No - businesses need to be regulated by the towns that they are located in. The corporations who own the largest and most intrusive of those businesses do not live anywhere near here. They probably live in places where they don't have to deal with traffic at all - places most of us couldn't even dream of living. If the malls are open, small local businesses are forced to open to compete (which they have a difficult time doing to start with). This forces the owners of those businesses, who probably can't afford to hire more help) to work 7 days a week.

And the malls are not going to hire more people to staff the stores on Sunday - they will just force the people who work there now to work more hours.

Yes - that's what a lot of people don't understand. Traffic from Paramus backs up on to the local streets in other towns. We get NO tax benefits from those malls, and yet we have to deal with the repercussions. I suspect all those who don't understand the problems live far enough away that it doesn't affect them. We have lived in Fair Lawn for nearly 40 years and the Sunday Closing Laws have come up for a vote numerous times. Each time they have been resoundingly defeated.

This is the only comment that makes any sense on the issue.

We'd be better off following biblical laws? Is that the same book that says it's OK to stone women and children and a person who wears clothes made of two different fabrics should be punished? You go ahead and live by that book. I'll pass, thank you.

Mal,

Garden State is the third most profitable mall in the COUNTRY (Short Hills is #2). (Source is US News & World Report, June 26, 2009--probably hasn't changed much since then).

And they're doing it in a six-day week.

We can afford the breather.

Impartial enough?

its political gamemanship to begin the discussion of blue laws during an emergency. Its well know the County Exe and her cronies are to make millions when the American Dream mall opens as the lobbyist is the County Exe top advisor. In fact Donovan took her oath of office at the lobbyist mansion!!! Also it has to be done by the county legislature, but there werent even conferred with this changing of the blue laws to 2014.

The anachronism was that Sunday was supposedly the Lord's day.

The Blue Laws, as now constructed, have little to do with temperance and much to do with giving everyone a breather for one day.

But, I'll concede this: I wouldn't mind Sunday shopping if stores were closed on another day, like Tuesday. Do we really need seven days a week to shop? And, since you know what the rules are, you deal with them accordingly.

So, eliminating the Blue Laws has little to do with an anachronism but, rather, more about you getting your own way, likely at the expense of others who have to work to please you and others like you. And that's selfish. Take a day off, OK?

No.

Ridgewooder,

You made my point; thanks. You're selfish. IF you want the one day off, it has to be on YOUR terms alone and let everyone else be damned, right? They just have to be available for you--Sunday, any day--when you wish to indulge. You showed your true colors. Lowlife.

Nothing for nothing but Ridgewood won't allow any fast food restaurants in town. What's that about?

The western world doesnt have five malls in one town. And you cant do a study with these crooks who run county government, they are hell bent on changing the blue laws because it helps the incentive fees for the Iranians that own the American Dream strip mall who want to open a Water park in the malls parking lot... Dont you get it, this is a total political scam for the corrupt Donovan adminstration and her hacks to make millions,,, thats why it was done during the worst natrual disaster ever in Bergen coutny. Add in we have a 58 never married lesbian Bergen Republican about to be exposed for hiring or her lesbian lover to 6 figure county jobs,,,, so she had to do this now.... imho

Wait a sec here...

If individual towns decide, aren't THEY imposing restrictions on others, too, just on a smaller scale?

How about everyone opens anytime they want--Sundays, middle of the night, whenever--and individuals, on their own, can decide when and where they want to shop?

The point is, sometimes larger entities have to do something for the common good and enact laws and regulations. Unfortunately, not all are pleased by such a decision and want their way with little regard to others, like the business owner and the workers who can't have one weekend day or holiday with their families because those with little regard just HAVE to shop on Sundays or Thanksgiving. Of course, many businesses just can't say "no" to Sundays and major holidays as they have visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads. Never mind that they're probably making more in six days than many places do in seven, especially since the rules around here are very well-known.

And that's why I have tremendous respect for an outfit like PC Richard, which makes it very clear that they won't open on Thanksgiving, and no respect for the money-grubbers who can't take a breather and have respect for their employees for even one lousy, stinking day.

Follow democracy and lets freeholders change the blues, not a corrupt tryant.

Good one.. Makes as much sense as Sunday.

Zizi,

But, the point is, once the Blue Laws are rescinded, businesses can't decide. Maybe it's in their own heads that they won't be able to survive without opening Sundays, despite seeing that they've been able to until now; they'll be forced to open Sundays. And, as I've already said here, never mind that many places are doing more business in six days than other places outside of Bergen are doing in seven and that the rules here are well known and that Garden State is the third most profitable mall in the country, and on six days; if businesses are allowed to open on Sunday, they will. Because it's in their heads that they have to.

Why can't we take one damned day off, even if it's Tuesday? It doesn't have to be Sunday. Or does everyone have to be available all the time when you decide it's time to indulge? It's worked just fine for the past 50-odd years and people have been able to all their shopping. And, if (pardon me) you really had a hard-on for shopping on Sunday, there are places not too far away that would take care of that need. So, given that everyone gets a chance to take a breather on Sunday, at least the business owners and the people who work for them and, as a general rule, no one has to "run a benefit" for anyone in the county because they aren't allowed to open on Sunday, why is it necessary to change the status quo?

MAybe open roads means giong to vist and spend time with friends and family instaed of running around shopping! something that was done for many years and actually contrbuted to a QUALITY of life. Actually I would love to see blue laws all over the country or at least do like many other countries do open from noon to 6 only.

What makes you so sure you will continue to have Sundays off when you allow politicians to nullify the vote of the people in order to support their corporate donors?

If you don't have a normal 9-5 job (and, son of a gun, neither did I for ALL the time I worked), I'm sure you can find other times during the week to do your shopping. Go to the mall at 10 AM on a weekday, if you can. It's a lot better than bucking the crowds on a weekend day.

Are you saying that you have absolutely no time at all between 10AM-9PM at any time between Monday and Saturday?

I think we should put it on the ballet, too. The NYC ballet? The Kirov? Maybe we should get the opera involved, too. Wouldn't want to make them jealous, you know.

And, Paramus isn't dictating for the county. The county is dictating for the county. Let's hope the county doesn't dictate for Paramus, which could happen.

Do you have a problem with the Blue Laws, or just who's doing the dictating? Reading between the lines, it appears to me that, if you can get the enforcement of the Blue Laws down to the town level, you can more easily eliminate them entirely.

They WERE religious in nature. Not any more. And, unjust to who, exactly? The rules have been in place for at least the past 50-60 years and everyone knows them. And, as I said, most businesses around here (at least judging by Garden State Plaza) are likely doing more business in six days than other places outside of Bergen are doing in seven.

Tell you what (and I've said so already)... I'll concede Sunday in return for another quiet day. Yes, the customer is always right, but remember that the person behind the counter could be you. And, wouldn't you like a mandated day off once in a while?

Are Blue Laws archaic? By current standards, absolutely. But, isn't it nice to have a breather on Sunday?

Most people have always worked during the week. This is nothing new. And their Saturdays are not constantly filled with running errands; they do have some down time. And, all these people who work during the week have evenings to go shopping. And they're not constantly going shopping anyway. It's a once in a while thing. And, when it comes to food shopping, the stores are already open on Sunday.

Are you saying that people have no idea how to budget their time?

Are you also saying that Sunday shopping will miraculously bring a place like Hackensack back to life?

What are you saying?

How do you assume that I'm not calm? Because I might disagree with you? And not all of the others are saying the same thing. There are plenty of people here who aren't in favor of rescinding the Blue Laws. So, don't be such a jackass.

And voting? It's been voted down twice already (1980 & '93). But, let's keep doing it until you get the results you want, OK?

Have an exceptionally nice day!