Greens gone (for now) in New Jersey

By Matthew Gilson | The Save Jersey Blog

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Gary Novosielski

Socialists, Greens, “NSA Did 9/11″….

These are just some of the parties that we routinely ignore as we step into the ballot box on Election Day. We may enjoy a cheap laugh or two at the absurdity of their ideas, but voting for them is not something that an informed voter would consider. Especially the Green Party, Save Jerseyans, which routinely scores victories in places which are even greater leftist traps than New Jersey like Vermont and California.

However, sadly, my hometown had the distinction of being that the only town in New Jersey to place one of these people into office. Since 1999, Rutherford has consistently elected Green Party Chairman Gary Novosielski to the Board of Education.

Novosielski has been a constant detriment to the students and taxpayers of Rutherford voting against donations due to corporate influence, refusing to allow Coca-Cola to provide a new scoreboard to the district for fears of unduly influencing children, and voting against grant applications. He has never met a tax increase he did not like or a union demand he could not meet. Novosielski once served as both a board trustee and lead NJEA negotiator for district he teaches in, Fort Lee (conflict of interest much?).

I can get behind your rank-and-file Democrat from time to time, but Novosielski takes it to a new extreme as a member of this fringe leftist party.

IMG957951Thankfully, as of December 31st, the Green Party will return to having zero elected officials in New Jersey as Novosielski has announced his resignation.

Why is he resigning? He is moving! 

Oh, the irony. 

After running the Rutherford School District into the ground and inflating tax rates, he has decided to jump ship. Novosielski is reportedly, according to my source, seeking greener pastures and lower tax rates in Pennsylvania, basically admitting that the policies advocated by him and his NJEA cronies have failed New Jersey. 

Novosielski is coming off the most contentious of his re-election bids in 2014 when he defeated both challengers Frank Wilson and Tom Lancaster by less than 20 votes. His resignation marks the FIFTH time since 2011 that a Rutherford Board of Education trustee has resigned.

Novosielski’s resignation also comes merely days after the death of his long-time running mate, Thom Casadonte, although I am told the events are unrelated. The Board will get to choose his replacement in the upcoming months, but with only a handful of Greens on the voter rolls of Rutherford, it is likely that the party will be shut out of elected seats and that is certainly a good thing for taxpayers!

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Matthew Gilson
About Matthew Gilson 100 Articles
A young man with a strong passions for all things local politics and all things North Jersey, Matt Gilson is a life-long resident of Bergen County, a student at Rutgers-Newark Law, the former chairman of the Seton Hall College Republicans, a former candidate for the Rutherford school board, and the current chairman of Bergen Young Republicans.

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