The Unfairest Oakland Tax of All What you are about to read is true and factual as improbable as it may seem. And it’s even official as codified into law. Said another way, you can’t make this stuff up. On occasion some laws pasted by our elected officials seem just downright silly particularly when viewed in a distant retrospect. Thoughts come to mind like ‘What were they thinking?’. Or, they just couldn’t be serious! But when it comes to taxes in general or a particular tax on a particular item held or used by only a portion of the population, one knows that they were serious even though we seemingly…
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Installment #9 – The NJ Disease That Created Oakland
Boroughitis On April 8, 1902 Oakland seceded from Franklin Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Hurrah! And in the words of Martin King, Jr., we finally were “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!” While I will soon write far more about the details of this wondrous event, it’s important to do some stage setting with regard to the state and county geo-political environments in 1902. In other words, what was going on around us to enable the huge step of secession that has benefited both you and me mightily since. How did the forefathers of this town pull it…
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Installment #5 – The Bergen County Courthouse Comes to Oakland
Oakland History Reconsidered Recap of Oakland History Presentation Oakland Sheriff Hangs Prisoner Without a Trial We Oaklanders take great pride in the historical fact that in 1780 the Bergen County Courthouse was moved to Oakland. Of course, we think, where else would it be moved to other than here, this fine valley, with its law-abiding citizenry. Oakland was, we think, the first, the best and the natural choice. However, the facts tell a different story. This article is about the how’s and why’s of the arrival of the Bergen County Courthouse in Oakland in 1780 during the American Revolution. It is also about the hanging of a prisoner of the…
