Doherty is absolutely right ..Times are tough for everybody and this clown sokolich is going around looking for ways to constantly stick it to the residents of fort lee, weather it be stings by the police to ticket motorists for failure to yield to a pedestrian to the frightening crime of jay walking,,and now this ?? This mayor knows no bounds when it comes to making others pay while his political cronies keep getting richer !!!

The Red light cameras should not be a partisan issue. We have a Republican vs. a Democrat, i.e. Doherty vs. Sokolich on an issue that is not party-related. Unfortunately, with an all Democratic Borough Council, agenda items can easily be rubber-stamped and that is certainly bad government. There should always be a dissenting voice.
There is no doubt that Fort Lee could use additional capital. There is also no doubt that there are a number of residents that are skeptical that these cameras will be positive for the community. A referendum would give citizens the opportunity to tell the Mayor how they feel.

Even Billy is right once in a while. With all the pedestrian accidents we've had, raising awareness and compliance with red lights and stop signs through police activity is an unpleasant but justified change. Mayor Sokolich is most certainly not a "clown" - we are lucky to have him.

Zach: Your position is well stated and that is the point. BM's inability to state things intelligently is why he will never be respected in anonymity or real life.

who thinks*

Zachary, I doubt any of the pedestrian accidents were as a result of anyone going through a red light. The money generated on this thing would be pissed-away, as usual.

I'm sorry but the camera's aren't being installed to protect the pedestrians walking at the light ..Sokolich clearly pointed out that it was for ''money reasons''

Before you know it sokolich will have slot machines in the borough hall lobby !!

And if the financial situation in town is so bad, why not do away with some of the unnecessary perks of some of the highest paid borough employees..why not do away with leasing a BMW for the borough administrator ?? She certainly wouldn't resign if they did..but she's sokolich's friend, so those ''tough decisions'' that he claims he has to make for the borough on things like this, don't apply when it comes to his cronies !!

I'm curious, the Mayor says he didn't know and the republicans say he should have known. Did anyone tell the Mayor that the Senator was coming. He's the Mayor, so you have to respect the office. He shouldn't be reading about it, he should be invited. If he was told and didn't show up, he should be ashamed. No matter the party, Mayor has to respect a Senator coming to town. I mean the Mayor shows up for photo ops when someone burps.

Corporation will be very happy that Fort Lee is inviting them to make profits from our traffic lights. Soon every town will have cameras at all key intersections. Why just red lights cameras why not tickets for talking on your cell phones. And lets time the speed between toils on the Turnpike and Parkway. With Corporations to help us their is lots of money to be made with Camera's.

The goal on red light enforcement should be safety, not income. Red light cameras are little more than a hidden tax, such summonses are little more than parking tickets, no points and issued to the registered owner. Have some real live officers on post to issue a summons when an infraction is observed. Unless the camera is very, very visible they do little to reduce red light cheaters.

Billy Mays,

Sokolich sure didn't mind getting in front of the cameras when CNBC did the school Town Hall meeting with Gov Christie did he? You needed the Jaws of Life to pry him away from the camera. He could have appeared to answer questions that concerned residents had and to hear them out.

For him to claim he didn't know about this event, when he prides himself about knowing everything that goes on in the borough, insults the intelligence of everyone.

If the Senator's bill passes, it will be in effect in all of NJ. That's how it works with the Assembly and the Senate. Christie doesn't sign bills into law, the Legislature does. Didn't you watch Saturday morning School House Rocks on how bills become laws? You probably don't know conjunction junction what's your function either.

This is to teach you how bill becomes a law http://youtu.be/VxT7QjlvDqM Now this is Federal. You have to convert it to State. So don't get confused.

Btw, to the people who are worried about turns on red with red light cameras, I researched it a bit and most places if you come to a full stop and then turn, you will not be ticketed.

ya had me at schoolhouse rocks. laughed and laughed

Yes billy, the borough leases a top of the line bmw for the borough administrator so she can drive all the way to fort lee from her edgewater home ..This is wasteful spending that they can and should cut...but don't count on it !!!

FYI - approach a Red Light Camera. Signal a right turn. Bring your car to a complete
stop. Car tire hits the white cross-walk line. $85 ticket. They're gonna make a fortune in Fort Lee. We're getting hosed.

If the story of the BMW is true, then why hasn't Patch or anyone else covered this?

If we really want to make big money, just put cameras on Handicaped parking spots. Or maybe even left turn only lanes. How about fining people who fail to follow the "pooper scooper" law and clean up after their dogs. But, if we are trying to improve safety then red light cameras may be of benefit. I am tired of sitting at the traffic light from Horizon Road onto Palisades Ave, having the light change to green, and waiting for the three or four cars to blow through the red before pulling out. I have almost been t-boned myself and seen the results of having residents seriously injured and killed there. If the carnage can be stopped, I am all for red-light cameras.

The town doesn't need more money in it's grubby little fingers. How is it that no matter what amount of money a town raises politicians find a way to spend it & more?

There is a balance to be struck between using the red light cameras to improve compliance with the law (and I believe having these cameras will improve compliance) and using them as a cash cow. I think the chief of police is smart enough to ensure that red light enforcement is used judiciously, and that he will not flood the town with summonses. Of course, word of mouth by drivers who do get caught is an important piece of the implementation. People must realize that they stand a reasonable chance of being caught if they run lights or stop signs. A little extra caution is much better than not enough.

All this posting,mostly under silly anonymous names and we still have no clue on opinion of Council candidates to the Red Light Camera issue.

Maybe a good idea to ask them before pulling lever!!

What I have seen in a lot of other cities is the manufacturers of these red light cameras make sizable donations to political candidates and spend a lot on "lobbying". The camera company keep s a sizable amount of each ticket which is why they have so much to throw around, and why they issue so many. I would like to know if any donations or lobbying form these companies has occurred in Fort Lee. We should know if our elected officials have a vested interest in them.

Red Light cameras taxing city officials? I wonder how this will be handled locally? Read the Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, NY: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120908/NEWS01/309080018/Rochester-red-light-camera-citations

On the subject of the borough paying for the administrator's bmw, insurance, gas and even car washes sadly i believe that's pretty normal, at least in new jersey politics..But the point is, that mayor sokolich said that because the borough is having money problems he has to make tough decisions..well i think doing away with this unnecessary perk is a no brainer and if he truly wanted to cut waste and spare the fort lee homeowner some of their hard earned money, this would show that he put's the town before his cronies !!

Also, a quick phone call to the borough clerk's office would confirm that she's leased a bmw, and that the borough picks up all the other expenses as well !!

It is important for truth to rule over rumor and innuendo. On this blog and one other, there have been allegations and criticism of the Borough of Fort Lee for providing a BMW to the Borough Administrator, Peggy Thomas. I met with Ms. Thomas this morning and she clarified the issue.
Ms. Thomas drives a BMW, which she pays for privately; her lease is not paid for by the Borough.

"Do not take what he says as truth either billy ..He just happened to run into peggy thomas and ask her about the car ?? Do you really believe that ?? If you're seriously concerned about the issue of the borough leasing her a car, paying for her gas, carwashes etc..simply pick up your phone and call the borough clerk's office and just ask them ..its pretty simple, and you'll find out who's really telling you the truth !!!"

Call the borough clerks office and find out how dumb it is !! Anybody who's ''very connected'' already knows the borough leases the car.. He's taking you for a dupe who will accept him at his word and obviously doesn't believe you'll follow up and call the clerks office ..You think the borough buys a truck for the film commission but wont lease one for the borough administrator ?? They have been leasing cars for the administrator for many years now, its no secret !!! I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he asked her ...but if she said that she pays for the car with her own money then she's a liar ..check for yourself if you really care ..the call wouldn't take longer then one minute to make and it would prove me correct and show administrator peggy thomas lied to this howard pearl guy !!!

I don't begrudge the film commission's truck ..I was just making a point that that office isn't nearly as high up the chain as the administrator, yet they bought him a truck ..I'll give you that i'm not aware if they pay the full amount for the lease, but like you point out , she doesn't need it ..She also uses an employee from borough hall to go gas up her car at the dpw and drive to north bergen to get the car cleaned ..so not only are you paying for those perks as well, but you're paying a $70,000 a year employee to do those errands, while neglecting her other work ..Fort Lee is upside down !!!

Because the employees have always complained about it..this also has been going on for years !! She has the building maintenance supervisor go to north bergen every friday to have her car washed ..she doesn't even use one of the fort lee car washes .. and has her car filled at least once a week at the dpw {friday} ..If the borough is going to pay to have her car washed, why not use a borough car wash, and if she's gonna get free gas from the borough the least she can do is go fill it up herself ..Its bad enough we're paying for these things, but she's using a $70,000 a year employee to do her errands for her instead of the job we're paying this employee to do !!

To Dan Nelson:
You are correct in that it was a chance meeting with Ms. Thomas. Given the opportunity to discuss the matter, I felt it was appropriate to request clarification. Ms. Thomas stated that she receives a car allowance for gasoline. I am unaware of whether other auto expenses are included in her allowance. However, Ms. Thomas stated very clearly that the Borough of Fort Lee does not lease her car. As this fact should be easy to verify with some actual research to replace gossip, there is no reason that Ms. Thomas would not be upfront in our conversation.

Your comments appear to reflect a personal grudge against Ms. Thomas. If she is to be judged, let her be judged on her job performance, not on innuendo, e.g. that some building maintenance supervisor takes her car to have it washed.

To Howard Pearl:
Why would she get gasoline allowance when she gets free gas from the DPW pumps ?? Now all of a sudden you're unaware of other expenses she might be given in her allowance ?? She stated clearly that the borough doesn't lease her car ?? Well i don't know what to say other then you should do some research my friend , because i know the facts , and you were blatantly lied too ..As for building maintenance supervisor taking her car to have it washed,if you're so tight with her, why don't you ask her that question too ?? Personal grudge against her because i'm pointing out unnecessary waste in an article where the mayor said he has to make tough decisions on finances ?? Again, this is the problem with Fort Lee..abuse by the administration, and lackey's trying to cover for them !!

They told you the borough doesn't lease her car ?? Did you ask them if she is given a stipend towards leasing the car ?? Because she does get it , just like other admins. before her all got new cars when they became administrator, only they didn't get top of the line bmw's ..She doesn't have to leave town to fill up her gas , she has the girl from buildings and grounds gas it up for her at the dpw FREE ..As for the car washes, i believe but am not certain that the police also take their vehicles to north bergen to get washed ..Why would they go to north bergen instead of one in their own town ?? Well, i don't think prices have ever mattered to the powers that be when tax payers are footing the bills, but who own's the car wash clearly does !!

Stalking her, because i know what model car she drives ..do you remember just three posts back i told you the employees have complained about it to me ?? Also i'm not even the first one to bring up this issue regarding leasing the bmw on the patch, and since you didn't respond to my question on weather or not you asked the clerk if she is given a stipend, i question weather or not you even called !! Also there are 3 car washes in fort lee, not one ..and as far as the borough not wanting to associate with a business with questionable ties, ill just say don't be be naive !!

I didn't ask about the stipend. Employees were complaining to you? You realize that they could be jealous? A stipend is completely fine btw, I doubt that it's enough to cover a BMW though. 3? I only know of the one on Palisades Ave and the one on Route 46. And they're both overpriced. But seriously, what model does she drive? I'm going to be laughing if you say a 3 series.

Sure they're jealous ..they're earning a minimal salary compared to her and they all have to have to pay for their own car's, gas and car washes...there's another carwash next to the plaza diner !!

Its not bad when you were hired at $60,000 ..Back to my original point ..The mayor said he had to make a ''tough decision'' regarding red light camera's targeting resident's and visitors for ''money reasons'' and my point is why keep on targeting us when he refuses to make tough decisions on things like those unnecessary perks ?? The administrator work's on a yearly contract, if i was a mayor who was seriously concerned about the borough's finances, come next years contract i would say 'listen, you've gotten $100,000 in raises since you started working here, times are tough now, so you'll have to bite the bullet on these perks''

Red Light cameras have been put to rest in Fort Lee. Publicly stated by the newly appointed Councilmen and the Mayor during their campaign. Bravo! Now ask them to go further and execute a resolution requesting all red light revenue collected be put towards safety and not to pad the municipal budgets across the State.

You see them in Palisades Park and the residents of Englewood complain about the ones on 9W. If they are truly placed for safety, then let’s tell our elected leaders to direct that red light tax to a state safety fund as per Senator Doherty in this article:

http://nj1015.com/senator-challenges-mayors-on-red-light-safety-claims-with-new-bill/

By the way, for those of you who missed this news while you were on vacation, I wrote an op-ed on the $3.5Million property investment that the Mayor and Council snuck in while you were away.

They just took a mortgage out on with our tax dollars, but it can still be vetoed by Mayor Sokolich if you call his official office and ask him, “to veto Ordinance 2012-43”. 201-592-3500 x1500: http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/fort-lee-gop-starts-petition-to-stop-acquisition-of-main-street-property