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Column: H.S. Test Scores a Mixed Bag

Examine the scores with care, because many factors contribute to the results.

 

New Jersey released school test scores last week.

It’s an annual ritual that is both highly anticipated and loathed by many.

No matter how much people complain about the over-testing of students, about the state placing too much emphasis on the tests, about schools teaching to the test and of tests being used to judge schools, everyone combs the test scores to see how students and schools are doing.

Judging by the statewide averages on the language arts and math sections of the High School Proficiency Assessment—passing this test is a graduation requirement for most high schoolers—students and schools are doing fairly well, or at least improving.

Almost 90 percent of high school juniors, the current Class of 2012, who took the test for the first time last spring passed the reading and writing section of the test. Three-quarters passed math. Those represent increases of 2.5 percentage points in language arts and 1.1 percentage points in math over the 2010 test administration.

Looking at Morris County schools, the results are mixed. About half the schools improved their average percent “passing” rates—those scoring proficient or advanced proficient—in math. A little more than half improved their language arts passing rates. But that means the others had lower passing rates.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean the quality of these schools has dropped.

Many Morris high schools are wealthy and naturally high-achieving, so small drops in passing rates don’t mean much. That’s especially true given that the test is measuring the performance of one class against an entirely different group of students. Ask any teacher and he or she will say that, for whatever reason, different classes of students from year to year have different personalities, different strengths and different weaknesses.

It should be up to teachers to address every student’s needs, but that’s often not possible. In an ideal world, every student would pass. As a practical matter, that’s never going to be the case.

It’s easier to improve performance when starting from a low point than to bring a 98 percent passing rate up to a 99 or perfection. And it’s hard to get every student to pass—the only Morris schools to do so last year were the two academies for high-achievers within Morris County Vocational School District, and one school (law and public safety) had only 12 students take the tests, while the other (math, science and engineering) had 22.

There are other caveats to test results. Generally, children from higher-income families do better and vice versa. The state Department of Education released other results, as well, for tests for grades 3-8 and breakdowns within each test for special education and bilingual students, sex and race, among others. These generally bore out traditional stereotypes and trends: boys did test better than girls in math, while girls did better in language arts; Asians outperformed all other racial and ethnic groups in math, and they scored as well as whites on the language arts section.

No test or group of tests should be used to grade a school, but taken with other information, including demographic and socioeconomic, they can provide fodder for parents and community members, not to mention school officials themselves, to see what a school is doing well and question whether it might be able to do some things better.

For instance, Dover, which is ranked among the poorest and lowest socioeconomic grouping in the state, posted impressive passing increases of 6.5 percent in language arts and 11.1 percent in math. It outperformed Morristown High School and Hopatcong High School, in Sussex, on both sections of the test, and also had a higher passing percentage in math than Parsippany High School, Parsippany Hills, Roxbury, Jefferson, Butler and Boonton, all of which are ranked higher socioeconomically based on the state’s district factor group system.

Did Dover have an especially bright class take the test or has it implemented some changes in curriculum or teaching style, or both, that led to the increases?

It can also be useful to compare schools’ scores against the district factor group averages, which give an idea of how schools are doing compared to similar schools.

In the GH group, which is roughly upper middle class, a little more than half of Morris districts fared better than the average in each of the tests. Jefferson, Morristown and both Parsippany high schools had a smaller percentage of students passing. Could these schools do something differently to help more students pass?

There is one especially troubling statewide result that all districts should consider: Blacks had the lowest passing rates on the HSPA of any other major racial or ethnic group. Even though English is not the first language for some Hispanic students, they did better than blacks on the reading and writing section of the test, as well as on math. This pattern carries through in those Morris districts for which brakedowns were available, particularly regarding the math results.

That kind of information is what school officials and community members should take away from the test results and use as a basis for making changes to help more students pass. Because regardless of anyone’s feelings about the test, students do have to pass it in order to get a diploma.

HIGH SCHOOL PASSING RATES IN 2011

The number of high school juniors taking the HSPA in spring 2011; the percent "passing," meaning they scored proficient or advanced proficient; the change in the passing rate from the prior yearl and the percent scoring advanced proficient last year.

Language Arts Test Results 
High School # Tested % Passing Passing change from 2010 % Advanced Proficient
DFG A Average 11,410 69.9 7.3 4.4
Dover 160 88.8 6.5 12.5
DFG DE Average 13,714 91.7 2.4 15.4
Butler 117 90.6 0.1 22.2
DFG FG Average 11,594 92.8 1.4 20.0
Boonton 144 92.4 6.2 17.4
Hopatcong 181 83.4 -4.8 11.0
DFG GH Average 17,912 94.4 1.0 25.9
Hanover Park 190 96.3 3.2 32.6
Whippany Park 141 95.8 0.5 34.8
Jefferson 269 93.0 -0.4 17.5
Morris Hills 280 97.8 4.2 23.2
Morris Knolls 412 94.2 -0.9 26.5
Morristown 369 87.0 0.1 26.6
Mount Olive 362 96.4 3.9 32.6
Parsippany High 277 91.7 0.8 26.4
Parsippany Hills 303 93.4 1.8 33.7
Pequannock 185 97.9 -0.7 33.0
Roxbury 352 95.1 2.4 24.4
DFG I Average 15,547 96.5 0.3 37.1
Kinnelon 175 96.5 -1.3 39.4
Madison 198 98.0 -1.0 46.0
Montville 352 97.4 1.6 29.8
Randolph 414 96.1 -0.9 38.6
West Morris Central 342 96.8 -1.1 35.1
West Morris Mendham 308 98.3 -1.1 57.1
DFG J Average 3,868 97.8 0.2 46.1
Chatham 297 98.3 0.4 53.5
Mountain Lakes 186 97.9 -1.4 42.5
DFG V Average 5,174 91.7 1.7 23.8
Law and Public Safety 12 100.0 0.0 41.7
Mathematics, Science, Engineering 22 100.0 0.0 95.5
MC School of Technology 160 98.8 -0.3 28.8
State Average 96,887 89.6 2.5 20.8
Non-special Needs Average 83,017 92.5 1.7 23.3
Math Test Results
High School # Tested % Passing Passing change from 2010 %  Advanced Proficient
DFG A Average 11,377 47.0 2.3 6.5
Dover 162 85.2 11.1 19.8
DFG DE Average 13,717 75.9 1.7 19.2
Butler 117 75.2 5.8 14.5
DFG FG Average 11,573 78.7 1.6 23.8
Boonton 142 74.0 5.9 14.8
Hopatcong 181 65.1 -6.2 11.0
DFG GH Average 17,883 84.2 1.0 31.6
Hanover Park 190 85.2 -0.5 36.8
Whippany Park 141 87.2 2.0 39.7
Jefferson 269 79.2 -0.9 18.2
Morris Hills 280 89.6 2.5 33.2
Morris Knolls 412 86.4 -2.4 33.0
Morristown 371 76.5 0.6 29.6
Mount Olive 361 85.9 4.6 40.2
Parsippany High 276 77.5 3.8 27.9
Parsippany Hills 304 83.6 -2.0 36.2
Pequannock 185 94.1 2.0 34.6
Roxbury 352 82.4 2.7 23.3
DFG I Average 15,543 88.9 -0.3 43.4
Kinnelon 175 87.5 -5.3 38.9
Madison 199 88.9 -4.0 42.2
Montville 353 88.7 -3.1 40.5
Randolph 413 87.9 -1.7 43.3
West Morris Central 342 87.1 -2.7 41.8
West Morris Mendham 307 93.4 0.7 51.1
DFG J Average 3,873 93.5 -1.2 56.9
Chatham 297 91.6 -1.3 53.9
Mountain Lakes 186 94.6 -2.2 46.8
DFG V Average 5,175 77.3 -0.3 29.2
Law and Public Safety 12 100.0 7.1 58.3
Mathematics, Science, Engineering 22 100.0 0.0 100.0
MC School of Technology 60 95.7 -0.9 36.9
State Average 96,783 75.2 1.1 25.3
Non-special Needs Average 82,958 79.6 0.9 28.2

Source: Patch anaylsis of NJ Department of Education data

  • Do standardized tests give good insights into how students are performing? (Tell us why or why not in the comments)

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes
        59 (40%)
    • No
        87 (59%)
    Total votes: 146
    • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Butler High School, Chatham High School, High School Proficiency Assessment, Hopatcong High School, Jefferson High School, Kinnelon High School, Madison High School, New Jersey Department of Education, PARSIPPANY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL, and parsippany high school

Bronson

8:45 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

Looks like our teachers are failing our students again...some of the schools in the area with a high minority mix...performed better then us......time for some of them to go....

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Chris

5:13 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

Are you saying "high minority mix" equals "dumb"? It sure sounds that way. Are you referring to south Asian and Asian or just your "classic" minorities, black and Latino?

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Roll Back Our Tax

8:51 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Bronson....this says it all. Below state averages and DOWN % wise vs 2010. Plus we just renewed the teacher's contract which had to go to state mediator.

Language Hopatcong 181 83.4 -4.8 11.0

Math Hopatcong 181 65.1 -6.2 11.0

Change starts at top. Need a new Superintendent. This guy is NOT getting job done. More $ doesn't buy you better perfroming schools either. If the teachers are there to MOTIVATE kids will want to learn. Dover (a good example) which is ranked among the poorest and lowest socioeconomic grouping in the state, posted impressive passing increases of 6.5 percent in language arts and 11.1 percent in math.

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hopeful

4:04 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Wow... I'm so offended by your comment Bronson that I don't even know what to say. Maybe it's time for people like to go.

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Jeanne

2:48 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bronson, with all due respect I am compelled to suggest that if you choose to complain about how the teachers are failing our students, you might want to proofread and set the standard...your comment should read, "performed better THAN us". Teachers and parents need to work together to hold high expectations. I was an elementary school teacher for 13 years prior to having my children, and was willing to go the extra mile for anyone willing to put in the effort. When you have a student/family that is unresponsive, it is like banging your head against the wall. Now that my boys are in school, I go the extra mile to back the teacher and support them in anyway that I can. We all need to be on the same team to be effective. Thanks for your consideration.

Nolan

10:06 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

I examined that data - a little math reveals that the difference was four more of 342 students failed. I couldn't find what school in the area with a higher minority mix did better than us. Which one is it?

State average is 75, our is 87. That does no look like "our teachers are failing our students". BTW - why is it when a student gets into an ivy league school it's all them and when they fail, it's all the teacher?

Bob

10:29 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

Tough to answer the survey. I said yes because of course there are many good insights to be gained, but I also believe that they lead to teaching to the test way too often because of an over reliance to judge teachers progress based on the standardized tests. Also as the article shows there are many factors that can affect the scores so the results must be looked at with a very critical eye to be valuable.

Bronson

10:32 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

What are you looking at? 65% passed in math and 83 % passed in language way below state levels??? 75% and 89%.....and Dover did better.....read the article...

Bronson

10:36 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

All I want to say is if our children can't pass these test, how do you think they will do on SAT test? When/If your child fails them it will cost you in tuition for them to take remedial math/language and they will get NO CREDIT...then I want to hear from you regarding the performance of our schools.

Bob

10:45 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

I agree Bronson that hey definitely should be able to pass the test! There is not a problem w/ having a minimum standard to graduate.

Claire

11:16 am on Monday, February 6, 2012

Were special needs students included in the town by town breakdown?

Thomas Paine

1:10 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

>> It can also be useful to compare schools’ scores against the district factor group averages, which give an idea of how schools are doing compared to similar schools. In the GH group, which is roughly upper middle class, a little more than half of Morris districts fared better than the average in each of the tests. <<

Statistically, this is a meaningless statement, like saying that half of the population possesses below average intelligence.

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

3:38 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

I have to agree with Claire...how many of these students tested are special education or special needs students? Hopatcong has A LOT of classified children. Also, as someone who has subbed and has children in disctrict and went thru the system myself, standardized testing PROVES NOTHING! There are MANY children who don't test well and MANY others who hate these test so much that they "Christmas Tree" the test (which means they fill in random ovals, instead of actually taking the test)! We need to teach these children to do their best no matter how tedious these tests are...I personally think there are other ways to "test what they know, but 5 days of 5 hour testing is not the right way....by day 5 I was done too!!

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Roll Back Our Tax

8:33 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Come on..quit making excuses for the nonperformance of our schools. We need reform!! How many times are you going to say "did it include this", "when I used to live here", "we have the LOWEST taxes in state", etc. The fact is if you can't pass the SAT, you can't get into a good college. I went to college and vo-tech. Have a trade and a Finance degree. Plus I earned a scholarship to put me through my last two years of Catholic high school because my public school had drugs and was not performing up to par. You need to have the minimum requirements and I see a lot of MINUSES next to Hopatcong's name w/third highest cost to educate a student in Sussex county. Does that make sense?? What are we paying our Superintendent $170,000 a year for....kids to go to Lenape?

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/deadline-for-school-choice-program-nears

And "he understood the parents' decision".

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/lenape-valley-could-take-hopatcong-kids

And I quote...."Dr. Charles Maranzano said the number of students interested in Lenape Valley "doesn't concern me" after Monday night's Board of Education meeting at the administration building".

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/more-hopatcong-students-consider-leaving

Not concerned???? I wouldn't renew his contract!!!

Bronson

4:06 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

But again if you are going to go to College you need to take the SATs....if you fail it whether you are a bad test taker or not you will pay extra to go to remedial math & language art courses in which you will NOT receive credits for but you wil PAY for out of your pocket...so lets stop the BS and agree if our children can't pass these test then we must be doing something wrong in the classroom and it needs to be fixed ....

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Claire

4:20 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

or maybe those students should not take the college route. There is nothing wrong with choosing a different profession, although the parent ego may be disappointed. vo-tech is a great option. I know many small business owners who make a great living ... electricians, plumbers, restaurant owners, who never attended college.

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Lurky Loo

8:43 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

Not for nothing, those that go to votech, oh like electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and even restraunt owners have to be VERY proficient in math in order to do those things! What your really saying is that 31% of our students are too dumb to learn math, I HIGHLY doubt that to be the case! You say It has to start at home. I agree. I make sure my kids do their homework and go to school. Why do I have to hire a tutor? Why can't my kids' math teacher teach them math?? I can barely afford my ever-rising taxes on a home thats not worth what I paid for. I didn't take one dime out of this house and I can't refinance for a lower rate because I'm hovering on being underwater. Not to mention the 90% we pay into health care every month which is now over $700 out of my end. Oh don't even get me started on groceries and how your a slave to whatever goes on sale that week. Gas prices? How long before they're over $4 again? I AM TAPPED so no on the tutor! Now teachers want their rasies every year and their tenure sheild but can't teach 31% of our kids math nor take any responsibility for it?? That's a buncha crap. Teachers need to do job or find someone who will.

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Lurky Loo

8:47 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

sorry my mistake 34.9% of our kids can't learn math!

Ricky Tan

4:40 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

You have to ask yourself what do the wealthy schools have or are doing that the not so wealthy school don't have or aren't doing?

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Claire

4:49 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

mostly parents who make sure their kids get good grades. Do you need to ask???

Ricky Tan

4:52 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

Yes, exactly my point. It starts with the parents.

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Claire

5:07 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

yes. paying for tutors to make sure their kids succeed. Money buys it. Did you ever watch the line outside Chatham, Madison and Summit school/libraries for after school tutoring?

Hopatcong Resident Too

10:42 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

Until the test means something to the students they will not mean anything at all. For example, if a test determined whether a student would move on to the next grade or not, I would imagine the results would probably be different than what we're seeing here.

Roll Back Our Tax

7:56 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

No surprise to me. More money does NOT buy you better schools. But wait "it's all about the children". That's why the teachers union rejected settlement and sent their representative to mediation right? To fight for more money for the children. LOL! If the money was going directly to the children (books, computers, etc). I'd buy into it. But it's going to salaries, benefits & pensions.

cv

7:58 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

It all gets back to the curriculum. I am trying to fight this everyday math . I need help people we all know it is wrong.

james

9:02 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

They were negotiating a contract, not funding for the schools

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Roll Back Our Tax

9:11 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Waaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaa! All about "me, myself and I".

cv

9:23 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

We all need to get together here in Long Valley and fight for better curriculum for our kids. I emailed jeff mohre and I am starting the battle. Who is with me. We pay alot to live here it time for a change.

Roll Back Our Tax

9:42 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

I am all for change too in Hopatcong. Here's our Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano's email address cmaranzano@hopatcongschools.org. If he can't get the job done....get some one else in there that can. But please.....don't blame it on funding. Even school districts like Dover make the grade and I don't see any outstanding educational contracts being issued there.

http://www.perc.state.nj.us/publicsectorcontracts.nsf

BeachBum

11:36 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

It's like congress - all of these people need to be replaced - Hopatcong is a dying town in mega debt, has always looked horrible and hasn't been revitilized ever, you would think by now the town would have some type of nice appearance, nope hasnt and never will happen

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

3:26 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Education Starts at home...teach your children to CARE about their grades and respect their teachers....very hard to teach those who want to learn when you have kids flipping desks, bad mouthing the teacher and causing chaos....if you don;t think it happens sub just one day in a classroom and you'll see how disrespectful the kids are...my kids acare about their education and I care about their behavior! I make sure my kids do their homework, study for testas and behave in the classroom....and you know what? I have 2 kids on the honor roll!!! No Excuses...it's not the teacher's job to raise your children...it's their job to teach them and if they're not willing to learn, then the parents have to make them want it!!! Stop blaming the teachers for everything because you're kid fails!!!!

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Lurky Loo

3:41 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

No, it's just a teacher's job to teach BASIC math skills. Not talking about raising them, just teaching BASIC math skills. 35% lacking, again, BASIC math skills, is unacceptable. 1 out 3 kids in Hopatcong do not have BASIC math skills and with the average teacher here making over 70,000, you'd think they could teach 2 + 2! So now with over 86% proficient in language, do the parents get ANY credit for that?? Something is fundamentally wrong with this town and the attitude. I guess all the kids just like english class over math?

La Quin

4:15 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

am i the only one appalled by the fact that mendham out scored central? the kids are not 'different' from each other (meaning inner city vs suburban). the schools SHOULD be about equal... HMMMM....

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Leta

11:25 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Mendham blew away Central just look at those Advanced Proficient scores!! HMMMM is an understatement!! Wake up Long Valley!

Slip

5:33 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Barring some language barrier or learning disability, there is no reason why the kids who attend WMC should not meet the proficient standards. They are provided every opportunity to do so. Those who complain about how its unfair and Mendham has it so much better should get up and move there. But you won't because you want a bigger house and bigger property without having to pay what it costs to live in Mendham. So instead of holding yourselves accountable, you blame your school system.

The reason why the more affluent towns score better overall is because there are less disadvantaged students living there and therefore on average they will have greater percentage of students passing. Not because they are taught any better than your kids.

Maria

7:59 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

I've always enjoyed math and problem solving....but a school can suck the joy out of math, or any subject, and make it dry, and repetitive. "Teaching to the test" is part of the problem. A good teacher will bring life to their sublect and spark interest in their students to learn more by making it relevent to their lives, using different media (computers, cooking, woodworking, etc) - but these materials are more costly than a textbook, and therefore are rarely used in schools.

Luckily, I had intrinsic motivation, but many do not. Our future as a country depends on a quality curriculum focused on math/science. Our schools should make it a priority, and as parents we should also. Take your kids shopping with you - ask them which is the best value, have them help cook and double the recipe or build the doghouse. Guess what?...they are learning math and spending quality time with you. No excuses folks - and they don't need a tutor - just make it interesting.

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

6:40 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

On and On...I can control my children in the upper grades, thank you very much! They are in high school currently!! School is what your kids makes of it and how the parents teaches their children about school, good grades, etc. And no, my kids are not "naturally smart" as I have heard the term. They work hard for their grades becasue they care! Have you seen the modern day math they have to learn? I couldn't do it in this day & age and I have a college degree. NJ math tests are DUMB! Teach real everyday math skills!!

cv

10:33 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Hooray Hopatcong Mom. The math is hideous and useless but language arts are not doing so well either. We need a change here in Nj. Too much for pensions and benefits not enough for kids. They should have 401k plans like the rest of us and have to shell out 700.00 to 1000.00 a month for health insurance.

Leta

11:34 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Look at the advanced proficient scores between Mendham and Central HS!! I really want to see Long Valley wake up and realize SOMETHING is very wrong. Oh, I am sure someone will say this "class" of students. Nice, blame it on the kids instead of looking at what needs to be done with curriculum and putting the focus back on academic excellence!!

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Claire

6:22 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012

Leta, while I do agree w/ you the math curric needs changing, I believe the class tested was under the "old" math program - not edm and connected math

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Leta

11:01 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Claire, Yes the math was still under the old program, but look at the Verbal scores, especially the advanced proficient difference.

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Claire

11:09 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Leta, I am afraid to see the scores once the current Soph class is tested, they were the 1st under the "new" Lesie Schwartz curric in both math and LA, I think the scores will be even worse. I hope you guys can change things for your kids because we kicked and screamed and no one listened.

james

12:32 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

I think Bronson and Roll back should spend some time in the classroom, since they obviously believe they can teach better than the current teachers. Put up or shut up!!

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Roll Back Our Tax

2:35 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Waaaaaa....that's because you're always crying. Unfortunately, my wife who works for a Fortune 100 company had the regretful experience of spending time in a Hopatcong classroom during career day on company time volunteering HER time. The kids the whole time my wife was trying to show them "their future" were texting, passing notes and talking. The teacher was too busy grading papers to pay any attention or care. So my wife said "she had to interrupt the class 5 times" before she got so frustrated and walked out. She never went back. No hope!

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Bronson

4:00 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

James...I have spent time in the classroom many years!!! but when my college age son can teach my middle schooler math, and he gets it....what are we paying the teacher for....obviously its not working...if your doctor was screwing up his diagnosis with 60% of his patients would you still want him as your doctor? NO....so why can't people be outraged when we see our schools are failing our children?

Observer

12:41 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

You can dice it, you can slice it, or you can spin it all you want, but the bottom line is…..Hop High suffered another year (2011) of abysmal NJ Proficiency test results. Sure, it’s easy to point fingers but this town lacks a commitment to education evidenced by more than a decade of failed budgets. So now, you don’t even get a chance to vote! Well done H-town! Wonder why you can’t sell your homes? It’s more than just the economy.

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Roll Back Our Tax

3:28 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Observe this.....blame it on the taxpayers! In Hopatcong we've been hit with 5-6% real estate tax increases from 2003 - 11. No wonder we vote down school tax increases. We know the money is ONLY going to salaries increases, benefits & pensions NOT the kids. This year will be NO different, we're still in a recession & the increases continue w/NO fiscal responsibility.

To make matters worse, Hopatcong reassessed everyone's property during the height of the housing market in 2008. What happened since? Recession. Then in 2009 our housing values fall back to 2006 levels. You'd think austerity plans would be implemented. Nope....we kick the can further down the road. Next more increases in wages for everyone from 2009 - 2011 as our housing values fall to 2003 levels. Then our voting rights on school budgets (if the borough stays below the 2% cap) get taken away and the Mayor continues to have closed door meetings. The fact is the borough is broke. We're $42M in debt w/a school & borough budget of about $40M. We're bankrupt!

Since we can't sell our homes and the values keep falling.....I and others in my group (totaling 400) have only one remaining right in Communist Hopatcong. Appeal our taxes. The more you & James keep commenting with your "entitlement" attitudes, the more requests I get from potential taxpayers to appeal because it's all about public employees "helping themselves" RATHER than "helping others". Keep commenting....you're my best sales people.

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Observer

8:44 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Welcome one and all to the T-town circus, main attraction tonight is...One Trick Randy! BTW..The DJ close on 12/31/11 was 12,217 and the close today (2/8/12) was 12,884. Great move!

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Roll Back Our Tax

8:18 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012

Great move Observer? If it wasn't for QE I and II by the Fed in those down periods market would have tanked by now. Not greedy this time. "Any way you dice it, you slice it or you spin it all you want the bottom line is" we're heading into a double dip recession. I remember when the DOW hit 14,164 on October 9, 2007. Then it went all the way down to 6,547 on March 9, 2009. That was during the credit crunch dealing with housing here in the US. Small potatoes.

http://www.the-privateer.com/chart/dow-long.html

See how it looks now. You'll see closings lower than the 6,547 in 2 years. Then all the pensions fund managers for your guaranteed tax payer provided retirement plans will be going ekkkkkkkk. as all the pensioners will go waaaaaaaa because the money they bet on the market will be going pzzzzzzzzz as the great sovereign debt bubble deflates. The sovereign debt is crisis will be several times larger than the credit crisis of 2008. This is the big one. It will make the Great Depression look like a picnic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU

The latest....

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/europe-stocks-gain-on-greek-deal-hopes-2012-02-09

The office of Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos released a statement Thursday morning saying the key political parties have reached an agreement in all matters except one. Media reports said details over adjustments to pensions remained as the sole sticking point.

Slip

1:33 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

WMC complainers are wannabe crybabies. They have nice schools which sends kids to Ivy league colleges every year, well established successful athletic/extracurricular programs, and scenic neighborhoods with a high percentage of upper middle class homes . You just can't get over the fact that your not Mendham. boohoo.

Hopatcong has reason to cry. Those scores aren't good and they should be better. The problem is with those scores is your school is at the tipping point. As good or bad as your educators/administration may be, once you get to a point where a significant portion of the school is under achieving, it impacts even those who in more stable competitive environments would achieve higher. Then it becomes a matter of changing the culture which is a far bigger challenge then just changing the personnel or curriculum.

Kudos to the town of Dover. The parents, teachers, administrators and kids appear to be doing an exemplary job thriving in what many would consider less then optimal environment. A model for others to follow.

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Roll Back Our Tax

4:29 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Slip....there is one other possible way of saving Hopatcong schools instead of closing them as I suggested below which "James" doesn't like. But it will take courage for the politicians to admit they have a problem, which I doubt will happen.

By comparison, I was in a school district like Hopatcong growing up. Drugs and poor school performance at that school was my motivation to get out. Desperate enough to make the change, I and others took two different sets of buses to get to our new school waking up at 5:00 AM in the morning. I was fortunate to earn a scholarship for my last 2 years of high school @ a Catholic school nearby. Others had to pay their way. I remember vividly saying to myself, "it will all be worth the effort". It was and from there I earned a scholarship to a top Catholic college. When I graduated entered General Electric's apprentice program and the rest is history.

What happened at my former high school when I left? They instituted Marshall Law. Police were welcome to camp out at the school. The board fired the Principal and the Superintendent. By the time I graduated from HS, things began to turn around.

My point? If our Hopatcong Mayor Sylvia and Board President and former Mayor Cliff Lundin had the courage enough to do what my former township did....we wouldn't be having this discussion about Hopatcong. Instead they have become part of the problem NOT part of the solution blaming the taxpayer and NOT themselves for inaction.

james

2:46 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

So step in and show them how to do it! You seem to have all the answers...

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Roll Back Our Tax

3:32 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

I'd close the schools and send everyone to Lenape. I made that suggestion to the school board already! The problem is no matter where you turn some one some where has their had in the till looking out for themselves whether on the School Board, in the Mayors office, on Council, etc. We vote them in for change and they get bought out!

james

3:38 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Yea, close the schools. Great answer!!

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Roll Back Our Tax

3:53 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

You asked me to " in and show them how to do it". Now you're criticizing me.

I see everything in black and white. From a business standpoint if something is not performing up to par....close it. I have done the same in my business. I wouldn't throw more money at it. Besides the Superintendent has yet to answer me "if we gave you more money could you guarantee me your school's performance would improve"? I have been asking him this for two years now. No answer! That's how confident he is so I'd fire him when his contract was up.

I'll make this easy for everyone to understand because I follow the markets. We invest not only in real estate but stocks, bonds, etc. During the last downturn I didn't follow my instinct because I got greedy. I stayed in the market. We lost about 40% of our investment portfolio. Now I was making returns of 20% a year from 2003 to 2008 so it really didn't bother me too much. Besides since that time I made just about 30% of my investment back. Still down about 10%.

I should have been following was this....

http://investmenttools.com/futures/bdi_baltic_dry_index.htm

Why? Because this has been the barometer that has never failed and always foretold a recession is coming 6 months in advance.

This will explain what will take too much room.

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/why-is-global-shipping-slowing-down-so-dramatically

On February 3rd the Baltic Dry Index reached a low that had not been seen since August 1986

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Roll Back Our Tax

4:46 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Yep and got out of the market the end of December 2011. Double dip coming and Hopatcong will have wished they were a bit more frugal with taxpayer's money.

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Roll Back Our Tax

8:04 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Mark your calenders for March 20th. Greek debt is due and like Hopatcong they didn't want to implement austerity plans either until they were forced to. If they default it will send shock waves through market. Then 2008 all over again only bigger! All the US banks are in real deep in European sovereign debt.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/02/06/greek-debt-talks.html?cmp=rss

"Greece's coalition government on Monday caved in to demands to cut civil service jobs, announcing 15,000 positions would go this year, amid mounting international pressure to agree on austerity measures needed to secure major new debt agreements. Greece has promised to reduce its 750,000-strong broader public sector by 150,000 by the end of 2015, but has so far insisted it could reach that target through staff attrition. Greeks have already been subjected to a spate of austerity measures in return for the rescue loans, suffering significant cuts in pensions and salaries coupled with repeated tax hikes and an increase in retirement ages. It could happen soon here in the states"

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Roll Back Our Tax

4:18 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012

James...I get a monthly report from www.foreclosure.com for Sussex county. It lists sheriff sales, foreclosures, preforeclosures, etc

Here's the link to foreclosed properties http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreclosure on in the county. There's (64) in Sussex county. About (10) are in Hopatcong.

http://www.foreclosure.com/search.html?rsp=20775&st=NJ&tab=f&z=&cno=037

Here's the link to short sales http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_sale_(real_estate). Right now there are (66) and (7) are in Hopatcong.

http://www.foreclosure.com/search.html?st=NJ&cno=037&z=&tab=e

Here's a link to tax liens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_lien. Right now there's (1,363) homes in Sussex county with liens against them. If you want to count how many are in Hopatcong that's up to you.

http://www.foreclosure.com/search.html?st=NJ&cno=037&z=&tab=t

Here's the link to preforeclosures http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pre-foreclosure.asp#axzz1m00SzDQk. There's (627) in Sussex. If you have the time to count how many are in Hopatcong...be my guest.

http://www.foreclosure.com/search.html?st=NJ&cno=037&z=&tab=p

My point. Are things getting better? NOPE

Are your taxes going up every year? YEP

Are your home values going down every year? YEP

Why? Because of the above

People more and more can't afford their homes. Taxes have a lot to do with it. When you can't pay your taxes the rest of us left that are still able to pay their taxes get penalized. Stop the madness!!

Tired of the Complainers

11:02 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012

If its that bad GET OUT...
We all live in this town and know in this economy that nobody is selling their house. Why don't we all just stop putting the town, teachers, children and whatever else you can complain about and start taking an interest in where we live and what our children are doing. I have children in this district and I am very active with the schools that their in. I have never experienced children disrespecting, throwing desk and whatever else you can make up. If your that ignorant and think that children do not learn from the home their raised in then your seriously wrong!!!! The only ones that can make this town better are the people that live in it. Were the ones that need to teach our children to respect each other, respect the environment were living in and learn how to be responsible. As for the test scores - we do have a high rate of "special needs children" that bring down our test scores. Why don't we take a look at this years graduating class and last years graduating class and see what colleges their attending and where these children are going. If you honestly think that grass is greener at another school then by all means go there. However you better do your homework - don't think there are not drugs, children with discipline problems

Roll Back Our Tax

11:07 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012

LOL...you're dreaming and yes I am trying to get out of this town. Houses are selling but at 2003 prices. Once they see taxes and school performance some walk away unless they have NO children!

Roll Back Our Tax

11:39 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tired of complainers...."Their attending" and "their raised in" should be "they are" or "they're". Lol..I hope you didn't go to school in Hopatcong.

Tired of the Complainers

12:38 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012

Honestly "ROLL BACK OUR TAX" you have nothing better to do but sit around all day on this patch and criticize people. No I did not attend Hopatcong - I actually went to a private school and did graduate college. Please wont don't you get a real hobby and stop sitting around looking for arguments and correcting people and quoting things that you have googled all day and want to impress people about. Better yet won't dont you volunteer your time apparently you have alot of it and clean up the town or help out at the school district.

Tired of the Complainers

12:40 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012

"ROLL BACK YOUR TAX" I'm on my phone and the won't should be WHYS.... I corrected myself before you had time to....

Roll Back Our Tax

1:05 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012

You started the argument and NO I didn't google to correct your grammar. You should know this if you attempted to attend college. If you like others are satisfied with paying 53% of your tax dollars towards under performing schools, pay another 28% to have bad roads plus pay for garbage pick-up and have 5-6% tax increases per year to pay for increases in wages, benefits and pensions. You must be looking to pay more for your services because evidently you're satisfied with the way things are run in Hopatcong. Also, I am not sitting around. I answer emails inbetween sales calls. Furthermore, both my wife and I tried volunteering our time. My wife during career day. You know how that turned out. Myself as a finance counselor to the school district and borough to start a "Citizens Audit Committee". Stay waiting to hear from School Board President Cliff Lundin and Mayor Sylvia Petillo. In closing, this is a free site to express opinions, share information and offer advice. So don't criticize me for "sharing" and I won't critize you for "caring". I have to give links to sites because there's not enough room to write it in on Patch. If it wasn't for people like me keeping taxpayers informed, you'd all be convinced you're getting a deal for your tax dollars in Hopatcong.

Roll Back Our Tax

6:28 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012

Since our Superintendent's contract will be up in Hopatcong soon. If any one in another district has the courage to come in and reform the school district from another one that's not paying you enough, please apply.

Prequalifications: district performance at least ABOVE the state average in Math and Language skills and must show a % increase from 2010 - 11.

Compensation and perks: pay is $170,000/yr, expense account and car allowance.

Here's the link to the school report cards (there's 2 pages).....all BELOW average.

http://php.app.com/schoolRC/results.php?county=Sussex&district=Hopatcong+Borough&school=%25&grade=%25&subject=%25&dfg=%25&Submit=Search

Average salary for teacher is around $80,000/year. Here's the list of salaries for administration and teachers. I think you have to get to number #90 before you find anyone making less than $80,000/year.

http://php.app.com/edstaff/results2.php?pageNum_Recordset1=0&totalRows_Recordset1=201&county=SUSSEX&district=HOPATCONG+BOROUGH&school=%25&lname=&fname=&job1=%25&tfm_order=DESC&tfm_orderby=SALARY

Here's the list of pensions for Hopatcong Borough of Education we're paying out per year with the top one Wayne Threlkeld (former Superintendent) at $124,325. You have to get to number #30 before you get to someone making less that $46,000/yr.

http://php.app.com/njretire07/results2.php?FundName=%25&lastn=&firstn=&location=HOPATCONG+BOARD+OF+EDUCATION&ret_yr=%25&name=%25&tfm_order=DESC&tfm_orderby=annualpension

Concerned

9:52 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Since you have all the facts and answers - as far as the scores go do you realize that 30percent!!!! 30 percent of the students are "SPECIAL NEEDS" whom have to take these state test as well. I'm by no means putting these children down - but you need to realize that they are not capable of taking these test and they are bring down our scores. Since your so good at finding links etc... please find the scores with that percentage of children taken out then come back to be and let me know if were still below average. Unfortuately we have such a high percentage because they provide revenue to the school as well we have children from other districts coming to ours.

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Lurky Loo

10:53 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Actually it's 25% in Hopatcong and that means that 10% are still NON proficient in BASIC math skills.

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Roll Back Our Tax

11:05 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Since you and the "Observer" have all the answers, please share with me the link from this comment in this article regarding the "2011 NJ Proficiency tests (all levels) that were released by the state on 2/1". I'd like to see those results.

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/hopatcong-teachers-strike-tenative-contract

In regards to your question about the 30% "special needs" programs.

I asked Superintendent Marazano the following questions one time from a report I shared with him which it claims we're the 3rd highest cost per pupil school district in Sussex County costing taxpayers $19,407/student to educate. He claimed that the report to Patch was inaccurate. His A: (answers) to my Q: (questions) are below.

1. Q: Is it true we're busing in kids from other school district with "special needs"? A: NO

2. Q: If yes to question #1 are we being reimbursed by these school districts? A: NOT APPLICABLE

3. Q: If so, how many "special needs" children and from what school districts? A: 0

4. Q: What's the cost per pupil of educating these "special needs" kids per capita per year? A: NO COST

So we AREN"T busing any in from other school districts. Now in regards to your question. All special needs children are give "limited" English and Math proficient tests. They are NOT the same test given the general populous.

http://www.state.nj.us/education/parents/special.htm

BTW..."your so good at" should be "you're" or "you are". Are you the Mayor of Hopatcong?

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genesko

11:42 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I cannot believe you said "...they are not capable of taking these test and they are bring down our scores..." I will ignore the poor grammar - clearly you have some specialness too. However, MANY of those "SPECIAL NEEDS" kids that are "bring down" (Again the poor grammar, but hey, it's the internet.) everyone's test scores are FAR from STUPID! (as you have clearly implied -- let me guess, they are the "eaters" in our society, right?) Yes we have some children with extreme physical and mental disabilities, but I can fully attests to some "SPECIAL NEEDS" kids who are frustrated by their situation, precisely because they know they are not stupid, just need a little more time or take medication to keep their focus. They are given standardized test with more time. If they are not learning, there is a problem, regardless of their disability. There should always be measurable progress or everyone's time is being wasted. (I have seen that case as well.) If you ever got to know some of the "SPECIAL NEEDS" kids, you 1. might not even know they were "SPECIAL NEEDS" and 2, be amazed at the variety of skills and talents they do possess that are not always part of standardized testing. Many of these kids are near genius in the manner in which they think out of the box. What is really the most heart-breaking is when they feel teachers assume they won't amount to much because they are "SPECIAL NEEDS." Everyone can add value, stop blaming them for the largest negatives on the chart.

Roll Back Our Tax

11:32 am on Friday, February 10, 2012

Lurky Lou...this site is filled with "Under Cover" agents (teachers) and possibly bosses (Mayor, Superintendent and Principals) from Hopatcong, who are trying to justify the POOR test scores in relation to the HIGH taxes. "You can dice it, you can slice it, or you can spin it all you want, but the bottom line is…..Hopatcong High suffered another year (2011) of abysmal NJ Proficiency test results", like the Observer said above. We have to make our elected officials accountable to US the "taxpayer".

Once again I have asked the Education Board President and former Mayor Cliff Lundin and Mayor Sylvia Petillo via email last night to consider my proposal of starting a CAC (Citizens Audit Committee).

http://www.yankeeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/YICAC.pdf

Again NO response. What are they trying to hide? If we don't reform what's going on in this town, the town will be bankrupt in the next couple years and then see where are property values will go.

Here's the latest.

http://www.zillow.com/local-info/NJ-Hopatcong-home-value/r_52570/

Yet our taxes keep going up 5-6% a year. I am going to repost the email addresses again for those who want to appeal their taxes:

Rob Spiotti, Tax Attorney" <rspiotti@taxcounsel.com>

Raul Mendez, Appraiser" <raul44@optonline.net>

Like I said before..."every time these supporters open their mouths", I get more people added to my group. BTW you have till April 1st to appeal your taxes and you will need an appraisal done.

IC

7:59 am on Saturday, February 11, 2012

If there was a Morris County study of test scores, why aren't the Kinnelon schools listed? Kinnelon is in Morris County.

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

2:34 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Wow...Roll Back Our Taxes....GET OUT OF HOPATCONG if you're that upset about the amount of taxes you pay....Go to Sparta, go to Denville...go somewhere that you pay $12k-$20K per year on taxes and you will still see kids that fail, drug problems and parents not doing their job....but by all means if the grass is greener than GO, because we sure and hell don't want you here in a town you can't even support!!!

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Lurky Loo

2:49 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Sparta and Denville don't count, they are Morris County not Sussex and why can't we complain? We pay the taxes so why can't we have accountability on where the money goes and why do we keep throwing good money over bad with results that keep getting worse each year? People who don't like to be questioned are usually the ones trying to hide something . Maybe if you don't like what Roll Back has to say, maybe you should stay off the Patch cause the last time I checked this was a free country and it OUR right to question where OUR money is going and how it is being spent!

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Roll Back Our Tax

6:51 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Hopatcong Mom...I can see why you and many in this community aren't complaining. If you're the average tax payer in Hopatcong and pay $6,000/year in taxes for all your kids in school and your taxes go up 5% a year:

Here's what happens when your taxes go up 5%:

$6,000 X's 5% = $300 increase per year.

This is what happens when you're above the average:

$12,000 X's 5% = $600 increase per year.
$18,000 X's 5% = $900 increase per year.
$24,000 X's 5% = $1,200 increase per year.

When you get up to $40,000 in taxes per year at 5% it's an increase of $2,000/yr.

So what I'd like to know "would you be willing to pick up my increase this year to support the under performing schools that you send your kids to"?

Roll Back Our Tax

2:48 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Hopatcong Mom...I am already paying that much in taxes in Hopatcong. You must be paying half that amount. If you have kids in school you're being subsidized by all the others that are paying more in taxes than you. Enjoy the low taxes for now cause as more and more default on their mortgages plus get seized by tax liens the 5-6% real estate taxes increases you've been used to will be a thing of the past. Look for a 9% increase this year with the teachers new contract.

Roll Back Our Tax

3:02 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Lurky Loo Sparta is in Sussex. FYI they have the 2nd best performing schools in county with the 2nd highest cost to educate per student. On the other hand Hopatcong has the 3rd highest cost and is I believe the worst performing school district. Need I say more?

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Lurky Loo

3:20 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

My bad as Sparta is head and shoulders above Hopatcong in every way shape and form...might as well be on a different planet! I still want ot know why WE cant question the money trail that WE provide to this town? Why can't we question why we spend over 17,000 per student and they are not proficient in BASIC math skills? Why can't we question why Dr Maranzano can create a job for a crony but has to lay off teachers? Like I said, ANYONE who tries to silence the people who want accountability either have a hidden agenda or something to hide!

Roll Back Our Tax

3:21 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Maybe what we should have in Hopatcong is a "pay per child in school" policy because Hopatcong Mom isn't paying the minimum cost of around $17,000 per year per child and she's criticizing me for not supporting the schools. The more she talks the more people I add to my group to appeal their taxes cause there are some homeowners in our neighborhood paying $30,000/year in taxes and NO kids in school. Hell our road hasn't been paved in over 30 years! Waaaaaaaa!

Roll Back Our Tax

3:48 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Here's the funny thing. The most expensive house in Hopatcong is up for sale for $3.5M and they pay $40,299 in taxes per year. Assessment on home is $2,034,300.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/35-Elba-Ave-Hopatcong-NJ-07843/39941344_zpid/

They don't even send their kids to Hopatcong. Also, Mayor Petillo once told me "the owners of that home can afford to pay the high taxes". I guess there's a breaking point for everyone.

The 2nd most expensive is right next door at $2.499M and they pay $28,867. Assessment on the home is $1,457,200.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/43-Elba-Ave-Hopatcong-NJ-07843/39941343_zpid/

Hopatcong Mom....one question...."What do you think will happen to YOUR taxes when these homes are sold for less than what they're assessed for and the new owners appeal their taxes"? Because that's what's slowly happening in this town as the tax base gets eroded with home values falling and businesses moving out. People like us have to appeal our taxes to make our house more appealing to sell (no pun intended). Hell even living on the lake isn't what it used to be with the poor management of the lake water levels, flooding with Hurricane Irene and a week later TS Lee, Noreasters causing ice glaciers the last two years damaging docks and boat houses, etc. I always said, "when the money moves out of Hopatcong because the attraction of the lake is no more, taxes on the less fortunate will go through the roof". It's happening right now.

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

9:43 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2012

You are totally missing the point of why I spoke up in the first place! The whole article was written about test scores and you ran your mouth about teacher's when teaching starts at home. I hate that my taxes go up each year, I hate that my house is worth less than it's assessed at (by $50k)....but I am not going to blame the schools for that...it's our local government!! It goes to the failed sewer idea (where's all the phases that were to happen? The sewers were to prevent contamination of the Lake but those houses aren't even hooked up to the sewers). Why did we need fancy lights in the center of town? Money is wasted left & right in this town but I won't dare blame the schools for the town's mismanagement!

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Roll Back Our Tax

11:25 am on Sunday, February 12, 2012

Yes I ran my mouth about teachers. Guilty!

If your house is worth less than the assessed value by $50 K, you should appeal your taxes.

You do need to blame the schools for that because 53% of your tax $ goes there.

Yes I am missing the point......it's about salaries, benefits and pensions.

The Mayor (even though we don't pay her) gets credit towards her retirement having formerly worked in the school district as a teacher.

The Superintendent Maranzano will become a "double dipper" when he retires from Hopatcong and collects a pension from NJ having worked and retired as a Superintendent in the Virginia education system before he came to Hopatcong.

The President of the school board and former Mayor Cliff Lundin (who we don't pay) is getting credit towards his retirement by collecting a salary of about $67,120 working for the Environmental system and gets health benefits.

http://php.app.com/NJpublicemployees11/results.php?lastn=lundin&firstn=cliff&location=%25&countyname=%25&fundname=%25&Submit=Search

But the worst offender of them all is former Superintendent Wayne Threlkeld who not only retired with a pension of $124,325/yr in Hopatcong, collects a pension from NJ City University of $5,173.20 but now I understand works w/Superintendent Maranzano.

http://php.app.com/njretire07/results2.php?lastn=threlkeld&firstn=wayne&location=%25&FundName=%25&ret_yr=%25&name=%25&Submit=Search

Who says education doesn't pay? Still think it's about the children?

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Fed Up

8:24 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

You need to ask mayor & council, then watch them talk out of bothsides of there mouths

Roll Back Our Tax

6:58 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

You have to love what's happening across the border in Scranton, Pa. City is going bankrupt and unions don't care.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/pennsylvania-s-scranton-strains-under-ruling-cutting-fiscal-repair-measure.html

"The effect of a state Supreme Court ruling that put contract-arbitration awards ahead of fiscal recovery plans under Pennsylvania (STOPA1)’s Act 47 law may reach beyond Doherty’s city of 76,100 by removing a tool for communities in distress. The order probably will mean higher taxes, said Brian Jensen, whose nonprofit group counsels local governments. The decision also underscores the difficulty U.S. cities have in handling mounting labor costs without resorting to bankruptcy protection".

“This highlights a real gap between what’s available under a lot of the state recovery acts such as Act 47, and Chapter 9,” James J. Holman, a bankruptcy lawyer at Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia, said by telephone, referring to U.S. municipal bankruptcy law..

“If the issue of insolvency relates fundamentally to collective-bargaining agreements, Chapter 9 has a fairly swift and fairly effective provision” to resolve those, Holman said.

Has anything changed in Hopatcong since 2010? Yes, they get a 2% increase without voter participation.

http://blog.nj.com/njv_publicblog/2010/03/vote_the_hopatcong_budget_down.html

Look for a 9% tax increase this year in Hopatcong. What will be our alternative? Bankruptcy!

Roll Back Our Tax

8:39 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012

If you are unhappy with the test results and want to voice your opinion to the school education board the next school board meeting is Monday February 27th at 7:30 PM.

http://www.hopatcongschools.org/p/board/meetingschedulebriefs

The first thing I would as is for the nonrenewal of Dr. Charles Maranzano and for a search to begin for a new Superintendent.

Here's the email addresses of board members as well:

clundin@hopatcongschools.org,
dkrowl@hopatcongschools.org,
mbongiorno@hopatcongschools.org,
ffarruggia@hopatcongschools.org,
rlavery@hopatcongschools.org,
jpasserini@hopatcongschools.org,
mperrotti@hopatcongschools.org,
jreilly@hopatcongschools.org

Roll Back Our Tax

6:57 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012

Parents...if you want to have more rights in the Hopatcong schools start organizing now.

http://parentrevolution.org/content/parents-union-chapters

What is a "Parents Union" chapter?

Parents Union chapters are the basis of the Parent Revolution organizing model. Each chapter has several very important features. They are:

Parent-only: Community members, educators, and others can and do support and work with a Parents Union chapter, but only parents can be members and take leadership roles.

School-based: Each chapter must be tied to a specific school, and only parents with children currently attending that school are allowed to be members.

Action oriented: Each chapter commits to actively organizing and fighting for kids-first change at their school.

Structured: Each chapter must have certain structural elements in order to affiliate with Parent Revolution, including a 5-10 parent steering committee with differentiated roles, a membership of at least double the steering committee, and other elements.

ffiliated with Parent Revolution: Each chapter votes to sign a thin MOU affiliating themselves with Parent Revolution. The MOU commits Parent Revolution to helping provide organizing expertise, policy expertise, and technical assistance to the parents, and in exchange parents agree to fight for kids-first change at their school.

Questions about bringing a Parent Trigger law to your state?
Email us at national@parentrevolution.org

Roll Back Our Tax

7:30 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012

I was able to get a cost breakdown of the 2011 - 12 budget for Hopatcong. It is located on the Hopatcong school's website

http://www.hopatcongschools.org/files/do/budget/11-12.pdf

Advertised Per Pupil Cost Calculations

2008-09 = $12,985/student
2009-10 = $13,089/student
2010-11 (original) = $12,865/student
2010-11 (revised) = $14,107/student
2011-2012 = $14,443/student

The per student costs do NOT include transportation, pensions, legal judgments, debt services, out-of-district tuitions and more. The result: the appearance, at least shows much LOWER per-pupil costs.

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/superintendent-new-student-spending-math-double-edged?ncid=following_comment

Hopatcong's school budget increased 2.4% from 2010-2011 to the 2011-2012 school year...obviously above the 2% cap. The budget will have to to go up for vote in November in Hopatcong.

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/hopatcong-school-budget-vote-elections-see-changes

Also, for those who wanted to know when the Superintendent's contract is up the answer is 6/30/1213. If you don't like the way the schools are operated make sure you tell your board members.

Here's the email addresses of board members:

clundin@hopatcongschools.org,
dkrowl@hopatcongschools.org,
mbongiorno@hopatcongschools.org,
ffarruggia@hopatcongschools.org,
rlavery@hopatcongschools.org,
jpasserini@hopatcongschools.org,
mperrotti@hopatcongschools.org,
jreilly@hopatcongschools.org

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

6:54 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

If you want change...how about keeping the "kids" in town....NO out-of-district placements!!! It's disgusting how many kids are placed in other schools, at 4 times the amount to keep them here...if we have programs for those children, then here is where they should be....if you kept half the money IN town maybe we could do more with programs, etc! It cost anywhere from $40k to over $100K to send a student out of district....that is what pisses me off....paying high education taxes to other school districts!!! Bull Crap!!!

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Roll Back Our Tax

7:30 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Show me the facts it costs $40 - $100K to send a student out of district. Here's some facts I'll share because it isn't about the kids...it's about salary increases, benefits and pensions. .

Dunwiddle (former school district where Marazano was Superintendent) had a $2.3 MILLION shortfall. Also they had to deal with rising school enrollment for the past 10 years 4,267 to 4,714 students an INCREASE of 447. Hopatcong has DECLINING enrollment by about 800 during same time period AND WE HAVE THE 3RD HIGHEST COST TO EDUCATE AT $17,051 PER STUDENT. Here's their budget.

http://www.dinwiddie.k12.va.us/files/DCPS-FY2011-Budget.pdf

Marazano didn't want to deal with it. So he left. So here's what the Dinwiddie School district had to do after Maranzano left.

School operating expenditures:

* no pay increases to any employee
* reduction of 5 teaching positions
* reduction of 6 support positions
^ elimination of assistant superintendent
* cuts to schools and departments
* reductions of all supplements 10%

Marazanno here in Hopatcong is trying to justify MONEY as being the reason for all his shortfalls here in Hopatcong. What did the board do? Increase the budget by 2.4%!!!!

So between the county's increase of 1-2%, the schools increase of 2-3% and the borough's increase of 3-5%....we'll be at a total increase of 8-10% in real estate taxes in an economy that hasn't recovered from the last recession. Does that make sense? We "the taxpayers" need a break!

Fed Up

8:31 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What we as taxpayers should do is vote everone out and start new. Oh i forgot, this is hopatcong, most people don't vote & the ones that do are cronies of the corrupt system we have in this town!!!

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Roll Back Our Tax

9:34 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What we should do here in Hopatcong is collect on our former Superintendent's manipulation of his final salary, benefits and pension. At least the Hopatcong school district ranks high in something.

http://www.state.nj.us/sci/pdf/SCIHigherEdReport.pdf

• Hopatcong School District Superintendent Wayne Threlkeld

Base salary reported to DOE: $182,847.
Actual total compensation: $221,880.
Difference: $39,033 or 21.3 percent.

Compensation beyond base salary during 2004-05 included $15,542 for cashing
in unused leave; a $15,000 merit payment placed in an annuity; $9,000 in longevity pay; $3,547 toward insurance; a monthly automobile lease stipend of up to $412, plus district-25paid automobile expenses. In addition to this compensation, Threlkeld is paid $25,000 a year as Director of the educational system’s Sussex County Regional Cooperative.

Between 1999 and 2004, $14,934 in insurance premium payments were made on
Threlkeld’s behalf, and he cashed in $84,718 in unused leave. Also, between 2001 and 2004, Threlkeld redeemed an additional $60,000 in unused leave time, combining that with $35,000 in merit bonuses, all of which were deposited into a 401(a) tax-deferred annuity plan for a total of $95,000.

Who says education doesn't pay? Was he ever indicted? Hell no!

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Interesting

2:51 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

randy, randy, randy.... While I agree that any tax increase of any kind is a bad thing, I do not agree with your math and it is misleading... And you seem to do this often in your posts. For example - a simple example - lets assume that school tax, borough tax and county tax were all equal In absolute dollars, lets say 100 dollars each, and they all increased by 2% - you are trying to imply that taxes would increase by the sum or 6% - this is not accurate... In reality the total would increase by 2%. Again... I do agree that any tax increase is too much, but let's try to be accurate please.

Roll Back Our Tax

4:26 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Sylvia, sylvia sylvia....(better known as interesting). Why don't you just let us know now before April 1st deadline to file tax appeal....how much our taxes will be going up? I don't mislead the public as you do often in your posts. Besides, I give links which are accurate instead of here say like you do and try to manipulate the public. But since you seem to know so much about what the break down is per hundred dollars maybe you can give us a rough idea what you plan on doing. You on the other hand try to justify 5-6% tax increases per year. I did the math and it's a rough idea of what it will come out to be. But possibly I am low on the school end because schools make up 53% of the taxes in Hopatcong. But I will assume like always you'll some how fold it into the town budget with your behind the closed door meetings. Hence 5-6% increases for the borough since 2003. You did it last year with the "revised budget" (see below) because the one we voted down was the "original budget". You'll do it again this year when we vote the next increase down. Every time you talk I get more people in my group.

2010-11 (original) = $12,865/student
2010-11 (revised) = $14,107/student

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Roll Back Our Tax

7:13 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Michelle....The Mayor ran on a platform of “stabilizing government spending while still providing the quality services our residents need and deserve”. Also, “lowering property taxes and exploring shared services”. Young ran on platform of ”stabilizing taxes”. He also said, ”he'd help Hopatcong find new sources of revenue and business”. Klein, ran on a platform of ”controlling spending”. Talk is cheap because “they don’t pay off on effort…they pay off on results”. Bringing business into town should be their highest priority because we need a broader tax base with MORE business tax revenue. Second priority stabilizing taxes because the homeowners cannot afford anymore 5 – 6% tax increases per year, with nothing to show for it. Third priority is improving Math and English skills in HS to attract families to want to move to area because of the schools. Declining enrollment, poor test scores high pension and benefit costs along w/one of the highest costs per pupil to educate in Sussex County is a recipe for disaster. You think we’d have better schools but more $ doesn’t buy you better schools. Change starts at the top and if Marzanno can’t produce then he needs to be accountable and if he can’t get the job done then resign. Even the supposed ONE attraction” Lake Hopatcong is going slowly. The water level management on the lake in recent years has been unacceptable and when the attraction of the lake is gone…so goes Hopatcong.

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Interesting

3:04 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

nope... Guess again... randy, randy, randy... Interesting...... Very..... Interesting though.... If you recall I agreeded with you that any tax increase is a bad increase... There... We DO agree on one thing.... have a great day...

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Interesting

3:10 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

So... Did we get out your slide rule and confirm my correction... There was no mudslinging there Randy.... i am not sure why when someone has the gall to question you you get all in a huff. Again... I am a regular old citizen just like you... I have no idea on where taxes are going... I do love your links though... Oh wait - the sky is falling... Have a great day!

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Roll Back Our Tax

4:42 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The more you (Interesting) and Hopatcong Mom talk the more I get added to my group. But I do like your links (none ever offered by you) and yes the sky is falling.

http://www.marketwatch.com/

Maybe you want to familiarize yourself with site above because it's not just me saying it...it's some of the top economists and financiers. Follow this guy. Learn something instead of poking fun of me and others with your worthless comments.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/halftime-in-america-more-like-sudden-death-2012-02-21

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Interesting

7:02 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hummmmm. Interesting... I love your links... I still have not seen you comment on the point of my original comment.... Your math was wrong and misleading... and please... I know you and Michelle think that anyone that dares to question either of you is some sort of evil person is a bit crazy. If I must provide a link to my point on basic math, let me know and I am sure I can get one for you.... Enjoy your Patch site.... I'll be watching.... :). don't worry be happy...

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

7:35 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012

You wanted FACTS? Go to ANY board meeting, get the minutes from the previous months meetings (you can do that it's public record)...This is from Sept, so I don't have a big listing, but let me find others, we sent a student to Somerset Hills School at a tuition cost of $74,239.

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Roll Back Our Tax

6:40 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hopatcong Mom...you have got to be a school teacher because you keep throwing out numbers that can't be validated quite like "Interesting" who happens to be the Mayor of Hopatcong. First Somerset Hills School is for kids with behavioral issues.

http://www.somersethills.org/shs/index.html

If the Hopatcong school district is sending kids there for $74,239 (as you say) and it's more than 20 miles away (which it is) I have an issue. The bill that Christie signed in September of 2010 was to give a student "a choice" if their local school district was not living up to their expectations and in SOME cases at "taxpayers" expense. .

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/gov_christie_signs_bill_allowi.html

"Parents dissatisfied with the quality of their local public schools can now send their children to classrooms beyond district boundaries — in some cases at taxpayer expense".

The article went on further to say......"The New Jersey Education Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association also supported the new law. But spokesmen for both organizations said they do not support a similar bill proposing vouchers for public school students to attend private schools".

Somerset Hills Schools is a "private school". Where did you get your information?

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Michele Guttenberger

4:17 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Somerset Hills School admission requirements - "A psychiatric evaluation, a psychological evaluation, social and learning disabilities evaluation should be submitted with referrrals. A one day pre-placement visit is required. Referrals are accepted from DYFS and in the case of day placements Boards of Education in New Jersey."
This school does not sound like a easy opt in private school. Seems to be a school for students with severe problems that the Education Dept recommends to parents to place their child. Believe this not a good example to support your argument of high tax $$ cost of attending non-Hopatcong schools vs keeping the student in Hopatcong school system. It appears that staying in the Hopatcong School was not an option for these students nor their parents. It is probably why the town is picking up the tab on this one. Got another example for Randy.

The "Original" Hopatcong Mom

6:56 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Go to the board meetings, ask for the agenda and minutes from the last months meeting...they HAVE to gove it to you...any numbers I "spit out" are all public record! We send A LOT of kids out of district when we have programs here to support the kids! You DON'T have to work in the district to be a knowledable parent. Unlike you who is so concerned that our teacher's make too much money (I don't, teaching these rude children is a tough job, I have subbed), I am concerned about "waste"...which includes hundreds of thouasnd of dollars in out-of-district placements (and transportation to such schools) as well as unneccesary remodeling projects (ie: the numerous board office and school principal office remodels), sub-contracting jobs that our current custodial staff can do. Just read the minutes, they account for every cent leaving the ditrict...why don't you do your homeowrk instead of just sprouting what you think you know about homes which has nothing to do with our school money!

Roll Back Our Tax

7:45 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I have attended Council meetings. I have made suggestions. I can tell you with all certainty "the borough is going broke". I can't get the Mayor, Council, School Board, School Board President, Superintendant, etc to even answer emails on starting a "Citizens Audit Committee" so how can I get them to understand the sense of urgency? Let interest rates rise and see where the servicing of future debt goes. My only way of fighting city hall was to form a group to fight our high real estate taxes to send the borough and schools a message that "we want to see reforms implemented". Change starts at the TOP and the Superintendant's contract which expires in June of 2013 needs to go! Fighting real estate tax increase which have EVERYTHING to do with the schools because it makes up 53% of the tax revenue is our last resort. I have to hit them in the pocketbook for them to understand we need to start acting responsibly in Hopatcong and start implementing "austerity" plans. Understand me when I say this...."Things are NOT getting better". Hopatcong is sitting on a time bomb with their debt issues, labor contracts and unstainable retirement programs. The state skipped a $3.1 million pension fund payment in June 2010. There's still a $30 million gap based on a 2.49% gain during January. But that's only because the stock market performed. So debt and revenue interest work in opposite ways and I see a storm brewing on the horizon.

Observer

7:48 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

After all this harangue, the essential problem still remains. Our schools are underperforming. Until that issue is addressed, don't expect real estate values to ever improve.

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Roll Back Our Tax

6:24 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Observer....actually until the whole state of NJ addresses the school reform policies that need to be implemented and the high real estate tax issues, don't expect real estate values to rise in Hopatcong or anywhere else in the state. But DEFINITELY expect foreclosure rates to increase.....oh wait things are getting better...the sky isn't falling.....quit posting National Inquirer links and misleading posts.

http://www.dsnews.com/articles/overdue-mortgages-number-6082000-2012-02-21

New data from Lender Processing Services (LPS) shows that as of the end of January, there were 6,082,000 mortgages in the U.S. going unpaid. That tally includes loans that are 30 or more days delinquent and loans in foreclosure.

LPS says Florida had the highest percentage of non-current mortgages last month, followed by Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Roll Back Our Tax

8:40 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hmmmmm....."Interesting". Provide the link and you can challenge my figures. I have run divisions of companies much larger than this $40 million plus dollar revenue sucking borough. It's easy to raise taxes. It's much harder to run a company profitably with intense foreign competition and substitutes in the marketplace. Hopatcong has no competition, some substitutes for schools and has a seemingly endless source of supposed revenue. If Hopatcong was a company they'd be "out of business". BTW...what are your credentials so that you may be believable because it appears you have NOTHING listed under your profile? You too embarrassed to list your "on the job" experience for all of us to see?

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Interesting

9:55 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

randy... I believe I provided a very simple example... I am sure you can follow it... If not, it appears it is not worth my time to try to explain my very simple example again... I am going to give you credit - you know I am correct on this... So enjoy playing in Patch land... This whole site is becoming like the National Enquirer.... Enjoy your night...

Interesting

10:03 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Ok - I changed my mind and will do it for you one more time... See above... You said "So between the county's increase of 1-2%, the schools increase of 2-3% and the borough's increase of 3-5%....we'll be at a total increase of 8-10% in real estate taxes in an economy that hasn't recovered from the last recession.". I questioned this and said: "Interesting
2:51 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
randy, randy, randy.... While I agree that any tax increase of any kind is a bad thing, I do not agree with your math and it is misleading... And you seem to do this often in your posts. For example - a simple example - lets assume that school tax, borough tax and county tax were all equal In absolute dollars, lets say 100 dollars each, and they all increased by 2% - you are trying to imply that taxes would increase by the sum or 6% - this is not accurate... In reality the total would increase by 2%. Again... I do agree that any tax increase is too much, but let's try to be accurate please.". Take a breath - do you now follow my very simple point? That is my very simple point... Sweet Dreams...

Cynthia

10:29 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Mr. Roll Back, it seems you are so very focused on the costs in your district which, if at $19k per student, are indeed very high. However, the sad fact is that you are paying for Jersey City's school's corruption and high costs, as well as Newark, Asbury Park, and etc. In fact, the 31 'Abbott' Districts get 60-70% of our state's school aid and they have only 25-30% of it's school population!!!!!!!! You might want to look at Senator Michael Doherty's site as it will help you to understand. If his legislation was to make it to Trenton, you and all suburban taxpayers would be handed a HUGE property tax cut. If your district got the $7,400 per student that he discusses in his literature, your district, Hopatcong, would receive $3.7M from Trenton (see the calculator on his site). That might help to decrease your property taxes a bit. Yes, $19k per child is too much, but how about the $30k per child in Asbury Park that YOU and I are paying for?? Or the HUNDREDS of unnecessary supervisors in Paterson? Or how about Hoboken even being an Abbott District because Corzine lives there IN A TAX ABATED apartment not because of need but because he pushed for that?? Read Doherty's site and readjust your thinking. Yes our property taxes are too high..here's why....http://fairschoolfunding.com/

Roll Back Our Tax

5:03 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Cynthia, Interesting, Summer....thanks for all your comments. Please keep up the good work!

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Interesting

10:36 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

randy - no problem... I am here to help you any time to understand simple math. By the way, I have no problem with the tax appeal exercise... It is your right, of course. However, I am sure you know this, but this has the effect of increasing costs to everyone since it does cost the borough money to defend each and every appeal. And every penny you have reduced just gets spread out over everyone else. Even if every home was reassessed today - the total tax revenue required to run the borough would not change - and the rate applied to the new assessments would increase to offset to reduction in total assessed value. I am sure we can all thank you for doing your little part to cause our taxes to rise. Of course, this would not matter to you much since you plan to leave dodge as soon as you can get that house of yours sold. How is that going for you anyway? Again... Take a deep breath grasshopper... Listen to what I just said - and you know I am right... Have a happy day...

Roll Back Our Tax

10:49 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

LOL...keep talking grasshopper. Take a deep breath as well because you're only helping my cause. Yes..you are right in all that you say. Let me highlight being the simple minded individual I am:

1. Yes..the ones that are appealing are getting their money's worth and the borough attorney is getting rich too!

2. Yes...the one's that don't appeal are bearing the rest because that's the way the system work.

3. Yes...even if every home was reassessed today the borough will still need the revenue because it will not cut waste and overhead costs.

Thanks again for all your help "interesting" and you sure know a lot about how the borough operates. You are well informed!

Tammy

11:36 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

I am in no way a math wizard but something struck me in reading the last two comments regarding home assessments. We recently purchased another home in Hopatcong. Luckily, both my husband's and my children are no longer in this school system. We had many reasons for staying in Hopatcong. Our home is town assessed at almost $100,000 more than it was appraised for by an outside agency. We were able to purchase it for $50,000.00 less than it was appraised at because it was bank owned. Now, Interesting stated that if homeowners appeal their taxes the reduction is spread amongst the other taxpayers. I get that. However, there are many, many homes for sale and in foreclosure in Hopatcong. If we didn't have our reasons for buying in Hopatcong again the fact that most houses are drastically over-accessed would have sent us running. It seems to me that if houses were fairly assessed more of them would sell and that would benefit everybody. Yes, I understand that it would mean less tax revenue but we are all living on tight budgets these days, why can't our Mayor and Council tighten the belt also? How can you say your concern is for the people of this town when you are blatently ripping them off because you can't manage a town based on fair taxes? Instead of paying the town attorney to fight every tax appeal why not just do a fair assessment? By the way, I thought restructuring the DPW was going to net us a fortune, where'd that money go?

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Interesting

2:37 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Tammy - I am not any different than you. I live here, I pay taxes, and I am not a public person. The town, school, and county all individually have budgets to do what they do. There are a couple of important points: they are standalone groups that just happen to be added up so we have one tax bill. it takes a certain amount of money to do those things - we can all do what we need to do to be informed on what the money is spent on. That is not my point here. The assessed values of all of the houses in any town are added up and multiplied by a rate to equal the amount needed to pay for all of the services. if all of the assessed values went up - the rate would go down and the amount paid would be the same. On the other hand - if all of the assessed values went down the rate would go up and again the amount paid would be the same. Generally - the tide rises and falls to lift and drop individual property values perportionally the same. That is why entire towns assessments which cost money - are not done very frequently. My point of this was about rates not about what money is spent on. I think we all owe it to ourselves to become informed and do your own research to better understand how it works and more importantly what money is spent on and for. Listening to me or anyone else here on the enquirer might not be the best place to get the information. I hope this helped.

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Roll Back Our Tax

3:16 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Tammy...you need to get yourself a position on the Environmental Commission and become friends with the Mayor in Hopatcong...then you will be an informed taxpayer.

Interesting

11:36 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Easy there grasshopper... I am just your neighbor... No body special.... I Will be watching - lets just make sure you talk the truth... Hey - I thought you ran large divisions of large corporations... I would think that they would frown with one playing Patch all day... Well.... I am off... Be happy...

Roll Back Our Tax

12:08 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Interesting...I operate my own business now. If you're my neighbor and own lakefront you must have worked for the state as a teacher, otherwise you would have appealed your taxes by now. You probably know this. But just so the taxpayers in Hopatcong are clear about how my "Roll Back Our Tax" Group was formed.

http://hopatcong.patch.com/articles/100-gather-to-take-on-rising-taxes-organizer-has-harsh-words-for-hopatcong

Back In November of 2010, armed with an appraisal I went to Therese DePiero, the Borough Assessor to request that she "voluntarily" reduce my taxes by about $2,400. I requested $1,200 for the 2010 tax year and $1,200 for the 2011 tax year. I only got $1,200. So I said "I would take the borough to Tax Appeal Court". She then got the Borough Attorney, John Ursin involved. I told him "I was going to make him a rich man". I got my $ and so did (80) other tax appealers.

In 2011 armed with another appraisal I went to Therese DePiero again and requested that my taxes "voluntarily" be reduced by another $2,400. She denied me again! Only this year I have about (400) in my group and the Mayor passed a Resolution in January 2012 to cover Attorney Ursin's fees.

http://www.hopatcong.org/Minutes/010412Reorg.pdf

Resolution #2012-09 – Legal Defense of Tax Appeals

As soon as my tax appeal is done the house is going on the market. I had a realtor tell me "if you're selling, the BEST thing you can do to sell your house, is appeal your taxes".

Interesting

2:17 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012

Nope... Not a teacher... Only one more guess grasshopper.... When is the open house? And yes... I have read your story here on the "enquirer" many times.... Don't worry.... Be happy.... by the way... Don't be so sure about what I may or may not have done about my taxes.... I will be watching....

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Roll Back Our Tax

2:57 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012

No open house. You think I want my neighbor walking through our house? Don't worry...be happy. Enjoy that Florida sunshine and when you're back in town let's talk.

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