South Orange BOT election

Runner_Guy said:
Brendan Gill was Phil Murphy's campaign manager and is involved with New Direction New Jersey, a Phil Murphy-affiliated dark-money organization. 

He's working Booker's presidential campaign now.

So whose idea was it first for DDF to run for VP?  Do you think she was approached by some of the Essex County power players or do you think she decided to run and then went to them for support?

My guess would be the former. This is New Jersey after all -- too often the machine decides who's running, not the individual. 

Now that the election is over, my comment as a resident of that Township immediately to the south of South Orange:  it's probably more likely that Ms. Davis Ford wanted to be Village President, and tapped her friends in county politics, who were more than happy to help in your "nonpartisan" election.

[Edited to add] In contrast, the "partisan" elected officials in Maplewood didn't follow the county organization's lead.

yahooyahoo said:
So whose idea was it first for DDF to run for VP?  Do you think she was approached by some of the Essex County power players or do you think she decided to run and then went to them for support?

 You know in part I want to just dismiss this question and say the election's over.  But I think it's a question worth exploring.  Was there some kind of concerted effort by Essex county Democrats to replace Sheena with someone they felt they could better work with?  Just typing that makes me feel like I should put on a tinfoil hat.

mrincredible said:

yahooyahoo said:
So whose idea was it first for DDF to run for VP?  Do you think she was approached by some of the Essex County power players or do you think she decided to run and then went to them for support?

 You know in part I want to just dismiss this question and say the election's over.  But I think it's a question worth exploring.  Was there some kind of concerted effort by Essex county Democrats to replace Sheena with someone they felt they could better work with?  Just typing that makes me feel like I should put on a tinfoil hat.

 That's been my contention from the start.  

mrincredible said:

y  Was there some kind of concerted effort by Essex county Democrats to replace Sheena with someone they felt they could better work with? 

 Better work with? Or better control????

FilmCarp said:

mrincredible said:

yahooyahoo said:
So whose idea was it first for DDF to run for VP?  Do you think she was approached by some of the Essex County power players or do you think she decided to run and then went to them for support?

 You know in part I want to just dismiss this question and say the election's over.  But I think it's a question worth exploring.  Was there some kind of concerted effort by Essex county Democrats to replace Sheena with someone they felt they could better work with?  Just typing that makes me feel like I should put on a tinfoil hat.

 That's been my contention from the start.  

This is highly speculative on my part, but I've wondered if the County organization's support for DDF had something to do with an expected opening of Dick Codey's seat or one of District 27's two Assembly seats.  

If Sheena wanted to run for the legislature as incumbent South Orange VP she would be a strong candidate.  Perhaps someone in the county organization or among Essex County's other mayors would rather see someone else win that seat, even DDF herself.

I acknowledge the connection between a future legislative race and the 2019 VP race is highly speculative on my part, although I think we can predict that Dick Codey's Senate seat will open up in 2021, which might mean an opening in an Assembly seat too if McKeon or Jasey decided to step up to the State Senate.  

Runner_Guy said:

FilmCarp said:

mrincredible said:

yahooyahoo said:
So whose idea was it first for DDF to run for VP?  Do you think she was approached by some of the Essex County power players or do you think she decided to run and then went to them for support?

 You know in part I want to just dismiss this question and say the election's over.  But I think it's a question worth exploring.  Was there some kind of concerted effort by Essex county Democrats to replace Sheena with someone they felt they could better work with?  Just typing that makes me feel like I should put on a tinfoil hat.

 That's been my contention from the start.  

Do McKeon or Jasey do things? They seem to be mostly invisible, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. As a lifelong Democrat, I have serious issues with the powers that be in the NJ wing of the party. I wonder what Sheena's long-term goals are, if they extend beyond SO.

Any bid that Sheena would make for state office would be a campaign to which I would donate substantial time and money.  I would particularly LOVE to see Codey exit office given his role in fighting marijuana legalization.  There are going to be a lot of kids doing  jail time just because that guy is a piece of *****

OhHenry said:
Do McKeon or Jasey do things? They seem to be mostly invisible, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. As a lifelong Democrat, I have serious issues with the powers that be in the NJ wing of the party. I wonder what Sheena's long-term goals are, if they extend beyond SO.

 I see both of them at many events. They were at a Town Hall at Morrow Church sponsored by SOMA Action last month. Sen. Codey was there as well.

Klinker said:
Any bid that Sheena would make for state office would be a campaign to which I would donate substantial time and money.  I would particularly LOVE to see Codey exit office given his role in fighting marijuana legalization.  There are going to be a lot of kids doing  jail time just because that guy is a piece of *****

 Sen. Codey says he is for decriminalization but not legalization. The difference has been explained to me as the former meaning no one is arrested for possession of marijuana and the latter meaning marijuana shops are open for business. many concerned with addiction and mental health or representing urban communities oppose the latter.

STANV said:
 I see both of them at many events. They were at a Town Hall at Morrow Church sponsored by SOMA Action last month. Sen. Codey was there as well.

 Its nice that they show up. What legislation have they introduced? Voted on?

STANV said:

OhHenry said:
Do McKeon or Jasey do things? They seem to be mostly invisible, but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. As a lifelong Democrat, I have serious issues with the powers that be in the NJ wing of the party. I wonder what Sheena's long-term goals are, if they extend beyond SO.

 I see both of them at many events. They were at a Town Hall at Morrow Church sponsored by SOMA Action last month. Sen. Codey was there as well.

I've seen McKeon at several events and he appears to be working on certain things.

I have barely seen Jasey and I have no idea what she has done.  #1 and #2 issues in our area are property taxes and school funding and I've seen very few results in those areas.  I remember seeing the headline (below) about trying to lessen the impact of Trump's new tax laws but zilch has happened.

https://www.assemblydems.com/mckeon-jasey-freiman-bill-to-lessen-impact-of-trumps-recently-enacted-property-tax-cap-on-taxpayer-deductions-advances/

STANV said:
 Sen. Codey says he is for decriminalization but not legalization. The difference has been explained to me as the former meaning no one is arrested for possession of marijuana and the latter meaning marijuana shops are open for business. many concerned with addiction and mental health or representing urban communities oppose the latter.

The difference is that the law that was on the table would have stopped people from going to jail for pot possession ASAP while the nebulous idea of decriminalization may very well never come to the table.  So yes, Cody's actions mean that folks will end up in prison and, while SOME of those concerned with addiction and mental health may be concerned about legalization (many in those fields support it) pretty much EVERYONE agrees that going to prison is bad for folks mental health.

The guy is a scumbag and needs to be given the boot.

I wonder what Sheena's thoughts are on the folks you're speculating about...

-s.

soda said:
I wonder what Sheena's thoughts are on the folks you're speculating about...
-s.

She’s probably trying to find new ways to improve SO instead. 

Pffffft

yahooyahoo said:
I've seen McKeon at several events and he appears to be working on certain things.

I have barely seen Jasey and I have no idea what she has done.  #1 and #2 issues in our area are property taxes and school funding and I've seen very few results in those areas.  I remember seeing the headline (below) about trying to lessen the impact of Trump's new tax laws but zilch has happened.
https://www.assemblydems.com/mckeon-jasey-freiman-bill-to-lessen-impact-of-trumps-recently-enacted-property-tax-cap-on-taxpayer-deductions-advances/

 We have statewide problems in addition to property tax and school funding. 

Our debt increases every year. The first positive step was increasing taxes to fix transportation and reduce the transportation debt. So, instead of increasing taxes to pay down some debt, we get proposals for new spending such as free college and such. How did Jasey and McKeon vote on these?

Christie (*******) reduced the sales tax -- about 1/2 of a percent? Restore it to 7% and maybe 7 1/2. Increase the millionaire tax and reduce the inheritance tax base. What are Jasey and KcKeon doing about increasing revenue or reducing spending or both. 

Today's ledger mentions Sweeney wanting to attack public worker benefits again. Is that the only solution these people can come up with?

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Today's ledger mentions Sweeney wanting to attack public worker benefits again. Is that the only solution these people can come up with?

If only there were some way for the people of this state to rid ourselves of Sweeney without trading him for some Trumpist latrine. 

Klinker said:

Formerlyjerseyjack said:Today's ledger mentions Sweeney wanting to attack public worker benefits again. Is that the only solution these people can come up with?

If only there were some way for the people of this state to rid ourselves of Sweeney without trading him for some Trumpist latrine. 

Sweeney is a Democrat in name only.  At heart, he's a conservative.

yahooyahoo said:

Klinker said:

Formerlyjerseyjack said:Today's ledger mentions Sweeney wanting to attack public worker benefits again. Is that the only solution these people can come up with?

If only there were some way for the people of this state to rid ourselves of Sweeney without trading him for some Trumpist latrine. 

Sweeney is a Democrat in name only.  At heart, he's a conservative.

 It seems that in NJ these lines get a bit blurred.  Just look at the way Chris Christie saved Joey D from his ethics problems.  You can be a Republican or a Democrat but a lot of the elected officials claiming to be one or the other are really just dirt bags, an affiliation that transcends party.  The levels of corruption in this state are simply astounding.

Klinker said:

The levels of corruption in this state are simply astounding.

 Agreed. But do you really think is is a state that is otherwise?

librarylady said:

Klinker said:The levels of corruption in this state are simply astounding.

 Agreed. But do you really think is is a state that is otherwise?

 I think there is corruption everywhere but I have lived all over the country and NJ is really on another level entirely.  Joey D with his name on every single item of county property?  

The brazenness is astounding/appalling!

Klinker said:

librarylady said:

Klinker said:The levels of corruption in this state are simply astounding.

 Agreed. But do you really think is is a state that is otherwise?

 I think there is corruption everywhere but I have lived all over the country and NJ is really on another level entirely.  Joey D with his name on every single item of county property?  
The brazenness is astounding/appalling!

 A few years back I remember being at the Turtle Back Zoo and they were building some project or another, with DiVincenzo's face plastered all over the "Coming Soon" signs.   A little kid asked his father why it was taking so long, and the father replied something along the lines of it being because Joey DiVincenzo was building it with his own two hands   

Has everyone received their invitations to Sheena's Swearing-in? I'd be going if I still voted in the Village, but since I don't, I'm happy knowing that some other Sheena supporter will get to enjoy the ceremony and reception in my place...

BTW: Do ya thing DDF will be classy enough to show up & wish her well?

-s.

Im going.  Let's us be classy and stop worrying about DDF.  It's done.

FilmCarp said:
Im going.  Let's us be classy and stop worrying about DDF.  It's done.

 Amen, bruddah!

Folks, the final (I believe) ELEC filings are out. Of course, this has zero impact on the election results, where, thankfully, reason prevailed.

I don't think anyone would be surprised that the SO Forward campaign, after publicly saying they wouldn't take any PAC money, ultimately showed several large contributions from PAC, including the NJ FMBA and NJ State Laborers. The murky "Friends of Deborah Davis Ford" also kicked in $1k to her own cause.

Something called JR Financial Group, a provider of CFP training courses, contributed $5k to SO Forward, which I'm totally unsure how that's allowed.

These also must be record amount raised and spend during the election. Sheena's campaign raked in more than $50k and SO Forward more than $40k. The Zuckerman ticket also raised more than $18k. 

Feel free to add your own observations.