Doherty bill makes Sussex schoolchildren suffer

A "fair school funding" bill backed by Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) would cut funding to some of Sussex County's biggest school districts, causing property taxes to explode. This is according to the bill's own website.

If you live in one of Sussex County's populous suburban municipalities -- like Vernon or Hopatcong -- you will see a decrease in the amount of your income tax dollars returned to you by Trenton.  The same goes if you live in one of the county's older boroughs -- like Franklin, Ogdensburg, Sussex, and Hamburg.  Even if you live in a farming community like Wantage, you will see the money for your children's education slashed by Doherty and replaced with the need for higher property taxes.

According to the website put up with the Doherty bill, the best towns like these can look forward to is this:  "The Fairness Formula may not result in a decrease of property taxes for your town, however there are other solutions to lowering municipal government costs."

 

What does cutting the cost of municipal government have to do with school funding?  They are two different things.  Now if we are talking about finding ways to lower education costs or the costs associated with school boards, that is more to the point, but this is just out and out b.s. 

 

But it is typical Doherty.

 

Senator Doherty talks cost cutting when what he really means to do is to cut our children's school money and force us to raise property taxes to make up for it.

The "real fair school funding" bills are ACR46 and SCR35.  Senator Steve Oroho (R-24), Assemblyman Parker Space (R-24), and Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus (R-24) are all co-sponsors of this legislation.  Senator Doherty once championed these bills too, before he decided to go with legislation he thought had a better chance of success. Unfortunately, what Doherty went with hurts the children of Sussex County.

Is Senator Doherty a "bad" man?  No.  What Senator Doherty is doing is called compromising.  In return for a general perceived good, some are being harmed.  

For example.  In 2009, Mike Doherty ran on a ticket that advocated replacing New Jersey's progressive income tax with a flat tax.  Like President Reagan's user fees, the flat tax is a very conservative idea.  But some Republicans objected and claimed that it would only help the rich.  They said that it would raise taxes on 70 percent of New Jerseyeans. Others said it would save the average New Jerseyean $1,000 a year and would help to grow the economy.  There were good, honest advocates in both camps.  Of course, the argument could be made that Mike Doherty wanted to raise taxes on 70 percent of New Jerseyeans -- doubling the taxes for some.

 Let us know.  We are always interested in your thoughts and ideas.  Write to us at: info@sussexcountywatchdog.com

Candidate forgets to show at debate, blames others

Green Party candidate for Assembly Kenneth Collins failed to show up to a debate that has been an annual fixture in Ogdensburg for more than two decades.  The debate, which featured both candidates for Assembly and for Freeholder, was held on Tuesday night, October 13th. 

Instead of just owning up to his mistake (and mistakes happen to everybody), candidate Collins went off on the event's volunteer organizer, a retired school teacher.  Collins claimed he was given the "brush off" by the organizer and blamed others for getting the date wrong, despite the fact that this event was advertised in the Herald (with the correct date) a week ago.

Ogdensburg hosting candidates' forum

Posted: Oct 05, 2015 10:52 PM EDT Updated: Oct 08, 2015 11:34 PM EDT

By ROB JENNINGS

OGDENSBURG -- Sussex County's longest-running candidates' forum returns next week with a twist, in that time will be set aside for attendees to ask questions.

Moderator John Kibildis, organizer of the annual event for more than a quarter-century, said he stopped allowing questions several years ago because supporters of various candidates were manipulating the process.

Upon reflection, Kibildis decided to take a leap of faith and allow questions Oct. 13, when the candidates for New Jersey Assembly, Sussex County freeholder, Ogdensburg council and Ogdensburg school board will appear at the forum.

"I think it's important," said Kibildis, 71, a retired educator who taught for 38 years at the Ogdensburg Elementary School.

Kibildis was the borough's mayor from 1981 to 1985. He launched the candidates' forums not long after leaving office.

A registered Democrat, Kibildis does not endorse candidates.

The event organizer made it very clear that he would include independent and minor party candidates if they took the trouble to contact him.  In fact, two independent candidates for Freeholder did and they were included in the debate.  Collins either didn't or did and then failed to show up.  Either way, he was a no-show Tuesday night and then tried to shift the blame to the organizer.

Oddly, because they should know better, the New Jersey Herald looks like they are taking Collins' side in this dispute by pulling comments from its website that set the record straight and leaving those comments by Collins that impugn the reputation of the event's organizer.