Borough employees turned out Monday night to voice their concerns over the council’s proposal to freeze longevity pay. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Just when it appeared that the Red Bank Council was set to pass an ordinance freezing an incentive program for borough employees, those same employees banded together Monday night to try and get the council to buckle.
It worked.
Nearly two dozen employees showed up to express disapproval of the council’s move to freeze the longevity pay of all non-union and non-vested employees, under which workers get an annual $500 bonusfor every five years of service.
In an attempt to cut costs, the council wanted to scrub the program for future hires and those who haven’t yet hit the five-year mark. Those with five years or more would have had their bonuses capped at present levels.
The idea didn’t sit well with those who stood to lose. Some argued that they needed that extra money to support their families while many grumbled that union workers are treated better financially.
Human Resources manager Valerie Ferber pointed out that 16 employees would be affected by the move, if passed. She is also eligible for a bonus this year, though she said it didn’t mean much to her compared to the principle.
“To single out the same 16 people over and over, it gets a little demoralizing,” she said.
George Schroeder, who’s worked in public utilities for five years, said the pay is an incentive that, if taken away, would be deflating to him and others who work toward the goal of earning an extra $500 every five years.
“We don’t make no money as it is. It’s a shame,” he said. “I have to go out and get another job just to make it.”
He said his two jobs are barely enabling his family make it, and, “Now you you tell us what we’re working for we can’t get.”
Mayor Pasquale Menna said last week that non-union workers weren’t being singled out, and the council would negotiate with the borough’s two unions to freeze their incentive pay, as well.
Kevin Tauro, who represents the Communications Workers Union, asked that the council “be fair” in its negotiations. He said last year union workers were given a only a half-year raise of 1.5 percent, and had to adjust to a new four-day workweek.
“These people are the most underpaid workers in the area,” he said. “Give us the respect that you give other groups.”
That message seemed to be enough to convince the council to table the ordinance.
“Maybe we did rush into this,” Councilman Michael DuPont said, but warned, “we do need to take some severe steps to close the issue we are having.”
The borough, facing a reduction in state aid, is trying to avoid layoffs and service reductions as it approaches the budget season, said councilwoman Sharon Lee. She said longevity pay will have to be revisited and seriously talked about.
As many in the crowd took the proposal to freeze the pay as a “slap in the face” as public works employee Ray Livingston said, council members made it a point to ingratiate themselves a little bit to mollify those feelings.
“We have an enormous amount of respect for each and every one of you,” Councilman Ed Zipprich said. “I don’t know anybody who doesn’t go above and beyond.”
Following a round of applause from the audience when the council decided to table the ordinance, Ferber made a gesture rarely directed at the folks behind the bench.
“Thank you for listening to us,” she said. “We do regret that job you do and the hard decisions you have to make.”
Why is it that public employees never seem to be able to accept that desperate times call for depserate measures. They act as if they are entitled to things that private sector employees do not get. They wine that they are so underpaid. Tell that to the full time retail worker who has to endure weekend, night and holiday hours and abismal pay rates. The supermarket worker, the fast food employee. How about the service employees, many who work for tips. When the economy sours they suffer reduced wages. This council better wake up and stop placating these union as well as non union cry babies. Perhaps they should look on career builder of monster and see just how low wages are in the private sector for the same level of job thay have with the government. Please, please, please tell me where on earth in the public sector you can find longevity pay…..?
I await ‘Dan the Stat-Man’ to start tossing around meaningless means and medians on this blog in response to ‘Utterly Disgusted’s’ post.
Utterly Disgusted, I agree 100% with what you are saying. It’s the sense of entitlement that these public workers have. Good job or bad job, good economic times or bad ones….it is entrenched in the public sector culture that those factors are meaningless in determining raises. That raises are automatic.
AND THAT HAS TO END given the desperate situation we find NJ to be in.
I wonder if he realizes that this is a double negative.
We don’t make no money as it is.
What the hell ever happened to pay for performance? OK, so I sat my lazy ass in a chair for another 5 years, now gimme more money.
The only FAIR way to do this is to kill this nonsense, and stop paying ‘longevity’ pay of any kind to anyone. How about a bonus if you reach certain goals? Is that too common sense for this admin? More money just because you’re still around, hmmm, that smells like a pension.
George Schroeder, who’s worked in public utilities for five years, said the pay is an incentive that, if taken away, would be deflating to him and others who work toward the goal of earning an extra $500 every five years.
“We don’t make no money as it is. It’s a shame,” he said. “I have to go out and get another job just to make it.”
GET INTO THE REAL WORLD BUDDY BOY! With that kind of grammar, seems debatable you even finished 8th grade. And yet you make probably as much as many who have college educations. And some of those folks with college educations who lost their jobs, and now are working in some cases 3-4 jobs making substandard wages just to keep from losing their houses!!!! So quit bitching about having to work a second job to make the extra $500 you want.
Two dozen employees showed up and the council listened to their demands. 1200 people can comment on this thread and it won’t make anywhere near the difference that just a handful of you showing up at a council meeting will have. How many of you were at last night’s meeting to support council’s position on terminating longevity pay?
No doubt, council members read RBG. However, commenters–especially anonymous commenters–on RBG are like dogs tied to a tree. A lot of bark, no bite.
You want change? Show up.
Show up at the meetings? Easy to say when you work a 9-5 here in town working for the town. Or should I say 8-6 four days a week. Not all of us have the luxury to sit around for two or three hours waithing for the council get to the subject at hand.
Does anybody know what kind of pay/salaries we are talking here? Are they in line with the work being done, or have they inflated to the point of largesse?
an entry level boro employee starting salary is 12.98 per hr
Instead of longevity we should give 20k bonus like the private sector
RBC83,
You can see for yourself what the salaries are.
1) Go to http://php.app.com/NJpublicemployees/search.php
2) Select “Red Bank Borough” as the Agency.
3) Click the “Search” button.
Another good point. Many people with commutes (which is a fairly significant portion of the people living locally), dont make it home until 8 at night. So just how can they drop everything to go to one of these meetings?
Besides, it should not have to take an angry mob at a meeting for these stooges to understand the problem at hand. They know the problem, but so choose not to address it. And instead perpetuate the public sector culture of ‘entitlement’ without regard to job performance or economic conditions.
Dooper,
Sorry, I can’t think of any facts that pertain to UtterlyDisgusted’s rant.
You, however, said Mr. Schroeder made as much as some college-educated people. Let’s see if that’s true.
Mr. Schroeder makes around $33,280 (or he did last year or the year before; the APP data tables are not current). The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median salary for a college graduate in 2005 at $48,724(http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2006/fall/art03.pdf)
In 2000, college grads in the 10th percentile made less than half the median salary (http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2002/fall/art01.pdf), so I’d guess that the 10th percentile made less than $24,000 in 2005.
So Mr. Schroeder makes less than the average college graduate, but certainly makes more than some college grads.
Nemo, if you want to post a link to better wage stats, please feel free.
Now there’s a minus to being a public employee: your salary is public information.
How many of these employees are Red Bank residents? I don’t know–just asking if anyone might know. Would be interesting to see.
YourTaxesatWork, I think you are missing my point. Point being, things are quite rough out there right now. I have professional associates (quite educated with Masters degrees in some cases) cutting deli meet at Shop Rite, then going to the gas station to pump gas, driving Town Cars for the local limo company….all to try and keep a roof over their head to get through the layoffs and poor job market. They are doing what they have to do, as humbling as it may be.
I think it downright ridiculous for Mr Schroeder (or anyone else like him)to make that kind of statement in light of that. If he wants $500 more a year, then get off your lazy behind and get a second job. Be thankful you at least have your primary job with the borough.
I did check a list of full time employees provided by the Borough Clerk’s office in the early part of 2009 and around 70% lived outside of Red Bank.
This just out on MSN.com. Nothing Earth shattering or surprising, but…
Nearly 20% of Americans underemployed
Gallup poll shows younger workers more likely to have trouble finding full-time work.
Posted by Elizabeth Strott on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:50 AM
The U.S. economy may be showing some signs of life, but a Gallup poll this morning offered a grim picture of the job situation that is affecting millions of Americans.
The poll said that 19.9% of the U.S. work force, or about 30 million Americans, was underemployed in January. Gallup defined underemployed as those who are employed part time or unemployed but who want to work full time.
Need we say anymore?
Go get a second job public employees if you want more money! But dont come to us taxpayers looking for it.
Just wondering why we want to know where the full time employees live. We want them to take pride in their town? Expecting more empathy regarding the tax squeeze from fellow residents? I think where money is involved, behavior is largely predictable regardless.
Pension Man. The question was asked for two reasons. One, I though the Council represented the resident tax payers first. So, if it came down between a cost saving issue that could negatively impacted non-residents if enacted or continue an unaffordable burden on existing taxpaying residents, the decision would be an easy one.
Two, in the old days, the people that worked for the borough were mostly our neighbors. They heard the voices of their fellow residents and reacted in kind because they were one of them. I think a resident employee might be more sympathetic to the taxpayer’s plight…although AV Murphy has proven that point incorrect with his milking of the municipal teet for benefits, as have apparently 30% of the RB employees, so maybe you are right and it probably doesn’t matter. That doesn’t excuse the Council mis-aligned allegiances though per my first point.
I see your point, thanks.
It is indeed sad that we are no longer in the ‘old days’. And of course Murphy should pay for his own benefits.
It’s also sad that the best the residents can hope for is to have council repeal the stupid self-indulgent things they’ve done. Repeal the 3% raises, and the prior year bonuses, stop milking the system for benefits and pensions. How about a net gain for once?
dooper why should they get a second job. Pay the employees what the going rate is for the same job in the private sector then you would have a gripe but the borough salary is that of slave labor please know what you are talking about can you live on 25,000 dollars a year in this politically corrupt state i think not
Ladies and gentleman, if you are a taxpayer in this city and you do not protest the blatant arrogance of your town’s Union workers , then you are asking to be taxed to death.
The sense of entitlement of these unions and, all those who think alike, has led to the pilfering of state and city coffers. They are like leeches, sucking the taxpayers dry, and that’s an insult to leeches. At least leeches know when to let go.
Was that 1200 or 12 on this thread? It appears that it is the same few all the time. Dooper you once stated that you did not live in Red Bank, yet there you are from 8:00 AM until 1:45 PM, passing judgment on the Red Bank workers. And tell them to get off their lazy a$$es. And furthermore,Dooper and Jenn, I can’t believe that you would actually make those remarks about Mr. Schroeder and his grammar.I know George, and he is a good, hardworking, loyal man who never misses work. He is also kind to everyone that he meets. Excuse him for not having a college degree and for not being a public speaker. Afterall, all he does is pick up your disgusting trash and plow your snow covered streets. Maybe you should go to DPW and apply for a job on his truck.
I agree with VJ above. Maybe it is time for RB workers to join the teamsters union like they did in Fair Haven. Work on the back of a truck for one day. Then tell me that they don’t deserve better. Is there ever a positive comment about Borough workers????? If you don’t like it, try it. There are many dedicated workers throughout the Borough, that rarely receive any positive comments
OK VJPCNF, Benthere, and SOG….the man is picking my ‘disgusting’ trash up, he is not a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, nor should he paid like one. FYI, my disgusting trash, like the frickin’ trash can they left today without the top on it, filling the can with rain water? There I am out there in the pouring rain, after my 10 hour day working in NYC, plus 4 hours of commuting, doing Georgie’s job empyting the can of water. All for 8k in taxes. What a deal! Screw y’all, you bunch of thieves. At least if your going to keep screwing the taxpayers out of their money, at least do your effin job.
And yes his grammar, anyone that talks like that, is an ignorant jackass! Sorry, whether you dig ditches or are President of the USA, you should know basic grammar and how to talk.
OK, now you all can threaten me with kicking my ass, putting me on a garbage truck…..been there done that too when I paid my way through college washing dishes, taking out other people’s disgusting trash working bussing tables.
See, I was not brought up like you lazy asses who are looking for entitlement, which will be the downfall of this country by the way.
Here are some prime examples of why this site and it’s posters go off the rails.
-It matters not where one who works for the town lives. If you work here in town for the town and complete your work day at 6pm it is easy to hang around and attend these meetings that begin at 6:30pm.
-Statistics can be fashioned to justify any scenario that wants to be told. Stop relying on them alone. Statistics are not facts. There are plenty of college grads working much more critical jobs making less than a trash collector/snow plow truck operator.
-Public workers salary listings such as on data universe are a mear snapshot, a base. They do not include pension, overtime, and other benefits.
-No one should begrudge a person “earning” a $20K bonus. The key here is “earning” the bonus/commission. How many people get $500 just for showing up for 5 years? Hell, private sector people for the most part don’t even get x-mas(once standard practice) bonuses anymore. Government workers need to adjust to the times just like everyone else has.
Let us not forget the Holidays, the sick time we allow public employees to accrue. How many private sector people still get Presidents day, Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthday off?
Columbus day, election day, MKL day?
Sick day….what’s a sick day? Most people I know in fact keep in regular touch with their offices, work e-mails and voice mails even when on vacation. How many public sector mid level employees take work home with them regularly? Aside from teachers who work less than a 10 month year I don’t know of many. lets not forget all the junkets and quasi seminars in Atlantic City and other resort areas around. Hmm, 3 days for the annual sewer and water conference, 4 days for the league of municipalities show, 2 days for the homeland security show, 2 days for teachers convention. APWA show, PWA show, vendor sponsored golf outings, fishing trips, I “work” most of these shows and trust me they are nothing but junckets, that are attended by low to mid level town, county and state employees that are not decision makers. Additionally many of these attendees come along with their wife/husband/signifacant other in tow. This is unheard of in the private sector at similar employment levels. Trust me I only mention the shows events that pertain to me and my business…..there are many many more.
When you view this from the inside looking as a private sector employee or employer it truly is disturbing. Enough with my rant I have to get to work.
UtterlyDisgusted, bingo on the comments, particularly the sense of entitlement.
I know the majority of the types of people that end up with these jobs in DPW, etc. Mostly it’s a family affair, carried generation to generation. They are the long standing townies, who think they own the place. That’s nothing new. What IS new is that the their entitlements are coming into public focus, with the financial crisis going on in the State of NJ. And the public is enraged. And rightfully so.
CHANGE is upon them, and they can either fight it or accept it and tighten their belts like the rest of us.
FYI, the best thing that could happen would be for the State of NJ and all the towns to go Bankrupt. Then that would force ALL contracts to be renegotiated, so that EVERYONE is forced to share the pain. No choice for them in the matter. Unfortunately, it is not allowed for the State or the towns to go BK. What a shame. Instead, this ongoing leveraging will just continue on. At the taxpayers expense.
hey dooper,
You are wrong about the best thing would be to go bankrupt.
Bankruptcy causes pain to vendors to the town who now have to negotiate a portion of their claim. Never are they paid full amount owed. I bknow you know that.
It appears that you think the solution is to go bankrupt to save a couple of scheckels off the salaries. Wrong.
The money we need for this town is in the Not-for-profit ring. We need to expose all of them, who made the decisions for these non tax paying entities and single them out. I would believe that there is/were/are paybacks to all involved to get them here to begin with.
All along our town leaders knew that not for profits do not contribute to the tax roll. How did they think we would derive income? from freakin parking meters? Please.
The current town leaders do not take the job seriously other than it is a way to get health benefits, pension and quietly arranged business transactions.
Once that is cleaned up we can be prosperous because no flagrant spending or deals would be signed from that day forward.
The problem is what politician can you really trust that does not have an ego or is only self serving—David Prown is the only one I can think of.
Watchingyou,
You are correct, bankruptcy would also hurt vendors. I won’t argue that for sure. And I never said bankruptcy would go without pain. It would sting like hell. For everyone. But that’s also the point…no one group can escape the pain…regardless of who you know, your connections, political pull…means nothing.In bankruptcy it’s court ordered, period the end. And the pecking order of creditors is set by law.
That said, I like your solution to clean up the town leaders. That, in a perfect World, would be the way to go, not bankruptcy. But my friend, corruption in local politics is entrenched. It is here to stay, period the end.
That’s why bankruptcy is the only non discriminatory, sure fire way to bite the bullet, and end the madness.
Anyway, this argument is moot, since the governments are not allowed by law to go BK.
Just my dreaming to start running our govt like a business, not a handout of entitlements, where reward is given regardless of perfomance.
And one other point….bloating in the local govts is not just in salaries to the workers. Vendors are also I am sure, I am 100% positive, also part of the bloating. Wink, wink, nod, nod..I know the council, so I get the bid regardless of whether it’s the most competitive. You even eluded to that in your post about ‘business transactions.’ Not saying all vendors, but it happens…kick backs as we call them. So the vendor area can also withstand some trimming too, I am sure.
Dooper I suspect we are sympatico because you may see things from the inside too. Just a suspicion. This is not a democrat or republican thing, there is equal blame to go around. It is the politically entitled class (including union leaders, and lawyers) that exist on both sides of the aisle. As far as bankruptcy goes, the mere threat of such a proposition would be enough to bring the unions to the table. This happened to the UAW prior to the collapse of the economy. The givebacks they aquiessed to for new hires were extrodinary prior to the government take overs of Chrysler and GM. Ford did not shed it’s debt in banruptcy court but was the beneficiary of the new UAW concessions and the union accepting responsibility for the fat pensions and benefits of retired workers. Ford is on track to return to profitability in 2011, much sooner (no projection) than it’s government rival GM, Chrysler is majority owned by FIAT….while the quality of their cars is questionable, they are notorious for standing up to unions. Lets see how long it takes for the UAW to raise dues and cut bennies on the rank and file now that they are footing the bill. Something they never allowed to happen when the former big three were paying the tab. I wonder what the CWA and NTEA and PBA will do when the rubber hits the road as it will. Enlightnment and the new media are responsible for exposure of the abuses our politicians have thrust on us for decades. I think it is the only thing that may be able to save us.
There are provisions in place for suscession as a state and establishing ourselves as a territory of the USA. Similar in that it is thought all state debt would be transfered to the federal government. This has not been tested yet but acording to the WSJ it has been explored by both CA and TX. Draconian yes, unimaginable?
Never thought I would see much of what I have seen in the recent past.
you people are crazy
UtterlyDisgusted:
Yep. I agree, no one ever imagined we’d see the State of NJ in the bind it is in today. Never was imagined, even just 5 years ago. Yet, now we’ve seen that. So it stands to reason that Draconian measures may be next, would not surprise me a bit.
The reality is this. ‘Somebody’ has to pay to close up the gap. Much of which exists with the pension funding failures, both by the way committed under Dem and Repub governors of the past (again, like you said, this is not a Dem vs Repub thing). Lets face it, the people of NJ got screwed.
Christie can try his damnedest to get a little from here (like the 1.5% cost of health care to be covered by teachers, the 30% increase in commuter costs) and a little from there. And somehow close the gap without raising taxes?? Never going to happen, these are just drops in the bucket. And I as a taxpayer dont want nor can I afford more taxes(they claim some figures put the burden at $17k per individual!).
OK, so we cannot and will not ask for $17k from everyone.
So what tools are left then to close this budget gap up?
I think you are on to something with the Dracononian measures.
Now, to the rest of the bloggers here, sympathizing with the ‘poor trash collector’, can you see just why it is so out of place and inappropriate to whine for entitlements to be protected, in light of what we are talking about here with the fiscal mess?
Maxine you are just choose to ignore the crisis…sadly that’s what many others in this State of NJ have also done.
When you wake up, it may be too late.
Watching, you are right about all the non-profits. many of which are quasi non profits. For example Meridian sells health care services and equipment out of riverview for profit and in direct competition with for profit businesses. A non profit that rents in a commercially owned space has taxes paid by the property owner so they really don’t count toward the burden. Last time I looked, Freehold, Long Branch, Neptune and Asbury Park even Holmdel has a ton of non profits associated with Government offices, Hospitals, Colleges, Churches, Libraries. On a per capita basis I would like to see some real world comparisons. Plus these other towns don’t have a private water authority to augment their coifers. the last question I have is how much fuel do these large non profits provide to our local economy. This fact is never mentioned. What would RB’s economy revolve around if not for the influx of workers and visitors the large non profits like Meridian, RBC/St.James generate. These people shop here, spend money here at resturants, occupy hotel space and provide a promotional function no chamber of commerce could ever dream of being able fund. Stop crying council people about non profits and the burden they represent.
Dooper, it’s *been* too late for quite some time. I’ve been jumping up and down about the attack that unions, politicians, and opportunist contractors (with their salaries, pensions, benefits, and back room deals) have brought with impunity against taxpayers for years.
Look at all the farms in Colts Neck, Holmdel, Middletown. What about the township owned and maintained parklands. How much local tax is forsaken in Holmdel for example on the huge parcel of land that the PNC Arts Center owned by the Highway Authority and leased to PNC Bank. Stop crying council people, every town has it’s own circumstance to deal with and regularly do so without asking for extradorinary aid from the state.
I wonder if the employees who showed up to fill the seats were paid a bonus to be there…or perhaps treated to a free lunch or other incentive.
Laura you can always count on buena sera to fill the town employees and council’s stomachs in exchange for the code violations they are allowed to get away with…..like blocking a public sidewalk.
and garish awnings with posts anchored in the pedestrian walkway. Not to mention being allowed to park at will unticketed in yellow no parking zones
And off the cuff guys, Red Bank is not the only ‘problem child’ town in our area. It just garners the attention because of it’s size and profile, and also because of the RBG site dedicated to it.
Reality, all these towns have very similar things going on, they just fly under the radar….FOR NOW. That is why it will be very interesting to see where this all goes for Red Bank…it could be a model for other towns.
I am not a Red Bank resident so I was not at this meeting, but was interested in watching this unfold, as I live in a local town near to Red Bank. So what’s happening there is likely to set precedent for my town and many others.
Disappointing to see so little resistance from the town’s people.
Rest assured, if this comes up in my town, I will be there.
I love the comment “everyone’s entitled to a raise.” Try saying that to your boss in the private sector this morning.
Besides, public or private employee, even in the best of times, EVERYONE is entitled to a raise???? How’s that?
Even if you do a poor job, you get one anyway?
What a disappointment our leaders are.
Posted by: Dooper on December 23, 2009 at 9:07 am
Sorry for taking so long to respond, but I just got home from work
I found this posting by Dooper where he states that he is not a Red Bank resident. I called the RBDPW to make sure that they did not pick up trash in other towns, and they don’t. So how are the Red Bank sanitation workers responsible for your trash cans being filled with water? And who are you paying your 8K in taxes to?
VJ, perhaps he owns a business in town or a property…In that case the dopes at city hall would pick up his trash unless he owns a resturant. Resturants o need more frequent service that forces them to hire private haulers.
Last comment then I will let this rest. Who in town knew this issue was to be discussed at this meeting. Was it advertized or publicized somewhere? Did the press (small p) or RBG report that it was to be discussed in advance. Seems to me the only folks who knew this was on the table were town employees. I bet it will be reported in advance next time. Trust me if it is, there will be more than 16 people attending that evening.
In response to Dooper’s tirade directed at me, Benthere and SOG, let us start with direct quotes.
“frickin trash”
“screw ya’ll
“do your effin job”
Yet you call the man for using a double negative “an ignorant jackass”.
I guess its appropriate to speak as shown above as long as your grammar is correct.
Disgusted, I didn’t know that Dooper was a man , but he stated he works 10 hrs in NYC with 4 hours of commute time. But you are right he could own property. But does’nt say that. There may be more than 16 people attending at the next meeting, but it is doubtful that it will be the posters on this site.
That has already been proven by past important meetings.
Something you all are ignoring…why doesn’t Red Bank just STOP the free parking on Saturdays and get back the $120,000 they’ve been loosing????? I thought that was supposed to be only for the summer and no further. They’re loosing $10,000 a month and complaining about it. Take a simple step and reinstate paying for parking on Saturdays. If they want to raise the meters on the streets, then that’s just gravy. I’m sure making back the $120,000 will more than cover the longevity incentives!
And on the subject of longevity pay. By definition longevity pay is to encourage retention of long time employees. In other words, keep them from leaving the job.
In this economy, isn’t that ridiculous? You mean to tell me we are worried about a garbage collector leaving their job to go work somewhere else? And even if they did, with the millions out of work, there would be a line as long as the State of NJ at the door waiting to fill that position.
Totally goes against logic. I mean these public workers should hear themselves speak, and listen objectively to what they are saying. If not for being so serious a matter, this would be laughable.
Cancel the fireworks. Save the taxpAyers money
Shame they keep removing the Doop’s witty response to our rocket scientist friend VJ.
Dooper, please see our policy re name-calling. Thanks.
John T. Ward
redbankgreenman
Hey John, I’ve seen the ‘f’ word on here, been called the eff word, and I don’t see those posts removed.
I have no problem with the policy, but please be consistent with applying it.
In addition, I never knew ‘name calling’ was any violation. Please define for me what exactly is name calling. Is it just a simple as calling someone ’stupid’? If that’s the case, then what has this come to where someone is being totally off the wall, and a blogger cannot respond? That stays in line with this Country’s obsession with being ‘politicically correct’. Another sham.
What IS your policy. I would like to see it spelled out in detail. Exactly what words are allowed and those that are not?
Thank you
Sincerely Dooper
p.s. If VJ is your friend, sorry if I ‘mortally wounded’ them with ‘name calling’.
Dooper,
The policy is at http://www.redbankgreen.com/commentsoncomments.
I’ll leave it VJ to say if he or she is wounded, mortally or otherwise. I have no idea who he or she is.
John T. Ward
redbankgreenman
Mr. Ward,
You and I have never met. And I am definitely not wounded by anything that has been directed at me on this site.
Fondly,
VJ the friendly Rocket Scientist
Mr Ward:
Thank you for the response. I still see no clear cut rules, it seems it could be subjective. I guess it is what it is.
Not referring to this situation, but if you are going to enforce name caling strictly, I would ask that you also be vigilant regarding threats, a copy of the verbage from the policy is pasted below. During the Foley story, on several occasions I was threatened with physical violence, tracking of my IP, and calling my boss all because someone disagreed with what I said.
I did not complain at the time, as these obviously are empty threats, how could they be carried out via this blog? At least I should hope not.
Empty or not, I ask that you be vigilant to this as well, a far more serious issue if you ask me than ‘name calling’.
Threats will be deleted. We also reserve the right to delete comments from posters we believe use multiple or misleading identities, those who use the site to promote commercial interests, disclose (or purport to disclose) someone’s sexual preferences, reveal a cop’s home address or, frankly, any reason whatsoever.
VJ keeps on instigating. Oh well, whatever.
Fill me in please, i share an IP address with several people so curisoty has me questioning the cat
This aggressive. This was VJ’s initial reply to my first post. Accusing me of being ‘disgusting’ all because I pointed out that someone he knows was quoted with poor grammar.
Just replaying the facts, have a great weekend all.
Was that 1200 or 12 on this thread? It appears that it is the same few all the time. Dooper you once stated that you did not live in Red Bank, yet there you are from 8:00 AM until 1:45 PM, passing judgment on the Red Bank workers. And tell them to get off their lazy a$$es. And furthermore,Dooper and Jenn, I can’t believe that you would actually make those remarks about Mr. Schroeder and his grammar.I know George, and he is a good, hardworking, loyal man who never misses work. He is also kind to everyone that he meets. Excuse him for not having a college degree and for not being a public speaker. Afterall, all he does is pick up your disgusting trash and plow your snow covered streets. Maybe you should go to DPW and apply for a job on his truck.
Just don’t use explicatives anybody, seems easy…..am I missing something?
This is getting petty. The route of it all is we have many bloggers (not all) here who clearly are public workers (or for whatever other reason I cannot imagine why they are defending the public workers) and their insane and off the wall requests to continue to get raises, more money, etc.while the state economy is in shambles. And they are getting nasty about it, because they know their positions are baseless.
On the other side you have us taxpayers, tired of paying more money in taxes, we hear about these raises, yet some of us have not had raises ourselves in quite a time.
That’s what this all comes down to. Not name calling and all that other petty nonsense.
What’s it going to take. Well, you cant get more money from the taxpayers. So like I said in another blog, it’s going to take layoffs. We’ll see how the public workers like that. A job with no longevity pay will seem like a sweet deal when they are waiting for their unemployment checks.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/rhode-island-teachers-fir_n_475234.html
this is the story in RI where they canned the union teachers…. it is happening. I expect it to happen here in NJ soon enough.