More then just a building!

While I was gathering accomplishments of the current administration, Teaneck Progress beat me to it.

The only thing I can add to her list is a simple time frame. That is that her list was pretty impressive, especially since they have only been in office for less then 14 months! Most impressive is that this has been accomplished with the "dirty dozen" detractors killing a solid hour every meeting to rip the council on everything under the sun but progress.

I am excited for the future of Teaneck. I am confident that this Council will have a lot more allies now that the new tax bills have been mailed. One example is the recent vote on the Glenpointe building.

On to that subject. I received a few forwarded emails this weekend from the usual detractors about this property. I am quite the proponent of this project as can be expected, but not just because it is an $800,000 ratable. I believe the benefits are far greater and include:

A further contribution to the Township's coffers based on the new sewer ordinance for large users

As this building will bring thousands of new workers to the complex, it will not only increase the occupancy and revenue of the hotel (making for a higher assessment) but will also contribute further to the townships coffers via the hotel occupancy tax.

As this building will further make the complex an office park destination, it will further increase the occupancy and assessment of the other office buildings.

As all of the above take place, the surrounding new residential developments, many with high vacancies, will fill up and have increased value and assessment.

None of the above will further burden our existing Township services (so lets end that discussion before it starts) for the following reason:

Parking- there is plenty of it. Here is something you may not know- the top floor of the current parking garage has been leased to a car dealership for storage as the spaces are not needed.

School- obviously the office complex does not use the school, and the nearby developments are smaller units not child friendly. As a matter of fact, a larger business presence will increase the business/ school mentor programs, civic donations etc.

Police- the police presence/ response etc for the complex is minimal (even with the hotel) and as such will not require additional hires. Any increased calls can be covered with existing sector patrols.

Ambulance- does not cost the township

Fire- Not only will fire calls be minimal, but any new inspections, etc are covered by the associated fees for same. No new hires will be needed, and any calls will simply be a cost of fuel. Considering the response is from Station # 3 at Degraw and Teaneck Road, once again this does not drain the township.

As far as the three homes that border the site, unless they owned the property before the Redevelopment Agency began its work decades ago, there is no apologies needed. You cannot make an argument that they bought their home not realizing this would go up, unless they did not do their research. If you argue that they bought their house because they thought there would be only 6 story building and now there is a 13 story building, well, join the dirty dozen because that is outright sad. If you argue that this will ruin their view, consider they are at the intersection of two of the nations busiest interstates. Not nearby- directly AT!

See you at the ground breaking!

Thinking time

As we head into the last two months of August when folks traditionally head out of town, i ask everybody to put on their thinking caps and come up with ideas on how to improve Teaneck going forward.

But, (and while i hate to take a step back) did everybody notice that once again Ron Schwartz has a letter in the Suburbanite?

The witch hunt continues! How dare you think of progress at such times!

This is starting to get unbearable! As I have said here and on other blogs, continuing to talk about this just gives these people want they want- attention. Like dealing with a toddler.

Below is an email that was forwarded to me and is floating around town.

Once again I ask of these people- please use the creative juices that you apparently have to come up with some ideas (lets work off the recent sewer ordinances, budget trimmings etc) and lets get progress moving.

I stopped in at the Planning Board hearing regarding 1515 Teaneck Road- what a disaster. It was a free for all with people almost a half a mile down Shepard complaining about flooding in their basements! As I looked around the room, I felt sorry for the crowd- sorry because once day this week they will get a small simple notice in the mail- the tax man has cometh. And their tax bill of $5200 will jump to $9400- and what will their Block Association President (with her TCCP backers) say then? How will they somehow craft this scenario into an attack on the current Council?

Here it is:

Dear Friends and Community Leaders,
As you know, at a meeting with the prosecutor's office testimony was given regarding illegal election activity. Names were named and still no action was taken to interview those in question Further, it appears, mailings were sent to members of our community by bogus organizations asking the community to vote no on the school budget.

We are meeting Monday night at the home of Sandie Ekhause and Joe Harris, 267 Griggs Ave. (201) 801-0632 at 7:00p.m. to discuss ways of keeping pressure on the Bergen County prosecutor's office. We need to involve the entire community. The illegal interference in Teaneck's non-partisan electoral and voting process cannot be tolerated.

The agenda will be focused on developing a strategic plan long and short term. Please try to attend. Your input and perspective as community leaders is invaluable to the cause.



With appreciation,
Sandie Ekhause
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Hi Neighbor's, This is related to our previous local election. Illegal literature was sent to resident's in the orthodox community only. The intention was to scare those residents with inflammatory anti orthodox rhetoric. This placed fear among that community. They(our majority male council members) allegedly violated state laws.The law is that all candidates must put a return address and the sponsors name on campaign literature. There is also allegedly some affiliation with the head of the democratic party and campaign contributions for pay to play. Pay to Pay and contracts given to special interest groups is at the forefront of this issue. The favors are given to developers in return for campaign contributions. This is why the resident's must protect the Town against all of this type of corruption. This is also related to the Birdsall group that our council hired to do an economic analysis of this town. They made $87.000 of our tax dollars. Their independence is in question. The question has arisen, can the public trust what they have recommended to be put in our Master Plan(for our future). Please read the opinion page of the suburbanite . This story was in last weeks suburbanite and this weeks as well(look under Zucker). They may run this story possibly soon in the Record. WE WILL BE VIGILANT. WE WILL NOT LET TEANECK TURN INTO FT LEE, EDGE WATER OR ENGLEWOOD. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. "THERE IS NO PROGRESS WITHOUT STRUGGLE" (FREDERICK DOUGLASS).

The Rag

The Suburbanite its getting worse and worse.

As previously indicated, I am a strong supporter of moving on- lets make Teaneck better, not talk about what occurred in the past.

So we had our "Pastramigate" conspiracy (as was emailed to me by a poster- keep them coming at teanecktruth@gmail .com )which i will not discuss here.

Just when I hoped it had died down, "The Rag" thinks its funny and publishes it again the next week!!!

And now, according to other bloggers, The Rag continues to talk about it!!

What can we do to get this garbage off our lawns??

And I leave you all with my one conspiracy theory- Why is the Suburbanite filled with so much alleged hate of the Orthodox? Is it because I have NEVER seem a kosher advertiser?? Is this all a game about money?

The time has come to move on....

Teaneck as we know it is about to change! Teaneck Tax bills are about to be mailed with the new assessments based on the "reval"

Some thoughts, predictions etc:

1- There will be an uproar in the northeast portion of Town. This was a result of the sharp increase in unimproved homes from the last reval until now.

2- The same detractors (or shall we call them the good and welfare buddies) will start screaming and accusing the new council of doing nothing

3- There will be cries of discrimination from the Shepard Avenue Association (discriminate if you build, and discriminate if you tax...hmmmm....). They will try to make a play to lead the Northeast, while the Northern Teaneck Road Alliance (Langford et al) who have been diligently working on stimulating economic development will hopefully prove victorious (for all of Teaneck's sake)

4- Hopefully Councilwomen Kates, Honis and Parker will start working with the other Councilmen (I broke up the group by sex, but that's okay since its not by religion) rather then fighting them and playing to the crowd. Hey Monica- its not too late for an Emmy! Get another performance in before the mail comes!

5- Teaneck continues to work on improving relations and fostering partnerships with the County (oh the big bad monster) and the State.

Where we buy our houses

Caution- this post will bring up some very serious issues that may offend people- but it is the truth and it must be said!

In the previous post a question was posed to me which asked if I would like the condos built in my neighborhood.

So here goes- When looking for a house with my spouse years ago, we were definitely attracted to the lower prices of some homes on busier streets. We decided however, that we did not want to live on a busy road. Why? We knew cars would be shooting down the street at all hours and speeds. We also looked at house off of Queen Anne Road, but I didn't want commuter parking on my block. I looked at a house next to a public school, but then realized that the empty lot was going to be used by the school for parking, recess and ball or possibly expansion.

I then moved to a slightly less desirable area, but was able to get a beautiful house. There were some warnings from friends as to what the downsides were to that area, but i knew about it going in and liked the price.

What i don't understand about numerous complainers in Teaneck is when they get a good deal on a home, say next to the Stop and Shop parking lot, or next to a closed soap factory, and then when the owner wants to utilize the property, whether it be building up or out, the homeowner goes crying how 1- his neighborhood fabric is being ruined, 2- how he moved to Teaneck for its beauty and its being destroyed 3- you get the point.

The American Legion (Stop & Shop) issue is really on point- for gods sake you bought a house next to a vacant industrial building adjoining a parking lot. In regards to the Teaneck Road condo- you bought your home 3 houses off of Teaneck Road next to a restaurant.

What did you expect???
(Told you it will be truthful, possibly offensive but most importantly a serious situation that must be discussed)