Thursday, May 16, 2013
County will apply for loan through CDBG to boost ratable base
Adoption of the county budget was once again postponed, as the county recently became aware of possible funding that could boost its ratable base, which was drastically cut due to Superstorm Sandy. The Ocean County Freeholders approved a resolution at its regular meeting Wednesday allowing the county to apply for funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Actually, it’s good news,” Freeholder Director John P. Kelly said. The funding would come from CDBG, separate from the grants the county receives annually through the program. The money is for communities whose ratable base diminished by more than 5 percent because of the superstorm, county Business Administrator Carl Block said. “We may be able to incorporate…
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Measure would have delayed hikes for five more years
An amendment aimed at halting federal flood insurance rate hikes for five years has been blocked in the U.S. Senate. The amendment, introduced by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) was blocked from coming to a vote Tuesday by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Amendments in the U.S. Senate require what is known as "unanimous consent" before a vote can take place, meaning a single member can block a vote from occurring. Toomey told the New Orleans Times-Picayune Tuesday that he objected to changing reforms put in place last year because he supports the move to "diminish the subsidization that occurs now where homeowners in low-risk areas are made to subsidize in high-risk areas." Landrieu, the newspaper reported, said she will likely reintroduce the …
Monday, May 13, 2013
County residents can gather information pertaining to hazard mitigation and provide input on Tuesday, May 14 from 3 to 7 p.m.
The Ocean County Office of Emergency Management will be developing a plan to address a variety of potential hazards and is seeking public input at a Tuesday, May 14 meeting. “It’s very important to get public participation in developing our Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazards Mitigation Plan,” said Acting Sheriff William Sommeling, who serves as the county’s Emergency Management Coordinator. The plan will include a risk assessment and a hazard mitigation strategy. It will identify projects that can reduce damages from natural, man-made and technological hazards. “With Superstorm Sandy fresh in everyone’s mind we want our citizens, elected officials and emergency responders to help develop the plan that is best for Ocean County,” Sommeling …
Ordinance allows buildings of 'public accommodation' to house Sandy volunteers
With the expectation of an influx of volunteers hoping to lend a hand in post-Sandy reconstruction this summer, Brick council members - with a few reservations - have approved a "quartering" ordinance which will allow volunteers to be housed in various places of public accommodation in town. The ordinance, introduced in April, would allow volunteers to stay at properties owned by churches, businesses or other "places of assembly" not normally zoned for residential use. As long as the property is a place of assembly, the ordinance says, the use of the facility as a temporary encampment for volunteers would be allowed regardless of the property's zoning. "We needed an avenue to let volunteers safely come into our township to protect our …
Senate bill 2601 would also allow the county to exercise the power of eminent domain in order to erect dunes to protect lands, property and facilities near the beaches
Ocean County's freeholders are standing in opposition to a state Senate bill that, if approved, would permit counties to take over the operation of beaches within its jurisdiction. A resolution stating that Ocean County would be “actively impacted” by this legislation was unanimously passed at a Freeholders meeting May 1. “If Ocean County were to take over and maintain the 44 miles of just oceanfront beaches in Ocean County, it would not only be cost prohibitive but would also require taxpayers who don’t use the beaches to pay for them,” Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari said. The bill (S2601, A3891), sponsored by Sen. Bob Smith and Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer, would authorize any county of the fifth or six class — Atlantic, Monmouth, Ocean …
Christie rebate cuts cause 22.4 percent increase in net property taxes that hits those making under $150,000
Net property taxes in New Jersey rose 22.4 percent in Gov. Chris Christie's first three years in office, compared to 6 percent in Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine's last three years in office, a New Jersey Spotlight analysis shows. Christie, who has made attacks on “Corzine Democrats” a centerpiece of his reelection campaign, has been touting his record of holding down overall property tax increases. But when Christie’s rebate reductions are factored in, his property tax record is not so clear-cut. While Corzine doubled average property tax rebates from 2006 to 2009 and provided rebates to families earning as much as $250,000, Christie sharply cut the size of rebate payments and limited eligibility for non-seniors to those earning $75,000 or …
'Triple whammy' for Shore residents, Menendez says on U.S. Senate floor
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez threw Shore residents a virtual lifeline Thursday, delivering an address on the Senate floor where he urged colleagues to support an amendment to federal legislation that would stop flood insurance rate hikes, at least in the short term. Menendez (D-N.J.) spoke in favor of an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act which would stop flood insurance premiums from rising until FEMA completes its study on the affordability of premiums of the National Flood Insurance Program. Shore homeowners face annual flood insurance premiums of up to $31,000 a year if they do not raise their homes at a significant cost. Many homeowners who were never previously located in flood zones now find themselves being listed as …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
The $1.2 million ad buy shows road to New Jerseyans' optimism in their state.
In Gov. Chris Christie's first television ad of his 2013 re-election campaign, the governor's leadership style is credited for renewing New Jersey residents' pride in their state after years of overtaxation, and too much government spending. "Jersey Proud" shows how bipartisan reforms have helped "to strengthen New Jersey's future," according to the Christie campaign.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
"Discrepancies" were found in some of the charges submitted by AshBritt, the debris removal firm contracted by the state after Superstorm Sandy
AshBritt, Inc., the firm hired by the state to haul debris after Superstorm Sandy, benefited from an “ambiguous” contract that resulted in at least tens of thousands in extra charges, according to a report released on Wednesday. Ocean County Administrator Carl Block handed the Freeholders a thick report at Wednesday’s pre-board meeting. The report, done by state-hired monitor The Louis Berger Group, Inc., reviews the mileage billed to Ocean County by AshBritt. “The director contacted me after some articles had been written about the clean up efforts,” Block said. Freeholder Director John P. Kelly had asked for a report to be done breaking down the process of debris hauling as well as the charges in relation to distance. “Discrepancies” had…
Township will be reimbursed by FEMA, insurance policies for private property debris removal program
The Brick Township council this week awarded four contracts worth $8.2 million as part of its participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Private Property Debris Removal program. The PPDR program is available to communities following disasters so large areas of destroyed properties can be cleaned up all at once. Under the program, the township bids out debris removal contracts, and property owners apply to the township and FEMA to have their homes demolished or debris from their destroyed homes cleaned up. The program is only available to properties where a destroyed home or debris pose a safety risk, according to federal regulations. FEMA will reimburse the township 75 percent of the cleanup costs, and the remaining 25 …
Martin
7:12 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013
Everyone near water, including lakes and rivers coast-to-coast, will be socked by FEMA's bail-out expenses! Staying in our homes will be unaffordable, except for the rich. There will be tens of thousands of abandonmenbts and foreclosures. ==> StopFemaNow.com more ›