A Repeat of a Sad History?

August 10, 2009

This election season, there are two things worth remembering before pressing the lever in anger: "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it" and "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Read More

We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us

January 18, 2009

Although it is illegal to solicit or take a bribe to grant a political favor directly, it is usually unspoken in politics that "if you help me out I'm going to help you out." In "We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us," Bob takes another look at how we get subtly manipulated into supporting the corruption. Read More

Drill, Baby, Drill...Build, Baby, Build

December 14, 2008

In his latest entry, Bob challenges what Norman refers to as "the process" and questions whether Englewood has learned anything from its recent experience in development.
Read More

Cleaning House

October 04, 2008

Those who have so ill-served us on the local, county and national levels have an army of political consultants who engage in psychological warfare against the voting public. What to do?
Read More

Don't Raise Your Expectations

September 02, 2008

US Attorney Chris Christie is getting a lot of play with his investigation of BCDO Boss Joe Ferriero and BCDO attorney Dennis Oury. But with so much pay-to-play corruption actually legal in New Jersey, it would take an act of extreme carelessness for these Kleptocrats to actually get nailed for an illegality. Read More

Michael Wildes Wins the First Annual Chico Marx Award

June 01, 2008

Sunday hasn't been a great day for Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes. First, the Bergen Record runs an exposé on his stacked Planning Board. And now, the Englewood Report has given our Mayor the not-so-coveted Chico Marx Award.
Read More

Wildes Proxy Running Against Council President

May 10, 2008

Less than two years ago, Councilman Rosenzweig was supporting Mayor Wildes in his bid for a second term. Now that the Councilman is running for his second term, Wildes is running his own executive assistant against Rosenzweig. Bob explains why in his latest column. Read More

New Jersey's Bad Report Card

March 16, 2008

In his latest column, Bob writes that "we regular folk tend to see politics like the sewer system. We know it is vital and that it needs maintenance and attention. But few of us want to climb in there and deal with it personally."
Read More

Truth and Consequences

March 02, 2008

In matters of truth-telling regarding criminal investigations and prisoner custody, we have Englewood officers Scott Jenkins, William Hollenfer and, now, Shawn Bland on one side and Chief David Bowman on the other. Logically, they cannot all be telling the truth. Read More

Are We All Chuckleheads?

February 10, 2008

As the deal between Chief Bowman and the City demonstrates, no matter what the public controversy, the taxpayers always bear the burden.
Read More

Play The Frame Game: How to Inoculate Yourself against Political Deception

February 05, 2008

After getting caught casting his vote in favor of a campaign donor's multimillion dollar development project, Vernon Walton tries to spin and distract voters from inconvenient facts. Find out how to inoculate yourself against this kind of political tactic.
Read More

Walton Endorsed by Ferriero

January 23, 2008

This week, Bob looks at Boss Ferriero's endorsement of former Englewood Councilman Vernon Walton for County Freeholder. Is it an inspiring milestone in Bergen County history or just another way to steer no-bid contracts back to Mr. Ferriero's political donors?
Read More

The Endless Campaign: There's No Business But Show Business

January 06, 2008

Mayor Wildes continues his public attacks on the Council majority for not hiring a full-time City Manager while aggressively working to prevent them from hiring a City Manager. Find out what Wildes is up to in this week's "Bob's Corner."
Read More

Point: The Police Chief Controversy

December 25, 2007

This week, Bob writes, "No matter what decision the City Manager and the City Council makes regarding who will be our Chief in 2008, Englewood and Mr. Bowman will be poorer for it." To find out why in the latest Bob's Corner.
Read More

Paying Not To Play

October 09, 2007

The latest Quinnipiac poll reveals that voters care more about their latest property tax rebates than the corruption that hijacks their money and causes the problem in the first place.
Read More

The Public Realm, Part 2: New Jersey's Inferiority Complex

August 16, 2007

New York City spends over $130 million per year to support its cultural assets. The state of New Jersey spends $18 million. Is this an acknowledgement of our dependence on New York or a reflection of our government's lack of regard for the quality of life, creativity, imagination and, yes, economy of our state? Read More

Englewood Goes to Cantal

July 30, 2007

Earlier this month, Bob had the privilege to attend and present at an international symposium on Urban Planning in Paris, France. Find out what he learned and how it might help to guide development that supports the health and happiness of Englewood citizens.
Read More

Wildes Blames Shooting On Absence of Basketball Courts

July 16, 2007

Last week, a gunman shot 5 people at Ashanti, a neighborhood restaurant in Englewood. Mayor Wildes' immediate reaction was to blame the shooting on an absence of basketball courts in the 4th Ward. Read Bob's response, as printed in yesterday's Bergen Record.
Read More

Englewood: The Public Realm, Part 1

June 20, 2007

In his first installment of "Englewood: The Public Realm," Bob Stern stresses the importance of protecting and promoting what makes our city worth living in.
Read More

Hardly a Role Model

June 13, 2007

Last week, the Bergen Record printed an editorial which proclaimed that the Bergen County Republican Party "...needed a leader as smart and pragmatic as the Democrats' Joe Ferriero." Read Bob Stern's reply in yesterday's Bergen Record or right here at The Englewood Report. Read More

Take Back the Brand - Vote Column 1

June 03, 2007

"By casting votes in The Real Bergen Democrat column, the voters will be sending a message: Democrats want to reclaim their brand, their principles and their honor from the political manipulators who have hijacked the party," writes Bob Stern in another addition to the "Bob's Corner" series. Read More

Lights, Camera, Activism!

May 08, 2007

In a city of almost 30,000 residents, it's unconscionable that the proceedings of our local government are only available to the two dozen residents who regularly attend meetings. Isn't it time to increase public participation by placing videotaped meetings online? Read More

Bob's Corner: Rothenberg Responds

March 08, 2007

In this week's "Bob's Corner," the editor of The Rothenberg Political Report shares his thoughts with Bob Stern on the pay-to-play system and its Bergen County posterboy, Joe Ferriero. Read More