You are so right Mark on all of your points. It is so easy to just sit back and criticize. Negative statements only breed more negativity. I have stated numerous times, I wish they would be part of the solution instead of always being the negative naysayers!

Thanks, about to correct this report.

Hi Ryan, it's not really clear if the clerk is referring to local ordinance or to state statute when rejecting the petitions nor is it clear which state law the mayor is referring to, so I will follow up on this. What I did was write it as "Rules on development states....."

Thanks for following up Sharon. I'm sure the clerk would be able to provide the legal citation for you.

Hi, Ryan. It's been corrected. I am always happy to make corrections and make full public disclosures on my mistakes.

Thanks again Sharon. This particular fact is important to get right because (as you can see in comments) some folks are trying to blame town officials for this ruling, when it's a state-level matter. Glad to see it corrected.

Mr. Geltzeiler,
Obviously, you haven't done your research. The residents who submitted the petitions to the town clerk have 10 additional days to resubmit the petitions with noted corrections.
I recall you or your employer once having something to do with underwriting bonds from the town. If I am correct, your underlying position is job security for you and your family, not fellow residents?

my position and job security has nothing from nothing to do with underwriting bonds, you need to do your research voice. Read the article again and it states, "Rules on development states that any ordinance that pertains to local redevelopment or housing cannot be changed through referendum," you can have the ten days, it doesnt change a thing.

@ Mick Erickson: Your characterization is untrue as "these guys" have never bailed on anything.

To the comntrary, they've hung tough for nearly a decade.

@Gary "as "these guys" have never bailed on anything" really why did construction? .

"To the comntrary, they've hung tough for nearly a decade" really is that why that are back out are table asking the finance their risk?

@ Mick Erickson:

Prism didn't "bail on West Orange," a significant portion of their financing evaporated with th 2008 financial meltdown and they've been increasing their financial position ever since.

They've been eager to proceed the entire time and a previous funding plan was advanced two years ago but, was not even entertained by the Council.

The "concessions" you speak of are relatively modest in nature, as the general plan for the structure really hasn't been effective and otherwise relate to a common sense adjustment based on market changes.

Through all of this Prism, has continue to pay +/- $400,000 a year in property taxes on a property it has already invested $60 Million in, without its generating a penny of income since they acquired it.

That's hardly bailing out on us, Mick.

@ Jersey Teapot-Party:

Prism never bailed and isn't asking West Orange "to finance their risk."

What the Township has agreed to do is to provide $6.3 Million in bonding to finance the cost of mandatory, substantially town-owned infrstructure that it would have been responsible to upgrade and maintain in the normal course of events.

In doing so now, it has a dedicated way to pay for it, through income from the PILOT program and a special assessment on the property.

Again, the nature of a redevlopment program is such that it is supposed to be a public-private partnership.

The evaporation of Pyramid's financing isn't the town's problem, let free markets operate. I call BS on "modest concession" and it certainly isn't common sense! It is just another avenue for government and corporations to collude for their personal gains while they steal the wealth of the people. If the breaks are so "modest" give them too current residents first!! They should have to pay taxes we all other property owners had too! People in town lost jobs, reduced pay etc, but still had to pay taxes!! Some even had houses foreclosed on and still had to pay taxes. And our taxes went up not down like the value of our properties! So Pyramid made a bad investment and can't manage their projects properly. Its not our responsibility to finance their problems. How about we finance the peoples problems, a bond for the people of $6.5 Mill?
If the bond goes thru we are financing their risk! What happens if they don't pay, who gets left holding the debt. Let them go get money from a bank if it is such a great deal! Your "private-public" partnership is another legal term for government and business collusion to steal from the taxpayer. Governments have done millions of these projects yet the taxpayer never gets a financial benefit. Trickle down has consistently been a huge failure for the people, while it increases mega wealth for the elite. Show me one deal like this that has ever benefited the taxpayer by reducing our taxes! Just one Gary in all of our history!

@ Mick Erickson: Clearly, you neither understand nor care that nothing has if will be done on the Edison site, Why? Because its historic designation and environtmental concerns require an investment of $32 Million over and above what the property could possibly be worth on buildout.

It is for this reason the redevelopment zone was created and the alternative is to do nothing and let a minolithic eyesore remain as the center of our downtown corridor.

@ Mick Erickson: (anonymous Internet poster who leaves his credentials to the imagination) I do not now, nor wil I ever, draw a goverment pension.

Oh that we all had crysal balls to forsee the futurem but, we don't and the environmental damage done at the Edison site occurred decades before such things were a concern or on anybody's radar screen.

I'm all for free markets, however, this is a project that simply can't succeed without the tax abatement and incentives provided through the redevelopment designation and applicable laws.

Lastly, please do keep in mind that the Township invited Prism here with the promise of tax abatement/assistance in return for their developing the property.

The rest of your rambling is just so much inconsequential nonsense.

@ Mick Erickson: I am neither avoiding the truth nor supporting foolish spending and, again, I'm drawing no government pension (state or federal) of any kind. I also abhor the inherent cowardice of posting from behind a psuedonym and understand the efficacy of one being a credible source with verifiable credentials. Accordingly, I don't hide who I am and provide enough information for those who care to verify that I just might be in a better position to know what I'm talking about than someone living here only since 2004.

Absent from your little rant suggesting our government is ignoring the will of the people is the undeniable fact that a succession of pro-development local officials have been repeatedly elected and re-elected. Give the power and authority to examine the issues and make decisions on the electorate's behalf, they have done so. Majority rule is the essence of democracy in action.

We can debate this ad nauseum but, your subjective personal opinions about Edison Village creating indordinate demands on the Board of Ed or other municipal services are without basis in fact.

"First do no harm," is the essential precept of the Hippocratic Oath. Government's primary mission is to provide collective services and support for the common good that no individual or group can possibly provide for themselves.

Edison Village is an example of just that and, after 50 years of discussion and debate, I look forward to it coming to fuition for the benefit of all.

@ Mick Erickson: Not wishing to invite someone of your demeanor to dinner or watch a baseball game, I wouldn't waste a whole lot of time and effort trying to determine if you're a real human being (who are few and far between around here), let alone track you down.

It is rather clear that your paranoid delusions suggest you are best suited to cashing in all your chips, buying a pick-up truck, stuffing it with canned goods, camping equipment and guns, then heading for the Rockies to live off the grid in a survivalist commune. Clearly, civilized society isn't your cup of tea.

My guess, however, is that your lack of training and expertise in martial matters and living off the land would make you no more suited for that life than this.

Will, I am as fed up as you with high taxes. My point was merely that Karen is probably the most efficient town clerk around, much to the dismay of many people running events in town. I dont even know the woman, I just know that she is extremely dilligent. I have no problem changing the status quo, that is good for any town.

As for posting on websites, don't be so sure. People looking for houses today immediately go to google and see what they can find out about a town. people posting negative comments does not bode well for anytown let alone West Orange.

My problem with this whole issue is I have not heard the dissenters provide any tangible option. Their answer is always just,, we dont want it. That place has been an eyesore for 30 years, it is about time someone does something with it.

Come up with a plan, i will be glad to listen, as long as it is realistic.

The problem you fail to recognize is that many residents in West Orange are beyond "eating rice and beans every night". WO residents have had to choose between paying the taxes or putting food on the table, WO seniors are forced to make the choice between paying for their life sustaining medications or paying the taxes, families are losing their homes.

There are approximately 600 homes for sale in WO with 200 of those a result of foreclosure. People cannot afford your tax and spend platform and ideas Mr. Paulson.

How you could be so callous and uncaring of the good people of West Orange is simply mind boggling to us all Mr. Paulson. Why do you dislike the hard working honest families of West Orange?

@Alison no disrespect but can you site where you got your numbers from on the foreclosures. I think your number seems a little excessive.

Will, 90 percent of kids in Glen Ridge go home to two parents who have an intense interest for education. In West Orange, about 25% of the students are living in home with only one parent. Many of them are out working 2-3 jobs. The level of education of the parents in the 2 towns is not the same. At parent teacher conferences in West Orange, the parents who do attend go to find out how their children are doing. In Glen Ridge every parent goes to point out ways that the teachers can improve their teaching. Parents are in control of the meetings. I have experienced this as a teacher. it is terrifying for the teachers. I once gave a student a 97 and a parent demanded an explanation why the student didn't get a perfect paper. Every kid is expected to go to a four year college. God help you if you mess up the average by allowing your child to enlist in the army. We have a good school system. It isn't the best but many factors make it what it is. I can assure you that the problems are primarily caused from circumstances away from school and not from the teachers. They really are trying their best with the situation that they have.

Ralph I see nothing wrong with it either. All I am saying is that parents in West Orange are not as involved with every breath that their children take in comparison to parents as a hole in other communities. That isn't the schools fault. Parents who are involved with their children's education find ways to make any school system work. People without kids, who are just concerned about property tax increases, won't be satisfied until schools are privately owned and self sufficient.

@ Will Rod: You really should disabuse yourself of the notion that you (or anyone else) can "inspire others" to do anything while hiding behind a screen name.

People don't follow phantoms, they follow leaders.

Ralph below... two years of zero percent town budget increase, last year's BOE budget saved taxpayers money. Layoffs, cutbacks, attrition, shared services, grants... I don't get how you can't appreciate that. Your bottom line, then, is what? Do our utlility bills go down? Our state taxes? Our federal taxes? Food? Why does everyone act like it's our property taxes that are the only problem?

Will, you are absolutely correct, West Orange has a huge spending problem. We have a mayor who promised to "hold the line on property taxes" in 2010 and he has failed to live up to that commitment. We have a BOE that thinks the taxpayers of WO are ATM machines. We have Council persons who have never heard the word "no" and are yet to pass up an opportunity to spend more taxpayer dollars needlessly.

It is time to stop the spending and start reducing the taxes. We need to elect people who can get the job done and not the empty suits we have now.

OK, you get right on that. Maybe get better legal advice this time.

@ Andrew Johnson: Given that there has been no malfeasance or misfeasance by any of our local elected officials that would possibly warrant recall, let alone necessitating an investigation by the Attorney General or any other law enforcement entity, neither will ever happen.

Those suggestions, and the rest of your post, is just so much nonsense.

well said portman! I too love the diversity in WO! Thanks for not going without a fight. We need more like you.

@ Will Rod:

"History is filled with people who spoke out?"

Well, Willie, I'm more than happy with the "status quo" because not only have I spoken out (and continue to) but, those I support for public office have enough courage of conviction to do the same and put their names, faces and reputations behind what they say.

I'm also astute enough to know nonsense when I hear, see or read it and most of what you post is precisely that...and to top it all off, it's anonymous.

In 1997, a group of people { me included} obtained thousands of signatures to get a Change in the Form of Government question on the ballot . A group mounted a court challenge to the validity of some signatures . You know how it's your right to be given ten days to correct signatures ? I was never contacted by Town Clerk NancyO'Hara. See, Nancy didn't have tenure yet . Of course she got it. Years later ,she retired with a well over 6 figure salary. No one else anywhere on earth would have paid her anything close to that. Anyhow, this group challenged some signatures by interrogating and obtaining statements from private citizens about those citizens voluntary signatures on a lawful petition . In 1999 ,I wrote in The Chronicle " The people who did that have never come forward, and they never will, because they're cowards ." It's 14 years and counting . Were the Concerned Citizens taking their marching orders from John Mckeon ? Absolutely. You see, one night my son and I attended the "Suspend Bobby Spina " candlelight vigil to offer support. As the vigil was breaking up, who should pull up in his car but John Mckeon . The adoring crowd rushed to greet him .Clearly, this was their leader. A well known Concerned Citizen who was there with her then - husband said to Mckeon " How are we doing John, ?' Mckeon said " You're doing good. Keep it up,don't stop, it's working " In 1998 , Mckeon was elected Mayor . The payoff was swift in coming, and exceedingly generous.

The Change of Government initiative was nothing more than a thinly veiled plan for an incumbent under pressure to retain power and have a stalwart supporter return to the Council after her defeat the year prior.

How?

By electing Councilmen by wards and having a mayor chosen from among them.

It's surely a paradox that one could belatedly claim to have supported removal of that incumbent's son as chief of police (as that appointment was central to his malfeasance/misfeasance and the scrutiny he was under) while supporting an intiative that would have allowed him to retain power.

Insofar as anyone being notified (by the the Municipal Clerk) that there was time to address petition signatures, it was unecessary; though challenged in court, the challenge did not prevail and the petition was certified as sufficient.

Accordingly, a referendum to change our form of municipal government appeared on the ballot in November 1997 and was handily defeated, by a better that 2-1 margin.

Name one thing the teachers have done "For the kids " and the kids parents ? A longer work day and/or year ? No! Just the opposite. Higher standards ? Measurable standards ? Reductions in benefits ? Pay freezes ? They accept the money and benefits, but they don't accept culpability . There has been FIFTY years of profound failure in many districts . Do they concede they're even partially to blame and allow the children a means of escape ? The teachers say "We're doing all we can . The schools are failing because of no-show parents , community apathy , socio- economics, and a lack of funding."They prepare the children for every occupation they don't moonlight at . I complained several times about teachers who were grading but not correcting papers . Finally I got action . That's why public school teachers put their children in private schools at a ratio of two to one to the general public. Since they have sufficient tax dollars at their disposal,why should they subject their children to the crap they're dishing out to other people's children ? I have seen nothing that's " For the kids ".Why doesn't the "If you don't like it leave" crowd say anything negative about the hundreds if not thousands of town and school employees who have cleared out or refuse to live here ? Answer ; Because they have an agenda. A clearly self -serving , ultimately destructive agenda.

@ Wil Rod: Not only do I not spout nonsense, I know how to stay on topic and this partiular discussion is about a citizen petititon failing to get certified.

I have every faith that the Boad of Education has not done anything immoral, unethical or illegal in the formulation of its budget, which is reviewed both locally and by the state DOE.

Why don't you trot on down to a Board meeting and address your questions there?

Of course, you will be required to put a name, face and address behind them.

@ Wil Rod:

"As usual (I) have nothing factual to add?"

Hardly. I've given rather sage advice by advising you to take your concerns and questions directly to the subject matter experts, the West Orange Board of Ed.

You can do so at its next meeting.

Meanwhile, you continue to mix apples and oranges here with a discussion not part of the subject at hand, which is redevelopment.

On that score, your concerns about Edison Village adversely effecting you property tax bill are simply unfounded.

i rather doubt any reader needs nor wants to hear the amateur pyschoanslysis of anyone by another lacking the requisite credentials to render such an evaluation, let alone any credentials or record of accomplishment in anything else.

The subject here is not Gary Englert nor Sam Spina, though Mr. Prignano is wont to push any discussion in whatever direction his delusional rants take him...and the delusions are obviated by his suggestion that we've ever had a direct conversation with one and other, as we most certainly have not.

Actually, I think the readers rather enjoy these strolls down memory lane. And they serve as a reminder that Mr. Englert continually overstates his accomplishments as he never did more than organize a mob lighting candles on the steps of town hall.

There's Memory Lane and then there's Selective Memory Lane and, rather than confuse the two, folks would be well advised to access some news media archives when trying to confirm recent historical facts.

Neither a steroid abusing, failed gym owner, stay at home Mr. Moms nor cowardly, anonymous Internet nitwit are credible sources for much of anything.