The Ultimate Budget Cut: Newark to Stop Buying Toilet Paper

Another shining example of a Democrat-run city. They're so broke they can't even afford toilet paper.

Things are getting so bad in Newark that the mayor has ordered the government to stop buying toilet paper.

It's part of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's belt-tightening plans that include reducing most city workers to a 4-day work week and shuttering city pools.

Police officers, firefighters and sanitation workers would not be affected by the plan. City workers were already bracing for furloughs starting in August. The number of unpaid days would increase to 19 from 11 with Booker's plan.

The city budget shortfall is $70 million and Booker plans to meet the revenue shortfall with budget cuts instead of property tax increases.

Booker says property taxes in Newark have gone up 76 percent in last decade and 19 percent in the past five years.

At a news conference Booker also said, "Call me Mr. Scrooge, if you want, but they'll be no Christmas decorations around the city."

Can't we just blame Bush?

Video: Cory Booker Endorses Christie Property Tax Plan

We noted the Cory Booker endorsement of Cory Booker’s Endorsement of Governor Chris Christie’s Cap 2.5 Reform Agenda Monday.

Here's video. Worth noting is we see a lot of this Christie is a bully nonsense, so pay attention when Christie speaks of his days working with Booker while U.S. Attorney. I recall another U.S. Attorney who was also called a bully during his eight years as Mayor of New York City, and he did pretty well for himself. I'd rather Christie be perceived as a bully rather than a patsy by the whiny union thugs and Democrat machine.

'The Moment for True Reform Has Finally Come'

A key New Jersey Democrat faces the harsh reality.

Mayor Cory Booker Monday endorsed Governor Christie's proposed constitutional amendment limiting annual property tax increases to 2.5 percent.

Booker, a Democrat, said he is backing the Republican governor's plan -- along with the rest of Christie's 33-bill "toolkit" to assist local governments -- because "the moment for true reform has finally come."

"We have a historic opportunity here," Booker said, praising Christie's "guts and focus" on New Jersey's persistent struggle with high property taxes.

Christie and Booker rejected a competing proposal being introduced Monday by the Legislature's top Democrat, Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester). Sweeney's plan would cap annual increases at 2.9 percent and do it by law, not through constitutional amendment.

Sweeney says his plan would improve on the state's current 4 percent cap law, passed in 2007 under Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, without crippling towns and schools through constitutional change. Sweeney would also provide exceptions for some of local governments' most trying costs, including health care, pension payments and energy.

Christie dismissed those as "Corzine Swiss cheese holes" that render the cap ineffective. The governor's cap could only be exceeded for towns' debt payments or if local voters choose to override it.

Caterwauling from assembly and senate Democrats sure to follow.

Governor Christie has unveiled the Cap 2.5 Property Tax Savings Calculator. I recommend NJ resident and non-residents alike visit and see how much they'll save in taxes.

Related.

Well, Duh! Newark Bans Barbed Wire, Crime Soars

Absolute genius, those folks in Newark. Let's see, what can we do to improve the image of one of the most crime-ridden cities in America? Here's a great idea: Let's remove one of the best deterrents to criminals!

Fabulous idea. Next thing you know we'll find out cities with handgun bans have high crime rates.

Some business owners in this crime-plagued city say recent enforcement of a decades-old ordinance prohibiting some types of barbed wire and razor wire is making Newark more attractive — to thieves.

Burglaries are up 17 percent from 2007 through November in Newark, which has a young, charismatic mayor who has vowed to help the city rebound from decades of official inaction, incompetence and outright criminality.

The city is aggressively courting new investment and development, but people who have been ordered to downgrade their fences say officials are worried more about aesthetics than security.

John DeSantis, owner of a lot used by an auto repair business in Newark's West Ward, says his property has been the site of more than a dozen burglaries since the summer, when the city forced him to remove razor wire on top of the 7-foot-tall fence that surrounds the lot.

"The bottom line was, they said, 'It doesn't look good and we want to create a new image for the city of Newark,'" DeSantis said.

Let's face it. No amount of work is going to help Newark's image. It's a lost cause.

What's He Apologizing For?

Maybe the city officials of Newark should be more concerned with the rampant crime in their city instead of what a hockey announcer has to say.

A hockey analyst for ESPN has apologized for describing the area around the new $375 million Prudential Center in Newark as "awful" and unsafe during a webcast last week.

Barry Melrose, the network's lead ice hockey analyst, angered city officials and the Devils owner by saying of the new arena, "It looks great on the inside but don't go outside, especially if you got a wallet or anything else because the area around the building is awful."

"It's so different the inside and the outside where its built, it's pretty humorous," said Melrose, a former NHL player and coach.

Those comments drew a rebuke today from Mayor Cory Booker, City Council President Mildred Crump, Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek and Newark police director Garry McCarthy.

Reached by telephone later in the day, Melrose offered the apology city officials wanted.

"I was trying to be funny. That's how I talk and use my humor for entertainment. It obviously didn't come across that way," Melrose said. "I certainly don't want to offend anyone."

In 2006, Newark had its highest murder rate in over a decade. More here. And let's not forget about the brutal slayings of those college students this past summer.

Melrose has nothing to apologize for. Sometimes the truth hurts.

NJ Steps Up, Vows Crackdown on Illegals

Well, it's about time.

After the brutal murders of three Newark college students recently, New Jersey had decided to come down hard on illegals.

No, not illegal aliens, silly.

GOV. CORZINE, MAYOR BOOKER AND AG MILGRAM FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE

Mayor Cory A. Booker, Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Attorney General Anne Milgram were joined today by other mayors and elected officials to announce several legislative and policy measures to fight gun trafficking and gun violence in the City of Newark.

The four-point plan will be rolled out over the next three months and will allow the city to better police the guns within its borders and recognize the footprints of trafficking trends in the state.

“The recent events in our city only serve to highlight what we have known for some time; the guns that kill Newarkers are manufactured or sold within the borders of our state,” said Mayor Booker. “The problems with gun violence start long before the shot the kills someone is fired. Those that stand with me today understand the responsibility to protect all of New Jersey’s citizens. The creation of a broad Newark strategy that employs tools other than traditional policing strategies is necessary to tackle this problem.”

“We will aggressively prosecute and investigate those who use illegal guns in our state, but will also have another challenge - to stop people from using these weapons in the first place,” Gov. Corzine said.

Not a peep about illegal aliens who rape 5-year-olds and are then let out on bail by liberal judges appointed by Democrats.

More feel-good pap that does nothing to address the larger issues. These liberal politicans don't have the guts to go after the alien criminals. It's much easier to pay lip service and pretend you're tough by going after gun manufacturers.