News
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On Monday, April 8, 2013, I reported that Oaklyn Borough (Camden County) Councilman Ronald C. Aron, who also serves as a police officer in nearby Haddon Township, had sued in Superior Court to challenge a police disciplinary charge that had been lodged against him.
In the same blog entry, I also reported that Aron had settled his lawsuit and appeal with the Township and agreed to: a) plead guilty to "conduct detrimental to the good order of the police department," b) accept a 10 day unpaid, disciplinary suspension, c) forfeit 80 hours of accrued sick time and d) accept a "one year demotion from the rank of sergeant to patrol officer" which had already been served.
What I didn't know then, but have subsequently learned, is the nature of the conduct that caused the disciplinary action to be taken against Aron.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Something interesting is going on with the Wildwood Crest Police Department. I've been submitting Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests to try to find out what's going on, and this is what I've found out so far.
On October 24, 2013, the Wildwood Crest Board of Commissioners passed Resolutions 1131-13 and 1132-13, which, respectively, a) hired Joseph Beisel as a "special outside investigator for purposes of conducting an internal affairs investigation concerning employees administrative proceedings," and b) hired William G. Blaney, Esq. to perform some unspecified, but apparently related, services regarding the same investigation. Yet, according to Borough Clerk Janelle M. Holzmer's November 26, 2013 responsive e-mail "no contract was entered into for Mr. Beisel."
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
Mayor Carl Groon, and members of the
Wildwood Crest Borough Commission
via e-mail to
Dear Mayor Groon and Commissioners:
In response to a recent Open Public Records Act request, I received redacted minutes from the Board's November 18, 2013 nonpublic (i.e. executive or closed session). I have placed these minutes on-line here.
I invite your attention to the sentence within the minutes that states that "[d]iscussion was also had regarding the hiring of a special investigator." As you know, this special investigator was hired to investigate a police internal affairs matter. The rumors circulating throughout the Borough are that the investigation relates to a police employee who has earned the rank of lieutenant or higher. Regardless of the truth of these rumors, this is a matter of great public interest and it's very important that there is sufficient information available so that Borough voters and taxpayers, at least at some point in the future, can understand the nature of the investigation and draw their own conclusions as to whether the Borough's elected and appointed officials acted reasonably.
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
John Paff was interviewed on Channel 9's "Chasing New Jersey" news program regarding the lack of transparency at the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey. This aired last night.
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- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Latest News
Steven J. Uccio and the New Jersey Libertarian Party invite you to give Heat for the Homeless!
In Lakewood, NJ there is a community of about 100 people who live in a wooded area called "Tent City." These people have no where else to go and are not asking for any assistance from the local government. They live in tents, shacks, and are supported by mostly private charity to better themselves.
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- Written by: Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
'Our View' editorial draws reaction
Suburban Trends
‘Our View’ editorial draws reaction
Dear Editor:
In your "Our View" editorial ("What do Republicans and Democrats look like?") in the Sunday, Nov. 10 Suburban Trends, you mention "the need for moderates or least not the ideologically-driven to stand up and help put an end to the endless partisan bickering." Isn’t that another way of saying that political leaders of both parties should be "wishy-washy" and not stand up for any real principles or convictions?
In the 1850s would you have approved of politicians who took a "moderate" stand regarding the expansion of slavery unto the Western territories? Or if it was the early 20th century would political leaders who only took a "moderate" stand on women getting the right to vote, have met with your approval? Somehow I doubt it!
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- Written by: New Jersey Watchdog
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Originally published at newjersey.watchdog.org - republished under agreement. Investigative reporting by Mark Lagerkvist.
Double-dipping Sheriff Michael Saudino will ride again in Bergen County at taxpayers’ expense.
Armed with $100,000 in campaign cash, Saudino outgunned Democratic challenger James Mordaga at the polls last week. The victory assures the sheriff of nearly $268,000 a year from public coffers – $138,000 in county salary plus $129,984 from pension as retired Emerson Township police chief – for another three-year term.
Not only that, but Saudino’s posse of four undersheriffs are also double-dippers. Together, the five officials rake in nearly $1.1 million a year – $583,000 in salaries plus $512,256 from pensions as retired cops.
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- Written by: Alex Pugliese
- Category: Selected Blogs
Over a period of decades, there have been political candidates and politicians that have campaigned at the federal level that have promised that if they were elected into office that they would “reform Washington,” only to discover that it is they who are reformed by going native, succumbing the D.C. culture and its way of doing things. It has become increasingly clear that if reform is going to take place, it would have to come through the people and through their elected representatives in the state legislatures in all fifty states. Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, with the help of two-thirds of the states, a convention can be called for the purposes of introducing new amendments to the Constitution. Three-fourths of the states would be required to ratify them. If one state can get the ball rolling, I believe that other states would follow.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
The July 8, 2010 Times of Trenton reported that Ewing Police Sergeant Edward DeBoskey was indicted for official misconduct and theft by deception for allegedly loafing at a private home instead of supervising street patrols.
Today, through an Open Public Records Act request, I was able to determine that on September 24, 2012, DeBoskey and Ewing agreed that DeBoskey would be allowed to retire after being allowed to receive the one month credit he needed to acquire his 20 years of service. The settlement agreement is on-line here.
According to DataUniverse, DeBoskey, whose final salary was $109,505 is receiving an annual pension of $54,752.64.
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- Written by: Dan Hurley
- Category: Letters to Editor
The ballot for the upcoming election asks New Jersey voters to approve or reject an amendment to the NJ Constitution increasing New Jersey's minimum wage and mandating automatic cost-of-living increases. Advocates of this proposal would have you believe that, by raising the minimum wage, everyone working below that rate would get an immediate increase, and those out of work would be offered jobs at the higher rate.
The truth is a bit more complicated. No one would remain employed at the higher rate if their services are not, in the eyes of their employers, worth the higher rate. So while, no doubt, many people earning less than the new rate would initially get a bump in their hourly rate, it is equally certain that employers with limited resources would have to let many of them go - the less educated, less skilled, less experienced - as a result of the higher rate.
NJLP General Membership Meeting
Omega Diner
Sunday, November 10, 2013 1:00 PM
Tentative Meeting Agenda
Call to order & quorum check
Agenda review
Secretary's Report
- Minutes of prior meeting (October Board Meeting)
- Details
- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Candidates and Elections
I urge everyone to vote NO on Ballot Question #2.
Ballot question number 2 amends the State Constitution, increasing the minimum wage to $8.25 as of January 1, 2014 and enacts a yearly increase in the minimum wage based on the consumer price index.
Minimum wage laws do absolutely nothing to increase the wealth of poor people. Minimum wage laws reduce the employability of the young and the unskilled. No employer will hire someone at a loss. These laws block individuals from accepting a wage where they can increase their skills and build up a resume. This produces endemic poverty among those who are barred from entering the labor force at a wage commensurate with their skills. On the job training is an essential tool for those unable to afford post-secondary college to increase their employability and income. The bottom rungs of the economic ladder get cut off for many who are just entering the workforce. The harm that minimum wage laws cause is concentrated among the most vulnerable, the young, minorities, and the disabled.
- Details
- Written by: Jay Edgar
- Category: Candidates and Elections
Ballot question number 1 will amend the NJ State Constitution to expand the exemption of those allowed to run games of chance to include veterans groups. Currently only senior citizen groups and approved casinos and racetracks are allowed to compete against the state by running gambling events.
This question gives another special interest an exception to engage in a consensual activity. Left out of the exception is for you or me. Workplace pools, bowling league games of chance, or wagers between friends remain illegal.
Government should not be engaging in favoritism among some groups and punishment of others for for engaging in consensual betting. Rather such activity should be completely unregulated by our state. The only role the government should have when it comes to gambling is preventing theft and fraud.
I will be voting for this ballot question – but only halfheartedly.
Subcategories
NJ Libertarian Blog
Imported from NJ Libertarian News from the published feed
Videos
This is a page of various videos that we have either created or found interesting. Be sure to check out and follow our YouTube page.
Open Government Advocacy Project
The Open Government Advocacy Project is a committee of the NJ Libertarian Party. Its goal is to ensure transparency and accountability at all levels of government. Articles posted here are a subset of the work of the committee. For more information visit the Open Government Advocacy Project blog.
If you would like to demand accountability and ensure that your local governing body or school board adheres to the Open Public Records Act we can help you request information from them. Contact John Paff, the project chair here.
Insight New Jersey
NJ government is huge and complex. Private industry is shrinking while the size and cost of government bureacracy continues to grow. The articles posted here provide a guide of the NJ State Government and can be used by citizens and candidates for office to evaluate what departments can be reduced drastically in size.
We'll start with just some of the departments and provide a breakdown on what they do (or purport to do), how many employees they have and how big their budget is.
Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project
The New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project (“the Project”) seeks to get New Jersey municipalities to repeal loitering ordinances that should have been -- but were not -- repealed when the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice was enacted in 1979. The Project has successfully had loitering ordinances repealed in over 30 towns. For a summary listing of all the towns see Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project page.
Police Accountability Project
The Police Accountability Project is a committee of the NJ Libertarian Party. Its goal is to search out cases of police misconduct, file former Internal Affairs (IA) complaints when appropriate, and to publicize violations of rules and laws by the police. There may be other stories posted on the NJLP Police Internal Affairs Complaint Blog page.
If you would like to help or know of a case we should be looking at, contact the committee at
Legislative Affairs Committee
The Legislative Affairs Committee was created to allow a select core of Volunteers to take action on legislation and policies which directly affects the people of New Jersey.
[INTRO VIDEO - HOSTED ON NJLP STATE YOUTUBE AND EMBEDED HERE]
Staff
Legislative Director and Committee Chair
Volunteers: