There is more Hackensack news than made today's paper

Lake Street in Ramsey has been closed since last Nov. 4. On Tuesday, motorists had to follow a detour of about 4 miles to reach the business district.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The Record today missed some really big news in Hackensack.

Quarterly property tax payments, originally due Aug. 10, don't have to be in until Sept. 4. Many residents still haven't received their bills.

And the city's Web site, hackensack.org, has a new look, declaring Hackensack is "unique and diverse," and on the "verge of a Renaissance."

The second sentence of the welcome notice says Hackensack is home to the Bergen County judiciary, county government, a "world-renowned medical center" and "nationally recognized educational institutions."

But what it doesn't mention is that the many hundreds of millions of dollars in property they own are tax exempt, shifting the burden to homeowners and businesses.

Meanwhile, Tuesday night's City Council meeting, reported in The Record's Local section today, wasn't listed on the city's Web site.

Reforming reform

According to an L-3 article today, the Hackensack City Council on Tuesday retained Thomas Scrivo as city attorney, "despite previous complaints about legal bills that topped $200,000 in six months."

In February, the council capped pay for the city attorney at $15,000 a month.

Municipal Prosecutor Frank Catania, a part timer, remains on the payroll, but he and two of his children no longer have the health benefits provided by his close friend, former acting City Manager Anthony Rottino.

A story on the Local front today reports former city spokesman Thom Ammirato, who was paid $78,000 under a 1-year contract, has resigned from his full-time job with Bergen County (L-1).

Teen swimmer

Does the 20.2-mile swim by Ridgewood teen Charlotte Samuels really deserve two straight days of front-page coverage in the Woodland Park daily (A-1)?

Staff Writer Abbott Koloff chronicles every jelly fish sting suffered by the 16-year-old, but doesn't answer a question made obvious by Page 1 photos of Samuels:

Did her tremendous weight help or hinder her?

Elisa Ung and other food writers at The Record might want to take a long, hard look at Samuels, and re-evaluate whether their obsessions with dessert, fast food, sugar, soda, butter and cream are sending the wrong message to teens and adults during the obesity epidemic.

As an example, see today's Better Living cover on artery clogging desserts made from Jersey peaches that ignores all the readers who are diabetic or are just trying to watch their weight (BL-1).

The Jersey fruit is glorious on its own or eaten with non-fat Greek yogurt and Jersey blueberries.

Or you can dust ripe peach halves with cinnamon and grill them with wild salmon.

Atlantic City blues

Atlantic City might as well be on the moon for all of the impact it has on the lives of North Jersey readers (A-1). 

When Revel opened in 2012, its casino was the smallest and its $400-a-night rooms were likely the most expensive in the shore resort.

And how many of the expensive rooms have a view of the slums shown in a photo on A-8 today? 

No wonder it is a flop. What a disgrace.

If Revel and two other casinos close, New Jersey tax collections will take a hit, and expose Governor Christie's incredible mismanagement of state finances, including his refusal to impose higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations.