First Tuesday of November

Tomorrow is the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, better known as Election Day. 

A uniform date for presidential elections was enacted by the Congress in 1845. Why was November chosen? In the 1840s the US was largely an agronomy society. By early November, harvesting would be completed and the winter snows would not have set in. Short distance transportation was accomplished by foot or hoof. It could easily take citizens a day to get to their polling location. Throw in astute political intuition that Sunday Sabbath was absolute, Monday would be needed by many to get to the polls, and Tuesday became the day to vote. So what is up with the first Tuesday after the first Monday thing? Well the Electoral College must convene the first Wednesday in December with the election held at most 34 days prior. Some bright soul figured out that if there is a November Monday before the first November Tuesday the math works.

This year some Senate seats and all of the House of Representatives seats are up for grabs. As are a host of State and local races around the country. Here in my corner of New Jersey we have County Freeholders and School Board races coming to a conclusion. What will that conclusion be? That is up to you and me. So exercise your civic duty and go vote!

PS. To anyone that votes at the Roxbury High School, we have treats and I Voted stickers!

Roxbury Library Desperately Needs Help

Our Roxbury Twp Free Public Library plays a vital role in the community. It is the center where people can gather, where they can use a computer or where they can borrow a book or DVD to learn new skills and be entertained.  Sandy and its aftermath made this very clear when over 18,000 residents came to the Library to access the internet, re-charge their batteries and pass the time until power was restored to the town.

Computer Center during Sandy

Sandy has past and most of us in Roxbury have gotten back to our daily lives. The Library however is experiencing a storm of its own. The state mandated MINIMUM portion of the Library’s budget has been released with a $68,000 reduction from 2012 numbers.  Most people know that the vast majority of library funding is raised through local taxes, but you may not know that the State mandated annual minimum appropriation for the operation of our Free Public Library is equal to 1/3 of a mill on every dollar of assessable property within the municipality.  Due to the downturn in the economy, the mandated funding that the Trustees rely on for daily operation of the library has been decreasing each year for the past several years.  The minimum funding for 2013 is $1,096,213. In total, the 2013 proposed funding is $241,000 less than it was in 2008. The dramatic decreases in funding have necessitated difficult budget cuts; reducing hours, limiting book purchases and forcing technology to surpass its “End of Life” usefulness. Many needed projects and improvements have been set aside or scrapped altogether.  

The time has come for the residents to ask the Town Council to once again step up and support the Library beyond the state minimum. In years past the Council routinely added to the Library budget to create a Library that was looked up to in the county.  The past few years the Council has chosen not to continue that assistance. The result of the decreased funding; reduced hours, staff reduced by 1/3, program funding eliminated, and materials purchase (books, CDs and e-books) at a paltry 3% of the budget. We will need additional municipal funding to begin to restore our Library to the premier facility it once was. Please help the library by contacting your councilman and ask him or her to consider adding to the 1/3 mill for the library. Contact info for the council can be found at http://roxburynj.us/index.aspx?nid=3 .

Friends of the Roxbury Twp Public Library

The Friends are dedicated to preserving the library and its programs, an effort that has become increasingly important with the continued budget cuts to library funding. For more information on the Friends of Roxbury Twp Public Library visit http://www.roxburylibrary.org/friends/membership.html.

Citizens' Campaign = political activism

I attended an inspiring meeting where Harry Pozycki of the Citizens’ Campaign spoke on citizen activism. The Citizens’ Campaign cultivates a culture of service to develop a new generation of leaders – “leaders who put service over personal gains”. To accomplish this they hold live events and online classes to educate New Jersey residents how to “navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns.” After the speech I went to their website and took their online appointed office course. The course highlighted some of the boards towns typically create such as the planning or zoning boards. The Citizens’ Campaign developed the Citizen Service Act, opening appointments to government policy boards and commissions. In November 2009, Governor Corzine signed the Citizen Service Act into law. Now interested citizens can obtain a list of boards and commissions as well as vacancies from the Municipal Clerk or from the town’s website. Now that’s a step in the right direction. Next I think I’ll take the Citizen Legislator class so I can learn how to present local cost cutting proposals. 

Happy 4th of July

Sunday is the 4^th of July, a time to celebrate with family & friends the start of this great nation. I’ll be celebrating by watching one of my favorite movies 1776. 234 years ago, the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. 1776 is a musical comedy that recreates the days leading up to the signing. It reminds me that We the People can unite to create an amazingly special country.

Civic Duty: Pull the Lever

Today NJ is holding their School Board elections. When I dropped my dad off to vote at his polling place, I was presently surprised by the large turnout. As a poll worker for the primary and general elections, I am very aware of the low voter turnout for most elections. Historically Presidential elections get the largest turnout of elections held. Yet the 2008 Presidential election only tallied a 64% turnout. I’m sorry but for a country whose existence was created as a response to taxation without representation, I find it appalling that every eligible citizen over the age of 18 does not avail themselves of the right to vote.

Voter turnout began to decline in 1964 hitting its lowest point during the 1996 Presidential election when only 49% of the electorate voted. Midterm elections for Congress and State government elections have an even more dismal attendance. Sadder still, the Daily Record is reporting that the usual turnout for a School Board election in Morris County is a paltry 18%.

The November election for Governor garnered a 47% of possible ballots cast. Today’s School Board election 36% of my fellow Roxbury residents showed up to cast their vote doubling the usual county turnout. I am hopeful that even more citizens across the nation will stand up and be counted at this year’s Midterm primary and election.

Reminder New Jersey residents, Primary elections will be held on June 8^th. See you around the polling place.

Another Potential Loss for Libraries & Students

Yikes the EBSCO database is on the chopping block due to the state’s financial crisis. What is EBSCO besides an unpronounceable bunch of letters? It’s a collection of databases mainly geared towards students. Do you need age appropriate reading material, or grade appropriate research for a history project, or a magazine article for tomorrow’s class? These databases are the answer. I began tutoring my nephew at the beginning of this year.  Now it’s been a long time since I had to write papers or study for exams, so it’s been a challenge getting back into the mindset to be able to effectively help him. What a great resource these databases are. Funk & Wagnallis Encyclopedia is a terrific starting point for research reports. I’ve used the NoveList to draw up a reading list for my nephew. But, far and away the most popular features are the magazine & newspaper archive searches. EBSCO provides free access to thousands of magazines/newspapers including the LA & New York Times. Alas, unless there is a change of heart during the budget debates this fabulous resource will cease to be accessible to NJ libraries after June 30th. 

A Double Whammy for NJ Libraries

As if the Governor’s proposed budget cuts to libraries weren’t enough; Assemblyman John Dimaio has introduced an elimination of the required appropriation for the funding of free municipal libraries. Instead library appropriations would be the amount deemed necessary for the proper maintenance of the library by the municipal governing body. I fear the lawmakers in Trenton do not value libraries. Libraries are the cornerstones of our towns. They house the past, present and future of our communities. They provide the resources for all of the community to grow and achieve their potential. In these economic hard times Libraries and their resources are needed even more. While the budget crisis requires cutbacks in all areas, the proposed cuts along with A2555 will cripple municipal libraries across the state.

Please click on the link http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectRep.asp and send an e-mail to your state representatives in the 25^th district in support of your library. 

Help Save NJ Libraries

Libraries across the country are busier than ever before.  170,000 people use NJ libraries every day.  Libraries are community anchors. The unemployed are increasingly turning to libraries are currently to file online unemployment claims, apply for jobs, and taking classes to expand job skills. Children develop a critical reading skills beginning with Books for Babies programs progressing on to Summer Reading Programs and homework help. In this fiscally challenged times, adults are using libraries to provided low cost entertainment options, interact with government, and participate in life-long learning opportunities.

 

Governor Christie’s proposed budget calls for a 74% cut in library budgets. All statewide programs and services would be eliminated. These budget cuts will also cause an additional $4.5 million loss in federal funding, further decreasing in library’s ability to provided needed services. Eliminating all of the Network Aid ($4.299 mil) is incredibly destructive to library operations. Network Aid includes all region and statewide services such as; delivery, databases, and inter-library loans.

Intra-library loans and delivery systems have become a mainstay of library circulation. These systems allow a library to have a smaller collection of information physically on hand while providing the public a wider array of available information. Last year 82,000 items were circulated through the intra-library loan system to the benefit of Roxbury Township residents. I use the MAIN online ordering system. MAIN determines which library has an available copy of the book I’ve requested, and then arranges delivery. An e-mail is sent to me notifying the book has arrived at the Roxbury Library where I pick it up. Once I’ve returned the book, MAIN returns it to the home library or to the branch of the next recipient. This is an efficient use of the materials available to all the residents of towns using the MAIN system. Systems like this would cease to exist throughout the state if the budget cut eliminating Network Aid is allowed to stand.

Please click on the link http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/SelectRep.asp and send an e-mail to your state representatives in the 25^th district in support of your library. 

Civic Lessons

I hear this was something that was once taught in schools, but I don’t remember it.  In 5^th grade we learned about the states. In 8^th grade we learned about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  I don’t ever remember being taught how local, county or state government worked. Luckily last week, I heard a speaker, Harry Pozycki, that taught me the basics of New Jersey government. No, not the rampant corruption in the state – that, I did know about. Instead, he spoke about the importance of local government, how easy it is for an ordinary citizen to voice their opinion and influence the direction of their town.

Harry Pozycki founded the Citizen’s Campaign – A Call to Service a group that is striving to “cultivate a culture of service” and develop future leaders. Their website is Justthecampaign.com. The Citizen’s Campaign has been behind legislation and executive orders that have created State level Play-for-Pay reforms and opened local and county board/commission appointments to the general public. This weekend, I took their online course on Appointed Offices. It is a 30 minute emersion into local government. I found it very informative and well worth the time.

Over the weekend, my Councilman Tim Smith updated his Facebook page with information about a grass roots initiative he spearheaded on Government Efficiencies in Morris County. In late January, the 1st report from GEM was released. governmentefficiencymovement.org will provide a copy of the 111 page report. I’m looking forward to the next phase of the movement, particularly on the possible consolidation of the tax assessing and collection process.  

Both of these men, Tim and Harry have shown me that we don’t have to sit back and let government run amuck, that common sense can prevail with governmental entities working together, transparency in government and citizen involvement. They’ve done their part on the first two, now it’s up to me to do my part on the 3^rd.