To the Editor:
I was reading the agenda for the June 20 City Council meeting. I cannot believe some of the items on the agenda that are taking precedence over the real issues of this town.
We have a Board of Education with some really wonderful teachers. They don’t get the kudos they deserve. The ones that don’t deserve anything at all are getting all the perks. To add coal to the fire, teachers have been without a contract since 2010. Some classrooms are so underfunded that the teachers cannot even afford to buy supplies for the classes unless it comes from their own pocket. This has been going on for years.
Here’s a thought: why don’t the principals, vice principals, Superintendent Dr. Patricia McGeehan, and Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Bob Craig take a cut in salary for a change. Show everyone in this town that you are willing to work with the teachers and try to save money the right way. How about Assistant Superintendent for Business and School Business Administrator Leo Smith (what really is his title?)? He received a really nice hike in pay; he should be right behind Patsy agreeing to cut their pay or not take a raise in salary for the rest of their contracts? Our school taxes went up $2.5 million, and all our City Council is worried about is a stupid satellite dish?
They are saying nothing about raising school taxes! The mayor and Terrance Ruane sit on the School Board of Estimate. They have approved this increase.
What about our county taxes, raised 7.21 percent? Nobody is saying anything about that. Again, all they are worried about is voting on making sure that the residents remove their unused satellite dishes. Why are we not made aware of when there will be a freeholders’ meeting to attend? Doreen DiDomenico should make sure these meetings are put in all the papers so the public knows when this will occur. Maybe if we knew when these meetings were, we would know this and possibly oppose these increases. Our City Council and mayor are good buddies with Ms. DiDomenico, and none of them really care at all!
What about our municipal taxes? Raised and raised and raised again and again, approximately eight percent! What the hell are these spineless jellyfish of a council doing with our money? Why are they worried so much about satellite dishes and not the well-being of our residents? This is an outrage! I have never seen Bayonne in such bad shape until this administration took over! Shame on all of you.
You should all resign. You are not fit to be in any type of government, especially any one of you who represent this city. That means you, Mark Smith, Terry Ruane, Debra Czerwienski, Agnes Gillespie, Joe Hurley, and Ray Greaves. You are the worst mayor and council this city has ever seen.
ELIZABETH WEINGARD