worship, it is simply a home for the pastor and his family.

    What I don’t get is when a structure is clearly a home it is taxable just because you hold services one day a week in a structure otherwise entirely used for a different purpose should not make it tax exempt.

  42. leftwing says:

    JCer, the largest room in the house IS the Church. Probably hive it off somehow, doors, etc. Throw in some permanent seating. Benevolent and charitable.

    The ‘large home’ (pool, bar, theatre, rec rooms, basement) is basically everything except the Rectory and the Churc. It is the Community Center. Educational, literary, charitable, entertainment, and recreation purposes supporting the Church.

    The kitchen, DR, office, one living room, and BR is the Rectory (where I park my arse while not benevolenting, entertaining, and recreating the flock). Administrative.

    Did I miss any rooms?

    LOL, just found out how to make Jersey affordable. And I though the farm exemption was da bomb.

  43. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    376 Dunham Pl, Glen Rock, NJ was a parsonage for Christ Reformed Church in Ridgewood since the 1960’s or 1970’s. I believe I mentioned it here when it hit the market and linked the RE listing. The church sold the property, in what looks like a sweetheart deal for $570K, in May, 2012.

    The home is now assessed at $857K and the taxes are $24K.

  44. leftwing says:

    The remaining bedrooms. Used for the ‘relief’ of members of the flock. Particularly if they are F, 5’8″, and a size 2. Used to have a blonde/blue preference but really getting into the Mediterranean look recently. I am very empathetic and can go, oops, administer privately for hours.

  45. 3b says:

    Left I am not kidding. I have been saying it for years.

  46. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Again, the home doesn’t need to serve any other function than be the home of the priest/pastor/rabbi/imam/space navigator. The pastor of that church in Bloomfield actually lobbied for the home at 91 Beach to be bought for him and his wife to live in (and they had no kids either). The church used to own a smaller home a few blocks away as the parsonage. His wife was a school teacher in NYC. Free house, generous salary, add in wife’s salary. They were doing OK.

    JCer, the largest room in the house IS the Church. Probably hive it off somehow, doors, etc. Throw in some permanent seating. Benevolent and charitable.

  47. Alex says:

    To the thousands of busboys who work at Red Robin and will now lose their jobs because Democrats mandated minimum wage increases, be sure to “thank” a “well-meaning” and “kind-hearted” Democrat.

  48. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    BTW, I had resigned from the board of trustees and was in the process of moving to Long Island when the purchase of the new parsonage was approved.

  49. leftwing says:

    Brother 3b….

    Please take a solemn moment to infuse your heart, mind, body, and soul with Divine Energy; to pray that the loving, kind, and intelligent people of this World will enjoy doing positive, constructive things for the downtrodden; and to reflect on which MOTHERFCUKING GRAND PARTY ESTATE WE ARE GOING TO GET FOR FREE. Whoop, Whoop! (Our version of ‘Amen’).

    Bless you all. Oh, and we are having a capital improvement campaign. Looking for 400 donors of $1k each. Whoop, whoop!

  50. leftwing says:

    2x&3, your worldly experience is invaluable to our flock’s spiritual journey. Please donate your time and experience as Trustee of our humble congregation. (You get the MBR). Whoop, whoop!

  51. JCer says:

    Recent federal cases now make the parsonage, if it is not attached to the churches property taxable as income. So the parsonage now needs to be on church property.

    So leftwing your religion needs to build a church on the property of the mansion for the sole purpose of worship and you will be good to go as the minister.

    It would appear that NJSA 54:4-3.6 and the subsequent case law on the matter seems to allow these shenanigans. The hasids of Lakewood have prevailed when Lakewood tried to deny their tax exempt status.

  52. ExJersey says:

    Looks like you got a real mess on your hands what with all those ‘services’ just wait til you have to pump your own gasoline.

  53. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    BTW, capital improvement campaigns are easy sells, especially for something tangible. Parishioners aren’t too keen on opening their pocketbooks for a church that is simply in the red, but…start a drive to rehab stained glass or an ancient pipe organ – they are more than glad to pony up for something they can “see” every time they visit. The downside is when you close their church and sell off the RE assets that they paid for – you likely lose them forever. The archdiocese of Boston is still smarting on this front. I can only imagine what it’s like in the Central PA ex-coal mining town where my Mother grew up. Their grandest Catholic Church is now a mosque.

    Grim is too young to know, but I bet his Dad remembers when you didn’t just need a Catholic church, you needed a Polish Catholic church, an Irish Catholic church, an Italian Catholic church, etc. Now there is likely only one and it is largely attended by Hispanics.

  54. leftwing says:

    OK, obviously I have done every form of humanly possible procrastination. Time to stop dicking around and dive into all the stuff piled up on the desk.

    Until we meet again, your humble servant. Whoop, whoop!

  55. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    If this is precedent, it is largely unenforced. Maybe existing parsonages are grandfathered? I actually get why clergy don’t want to live on site. It largely makes you the 7×24 caretaker of the grounds. Bigger churches often have an in-building apartment where subsidized rent is exchanged for being “on-call” for the building. That church in Bloomfield actually has a beautiful apartment, with tenant, used for this purpose. Another church, here in Boston, where I also was a trustee, has the same deal.

    In addition, churches often have a volunteer position of “sextant”, who is the real guy that arranges for emergency repairs, etc. It’s usually some long-time parishioner, recently retired or just loves to be called away from his wife(or both), who is more than happy to continue to be the boss of something. The tenant calls the sextant and he puts the necessary wheels in motion.

    Recent federal cases now make the parsonage, if it is not attached to the churches property taxable as income. So the parsonage now needs to be on church property.

  56. leftwing says:

    I’ll date myself….

    Holy Trinity – Poles
    St Joseph – Germans
    St Patrick – Irish
    St Agnes – Italian
    Sacred Heart, St Pauls, St Peter, Our Lady of Lourdes, Mount Carmel, etc – fringe suburban mutt congregations

    Bunch closed. St Joe and St Pat combined for a cultural lol.

  57. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    St. Stein – Jews

  58. ExJersey says:

    Joooos

  59. JCer says:

    It’s new there was a recent decision Gaylor v. Mnuchin. There will likely be new guidance from the IRS on taxation of the clergy.

  60. A Home Buyer says:

    Id rather open up a “non-profit hospital” residence that treats everything with medical Marijuana.

    I don’t want to have to invite over the religious crazy’s.

  61. You didn't build that says:

    @MariaBartiromo

    “The economy is doing quite well” @jpmorgan ceo Jamie Dimon “if we have a couple of years of good growth, that could justify the markets where they are. 4% economic growth this year is possible” @MorningsMaria @FoxBusiness #Dow25K

  62. You didn't build that says:

    The Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Businesses came in at 104.9 in December.

    The average monthly reading for the index in 2017 was 104.8, the highest for any year in its history.

    Both the NFIB’s CEO and chief economist attributed the boost in confidence to policy changes under the Trump administration.

  63. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    “The average monthly reading for the index in 2017 was 104.8, the highest for any year in its history.

    Both the NFIB’s CEO and chief economist attributed the boost in confidence to policy changes under the Trump administration.”

    10/2006 SBO index was over 100.
    10/2007 it was at 96.
    10/2008 it was at 87
    3/2009 it hit its lifetime low of 81.5

    So what’s your point? Trump has us on the precipice of another financial crisis?

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  65. JCer says:

    steam, I think the kerosene being poured onto the fire by Trump’s policies will delay the inevitable correction. I wouldn’t expect a correction until later this year at the earliest.

  66. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    Agreed. If I were to guess at timing (and not a bad way to position your portfolio):
    2018 25% chance of economic implosion
    2019 50% chance of economic implosion
    2020 75% chance of economic implosion

    if it hasn’t happened by the end of 2020, he’s getting reelected for sure.

  67. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Growing up in the suburbs of Morris County I always figured the demographics of the country were just like my town.

    45% Catholic
    45% Jewish
    8% Fringe Christians (why did they go to so many different churches?)
    2% Other

    In rainy day tree fort conversations on the subject of religion we agreed on a couple things:

    1. Christians believed Jesus was the son of God. Jews believed the savior didn’t get here yet. We all agreed that was a topic open for discussion.
    2. There was no good reason ever voiced why Catholics and other Christians didn’t go to the same church, we couldn’t figure out the difference. It sounded pretty much the same when we compared notes.
    3. We were all jealous of Todd Larchuk. His religion was “Free Thinker”. His parents told him he could decide when he was an adult what religion he wanted to follow.

    We tested Todd’s faith,
    “You don’t have to go to Catechism on Saturdays?”
    “You don’t have to go to Hebrew School after regular school?”
    “You don’t have to dress up and go with your family to any kind of church or temple,
    ever? Not even on Christmas?”

    I remember going home and telling my parents I wanted to be a Free Thinker like Todd. It didn’t fly.

  68. Steamturd, Part Time Orientalist and Full Time Mysoginist says:

    2 times.

    My kid is being raised as a free thinker. He prays at the church of ice hockey.

  69. 3b says:

    Trump will finish his first term unless something comes of these investigations . Does not look like it at this point. He won’t give the left the satisfaction of stepping down. Assuming no economic implosion Pence runs and wins.

  70. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    I forgot one other thing:

    We all liked the idea of a Bar Mitzvah where we would have something like a much bigger birthday party and everyone would give us money. We also agreed that going to Hebrew School after regular school to learn a different language that nobody spoke seemed like a lot of work, but the money might be worth it.

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  72. The Great Pumpkin says:

    Pathetic how we fuc!ed up this planet up in a couple hundred years. Threw everything out of balance. Can’t even drink the water…pathetic. What’s even more sad is how some money hungry conservatives deny the impact human beings have on this planet. Guess if you ignore it and act like it’s some lefty conspiracy to get you to pay more, you can live with yourself. Beyond messed up what we have done to this planet.

    Bats Are Boiling Alive in Australia’s Heat Wave – National Geographic
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  73. The Great Pumpkin says:

    Big money players are scared. A friend of mine was at a fundraiser, and all the big money players are scared of a crash. So take it for what it’s worth. I’m going to ignore the tip and ride this some more, but inside money is scared.

  74. No One says:

    I explained to my daughter that people believed in religion like they do Santa Claus. And just like she had to be careful about telling little kids that Santa isn’t real, grown people get similarly upset if you tell them their religious fantasies aren’t real. Then I pointed out how over 2000 years ago Greeks thought all the gods and goddesses were real, and now they say, no, that was made up, but this God we worship now is definitely real. Just like the Indians still worship cows and hermaphrodites now, and used to think the earth was balanced on the back of a turtle, but they don’t believe that last part anymore.. And Jewish people think their God will hate them if they eat bacon or don’t wear a cap, and some think they need to run home before dark on Friday. While others think that’s stupid. And our family thinks all that stuff is stupid, but we don’t tell people that because it hurts their feelings like making that 5 year old cry about no Santa Claus. Oops, don’t cry NJRereport people.

  75. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Pathetic how if you don’t finish HS you can’t form a sentence. At least you are honest in your FB profile, attended Clifton High School. No connection to institutions of higher learning. I guess if your degrees are secret, so is the place that granted them.

    Hahahahahaahahahahahahahaa

    Pathetic how we fuc!ed up this planet up in a couple hundred years

  76. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    I wonder if BJ Pumps will ever write a book about all the profits he made from his great
    “calls”? Maybe he can title it, A Random Walk Down Van Houten Avenue ?

  77. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    How I Became the Hottest RE Investor in Styretowne, Thanks to My Nana?

  78. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Free Shoes at the Rizzuto Berra. Yeah, I Was That Good!

  79. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Allwood – Named After Me

  80. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Polish Girls Craved My Rowe-Manse

  81. Bystander says:

    How about “Look out ladies, I blast like pancake out of a spray can..(or how I stopped worrying and learned to love my Jr. Analyst job)”?

  82. Two Times Head and Three Secret Degrees I said...in a spray can says:

    Baby batter in a can…two seconds to paradise!

  83. The Great Pumpkin says:

    I didn’t like his bully style, but maybe that’s how he was able to get stuff done.

    https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/governor/2018/01/09/full-text-christies-2018-state-state-address/1018164001/

  84. Blue Ribbon Teacher says:

    I didn’t like his bully style, but maybe that’s how he was able to get stuff done.

    Get stuff done? The guy was absent from the state 85% of the time. He met about zero of his promises.

  85. Fabius Maximus says:

    The Trump Bar moves from High Jump to Limbo. How high can you soar to how low can you go.

    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-judicial-nominees-not-qualified_us_5a4fc2cae4b01e1a4b14e51d?tde

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