Category Archives: Politics

Redefining blight

Posted on July 12, 2007 by grim

From the APP: Appellate court rules Belmar can’t take Freedman’s Bakery for redevelopment Freedman’s Bakery is not “blighted” and cannot be forced to participate in the borough’s planned downtown redevelopment project, putting at risk a $500 million proposal to virtually … Continue reading →

Posted in New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 2 Comments

Encap stiffs the state

Posted on July 12, 2007 by grim

From the Record: A defiant EnCap denies obligation to pay state $16M EnCap Golf Holdings, which failed to meet a Tuesday deadline for committing $16 million to ensure full cleanup of the Meadowlands landfills, has told the state it does … Continue reading →

Posted in New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | Comments Off on Encap stiffs the state

Frank targets hedge funds

Posted on July 6, 2007 by grim

From the New York Post: HOUSE SET TO HOLD HEDGE FUND HEARINGS Hedge funds will come under scrutiny next week when two separate House panels hold hearings on the government’s oversight of the lightly regulated sector. House Financial Services Committee … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Risky Lending | 2 Comments

Corzine signs $33.5B budget

Posted on June 29, 2007 by grim

From NorthJersey.com: Corzine signs $33.5B budget, looks to future Governor Corzine signed a $33.5 billion budget Thursday, trimming just over $10 million in legislative requests, and then turned his attention resolutely toward the fiscal future. The budget calls for no … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 2 Comments

Defining “blight”

Posted on June 14, 2007 by grim

From the Record: Ruling limits use of eminent domain New Jersey towns will have a harder time seizing private property for redevelopment after the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that targeted property must be blighted and not merely underused. The … Continue reading →

Posted in New Development, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 3 Comments

New Jersey Primaries

Posted on June 6, 2007 by grim

From NJ.com: Six incumbent legislators lose primary battles Six state lawmakers facing primary challenges saw their days in the Legislature numbered while 11 incumbents faced down primary challenges and were poised to return to Trenton. … In Essex County’s 28th … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 1 Comment

(Almost) Banning dual office holding

Posted on June 5, 2007 by grim

From the Cherry Hill Courier Post: Corzine likely to sign ban on holding 2 offices Gov. Jon S. Corzine said a proposed ban on dual officeholding that would carve out exceptions for politicians who already hold two or more elected … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 3 Comments

Gas tax increase on the horizon?

Posted on May 29, 2007 by grim

From Newsday: Corzine: Maybe a gas tax hike, someday New Jerseyans tend to pay the nation’s cheapest gas prices thanks largely to low gas taxes, but Gov. Jon S. Corzine is warning that the tax may have to go up … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 9 Comments

Get your hands out of the cookie jar

Posted on May 28, 2007 by grim

From NorthJersey.com: Public to get a clearer view of N.J. budget By ADRIENNE LU For the first time in recent history, state lawmakers will be required to attach their names to eleventh-hour budget appropriations — ending the anonymous system that … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Property Taxes | 1 Comment

Can we really afford open space?

Posted on May 28, 2007 by grim

From the Herald News: Towns worry open space funds may be limited By ASHLEY KINDERGAN If state funds for environmental preservation are allowed to dry up next year, the burden of creating and maintaining green space will fall to counties … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Property Taxes | 4 Comments

Raiding the unemployment trust fund

Posted on May 15, 2007 by grim

From NJBIZ: A $400M Tax Hike Could Be On the Way The unemployment insurance fund is dangerously low Scott Goldstein Trenton Bureau 5/14/2007 The fund that pays unemployment benefits to New Jerseyans has dipped so low that it is close … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Politics | 9 Comments

Less money for a rainy day

Posted on April 26, 2007 by grim

From the Times Trenton: Tax plan may not bring relief A leading Wall Street bond rating firm has warned that the Legislature’s tax relief strategy could create fiscal problems for New Jersey’s 566 municipalities in years to come. In a … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 3 Comments

School board and budget results

Posted on April 18, 2007 by grim

From the Record: Budgets in the black Tuesday’s school elections produced some surprising results, from squeakers on budget approvals and veteran board members being voted out of office to a power outage that held up counting. Rochelle Park showed that … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Property Taxes | 8 Comments

Don’t forget to vote

Posted on April 17, 2007 by grim

From the Home News Tribune: School vote matters New Jersey is holding its annual school board elections today, the one moment of the year when voters have a direct say in how their tax dollars are spent and how much … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 24 Comments

Footing the bill for misbehavior

Posted on April 8, 2007 by grim

From the NY Post: GARDEN STATE ROBBERY Say this for New York’s governors and Legislatures: For all the fiscal shenanigans they’ve perpetrated since time immemorial, they’ve always been smart enough to keep their greedy little hands off of the state’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 4 Comments