Guest blogger Dennis Kornbluh continues his opinion piece on energy:
Our government has been hard at work trying to convince us that they are hard at work on the energy problem. If they spent as much time on substantive ideas as they do pandering to the public (who are presumably greedy and stupid), we might actually make some progress. The latest silly idea is the "summer gas tax holiday" proposed by John McCain and jumped on by Hillary Clinton. Thomas Friedman writes eloquently about the stupidity of this proposal in his recent opinion piece in the New York Times.
Consider for a moment what this tax holiday will be worth to the average driver. Most American's will drive about 5,000 miles between Memorial Day (May 26) and Labor Day (September 1), which is the period when the tax suspension is proposed. If your car gets 20 miles per gallon, you will enjoy an extra $46. Whoopee! Meanwhile, the government will be out $9 billion in tax revenue.
What could we do with $9 billion? We could fix our roads and bridges. We could improve our inadequate mass transit system. We could even give tax credits to the US auto makers if they'd get their heads out of the darkness and produce the high mileage vehicles that they've been capable of producing for decades (Check out the movie "Gashole", which documents how the oil companies bought and buried patents for inventions that enabled cars in the 1940's to get 100 mpg).
At a time when we should be preparing for the end of cheap oil by encouraging conservation and investment in alternative energy sources, we are, instead, encouraging consumption. A tax that makes it expensive to drive a land yacht across the country with a vehicle in tow is a good thing! The revenue raised from those taxes could displace tax credits for companies that are trying to ramp up advanced energy technologies. Instead, Congress is allowing tax credits for wind and solar to expire this December, while simultaneously giving billions of dollars in subsidies to the oil & gas companies.
Isn't our government doing something good by promoting biofuels? Unfortunately, biofuels are increasing CO2 emissions, and causing hardship around the world due to the impact on food prices. Now that so much land is being devoted to biofuel crops like corn, soybeans, and switchgrass, the remaining land for food crops has diminished, which drives up the cost. Good for farmers, bad for consumers, bad for the environment. Finally, the subsidies that our government gives to biofuel producers is the only way they are able to come close to making a profit. Farmers (who deserve a break) and biofuel producers should enjoy this phenomenon while it lasts.
Conclusion: Big changes lie ahead as oil prices continue to rise. Let's elect leaders who have a realistic energy strategy and kick the special interests out of Washington.
The Board of Ed says that $1.5 million has been found from a surplus in the district's medical plan and that will be enough money to build a new 8,400 square foot office building.
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Telling those people who cannot afford their taxes to move is not the answer - Taxpayers are beginning to demonstrate their indignation to New Jersey's ignominious reputation of having the highest real estate tax rate in the nation. Although in most towns, more than half of the total tax is a school tax , no such indignation seems to apply to school budgets.
Benefits remain far above those within the private sector and private sector workers suffer with stagnated or even decreasing incomes. The time has come to correct this situation of inordinate school teacher raises. See Daily Record.
Six candidates (Steve Cohen (i), Frank W. Cooney, Matthew Kayne, Timothy Lindert (i), Michael J. Palma (i), Paul Przetak), including the three incumbents (i), have filed to run for Board of Education on April 15.
A reader sent in this email sevaral weeks ago: "My brother has been waiting for a kidney transplant for months. Why shouldn't someone be able to sell him one"?
Even with all the great places to eat in Montville, some of us like to venture out of town.
What are your favorite area restaurants?
Note new Blogger feature:Registered users can now be notified when a new comment is posted to a topic that they have written about. No more searching to find out when new comments are published.
For the better part of 23 years, Rich Vuyosevich has been coaching varsity boys basketball at Montville High School. This year, the only way he will be a part of the Mustangs basketball program is as a spectator. He's not happy about it.
Vuyosevich's contract to coach boys basketball was denied in a meeting of the Montville Board of Education in late October. The board has since hired a new coach, Paul Palek, to lead the varsity team, which began practices after Thanksgiving. Vuyosevich was not given a reason for why his contract wasn't approved.
The refusal for Vuyosevich's $8,000 coaching contract to be renewed is puzzling for a variety of reasons. The biggest may be that representatives of the Montville Coaches Association were told that Vuyosevich was recommended by the school's athletic director, principal and superintendent, but he was still not rehired. See Daily Record.
A reader reports that many in Montville are upset about the continuing trend of using a generic "Happy Holidays" and official avoidance of using the word "Christmas". Has political correctness gone too far?
"More and more parents are becoming angry about the flyer sent to the schools. I don't have it yet, but section about the mennorah lighting is in bold while the holiday ligthing is in normal type. There is a mention of the Creche but not Nativity Scene which people think it should be referred to. I do not believe that Hanukkah is mentioned and am sure Christmas is not. The governing body needs to do something now to show that they are not afraid to say Christmas. A new flyer can be sent out, and it should be mentioned on the website."
A reader challenges OurMontville.com ("Yippee, America is great. That's a topic? One comment so far, and it's boring") to publish his post below:
I can remember filling up a one gallon gas can for a quarter down at the old Phillips 66 in Rockaway. The year was 1969. Today, gasoline is nearly that cheap in Venezuela (38 cents per gallon), and other oil rich nations (Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, etc.) The rest of us poor saps have to pay what's starting to look like a second car payment.
At what point will the price of fuel change our habits? The average American drives 20,000 miles per year, and uses approximately 1,000 gallons of fuel @ 20 mpg. At $3 per gallon, that's $3,000 per year, or $250 per month. At $5 per gallon, the cost goes up to $417 per month. Where do those additional $167 dollars come from?
From your "disposable income", presumably. You might have preferred to go to the movies or out to dinner, but now you'll literally have to burn that money. But you won't just spend it on gasoline. The price of fuel is a significant factor in the cost of shipping, travel, food -- pretty much everything that you can buy. So when the cost of fuel goes up, it's like the rising tide, which raises all boats.
For example, FedEx just issued its second profit warning in two months on escalating fuel costs and meager demand for US freight, sending the company’s shares lower. They spend over a billion dollars each year on fuel. When the cost of overnight delivery goes up (as it has and will continue to do), watch the value equation change for catalog and Internet retailers, who must ship all of their real goods. If the current trend continues, you can expect to pay significantly more for your holiday gifts (not to mention, everything else), even if you choose to ride your bike to Wal-Mart.
Speaking of bikes, here's a quick survey question. What is the critical price per gallon that would cause you to change your behavior in any of the following ways:
Commute with a co-worker
Take the bus or train to work
Sell your SUV
Cancel a holiday road trip
Consider riding a bicycle or scooter to do your shopping
Is it:
A) $4 per gallon ($333 / month) B) $5 per gallon ($417 / month) C) $6 per gallon ($500 / month) D) $10 per gallon ($833 / month) E) Higher
What will you do differently? Perhaps we can take a lesson from the Europeans. They're already paying about $6 per gallon in the UK, and almost $7 per gallon in the Netherlands. Perhaps that's why bicycles, trains, scooters and Smart Cars are so popular over there.
One final thought: What is the true cost of oil? So far, the Iraq war has resulted in the deaths of 3,873 US soldiers, and has cost $470,376,300,000 (that's $470+ billion). It will go up $2 million while you read this article. Watch it rise at http://www.costofwar.com/.
In light of the wonderfully successful opening of Bonefish Restaurant in Pine Brook, this would be a good time for us to discuss our favorite local businesses and what we like about them.
Three hundred and 14 years ago, the Pilgrims gave thanks because there was a place for them in this land, and it was indeed grand. The land is grander today, and that, too, is remarkable: The U.S. Constitution is not only older than France's, Germany's, Italy's or Spain's constitution, it's older than all of them put together.
Americans should, as always, be thankful this Thanksgiving, but they should also understand just how rare in human history their blessings are. Read it all.
From Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, to Historical Preservation Review Commission and Library Board, now is the season for new faces to appear and some old ones to fade off.
How do Montville residents feel about the people who make many decisions that affect our town? Why don't more people volunteer?
