The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24,2003 THE RECORD A-3 Dreaming of next season awan oacc Hartz riles suit or jtanacui Cites alleged irregularities in process authority's rules, mirroring points made in the earlier lawsuit Hartz, Westfield and MillsMack Cali were the three finalists for redeveloping the 104-acre site. "If somebody wants to put an extension on their house, they've got to go through a whole process to do it," Walder said. "So how can you make a decision on this kind of project without a thorough examination of the land uses, of the environmental impact, of the traffic impact, of all the traditional things?" Sports authority officials have dismissed the Hartz objections as "sour grapes." They also contend that revealing the numbers before an agreement is signed could hurt the agency's leverage with a second bidder if the Xanadu deal were to fall through. Among Hartz's claims: No redevelopment candidate can be chosen before the authority has held joint hearings before the state Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. Those hearings have yet to be scheduled.

The decision to choose Xanadu was made in private, in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act. Violations of the Open Public Records Act also are alleged. Winkler's status as a sports authority official meant his role as hearing judge was a conflict of interest The 600,000 square feet of retail included in the 4.8 million-square-foot Xanadu project is outside the scope of the sports authority's permitted uses for the land. Jerry Baloco of Linden getting an early start on batting practice for CHRIS PEDOT ASTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER next season under cloudy skies at Warinanco Park in Roselle. Another car insurer cut rates U.S.

Automobile plans 5 reduction, covers 91,000 drivers in N. J. to ny also announced it was suspending its plan to cancel 4,000 policyholders a month. But State Farm officials have not backed off their 2001 announcement that they intend to leave the state by 2007, a decision they announced after the state refused to approve rate hikes for the then financially troubled carrier. And customers of many other major auto insurers have seen their rates go up in the last two years, including those of State Farm.

At the same time, it has been difficult for many consumers to find a company willing to issue a policy. But that seems to have eased since the enactment of Governor McGreevey's auto insurance program in June. It requires regulators to act faster on rate increase requests, eases company profit restrictions, and allows carriers to be more selective in deciding who to cover. By RANDY DIAMOND TRENTON BUREAU Another New Jersey auto insurer is voluntarily cutting its rates. United States Automobile Association, the state's eighth-largest auto insurer, announced Thursday its plan to cut rates by an average of 5 percent, making it the second carrier in a month to take the rare step.

The planned rate cut takes effect on Dec. 1. The company insures 91,000 drivers who are military personnel and their dependents. The announcement is the latest sign of improvement in the state's troubled auto insurance market Last month, the State Farm Indemnity New Jersey's largest auto insurer, announced it was voluntarily cutting rates by an average of 4 percent because its financial picture had improved. The compa Now, women motorists face a marriage penalty WAVE ELY.

HOME FASHIONS By JOHN BRENNAN STAFF WRITER The selection of a developer for the $1.3 billion Xanadu project at the Continental Arena site should be voided, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by Hartz Mountain Industries. The suit in Superior Court's appellate division comes as the finishing touches are being applied to a developer's agreement for the MillsMack-Cali entertainment, office, and retail project It came as no surprise to partnership officials or the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "I think all of the attorneys here anticipated this," sports authority Chairman Carl Goldberg said. "I don't think it will have any effect on either the execution of the developer's agreement or, more importantly, the process of obtaining approvals for construction." The suit, which likely will be heard by a three-judge panel, is the latest salvo in legal wrangling that began with the selection of the Xanadu plan in February. Hartz sued a month later, but Bergen County Superior Court Judge Sybil Moses dismissed the suit in May and directed Hartz to go through the sports authority's protest phase before deciding whether to continue its battle in appellate court.

Hartz's appeal was denied by sports authority Vice-President Arthur Winkler in September. Justin Walder, the lead attorney for Secaucus-based Hartz, alleged a long list of violations of the sports seeing her birth certificate. The document said her original name was Gloria; her late parents changed it a week after her birth. "This says I wasn't always who I thought I was," she said. For Buckley, the identity challenge was just as difficult She was cast into license renewal purgatory until she could produce a document linking the name on her license and Social Security JOHN CICHOWSKI THE ROAD WARRIOR card to the one on her birth certificate.

That document, she was told, was her marriage certificate (3 points). A week later, the former Margaret Holland returned to Oakland with the document that would explain once and for all, she thought the unmysterious story of how a Connecticut girl was transformed into Margaret Buckley at a church ceremony in 1980. But she was wrong. "They told me they didn't want the church marriage certificate," Buckley said, her voice rising. They wanted a civil marriage certificate.

I said I didn't have it. I was married in New I Iavcn. They told me to get it from New Haven. But by the time New I Iavcn mails it, my license will expire." And that is why the bride of Timothy Buckley, mother of a son and two daughters, and assistant librarian in Kivcrdale was cast into license renewal hell. I low could this happen? These changes arc part of a package of reforms that make our state safer and make driver's licenses more secure, especially since 911," said David Wein-stein, a spokesman for the Motor Vehicle Commission.

There was much to reform. The state operation came under fire last year after The Record found corrupt motor vehicle employees and customers used hocus identities to run a black mar ket in licenses. The probe by re- porters lean Kimhach und Monsy Alvarauo led to 100 arrests and SALE! Free Shop-at-Home Custom Decorating Service! Call Toll Free 1-866-NASSAUS or 201-261-3500 NJ's Largest Selection of Window Fashions More! Draperies Curtains Shades Blinds Bed Bath Fabric Trim Slipcovers Reupholstery Table Linens Pillows Window Film Furniture More! I 1 it i I it 1 'ijl llH I laws creating the commission and tightening license procedures. It was the sort of story that journalists pray for. But Rimbach, a married motorist, has learned to be wary of answered prayers since recently moving to another state where motor vehicle identification laws resemble New Jersey's.

Her husband, she said, finished his paperwork in record time at the local motor vehicle station there. But not she. "I went from line to line to line while he waited and waited," she said. "Then he told me: 'See what you Rimbach laughs now, but Buckley still seethes. She realizes she might have reached six points if she had a gun permit (3 points) and a pilot's license or military discharge (2 each).

And she could have evaded trouble altogether had she avoided marriage, a union that produced three children, but alas, no points. "I could have kept my maiden name," she said. "But my children's names would be different from mine." Her main point should be carved in big letters on all government buildings from Anchorage to Miami: "The state should make it clearer from the start." Weinstein agreed, but added, "It's clearer now." Before going to the local motor vehicle station, the MVC spokesman suggests motorists check www.njmvc.gov to be sure they have proper documents. Or, before crossing swords with MVC gatekeepers, women might formally change all pertinent documents so their names conform on all of them. Or, you might mail in your renewal form and forgo photo ID, which won't begin to be mandatory until next year.

If you really need one, get a passport It'll cost $85 and it will Like weeks to process. But passports are good for 10 years and they encourage travel, Margaret Buckley plans to travel to New I laven. After being kicked around by the MVQ she has something to prove. "I do not fit the profile of a terrorist," she said firmly. E-mail: cichowskiJjnorthjorsc'y com As if marriage and driving aren't challenging enough, bureaucratic torture is now being visited on New Jersey motorists who happen to fall into an otherwise venerable category: married women like Margaret Buckley.

The Pequannock woman is one of as many as 1 million females who risk license renewal hell in the next four years as they trek to Motor Vehicle Commission stations to prove who they are. They must endure this indignity to get licenses with photos. The burden for male drivers is much less. But husbands should pay attention because wives are starting to realize that their misfortune can be traced to the day they uttered the two biggest words in the English language do." That's when a lot of them changed their names. The real villains, of course, arc not husbands.

This unwitting victimization was caused by a confluence of good and evil. Blame Osama bin Laden, the state Legislature, the governor, or even this newspaper for a complicated identification system that now requires drivers to give authorities a combination of documents, each of which is assigned a point value. You get 4 points for a birth certificate, 3 for a civil marriage certificate, 2 or a pilot's license, and 1 for a Social Security card or current photo driver's license. Six points equal license renewal heaven. "I had the birth certificate," Buckley said slowly, as if recalling a bad dream.

"I had my Social Security card and license." Six points, right? No, zero. Counters at the Oakland motor vehicle station disallowed all Buckley's points for a reason arcane enough to qualify for Joseph Heller's "Catch-22." "They said my birth certificate showed my maiden name," she said, "so it didn't match my married name on the other papers." Buckley's voice cracked a little when she reached this part of her story, and I think I know why. Wc all know cute stories about mistaken identify. But there is nothing cute about an authority figure challenging your personal identity. I know tins because my wife, Susan, wus a mess after first Over 3200 Styles, Colors Sizes of Read) made Curtains Draperies! 1000 Bolts of Quality Decorative Fabrics at 50 OFF Book Prices! wt 201-261-3500 450 Route 17 North, Paramus, NJ (lici North of Miill.md Ave next lo Petto) M-F 10-9 Sat.

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