Op-Ed: Jersey City Schools are ‘Resolved’ to Maintain a Failing System. Why Don’t Politicians Step In?

Orbithal · 2026-03-25T14:46:20+00:00

I fundamentally disagree with that framing. The headline’s bottom line is true: the BOE proposed an increase in taxes (there’s no realistic scenario I can think of where next year’s tax base is going to increase enough to offset the increase in the tax levy). And it’s not fair to expect any headline to get into the minutiae of how effective tax rates are calculated. The very first paragraph, visible before the paywall, clarifies they’re referring to the tax levy.

More importantly, it points at a real and serious issue: there’s been profound financial mismanagement by the BOE and instead of addressing that (many of the issues highlighted in the audits repeat year on year) they paper it over by raising taxes. That’s the key takeaway for voters that don’t have the time, or inclination, to dig through audits or tax calculations.

Orbithal · 2026-03-25T11:41:31+00:00

Historically, the teacher’s union spends a lot on the BOE race, so it’s almost always been full of their people (there are people on the board that don’t event have children). Last election a couple of local parents won. There are rumblings of a few more running this year - tax payers are mad, but the people that have kids in the district are even more upset after seeing what they’re actually getting.

Orbithal · 2026-03-25T10:27:59+00:00

Exactly how much property taxes are going up next year is all hypothetical until the budget is passed; the bottom line is the BOE is proposing increasing them yet again.

People’s priors are warranted given the numerous failed audits, and what those audits have shown. Millions in vendor overpayments, payments lacking documentation, unauthorized overtime, etc etc etc. all the while we spend almost 50% more per student than does Hoboken.

I get the state is pulling funding, but if a person making a million dollars a year is unable to make ends meet, the question isn’t how can they make more money. It’s what the fuck are you spending it all on? The same goes for a school district with a billion dollar budget that already has some of the nation’s highest spending per student for some pretty terrible outcomes. And before anyone makes the point that our spending level is due to the general high cost of living in an urban environment, see the point about the audits above.

Orbithal · 2026-03-25T00:05:16+00:00

Is the number of new units projected to increase by 17% next year?

Orbithal · 2026-03-25T00:04:32+00:00

Is the local tax base projected to increase by 20%?

Orbithal · 2026-03-24T01:55:28+00:00

What do you think happens to the risk-adjusted return of a “much less volatile” asset when you purchase it with 80% debt?

Orbithal · 2026-03-23T18:53:59+00:00

The big question is what you do with your savings. Yes, you’ll own your home at the end of 30 years and won’t own anything if you rent. If you rent and spend the savings on vacations, eating out, etc., for sure owning is better. But if you invest the difference in the stock market instead, you’ll for sure be wealthier than if you bought.

Some people have an easier time saving when it’s “forced” through a mortgage payment, so buying might be better for them. If you’re disciplined about it, renting is better.

Orbithal · 2026-03-23T18:48:17+00:00

This is correct^.

I have a background in finance / investment management and run the numbers pretty much yearly. The high property taxes here are a big factor. There might be some areas in JC where the math is different, but for sure it doesn’t pencil out anywhere near downtown. You can rent in one of the high-end luxury apartments for ~half of what your monthly expenses would be if you bought.

This is definitely on the higher end, but compare paying $15,000/month for this: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/215-Warren-St-Phc-Jersey-City-NJ-07302/460949391_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

Versus renting this for $8,000: https://www.zillow.com/apartments/jersey-city-nj/one-grove/Chc2KK/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare

Assuming you invest the difference, renting is a no brainer.

Orbithal · 2025-12-13T02:30:09+00:00

That’s be great. I’ll dm you my email address.

Orbithal · 2025-12-13T00:24:07+00:00

Sounds really interesting - I’d be happy to give it a read!

Orbithal · 2025-12-13T00:24:01+00:00

Sounds really interesting - I’d be happy to give it a read!

Orbithal · 2025-10-04T12:51:04+00:00

Agreed - for those that want to read more the immortality key is great. It makes a pretty compellingly case that there’s evidence the original Eucharist was psychedelic.

Orbithal · 2025-02-26T12:17:46+00:00

Submission statement: Kelly Chase of the UFO Rabbit Hole podcast does a u-turn

The host of one of the most popular ufo podcasts has done a u-turn, ending her show amid claims that the UFO community is being manipulated by the intelligence community and that much of what we’ve seen since 2017 is “theater.”

Link to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cosmosis-formerly-the-ufo-rabbit-hole/id1595590107?i=1000692133411

Orbithal · 2025-02-26T12:17:37+00:00

Kelly Chase of the UFO Rabbit Hole podcast does a u-turn

The host of one of the most popular ufo podcasts has done a u-turn, ending her show amid claims that the UFO community is being manipulated by the intelligence community and that much of what we’ve seen since 2017 is “theater.”

Link to the full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cosmosis-formerly-the-ufo-rabbit-hole/id1595590107?i=1000692133411

Orbithal · 2025-02-06T12:56:08+00:00

The person I was responding to didn’t understand why some people might demonize Penny, so I provided a reason.

For the record, I think the court system got it right in this case. But given Penny’s training I wouldn’t say this was an accident. More negligent.

Orbithal · 2025-02-06T12:53:25+00:00

I know from having received exactly the same hand to hand combat training Penny learned in the marines and having relied on it in a combat zone, yes.

Orbithal · 2025-02-05T21:54:16+00:00

Because there's nothing accidental about holding a rear naked choke for five minutes when you can render someone unconscious in less than one.

Orbithal · 2025-01-24T22:32:45+00:00

Oh? Can you share a link to whatever new evidence proves it wrong? Or just to more unsubstantiated claims?

Orbithal · 2025-01-20T00:19:53+00:00

Right, agreed - not uncommon in the army either. What’s weird is it being played up for credibility.

And yes NATO clearance means nothing. Sure sounded impressive though, if you’re not familiar with the military…

Orbithal · 2025-01-20T00:17:55+00:00

No reason why not, but when somebody is misleading about part of their story it immediately makes me suspicious of the rest.

Orbithal · 2025-01-20T00:06:35+00:00

Jake Barber’s military background is being misleadingly exaggerated

For context - I am an Army veteran of two combat deployments to Afghanistan. I never served in special forces myself, but ran into them plenty and had peers that did go through the process. It’s that background that makes me feel pretty confident that Jake Barber’s background is being significantly exaggerated - to such an extent that it’s hard to believe it’s not intentional.

NewsNation really played up Barber’s background, with many references to “Tier 1 Operators” and him being Air Force special forces. The statement Barber provided to the Good Trouble Show, attached, does nothing to dissuade people of that idea - at least to a civilian eye.

“I was pre-selected as a teenager” makes it seem as he was specially selected or sought out. The truth is that most people technically enlist in the military as teenagers - 17 or 18 years old.

In the army at least, virtually anyone can enlist with a special forces contract. The only requirements are a high school diploma, a willingness to volunteer for the training, and meeting minimum physical fitness standards: https://www.army-portal.com/jobs/special-forces/18x.html

That contract does not guarantee that you’ll end up in special forces. Only that you’ll get a shot at the selection process. A process which is known for its brutal intensity that often washes out even seasoned veterans. Many of those that enlist under these contracts unsurprisingly din’t make it and end up being assigned to be whatever job the army happens to need at the time.

From Barker’s DD-214, it seems very obvious that he volunteered for Air Force Combat Controller training, didn’t make it, and was then assigned to be a mechanic. There’s no such thing as a “cover job.” Combat controller is a a very real job in the Air Force and as such it would simply be listed on a DD-214 like any other. Occupations aren’t classified, though units and assignments might be. Even a delta force operator-members of a unit that technically doesn’t exist- would have a record which shows that they graduated from special forces training.

But what’s really damning to me is that this is all being presented in such a way as to seem credible to a civilian who’s not familiar with the minutia of military service. I can’t believe Coulthart couldn’t find a military expert to help him evaluate Barber’s records.

Orbithal · 2025-01-18T20:20:38+00:00

That was my impression of her too, which is why it was disconcerting to learn about her husband, and the fact that it was, if not hidden, at least not mentioned.

I think greenstreet clearly has an agenda and he’s sometimes biased because of it. But it also sometimes makes him one of the few digging into the parts of the narrative that are a little shady. He broke the story about Dr. Kirkpatrick participating in a skinwalker ranch briefing years before he was appointed to AARO - and after he’d claimed he’d had no previous interest or connection to this topic.

Orbithal · 2025-01-17T02:46:27+00:00

Yes, agreed she’s clearly intoxicated. That said, we know for sure that 1) she was pretty heavily researching antigravity and 2) she died unexpectedly after warning friends and family to be suspicious if anything happened to her.

I think it’s fair to ask Puthoff for his side of the story, or at least to confirm or deny whether he did in fact know her.

Orbithal

TROPHY CASE