About this column:
Joseph Downey is a North Jersey tax professional who has worked with one of the Big Four accounting firms and has owned and operated his own tax firm for the past eight years.The Caldwell Merchants Association is holding its first giant tag sale in the parking lot behind Ace Hardware on Academy Road in Caldwell, on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event will feature furniture and different kinds of household items in good condition that are priced to sell. Your donations, pre-marked with prices, will be welcomed by volunteers as early as 7 a.m. Large furniture donations don't need to be transported to the location, just e-mail a picture to funfashiongirl@yahoo.com and it will be displayed at the sale for anyone who is interested. Donating items has …
There has been a residential burglary as well as items stolen from a couple of cars in the area of Westville Avenue and Washburn Place. Police are reminding residents of Caldwell to lock their homes and automobiles. These recent incidents underline the importance of why we need the police, not only do they keep us safe, but they also keep us informed of what possible dangers are out there. Their presence alone can give most people a feeling of security and fairness. Especially at this time, we remember all the police officers and firemen that sacrificed their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 to save …
Many valuable staff members from our local schools have passed the torch for this upcoming school year to new, younger teachers. Among the veteran Caldwell-West Caldwell School District employees who retired at the end of last year were Lincoln School Principal Charles Rees Williams and Ken Trimmer, who retired as a physical education teacher at James Caldwell High School but will remain as the school's longtime football coach. In addition, others who retired included: Carol Capasso, a physical education and health teacher from Grover Cleveland Middle School; Richard Sparano, a science …
With energy in high demand and various types of technologies often discussed as alternative power sources, some West Caldwell residents have just been trying to keep their lights on. Redman Terrace and Forest Avenue residents, in particular, have experienced an unusual amount of power outages over the last few years. There have been 32 power interruptions, 12 of which since January, along that circuit since 2008, according to a recent PSE&G study. Six of these were quick interruptions, in which the power turned off and on immediately, and the others were longer service outages. PSE&G has …
Attending a college or university in the United States is extremely expensive. One year at a prominent four-year school can cost almost $50,000, and this does not include the added expenses of housing, transportation and other costs of living. There are, of course, less expensive college options that also offer excellent educations. Most four-year colleges cost at least $10,000 per year and many more are in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. Caldwell College's tuition for a full-time (12 to 18 credits) resident or commuter student is $24,752 for the 2010-11 school year. About $1,200 in other fees …
The Letter Carriers of the West Caldwell Post Office are supporting the 2010 "Stamp Out" muscular dystrophy campaign. Now partnering for a 58th year, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) work to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. More than $200,000 was raised last year for individuals living with the neuromuscular disease. Even in a down economy, Americans have remained generous. Aside from the good feeling they get from their philanthropic nature, the tax laws reward them for making donations. Donations by cash, check or credit card to charities or government …
As West Caldwell conducts a revaluation of all properties in the township, some residents may wonder if it's a good idea to refinance their mortgage right now. First it's important to understand the differences between revaluation and reassessment of a property's value, since they are very similar. Reassessment is increasing or decreasing the property's value based on today's market, which in turn impacts the property taxes. Revaluation is a process to make property values "fair." It is not created to increase the taxes, but it definitely will for some homeowners while theoretically lowering …
