Jersey Shore Views...: June 2008

New Jersey's new budget (FY 2009) has been approved by the Senate and Assembly, and sent to the Governor for final approval.  The $32.9 measure passed both houses of the Legislature Monday with little fanfare.

No so for the $3.9 billion school construction bonding bill which was hotly debated for more than four hours before gaining approval.

At issue is the amount of the bonding proposal and the refusal of the Governor and Legislature to put the plan before the voters.

The Governor originally called for borrowing only $2.5 billion to complete school construction projects in the state's most distressed school districts.  In an effort to gain legislative support for the budget the amount was increased to $3.9 billion, with $1 billion and $50 million going to other school districts and county vocational schools respectively.  The state is under court order to complete new school construction.  The school construction stopped when a fund of $8.6 billion ran dry due to mismanagement.  

According to published reports, many legislators refused to vote for the 2009 budget if bonding for school construction wasn't approved.  So it was approved, with the Governor promising the monies would not be used for political paybacks.  And no voter approval.

Because NJ's legislative elections are held in off years, it will be interesting to see if residents remember in 2009, those legislators that usurped the voters authority. 

Did you know more pets are lost on July 4th than any other day?  What do you expect lots of good food and food smells around, marching bands, parades and loud fireworks.  Not fun for our furry companions!

According to officials with the Associated Humane Society in New Jersey, it might be tough to leave part of the family home but that's the safest place for your pet to celebrate independence day.  They are actually happier (though my pup didn't tell me this) at home where it's realtively quiet, cool and safe.

Here are some suggestions to keep your pets safe:

Don't take pets to fireworks displays, the sound can be painful for pups of all ages.

Don't leave your pet unattended outside during fireworks displays, even in a fenced yard.  When frightened they might go under or over just to escape.

We love the beach, but it's not the best place for Fido.  The sand gets hot and uncomfortable.  Salt water is dangerous and constant sunshine makes pets susceptible to heat stroke.  Also most beaches in Ocean County, NJ don't allow dogs at the beach during the summer.

Never leave your pet in the car, even for a few minutes.  As we all know even with the windows open, the car can become an oven.  Also, many pets are stolen from vehicles.

Get your pet micro-chipped, it not that expensive and the chip contains all your info so your dog can be returned. 

And make sure there's plenty of fresh water available throughout the day!

Welcome to the Jersey Shore!  ENJOY!  Have a happy and safe summer!  

Come on, it's NJ and our elected officials in Trenton are ready to borrow $3.9 billion without voter approval!  Yes, this along with the state's $32.8 billion FY 2009 budget are up for discussion in Trenton today.

Governor Corzine will get most of what he asked for in the budget; cuts in municipal aid, cuts to hospital funding, cuts to nursing homes, cuts to property tax rebates and a denial of cost of living increases to the state's non profits caring for the poor.

What's necessary to solve the state's fiscal dilemma is benefit and pension reform. That's for public employees as well as elected officials.  Well, our Governor is still up in the air on this, as is our Legislature.  This is the time to take a stand! 

Perhaps the biggest debate today will focus on a $3.9 billion proposal to restart a school construction program.  That program has already cost the state $8.6 billion, and not all the work is done.  Even the Governor admits the program stalled due to mismanagement.

That $8.6 billion was spent following a 1998 NJ Supreme Court order that new schools be built in the state's poorest cities. Now citing the Court decision, the Governor says the voters need not approve additional spending!

The NJ Constitution requires voter approval for the state to borrow money.  We're already $32 billion in debt and rank 4th ion the nation's list of indebted states.

Can someone tell me how this borrowing and spending is going to help NJ?  Maybe they can't and that's why the voters won't be allowed to decide!  

Cute aren't they.  Well they need your help!  The Ocean County Board of Freeholders (NJ) is calling on the public to help nearly 100 kittens that have been turned over to the two local animal shelters.

They admit this is the time of year that litters of kittens are surrendered to the shelters or abandoned, but Freeholder Gerry Little says the number of surrendered animals has increased by about 30 % since last year.  Shelter supervisors say home foreclosures have forced many area residents to give up family pets when they loose their homes.

According to the state director of the Humane Society of the United States, some people can no longer afford to feed their animals, while others are moving into rental properties that don't allow pets.

The shelters in Ocean County charge a $55 donation to adopt a kitten.  That helps to offset spaying or neutering and immunizations.  The cats have also been microchipped for identification.

There are 20 kittens at the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter and nearly 80 at the Northern Occean County Animal Shelter.  The animal shelters are run by the Ocean County Health Department.

This is happening across the country, so please help if you can!

If you already have an animal buddy, maybe your buddy needs a pet! 

This Friday, June 20, is Take Your Dog to Work Day. It's annual event, first organized by Pet Sitters International ten years ago, and aims to recognize the great companions that dogs make.  

Did you know that roughly 1 out of every 5 businesses allows pets at work, that's according to a survey by the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association. 

There are some guidelines that the ASPCA has come up with to make your office more pet friendly.  So if you're taking pooch to the office tomorrow, today you might want to try taping up loose electrical cords and wires, putting markers and other toxic-but-tempting office supplies away in drawers, and removing plants, rugs and breakables. 

Try to pack a doggie bag with treats, food and water bowls, a leash, pick up bags and maybe a blanket or toy your dog is fond of.  Don't forget the paper towels and a pet oder remover, just in case.  Take out your trash, so the tempting smell of that empty lunch bag doesn't get your puppy into trouble.

If you'd like to be better prepared for your dog at the office, check out good manners for dogs at the office from the ASPCA.   

For the first time since 1957, Barnegat Township High School seniors graduated in their own high school.  This week marked graduation day for seniors at the new Barnegat High School, which opened in 2004!

Prior to 1957, the old Barnegat Township High School served much of southern Ocean County.  It closed in '57 after Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin opened its doors.  There were 264 graduates this year from Barnegat Township High School School (pictured here).  

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL 2008 GRADS!

If your interested in moving to southern Ocean County, or have questions about the real estate market here, contact me.

You can take a look at what Barnegat Township has to offer right here!  Take a tour!

Price reduction...now $220,000 was $240,000.  This is a 4 bedroom 2 bath home in Manahawkin, Ocean County, New Jersey.  Home needs work.  Minutes from the beaches of Long Beach Island, shopping and schools.  Located at 184 Bowsprit in the Ocean Acres section of Stafford Township.

This home has a new well, with city water expected next year.  Roof is newer.  Yard needs a little work.  It's stone, but hasn't been kept up.    Could be a great family home with some work.  All offers subject to mortgagee approval.  Please make all offers known.

A member of the New Jersey Association of Realtors (NJAR) questioned recent stats released by the NAR regarding first quarter reports that home sales in the state rose by 4%.  NJAR took the question to national.  Upon further review, NAR found instead of a 4% boost in home sales from the 2007 first quarter to the 2008 first quarter, New Jersey actually experienced a 30% decline!!!  WHAT????

In a statement NAR took full responsibility for the error, and has taken steps to ensure such errors don't occur in the future.  NAR said there were no problems with data from other states.

The 30% decline should not be viewed as a continued slide, according to real estate experts.  They say that April figures are only 9% below those of April of 2007, and further improvement is expected in May. 

But as they say all real estate is local.  Here in Ocean County home sales in April, 2008 actually rose 1% over the same month in 2007.  Make it more local, and you'll find 30 homes sold in Manahawkin (Stafford Twp) in April 2008, the same number that sold in April 2007.  In Barnegat Township, April 2008 sales were 25 residental units, compared to 26 the previous year.

Read more about it!

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, OCEAN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.  MAY, 2008 MARKET REPORT 

There were 84 new listings in May, that compared to 74 new lisitings in May, 2007.  That's a 20 unit increase in inventory over April 2008, but that's the way of the housing market at the Jersey Shore. 

Total inventory in Barnegat in May, 2008 was 377 residential housing units.  That's 10 more than we had in our April 2008 report.

New listing prices ranged between $153,900 and $1.2 million for a beautiful home on the Bay.

21 units sold in May 2008, with prices ranging from $136,200 to $362,000.  This compared to May 2007 sales of 30 units ranging in price from $105,000 to $463,000.

If you would like to recieve a comprehensive market report via e-mail for Barnegat or any other community in southern Ocean or northern Atlantic counties, please contact me.

I have not time to make this pretty!  This is a portion of an email I recieved from the ASPCA. PLEASE ACT QUICKLY, AGAIN AND AGAIN. 

At the ASPCA, we very often are asked about the punishments in animal cruelty cases-specifically, why aren't they stronger? As you are probably aware, the categorization of crimes (and their punishments) is under the control of your state's government, and changing the law is a difficult and lengthy process, no matter how just the cause.

However, an opportunity to do just that is now before the State of New Jersey. The Animal Cruelty Recodification and Modernization Act (S. 1516) would, among other positive changes, increase penalties for certain acts and update the current law's outdated language.

This doesn't mean it's too late.  We're still in the same legislative session.  This is our opprtunity to work toward something great!

In NJ, our legislative elections are In off years.  So NJ is only voting this Novembre for President, US Senate and Congress.  WE HAVE TIME TO MAKE OUR SENATE AND ASSEMBLY LISTEN!

WE HAVE MORE TIME TO MAKE THIS BILL PERFECT AND GET IT PASSED!

Will you help?  YOU CAN DO THAT BY CONTACTING:

Senator Raymond Lesniak, chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee, at (908) 624-0880  to urge revision NJ'S ANMIAL CRUELTY LAWS, specifically S. 1516. Everyone may call Senator Lesniak, not just his constituents. 

If you want to find out what this bill is all about, go ahead click here you'll be guided through the NJ Legislative website.  Didn't you click on that yet?

We've read and witnessed some horrible animal cruelty cases here in NJ in the last 12 months. 

LET'S MAKE A CHANGE!!!

(IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE CALLING, PLEASE CONTACT ME AND I'LL SEND YOU, VIA EMAL, A REQUEST YOU CAN SIGN FOR HELP IN GETING THIS BILL SCHEDULED. 

WORK AND MAKE ME SAFE!!