South Orange BOT election

mrincredible said:
If VP Collum is not a Senator by the time she's 50 I'll be deeply disappointed. 

First, a second term as Village President.  She's been the hardest-working Village President we've ever had. 


mrincredible said:
If VP Collum is not a Senator by the time she's 50 I'll be deeply disappointed. 

 I say before 42.


So, I started a different thread to try to get educated about the county portion of our tax bill, which is not insignificant.  The idea that Joe D and the Sheriff are both collecting pensions for the jobs they are doing, while being paid, seems quite wasteful.  I'd love to know how both VP candidates feel about our county and how they feel about double dipping at taxpayer expense.


boomie said:


mrincredible said:
If VP Collum is not a Senator by the time she's 50 I'll be deeply disappointed. 
 I say before 42.

Sheena seems to be a very capable politician and public servant and I wonder if she is interested in higher office.  State Senator Codey is up for re-election in 2021.  I wonder how long he'll keep serving?

Payne isn't likely going anywhere, otherwise I think the House could be a next step also.

But yes I agree I would like to see her continue as our VP for another term!


FilmCarp said:
So, I started a different thread to try to get educated about the county portion of our tax bill, which is not insignificant.  The idea that Joe D and the Sheriff are both collecting pensions for the jobs they are doing, while being paid, seems quite wasteful.  I'd love to know how both VP candidates feel about our county and how they feel about double dipping at taxpayer expense.

 I’m not seeing the thread.  Is it under “all politics”, because I have blocked that category due to all the horrible hateful conversations there?


Yes. It seemed political.


FilmCarp said:
So, I started a different thread to try to get educated about the county portion of our tax bill, which is not insignificant.  The idea that Joe D and the Sheriff are both collecting pensions for the jobs they are doing, while being paid, seems quite wasteful.  I'd love to know how both VP candidates feel about our county and how they feel about double dipping at taxpayer expense.

 As much as I dislike this practice and have voted against these two guys for the last few cycles, it’s not really clear that their double pay increases the cost to the county.   If both of them actually retired and F’d off as we might like, wouldn’t we likely pay the same amount but to two people?   


Red_Barchetta said:
 As much as I dislike this practice and have voted against these two guys for the last few cycles, it’s not really clear that their double pay increases the cost to the county.   If both of them actually retired and F’d off as we might like, wouldn’t we likely pay the same amount but to two people?   

 Until they die.  But it is just unethical.


FilmCarp said:
 Until they die.  But it is just unethical.

 Also, are the previous officeholders currently collecting pensions?  That would be a double payment.


FilmCarp said:
 Also, are the previous officeholders currently collecting pensions?  That would be a double payment.

 I'm not going to take the time to look it up, but it's certainly possible that we're paying 3x or more for any given position.  Part of the problem as I see it is that the pensions kick in at 59 1/2 yrs old.  We need to get involved and change the laws.  


The loophole that allowed DiVincenzo to collect his pension in 2010 while he was still working was closed in 2011, but a grandfather clause allowed him to still collect his pension. But what Fontoura is doing remains legal. 

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/08/31/double-dipping-tricks-cost-millions-in-new-jersey-s-essex-county/

eta - I meant for this post to be in the Essex County thread. 


mrincredible said:


boomie said:

mrincredible said:
If VP Collum is not a Senator by the time she's 50 I'll be deeply disappointed. 
 I say before 42.
Sheena seems to be a very capable politician and public servant and I wonder if she is interested in higher office.  State Senator Codey is up for re-election in 2021.  I wonder how long he'll keep serving?

Payne isn't likely going anywhere, otherwise I think the House could be a next step also.
But yes I agree I would like to see her continue as our VP for another term!

Personally, I think it's time for Codey to move on but he will be in office as long as he wants to run for office.  I find Payne to be ineffective and living off his father's reputation.  Mila Jasey could be the x factor.  


How do you mean x factor?  

So we're agreed, Sheena runs for State Senate in 2021 and serves two terms, becoming President of the NJ Senate.  That gets us to 2029 and her successful gubernatorial run.  After her first term is a wild success she wins reelection in a landslide, but she announces her Presidential bid in 2035.

So interestingly an article about the race between SC and DDF popped up in my Chrome suggested reading feed, from a website called the NJ Globe.  I'd never heard of it, maybe some of y'all have.  Anyway it's a venture by David Wildstein.

Yup, that David Wildstein.

All that aside, the article makes a point to mention DDF's connections with the Essex County Democratic party.



X factor meaning she is approaching 68 years old and I have no idea what she plans on doing.


mrincredible said:
All that aside, the article makes a point to mention DDF's connections with the Essex County Democratic party.

That is concerning. DDF is tight with Joe D. Janine Bauer, from South Orange, is a freeholder. I don't know who Janine is supporting, but she did congratulate DDF on Facebook when DDF announced that she was running for Village President.  

eta - Janine was appointed  freeholder as a caretaker position to fill the seat of Sheila Oliver, who was elected Lt. Gov. Janine is not seeking to be elected for a full term. 


This morning I received a campaign email from Stacey Borden with all the emails in the "to" line... i.e. not BCC-d. I have absolutely NO idea how she got my email address. And I can't be alone in thinking that sending out a mass email without using BCC is a major faux pas. I wasn't necessarily a supporter to begin with but it really turned me off. There's also comic sans in the email which I am certain some people consider to be a major crime. cheese

FWIW, apparently SO Forward has a campaign event today from 11 - 12:30 at 55 Academy, their campaign HQ. 


PurpleMonkeyDshwashr said:
FWIW, apparently SO Forward has a campaign event today from 11 - 12:30 at 55 Academy, their campaign HQ. 

Another first in the era of big money campaigns in SO - a campaign headquarters. How much is that costing? 

PACs, paid outside consultants and campaign headquarters.


cramer said:


PurpleMonkeyDshwashr said:
FWIW, apparently SO Forward has a campaign event today from 11 - 12:30 at 55 Academy, their campaign HQ. 
Another first in the era of big money campaigns in SO - a campaign headquarters. How much is that costing? 
PACs, paid outside consultants and campaign headquarters.

In fairness, we (Pure Progress) had a campaign headquarters downtown in 2007, which I believe is now where Tito's dining area is located.  It was a vacant space at the time and, as I recall, the landlord provided it as an in-kind donation at no cost to the campaign.

That said, I have no idea what the arrangement is for DDF's headquarters.


However, I received 2 robocalls in the past two days from Deborah's campaign, without the required "paid for by" disclosures, which is another campaign finance "no-no".  According to the rules:

"All candidates and committees subject to the Act are required to label all political

communications with a political identification statement (“paid for by” language).
The term “political communication” includes a press release, pamphlet, flyer, form letter,
sign, billboard, paid advertisement printed in any newspaper or other publication or
broadcast on radio or television, or telephone call featuring a recorded message, or
delivered or accessed by electronic means, including, but not limited to, the Internet, or
any other form of advertising directed to the electorate....

The “paid for by” language must contain the name and business or residence address of
the committee, person, or group, and clearly state that the committee, person or group
financed or “paid for” the communication.
"

https://www.elec.nj.gov/pdffiles/forms/compliance/man_cf.pdf


Stacey Borden lost me when she was canvassing for signatures table to table at Bunny’s the night before the deadline. (Much as I love Bunny’s, I tend not to agree with their taste in candidates).


I expressed my strong support for Sheena Collum.  Ms Borden agreed that she has been a very good VP, but suggested that she doesn’t always “dot her i’s and cross her t’s”.  So I asked which decisions Ms Borden disagrees with, and she couldn’t come up with any answer.  


She didn’t get my signature, and my kids got a lesson on polite vetting of candidates. I expect candidates to be able to follow up vague criticisms with at least one specific fact or instance.


Morganna said:
 He came to a SOMA for Animals public meeting when we were discussing backing People for Animals to take over the old JAC. Then he brought Run Jump Lift to temporarily rent the building when at a Town Hall meeting I was told that no temp use could be made of the space. But he got his way. PFA who was helping the town was never even told despite letting the town know they would be putting in a bid as soon as the RFP was out.


When it finally came out all of the gym members came down to lobby for keeping him in.

 Wonders never cease, 2 weeks after posting the above, the liquidation sale was today. Was it even 2 years into the 7 year lease?

So will the old Jersey Animal Coalition building at 298 Walton  be empty again?




I saw on the page for DDF today that she has the support of several surrounding mayor's and freeholders.  I don't think even one of the supporters she thanked in the photo lives in South Orange.  I am more convinced that this is a democratic machine effort to oust our VP.  


FilmCarp said:
I saw on the page for DDF today that she has the support of several surrounding mayor's and freeholders.  I don't think even one of the supporters she thanked in the photo lives in South Orange.  I am more convinced that this is a democratic machine effort to oust our VP.  

The machine (Joe D.) is at work and an outside consultant has been hired to do a smear job on Sheena.  


Disheartening to say the least. What's their beef?


Our VP does not follow lock step with the county.  She questions why county taxes are raised.  She is not part of the machine that rewards people with jobs.  This election, while non partisan, is an attempt to stop progessive politics in Essex County.  It is really disturbing to me, and I hope VP Collum does not take the challenge lightly.


It is my understanding that DDF has hired Steve Lenox as a consultant 

http://www.lenoxconsulting.com/about/steve-lenox/


Any ideas on how those who support Sheena can help? Obviously donations but I'm hanging by my toes like a bat financially, due to my crazy property taxes. Still trying to hang in there.

Is Sheena looking for venues to have meet and greets? Too early for lawn signs?


Morganna said:
Any ideas on how those who support Sheena can help? Obviously donations but I'm hanging by my toes like a bat financially, due to my crazy property taxes. Still trying to hang in there.
Is Sheena looking for venues to have meet and greets? Too early for lawn signs?

 I know she has a lot of meet & greets scheduled. At her campaign kick-off they had volunteer sign ups, I believe they were asking for people to volunteer to make phone calls and also go door to door.


Morganna said:
Any ideas on how those who support Sheena can help? Obviously donations but I'm hanging by my toes like a bat financially, due to my crazy property taxes. Still trying to hang in there.
Is Sheena looking for venues to have meet and greets? Too early for lawn signs?

 The following list of events showed up in my FB feed.  Lawn signs technically are not permitted until 30 days before the election, but I imagine we will start seeing lawn signs from all of the candidates soon...and with so many candidates and slates, I'm guessing it's going to get ugly.


That said, all candidates always want volunteers for people to hand out materials, deliver lawn signs, make phone calls, write letters etc.  Simply email the candidate directly(or message them through FB) if you want to get involved.


While I know Sheena won't take the election lightly or anything for granted, I do believe that her candidacy does have more enthusiasm and support from SO voters. If we look at the VP vote as a referendum on the direction of the town, I think most people are happy with recent developments and management of the last four years, even if imperfect.


I worry about the other BOT positions. Personally, I'm more impressed with the two other slates, at least in terms of credentials and town involvement, than the SO Forward slate. And I think both those trios of candidates, by not being aligned with a VP candidate, risk splitting the vote and giving an advantage to whatever support the SO Forward slate does muster.


Perhaps others with a longer history in town might be able to offer some guidance. When VP candidates have run on their own in the past, do they make some sort of endorsement or forge some unofficial alignment with trustee nominees closer to the election?


MasterP said:
While I know Sheena won't take the election lightly or anything for granted, I do believe that her candidacy does have more enthusiasm and support from SO voters. If we look at the VP vote as a referendum on the direction of the town, I think most people are happy with recent developments and management of the last four years, even if imperfect.


I worry about the other BOT positions. Personally, I'm more impressed with the two other slates, at least in terms of credentials and town involvement, than the SO Forward slate. And I think both those trios of candidates, by not being aligned with a VP candidate, risk splitting the vote and giving an advantage to whatever support the SO Forward slate does muster.


Perhaps others with a longer history in town might be able to offer some guidance. When VP candidates have run on their own in the past, do they make some sort of endorsement or forge some unofficial alignment with trustee nominees closer to the election?

 The only precedent in recent years is when Torpey ran solo for VP, versus a full slate (Janine Bauer for VP, plus Rosner, Levison and Davis Ford running unopposed as Trustees) in 2011

Since there were no additional Trustee candidates, Torpey was not aligned with anyone, but once he was elected as VP, Rosner, Levison and Davis Ford quickly moved to support him.

This year, my opinion is that Sheena would be best served by remaining "independent" and focus on differentiating herself from Deborah, who is her only competitor and letting the Trustee candidates duke it out among themselves.


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