Madison Patch: Latest Articles

District To Lose 100 Percent of State Aid

2010-03-18T01:20:00-04:00

Superintendent: Cuts could lead to reductions, layoffs.

By Rick Burchfield

March 17, 2010

The announcement Wednesday that Madison public schools would lose all of its state aid for 2010-2011 didn't come as much of a shock to Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan.

"Madison only gets 6 or 7 percent of its budget in aid," he said. "The rest of the money comes from taxes in Madison and some in Harding. However, every dollar lost needs to be made up."

A loss of 100 percent funding would mean $1.6 million the district would need to find elsewhere. Christie on Tuesday proposed a cut of $819 million in state aid to schools. In terms of specific numbers, he is proposing that local school districts will see a state cut that is equal to no more than five percent of the total Board of Education budget. However, in towns like Madison where the budget only has a little over 5 percent coming from aid, that could mean all or almost all aid will be eliminated.

"It is probably better not to comment too much until we see the hard figures," Noonan said earlier Wednesday before the numbers had been finalized "But based on what was shared yesterday, it appears as though all aid has been lost, close to $1.6 million. If that stands up once I get the notice today, we're going to to have to look at significant reductions, eliminations, and layoffs."

Noonan also said that the final day statutorily to have the Board of Education present a preliminary budget to the state is Monday. That gives districts less than a week to take the new proposed guidelines and apply them to their budgets.

"This is a crazy set of circumstances we've been thrust into, and not circumstances of our own making," Noonan said. "Obviously if we've lost that much, 5 percent of the budget, which was announced, we want to do that in a smart way and I think the rushed time table we've all been given just can't do justice to that."

"We're going to have to work around the clock to not compromise what we are trying to achieve here in our schools," Noonan said.

Madison is not the only district to lose a large portion of its state aid funding. Nearby districts such as Summit, Millburn and Livingston will also lose 100 percent of their state aid. All together, 59 districts will lose the their total amount of state aid.

The cuts were made to not exceed 5 percent of a district's budget. But for districts such as Madison where state aid only makes up about that percentage, all was lost.

State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler defended the increased cuts in a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. He avoided discussing individual districts and the cuts, stressing the overall aid figure.

"Districts had the understanding that it would be 15 percent, and it is a number that is less than that," he said.

Schundler placed the blame at the state aid reductions for school districts at the feet of previous Democratic administrations, and defended the cuts by saying that the state legislature can avert layoffs at the school district level by implementing Christie's package of public employee reforms in a quick time frame. The package includes changing the pension and health benefits packages for teachers, including requiring co-pays and larger payments for pensions. The co-pays will apply to school personnel who retire after the changes are made, but not to those who leave their jobs before the proposals are enacted.

He said this will allow for more quick retirements from teachers who do not want to pay part of their health insurance in retirement. Quick enactment, he said, which is not considered likely, will help stem the expected layoffs in school districts statewide.

"That will dramatically reduce the number of personnel reductions that would be achieved through a layoff," he said. "These reforms will reduce costs to the districts and create a need for early retirements."

Cavaliere Running for Board of Education Seat

2010-03-16T23:50:23-04:00

Will be unopposed on ticket for seat currently held by George Martin.

March 17, 2010

Sam Cavaliere has announced he will be running for a seat on the Madison Board of Education.

Cavaliere is running unopposed for the seat currently held by George Martin, who will not be seeking re-election this April. This is the first time that Cavaliere has run for the Board of Education.

"I have young children who are just beginning in the district and this seems like a great opportunity to get more personally involved," Cavaliere said in a release. "Like all parents, I take the education of my children seriously and look forward to working with the other members of the board on the various challenges facing the school district."

Cavaliere, 38, is a Unified Communications Specialist for Microsoft and lives in Madison with his wife Victoria, and their two daughters. He is a volunteer with the Madison Fire Department and both he and Victoria have been involved in the community since moving to Madison in 2001.

"I have been attending the different board meetings for months and I continue to be impressed with the hard work of our teachers, the administration, and most importantly the achievements of the students," Cavaliere said in the release. "While the referendum work did much for the growth of the district, as that growth continues it is creating some challenging issues. Uncertainty around the amount of state aid available presents the school board with very difficult decisions because expenses around staffing and other costs continue to grow."

Cavaliere received a B.S. in computer science from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., and is a graduate of Lenape Valley High School in Stanhope.

FAQ: Gov. Chris Christie's Budget Proposal

2010-03-16T23:43:16-04:00

A look at the governor's proposal.

By John Celock

March 17, 2010

Gov. Chris Christie's proposed fiscal year 2011 budget will be discussed and debated in town and school chambers over the next few months. Patch has put together this list of frequently asked questions about the governor's proposed budget as a way to help readers understand the proposals.

What is this property tax constitutional amendment?

Christie is asking the state legislature to approve an amendment to the state constitution calling for a cap of 2.5-percent in annual property tax increases. In addition he is calling for a constitutional amendment capping state budget increases at 2.5-percent.

What is the procedure to amend the state constitution?

Both the Assembly and the Senate will need to pass the amendment by a two thirds majority. The measure would then go to a statewide public referendum in the 2010 general election. Fifty percent plus one of state voters are needed to approve the amendment. The governor's signature is not needed.

What is going to happen to property tax rebates?

Christie is proposing eliminating the current property tax rebates and replacing them with property tax credits from the state. Instead of getting a check in the mail, New Jersey residents would see the credits appear on their local property tax bills.

Would the property tax credits take effect in 2010?

No, they would take effect in 2011.

What is the governor's proposal regarding state aid to local school districts?

Christie has proposed a cut of $819 million in state aid to schools. In terms of specific numbers, he is proposing that local school districts will see a state cut that is equal to no more than five percent of the total Board of Education budget.

How can local Boards of Education handle the proposed aid cut?

Local districts are required by law to present balanced budgets for voter or Board of School Estimate approval. The boards will determine budgets and tax levies based on the state aid numbers revealed by Christie. It is up to individual boards to find the money to make up for any lost state aid.

What is Christie proposing regarding collective bargaining for teachers and other public employees?

Christie has proposed legislation requiring school district employees to pay a portion of their health benefits. Currently this issue is handled by the local school district and local teachers union in contract negotiations.

What are the changes being made to public employee pensions?

Christie, with the support of state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), is proposing that public employees contribute more to their pensions. A bill is currently heading through the state legislature to implement this proposal. Public employee unions are against this. Christie is also proposing limiting pensions to full-time employees only.

Is Christie cutting municipal aid?

Yes, the governor is proposing a cut of $445 million.

Will there be changes to the special and extraordinary state aid to municipalities?

If Christie has his way, yes. The governor said the Department of Community Affairs is designing a new program for the special aid which will reduce the amount given out. Christie said in the future municipalities will need to demonstrate to DCA that they are cutting their budgets before being able to receive the extra aid.

What are the percentage cuts the governor is proposing to individual state departments?

Department of Agriculture: 24%

Department of Banking and Insurance: 12%

Department of Children and Families: 4%

Department of Community Affairs: 35%

Department of Corrections: 7%

Department of Environmental Protection: 2%

Department of Education: 8%

Department of Health and Senior Services: 6%

Department of Human Services: 4%

Department of Labor: 6%

Department of Law and Public Safety (State Attorney General): 7%

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs: 2%

Department of the Public Advocate: 25%

Department of State: 11%

Department of Transportation: 3%

Department of the Treasury: 39%

Are there any budget hikes proposed by Christie?

Yes, Christie is proposing increasing the budget for hospitals in New Jersey.

Where does the budget go from here?

The budget committees in the Assembly and the Senate will be holding a series of public hearings on the budget. These hearings will lead to the legislature drafting a response to Christie's budget. The governor and legislative leaders will negotiate a final budget for a legislative vote. The final budget needs to be adopted by June 30.

What happens if the budget is not adopted by June 30?

State government will shut down like it did in 2006 when then Gov. Jon Corzine and the legislature could not agree on a budget. Unlike 2006, casinos will not shut down.

Madison Restaurants, Bars Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-15T22:57:58-04:00

Whether you're in the mood for a plate of corned beef and cabbage or a glass of green beer, Madison has plenty to offer on Wednesday.

By Lene Dahl

March 16, 2010

If you're looking for a full St. Patrick's Day meal experience this year, Madison has you covered—from breakfast all the way to dessert.

Start the day off right at Bagel Chateau with a green bagel for breakfast. What to put on top? Scallion cream cheese, of course. (Green bagels cost 80 cents each, $9.60 for a dozen, and can be pre-ordered at 973-301-9888.)

Stop by Rocco's Tuscany Bar and Grill for lunch—the restaurant is offering a St. Patrick's Day menu featuring shepherd's pie, Irish stew O'Gallagher, fish and chips, and corned beef and cabbage, all of which is served with Irish soda bread. Green beer and draft specials will also be available, so if you're not above drinking at noon (and what good Irishman or woman isn't?), then bottoms up!

Dinner at Poor Herbie's is a must, because the Irish pub will be cooking more than 500 pounds of its legendary corned beef brisket, and will have served it for five days straight: March 13 through St. Patrick's Day. The brisket comes with traditional steamed cabbage, carrots, red potatoes, and homemade Mullins Mustard. There will also be special beer promotions and green desserts, as well as ten performances from bagpiper John Downs. Reservations are recommended (973-966-0211).

If you're still going strong, and want to end the day in true Irish fashion, head to 54 Main Streets Bar and Grille for a frosty pint of Guinness or a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey. The bar is having a $4 drinks special on all Irish beer and liquor.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Taste of Madison a Satisfying Time for All

2010-03-16T10:31:52-04:00

Scores of wine and beer vendors along with the Who's Who of Madison's Restaurateurs supplied hundreds with savory morsels of fine cuisine and a myriad of delightful wines.

By John Marelli

March 16, 2010

Over 30 restaurants are participated in this year's edition of Taste of Madison in the Ferguson Recreation Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University on Monday. Scores of wine and beer vendors, along with the Who's Who of Madison's Restaurateurs supplied hundreds with sips and tidbits of fine cuisine.

Check out our photo gallery and see who and what we found at the big event.

YMCA Addition Application Gets Special Hearing Tonight

2010-03-15T22:43:48-04:00

Zoning Board will be considering 13,363 square foot addition.

By Maggy Patrick

March 16, 2010

Madison's Zoning Board of Adjustment will have a special meeting tonight for the YMCA's variance hearing tonight at 7 at Bayley-Ellard, Room 320.

The hearing has been pushed back a few times, including once due to the major snowstorm at the end of February, and again last Thursday at the regularly scheduled Zoning Board meeting.

The YMCA is requesting several variances to raise a 13,363 square foot addition in what is now deemed a single-family residential zone. The public will have the opportunity to ask questions or comment on the plans at tonight's meeting.

The special meeting will also hear several other cases that have been delayed because of the snowstorms last month.

In other news, an application to build a new two-family home on Keep Street was unanimously denied at last Thursday's meeting. The board was concerned not only with the design of the home and how it did not fit in with the neighborhood, but also how the neighborhood would accommodate potentially four more cars.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on April 8.

Madison residents speak up about NJ Transit fare hikes, changes in service

2010-03-15T15:15:56-04:00

With a 25 percent increase to NJ transit fares possible as early as May, and reductions in bus and train service, many commuters in town will have to find more ways to cut corners. We asked Madison residents and commuters at the train station on Wednesday

By Jackeline Leon

March 15, 2010

With a 25 percent increase to NJ transit fares possible as early as May, and reductions in bus and train service, many commuters in town will have to find more ways to cut corners. We asked Madison residents and commuters at the train station on Wednesday morning, what they thought about the fare hikes and whether or not those alterations would affect the way they travel.

"There is no offset to driving and parking," resident Chris DelSordi said. "I will continue using the train since I'm locked in by how I do work, but 25 percent is a huge jump."
"It is still cheapest for me to take the train than drive into the city and park," Gary Grey said. "This is very disappointing, but I'll have to go with it."
"For a monthly pass, the hike means people will now have to pay about $300 a month," resident George Ubertaccio said. "Between that and the economy, I'm seeing less and less people coming through here at the station."
"It shouldn't go up, especially in these times," resident Sivy Gonzales said. "This is not convenient at all, especially for people without cars and without a choice."
"This is just one example of the private sector supporting the unproductive public sector," Madison resident Kevin Bigelow said. "It's all about meeting union demands."
"At this point, it would probably be more cost effective to just drive into the city," resident Shannon Bradshaw.
"Given that no one's salaries are going up, it's a steep increase and everything else is already going up in price," resident Carol Cowan said. "I go to Hoboken every day and there are already few trains running. They're an hour apart anyhow."

The possible hike is part of the NJ Transit's plans to close a $300 million budget gap.

One-way commuter rail tickets would increase about 25 percent, subject to rounding, according to a NJ Transit press release. Rail ticket prices vary based on distance, but one-way fares would rise from a range of $1.25-$13.25 to a range $1.50-$16.50.

"We recognize that any increase is a burden for our customers, particularly during a recession," said Executive Director Jim Weinstein in a press release. "However, we have worked to keep local bus fares below the regional average and preserved some important discounts for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as for students and others who are among the most transit dependent."

Commuters will be able to continue to take advantage of discounted travel by purchasing monthly passes. The plan also continues interchangeable features that allow customers to connect between trains and buses without paying additional costs. Off-peak roundtrip discounts—used today by about 17 percent of rail customers—would be eliminated and 10-trip bus discounts would be capped at 15 percent off the full fare price.

The plan calls for most of the changes to take effect May 1, and NJ Transit expects to generate more than $140 million in revenue, according to the release.

On the service side, the agency set a goal of reducing service proportionate to ridership, which has declined systemwide by about 4 percent as a result of the economy and low fuel prices. In all, the agency proposes to eliminate 32 of 725 commuter trains with at least two trains scheduled for elimination on each of the system's 11 lines.

A few lines will see a handful of trains cut, mostly those that today have the greatest service frequency. For example, the Northeast Corridor is slated for a reduction of five weekday trains. Morris & Essex line service, which serves Madison, would be reduced by seven trains on weekdays, four of them off-peak, as ridership to Hoboken has declined faster than ridership to New York.

The trains that will be reduced from the Morris & Essex line:

Weekday train 870 (5:27 a.m. departure from Hackettstown)
Weekday train 873 (7:57 a.m. departure from Hoboken)
Weekday train 813 (6:40 p.m. departure from Hoboken)
Weekday train 323 (11:20 a.m. departure from Hoboken)
Weekday train 348 (3:06 p.m. departure from Summit)
Weekday train 465 (5:06 p.m. departure from Hoboken)
Weekday train 464 (6:43 p.m. departure from Murray Hill)

Since Fiscal Year 2009, rail ridership to New York has declined about 3 percent, while ridership to Hoboken declined 13 percent.

"Our service plan is designed to size our service to match ridership demand," said Weinstein in the release. "We also looked at where we could squeeze out the most costs while impacting as few customers as possible."

Madison Still Cleaning Up Mess From Weekend Storm

2010-03-15T18:55:15-04:00

Fire Department pumped 17 basements so far after major storm hit Madison over the weekend.

By Rick Burchfield

March 15, 2010

Department of Public Works crews wrapped up this afternoon the removal of a large tree that came down across Fairwood Road in the storm this weekend.

Director David Maines said the tree damaged three cars and a homeowner's garage.

Acting Fire Chief Lou DeRosa said in addition to the fallen tree, the fire department has been pumping basements around the borough pretty much continuously since the storm began Friday night.

"The sad thing is we will continue the next few days with cleanups," he said. "We'll be busy tonight."

The storm also wreaked havoc in other areas of Madison. Trees were blown on NJ Transit lines this weekend causing delays to service. Power also went out at Madison High School, though power was up as usual by the time classes started on Monday. Sanitary sewer backups were also causes of some residential flooding problems on Cook Avenue and North Street over the weekend.

On the electricity end of things, Madison has been spared to a large extent. Electric Utility Superintendent Michael Piano reported to Administrator Ray Codey that the borough only had 40 power outages over the weekend. Those were directly related to the fallen tree on Fairview Road and fallen trees that caused the high school's outage. All power has been restored.

As bad as things have been in the borough, other Morris County towns suffered worse damage. The flooding is so bad in Lincoln Park, that the county fire coordinator has requested aid from surrounding municipalities.

The Madison Fire Department will be sending five members, made up from the career and volunteer corps, with an engine to cover Lincoln Park's fire duties while its department continues with clean-up duties tonight.

If you have photos or stories to share, e-mail editor Rick Burchfield at rick@patch.com.

Vitale Appointed to Open Seat on Planning Board

2010-03-12T13:29:20-05:00

Mayor points to past service of former councilwoman, her selection to take place of departing Greg Reed.

By Rick Burchfield

March 15, 2010

Mayor Mary-Anna Holden has appointed former Councilwoman and Planning Board Member Carmela Vitale to take the seat recently vacated when Class IV member Greg Reed stepped down.

Vitale, who has served two full terms on the Borough Council and served under special circumstances as recently as this past October, was part of the Planning Board the last time a thorough update of the master plan was produced in 1992.

Holden said Vitale was part of the group which evaluated Green Village Road School, which makes her a good fit at this time.

"The main objective then was to amend and look at the property from a high altitude for general parameters to guide us," Holden said. "Now the point is to rezone this area in anticipation of the Board of Education putting out a bid to sell. So it's the perfect time, and I know she's excited to serve."

Holden cited other traits Vitale will bring to the post.

"She was always very fair," Holden said." She is a lifetime Madisonian. She's got a good grasp on issues. She is a realtor, an expertise we don't have on the Planning Board right now when looking at these applications. I will also miss Greg Reed, who had his certificate on historic preservation, as well."

Reed's last meeting was on Feb. 23. He stepped down to move closer to his job in New York City as Vice President/Senior Analyst in the commercial real estate finance department for Moody's Investors Service.

For the past few months leading to his resignation, he had been commuting while helping the board in dealing with several high-profile developments, including Greenwood Property Group's application for the property at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Main Street.

Planning Board Member and former Chair Judy Mullins said Reed also served on the Downtown Development Commission and was involved in that group's parking study of downtown before he joined the Planning Board in 2006. She says Reed will be missed.

Madison Boys Basketball Hopes This Season A Preview Of Things To Come

2010-03-13T00:15:26-05:00

Dodgers' 21-win season has young team thinking big in 2010-11.

By Kevin Meacham

March 14, 2010

The Madison High School boys basketball team got its first taste of the "contender" label during the 2009-10 season. They expect that label to stick heading in to next year.

After a stunningly successful campaign keyed by a junior-dominated lineup, the Dodgers will use this offseason to dream of future glory. And they'll return to the court in November with suddenly-great expectations for a worthy follow up to this year's 21-4 record.

"We're definitely proud of our season," said head coach Bill Librera. "But we feel like we have more work to do."

The Dodgers won the inaugural Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference-Independence Division championship (Madison finished 11-1, one game ahead of Hanover Park), a holiday tournament title, and the program's first playoff win under Librera; Madison opened the season with an unprecedented 17-game win streak.

"We had a good season," said junior point guard Aaron Fant. "We can build on it. We want to win everything next year."

Madison's 21 wins are the most under Librera, and the highest win total since 2006, when the Dodgers won 22 games under current MHS girls basketball coach Stephen Finkelstein.

All this came from a team that began the season fighting to prove its credibility nine months after a sub-.500 Madison team made a Cinderella run to the 2009 Morris County Tournament final.

"We weren't really one of the teams people were talking about in the beginning," Librera said. "It's easier to surprise people sometimes. We weren't the best team out there, but we exceeded expectations. Now, we're going to have to deal with being expected to win."

While Madison's record this season spoke for itself, there were several notable disappointments: Madison suffered heartbreaking back-to-back losses to Hanover Park (ending the 17-game win streak) and Chatham (ending Madison's hopes of winning the Morris County Tournament), along with a home loss in the North 2, Group II quarterfinals to Newark Tech.

However, the Dodgers are in the enviable situation of having put up an exceptional won-loss record, combined with a lineup almost entirely consisting of underclassmen. Of the eight Dodgers who saw regular game action this year, five were juniors, one was a sophomore and one was a freshman.

Two of those juniors, Aaron Fant and Jake Meister, topped Madison in just about every offensive category. Matt McHale provided a consistent defensive and rebounding presence. Mike Haughey and sophomore Matt Gilbert provided spark, hustle, and solid outside shooting. Eddie McAndrew and Justin Goodwin were solid defenders and could see their roles increase next year.

All will be back next year, along with a promising younger group that led Madison's junior varsity to an 18-6 record.

"Our program is extremely healthy right now," Librera said. "Competition is going to make everyone better, and we think we have a lot of kids who could press for playing time next year. There are minutes to be had."

The loss to graduation of senior defensive stopper Robbie Savacool will hurt, but Madison figures to be among the deepest, most experienced teams in Morris County next season.

Perhaps most importantly, the youthful Dodgers learned how to win in 2009-10. After they blew out Kittatinny in the opener Dec. 18, Madison won its next eight games by eight points or less, in every conceivable fashion.

They barely held off furious comebacks–leading MKA by 22 points and barely hanging on for a 63-55 win in the Oratory Prep tournament first round (Dec. 28).

They went back-and-forth with division rivals–including a gutty 49-45 road win at Group II state finalist Pequannock and a tense 49-47 home win against rival Chatham.

They needed late-game heroics–like Fant's memorable buzzer-beating floater to send the Jan. 12 game against Hanover Park to a second overtime. Arguably the play of the year for the Dodgers, it catapulted Madison to a 62-59 2OT win over the then-unbeaten Hornets.

They needed perfection at crucial moments–like when Madison outscored Livingston, 16-0, in the fourth quarter for an improbable comeback win on Jan. 16.

The clutch plays continued going Madison's way. By Feb. 6–the NJSIAA's state tournament cutoff date–Madison improved to 17-0 and locked up the top seed in the North 2, Group II tournament.

The Dodgers' finish wasn't quite as perfect–Madison split its final eight games, beginning with a last-second layup loss to Hanover Park in an all-time Morris County classic Feb. 9.

Four days later, two Chatham free throws with five seconds to play in regulation ended Madison's dream of a repeat run to the County College of Morris.

Madison's last two losses, to Morristown and in the state tournament against Newark Tech, revealed a fatal flaw that Librera hopes to correct next season.

"We're going to try and schedule some different styles of play," Librera said. "Our league was a little homogenous, and we know we have to get out and schedule more teams like Morristown, Morristown-Beard, Newark West Side, that push the tempo and can run on you."

Still, the end of February and early March each had high points for the Dodgers:

Fant put up an incredible line of 16 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, willing Madison to a 70-67 quadruple-overtime victory over Chatham days after the county tournament defeat.
Meister's 19-point effort against Dover helped the Dodgers clinch a share of the NJAC-Independence title (which they won outright after Hanover Park's loss to Pequannock a week later).
Madison got off to a horrid start in their first-round playoff game against Parsippany, a 19-4 second quarter lifted the Dodgers to their first playoff win in four years.

In the end, the 2009-10 season will likely be looked at as a transition year for Madison. The Dodgers began the year with a chip on their shoulders, needing to prove they could contend for conference, county and state titles.

It didn't always go exactly as planned, but the Dodgers think they have put themselves in an excellent position for a blockbuster season in 2010-11.

"A lot of us have been playing together for a long time on varsity, and we'll be seniors next year," Meister said. "We want to do something big before we leave."