Boomers hypocritical on today’s protests
Let’s all just concede right off the bat that no one is more intelligent, has worked harder, walked a greater distance to school, deserves everything they have, and is right more often than the Baby Boomers. The superiority of elders over the youth of the day has been well established going back to the time of Socrates, if not earlier.
But the Boomers’ criticism of today’s campus protests strikes me as a bit dissonant. Of course, their own protests against the Vietnam War were the absolute tops in protests. But to employ the very same criticisms that were wielded against them by the Archie Bunkers of their day against today’s protesters is disingenuous. And to cheer on the disproportionate use of militarized police to crush their peaceful protests is – I dare say – hypocritical and vicious.
Can Boomers perhaps recognize that the youth of today, who are in an active state of learning and yet maintain youthful idealism, might possess something they themselves long ago abandoned when they made their peace with the immutability of the status quo in this rotten world?
“If ye would enter the Kingdom of Heaven, ye must be as a child,” Christ said. Not as a cynical old man or woman with baked-in prejudices and rigid beliefs cheering on those who crush dreams and punish dissent.
To the youthful activists of today, I say, “Rock on with your bad selves.” And to those criticizing you, just shrug it off and say, “OK, Boomer.”
John Woodmaska, Kearny
State pensioners deserve COLA increases
Thank you for your article on the lack of COLA for New Jersey retirees (”Time for New Jersey to help its retirees with cost-of-living pension hikes” by Jersey Journal columnist Joan Quigley, May 14).
I was a 30-year state employee. It’s time for the state to keep its promises.
In the 16 years since I have been retired, my property taxes have almost doubled, not to even mention food, utilities, everyday cost of living, etc. Please keep us updated on this issue. Thank you!
Kathleen Cioffi, Plainfield
Stack’s bill stinks
It has come to my attention that Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian P. Stack, has introduced S2702, which I believe is a threat to transparency and fiscal responsibility in government. This legislation amends current state law requiring that the salaries of certain county officers and employees be passed by ordinance. The amendment would allow for non-pensionable salary to be excluded from the ordinance mandate.
In other words: Top officials in County governments can pad their pay with fringe benefits and give themselves second and even third jobs, with no public oversight or regulation.
To put this in perspective,a County Executive could decide that they would like to receive a housing allowance – or stipend. As the law currently is, the creation of this new benefit would have to go before the County Commissioners and be voted on and be put on the record for all to know. If this amendment leaves committee and is then passed, it will allow a County Executive to create this housing stipend without going before the County Commissioners and without it being voted for and put on the public record.
Discreet salary padding and mandate violations are an ongoing problem in New Jersey, while S2702 seems to favor only top positions who control large sums of money.
On May 6, acting state Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh testified before the Community and Urban Affairs Committee. According to Walsh, an investigation in Union County found that director-level positions commonly violated laws and padded their compensation with unregulated add-ons such as tuition reimbursements and salaries for jobs separate from that which they had been hired/elected to do. And, yet, if this amendment were passed back then, Comptroller Walsh explained that “this would immediately apply to the additional pay of just two Union County officials and no one else in the state of New Jersey.”
This legislation comes at a time when the state legislation has gutted ELEC through the creation of the independent expenditure committee and is in the process of limiting access to records through the Open Public Records Act. It is clear to me that the last thing we need is another layer of government to be increasingly shrouded in secrecy and pulling away from matters of public record. Instead, we need to remain dedicated to transparency and accountability.
As a lifelong resident of Jersey City and Hudson County, I believe that the public must be informed of this law and its potential implications on our democracy and our taxes – remember YOU pay for these benefits.
Sen. Brian Stack may be convinced of his legislation’s merit, but I for one am not.
Patrick Ambrossi, Jersey City
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