World Series
son-in-law style
Roanoke 1
Watchung 1
"10 years in management positions with a major food chain" Alman's Group blurb on Vice President Gerald B Green aka affectionately "Jerry Green" nine term Assemblyman and former Chairman of the Union County Board of Freeholders.son-in-law style
Roanoke 1
Watchung 1
A very interesting two hours Thursday night at Councilor Mapp's Forum. It was fairly well attended by a heterogeneous group of concerned citizens from all wards. Three candidates' forums in the past two weeks plus game 2 of the World Series may have saturated public interest before election, but the questions and Mapp's responses were spirited.
Among those in attendance were Assemblyman Green, who did address the group,as well as Republican Assembly candidate Vastine, mayoral candidates Dowe, and Pivnichny, and Councilman Storch. All except Vastine who is not a Plainfield resident contributed commentaries.
Although most of the period was devoted to the City's CFO problem some concerns were raised regarding the budget process, the road re pavement progress, the Senior Citizen's Center as well as the Dudley House status.
The topic of Muhlenberg Hospital was only briefly touched but there was discussion on the Plainfield School District's problems although it is autonomous from the city government.
However Muhlenberg seems to be a major election issue since Assemblyman Green posted Dottie Gutenkauf's recent opus in the Courier news regarding the "negative" involvement of his opponents prior to the closure of Muhlenberg.
In case you missed Plainfield Today's posting of the Alman's Group bio on Jerry Green when he was associated with them the following struck me as most interesting:
Among those in attendance were Assemblyman Green, who did address the group,as well as Republican Assembly candidate Vastine, mayoral candidates Dowe, and Pivnichny, and Councilman Storch. All except Vastine who is not a Plainfield resident contributed commentaries.
Although most of the period was devoted to the City's CFO problem some concerns were raised regarding the budget process, the road re pavement progress, the Senior Citizen's Center as well as the Dudley House status.
The topic of Muhlenberg Hospital was only briefly touched but there was discussion on the Plainfield School District's problems although it is autonomous from the city government.
However Muhlenberg seems to be a major election issue since Assemblyman Green posted Dottie Gutenkauf's recent opus in the Courier news regarding the "negative" involvement of his opponents prior to the closure of Muhlenberg.
In case you missed Plainfield Today's posting of the Alman's Group bio on Jerry Green when he was associated with them the following struck me as most interesting:
JG is a remarkable person. He doesn't boast about his retail grocery expertise. I wonder if that was concurrent with his years in the Assembly. Maybe Bo is right, it is the perception of what is unethical or quasi-criminal that is important, not the actual commitment of an illegal act. Even his Linden real estate dealings should be considered astute, an authority established by a government body that he once was chairman purchased his property and a small profit to the investor.
Plainfield's electorate turned out in record numbers last year. I hope all those that believe there is need for change locally and in the state will vote on Tuesday.
There could be a second "edition" today if significant news breaks. The Speaker of the House of Representatives introduced on Thursday for vote its Bill on Health Care .
I hope that there is a rumbling silent sector who does not believe in returning the incumbents to office.
ReplyDeleteI ask everyone these questions:
1- What has Jerry Green / Sharon Briggs done to DESERVE your vote? If you were their employer in a private business, would you keep them on the books? Remember, you are their boss - do you support their behaviour?
2- Are you better off today than you were 4 years and 20 years ago? My taxes have gone up and up and up. Remember, they do not include the schools which will shortly be included in our taxes. So, if you pay 8,000 in taxes today, plan on another 1,000 dollar increase at least.
Do you still think they should have a 15th chance? They have had their 2nd, 3rd etc.
Jerry Green used to be a butcher. One question that I still don't feel has been answered is an ethical one.
ReplyDeleteHow could Green convince the mayor to sell a city property to a developer for one dollar (via the Union County Improvement Authority run by Charlotte DeFillippo) when Green himself sold the UCIA a property for $750,000? Why didn't he fight to have the developer pay market rate for the senior property? And now he and the mayor were trying to push the tax burden for their boondoggle on us!
Doc, as you consider healthcare for more comments I was wondering if you saw the articles on Blue Cross in the NJ.COM website yesterday. I found the apparent tone of both articles, painting Blue Cross in a bad light, to continue the national pandering to populism. The first article reported on the protesters who were arrested at a lunchtime protest. Their issue is a common one that big insurance companies don't protect the little guy.
ReplyDeleteThe second related article was how Blue Cross was intimidating their customers by going into Bayonne hospital notifying their customers that they are in a non participating hospital and that Blue Cross will not cover their costs. A hospital spokesperson is quoted as saying that the reimbursements from Blue Cross are too low so they will not sign an agreement with them, therefore the view of the hospital is that Blue Cross is the villian because they would try and limit their payments for coverage at Bayonne hospital.
In the original article Blue Cross is the villian because they are accused of limiting their payments on behalf of their subscribers causing gaps in various coverages to the actual cost.
It seems to me that this a catch-22 and there is no way out for an insurance company.
From what I see bayonne hospital, and other like it will not be happy with the payments they are likely to receive from any type of government based system.
To 2:02 pm,
ReplyDeleteBlue Cross or Horizon as it is now known are real villians. Both Blue Cross and blue Shield were started as non profits the "Cross" was intended fpr hospitalization and "Shield" a later program was the physician component of the "Blues". In the 70s and 80s the various blues in the nation began to convert to regular for profit insurance companies.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield did so at som e time in the 80s or 90s I don't remember and the insiders received large stock grants during the conversion and going public.
I believe it was in teh late 80s or early 90s that teh blues would not sign a contract with Muhlenberg but did have one with JFK. They were demanding rates that e=were even below Medicare. So in fact Blue Cross or as the corporate name Horizon boycotted Muhlenberg.
AS Medical Director of CJIPA wse were involved in negotiations with Horizon but thety were never honest in their dealings and wanted a panel of physicians working for pennies on the dollar.
Yes the "Blues" and Aetna and all the other commercial carriers have been the true Robber Barons of Health Care.Ask any doctor who practiced in the 70s and 80s.