Your Taxes Are Going Up!

Passaic’s Mayor Alex Blanco released the following letter today.
He’s trying to break the news as gently as possible before the elections, but the bottom line of the letter is:

YOUR TAXES ARE GOING UP! AGAIN!

Angel Laboy Will Fight For Council Seat Again

Angel Laboy

PASSAIC – When Angel Laboy lost his city council bid last year to Ken Lucianin by 24 votes, he said he would probably come back this year, and time’s proved him right.

Laboy, a public school vice principal, is holding a fundraiser on Jan. 15th in which he hopes to lay the groundwork for what he believes will be about a $5,000-$6,000 race for council.

“I would like to run alone,” he said. “I have been approached to run on a ticket with several of the mayoral candidates, and I’m not ruling it out, but I’m leaning against it.”

Three council people are up for reelection: Gerardo Fernandez, Joe Garcia and Daniel Schwartz. The top three vote-getters win.

Indicted on corruption charges in connection with the case of jailed former Mayor Sammy Rivera, Fernandez said he intends to fight and beat the rap but hasn’t yet indicated he would pursue another term on the council.

During the grind of last year’s campaign season – in which he was allied with Laboy – Garcia said that he wouldn’t run for mayor again if he lost, which he did. Now the question is whether he will run again for his council seat, and unconfirmed sources say he will run, as will Schwartz.

Higher up on the ballot, Rivera’s successor, Mayor Alex Blanco, wants to again defeat real estate developer Jose Sandoval and city super Vincent Capuana to win a full term as mayor.

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.

Breaking News 2 Robberies in the last 10 minutes by gunpoint

The passaic police department is on a search for  a green Mercedes older model  with scratches on the side door. Shots were fired at victim #1 but Thank G-D the gunman missed, nothing was taken from him. A 2nd victim was outside the Home Depot in Down town passaic. Victim # 2 was robbed but no shots were fired and a hand gun was displayed.

Update; 11:17Pm 6 Passaic County Units are in passaic searching for the gunman.

PCJN is first to report this story as well as all Breaking News

Does anyone know where WOODLAND Park is?

Page 1 2 >> Fit story on 1 page

WOODLAND PARK — Governor Corzine came to what used to be West Paterson on Thursday to swear in Democratic Mayor Pat Lepore, who, in his fourth term, is now mayor of Woodland Park.

The borough’s name change from West Paterson to Woodland Park became official Jan. 1. Corzine noted that both names have the same initials and used the initials in speaking of the borough and praising Lepore.

“W.P. has a lot of tough choices to make and you have to have people you trust making those decisions,” Corzine said.

The governor delivered an optimistic New Year’s message. Despite tough economic times, he predicted New Jerseyans will prevail in 2009.

“This is a great country and we will be able to turn the top,” Corzine said, addressing a crowd of roughly 150 people.

The Democratic governor was surrounded by Democratic leaders, including Passaic County Democratic Party Chairman John Currie and Assemblyman Tom Giblin, of Clifton. They all gathered in the municipal building of the newly renamed borough.

“The nation has faced tough times in the past. We’ve always come through these and we’ve been stronger because we’ve worked together,” Corzine said.

After Lepore took the oath of office, the crowd sang “Happy birthday, governor!” to Corzine, who celebrated his 62nd birthday on Thursday.

After the ceremony, Corzine said his New Year’s resolutions for 2009 were to “get the economy going and stabilize the best we can. And stabilize the world for our citizens.”

When asked why he chose to come to Woodland Park out of the Garden State’s 566 municipalities, he said, he wanted to support Lepore, who has to contend with a fair share of disgruntled residents who opposed the borough’s name change. NorthJersey.com

Does anyone know where WOODLAND Park is?

Page 1 2 >> Fit story on 1 page

WOODLAND PARK — Governor Corzine came to what used to be West Paterson on Thursday to swear in Democratic Mayor Pat Lepore, who, in his fourth term, is now mayor of Woodland Park.

The borough’s name change from West Paterson to Woodland Park became official Jan. 1. Corzine noted that both names have the same initials and used the initials in speaking of the borough and praising Lepore.

“W.P. has a lot of tough choices to make and you have to have people you trust making those decisions,” Corzine said.

The governor delivered an optimistic New Year’s message. Despite tough economic times, he predicted New Jerseyans will prevail in 2009.

“This is a great country and we will be able to turn the top,” Corzine said, addressing a crowd of roughly 150 people.

The Democratic governor was surrounded by Democratic leaders, including Passaic County Democratic Party Chairman John Currie and Assemblyman Tom Giblin, of Clifton. They all gathered in the municipal building of the newly renamed borough.

“The nation has faced tough times in the past. We’ve always come through these and we’ve been stronger because we’ve worked together,” Corzine said.

After Lepore took the oath of office, the crowd sang “Happy birthday, governor!” to Corzine, who celebrated his 62nd birthday on Thursday.

After the ceremony, Corzine said his New Year’s resolutions for 2009 were to “get the economy going and stabilize the best we can. And stabilize the world for our citizens.”

When asked why he chose to come to Woodland Park out of the Garden State’s 566 municipalities, he said, he wanted to support Lepore, who has to contend with a fair share of disgruntled residents who opposed the borough’s name change. NorthJersey.com

Torres: ‘We need … to police the police’

PATERSON — At a special City Council meeting tonight, Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres will discuss plans to bring in two outside consulting firms to conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the city police department.

Two years after a blue ribbon panel issued its report on the department, Torres hopes to hire the International City/County Management Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police to review city police affairs.

Torres believes the consultants can find ways to use auxiliary officers for routine police duties and reduce expenses at the department, which accounts for more than a quarter of the city’s budget.

He wants the organizations to recommend ways to shorten police response times and create better ties to the community. The department needs more accountability and defined performance benchmarks, especially since the city has invested millions of dollars in new police technologies, Torres said.

“We need someone to police the police,” he said. Northjersey.com

Winter storm could slow Tuesday ride home in NJ

TRENTON, N.J. – Snow and ice threaten to slow Tuesday’s ride home across New Jersey.

The National Weather Service says snow and sleet will fall over the state later in the day and throughout the night before changing to rain.

Winter storm warnings will be posted for Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex, Warren, Morris and western Passaic counties. Forecasters fear the precipitation will change into freezing rain that could last past Wednesday morning’s rush hour.

As much as a half inch of ice could accumulate on trees and power lines in those counties.

Elsewhere, forecasters say a mix of snow and sleet will fall over most of the state before changing to freezing rain and rain.

Rain is most likely in south Jersey.

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Statement Re: Situation in Eretz Yisroel

בס”ד

לבני ישראל היקרים, הדואגים אל אחיהם בעת צרה.

לאור המצב כעת אשר אלפי יהודים יושבי ארץ הקודש נתונים בסכנה מפרעות אויב, ראינו לנכון להדגיש ביותר החובה המוטלת על כולנו להתעורר בתפלה ולבקש רחמים על אחינו היקרים ולהרבות בצדקה וזכיות על שארית ישראל שלא יאונה להם שוד ושבר, ויש לחזק הנהוג לומר פרקי תהלים פג קל קמב בכל יום, וגם לשפוך שיח בתחנונים של “והוא רחום” שאומרים בשני וחמישי, ובברכת “השכיבנו” בערבית שמבקשים ופרוש עלינו סכת שלומך וחותמים שומר עמו ישראל לעד.

והשי”ת ברוב רחמיו וחסדיו יגן על עמו ונחלתו ויחלצם ממיצר, ויוציאנו מאפלה לאורה ומשעבוד לגאולה אכי”ר.

ח’ טבת תשס”ט
מועצת גדולי התורה בארה”ב

* * *

ROUGH TRANSLATION

To all dear Jews concerned about their fellow-Jews in this time of distress:

In light of the current situation, in which thousands of Jews in the Holy Land are in danger due to the attacks of the enemy, we regard it as proper to strongly emphasize the obligation on us all to awaken ourselves in prayer, to ask for Divine mercy for our dear brethren and to increase our charity and good deeds for the protection of the remnant of Yisroel from any and all harm. We should intensify the practice of reciting chapters 83, 130 and 142 of Tehillim each day, and fervently pour out our hearts in the prayer “V’hu Rachum” said on Monday and Thursday mornings and in the blessing of “Hashkiveinu” in Ma’ariv, where we ask Hashem to “spread upon us Your tent of peace” and conclude “the Guardian of His nation Yisroel forever.”

May Hashem in His abundant mercy and kindness shield His nation and heritage, release them from all straits, and take us from darkness to light and from subjugation to redemption. Amein, may it be His will.

8 Teves, 5769

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America

URGENT MESSAGE FROM HATZOLAH

Update 8:17 PM:
The Hotline Numbers of Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS (Not to be confused with Hatzolah EMS of North Jersey) seem to be working for now.

It is disgusting that Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS did not inform people of the problem until Hatzolah EMS of North Jersey publicized it. If someone having an emergency would have called the Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS hotline, the results could have been disasterous. This could have cost lives.

Disgusting – be ashamed.

(submitted by a reader)

 

The Hatzolah of Passaic – Clifton Emergency Numbers: 973-472-1002 & 973-472-1001 are not working.

In case of emergency please call:
1-973-773-9988
Please change your cell phones and write down this number near your phones.

(If you doubt the authenticity of this message, please try our usual numbers and you will see that they are not working.)

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Passaic Man’s Car Catches Fire While Illegally Parked in a Fire Zone in Wesley Hills, NY!

Wesley Hills, NY – When Hillcrest firefighters responded to a fire call at a shopping center last night, the fire wasn’t hard to miss.

A 1996 Dodge minivan that was in flames was illegally parked in the fire zone, a fire official said.

Nobody was inside the minivan at Wesley Kosher Plaza on Route 306 in Wesley Hills. Twenty firefighters put out the fire in a few minutes, but it was the first time Chris Kear, chief of the Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Department, had seen anything like it.

“We’ve responded to fire calls where we’ve had people parked in” fire zones, Kear said this morning. “They see us coming and get themselves out of the way. But nothing like this.”

Around 7:35 p.m., the minivan’s owner, a Passaic, N.J., man, had parked in front of the shopping center and gone into a Jewish religious novelty shop, Kear said.

The driver left the engine running. The fire apparently started in the engine and spread to the dashboard. Its cause is unknown.

Three Hillcrest fire trucks responded. The minivan sustained heavy damage and was undrivable, Kear said.

Ramapo police issued the driver a ticket for parking illegally in a fire zone.

“It’s kind of adding insult to injury,” Kear said.

Source: lohud.com

A New Sefer Torah for Bais Medrash Zichron Eliezer

The members of Bais Medrash Zichron Eliezer, along with community members, family and friends, joined Mr. Harry and Mrs. Perl Brown of Beachwood, Ohio as they completed a new Sefer Torah at the Ahavas Israel in Passaic yesterday. The Sefer Torah was written in memory of Mrs. Brown’s parents and Mr. Brown’s mother, and for a Refuah Shelaimah for Mr. Brown’s father, who was B”H able to attend this event. Many were priveleged to write a letter to complete the Sefer Torah at the Ahavas Israel.

Among those in attendance were: Rabbi Menachem Spira, Rabbi of BMZE; Rabbi Nosson Weissman, Mashgiach of Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic; Rabbi Shlomo Singer, Rosh Yeshiva of PTI; Rabbi Menachem Zupnik, Rabbi of Bais Torah Utefilah; Rabbi Ron Eisenman, Rabbi of Ahavas Israel; Rabbi Heshie Hirth, Menahel of Yeshiva K’Tana of Passaic as well as other Rabbis. Also in attendance was Gary Schaer, NJ State Assemblyman and Passaic City Council President.

The Sefer Torah was completed at approximately 5:00 PM and Mr. Harry Brown was honored with Hagbah. The procession, complete with a Chupah on wheels, community children holding torches, and lively dancing and music provided by Mr. Paysach Korn made it’s way down Van Houten Ave. and onto Main Avenue. Shortly before arriving at the Shul, the Shul’s other three Sifrei Torah were brought out to greet the new Sefer Torah.

Arriving at Bais Medrash Zichron Eliezer, the dancing continued for quite some time. Rabbi Menachem Spira led the congregation in L’Dovid Mizmor, among other Tefillos, and placed the new Sefer Torah in the Aron. Rabbi Spira then addressed the joyous crowd and spoke about the special importance of having such simchos during times of crisis.

The event was an extraordinary display of Kavod HaTorah and everyone displayed true Simchas HaTorah.

Much thanks is due to:

• The Passaic Police Department for providing security and a police escort for the procession.
•  Hatzolah EMS of North Jersey for attending and posting an ambulance at the event.
• The Office of the City Clerk for handling the arrangements.

Submitted by a reader.