Opinion: School Vouchers are Bad Medicine

Richard Snyder opposes Gov. Chris Christie's plan to $2 million for a school voucher pilot program

A Simple Nod Opens a New World

When an autistic child nodded his head yes to having eggs for breakfast, everything changed.

LETTER: Why You Should Vote 'No' to the BAC

Another opinion on voting 'no' to the Berkeley Aquatic Club sewer hookup.

To the Editor: Voting NO on May 7 is very important for the taxpayers of Berkeley Heights. We are being asked to vote on a referendum which, if passed, will amend the existing Sewer Processing Contract to include a 51,000 sq. ft. commercial establishment, to be built in Warren, allowing it to tie into the Berkeley Heights sewer system. We’re referring to the proposed Berkeley Aquatic Club in Warren. Berkeley Heights and Warren already have an agreement under which Berkeley Heights will allow limited residential properties, but not commercial sewer hookups. The Berkeley Heights Town Council has listened to the pros and cons of this sewer connection request, and has voted against it, not once, but twice.  The May 7 vote should not be viewed…

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LETTER: Vote No to BAC on May 7

Another point of view on the BAC.

To the Editor: The only sensible choice in the May 7th Special Election is for Berkeley Heights to vote no.  While the Back the BACer’s have spent a lot of time name-calling StopTheBAC.com supporters (including myself, as I live within 200 feet of BAC’s land), the issue is simple – a non-taxpaying, non-resident, members-only business (BAC) is trying to evade the Town Council, which has repeatedly rejected  BAC because it is bad for Berkeley Heights. If you aren’t sure whether the Town Council is right, the League of Women Voters is holding a public forum on the election on April 24, 7:30 in Columbia Middle School.  Until then, because of the costs, the legal precedent and the destruction of a residential neighborhood, the reasons for …

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person

5:30 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2013

Actually, if you read the certification I linked to instead of immediately dismissing it, you would see that Lifetime Fitness IS in fact hooked up to the Berkeley Heights sewer plant. Here it is again: http://backthebac.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cert-of-egarian.pdf. On page 82 begins the exhibit F, the approval of Lifetime Fitness's application to connect to the Berkeley Heights sewer.   more ›

LETTER: Vote Yes to Share May 7

Sharing municipal services is the right thing to do.

To the Editor: The Berkeley Aquatic Club hopes to win an election on May 7th, 2013 that will bring them closer to their dream of building an Olympic swimming pool and facility just off I-78 at exit 40 in Warren Township.  The issue in the election is permission to connect to the sewer system, a system under the control of Berkeley Heights.  It is in fact an unusual election, but necessary.  The membership of the Berkeley Aquatic Club owes a debt of gratitude to the citizens of Berkeley Heights who supported putting this issue to a vote.  The chance to have this beautiful facility built for the use of the public still exists, because of the cooperation of the citizens of Berkeley Heights. New Jersey allows towns to share services for a fee…

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Letter to the Editor: Berkeley Heights Council Engaged in 'Vendetta' Against BAC Plan

The BAC's Jim Wood decries recent government ruling on proposed aquatic facility.

Five hundred thirty-five registered Berkeley Heights voters petitioned their Township's elected officials to have a vote of the citizenry on the sewer connection for the BAC new aquatic facility. Instead of honoring the direction of these 535 citizens and having the election date set by the municipal clerk as required by statute, those officials have decided to spend more tax dollars on legal fees, this time to have their attorneys research whether they can bring a law suit to side step the public will. Hiding behind the transparent charade of professing to want to protect the sewer plant's huge amount of excess capacity, these officials appear hell-bent on spending any amount of tax dollars and utilizing any set of tactics to subvert the …

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What's On Your Mind?

We'd LOVE to hear from you on St. Valentine's Day Week!

In honor of Valentine's Day this week, we'd love to hear from you!  What's on your mind? How can Berkeley Heights Patch better serve you? What kinds of features would you like to read on a regular basis?  Mid-winter is a great time for reflection. We would love for you to share your thoughts on a variety of issues.  Do you feel like the economy is getting better? What keeps you up at night? What are you most grateful for? Does Valentine's Day inspire you to think about love and what it means in your life? Any special plans for the holiday?   Don't hold back, tell us what you're thinking about on this frigid day in Mid-February, 2012. 

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Should Voting Be Mandatory? Share Your Opinion

According to an opinion piece in The New York Times, 31 countries have laws requiring citizens to participate in elections. Could that be the solution to low turnout here?

By some official projections, as few as 30 percent of registered voters may turn out for Tuesday's elections throughout New Jersey, when candidates for the state legislature, county freeholder as well as mayor and council in many localities will all be on the ballot. This despite the fact that the people who hold these offices have a major impact on state and local spending and taxation. Contrast that with the 90 percent or more who participate in Australia's elections, according to an article in Sunday's New York Times by William A. Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "Our low turnout rate pushes American politics toward increased polarization," Galston writes. His proposed solution? Have the U.S. join 31 nations, …

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