HITS: HEARD IN THE STREET...
RAY BLANCO -- Faithful friends gathered at St. Mary's Church last evening for a Mass honoring the life and contributions of Ray Blanco. It was an intimate moment, without cameras and speechifying elected officials. Tenderly, in Spanish, the Latino community said goodbye to one of their own. Ray would have been pleased -- not only at being recognized for his contributions, but at the fact that those who have not been invited to the table of the powerful recognized him as a person dedicated to making sure that invitation is extended. It is too bad for us all that he has been taken from us prematurely...
CONDOS vs. MARKET REALITIES -- News on the real estate front is unsettling given that proposals are floating for condo development on South Avenue and East Front Street.
Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), recently wrote about the market:
Every day presents new evidence that the housing boom is turning into a housing bust. In the last week we have seen data showing that house sale prices are down from last year's levels in 26 major metropolitan areas, housing starts are down more than 15 percent from their bubble peaks, and applications for home purchase mortgages have dropped by more than 20 percent...Not very encouraging words for developers who are looking to sell $400,000 condos on a gritty industrial stretch next door to the city's Public Works yard with no other attractions, amenities, or even a plan...
How far and fast prices will fall is difficult to know at this point, but a few things are predictable. Housing construction and sales will drop back toward trend level. Housing construction is already down by 15 percent from its peak. It is likely to fall at least this much more before stabilizing...
PAY-TO-PLAY & OTHER REFORMS -- Back before last year's Democratic Primary, Ray Blanco and I had some extended conversations about pay-to-play, a reform measure about which he was very keen at the time. Somehow, after November that whole discussion got sidetracked, but it's interesting to note that Woodbridge's interim mayor, Joe Vitale -- also a State Senator -- is putting forward an ambitious 3-piece reform program of a new pay-to- play ordinance, increased ethics training for township employees and adult leadership classes to encourage residents to get involved in local government affairs -- all of which he wants to achieve before this year's November elections.
The current pay-to-play ordinance, which has been in effect since January 2005, prohibits Woodbridge from awarding no-bid contracts to firms seeking to do business with the township that donate more than $500 to a county or township political party or $400 to a mayoral or council candidate within one year of receiving the contract.Interesting, but in order for such an idea to have teeth if ever put in place in Plainfield it would have to find a way to deal with the change that making the UCIA our redevelopment agency has made. With the new arrangement, all the contributions from vendors would flow to the other great organization that UCIA chair Charlotte DeFilippo heads -- the Union County Democratic Committee...
Vitale's proposal, which is backed by the Center for Civic Responsibility, would extend the prohibition to firms seeking to redevelop property in the township.
BIKE RODEO TOMORROW -- Don't forget the Police Division's Community Policing Unit's annual Bike Rodeo tomorrow, 11 am - 2 pm, parking lot of the Senior Center, East Front and Roosevelt. State Farm Insurance will conduct a bike safety obstacle course. High Gear Bike Shop of Stirling will inspect bikes and perform light maintenance. The Brain Injury Association of NJ has provided helmets and other supplies to be distributed to the kids. Fun AND safety! How can you beat that combination?
UNIONS TAKE ON ASSEMBLYMAN GREEN -- Though the Plainfield unions have not been heard from, copies of flyers being circulated by Union County public employee union members were circulating among the crowd as we left St. Mary's Church last evening. Since the Legislative committees have asked for an early start to state employee negotiations, it looks like the County unions are gearing up for the challenge. Though the Assemblyman denies his alignment with Sen. Sweeney and Asm. Moriarty during the budget showdown was anti-union, it looks like the unions have a different opinion...
Like PT said before, it looks like 2007 will be an interesting year...
DISCLAIMER: In the interest of fairness, any person identified in a HITS post who believes he/she has been portrayed unfairly or that the information about him/her is untrue will have the opportunity to respond in this space.
-- Dan Damon
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