What the Hackensack reporter missed last night

A homeless man complained about wild dogs to Hackensack City Manager Stephen Lo Iocano, left, and City Council members during the public portion of Tuesday night's meeting.

Hannan Adely, The Record reporter assigned to Hackensack, was nowhere to be seen on Tuesday night, when the City Council approved the first step in the redevelopment of Main Street.

Did she cover the council meeting in Hackensack, Minn., a vacation paradise in the heart of 10,000 lakes?

In answer to questions from a resident, Zisaville City Manager Stephen Lo Iocano said the city budget was supposed to be introduced on Tuesday night, but would be delayed until the next meeting. 

He declined to say whether the property tax rate  would be going up.

The Record's property

Lo Iocano said city officials have had discussions with North Jersey Media Group about what will replace The Record's landmark building on River Street, but he wasn't at liberty to reveal them.

But he said the building has been "decommissioned" and will be torn down. There have long been rumors that a Walmart would go up on about 20 NJMG acres.

Council candidates

Scott Young and other members of Hackensack Citizens for Open Government -- candidates in the May City Council election -- were in the audience, and appeared to be attending their first council meeting.

Before the meeting started, they exchanged information about their favorite sandwich and empanada shops, instead of discussing ordinances and resolutions.

It remains to be seen how "open" this slate of 5 will be. 

They are backed by the same Democratic Party officials who were the power behind Ken Zisa, the former police chief and ex-state assemblyman who was convicted of official misconduct and insurance fraud last May.

In Hackensack, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Labrosse's wife 

During the public portion of the meeting, the wife of Councilman John Labrosse and another woman harangued city officials about astronomical legal bills, but Laborsse remained silent on that issue.

Later, Labrosse, the only incumbent seeking a second term, praised the city's sports teams.

Officials say the city is evaluating new Dodge Charger Pursuit police cars with both V-6 and V-8 engines before deciding which will replace the V-8 powered Ford Crown Victoria, rear.

Padilla payout

The council approved the payment of several accounts, which were listed without details, including $173,329.61 described as "payroll."

The city manager said that is the retirement package for Tomas Padilla, the police captain who served as interim chief after Zisa was suspended without pay.

But it turned out that at the last meeting, the council approved another package of about $240,000, then described as Padilla's package.  

I did see the reporter for the Hackensack Chronicle at the meeting, so residents might eventually learn what took place.

Today's paper

The best story on Page 1 today is the obituary of Muriel Bachant of Bergenfield, the mother of triplets, whose husband was killed during World War II before he met his daughters.

Governor Christie is howling after The Record uncovered nearly $1 million in contributions from North Jersey-based companies to the Christie-boosting Republican Governors Association (A-1).

Gas-guzzling news

Drivers of SUVs and other gas guzzlers are howling about the rising price of gas, while drivers of hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles are laughing as they drive past gas stations (A-1).

Hybrid drivers get a second break -- toll discounts with a Green E-ZPass.

Red-eyed columnist

Road Warrior John Cichowski continues his campaign against red-light cameras by slamming extra revenue for towns as "greed."  

He calls lead-footed drivers who blow through red lights "unwilling donors" of that revenue, when he should be condemning them as road menaces who injure and kill law-abiding drivers.

Cichowski and other morons need to recognize that dysfunctional home-rule towns desperately need the revenue from red-light cameras.

I wish there were a dozen red-light cameras in Hackensack -- with the revenue from them dedicated to property tax relief.
 

'The Old Man and the Seat'

Actor Clint Eastwood lecturing an invisible President Obama at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday night. ( Getty Images via @daylife)

An editorial in The Record today refers to actor and director Clint Eastwood, whose bizarre performance at the Republican National Convention almost made Democrats forget all of the lies from Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

But Eastwood got only a one-paragraph mention in The Record's convention coverage on Friday (A-6), the night after he stared at, questioned and reacted to an empty chair holding an invisible President Obama. 

"The Daily Show" referred to Eastwood's unscripted appearance as "The Old Man and the Seat."

A different Eastwood

I must be the only one who remembers Eastwood's inspirational Super Bowl commercial for Chrysler -- which appeared to rally a recession-crippled America behind the Obama administration's recovery program.

In "It's Halftime in America," Eastwood acknowledges "division, discord and blame" -- an apparent reference to the divisive partisan rhetoric that paralyzes Congress.

"Now," he says, "Motor City is fighting again.... Detroit is showing us it can be done."

More GOP lies

Of course, Eastwood didn't mention then -- and Romney and Ryan don't give credit now -- for the Obama administration's bailout of Chrysler and General Motors, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs saved by that move.

Nor do the Republicans ever mention stimulus programs that have put tens of thousands back to work repairing the nation's infrastructure, including bridges, roads and highways.

In a pointed reference to Romney's promise to put people back to work, today's editorial reminds readers, "Government doesn't create jobs, the private sector does" (O-2).

But government action -- such as the bailout of two of the Big Three -- can save jobs, as it did in Detroit.

Here's is a link to the Super Bowl commercial:

It's Halftime in America

Page 1 snorefest

One look at today's front page can put you to sleep.

If Hackensack residents wonder why coverage of their city is so poor, they'll find the answer in the main element on Page 1 about an abortion doctor who now lives in Florida, recounting events dating to 1972 in Englewood Cliffs.

The story, by Hackensack reporter Stephanie Akin, must be another special commissioned by head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes or her clueless deputy, Dan Sforza.

Local snorefest 

On the front of the Local news section, readers find more illuminating coverage of rising gasoline prices, with the obligatory bitching from drivers who claim they're forced to cut back in other areas (L-1).

Of course, there's no mention that the best antidote to gas-pump sticker shock is trading in your gas-guzzling car or SUV for a more fuel-efficient vehicle and using a credit card that gives you a 4% rebate -- or more than 14 cents off on a $3.69 gallon of regular.

If you drive a hybrid, you can get around 50 mpg, plus a Green E-ZPass, which gives you discounts on Hudson River tolls, as well as those on the turnpike and parkway.

At the Hudson River, Green Pass holders are charged $4 off-peak vs. $7.50 for other E-ZPass drivers.

Also on L-1 today, Road Warrior John Cichowski finds another way to write a so-called commuting column without leaving the office.