I'm with Tim Driscoll

Tim Driscoll's Victory Represents the Heart and Soul of The Democratic Party In Bergenfield, Bergen County, NJ and all 50 States!!! (0.00 / 0)

Mike Kelly reiterates what reformers have been saying for years now:  We, the people, have to clean up the filthy mess that is politics in New Jersey and the rest of the nation.

Cold hard cash doesn't have to be "the mother's milk of politics".   The people of New Jersey and of the whole nation have been bled dry by the cleptocrats who dominate our political establishments on BOTH "sides of the aisle".

Kelly did his job; he reported the story and did a bit of appropriate and necessary editorializing in the process.  Now it's up to us to follow through.

It won't be easy, let's face it, the status quo in NJ allows hundreds of millions of dollars worth of assets to be diverted unfairly into the pockets of essentially corrupt interests.  

That fact that those diversions are 100% legal doesn't take away the stench.

We still have a democracy.   If and when the people actually see and understand what's going on they will support radical reforms.

What's interesting here is that Driscoll's clean-government campaign has managed to shine a spotlight on the moral rot at the center of the pay-to-play system. By contributing money as a way of landing government jobs, political appointees are not hired because they have good ideas. A prime factor is money.

Imagine how much more effective/efficient every aspect of governance would be if people were hired on the merits and nothing else!

Imagine how radically different our laws would be if the people writing those lows weren't bought and paid for by the "contributors" to their campaigns!

Imagine how much cleaner our air and water would be if polluters were actually policed in the strictest manner possible!

I'm sure there are, literally, hundreds of different ways y'all can "imagine" how positively different things will be when we clean up the legalized corruption.            

We've become so used to a corrupt state of affairs that we take it as "normal".

Let's all follow Tim Driscoll's good example in every way we can!

The first step in beginning to take back New Jersey from the machines is to pass the Party Democracy Act http://www.bluejersey.com/show... which would put a few grains of sand in the machinery of legalized corruption.

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by: Nick Lento @ Sun Dec 23, 2007 at 22:32:46 PM UTC

Agree! (4.00 / 1)

It's important to police ourselves.  Unfortunately our own party is also guilty of this "waste of time and money" behavior benefitting the few at the cost of everything and everybody else.  It's a sorry thing to see, and people of good will have to speak out!

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by: tracey @ Mon Dec 24, 2007 at 04:21:56 AM UTC

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Driscoll's problem (0.00 / 0)

The mayor in the borough form is weak and only has a vote when there is a tie.  So, he needs to get at least three councilmembers to agree with him.  I am assuming he has Doll, but are there any others?

If not, maybe he should push for a charter change.  A Faulkner Act municipality (depending on the form) generally has a strong mayor and the people have the right of initiative and referendum.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Mon Dec 24, 2007 at 02:19:37 AM UTC

Tim Driscoll (4.00 / 2)

has been fighting the machine for two whole years now in search of justice.  Still the forgers who tried to keep Mr. Driscoll from voting in a County Committee special election go unpunished.  It was that illegal act of disenfranchisement that spurred Mr. Driscoll to take matters into his own hands and run for Mayor. And I am glad he did.  If anyone knows just how bad machine politics has poisoned the well of local government, it is Driscoll.  

Since in the Borough form of government in NJ, in the "weak" mayor form of government, it is the Mayor who appoints people, the Mayor's position does have power regarding Pay-to-Play dealings.  However, it is the Council of often six members who can pass ordinances in each Borough to limit pay-to-play contributors from getting plum jobs as Borough Attorney.  Think of the Mayor as the executive branch and the Council as the Legislative.  A Unitary Mayor can do a lot of damage - just as this President has done.  It is up to the Council to check that power and pass laws - which the Mayor can veto.  

For example - in Tenafly, because I called into question the Mayor's appointments of lawyers and real estate financiers to the Planning Board who do not know what a building footprint is, or a driveway apron, he is now appointing me to the Board of Adjustment - where I am only liasson - not a voting member  - and I cannot speak at the public meetings.  The Mayor has effectively silenced me.   Since the Mayor is by default always a member of the Planning Board, he can bend the Board to his will - especially by choosing weak Chairmen and Board members.  You want a trustworthy Mayor always - since they sit on the Planning Board AND they appoint the members to it.    I personally feel the Borough of Bergenfield is much better off with Mr. Driscoll as Mayor.  In Tenafly, I am very concerned. We have a Mayor who is more concerned with how much money people have than with whether or not they even know what a building footprint is.  Before the Planning Board knew I lived on the wrong side of the tracks, when I asked to have a construction yard screened because it abutted two residential lots with houses on them, the Mayor leaned over to me and whispered "You wouldn't care if you saw who lived in them".  THIS is who we have making decisions about land use.  Fortunately, I can still speak up at council meetings - which is what I intend to do.  We don't have pay-to-play machine politics here thank god - but we have the simple petty egotistical kind (like Planning Board members holding up open space discussions while not recusing themselves because their property may be affected), that can still cause problems in any town.

Another local example of how Mayor is a key post - consider how Mayor Michael Wildes dismantled a very effective Planning Board - simply by being himself.  Suddenly buildings were being built with illegal extra floors.

What happens next?  I just got my new paperwork for my coming re-election to County Committee.  It's happening THAT soon.  You may need to get a certain # of signatures now.  Find out from your County Clerk what you need to do to get on the ballot for County Commiittee.  If there is a reform slate and you are anti-pay-to-play - get on that reform slate so the voters can distinguish you from the "machine" candidates.  If you are trying to create a reform slate like the Real Bergen Dems, which powered Mr. Driscoll to victory in the Primary and enabled his win in November, then make sure you have an ENTIRE slate  - it is the County positions that give you the ability to have a whole slate.  Make sure you cross every T and dot EVERY i when you fill out the paperwork.  The machine folks fought us at every turn to try to derail our slate.  Don't let them do it to you.  Many towns in Bergen fell one by one to Ferriero and Oury, we'll have to take them back one at a time too.  Start thinking about running for office NOW.  Get involved.  We need all the help we can get.

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Mon Dec 24, 2007 at 21:40:40 PM UTC

Well Said Carol! (0.00 / 0)

Let's hope Driscoll refuses to give in to any temptations to "go along to get along" with all manner of folks who will be appealing to him in all manner of ways.

Let's hope Tom Driscoll plays the kind of hardball you're alluding to in your comment.

If folks try to consistently obstruct his reformist agenda; then they will be on the record and can be replaced at the next election.

And, Carol, it's a pleasure to hear a public official frankly sharing the truth and the details about what's going on.  

It would seem that your first loyalty is actually to your human/voting constituents!!!   Wow!!!   Imagine that!!!

Progressive/reformist officials like Carolh need to become the norm (at the highest levels!) and not the rare exception.

 

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by: Nick Lento @ Tue Dec 25, 2007 at 04:43:59 AM UTC

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Thanks, Nick :) n/t (0.00 / 0)

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Tue Dec 25, 2007 at 15:10:56 PM UTC

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questions (4.00 / 1)

A lot of time in the borough form, the only thing the mayor gets to do is break a tie.  In most Faulkner Act municipalities, the mayor does get to nominate and the council can only approve or deny.  Maybe Bergenfield's code is different.

Ordinarily under the Municipal Land Use Law, all seats on the Zoning Board of Adjustment are appointed by the Council as a whole.  But, Council members can't serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment.  All the seats on the Planning Board (except the Class III seat reserved for a member of the governing body) are appointed by the Mayor.  Something sounds a little strange.  It may be that "past practice" and "tradition" do not conform with the law.

Also, the law is rather strict regarding conflicts of interest for Planning Board members.  If their property is within 200 feet of the boundaries of the property up for discussion, they MUST recuse themselves.  It isn't an option.

County Committee petitions don't need to be in until April.  The number of signatures isn't more than five percent of the number of people who voted in the 2007 primary.  In most places, that is only one and in only a very few places is more than five.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Tue Dec 25, 2007 at 18:26:01 PM UTC

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Thank you (0.00 / 0)

for clearing that up.  I will bring up that point about recusing to the new Planning Board liasson.  We have a unitary mayor who may believe he gets to un-appoint me to the Planning Board.  I am hoping the new Class III member gets further than I did.  They may take him more seriously than this civil drainage engineer who doesn't live in a single family home.  

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Wed Dec 26, 2007 at 04:19:09 AM UTC

It wouldn't matter if you were the village idiot. :-) The law is still the law. You need to get a copy of the MLUL and use it. n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Creed Pogue @ Wed Dec 26, 2007 at 16:50:35 PM UTC

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In Defense of "Village Idiots" (0.00 / 0)

If one needs to become an expert in the arcane minutia of the MLUL  http://www.colts-neck.nj.us/to... and to be able to argue it's fine points in a legalistic context; then the only people qualified to be on a planning board would be attorneys or folks who are extremely familiar with the law and have a penchant for extended debate and argumentation of the fine elements of process.

As I see it; If proposals for development, land use, planning, zoning etc etc etc can't be put into a plain english context that averagely smart folks can't understand...then there's a reason for that.       (btw that applies to, pretty much, our whole legal "code")   Someone doesn't want it to be understood or the folks writing the proposal are not competent in the use of plain english.

Ideally, the town's attorney should be on hand to interpret/answer question's of technicalities/legal issues.

As one is who somewhat proud of being, at least on occasion, an idiotic villager; I dare say that the bottom lines in development are the questions of who/what benefits?  Short vs long term?   What are the real costs?  Short vs long term, etc.

BYW: Based on what I know of Carolh she has the requisite ability to ask those kinds of questions and the intelligence to make those kinds of complex judgments based on a wholistic grasp of the public good.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Dec 26, 2007 at 17:59:15 PM UTC

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Sometimes, (0.00 / 0)

I wonder if Emily Litella has made a comeback.  :-)

Getting a copy of the MLUL and achieving an understanding of it is not beyond any layperson.  It is a requirement if you want to know what the law says.  Trusting the attorney who is part of the same
pay to play universe you constantly decry would be a strategy for failure.

In too many discussions, there seems to be a desire for someone to come to the rescue instead of hunkering down and doing the hard work that is required.

It is easy to keep your hands clean when you simply spend your time telling everyone else what to do, but can't be bothered to do any hard work yourself.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Wed Dec 26, 2007 at 23:38:44 PM UTC

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Thanks For Backing Off a Wee Bit :-) (0.00 / 0)

So now all Carolh has to do is work on familiarizing herself with a bit of law.  lol

There's hope for the village idiot yet!

Seriously, I take your point that people on a planning board should study up on the rules of the game; but I also maintain the position that the language of "legalese" is often an impediment to understanding and justice rather than a vehicle for the achievement of same.  ( http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/... )

Thanks for an opportunity to put this up...

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by: Nick Lento @ Thu Dec 27, 2007 at 05:00:01 AM UTC

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The problem is (0.00 / 0)

having too many attorneys on the PB - none of whom actually know land use law.  I know it quite well from being an engineer who testifies often as an expert witness.

The problem is being shouted down in meetings by the Mayor's friends before I can even ask if a PB member has a property that would cause him to recuse himself.   The Mayor's friends who are lawyers  - but who don't know what a building footprint is actually interrupt the actual PB attorney.  He can barely get a word in edgewise.  It's not an ideal situation.  

I know MLUL pretty well but it doesn't help if you get rudely shouted down when you have the floor and the Chairman lets it happen.  

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Thu Dec 27, 2007 at 22:47:41 PM UTC

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Are these meetings opent to the public? Can someone videorecord them? Might make for some good YouTubing! n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri Dec 28, 2007 at 22:16:36 PM UTC

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yes n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Creed Pogue @ Sat Dec 29, 2007 at 03:04:42 AM UTC

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Good idea (0.00 / 0)

But actually, the meetings are tape recorded and that is public record.  
Just found out some good news though that should help folks in other towns.  The Class III member of the Planning Board - who is a Councilmember (like me) is appointed by the COUNCIL, not the MAYOR.  So the Mayor cannot silence the Class III member - it is up to the Council to vote on the Class III appointment.  Thank God.  However, the Mayor's appointments to the Planning Board are not subject to the Council's approval.  He can appoint whomever he wants.  You just need to make certain that those folks didn't donate oodles of cash to the Mayor's election fund.  
I'm still learning, but I hope my mistakes and lessons help others out there know what it is like to be an elected Councilmember in a small Borough in NJ.  The first year has been an education for sure :)  

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Fri Jan 04, 2008 at 05:54:38 AM UTC

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In other words (0.00 / 0)

Creed was correct in his earlier post on this.  It was just confirmed by our Borough Clerk and Borough Attorney.  Our Mayor was overstepping.

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Fri Jan 04, 2008 at 06:08:59 AM UTC

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Is There Any Way To Get The Tapes Of The.... (0.00 / 0)

....time/times you were "shouted down" etc?  And having that audio posted to the web?

Further, why not have an ally come the meeting and make a video that will then be automatically posted to the web.  

Just because they comply with the minimal requirements of the law doesn't mean that it then is easy for the town's residents or the general public to get access to what was recorded.

These sunshine laws need to be enhanced to the point where everything that happens in a public/official meeting is taped and up on the web that day!  

I dare say these guys would be more polite, professional and productive if they were placed under closer scrutiny.

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri Jan 04, 2008 at 07:10:01 AM UTC

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I agree with Nick. :-) Video is better than audio (0.00 / 0)

Also, the Zoning Board (as opposed to Planning Board) appointments should have been made by City Council as a whole, not the Mayor.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Fri Jan 04, 2008 at 12:53:15 PM UTC

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It is too late for me (0.00 / 0)

I was appointed as liasson to the Board of Adjustment and am no longer on the Planning Board.  The Mayor re-appointed the folks who shouted me down - so I would get absolutely nowhere with them.  But the meetings are held every other Wed night - in fact tonite is one in Tenafly.  The new Tenafly Councilman Joe McDermott is the Class III Member.  I think he is going to do a great job.  He was Chair of the Environmental committee.  It wouldn't hurt to have someone videotape the meetings from now on to make sure they are conducted fairly.  When no one is there from the public is when they really misbehave.  

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 22:21:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]