Hayden blocks firefighters, endangers Sussex County

New Jersey has some of the most noxious bureaucrats in America -- renown for using their power to obstruct and destroy worthy projects just for the sake of doing so, to show-off their power, and flex their government muscles.  DEP and DOT are two of the worst offenders.

Curiously, these two have been known to cancel-out their own projects -- government projects -- over a turf war or just to see who has the biggest cojones.  In this, they exhibit the behavior of a pack of primates --threat-facing and throwing feces. 

Everyone respects and admires the vital volunteer work done by first responders and firefighters.  It is essential, life-saving work.  Only a petty, self-important bureaucrat would seek to disrupt that work. 

Such a bureaucrat is William Hayden. 

William J. Hayden (AKA Bill Hayden, Dell Hayden, Skylands Patriot ) is an 18 year public employee of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.  He works as a supervisor, based in Trenton.  Trenton sends him out on the road to regulate -- or rather, retard -- projects.  In  this way, something that should take a few months to complete, takes a few years -- and, of course, a lot more money.

Bill Hayden is the fraud, waste, and abuse the Reason Report talked about when they said how much money it takes NJDOT to do a project.  There is always some smarmy bureaucrat around to add extra time and a few extra millions onto a project.  What is unique about Hayden is that he is both the bureaucrat regulator, delaying and adding costs to DOT projects, and a candidate for office complaining about the added costs he causes as a bureaucrat regulator.  Yes, a real down-and-dirty hypocrite.

Earlier this year, the Frankford Volunteer Fire Company became one of Hayden's victims.  Hayden happened to be riding by the new firehouse they are trying to build.  In was an invitation for Trenton bureaucrat Hayden to lord-over the Sussex County firefighters.  Of course, Hayden found something wrong.  Apparently, the new firehouse driveway was one-foot off from the map.  This happens often enough.  Nearly a third of the properties in America have surveying issues -- and many are a lot more than a foot.

But that didn't stop Hayden from making the firefighters rip-up the driveway and redo it.  Instead of finding a solution that wouldn't cost so much, "Fraud-Waste-and Abuse" Hayden went full bureaucrat on them. 

This is why it costs so much to do anything in New Jersey.  Regulation and bureaucrats like Hayden.

The firefighters are a voluntary organization of people who risk their lives to protect their fellow citizens.  They are an asset to their community.  They invested a great deal of money into their new facility and every regulatory, bureaucratic delay affects the fiscal well-being of the organization. 

Torturing the firefighters over the driveway wasn't enough  for Hayden, he "found" other problems too.  Some speculate that he has a personal grudge against the firefighters, while others say it is just business as usual at the DOT.  Either way, isn't it time to order DOT bureaucrat regulators to work with important community assets like firefighters and first responders?  Instead of this "gotcha" mentality, why not smooth the way and help to get the project completed?

Hayden has responded by claiming that "the firehouse were out of conformance with their permit, and it was expired."  Well then Mr. Trenton Bureaucrat, GET THEM A NEW ONE ASAP!  Help them back into "conformance" -- this isn't a bordello we are talking about, Bill Hayden, it is a FIRE HOUSE!!!  We can do without a bordello, but a fire house is pretty darn important.

And what Trenton bureaucrat Hayden doesn't tell you is that it was his dicking around that led to the firehouse being out of "conformance" and wasting time so that its permit expired.  Hayden tries to blame his actions on legal concerns -- when he caused the delays that led to them. 

As a DOT supervisor, Hayden pockets a salary and extras more each year than any legislator earns -- plus full benefits and a pension.  Hayden is a member of the CWA -- one of the most liberal unions in America.  Hayden's union has endorsed leftwing Democrat Phil Murphy for Governor.

Hayden doesn't care enough about the issues to fill out questionnaires from the NRA or New Jersey Right to Life.  And Hayden doesn't vote much.  He made it last November, but the last time before that was 2010.  Now he thinks we should give him a second public job -- as our legislator.

Hayden is being aided and abetted by two cronies -- Nathan Orr and David Atwood -- who have chosen to endorse Hayden on the issues -- especially on those he doesn't care about.  Orr and Atwood applaud Hayden's lewd behavior and dirty tactics, and for that reason are running a joint campaign with him. 

Hayden is the Fraud-Waste-and Abuse at DOT that the Reason Report talked about.  He is a drain on taxpayers and especially, on property tax payers.

DOT career bureaucrat Hayden claims DOT is corrupt

William J. Hayden (AKA Bill Hayden, Dell Hayden, Skylands Patriot ) is an 18 year public employee of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.  He works as a supervisor, based in Trenton, where he pockets a salary and extras more each year than any legislator earns -- plus full benefits and a pension.  Hayden is a member of the CWA -- one of the most liberal unions in America.

He doesn't vote much.  He made it last November, but the last time before that was 2010.  Now he thinks we should give him a second public job -- as our legislator.

This week, Hayden and his two cronies -- Nathan Orr and David Atwood -- ran a paid political campaign ad in a Morris County newspaper.

In the campaign ad, Hayden makes the claim that he sees "wasteful spending first hand."  Of this, we have no doubt. 

But why is it that Hayden, as a Trenton-based DOT supervisor, over the past 18 years, NEVER reported this waste?  Hayden never blew-the-whistle on the corruption he claims to witness, every day.  Why not?

Does Hayden approve of the corruption he claims to have witnessed?  Is he just one of those good-old-boys who goes-along-to-get-along?  Perhaps he is part of the corrupt process himself?  Maybe Bill Hayden is the problem?

Right now, the legislative budget committees are holding hearings in Trenton that will determine how much bureaucracies like the Department of Transportation get to spend.  Hayden is a Trenton bureaucrat.  The committees should ask him to testify about the waste he claims to have witnessed.  Maybe they'll prune his department and cut a few jobs, cut out the waste, and save some taxpayers' money.

It's been 18 years.  18 years of waste and corruption.  It shouldn't take 18 years to speak up.  It shouldn't take running for office to speak up.  We shouldn't have to read about it in a vague, non-specific newspaper ad asking for votes.  It is the job of every American to fight government waste and corruption -- and the fight is every day.  Not just when you are running for office.  Not once in 18 years.

Candidate Hayden broke DOT rules to run

William J. Hayden (AKA Bill Hayden, Dell Hayden, Skylands Patriot ) is an 18 year public employee of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.  He works as a supervisor, based in Trenton, where he pockets a salary and extras more each year than any legislator earns -- plus full benefits and a pension.  Hayden is a member of the CWA -- one of the most liberal unions in America.

He doesn't vote much.  He made it last November, but the last time before that was 2010.  Now he thinks we should give him a second public job -- as our legislator.

The Department of Transportation has certain simple rules.  Before you contemplate running for partisan elected office, you are supposed to notify the executive office.  It is the same when you have any form of outside employment that might cut in on the time you are paid working for the taxpayers.  It is plainly written, in black and white, in the Ethics Manual that all DOT employees must abide by:

The NJ Department of Transportation Code of Ethics states:  "Employees who intend to run for partisan elective public office must submit an Outside Employment /Activities (PR-102) Form to supervision and the Ethics Liaison Officer prior to becoming a candidate for such office." (Page 20, under Political Activity)

Somehow the media missed this when they reported on March 31st that Hayden had announced his intention to run a day earlier and was collecting signatures.  On April 2nd, the Herald posted a story that announced Hayden was a candidate. 

But even at that late date, Hayden had failed to follow the Ethics rules and had not notified DOT superiors or the Ethics Liaison Officer.  In typical Hayden bully fashion, he just did whatever he wanted to do and to hell with the rules.

In fact, according to DOT records obtained through the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), Hayden took his time and didn't follow Ethics rules.  He filed and was on the ballot (April 3rd) and was still in the middle of an Ethics process that should have occurred prior to him even circulating a petition to run for partisan elected office.

We guess the rules don't apply for some people.  Or some people don't think they do.  But that doesn't stop Hayden from laying down rules for everyone else -- as those who have had to deal with his high-handed manner as a DOT supervisor will attest.  And now he wants even more power to make rules for people that he will not follow himself.

Property Tax rise of at least $100 for Sussex County

The loss of $4.9 million in county-wide road resurfacing funds paid for by the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) would blow a hole in the county's budget and, unless offset by cuts to staff and programs, a property tax hike of at least $100 for the average county property tax payer.  And it goes up from there depending on what town you live in. 

An $8 million project on Route 23 that directly affects Hamburg and Wantage is among those TTF funded DOT projects that have been shut down.

Two projects in Andover Township and one in Andover Borough will cost property tax payers a half million dollars in all.  One of those projects is rock mitigation -- preventing boulders from crashing into automobiles using the road.  Byram is losing a million dollars that will have to come from the pockets of local property tax payers.  Branchville is losing $150,000.

Franklin Borough will lose two Main Street projects funded by the TTF worth over $320,000. Frankford loses $220,000.  Fredon loses $195,000.  Hampton loses $200,000.

Hardyston was to get several infrastructure projects worth $660,000 -- they're gone now.  Hopatcong loses $195,000.  Montague loses $310,000. Lafayette loses $330,000.  Newton loses $80,000.   Sussex Borough is losing $35,000 and Stanhope is losing its part of a $490,000 project.

Stillwater loses $195,000.  Sandyston loses its part of a $300,000 project.  Vernon loses $245,000,  And Wantage property taxpayers take an enormous hit with a loss of two projects worth $1.2 million -- including the repair of an aging bridge.

Since 1988, New Jersey has charged drivers just 14 1/2 cents a gallon of gasoline to maintain and improve its roads and bridges.  States like Pennsylvania need to charge drivers over 50 cents a gallon to maintain their roads and bridges.  Instead of adjusting its gas tax for inflation, New Jersey borrowed to repair its roads and bridges.  Because of this borrowing, the first 10 cents of any gas tax increase will be needed just to pay interest on that debt.

With the threat of a property tax explosion of as much as 40 percent hanging over New Jerseyeans heads, for months Senator Steve Oroho has been laboring in negotiations with the Democrat majority in the Legislature to find a way to fund the TTF and cut taxes.  Governor Chris Christie recently joined those negotiations, along with Republicans like Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick and Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon.

Fueled by media hype, those negotiations have reached an impasse and without a funding source, the Governor was forced to shut down the TTF last week.