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COMMENTARY samples also include... Love through the tears
Reuters, May 1991
Thoughts on NJ's child welfare mess
Written May 2006
JABs: A curmudgeon's view
North Brunswick Post 1987, Sentinel 1994 The older job hunter’s view
By Jim Brumm
Community newspapers quickly become the silent majority to the older, experienced journalist seeking the change of pace that only such smaller dailies and weeklies offer.
Majority overstates the number of community newspapers among the thousand or more ads seeking journalists published on the Internet, but they are by far the largest group.
However, they are the most attractive to older journalists seeking a change of pace, making the silence of unanswered ad responses almost deafening at times. Even the polite “we filled the job” letter or email is rare, while a chance to discuss a given paper’s needs with someone looking to hire a reporter approaches non-existence.
In three years of job hunting that included some several hundred letters and emails, I had less than a dozen such opportunities.
From the job hunter’s perspective this all adds up to age discrimination or fear of sticker shock.
Newspaper consultant Mike Middlesworth guesses “...it's both things in some cases and in others it's using the money excuse to hide the age discrimination.
“A couple of things come to mind,” Middlesworth continues, “A lot of young editors are afraid of experience, and a lot of business office types are afraid of our frailties--they don't want to deal with the cost of fringes, etc.”
Noting he hasn't looked for a job in the past few years, Middlesworth added, “I did do some hiring when I was in St. Thomas in 1998. There was reluctance there on the part of the owners to hire experience, not just on the news side but in advertising as well.”
It must also be stated that more than some of the reluctance results from the “once burned, twice wary” syndrome, according to some of those involved in the search for community newspaper reporters.
Jim Sachetti, editor of The Press Enterprise in Bloomsburg, PA, was the first to tell me there were a surprising number of journalists seeking jobs on community newspapers, adding the vast majority are scared away by the lack of pay.
Kay James, managing editor of Capital Newspapers’ Portage Division, elaborated: “Salary is the number one reason people lose interest. If you do hire, many don't stay long after they find out what it's really like.”
James, who is responsible for six central Wisconsin papers, explained that many experienced job hunters “come with misconceptions about the jobs on small dailies and weeklies. They think the job will be a breeze -- not having any idea of the hours most small daily and weekly editors put in.”
“Because you become a part of the community and everyone knows you, you get calls at home at all hours and people don't hesitate to come up and talk to you wherever you are,” she added. “You also have people expecting that any event you attend will be in the paper.”
Noting she had about 22 years experience before joining Capital Newspapers, James concluded: “Where I live is more important to me than how much money I make.”
This quality of life view is also true of many older job seekers, but those hiring reporters seem to ignore that part of the cover letter.
Another concept that appears hard to communicate is total cost of employment -- wages, benefits and training. Where a journalist seeking a final job to extend a great career beyond the years allowed by metropolitan area commuting may seek more wages than a paper is offering, his benefit and training costs could well be non-existent.
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Jim Brumm, whose benefits are covered by his Reuters retirement, has suspended his hunt for a community newspaper position and is focusing on freelance assignments in deference to the medical needs of his family. -0-0-0-0-0-0-0- The preceding column appeared on the editorial page of Publishers' Auxillary, the National Newspaper Association's monthly tradepaper, commonly called PubAux. New Jersey's Child Welfare Dilemma The Bridgewater Courier-News published this column on its OpEd page on Sunday, May 28, 1996. By Jim Brumm
When it comes to New Jersey’s most precious resource – its kids, the state’s politicians have become very adept at getting caught in their own trap, then wondering out loud who elected the judge who’s telling them to pay the bill.
In recent years, the legislative grousing has focused on state Supreme Court rulings requiring increased spending on schools in Special Needs, or Abbott, districts.
This year, legislators found fault with a federal judge who pointed out the need to fully fund aggressive efforts to solve New Jersey’s child welfare problems -- even if this forces a tax increase.
“It’s not right to have a gun to our head,” one assemblyman complained two days after U.S. District Court Judge Stanley R. Chesler sought the Legislature’s continued support for the state’s beleaguered child welfare reform effort.
But the gun is not in the judge’s hands. Rather, it is being bandied by Marcia Robinson Lowry, executive director of Children's Rights, the advocacy group whose 1999 lawsuit prompted a court-monitored overhaul of New Jersey’s child welfare system – commonly called DYFS, the acronym for Division of Youth and Family Services.
Shortly after our new governor named a new DYFS chief in mid-January, Children's Rights gave the state until May 24 to recast the reform plan, adding it wouldn't hesitate to return to court if the Legislature holds back on funds.
"If there isn't the right kind of (financial) support behind (the changes), then we are back in court," was the way Lowry put it two days before the Legislature took up a budget calling for total child welfare spending of $1.4 billion in fiscal 2007, the year beginning in July, an increase of $230 million from the $1.17 billion the state expects to spend this year.
In addition to a significant contribution from the federal government, next year’s total child welfare budget includes $974 million of state revenues, up from $769.9 million this year and $438.5 million in 2003, the year before Gov. McGreevy agreed to settle the Children’s Rights’ suit. Total spending in 2003, including federal funds, was $681.4 million.
For those who believe dollars are the answer, Judge Chesler had a warning: "Money by itself will not fix DYFS, but there is one thing we are all certain of -- the absence of sufficient funds to enable the agency to be staffed and equipped and function will indeed guarantee this reform effort fails."
He pointed out "there are no magic bullets for an agency that had systematically been starved for a number of years. All of us could have, should have, and did predict there would be false starts and trial and error.”
Just how starved, and for how long, was best described by the current DYFS chief, Kevin Ryan, when he was New Jersey’s Child Advocate. He pointed out state spending per child in the DYFS system declined from just under $9,000 in 1993 – the year before Governor Whitman took over – to just over $5,300 per child in 2003.
Testifying to the legislature in May 2004, Ryan also noted that federal investments in our children's care waned dramatically too – from about $3,000 per child in non-Medicaid support to DYFS' efforts in 2000 to $2,200 in 2003.
Others say the problems began a decade earlier – a view supported the New Jersey Hospital Association’s 1990 look at issues relating to the health of the 25 percent of the state’s population then under the age of 20.
In a report entitled “When the Bough Breaks,” the association made several recommendations, including calls for DYFS to 1) “improve the quality and consistency of staffing and training” and 2) increase foster care rates “to encourage individuals to become foster parents.”
The first significant increase in foster care reimbursement didn’t come until January 2005 – 14 years after the hospital association’s recommendation; and the state is still having problems with child welfare staffing and training.
Although the reform effort New Jersey agreed to undertake in 2003 has allowed the state to expand the ranks of caseworkers to 2,025 from about 1,500 in 2004, turnover is so high that trainees with less than a year's experience now compose more than one-third of the work force, according to data Human Services Commissioner Ryan released to the court monitoring the reform.
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Jim Brumm is a semi-retired wire service financial reporter who became a foster parent 17 years ago when his wife Ruth, a pediatrics nurse, started bringing children home from the hospital. Since then the couple – who already had four birth children – have fostered six children, adopting three who are now teenagers and choosing their own grandson when another was adopted by their oldest and his wife.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0- This advisory appeared on the Reuters’ general news wires in early May 1991. AIDS ADVISORY
Ten years ago this week, a medical newsletter noted that a rare and mysterious ailment had afflicted five homosexual men in Los Angeles. Now known as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), the disease has sown fear, changed lifestyles, inflamed controversy and killed thousands around the world.
To mark the anniversary of this event, Reuters is issuing the upcoming series including an overall story by Science Correspondent Irwin Arieff (AM-AIDS-DECADE) and separates on the experiences of Reuters financial correspondent Jim Brumm, whose family fostered an AIDS baby (AM-AIDS-TREE), the impact in San Francisco -- the U.S. city hit hardest by AIDS (AM-AIDS-PAIN), and the search for drugs to treat the killer disease (AM-AIDS-DRUGS).
REUTER LOVE THROUGH THE TEARS FOR A FAMILY WITH AIDS BABY By Jim Brumm
Virgil was wrong -- love does not conquer all. If it did, Tree would still be alive.
"Tree" is our affectionate name for the little lady who came into our home -- and hearts – with several scars from her fight with the deadliest of diseases -- AIDS.
She was beautiful. In every sense of the word. And Tree's beauty included a feisty rejection of AIDS' deadly traps, which helped her come home from the hospital many times bright-eyed and ready to conquer that portion of the world she was allowed to occupy.
At the age of seven months, Tree suffered her first attack of PCP, a deadly form of pneumonia -- especially to young AIDS patients. The AIDS Program at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey in Newark found the median survival after diagnosis of PCP was two months; 70 percent live less than six months.
A viral infection left Tree blind in one eye and a stroke damaged her vocal cords. But she soon learned to respond to love -- first from her nurses, then from her foster family.
When one nurse could no longer leave Tree each evening without pangs of guilt, she talked it over with her family and we began the process of becoming foster parents -- a task involving more paperwork than getting a security clearance from the U.S. government.
Bringing Tree home after a year in the hospital was a vivid reminder of how important a home's common things are in the development of a child who has been confined to institutional cribs, playpens, high chairs and arms for most of her life.
Crawling on the floor was a true adventure. It brought Tree close enough to a television to see the picture and push the buttons that changed the station, let her get her hands into the soil of a potted plant before our house was baby-proofed for the first time in a decade and play with a fleet of toys that grew as fast and often as various family members went shopping.
We discovered that such irritating baby habits as putting everything in the mouth are a necessary part of growing, and found it difficult to teach someone to eat who wanted nothing close to her mouth because of all the tubes that had been shoved down it to keep her alive.
A ride in a supermarket shopping cart never lost its lure for Tree, even after she rode the Ferris wheel at Great Adventure amusement park and got a close look at Chincoteague's wild ponies.
This newest member of the family enjoyed a trip, any trip, in the car -- unless it was to the hospital where she had spent so much time.
But even this dread faded as Tree realized most trips were stops at the front door to deliver her foster mother to work, or a visit to the clinic. She also learned that even during extended stays she would never be alone again.
For her foster family, however, each of these hospital stays represented a trip into the unknown, as the doctors in the Central New Jersey pediatric AIDS Program in New Brunswick searched for a new way to fend off the attacks on this little body with no natural defenses to disease and infection.
There are few things more frightening than finding a two-year-old in a pool of her own blood -- unless it's watching the blood continue to flow into her diapers as fast as the transfusion is pumped in while the doctors search for the cause, then a cure. The doctors' search was successfully completed in a few days -- days that seemed to last forever.
When the magic drug -- cyklokapron -- was found, the bureaucracy that controls foster care medical payments threatened to keep Tree in the hospital. Local pharmacies that accept Medicaid wouldn't stock the medicine because someone had decided their reimbursement would be less than what they had to pay. And hospital pharmacies are not allowed to fill prescriptions for drugs for use outside the hospital.
The red tape was cut by the U.S. subsidiary of Kabivitrum AB, the Swedish maker of cyklokapron, which donated a supply with damaged packaging.
This wasn't the only unexpected support for our efforts.
AZT and other medicine needed by these very sick kids costs a lot of money, which Medicaid pays -- eventually. In Tree's case, our local Pathmark, part of a chain owned by Supermarkets General Corp., carried the burden of this bureaucratic slowness.
But other Pathmark pharmacies were not as helpful, refusing to honor a Medicaid card for a $10 prescription until I identified myself as a reporter. And, I wondered, what does someone on welfare do at this point?
The hospital stays were one of the few times we ran into overt discrimination against people with AIDS. We found there is no greater fear than among doctors not directly involved in treatment of the disease. For example, we found no ear, nose and throat or eye specialist in central New Jersey -- including those at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey -- who was willing to treat a child with AIDS.
At church and in the neighborhood, we found nothing but support. But closer to home were relatives who no longer invited us to spend the weekend.
Tree's fight for life ended quietly one Saturday night a nearly year ago, just a few weeks after her third birthday.
Despite our belief that she'd gone to a much better place, the loss was great. It took a long time for the family to remember we had accomplished what we set out to do 16 months earlier – give a wonderful little girl as normal a life as possible, for as long as she lived.
The Foster Parents Association asks you to "touch someone." In reality, it is you who are touched.
As my wife wrote at the time: "She touched our lives as a ray of sunshine on a warm summer day, too bright and certain to be denied and yet oh so fleeting."
The light Tree brought still shines, however.
In mid-April, the Brumm household -- Jim, Ruth, teenagers David and Cathy, and Ruth's mom, Marie Soden -- welcomed a 16-month-old who tested positive for HIV at birth.
Since babies carry their mother's antibodies for about two years, it is not known yet whether this little fellow is infected or not. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 65 to 75 percent of the children of HIV-infected mothers will not be infected.
Even if this child is among the unlucky minority, his prognosis is better than Tree's because of the much longer time spent before the infection evolves into full-blown AIDS and the improved treatment for people with AIDS, including children. Even better, there are many signs he is one of the majority, although we won't know for sure until he is two.
REUTER For ten months two decades ago, a curmudgeon’s view from central New Jersey appeared weekly on the Town Forum pages of the North Brunswick Post. Called JABs, it was dropped when the Managing Editor who encouraged its creation moved on. Six years later, there was an attempt to root the column in another weekly, the Sentinel. This effort was abandoned after four months. The clips below are those columns from both series I’ve been able to digitize, along with some of the response triggered. Each item is preceded by the date it was published.
Lack of information kept commuters in the dark
May 28, 1987
What's the secret, New Jersey Transit? Why do you find it so hard to tell people what is happening as it happens? Is this a problem endemic to those providing transportation services? Or, has it got something to do with government ownership?
Amtrak, it can be reported, does no better than New Jersey Transit in letting its passengers know why they are being delayed. And there are few things in a commuter's life that are more frustrating than a delay on these government-owned providers of transportation where one is unable to contact those waiting in the outside world to let them know you won't be on time.
Or should I be blaming my radio station?
Just before 6:30 a.m. on May 14, WCBS reported the 5:31 train from Jersey Avenue had been cancelled. There was no comment about problems that would continue through the morning rush hour. So this commuter went about his morning routine, making no attempt to catch an earlier train or switch to the bus and thinking "I'm glad I didn't try to get in (to the city) early this morning."
On arrival at the New Brunswick station nearly 50 minutes later, the full story became evident. The "cancelled" train had hit a man in Highland Park and there were delays of 30 minutes to one hour in getting to the city.
The best guess is WCBS reported all the information that was made available. Leaving one question - why did whoever reported a "cancellation" of a train to the radio station not report the full story. What did New Jersey Transit, or that employee making the call have to gain by keeping those who pay the way in the dark?
And Amtrak's record that day wasn't much better, telling passengers as the train crawled past the accident site we were being delayed by "congestion ahead," with no mention of the accident which caused the congestion.
Maybe Amtrak's so successful it no longer needs the support of riders. That is not the story it is telling Congress at budget time, but New Brunswick riders catching the 7:28 could easily believe it. Two or three days a week the train is short cars, forcing riders to stand all the way to Newark, if there is standing room. And there's yet to be an excuse offered for the car shortage.
At least the riders could hear the announcement on Amtrak. On New Jersey Transit that's often an impossibility. You have, it seems, a 50-50 chance of getting unintelligible noise from the speakers in place of the spoken word. It's hard to tell whether this is equipment or operator malfunction. Sometimes one train crewman seems to come through perfectly clear while another causes static a few minutes later.
And, is it that earlier mentioned frustration clouding the mind, or has New Jersey Transit's on-time performance been deteriorating? At one time, its press agents put out releases with regularity about the system's improving punctuality. But there hasn't been one of these in a long time.
Does this mean there is no longer any improvement to brag about?
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The title, "JABs," comes from a dual source - the author's initials and their meaning when combined into a word. A jab, the dictionary says, is a poke or thrust. And that's just what I hope this weekly column will be at the minor frustrations that make central New Jersey living less than it could be.
Just who is this Jim Brumm who's taking JABs at frustrations?
I'm a 48-year-old who married a North Brunswick native a quarter of a century ago and has lived in central Jersey most of the time since. One of the times I left was at Uncle Sam's insistence, to complete my Navy enlistment as a journalist attached to the Seabees in Vietnam. I'm still involved in journalism, traveling each day to New York City where I am employed as a senior financial reporter by a major wire service. At home, I'm member of the Reformed Church of North Brunswick's consistory (governing body) and a registered Republican who sometimes gets active in local politics but has voted very few straight tickets since I first participated in an election in 1960.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Jim Brumm joins the North Brunswick Post group of columnists with this first JABs column.
Where does board stand on Linwood expansion?
June 4, 1987
North Brunswick officials appear to be considering a shift in that critical educational balance between cost and quality. And they seem to have given more weight than usual to the cost factor.
That is one parent's view of suggestions that Linwood Middle School be expanded to include sixth-graders by 1989. This is one of the moves suggested in a report Superintendent of Schools Edward J. Leppert released in early March.
What's missing to date is public comment on the issue from his boss, the Board of Education. Before the members come to the public with more on the issue, one question: How does a school system that cannot run a middle school where the physical safety of seventh- and eighth-graders is not in question expand that school to include sixth-graders?
Before we go any further, some comments on the writer's views. After watching three sons attend three different middle schools and/or junior highs, and talking to parents whose children have been exposed to the same schools or ones like them in other communities, I have become a believer in kindergarten through-eighth-grade neighborhood schools.
Yes, it would be hard to offer seventh- and eighth-graders the educational breadth available in a centralized Linwood in neighborhood schools. But it could be done. And increased educational opportunity is not the reason being offered for adding sixth-graders to the mix.
Dr. Leppert's report dealt with handling anticipated increases in school enrollment because of planned construction in North Brunswick. The one article I saw on the report did not mention the possibility of building a new school, leaving an impression that dollars had a greater importance than educational quality.
All of the above mentioned sons attended Linwood for part or all of their seventh- and eighth-grade education. The youngest finished just a year ago. Incidents remembered from his two years include two showing a lack of the adult supervision needed with children of this age - padlocks being thrown down the hall with no adult reaction and a child injured during horse-play in an unsupervised physical education class. The injury was bad enough to cause absence from school.
These may be the only such incidents that occurred during the two years in question. There is no proof otherwise available outside Linwood School records. The appearance, however, is they form the tip of an iceberg of unknown size.
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While I've got the school board's attention, one more question: How many members have read the high school principal's summer mailing to incoming freshmen?
Those who haven’t should try to do so. It is the one with a cover letter telling the new students their home room number is on the address label – a label that has many number on it, none of which look like a room number.
That is confusing enough. Much worse is the bureaucratic legalese in the letter.
For years, North Brunswick educators at all levels have been bragging to parents about the efforts they have made to improve the communications skills of our children and their success in improving those skills.
If the set of rules sent to high school freshmen recently is any example of administrators' writing ability, the teachers’ bosses need education more than the students. It is hard to believe those rules would receive a passing grade from any of the system’s English teachers. Yet these rules are being distributed by officials claiming multiple higher education degrees.
JABs, written by North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm, is the newest addition to the North Brunswick Post editorial page. JABs appears each week in the Post.
This column proved the new columnist had readers, who had their say on June 11.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Proud of students at Linwood School To the editor:
Mr. Brumm, in his recent “one parent's view" (Post issue, June 4) has managed to impugn the integrity of the entire Linwood school staff by casting doubt on the adequacy of adult supervision. Do students have accidents? Do pre-adolescents sometimes misbehave? Of course they do. Is Linwood perfect? Is any corporation, institution or government perfect? Of course not!
Linwood is a microcosm of the community and as such, its students reflect the values and attitudes of their community. I am extremely proud of the students at Linwood and their accomplishments. I am also quite proud to work with a dedicated professional and support staff whose guidance, supervision and instruction have resulted in students' sense of community, a pride in their school and outstanding performance.
Students have participated in skate-a-thons to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes. They have collected canned foods and distributed decorative baskets to senior citizens. They have collected hundreds of labels which will be exchanged for audio-visual equipment. They have held several fund-raisers in order to donate money to various community projects such as PboneFriend and the Chris Hill Foundation. This year the student government will be donating a portable color video camera to the school.
Painting murals, building ramps for the handicapped, building cabinets for the nurse, and planting shrubs are just a few examples of students' pride in their school. On recent standardized tests, 80 percent the students scored above the 50 percentile in reading, 87 percent scored above the 50 percentile in language skills and 89 percent scored above the 50 percentile in mathematics. 98 percent of last year's 8th-grade passed the reading portion of the H.S.P.T., and 89.7 percent passed the mathematics portion of the H.S.P.T. This year, our students have received awards from state music associations, the New Jersey Mathematics League, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Johns Hopkins University.
At Linwood, students are taught about their rights under the United States Constitution and the responsibilities that go along with them. Freedom of the press does not entitle anyone to publish half-truths. Mr. Brumm's "one parent's view" has its place as a letter to the editor, not as a feature article. His article is an example of the worst kind of biased journalism. He has discredited himself and the North Brunswick community. If this type of "journalism" continues, I question whether or not the North Brunswick Post should be the recipient of school news.
Vito D'Eufemia, Principal
Linwood School
North Brunswick Quality education put first by board To the editor:
Your new column, JABs by Jim Brumm, took a cheap shot at the Board of Education last week.
If increasing the volume of letters to the editor is what this new column is all about, I'm sure you were successful.
However, if you plan to increase your circulation by practicing yellow journalism, I believe you won't be successful. That is not what North Brunswick is all about.
Your success stemmed from the fact that the citizens of North Brunswick have enjoyed and looked forward to reading your weekly editions with pride. There was a need for good press.
There is no need to sensationalize by printing a column that starts with, "North Brunswick officials appear to be considering a shift in that critical educational balance between cost and quality. And they seem to have given more weight than usual to the cost factor." Had Jim Brumm wanted to sincerely know if we were opting for quality or cost, he should have attended school board meetings since both conference and public meetings are open to the public and meeting dates are public knowledge and printed in the North Brunswick Post. If he did attend he would know that "quality education" is what this board is all about, and that is what we put first. We all know that our children are our future.
It surprises me that this article was printed because you and your staff know that we place priority on our children and the educational process. You have a reporter present at almost every Board of Education meeting.
Having someone take uninformed cheap shots at township agencies won't work
If JABs was intended to keep public officials on their toes, fine; but first get the facts, the truth, become informed, then JAB.
Ann Petrocelli, President
North Brunswick Board of Education,
Overhill Drive Linwood students are in good hands To the editor:
I was very disturbed in reading Jim Brumm's column on Linwood where he infers that there is a lack of adequate supervision. I do not agree with Mr. Brumm because I feel that he has based his conclusions on biased data, thereby distorting the situation at Linwood.
My daughter entered Linwood this past September, and my husband and I have been impressed with the dedication and concern of the faculty and administration. They are not only concerned with the education of the students, but also with their welfare.
I am not saying that Linwood runs without incidents, but I would like Mr. Brumm to show me a middle school in the state, or the country, that doesn’t. So fact, only several months ago a prestigious prep school in New Jersey made national news because of the drug situation on its campus.
Since Mr. Brumm is new to your staff, I would suggest he does more extensive research before he demeans individuals, organizations, or, in this case, our school system in his JAB column. Dr. Leppert, our superintendent of schools, is always interested in parent involvement school matters. He schedules meetings regularly and the dates and times are published in the North Brunswick Post. These meetings are open to the public Mr. Brumm should have attended the facilities meetings before writing his negative assessment of the situation.
My son will be entering Linwood this coming September, and I feel confident that he will be in good hands.
Gail Rowinski
Hoover Drive
North Brunswick
These letters triggered this Editor’s Notebook column from the Post’s managing editor,
which preceded the letters in the paper’s June 11, 1987, issue.
Town Forum pieces reflect the writer's opinion
Most people, unless they have relatives or close friends in the business, don't know what goes on at a newspaper -- be it the New York Times or the North Brunswick Post.
Newspaper folks, like those in insurance, military, banking and other lines of work, have their own lingo.
We "kill" a story or photo if we're not going to use it. We "slug" stories with one word or two (e.g. council meeting) for our own identification.
A photo on Page 1 can be used to "tease" or “plug" a story or more photos that will run on an inside page. We talk in deadlines, (para)graphs, leads, and about how many “shots" we'll need to illustrate an event.
Sounds pretty violent, doesn't it? Well, that's just the way things evolved; probably throwback to the ambulance-chasing days of Mssrs. Hearst and Pulitzer.
But it's fairly easy to see how newspaper folks, especially readers, can become confused by print journalism and journalists.
People are always calling us up at the Post to request that we run "an article" or a "column" on an upcoming community event. Maybe I can help end some of the confusion here.
Items received from the public about events to be publicized are referred to as "press releases." The Post is always glad to receive them and announce local events of interest such as the volunteer fire company's car wash, the tenants' association meeting and the Boy Scout troop paper drive. That's what a community paper is for.
An item with a person's name under it (a "bylined" piece) is called an article or story. It can be about a meeting or a budget (hard news) or a softer, more colorful piece about people (a feature or human-interest story).
But anything that appears on the editorial page - called the Town Forum page in the Post - is an opinion piece or "column," written by one person from that person's, viewpoint.
For example, this Editor's Notebook column is written by me and any opinions expressed here are my own. They may or may not reflect the opinions of my staff, my editors or the public at large.
The point is simple: what appears on this page reflects the views of the person whose name appears with it – be it a column or a letter to the editor. The editorials, however, generally reflect the views of the editor(s) and are almost always written by one of them, including me.
Some say the columns on this page represent "biased" writing. Of course they do! That's what personal opinion columns are all about. I sometimes think that people don't mind if something is biased -- indeed, don't view it as such -- if it reflects their views on the subject.
Some believe that only "positive” items should be printed and that no criticism of anything should be allowed in print. Horse-feathers!
So, while you won't find "biased” articles, you'll find plenty of opinions on the Town Forum page each week in the Post.
You're invited to put in your grafs, too.
Bryna A.C. Elder is managing editor of the North Brunswick Post. The preceding column definitely reflected her own opinions.
Since I wasn’t told about the reaction to my second column, the third column made no mention of the debate which shared the Town Forum pages that week, although the description of JABs used the first week was repeated.
Government action needed, not words
June 11, 1987
First a warning, then some notes on two new laws.
Whether it's election-year politics or needed action, North Brunswick's mayor and council have targeted contractors working in the township.
But words on paper are a long way from control. If past enforcement efforts are any indication, the contractors will see little need to change their activities.
First came the warning, a letter from the mayor saying he is committed to utilizing all of the powers of the mayor's office to see that disturbances associated with construction, activity were minimized on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
The letter went on to say "(t)he Developer's Agreement, which all developers execute with the Township Council, provides restrictions on construction vehicle access and establishes standards for mainten¬ance and cleanup of the site and adjacent roadways. Any and all violations of said agreement… will be dealt with severely.”
Probably just as severely as apartment complex owners who violate the "Conditions of Site Plan Approval” they accepted to get planning board approval of a project in the early 1970s. These called for such things as "at least nine resident superintendents," "a Master Directory of all buildings," "a children's recreation area," "a minimum of four tennis courts," and "a minimum of six weekly (trash) pickups" which still haven't been seen. .
Along the way, safe passage to school for children in the complex, also part of that agreement, came only after five years of constant complaints by parents; and a violation notice issued in 1982 citing "sump pumps discharging water into parking areas" still has not been enforced.
The mayor and council said they responded to residents complaints. But they did not explain how the warning, or the new laws would change enforcement. There was nothing mentioned about additional personnel to handle that enforcement.
The one law passed June 1 has the builder pay for enforcement by providing the township with verification from a licensed surveyor that a foundation complies with approved development plans before further construction is allowed.
But the other law adopted at the meeting says the township's Department of Public Safety, construction official, code enforcement officers and engineer are "authorized" to enforce its new limits on when construction takes place.
One can only note there is a long way between authorization and providing the resources needed to do the job.
Mayor Paul Matacera is right -- existing residents should not have to tolerate unnecessary disturbances from nearby construction activity. But a warning from the government that cried wolf is apt to get as much attention as the young shepherd in the fable.
While we're talking about new laws, what is wrong with neighborhood bars? It seems drunken drivers do a lot more damage than drunken walkers. Yet under a third action taken June 1, drinkers would have to drive to reach new bars which would be located on the busiest highways in the township. And some of the most successful local restaurants have been guaranteed no competition.
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The title, "JABs," comes from a dual source - the author's initials and their meaning when combined into a word. A jab, the dictionary says, is a poke or thrust. And that's just what I hope this weekly column will be at the minor frustrations that make central New Jersey living less than it could be.
Just who is this Jim Brumm who's taking JABs at frustrations?
I'm a 48-year-old who married a North Brunswick native a quarter of a century ago and has lived in central Jersey most of the time since. One of the times I left was at Uncle Sam's insistence to complete my Navy enlistment as a journalist attached to the Seabees in Vietnam.
I'm still involved with journalism, traveling each day to New York City where I am employed as a senior financial reporter by a major news service. At home, I'm a member of the Reformed Church of North Brunswick's consistory (governing body) and a registered Republican who sometimes gets involved in local politics but has voted very few straight tickets since I first participated in an election in 1960.
North Brunswick resident Jim Brumm writes JABs on local issues each week in the Post.
Reasons to be thankful: schools, first-aiders, police
June 18, 1987
Letters are wonderful!
They prove that others do in fact read the words that keep a columnist awake at night, and care enough to respond.
Last week's letters also show a need for more information about this columnist.
To start with, his family lives in North Brunswick because of the schools, believing they are the best in the area. Our oldest entered kindergarten in Judd School 20 years ago this coming September, and for at least 15 of those years the family has counted among its friends Board of Education members.
This has resulted in many informal discussions of the school system which have supplemented formal contacts with the board - visits to its meetings.
While it is hard to prove the board did, in fact, respond to the concerns presented, there are indications it has. The improvement seen in this year's Spring Musicale at Judd - and reports of performances at the other grade schools - shows increased support of the music program.
One still has to question whether the high school program will be ready when these youngsters reach that level.
The amount of work needed was seen (and heard) in the Memorial Day parade, where the best sounding band was a marching unit from out of town, not the riding Raider band.
Hopefully the board will have more support on music than was evident June 8 for its plans to expand Linwood School to include sixth-graders. The superintendent of schools' office prepared notices on May 22 (which the high school administration mailed May 27) telling all parents of the planned meeting and seeking their comments on the present program. Less than 20 parents found the time to discuss the system's goals and expansion needs.
Many of the 20 were there because they, like this writer, question the middle school concept.
Despite a dislike of the concept, I have to say an expanded Linwood is the best option of the two being studied. The alternative being expansion of an existing grade school.
Missing from the presentation, however, was a third option - building a new grade school. At one time there was talk, at one planning board meeting or another, of one or more developers donating land to the township for school construction. One has to wonder what became of this idea.
It is hard to question the need to build. The demographics project 700 new students in the local system in the next three years from new home construction alone. And to have new capacity ready in that time frame we do have to act fast. Superintendent Edward J. Leppert spoke of a vote on a bond issue to finance the program in January, maybe even December. Before we spend the money a vote will cost, let's get all the cards on the table.
Besides their schools, North Brunswick residents have many reasons to be thankful. Near the top of the list are the volunteers on call at the First Aid Squad and the staff of our Police Department.
My father-in-law, Roy Soden, died last week after a long illness. Several times during the past six months he was transported to and from the local hospitals by those courteous, pleasant volunteers who did all they could to make him comfortable.
And last Monday, when his disease took its final turn for the worst, policeman Russ Fusaro provided the support my wife and her mother needed until the squad arrived. Thanks.
Jim Brumm writes a JABS column about Central Jersey and North Brunswick life each week for the Post.
Code enforcement: Putting cart after horse
June 25, 1987
"Words on paper are a long way from control" was the way JABs put it two weeks ago.
That column took note of North Brunswick's previous lack of success in enforcing laws dealing with developers and wondered how two new laws were going to improve the enforcement record. It can now be said with 20-20 hindsight they did not. Before the ink was dry on the Township Council's latest effort, earlier law writing efforts were ignored by a contractor digging a trench through Sabella Park.
In true North Brunswick after-the-horse-is stolen fashion, enforcement actions were taken. Summonses were issued on June 4, but the municipal court date set for June 15 has since been postponed at least once. And one week after the digging, when proper repairs had not been made, a stop-work order against the con¬tractor's main project was then needed to get action.
Yes, William J. Hartko, you - and I, and the other citizens of North Brunswick – have been had. (Mr. Hartko’s letter, published in last week’s Post, asked why he felt like he had been had.)
Now we’ll have to wait and see if the summons of June 1987 will have greater value than one in 1982 citing sump pumps discharging into the same parking areas.
Even state laws get short shrift in North Brunswick. There's one that requires apartment buildings be inspected five years after they're built. Here it's often eight years or more after occupancy when the inspection is made. And there has been no follow up to see that deficiencies found - such as missing smoke alarms - are corrected.
There is going to be construction in North Brunswick. There's no question about it. Our township is the northern anchor of the booming Route I corridor.
The questions - and there are many of them – deal with how our elected officials are going to handle the problem. They have to prove they can pass laws and take action after the violation occurs. The next step is to show their willingness to hire the people necessary to prevent violations of the laws now written.
Only time will tell whether they can move as fast to spend the money needed for enforcement as they did to write laws to be enforced.
Time, this year, is about four months. That's how long it is to early November when the mayor and two members of council will be seeking our approval.
That approval/disapproval, however, can only be granted by registered voters.
* * *
Correction - It was Parsons School where my oldest started kindergarten 20 years ago. Last week’s JABs identified the school as Judd, where my youngest now studies.
JABs, written by North Brunswick writer/resident Jim Brumm appears each week in the North Brunswick Post.
Frightening to be old and sick in Central Jersey
July 2, 1987 Central New Jersey is a frightening place to be old and sick. Frightening for both the ill and their spouses. And for those without extended families in the vicinity, it must be terrifying.
The problems of the old are just as real here as anywhere else in the United States where the last year of life is, statistically, the most expensive. The cost, a Congressional study points out, can run into the thousands of dollars.
And that, at best, is an understatement. Particularly to someone who retired 15 years ago, someone, whose savings and pension to do not reflect the double-digit inflation we experienced in many of those years.
None of this is news. Intellectually most of us have known these problems exist. But we keep that knowledge securely tucked in a remote part of our memory until it is dragged into reality by events close to us.
Having lived through the reality recently, this writer can not overstress the need for his middle-aged peers to keep the pressure on for changes - not only the long-term changes to protect themselves in the future, but also quick changes to protect their loved ones now.
The most frightening aspect of being old and sick has to be the cost. There seems to be no ends to the ways people tell you to spend your money. And they want payment yesterday.
That friendly doctor who says he/she is doing everything possible to make you comfortable has a back-office staff that is well trained in raising the stress level with ill-timed and strongly worded financial statements.
Maybe doctors should be required to personally sign all bills so they would know what was being said to their patients. And, they should also explain in person -- without the benefit of an impersonal computerized statement -- why they can not wait for payment from Medicare and other insurance programs before billing. (Or, at least, use more of that bill-preparing computer's capacity to show on a statement how much is expected from insurance so that patient knows what is personally owed.)
Since most doctors are better capitalized than their patients, their explanation would be most interesting to hear.
For dehumanizing, however, there is little that beats a hospital. There are wonderful individuals at both New Brunswick hospitals, but they seem to be fighting a losing war with the bureaucrats who are now armed with limits on the amount of time a patient can spend in the hospital, called DRGs.
There's more to the frustrations of hospital care in New Brunswick. Enough for a future column.
And when the family decides the ill, forced out of the hospital by rules, would be most comfortable in the familiar surroundings of home, there is no place to find the needed nurses. The visiting nurse and temporary help services do not have the staff available to meet the demand for their services.
Past the death that ends the ill's pain are more frustrations for the spouse. One of the more irritating is the obituary, the last mention of your loved one in the local paper you've supported with your subscription for a lifetime. The funeral director, who is charging a multi-thousand dollar fee to handle such things, tells you he can only fill in the blanks on the form the paper has provided.
But those blanks do not allow much of the individual that was your loved one to show through.
Whether the funeral director or the paper is taking the easy, dehumanizing way out is unknown as I write. But I did find a more sympathetic view at the North Brunswick Post.
Jim Brumm, a North Brunswick resident, writes a JABs column every week for the North Brunswick Post.
Oldest son makes father very happy
July 9, 1987
A proud father wrote JABs this week. His oldest will achieve a life-long goal this Sunday.
James Leslie Hart Brumm will be ordained by the Rev. Classis of New Brunswick to serve as a minister in the Reformed Church in America. The ceremony will be held at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Reformed Church of North Brunswick (the church next to Babbage Park on Laurel Place, just two blocks off Georges Road).
Where have the years gone? Twenty-five years ago his pending arrival was a source of great joy and pride to a father and mother younger than he is now. And the first time our son said he was called to serve the Lord, we reacted (as remembered now) "That's nice;" thinking his ideas will change. The thought was reinforced by the memory of some college professor talking about how many times students change their majors while in college.
But James did not change his mind. At least he never told us about such a change.
Along the way this son prepared to be a minister of music as well as a minister of the word. Initially this meant children's choir at church, chorus in school and trombone lessons. And his parents started attending the string of concerts that probably will not end until his 11 year old sister graduates from high school. Unless she, like her brother, continues her music studies past the secondary school level.
Later came marching band with its hours of practices, and Band Parents Association to give these hardworking kids the support needed - whether it be dollars or time spent chaperoning trips.
The BPA has turned out to be another relationship that continued far past the introduction our oldest son gave us - for seven years in our case. (And the arrival of our third child in high school last fall resulted in charter membership in a similar group of chorus parents.)
What else is there to remember about those years? The pride felt when I realized he was leading me through the hymns at church, and I was a better singer because of his abilities. And the scholarship he received from the Band Parents Association upon graduation from North Brunswick Township High School.
I know there were also frustrations. But I don't remember them now. I do remember his first sermon - an effort made he was in high school. And the growth in his abilities as he conducted worship services the past two years while attending New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
There are many reasons why his mother and I feel great pride and joy; are highly pleased; why this Sunday is an occasion of pride; and why we are exultant.
In short, we are proud as James Leslie Hart Brumm commences the life he was called to and begins serving our Lord as the pastor of the First Reformed Church of South River.
James Leslie Hart Brumm's father writes JABs each week for the North Brunswick Post.
Allow us to breathe while we eat
July 16, 1987
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is beautiful music. But smoke from someone's cigarette can destroy the nicest of dinners.
Yet more and more restaurants are doing away with their no-smoking areas and posting signs to the effect they do not have a no-smoking section. Some of them have good enough ventilation so that the majority of us who do not smoke are not bothered.
The rest, however, are being added to this writer's list of places' to avoid. His family eats out for pleasure and smoke does not make a meal pleasant.
One family is not going to have an economic impact on any eating place.
But similar action by others of the two-thirds of the population that do not, smoke might convince owners there is a greater benefit in catering to our comfort.
Avoiding the debate on the health effects of second-hand smoking, the basic rules of courtesy should be enough to protect the non-smokers from the one-third of the population who feels it is necessary to light up. As a youngster swinging my fists and other objects around my mother would say, "Your rights extend as far as the other guy's nose." That was in reference to the leading part of the other's anatomy and the fact I had no right to hurt even that.
My nose is also where someone's right to pollute the atmosphere ends, whether the pollution comes from cigarettes or from a smoke stack.
Jim Brumm, a former smoker who has quit twice, lives in North Brunswick and writes a JABS column each week for the Post.
Recycling plan omits half township
July 23, 1987
There's a gapping hole in area recycling plans. North Brunswick's planning to meet the ban on recyclable materials imposed by state officials when they extended the life of the Edgeboro land fill excludes roughly half the township's residences. And there is no sign most other local communities are doing any better.
Township Planner and Administrator J. Paul Keller told JABs proposals being studied would remove glass and aluminum only from the trash North Brunswick’s trucks carry to the landfill, pointing out newspapers are already collected separately. But passage of the planned laws would have no impact on trash from local apartments, condominiums, townhouses and mobile homes which are served by private trash haulers.
"Private haulers and (their) clients have to develop their own strategy," Mr. Keller said.
In fact, press reports of local efforts to meet the Aug. 1 deadline mention only one community which has even considered including an arrangement between property managers of condos and apartments and the private haulers that serve them - Plainsboro.
Mr. Keller said it would benefit North Brunswick if the private haulers were included, explaining this would give the township additional credits under state recycling laws. .
There is no precise data available on what portion of North Brunswick’s homes is served by private haulers. The latest estimate by Mr. Keller's department is there were 10,135 residences in the township at the beginning of 1986 - a year and a half ago. Forty-five percent of them were served by private haulers.
Mr. Keller's staff has revised its estimate of the number of townhouses and condos the township will have at the end of this year, raising the total number of living areas to over 11,800 of which 52 Percent are served by private trash haulers.
Citing the Township Council's summer schedule, Mr. Keller said it can not pass an ordinance making the removal of glass and aluminum from household trash mandatory by the first of August. The council plans to pass a resolution of intent - to pass such an ordinance - and is hoping this will be accepted by state officials, he explained.
There is hope, Mr. Keller added, that the deadline will be extended. When interviewed early last week, he was also worried about the proposed ban on grass clippings at Edgeboro, wondering what the township would do with the clippings.
That's one worry that took care of itself. State officials decided later last week to allow grass clipping dumping to continue. The reported reason was that such a ban would have to great an impact on "lifestyle" in the four counties which dump their trash at Edgeboro.
What is wrong with changing lifestyle? It is our lifestyle which got us into the trash mess we residents of central New Jersey, are in today. And, unless we change that lifestyle, the mess is going to get worse and more expensive.
We are now paying for past lifestyle with a rising cost of trash disposal. The only way to limit the increase is to be willing to make some lifestyle changes. And that will require political leadership willing to implement changes in lifestyle.
Jim Brumm, a North Brunswick townhouse resident wondering about how his lifestyle will be changing, writes a JABs column each week for the Post.
Trash crisis: Lulu or nimby? It's both
July 30, 1987
Central New Jersey has created a lulu of a nimby ... or is it a lulu and a nimby? ... by encouraging the procrastination of our political leaders.
The subject, again, is our garbage. The tons we are paying more and more to get rid of while not knowing where we are going to do the disposing come January.
And best of all, we're getting just what we asked for. Until very recently the status quo has been just great - unless you live near the Edgeboro landfill. That growing pile is the ultimate nimby, which we have come to learn means "not in my backyard." And lulu... it has two meanings. The traditional slang definition is a "remarkable thing," but in the debate on trash it has become a "locally unacceptable land use."
It has been locally acceptable to generate trash as long as it was sent some place besides "my backyard." And it still is, although there are voices saying we should change our ways.
But not too much, state regulators have decided. They said letting grass clippings drop to the ground is too much of a change. It is obvious the leaders have learned procrastination well from their constituents.
Worse than the regulators who back down are the would-be leaders who seek our approval by asking us to continue the status quo -- to continue the actions that got us into the trash mess in first place.
But the worst frustrations are those who say they have a better plan than the one put forward by leaders who have been pushed into a comer from which there is no retreat except action. Because there are many who believe any such action is a lulu, official proposals are followed by a flood of counterproposals - many from people who wanted nothing to do with the problem until it became a nimby.
For the benefit of those of us who must make the ultimate decisions - as voters in November - all counterproposals should contain a cost estimate and proof they are less polluting than the plan being challenged.
One instance that comes to mind is drop-off points to meet the recycling limits set for Edgeboro. While these are attractive because the costs do not show in the municipal budget, drop-off points are an expensive tax on a community. It costs each citizen time and gasoline to deliver recyc1ables, and pollution is created as that gasoline is burned.
But only the avoided cost of the drop off point has been discussed, not the inconvenience. And no mention is made of the problems those without cars will have reaching the drop off.
This is one voter who asks that those who seek to be leaders put forth better plans for our problems, not just other plans. And, while they are putting the plans forward, explain why the proposal is better.
This is the second of two planned JABs on the trash morass. But, with no end to these frustrations in sight, North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm does not bet they will escape further comment.
When to believe N.J. Transit
August 6, 1987
What a difference a month makes.
In late June New Jersey Transit issued a report saying on-time performance of the state's "badly deteriorated bus and rail system" had reversed a decades-old trend and "took an upswing" since the agency was formed in 1979.
On the final day of July it told reporters June was the worst month for on-time performance by NJ Transit trains since the state took over operation of the commuter line from Conrail in 1983.
Particularly interesting is the timing of the two reports. The first was released on a Monday when it would appear in well-read Tuesday papers and followed a week and a half of interviews with state officials telling about the great things planned for the 1990s. The second was released for printing in lightly read Saturday papers.
But riders on N.J. Transit trains are used to its selective communication policy. As noted in the first JABs 11 weeks ago, the agency has long based public announcements on what it wants others to know - not on what information is needed to make an informed judgment about its service.
Another facet of this policy sparkled brightly in the morning sun a week ago yesterday. This time the agency was silent as the departure time for three trains came and went in the 7:25 to 7:46 a.m. time period without any sign of the trains or any comment at all from the speakers in the New Brunswick station. These are the speakers that had been blaring out regularly this summer since most of the reconstruction work was completed at the station.
When the 7:46 departed at 7:52 (not helping on-time performance at ail), there was a word-of-mouth-explanation of the delay. Another passenger said he had seen an Amtrak train broken down at the Princeton Junction station, so he'd driven to New Brunswick to catch the train.
Further delays between New Brunswick and Metuchen (where the train was 12 minutes late when it departed) were described by a crew member as due to "the same Amtrak train" in an apparent reference to something announced before the train arrived at the New Brunswick station.
With the train's speaker system working, there were many on the packed train interested in hearing what had happened. It wouldn’t have made us on time to work, but the information would have reduced the frustration over being late.
One has to believe -- despite speakers in the stations and various forms of written material handed out on trains -- that keeping commuters informed does not have a high priority at NJ Transit. Its officials brag that rail rider ship rose 29 percent in the 1983 to 1986 period and continued to grow at that rapid pace during the first five months this year; but make no sign they realize this growth has increased their communication responsibilities.
They did tell reporters last week major improvements in service will not arrive soon. With many trains not even able to depart on time most days and others leaving without enough cars to handle the growing number of passengers, we'll have to believe them on that forecast.
JABs doesn't pay the rent (or anything else) for North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm who travels NJ Transit trains five days a week in search of a pay check.
By mid-August the background rumblings about JABs could no longer be ignored by Post Managing Editor Bryna A.C. Elder and she devoted another Editor’s Notebook to explaining the facts of life.
Opinions have a place in the Post
Sometimes you have to beat people over the head (figuratively, of course) before they get the idea.
A few months ago I wrote a column explaining how our Town Forum page is organized. I noted that, columns on the page, unlike news articles written by staff reporters, reflected the opinions of the authors.
At that time, the Post took a lot of heat for running the JABs column submitted weekly by North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm. Some readers felt Mr. Brumm was dredging up the past, getting only half the story, etc. The Post was accused of "yellow journalism" for running such "negative" stories to boost circulation.
Come now.
Whether anyone from the staff or the readership agrees with any of our columnists is not my concern. Columns should be thought-provoking. They can be humorous, serious, political, personal -- you name it.
For some reason, folks seem to think we shouldn't run columns that might be controversial, that might present a different angle, that might ruffle feathers.
Fiddlesticks! If another paper ran a column by George Will, Jack Anderson or David Broder that you disagreed with, you wouldn't attack the paper that ran it, would you?
Word reached me this week that the North Brunswick Powers That Be, some of whom have yet to develop a thick skin about criticism, are upset with the Post for allowing Mr. Brumm to continue writing JABs. Apparently, some of the Powers believe Mr. Brumm is inaccurate - but they have yet to inform me directly of their information.
Some maintain Mr. Brumm "doesn't get the whole story." Again, they fail to understand the purpose of an opinion column.
But the most disturbing remark that reached my ears, via municipal sources, was that since Mr. Brumm's column was making it tough for the politicians and officials, some might decide to make it tough for the Post news staff to gather information.
Does that mean Mr. Brumm is on target and starting to "get" to them? I don't know. But I do know that playing games like that isn't wise on their part. Especial¬ly not in a mayoral election year.
By making it tough for my staff to get necessary -- and public – information quickly and without hassle, officials would ensure a tough time for themselves. Let's face it: Wouldn't it look better to the readers (voters) if the Post included comments and facts provided by local officials than if it had to run sentences like "Mr. So-and-So did not return phone calls” or "he/she declined to comment"'?
In the first column I wrote for the Post, then an edition of The Central Post, I said I don't like to play games - any games. That still holds true.
However, I also firmly believe in correcting mistakes. For correcting news stories, contact me or reporter Rosemary Vivian Gohd. If a correction does need to be made, we'll put it on Page 2A. If you merely disagree with or want to present some thoughts on a news article, write a letter to the editor.
If you disagree with an opinion column, by all means write that letter to the editor.
We're responsible journalists, concerned about the community in which we serve, concerned about the people who read our paper and in getting them the most accurate information as soon as possible.
If you are looking for opinions, you’ll find them on the Town Forum page, not the news pages. The latter are reserved for the facts and quotes, even if some may be "no comments."
Bryna A.C. Elder is managing editor of the North Brunswick Post
NJ Transit should work out present
August 13, 1987
Last weekend got off to a slow start for several thousand central New Jersey families. A NJ Transit commuter train broke down.
Since the trains are mechanical, breakdowns' will occur. That is frustrating enough. But it gets worse when a breakdown is repaired in 11 minutes, but the train waits another eight minutes before starting to move - nearly doubling the delay caused directly and at least doubling the number of trains behind the broken down one which were subjected to delays.
This writer would be most appreciative - and. believes other commuters would be also - if someone from NJ Transit could come forward and explain what happened during that other eight minutes and the additional delays that followed on Friday night. But we are not holding our breath waiting.
For some riders, who had to make connections with Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast trains, the extra eight minutes meant they would be delayed up to an hour in Newark until the next train departed which served their station. Those of us who rode on to New Brunswick were 30 minutes late.
The train that broke down was the 5:03 from Penn Station in New York City. By the time it was moving again, at least four following trains had been delayed ... and probably more than that.
For those in the following trains, here's a chronology of the breakdown that delayed the start of your weekend:
- About 5:10; Train stops outside the tunnel.
- About 5:11; Instructions to train crew to manually check for dragging equipment under the cars.
- Shortly after 5:21; Announcement made the problem has been corrected, the train is ready to go.
- At 5:25; Another announcement. This one saying we're waiting for permission to proceed as one following train gets past on the inbound tracks.
- About 5:29, as a second train starts to pass, train starts to roll and proceeds to Newark.
But for those of us riding the train on to New Brunswick, Princeton and Trenton that wasn't the end of our delays.
It turned out the one train that did get past was the New Brunswick local. And with at least two tracks open – which would seem to allow for passing -- we were kept behind this local by about 5 minutes, adding another 11 minutes to the trip home on Friday evening.
Thus, an 11-minute breakdown had become a 30-minute wait at the station for someone picking up a commuter in New Brunswick, Princeton Junction or Trenton. And there was no way for us on the train to warn our loved ones or explain what was happening.
Compounding all of this, Friday's delay involved Arrow III cars. An overhaul all 230 of these cars is two year's overdue, according to a statement N.J. Transit put out in late July.
The reasons for that delay would be interesting to hear. But our tax-supported commuter service is much better talking about future plans than past mistakes.
North Brunswick's schools, frustrating as they are, are worth the frustrations of commuting to writer Jim Brumm who takes JABs at such irritants each week.
Democrats use perks of incumbency
August 27, 1987
There have been few signs of life this summer from the Republicans, but North Brunswick's incumbent Democrats have been far from quiet.
About the only public comments from the GOP since the primaries - when the winning faction went on to lose on the county level - has been letters to the editor from one council candidate.
Meanwhile the Democrats have made full use of the perks of incumbency - the ability to legislate and use township letterhead - to attract the attention of voters. But the hard part, enforcement, continues to languish. .
They have passed laws banning neighborhood bars (saying you have to drive once you've had a drink), limiting rent increases and seeking to control the activities of contractors. The builders were also the target of a letter from the mayor seeking reduced disturbances at construction sites and a proposal they be required to contribute park space or funding to the township.
But there has been no report from these concerned officials about action taken on the summons issued June 4 when a contractor dug a trench across Sabella Park. Just as there's been no report about the summons issued in 1982 citing sump pumps which are still discharging into a parking lot. .
The laws limiting rent increases in apartments and Deer Brook Village were accompanied by another promise of action on the "double taxation" faced by condo owners. Since North Brunswick has annual elections, those promises have joined some flowers in the perennial category brightened this year by the naming of someone to do the study.
Of course, incumbents' election year legislative proposals aren't limited to North Brunswick. They thrive on both sides of the aisle in Trenton where the latest idea from both parties is a tax rebate to refund the state's budget "surplus."
In many ways, this is just giving back what the same legislators took away when they held funding for local schools and county colleges below the level mandated by earlier legislators - forcing payment of the costs from local and county taxes. It will be interesting to see if any candidates during this fall's campaign explain why those funding levels are ignored each year rather than changed.
Their explanation won't be much harder - if it’s offered - than the one North Brunswick's incumbents need for the township's water problems. Last winter they said supplies were limited by cold weather, while the local utilities were blaming a warmer than normal winter for low profits. And this summer, the culprit was a water tank in the need of repair.
The voters are wondering: “When will there be enough water for my morning shower?”
If you want to be one of the wondering voters in nearly 10 weeks, you must be registered. And there’s only about four weeks to accomplish that.
The process - registering and/or voting - is painless. And it doesn't even take a lot of time. In New Jersey, it requires only a visit to town hall, or to a registered voter who has the state forms. Many of the later will be setting up booths to catch your attention the next few weeks. And the North Brunswick Post is volunteering to publish the names and addresses of registered voters willing to welcome strangers into their homes for the purpose of registering to vote.
The lack of participation in North Brunswick's perennial political drama concerns North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm who prepares a JABs each week for the Post.
Non-profit mailings in trouble
September 3, 1987
What has happened to third-class mail? About two years ago, if memory serves this writer well, the service offered non-profit mailers deteriorated to the point of near uselessness while commercial bulk mail continued to be delivered on time.
Is there a postal service employee who can explain why?
Questions asked of employees in the bulk-mail section of the Kilmer Facility this summer found agreement that service was poor, but no reasons offered. They did say it should improve, however, because bulk mail was no longer being sent to North Jersey for processing. This work was now being done at the Kilmer Facility, they explained.
If there has been any improvement, it is hard to find. An Aug.10 mailing by the Reformed Church of North Brunswick was not delivered in North Brunswick until Aug. 21 - and after Aug. 23 in East Brunswick and Milltown. And a union newspaper, mailed at New York City's General Post Office the week of June 15 was delivered in North Brunswick eight weeks later on Aug. 12!
Is there an answer other than first-class mail? That is expensive and non-profit organizations have better things to do with their money than double their postage bills.
Is there no one in the postal system who can provide the service of telling local groups how to get their message across?
Let's hope there is someone, for more is involved than the finances of your church, scouting, veterans or service organization. This lack of postal service could also result in higher taxes unless the township's Board of Education and Department of Human Services can find better ways to communicate with township residents.
The latest victim of slow non-profit organization mail was the North Brunswick Township Adult/Community Education program (unless this Board of Education sponsored activity was just plain slow with its latest mailing). Its Fall '87 catalog, including registration forms to be postmarked no later than Monday, Aug. 31, was delivered Friday Aug. 28.
(That mail also included some pleasant reading from the local education establishment. A much improved welcoming letter from High School Principal Leonard H. Simkin which explained the numbering system on the envelope and covered well written, east-to-read notes on the high school rules. The comparison to the mailing addressed to parents and students a year ago was dramatic).
And, in an era when everybody is talking about finding ways to reduce the costs of political campaigns, one has to remember non-profit organizations need to get their ideas to the voters.
Another major tactic they use to attract attention is signs, large and small; a communications method that is often abused by people who want us to elect them to write and enforce new laws.
This abuse is again underway in North Brunswick, even though the campaign doesn't officially start until next week. One has to wonder if those responsible for enforcing the law which says no political signs on public property - including road right of ways - will do so this year.
* * *
For those of you who need to be registered to vote in November, a registered voter has responded to the Post's offer to publish the names addresses of people willing to sign up other.
Ann Petrocelli of 26 Overhill Drive says she has the forms and will register voters.
Writer Jim Brumm, who wonders what the postal service is thinking about junk mail, writes JABs every week for the Post.
Of politics, timing and more mailings
September 10, 1987
The portion of last week's column worrying about the impact of poor third class mail service on this year's political campaign was written to soon.
The question, it turns out, is how do political parties get better service than other non-profit organizations?
Before the traditional Labor Day start of the campaign our mail boxes were graced with literature from Democratic Senate Candidate Tom Paterniti and running mates asking "Why isn't anybody doing anything about our garbage and trash crisis?”
It left this writer wondering what Assemblymen Paterniti and Frank Pelly did to help their political colleagues on the county level who had to wrestle with this lulu of a nimby. Apparently those preparing the mailing didn't pay attention six weeks ago when this voter asked for garbage substance rather than charges from those who would be elected. .
But the mayor of our fine town was apparently paying attention seven weeks ago when JABs was the first to mention publicly that the township's recycling plans excluded roughly half the township.
At the same time, he proved that some perennials do, in fact, bear fruit as well as flowers.
At one of his rare news conferences (the last local reporters remember was during a political campaign a couple years ago), the mayor handed out a news release stating; ''I have now countermanded my previous order and have directed my administrative staff to reallocate manpower and equipment to provide for curbside collection of recyclable materials in all townhouse and condominium associations."
That solves about two-fifths of the problem but still leaves nearly 30 percent of the township's residences - the apartments - without any pickup of recyclable materials.
The same news release announced plans to introduce proposed ordinance dealing with the "double taxation" of townhouses and condominiums, taking this issue beyond the perennial study stage.
Another news release at the news conference announced a proposed' ordinance designed to provide some control for rush-hour traffic congestion. The result of seven months' work by a volunteer task force, it received editorial praise in local papers. But this writer was left wondering on a couple of points.
Early reports about the task force said they were concerned about the reverse commuter - the one attempting to reach a job in North Brunswick via public transportation. This person was not mentioned in the news release, nor was the idea that came out of later task force meetings to establish public transportation to the Jersey Avenue train station. Not mentioned in any reports was whether consideration was ever given to extending existing Middlesex Metro bus service in North Brunswick, which already connects with the train in downtown New Brunswick where there's much better train service that at Jersey Avenue.
The Metro is operated by News Jersey Transit, which also wasn't mentioned in reports on the task force. And if it wasn’t invited - or was invited and didn't show - it could hardly be called surprising. There are distinct signs this state agency needs to get its present act in order before taking on additional responsibilities.
A recent example of its problems came last Friday when its communications systems - both at the station and on the train - were working fine. The station speakers twice announced the pending, on-time arrival of the 7:09 a.m. train to New York. And it departed on time, only to crawl to Metuchen at such a slow pace it was 10 minutes late on arrival there. Neither of the communications systems warned of the problem or made any attempt to explain the delay. .
* * *
I'll throw my name and address in as a person willing to register voters for the upcoming election. That's Jim Brumm, 207 Bishop Blvd. . .
Trash and transportation are expected to continue to frustrate North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm who prepares JABs for the Post each week.
Vote: Nobody can do it for you
September 17, 1987
Get involved! It is your life that is limited, even reduced when you avoid entanglements. And much of the reduction results because your community is a smaller place when you try to stand alone.
Many of you are avoiding the most basic involvement, participation in the political process. True, this is an off year for elections - there's nobody on the ballot running for a federal office. But it is an "on" year for those communities that have the greatest impact on your life the township, county and state which are trying to dispose of the garbage you create and clear the traffic jam which slows your trip to and from work each day.
Yes, your vote counts. If you are registered, or get registered this month, so you can cast it.
But that's not the only way to make yourself count. You could cause a Girl Scout troop to continue to exist - or let it die by maintaining your silence. This writer knows of one in North Brunswick that is dying because there aren't enough adults who feel they're able to spend the needed time. And experience says it isn't the only one.
Maybe this column is only being read by those already involved. Perhaps it's preaching to the converted. Possibly. But not probably!
More likely it is time to involve ourselves or our money. If we are not willing to get involved in such community activities as the first aid squad and the fire department - and most of us have not been willing - then we better tell those politicians seeking our vote this fall to raise our taxes to hire someone to do what we're unwilling to do as a volunteer.
But mercenaries can not take our place in the ballot box, at scouts or the soccer league, nor the church or synagogue.
The surveys say 95 percent of us believe in God. And the gist of the debate about prayer in school is we believe morality should be taught at home and the family's house of worship.
At least, we tell the public schools to stay away from such areas. But we are unwilling to support - even with our children's presence - the religious institutions to carry out the task we've assigned them. While the number of children in North Brunswick is increasing to the point we arc adding school rooms, the number attending Sunday school in the township and nearby communities continues to decline.
Maybe we really do want prayer in the schools. If so, we better tell those politicians. If not, we better put our words into action.
This JAB at the prevailing procrastination, like the others appearing in this space each week, was written by North Brunswick resident Jim Brumm.
Reformed Church pauses for a celebration
September 24, 1987
A milestone will be celebrated on Laurel Place Sunday. One of the township's older institutions has paid off the mortgage on the thoroughfare's largest building.
The Reformed Church of North Brunswick plans to burn the mortgage on its sanctuary and educational building at a pot-luck supper starting at 6 p.m. Its friends and neighbors are invited to join those who have supported the church over the years in the celebration.
At times during the 28 years since the sanctuary was dedicated, it seemed – I must admit in hindsight - like paying that mortgage was the reason for our existence. It was very hard to believe the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln – “And this, too, shall pass away."
Now that this financial burden has, passed away, one is confronted with the knowledge the resulting milestone can be a steppingstone to future growth or a millstone dragging us ever downward.
Whatever it becomes, the removal of this burden does not represent an ending. It is a goal reached; a significant point in the 68-year history of this group of people who gather each week to serve the Lord; and, hopefully, a time of rededication to our Lord as we strive to make the best use of the building He has provided.
This member's prayer is this milestone will be a steppingstone providing this church - the people who gather in the shelter of this building - the means to reach further into the world with the Lord's service.
Presently, extending this church's reach means finding a pastor, a leader to help us make the best use of the steppingstone. The person who finally accepts our call will be the ninth minister to serve this congregation on a full-time basis.
Beyond that, it is hard to say at this time what the final result of our search will be. In the nine months since the Rev. John Hamersma retired, we have taken a close look at ourselves and our community. With this knowledge and the Lord's' guidance, we are seeking a leader.
That knowledge - the portion that came from the requirement we find out about the status of other churches in the community - was both comforting and frightening. Comforting that the problems we see are not unique to one congregation. Frightening that others are having no more success than we are in attracting the newcomers in our communities. North Brunswick's median age is 30 while churches serving the community are lucky if they have members who are under 30.
This may reflect another bit of data discussed in earlier JABs - less than half the township's residences are "traditional" one- and two-family homes. Yet most current church members live in such structures.
What's even more threatening about this knowledge, however, is its lack of meaning. It is data, data which seems to fit together without providing an answer.
The Reformed Church of North Brunswick is pausing for a celebration this Sunday. A well-earned celebration we'd like the rest of our community to share. We know the celebration will mark the end of one era in our church, but it also has to mark the beginning of another if we expect to have more celebrations over the next 68 years.
Jim Brumm, a member of the local Reformed Church's consistory, comments on central New Jersey each week by writing JABs for the Post.
Government edicts: Saying isn’t the same as doing
October 1, 1987
Government pronouncements are apparently much easier to make than enforce. In fact, one has to wonder if enforcement comes into the picture when the pronouncements are made.
Talk, the old cliché says, is cheap. And the bureaucrats operating state regulatory agencies seem to have found out it doesn't cost much more to put the words on paper. Then they can call it a regulation. They can also tell the taxpayers (their employers) they have done something about the problem of the moment.
As regulation piles on top of regulation, however, the regulators become more and more like the fabled boy who cried "wolf" -- no one believes them.
The problem of many recent months has been trash. It was two months ago today (Oct. 1) that the latest of the state environmental bureaucrats' pronouncements concerning the Edgeboro land fill went into effect -- telling those of us who send our trash to be added to this pile to reduce the flow by removing recyclables.
While many of us are working hard to accomplish this reduction, a cursory look at dumpsters throughout the area finds such efforts arc far from universal. It would seem an equally cursory effort at the landfill would result in much better compliance with the regulations. But there has been no report of any such effort by the rule writers.
East Brunswick police did move last week to apply state criminal laws to the problems at Edgeboro, a move applauded by Middlesex County Prosecutor Alan A. Rockoff before Superior Court Judge John E. Bachman questioned the idea Friday. (Mr. Rockoff's response wasn't known when this column was written Sunday.)
To paraphrase the first campaign literature of this year's general election campaign - "Why aren't our elected state representatives doing anything about our garbage and trash crisis?"
The question was asked originally by Democrats Tom Paterniti, Frank Pelly and George Spadoro who are seeking our votes so they can serve in the legislature. Two of them -- Dr. Paterniti and Mr. Pelly -- are already serving in the Assembly where they have had plenty of opportunities to make sure the regulators enforce the rules they write.
Of course, as the Democrats' literature charges, Republican Senator Peter Garibaldi hasn't had much to do with the trash crisis either.
In the vacuum left by the bi-partisan silence, one shouldn't be surprised at the regulation and more regulation approach of the regulators. But lack of surprise is not a reason to expect lack of action from those our taxes are paying and lack of leadership from those we have elected.
To resume the paraphrasing of campaigns literature - "For years these elected and hired officials have had the chance to do something about our garbage and trash crisis. And for years it’s only gotten worse."
Adding to the frustration is the knowledge that in 33 short days we who decide voting is worthwhile will have to decide whose brand of inaction is best.
Jim Brumm, who will be among the voters next month writes JABs, each week for the North Brunswick Post.
It's a very 'off' year for local politics
October 8, 1987
Despite this column's protests, this year's election campaign is far from "on." And this writer is one voter that is in danger of being turned off.
Three weeks ago, when urging involvement by all, we stressed the current off-year election (meaning no federal or state-wide offices on the ballot) had the potential of being an "on" year for those communities with the greatest impact on your life - the township, county and state legislative districts.
The key word turns out to be the one unwritten in that earlier column - potential. And, with the campaign more than half over, the candidates on all three levels have provided few reasons beyond "throw (or keep) the bums out" to be a voter on Nov. 3.
It’s fine to talk, debate, even argue about what has been done right and wrong. And there has been a lot of that on all three levels. But, unless an undoing of past actions is being advocated, this isn't what the campaign should be about.
The campaign is about the future. About next year and many next years after that. About what anyone who wants our votes will do during that future. How the problems so clearly outlined in all the campaign literature will be solved. The campaign is - or should be - about possible solutions.
There are few of them being presented. Have the candidates no vision? Or are they afraid we voters will not like what that vision sees, so they are keeping it quiet.
On the local township level, the problem of making an informed choice is enhanced by the silence of most candidates. For the Democrats, Mayor Paul Matacera has been fielding the questions and making the statements, leaving one who would be an informed voter with little base for an opinion about the council candidates. For the Republicans, most of the views have come from a non-candidate, Chairwoman Ruth Wiedmann, leaving our informed voter with an even smaller base.
An exception to the council candidate silence has been Republican Phyllis Giglio. But her comments have been on the what's wrong level with few, if any, possible solutions mentioned.
Along the way, however, she's created an issue by attracting state attention to the damage a developer did to Farrington Lake Park when installing a drainage pipe.
The outcome probably won't be known until long after the votes are counted. But the tempest has given us another look at those people North Brunswick hires to enforce the rules.
In this case, township Engineer Art Vitale, who calls the path cut through the woods "reasonable" while admitting it is over twice as wide as the developer agreed to when seeking a state easement across the park.
With all the questions JABs has raised about enforcement, space should also be given to applaud action when it is properly taken - as it was by the parks employee who removed campaign signs from school property on Heritage Day.
But mentioning the incident begs the question as to what this employee and others are doing about all the other campaign signs on public property - for that's what a road right-of-way is. And what about those illegally attached to utility poles?
Jim Brumm, who will do his best to make a selection Nov. 3 no matter how turned off he is, writes JABs for the North Brunswick Post each week.
Things that go bump in the mail box
October 15, 1987
The mail can deliver many things to our homes, including frustration. There were three items in last week's mail which fell solidly into that category: a magazine, an envelope with a return address we'd never heard of and a card from the high school.
The magazine was the September issue of "Friends," a monthly distributed by Chevrolet. This issue - a salute to major league baseball - was interesting to read, as most of the previous issues have been. The problem was when it arrived - five days into the month of October. That was four days after the deadline for a sweepstakes included in the magazine.
I know: the odds were against winning. On any level of practicality, it wouldn't have been worth the postage stamp needed to mail the entry. But that knowledge didn't defuse the frustration of again being infringed upon by the U.S. Postal Service. (Or should it be disservice?)
Maybe there should be some satisfaction in knowing the mail handlers treat bulk mail from one of the world's largest corporations, General Motors, the same way they do that from the local church or school board - slowly. But there wasn't.
The envelope came from a place called "The Loan Servicing Center" in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. They are lucky it wasn't thrown away with the junk mail. From the outside, there was no clue it should be treated in any other manner.
Inside was a "Dear Borrower" form letter from Peoples National Bank of Central Jersey informing us the student loan had been sold to the Student Loan Marketing Association "to obtain funds for making more student loans to other needed students." So far, so good. But there's usually a catch to those letters which herd you into a group, forgetting your name along the way.
Two sentences later, there it was. "As a result of this sale you are now obligated to 'send your loan payments to….” But one of the reasons we went to a local bank for the loan was the ability to have such payments taken automatically from our checking accounts, to not have to send anything anywhere.
Eight years ago we chose Peoples National Bank as a .place to do business because we were treated as an individual with a face and a name - not a number or member of this or that group, and this is still true at the branch where we do our banking. But since the bank started saying it is a "member of Ultra Bancorp," there has been a different tone to many communications. .
The card was a note saying our son had been absent from high school. The date referred to was the ninth day of an extended medical absence. During those days we had communicated many times with the school's guidance office. Still something called the "Attendance Office" sends a card saying "a parental excuse is required for this absence" although the first eight days of the absence went by without any such cards.
The card also asks us to call between 9 a.m. and noon if we have any questions, causing one to wonder if the "Attendance Office" only exists for three hours a day.
One thing we don't wonder about - it is easier to inform Judd School a student will be absent than it is the high school. Both ask you to call each day a student will be absent. Judd provides a tape recorder to answer the phone so the cal1 can be made before one goes to work. The high school doesn't, nor has it indicated any willingness to accept col1ect cal1s.
Jim Brumm takes weekly JABs at the frustrations of living in central New Jersey on the Town Forum page of the North Brunswick Post.
Too much silence on enforcement
October 22, 1987
The candidates have gotten out from behind their campaign literature and talked to the editors of the area newspapers. And what was reported on their comments will apparently be all voters have to go on when we enter the voting booth, for debates are not being discussed, except on the state Senate campaign level.
This writer's biggest disappointment was the silence in those reports on enforcement. The mayor claimed "controlled growth" has been a feature of his administration. But he didn't talk (according to the reports) on how these controls are being implemented on the day-to-day level.
One has to worry about this when you hear - via the grapevine, not official reports - that the summons for digging up Sabella Park last summer was answered in court. The result was a $250 fine, so the reports go. Does that petty cash pay for restoring the park, compensate we residents for lost recreation, or what? It's hard to tell.
As pointed out by others on this page recently, the Mayor is right in answering critics, there are many opportunities for communications with North Brunswick’s elected officials. The critics, however, are also right.
There is a perception among the township's citizens it is difficult, if not impossible, to approach elected and appointed officials with problems. One of the reasons may be the location of the council’s agenda sessions mentioned by the mayor.
When everyone gets jammed into the conference room where these are held, the result is intimidating, at best. And the few this writer has attended were not thrown open for general discussions.
With that chance to enter the voting booth just a dozen days away, those who have chosen to avoid the whole thing must remember - If you don't vote, you have no one to blame for what happens over the next few years but yourself.
Granted, helping elect someone to office with your vote won’t necessarily make you happy with everything that person does with the power you helped provide.
You are, however, left with the legitimate option of reminding the official of your support with the caveat such support is not automatic in the next election.
With this in mind, this writer would like to inform Senator Garibaldi that one vote he had last time will not be there next month. It was lost when he had the discourtesy to exercise "Senatorial Courtesy.”
But his opponent isn't much more attractive, attacking Sen. Garibaldi's dual elective positions as senator and mayor of Monroe while ignoring the similar dual roles held by John Lynch, the mayor of New Brunswick who's also a state senator.
That comes near to putting Mr. Paterniti in the category of a glass house resident who is throwing stones. Or does the cliché about politicians' strange bed fellows fit better?
North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm, who prepares JABs each week for the North Brunswick Post, invites you to join him at the polls Nov. 3.
Incest -- warning shot's been fired
October 29, 1987
It did not happen in New Jersey. But it could have. And, worst of all there are few, if any, signs the various communities in central New Jersey are doing anything to prevent it.
The "it" referred to is the sentencing, early this month, of a Long Island teen-ager to prison for hiring a classmate to kill the father she says abused her. Yes, killing is wrong, as well as being illegal. But so is incest.
From the reports, Cheryl Pierson felt trapped in suburban Suffolk County. And the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case said, after she was sentenced, "The main thing is that she did go to jail."
Was that the "main thing''? Or was the significant factor the judge's hope that the "publicity and the interest engendered by your misfortune will benefit other victims" by helping them become aware of public and private agencies that can provide help?
But how do these victims become aware of the help that is available in the suburbia called central New Jersey? There were few signs of the agencies involved, if they do exist, making use of the news about one young lady's misfortune to publicize their own existence.
Pediatrics nurses at Robert Wood John¬son University Hospital have not been told about such agencies. Nor were nursing students being told at Middlesex County College three years ago. And students attending North Brunswick Township High School over the past 11 years remember nothing about such infor¬mation.
Interviewed after the sentencing, the judge asked "Is (murder) the only way that you can solve this problem?" and answered "No it's not."
During the hearing the prosecutor had said the district attorney's office has a family crime bureau to prosecute in¬cest-related crimes.
One can only hope that authorities with similar operations in this area will not wait until a trial to communicate the availability of help. And, one must point out, there is more to such a communication than a press release or an interview with a reporter. The authorities have to get out and make any victims that do exist believe there is help.
Until this is accomplished, the existence of such help is nearly worthless.
And for those who believe it can't happen here - wake up. Middlesex County has no claim to fame over Suffolk County other than it has received a warning. The warning gave central New Jersey one more chance to act than the Long Island communities had.
But the silence of the past three weeks (longer if you go back to the beginning of Cheryl's trial) points toward the con¬clusion that the warning fell on deaf ears. Or, that there is nothing to communicate.
North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm started the work on this JABs, a weekly feature in the Post, after realizing he wouldn't know what to do if an incest victim approached seeking help.
Is police 'training' really legalized 'hazing'?
November 5, 1987
Hazing is illegal in New Jersey. Or is it?
There are state laws restricting physical hazing of pledges by fraternities. But where's the protection for police recruits?
It is called training. But conversations with those who have attended the Middlesex County Police Academy and published reports since Milltown recruit Howard Kline collapsed during training and then died in February makes one wonder if the physical-training curriculum there is for education or hazing.
The first question one has to ask is about the need for this portion of the academy's curriculum. If being in physical shape is so important, why aren't police required to stay in shape once they're on the job? Although there are exceptions, most policemen in this area are not staying in shape for activities like those described in reports about the training program.
And, if it is a necessity, why the bricks and tires? If memory serves at all well, the military gets men and women into shape during eight weeks of basic training - or boot camp, depending on where you started - without any such implements or the fancy equipment of a modem gym.
Better yet, if the physical training is needed, why weren't trained physical instructors hired? Who decided untrained volunteers could do the job when for much less strenuous physical training in our schools we hire people with a college degree in the subject.
That decision was probably made by the same person who runs the school and who issued the report in June indicating Kline died from improper medical care – County Prosecutor Alan A. Rockoff.
This brings up another question. What makes the prosecutor qualified to run a training program? At this point, one could say his lack of qualifications has been proven.
A week ago today, the academy moved back into the news. Kline's widow sued the county, Rockoff and several other officials in a $4 million suit and Rockoff announced the academy will reopen in March.
Both of these are troubling. The press reports gave no indication of what changes, if any, Rockoff has made in the curriculum to prevent further suits. And no matter what the outcome of the litigation is, it is not going to reduce the county's liability insurance costs.
Increased insurance costs mean increased taxes. As do the costs of hiring replacements when injuries suffered by recruits put them out on disability.
And what of the indications that the physical training is hazing rather than training? When is someone not involved in the operation of the academy going to investigate Kline's death and issue a complete report? Or do we have to wait for the trial while endangering another class of recruits?
We ask a lot of our police. Much of it dangerous. But there is no reason for the danger starting during training.
North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm takes JABs at things that irk him each week in the Post.
Apathy real winner of election
November 12, 1987
Before the rhetoric fades completely, it is time to take a look back at the political season just ended -- with a win for apathy.
There's not much else one can say about an election where, state wide, 60 percent of those who had taken the time to register didn't see any reason to go to the polls. The turn-out was better locally, with 52 percent of North Brunswick's registered voters showing up.
Although the pluralities were large in favor of the winners, the simple truth remains -- in the township, county and state we'll have minority governments for the next few years. Those who take office next January as a result of this month's election will do so with the approval of a minority of the registered voters - and a much smaller minority of those who would have been eligible to vote if they had taken the time to register.
One should also note that a similar minority approved a 10 percent increase in the state's bonded debt by approving the prison and Green Acres bond issues.
This column probably comes under the heading of preaching to the converted. For one should assume that those who care enough to take the time to read a local paper also care enough to get out and vote. (And if you didn't, why not?)
But how many of you who went to the polls took a neighbor with you ... or tried to talk a friend into voting? This writer must plead guilty to the charge of not involving others in the election. Were we who were quiet as much a. part of the problem as the attempted rhetoric of those who were seeking our votes?
It was "attempted rhetoric" because rhetoric means "using words effectively ... so as to influence or persuade" and a majority of those eligible to register and vote were not persuaded to do so. Instead, many were influenced to stay home.
Yes, more came out to vote in North Brunswick this year than did last year. But the number of registered voters in the township declined, although the population continued to grow.
Agreed, there appear to be no better answers to this problem elsewhere. In fact, the rest of the state could be said to have fewer answers. And the problem only gets worse when school elections are held.
Some attributed the increased local voting this year to the police referendum. But that is hard to accept when you see that 730 of those who voted didn't bother to express an opinion on the issue.
Despite all the words - in this column and elsewhere - written and spoken in the weeks before the election, most people eligible to vote decided something else was more important than the traffic jams, taxes, pollution and other signs of prob¬lems in Central Jersey. Neither the claim “we're doing fine, keep us in office;" or the opposition's request to "throw the bums out because we can do a better job" was able to motivate the majority to spend a few moments at the polls this month.
Maybe we need some new election rhetoric.
North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm, who finds low voter turnout one of the more poorly explained frustrations of living in the United States, submits a JABs to the North Brunswick Post each week.
N.J. Transit: Oops, there goes the quality of life
November 19, 1987
The deterioration continues at New Jersey Transit, reducing further the quali¬ty of life for many who have chosen to live in central New Jersey.
At least that's what the state transit agency told at least one newspaper last week, saying that October's on-time performance of 84 percent was the poorest system-wide performance for its trains in nine months. But in late July, the same agency was telling reporters that June was the worst month for on-time arrivals by NJ Transit trains since the state agency took over the commuter operation from Conrail in 1983.
And the system-wide number only blunted the news for central Jersey residents using the train to get to and from work. The Northeast Corridor line, which carries us from New Brunswick, had an on-time percentage of 78.2 - 10.7 points below the year earlier level.
Again the problems were blamed on lack of maintenance. And this time Alan Dustin, who heads NJ Transit's rail operating division, said it will take about two and a half years to complete the overhaul of the Arrow III cars we ride each day to and from work. But there was no explanation why the work wasn't started before the mechanical problems started causing delays.
The reporter didn't mention whether Dustin gave any indication of hope that these 30 months will not be a period of declining service. From what he said, however, there appears to be little reason to expect otherwise.
This is the same agency, we must remember, that spent $3 million to refurbish New Brunswick's railroad station without overhauling the station's problem-prone escalator. The refurbished station was dedicated in August and on Sept. 21 a sign appeared at the bottom of the escalator saying upgrading is scheduled for the near future and asking us to forgive the "temporary" inconvenience.
To date, nearly two months later, we have learned that temporary break-downs last longer than a $3 million refurbishing.
This is also the same agency which reported in the spring 1987 issue of its own publication, "NJ Transit Rail Con¬nections," the new Rail Equipment Maintenance Facility in Kearny "will be fully operational by mid-year." But this facility has not been mentioned as even a partial solution to the maintenance problems which are making the trip to and from work ever more frustrating for central Jersey residents who work in Newark and New York City. (And the NJ Transit publication which used to appear on our seats about four times a year hasn’t been there since last spring.)
Last week we got a taste of winter – the ice and cold which annually results in further delays for local train riders. After the experience of this fall, it looks like it is going to be a long winter indeed for the rail commuters.
North Brunswick writer Jim Brumm, whose frustrations become JABs in the North Brunswick Post each week, wonders whether anyone is listening to the commuter.
The North Brunswick Post ran its final JABs column on March 17, 1988. Six years later, to the day, the following appeared in the Sentinel.
The Return of JABs
As a few of you will remember, JAB's thrived for a brief 10 months six years ago in what was then North Brunswick's only weekly, The Post. It was dropped for being too controversial.
The name, JABs has two meanings. The author started with his initials and liked the meaning they had viewed as a word. A jab, according to the dictionary, is a poke or a thrust. And that's what these columns will attempt to be -- at the frustrations that make living in Central New Jersey less than it should be. Usually, they'll focus on the most stressful of those frustrations -- commuting.
In the first of these columns next week, he'll start with a commuter's look at the disjointed dialogue between politicians and Suburban Transit management about the firm's recent efforts. Since the two seem unable to talk face-to-face, maybe analysis can make sense of this most disconcerting of winters.
(By the way, the column's name has two correct presentations -- JABs and JAB's, -- depending on whether the jabs or views predominate.)
Just who is this Jim Brumm who's taking JABs at frustrations?
Raised in the Midwest, he's a 55-year-old who married a North Brunswick native three decades ago and has lived in Central Jersey most of the time since -- commuting by train or bus to New York City more than 20 of those years and by car, to nearby locations, for six. Along the way, a two-year test of Washington, D.C., commuting.
Another time he left the area was at Uncle Sam's insistence, to complete his Navy enlistment as a journalist attached to the Seabees in Vietnam.
He's still actively involved in journalism as a financial correspondent at Reuters (a news service).
Locally, he's an elder at the Reformed Church of North Brunswick and a registered Republican who's been known to get involved in local politics.
But he has voted few, if any, straight tickets since he first participated in an election in 1960. (In those long ago days, you had to be over 21 to vote.)
At home, Jim and his wife, Ruth, are foster parents.
Over the past five years, five foster children have brought tears and joy including the chance to pick their grandson.
The youngest of their four birth children is now a high school senior.
They now own a townhouse after renting and owning more traditional Central Jersey housing over the years.
Suburban Transit, please explain…
March 24, 1994
According to the surveys, it's not popular to defend reporters. But how does one write an unbiased article when the views of only one side are available?
That's what Suburban Transit President Kenneth S. Kuchin apparently expected. Upset about an article reporting the views of East Brunswick politicians about his company's service, he wrote a letter to the editor calling a Home News article "inaccurate and one-sided."
"Unfortunately, an article such as this always gets more attention than the response," his letter continued.
It's been eight weeks since the original article and seven weeks since Kuchin's letter, but given the declining quality of Suburban Transit's service on the Franklin Park, Princeton Express route, some of the attention he sought is still appropriate.
He finds it "extremely difficult to believe" that the reporter could not reach any bus company officials for comment. But I don't. The only time they've returned a call I've made in the past three years was when I was offering to be a witness in support of one of their drivers cut off in traffic.
And callers seeking information on the status of morning commuter service to the city are told no one is available until 8:30 -- well after most of us have to be on our way to work, if not already there.
With this personal experience, why should I call and report when a bus doesn't stop to help a disabled bus? And that does happen, despite Kuchin's declaration that "it is strictly enforced company policy that all Suburban operators must stop to assist another operator when their bus is disabled."
He also said 85 percent of the fleet is equipped with two-way radios. Then why are the buses used on some runs drawn from the 15 percent every day? Do you have to have a driver with seniority to ride in a radio-equipped bus?
As a commuter who's been riding Suburban buses and/or the trains for more than 30 years now, I understand weather related problems. But the company's promise, in radio ads that ran for a few weeks earlier this year, of "less hassle" was never delivered by its people.
Particularly irritating are the dispatchers, who act as though they don't have to explain anything to anyone and answer questions with put downs.
It appears that a dispatcher's job at the Towers in East Brunswick is to fill the buses, not get them on the road on schedule.
And in New York City, I've yet to have a dispatcher come to a line and explain a problem since returning to the buses three years ago. Instead, when there are problems, the dispatchers will gather with a few drivers for a gab fest out by the parked buses, far from the riders.
Yet, in years gone by, such explanations were quite common. Maybe it didn't speed the trip home, but it reduced the frustrations of waiting and one felt that he or she mattered as an individual.
For the Princeton Express riders, however, the New York dispatchers have one particularly irritating move -- loading a bus with Tower passengers before the scheduled departure time, leaving standing-room only for on-time commuters who need this specific run to get home. For those of us who, physically, can no longer stand all the way to East Brunswick, this means a 15-minute delay on the trip home, at best, or a cab ride if the bus in question is the last Princeton Express of the day. Definitely not less hassle!
Kuchin wrote the "management of Suburban remains responsive, given the chance."
Here's a chance. I'd be happy to sit down and talk with them and report the results in future issues of the Sentinel.
This week North Brunswick resident Jim Brumm joins the Sentinel staff as a columnist. Brumm will point his JABs at commuting and other experiences that raise his blood pressure. His column will appear every other week.
Small percentage spends millions
April 7, 1994
"Back in the 1640s, when the current method of financing public schools was developed, if a man had money, he put it into land. With property the best gauge of wealth, it made sense to pay for public schooling out of property taxes."
So wrote the editors of Time a couple of weeks ago to lead their report on the state of Michigan's decision that there is a better way to finance education -- a dedicated sales tax. And despite the often-cited criticisms of sales taxes, that's a lot more reflective of the modem economy than the statewide property tax now being discussed in New Jersey.
Our method of deciding how much to spend on our schools is as archaic as the method of raising the money to be spent -- spending a portion of those funds for some very limited democracy. Usually attracting about 10 percent of a community's registered voters, school board voting has to be some of the most expensive cast on a per vote basis.
And, when one considers that 60 percent or less of the eligible voters in most communities are registered; this means 3 to 4 percent of the eligible voters are deciding, the future of a society's most valuable asset our children. Not a shining example of democracy.
South Brunswick's school bond vote in February roughly tripled the average showing – with 32 percent of the registered voters turning out. But, unless this community has done a much better job of registering voters than most, this still means less than 11 percent of those eligible to vote there said no to the building of new schools -- more of a frustration to hard-working, volunteer board members than a mandate for something else.
At least South Brunswick is providing an opportunity to meet those seeking election to the board before the election on April 19.
There's been no such session scheduled In North Brunswick. However, a public discussion of the $35.1 million budget is set for 8 p.m. tonight. Those of us who read the weekly papers will also have something on which to base a vote. But are there enough of us to result in an informed majority decision?
Is this the best the "communications" person, the North Brunswick School Board has been paying for several months has been able to do to make the voters better informed?
What has this person accomplished that township residents offering such services on a volunteer basis could not have accomplished for less? Such offers have been made by people with more experience -- in both media add media relations -- than the ex-reporter hired.
For those of you thinking of voting against the budget in either community, here's an additional thought:
Yes, teacher salaries have risen faster than most wages in recent years. But even this rapid rise has left them short of what others, with less education, receive for work that's much less important to society. And we don't have to add to our education to stay employed.
Also: There's been limited response from Suburban Transit to JABs comments, two weeks ago, about the bus company's service. The column's invitation to sit down and talk was emphasized with a letter to Suburban Transit President Kenneth S. Kuchin, who called the invitation "hostile" and said it had been passed on to the person who usually acts as the company's press spokesman. As this was set in type on Wednesday, this person had not contacted the Sentinel.
Jim Brumm is a longtime wire service reporter and a resident of North Brunswick.
Cable talks costly and lacking focus
April 21, 1994
North Brunswick has made a decision on cable TV, but one has to wonder whether it was worth it.
By yesterday, the township was mandated - by state and federal law - to act on TKR Cable's request for a 15-year renewal of its franchise to operate here; and the vote came Monday evening. (For details on that action, turn to page 7.)
Whatever the outcome of the inevitable appeals, it is time to ask whether this was more than an expensive exercise in futility.
The dollar costs of these negotiations are not readily available. TKR spokeswoman Robin Kampf said she had no idea of the company's cost, and Business Administrator Paul Keller was unable to give the cost when asked. He did say a statement has been received from the township's special counsel, attorney, Hesser McBride, for his efforts to date.
Even less available is the cost in that rarer resource, volunteer time. While all the groups that depend on volunteers strive to get along with less, we, via our township government, asked several neighbors to be members of a Cable Advisory Committee.
And why? As McBride put it at last month's hearing on TKR's request: "there's never been a denial of a request for renewal" of a cable TV franchise in New Jersey. And, the state Office of Cable TV has the right to, in effect; rewrite any law passed by the Township Council. .
While state and federal law leave little hope for change, the courts and technology promise major changes in the way TV is delivered to our homes. There were no company or township officials at that meeting who were willing to argue with the view that TKR will have competition within five years.
With the company accepting this as fact, one has to ask why it doesn't do more to prepare for this future. Even with the upgrade to 110 channels announced at the hearing, other testimony left little doubt TKR will continue to trail other cable TV operations in the area. Could it be that TKR’s owners - Tele-Communications Inc. and Knight-Rider Inc. - look on it as a cash cow that's worth only limited investment?
The winner in court is Bell Atlantic, owner of the recently renamed company that already has North Brunswick well wired - to provide our telephone service. A Bell Atlantic-New Jersey spokesman says the company expects its court victory to be upheld on appeal. As to when the company will be providing local cable TV companies with competition, he said, "it may not be in five years in all areas."
Also at last month's meeting, prejudice that left this writer ashamed it came from residents of his community - and gave just a hint of how far the school board has to go with its diversity program. In this town where those of Italian decent have fought hard to preserve that heritage, there were multiple complaints about the non-English language cable TV programs that are allowing others to do just that.
SUBURBAN COUNTDOWN
It's been four weeks since we invited the local commuter bus company to talk. And we've yet to hear from a Suburban Transit official. This is the company whose president wrote in February about how responsive management was. It is a bus company that does not participate in the Port Authority's regular forums where officials are available at a table in the bus terminal to answer any and all questions.
Then again, maybe there has been a response - the schedule that went into effect Monday. For North Brunswick riders of the Princeton Express buses, it means an earlier bus, three more inbound buses each morning for a total of 14 and coming home at night, six buses that stop along Route 1, two less than before. Also increased by three minutes, the scheduled length of the daily trip to the city.
Jim Brumm is a long-time wire service reporter and a resident of North Brunswick. His opinion column, JABs ap¬pears twice-monthly in the Sentinel.
Transit didn’t call me for its survey
May 5, 1994
“Just think of them as your other car.”
So ends Suburban Transit's latest radio commercial, in reference to their buses.
And I'd love to. In fact, one reason we moved into a North Oaks Boulevard townhouse nearly four years ago was to avoid the need for a car for some portion of the trip to work. Initially, this was accomplished by taking the Ml4 local bus to the train. About six months later, township officials arranged for Suburban's rush-hour Princeton Express buses to pick up passengers on their trip up Route 1. One of the stops is a short walk away.
Hopefully, less hassle. Definitely, at the time, cheaper.
The bus is no longer cheaper. The Franklin Park ticket one must buy to take the bus along Route 1 costs more than a monthly rail ticket - if one works every business day in a month. But the annual cost of a bus for most commuters remains lower because of the flexibility of 10-trip tickets compared to a monthly ticket.
As to hassles - Suburban's ads call its "deluxe coaches” the "most hassle-free way" to commute. But management, for six weeks now, has declined to discuss why reality falls short of the claims.
But somewhere, something better is being done. Or expectations about public transportation are declining.
There's no way to tell which from the summary of the fifth annual public opinion survey on public transportation conducted by the Eagleton Poll at Rutgers University for NJ Transit. The summary released early last week by Eagleton officials stated the survey "shows that ratings of NJ Transit's train and bus system are improving."
Another problem with the survey - it appears there were few who commute via public transportation among those surveyed. And did the few use the train or the bus? There's no clue in the background information provided along with the summary - which talks about "frequent" bus and train riders.
The results are based on a scientific sample of 800 New Jersey residents reached by telephone in late November/early December. Of the 800, 383 had used public transportation within the past six months - not the usual definition of commuting via public transportation.
Also, there's no indication in the background data how the summary could talk about NJ Transit buses as opposed to others in the public transit system.
Penny wise, pound foolish
Just how foolish North Brunswick's spending on TKR's cable franchise application is became more apparent last week. New Jersey regulators reached a tentative agreement to let other companies compete with Bell Atlantic-New Jersey for local telephone service. Also, Bell Atlantic gave a clue as to how far along they are on bringing competition to the cable TV industry.
That indication came at its annual meeting in Wilmington, Del., where the company's chairman said it expects, in a few weeks, to name the providers of hardware for its efforts to bring the information highway - including cable TV - to each home.
The five years TKR has left in its competition-free life in North Brunswick now seem shorter than when first mentioned in JABs just two weeks ago.
And one can only wonder what might have been provided with the funds TKR used to present its franchise-extension application and those the township used to put the company through the hoops.
Maybe all the things the township is asking TKR to provide?
Local GOP: a joke to serious to be funny
June 3, 1994
The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight no longer lives in Brooklyn. They've taken over the North Brunswick Republican Party.
How else does one explain the actions of those who would claim the opposition role in township politics? Things have become so outlandish that some suggest, not-quite-jokingly, that the chaos was created - or at least encouraged - by Democrats as the easiest way to stay in power.
Without this bizarre explanation, how can you explain the Republican leadership's failure to support incumbent William Cook in last year's council race? And their unwillingness to get enough signatures to put candidates on the ballot for this year's race?
Or, do you believe they really didn't know 39 signatures were needed and were too lazy to go beyond the 35 they thought were enough?
However, there's not much except an incarnation of Jimmy Breslin's fictional gang to explain the brutal fighting to maintain control a few months ago and then, the abandonment of the group they fought so hard to lead as the new campaign began.
Since being abandoned four signatures short, the unseen candidate hopefuls have promised a campaign to get on the ballot with write-in votes. Last week, finally, that effort showed some life, a card sent to registered Republicans. Signed by the would be candidates - Jane Cantor and William R. Iovino - and addressed to "Dear Republican Friends," it sought support in Tuesday's primary elections but gave no instructions for writing in their names beyond "(please use black ink)."
This week, Harriett Hems and Edwin Otken Jr. made that invitation to the polls worth something, creating a campaign with their announcement that they too would like to be the Republican candidates in November.
The one-party government allowed by those who confuse rather than lead the potential opposition is not a joke.
Last year, when there was opposition on the township council, Mayor Paul Matacera backed off from his proposal to switch to a fiscal year. This year, the change from a calendar year was made at a meeting that began at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning. (Not a time designed to attract citizen participation.)
Also not discussed in public was the decision (by whom?) to reduce the defeated school budget by $345,000.
Such arrogance extends beyond the elected officials to those they hire and appoint. There's Township Administrator Paul Keller's reluctance to answer questions, including this writer's about how much is being spent to fight TKR's cable TV franchise request. Or Planning Board Chairman Gus Kuhlman's comment, ''We feel that it would be nice for the township to have six-acre lots - adding "nice" to economic cycles as reasons for zoning changes. .
Liking things as they are is probably why North Brunswick Close-Up, the "Quarterly Newsletter of (sic) Township of North Brunswick," forgot to mention Tuesday's primary on its calendar. Apparently those who prepared this publication felt low turnout was less likely to rock their boat.
Jim Brumm is a longtime wire service reporter, a North Brunswick resident and a registered Republican.
Truck crash highlights flaws of transport plan
July 8, 1994
It's time for more promises.
It has been nearly two weeks since an out-of-control truck again created a pile of scrap with several cars on a Central New Jersey highway; crushing a life along with the car the person was driving. .
This one occurred on Route 1 in North Brunswick.
A few years ago, the promise given was increased law enforcement along that stretch of highways known as the Princeton Corridor. The result, some signs reading:
SAFETY EFFORT ... ALL M.V. LAWS ... STRICTLY ENFORCED
The signs are still, there. But many have commented this past week about how few trucks they have seen stopped. Most also note the lack of a police presence along the roadway.
This writer is among those wondering who's enforcing the laws, seeing no great difference in police presence now and 10 years ago. Back then, long before the signs were posted, my son broke down on Route 1 north, some 200 yards short of the Route 130 intersection, about 4 p.m. Three hours elapsed without seeing a police car much less having one stop and offer aid. Since the young man was transporting his 7-year-old sister, he couldn't leave the car and go for help.
Maybe we're looking to the wrong level of government for promises. Even if the local governments keep their word, the number of trucks would not change.
Many blame the New Jersey Turnpike, claiming its latest round of rate increases pushed the trucks onto Route 1 and Route 130. That's a possibility, although I, a daily commuter, saw no noticeable drop in Turnpike truck traffic at the time of the rate increase.
A more direct cause is a growing economy. Despite all the anecdotes to the contrary, the United States economy has been growing - slowly, but steadily - for two years now. In our area, this is evident in near-record power demands despite less than-record temperatures.
One of the traditional signs of increased economic activity is the movement of more goods, i.e. more truck traffic - especially since we've allowed many local railroad sidings to be torn up and allowed factories and warehouses to be built far from railroad lines. Those bands of steel are capable of carrying much more freight than our highways. But New Brunswick, for instance, has decided that additional housing is a better use of space than a railroad siding.
Railroads would help reduce the engine exhaust pollution currently causing our region so many problems - fewer engines move more freight. This advantage would be even greater if Conrail were forced to use electric engines on the lines were that power is available.
Since we already use portions of our scarce tax revenues to subsidize trucks (along with all other vehicles using the highways), maybe these funds would be better used to encourage trains instead of cars and trucks. Our neighbors in Pennsylvania are doing just that -- helping to fund the upgrading of railroads and encouraging their use as well as the use of Philadelphia's harbor.
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