MAPP AND TAXES

" As we try to find ways to alleviate the burden of our local property taxes; an area of opportunity is to remove the portion of the property tax bill that goes to the local school district and replace it with full state or federal funding.

We could replace the education portion of the property tax bill with a comparable increase in the payroll tax that would be spread across all who are employed by N.J. businesses."

So wrote our Mayor after giving several examples where the Federal Government has provided funds for specific mandated education programs.

His given reasoning is as wrong as his reasoning why it should not be a municipality’s charge to be responsible for the education of its children. 

The fact that perhaps the majority do not spend their adult life in that municipality should not excuse the municipality from fulfilling its duty.

If that portion of the “city” tax is onerous perhaps the answer is that the Board of Education should be completely transparent in its budget and receptive to taxpayer’s review.

A community like Plainfield where its own government lacks transparency and maybe honesty should not expect it from affiliated entities.

Neither occurs in Plainfield. Yes, we get a copy of the auditor’s report, but that does not indicate any nepotism or if open bidding is required to employ vendors. Yes, there has to be Council approval of the budget after hearings but we are dealing with a captive Council.

If the Mayor thinks that increasing the payroll tax will reduce the overall burden on taxpayers or not drive industry out of New Jersey he probably also accepts the claim that Mexico will pay for the Wall.

ROSH HASHANAH

Lashana Tova

I wish all a blessed and sweet 2780

   Tonight, Sept 29 2019, is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Years and the holiest 10 days of Jewish life ending with Yom Kippur. The period pf ten days is time for contemplating as well as reflection for on Yom Kippur your future will be permanently written by G-D in the Book of Life for the coming year.

  This world was created 2780 years ago according to the ancient’s interpretation of the First book of the Tora, Creation. Of course, we now know that Earth existed millions of years ago. But evolution and prehistory existence were  concepts that our ancestors could not imagine

UNDERSTANDING IMPEACHMENT

  As the process of Impeachment proceedings, which seems likely, we should understand what is this drastic step that was initiated to only three Presidents during the entire history of the United States. 

  In all these cases the process was not approved by the Senate. A fourth President, Nixon, resigned before the House acted.

  Consider the House of Representatives as a “Grand Jury” in the process. If a simple majority considers that there is merit in the charge it can vote to approve impeaching the defendant who does not have to be a President. Thus,        Impeachment is in effect an INDICTMENT which is then sent to the Senate that acts in a role of a Court as both Jury and Judge.

  The Senate needs a 2/3^rd Majority to “convict” the individual. As you can imagine that may be impossible if even a simple majority of members belong to the subject’s party. Even if the majority of Senate members are of the “opposition party there must be enough other members to join in to reach that 2/3^rds majority.   

  It should be obvious that Trump could be “Impeached” by the House, but found “Not Guilty” by the Senate.     
 From an opinion article of interest.

The Constitution says “Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."

But what does “shall” mean? Is there wiggle room on that? Typically the Senate has taken one vote to impeach someone and remove that person from office, but a second vote to disqualify them from further office, says Josh Chafetz, a constitutional law professor at Cornell University. “There have been 8 impeachment convictions in American history (all of them have been of federal judges), and of the 8, only 3 were disqualified from future officeholding,” he said in an email.

Remember this above all else: Because no president has ever been removed from office through impeachment, we don’t know for certain what would happen.