Charting the Goings-On in Teaneck
//We are living in dangerous times. Attacks are happening around our Country.
It is repugnant to find out that such HATE is now home here in Teaneck!
Now, there’s also a claim that the raising of the flag is what brings antisemitism into acceptability?
No.
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc is a logical fallacy. Continue reading “Statement from Keith Kaplan: Silence is not an option — It wasn’t the flag”
//Due to the overwhelming number of emails, we cannot respond to everyone individually at this time. We want to thank you for your correspondence and the many valid points you and others have shared.
Requests for assembly concerning the right to protest (e.g. in public rights of way) generally receive automatic approvals in accordance with general freedom of assembly laws. Our police chief, attorney, and outside expert counsel have approved this permit with our Township Manager. The manager has the ultimate say, not the Council. Continue reading “Statement regarding planned protests [Schwartz, Kaplan & Orgen]”
//“I’m not opposed to the Pride flag,” Pruitt said. “I’m opposed to flags, because I think that’s going to be an opportunity down the road for internal community conflict that we could do without.”
That’s Councilman Henry Pruitt at the council meeting in September 2019 in response to the proposal to fly the Gay Pride Flag on Teaneck Township property. He was, of course, 100% correct. We hoisted the pride flag and later painted a BLM mural on a parking lot and now every group wants not only to have the right to publicize their symbols but to have the Township give it official endorsement.
Now there’s a Star of David flag about to be flown which will surely generate controversy. And there will be endless debates about it. And demands for new flags to be flown. And the council will be spending all its time on matters that are not specifically related to the Town but signal which ideologies get our approval.
Why not allow residents to display their symbols of choice on private properties and properties owned by various institutions (Schools, Houses of Worship, etc) & let the Town focus on actually governing?
Mr. Bak raises the core issue at hand, which is whether or not the Council, as representatives, should fly flags. Deputy Mayor Pruitt did indeed make the issue explicit and those in attendance, as well as others on the council, felt that flag raisings would be appropriate.
WHEREAS, acts of hatred and violence against members of the Jewish community have been on the rise in our area and the Township Council wishes to affirm the inherent right of its Jewish residents to live without fear of attacks and hatred
So starts the resolution passed by the Township Council on April 27th, 2021. I would encourage anyone with questions or concerns to read it first.
This is not unprecedented Continue reading “Guest Post on Flag Raisings (and response)”
//The Teaneck Police Department was asked to conduct a report as to traffic and safety on Washington Place.
Here are the findings:
On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the Traffic Bureau was asked to conduct a speed survey on Washington Place. This request was prompted by a resident’s email that claimed that there was a speeding problem and that vehicles were traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. Continue reading “Washington Place Traffic Study and Police Reports”
//People like raising chickens. They give delicious eggs and people that raise them say that it’s a clean sustainable pet/food source that should be available in Teaneck.
There’s also a local ordinance prohibiting it:
Sec. 6-5: Keeping of pigs, horses and certain other animals prohibited.
No person shall keep or allow to be kept in any building or premises, or on any lot of ground of which he may be the owner, tenant, lessee or occupier, any pigs, horses, mules, cows, pigeons or poultry of any age or description.
It even has a Facebook Group: Keep Chickens Teaneck
//NJ is part of the PJM interchange for electricity. PJM has a horrible history of meeting clean energy goals set by the State and consequently, instead of generating clean energy, providers like PSE&G have met quotas by purchasing certificates from power plants in other areas that count towards the clean energy mandate.
The CCA program extends the ability to purchase those certificates (called RECs or Renewable Energy Credits) from third-party electric suppliers.
Some towns seem to have had a rocky start, unable to find bids, some found initial bids, but couldn’t find renewals. The information (pro and con) is laid out below.
My hope is that people will share and read about the program to have an informed discussion at our subsequent council meetings.
– Keith Kaplan
The general concept behind the program is to allow an entire County / Town(s), to use their collective purchasing power to decrease electric rate prices for clean energy supply. In theory, if you can make clean energy less costly through aggregation, everyone can replace dirty energy sources while spending the same amount they paid through PSE&G (or at a small discount).
The legal basis for the program can be found in the NJ legislature’s Government Energy Aggregation (“GEA”) Act of 20031. It permits counties and municipalities to create an ordinance (or resolution) to establish an “Aggregation Program”.
It does…. somewhere. But only if the Municipality can find a bid. Continue reading “Community Choice Energy Aggregation: Coming soon?”
//The Teaneck Police Department was asked to conduct a report as to traffic and safety on East Tryon Avenue (between Teaneck Road and Crescent Avenue).
Here are the findings:
On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, the Traffic Bureau was asked to conduct a speed survey on East Tryon Avenue between Teaneck Road and Crescent Avenue. This request was prompted by an East Tryon Avenue resident that was concerned about a speeding problem. The resident stated their concerns in an email to Councilman Keith Kaplan. Continue reading “East Tryon Avenue Traffic Study and Police Reports”
//In the State of New Jersey, municipalities may bond up to the debt limit1, which is 3.5% of the equalized valuation2 of taxable real estate.
In plain English: each town adds up the value of all their land, buildings, etc… averaged over the last three years. The limit they can bond is 3.5% of that number. And since the amount each town can bond is relative to their individual valuations, you get a metric that can be compared.
The annual debt statement, allows you to compare neighboring municipalities’ percentage of authorized debt, against each other.
(The data below are pulled from the authorized debt statements submitted to the State)
| Year | Teaneck | Englewood | Bergenfield | Bogota | Hackensack | New Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.877% | 1.717% | 1.24% | 1.648% | 0.982% | |
| 2019 | 0.947% | 1.657% | 0.910% | 1.747% | 1.687% | 1.099% |
| 2018 | 0.826% | 1.818% | 0.520% | 1.279% | 1.273% | 1.128% |
| 2017 | 0.744% | 1.820% | 0.510% | 1.111% | 1.330% | 1.106% |
| 2016 | 0.619% | 1.810% | 0.410% | 1.057% | 1.368% | 0.986% |
| 2015 | 0.605% | 1.809% | 0.423% | 0.841% | 0.881% | 1.022% |
| 2014 | 0.588% | 1.517% | 0.415% | 0.721% | 0.719% | 0.996% |
| 2013 | 0.527% | 1.206% | 0.508% | 0.913% | 0.508% | 0.708% |
| 2012 | 0.487% | 1.069% | 0.534% | 0.913% | 0.698% | 0.506% |
| 2011 | 0.497% | 0.940% | 0.540% | 0.790% | 0.730% | 0.500% |
| 2010 | 0.477% | 0.910% | 0.550% | 0.690% | 0.630% | 0.480% |
//Dear Friends,
Continue reading “We stand in solidarity with our AAPI Community”
//The Settlement with Glenpointe announced and approved by the Township includes:
The full amount the Township is refunding based on the litigation is: $1,711,869 + interest
The chart below indicates the refunds by year, which can also be found in Resolution 58-2021 on the Township’s website.
* While not part of the litigation, years 2011-12 were subject to the “Freeze Act”
