[0:00] Good evening everyone. We are on the
[0:02] record. Today is Wednesday, the 19th day
[0:04] of August in the year 2026. This is a
[0:07] regular meeting of the Jersey City
[0:08] Municipal Council. We had a scheduled 6
[0:11] p.m. start. The clock on my cell phone
[0:13] is showing 6:07 p.m. May we have a roll
[0:16] call for the commencement of this
[0:17] meeting. Council person Brooks.
[0:20] Council person Zupa.
[0:21] » Present.
[0:25] » Council person Zupa.
[0:29] Council person Efos present.
[0:31] » Council person Little
[0:33] » Present.
[0:35] » Council person Gilmore is not here yet.
[0:38] Council person Singh
[0:39] » Present.
[0:40] » Council person Griffin
[0:42] » Present.
[0:42] » Council person Lavaro
[0:44] » Here.
[0:45] » And council president Ridley
[0:47] » Here.
[0:48] » We have eight council members in
[0:50] attendance at 6:07 p.m. Can we kindly
[0:54] rise for a moment of silence, please?
[1:04] Michael Ricardone
[1:08] Washington,
[1:17] former Ward A Councilman Timothy Hawks.
[1:58] On behalf of Council President Ridley
[2:00] and the members of the municipal council
[2:01] in accordance with New Jersey Public
[2:03] Public Laws of 1975,
[2:05] Chapter 231, the Open Public Meetings
[2:08] Act, also known as the Sunshine Law.
[2:10] Adequate notice of this meeting has been
[2:12] provided by the posting on a bulletin
[2:13] board of the first floor of city hall.
[2:15] The annual notice, which is the schedule
[2:17] of meetings and caucuses of the
[2:18] municipal council for the calendar year,
[2:20] 2026, and filed in the office of the
[2:23] city clerk on Tuesday, November 25th,
[2:26] 2025.
[2:27] In addition, at its time of its
[2:29] preparation, the agenda of this meeting
[2:30] was similarly disseminated on Friday,
[2:32] August 14th, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. to the
[2:37] mayor, municipal council, business
[2:38] administrator,
[2:40] corporation council, and the local
[2:42] newspapers and posted on the city's
[2:43] website so I can certify as to our total
[2:46] compliance with the Sunshine Law.
[2:49] Council President, before we move on to
[2:53] the regular order of business,
[2:57] We need to have a motion to add item
[2:59] 10.58,
[3:01] city resolution 26-534
[3:05] to the agenda.
[3:07] And I'll read the title.
[3:10] It's a resolution authorizing that the
[3:12] calendar year 2026 municipal budget
[3:14] shall be read by title in accordance
[3:16] with NJSA 484-8.
[3:20] May I have a motion to add item 10.58?
[3:24] Motion
[3:26] » Motion made by council president Ridley.
[3:28] May I have a second?
[3:29] » Second.
[3:30] » Second by council person Griffin. On the
[3:32] motion to add item
[3:35] 10.58 to the agenda. Council person
[3:38] Brooks.
[3:39] » I.
[3:40] » Council person Zupa.
[3:41] » Hi.
[3:42] » Council person Efos.
[3:43] » Hi.
[3:45] » Council person Little.
[3:47] » Hi.
[3:48] » Council person Singh.
[3:50] » Hi.
[3:51] » Council person Griffin.
[3:52] » Hi. Council Person Labaro
[3:55] » I.
[3:56] » And council president Ridley
[3:58] » I.
[3:59] » Motion carries 8 Z with council person
[4:03] Gilmore absent.
[4:07] May we have a motion to defer
[4:12] to item 10.58.
[4:19] Motion made by
[4:22] council person Ephro. May I have a
[4:24] second?
[4:25] » Second.
[4:26] » Second by council person Zupa. On a
[4:30] motion to defer to item 10.58.
[4:34] » Council person Brooks.
[4:36] » I.
[4:37] » Council person Zupa.
[4:38] » I.
[4:39] » Council person Ephro.
[4:40] » I.
[4:41] » Council person Little.
[4:44] » Council person Singh.
[4:45] » I.
[4:46] » Council person Griffin.
[4:48] » Hi. Council person Lavaro.
[4:50] » Hi.
[4:51] » And council president Ridley.
[4:53] » Hi.
[4:54] » Motion carries 80 with council person
[4:56] Gilmore absent.
[4:59] » For a final vote on item 10.58. Council
[5:02] person Brooks.
[5:04] » Hi.
[5:05] » Council person Zupa.
[5:06] » Hi.
[5:07] » Council person Efos.
[5:09] » Hi.
[5:10] » Council person Little.
[5:12] » Um I have not had a chance to read it
[5:13] yet because my internet's not working.
[5:15] So I will abstain.
[5:17] This is okay.
[5:20] » Council person Singh.
[5:22] » Hi.
[5:23] » Council person Griffin.
[5:25] » Hi.
[5:27] » Council person Lavaro.
[5:32] » Hi.
[5:33] » And council president Ridley.
[5:35] » I.
[5:40] » Steady resolution 10.58 is approved. 7
[5:45] 01 with council person Little abstaining
[5:48] and council person Gilmore absent.
[5:53] All right. Now on to our regular order
[5:55] of business. I'm going to start with the
[5:56] first reading ordinances. If you will
[5:58] allow me to read them into the record.
[6:02] Before I do, I believe we are
[6:05] withdrawing item 3.1. I don't want to
[6:08] read anything that's not necessary into
[6:10] the record if we're not going to be
[6:12] voting on it. So
[6:15] before I do that, I got to get the
[6:17] camera on my BA just to confirm that we
[6:21] are withdrawing item 3.1 from the
[6:24] agenda.
[6:27] » John, I can confirm. Yes,
[6:29] » That's correct.
[6:30] » Okay.
[6:33] » All right. With that being said, I'm
[6:35] going to be reading items 3.2 through
[6:38] 3.5. So starting with the first one,
[6:40] item 3.2, 2. City Ordinance 26-066
[6:44] is a franchise ordinance granting
[6:46] permission to David Abber Karum, his
[6:50] successors, and assigns to use
[6:51] approximately 46 square ft over the
[6:54] public right of way within 17 foot of
[6:57] right ofway North Street adjacent to lot
[7:00] 14.03, 03 block 1505 on the official tax
[7:05] map assessment map of the city of Jersey
[7:08] City 117 North Street. Item 3.3,
[7:14] city ordinance 26-067
[7:16] is a bond ordinance reappropriating
[7:18] 3,400,000
[7:20] in excess bond proceeds not needed for
[7:23] the original purpose in order to finance
[7:26] the cost of various capital improvements
[7:28] and the acquisition of various
[7:30] equipment. authorized in and by the city
[7:33] of Jersey City in the county of Hudson,
[7:35] New Jersey. Item 3.4, city ordinance
[7:38] 26-068, is an ordinance authorizing
[7:43] a lease with Newport Senate LLC for the
[7:46] use of a police substation in Newport
[7:49] Mall. And item 3.5, city ordinance
[7:53] 26-069,
[7:55] is an ordinance to amend section 3-85.1
[8:00] of the municipal code regarding the
[8:02] administration of the police offduty
[8:07] program. I'm going to mark Council
[8:09] Person Gilmore present at 6
[8:14] 15 p.m. So we have all nine council
[8:17] members present at 6:15. Council
[8:19] members, I'm going to be taking a vote
[8:21] for introduction on items 3.2 through
[8:24] 3.5. Council person Brooks,
[8:28] » I for introduction.
[8:30] » Council person Zupa,
[8:31] » I for introduction.
[8:33] » Council person Efos,
[8:34] » I for introduction.
[8:35] » Council person Little,
[8:36] » I for introduction.
[8:38] » Council person Gilmore.
[8:40] » Council person Singh,
[8:42] » I for introduction.
[8:43] » Council person Griffin. I would just
[8:45] like to thank the administration for for
[8:48] um hearing us Monday and um removing the
[8:51] money uh and putting it back into the
[8:56] homelessness program. I vote I for
[8:58] introduction.
[8:59] » Council person Lavaro,
[9:01] » I for introduction
[9:03] » And council president Ridley
[9:04] » I for introduction.
[9:06] » Items 3.2 through 3.5 are introduced
[9:10] unanimously 90.
[9:13] On to our second reading ordinances.
[9:17] Item 4.1, city ordinance 26-057,
[9:22] is an ordinance of the Jersey City
[9:23] Municipal Code amending the Jersey City
[9:26] Land Development Ordinance to remove
[9:29] Cyber Hotel and Data Center from the
[9:32] Industrial District. This is a public
[9:34] hearing. On this ordinance, any member
[9:36] of the public wishing to be heard,
[9:38] please come up to the podium and state
[9:40] your name for the record. And before you
[9:42] speak, just give me a moment to put the
[9:45] camera on you and I would need you to
[9:48] please state your name and spell your
[9:50] name for the record for our court
[9:52] reporter
[9:54] with the first speaker. Please state and
[9:56] spell your name for the record.
[9:58] » My name is Stephanie Stark. So the ph
[10:00] and an i s t a r tz
[10:04] t
[10:05] » A r tz.
[10:09] » All righty.
[10:12] Uh this is a comment on 41. Um there was
[10:15] a press release that went out that
[10:16] called out about five data centers in
[10:19] downtown specifically around um like the
[10:21] Harborside area. As I looked through the
[10:25] uh documentation for this ordinance, uh
[10:28] it appears that uh those data centers
[10:30] that are in downtown, they're considered
[10:32] colllocation data centers. uh this
[10:34] ordinance still allows colllocation data
[10:38] centers in the industrial area and
[10:40] anywhere in Jersey City. So I just
[10:42] wanted to call out that
[10:45] there was a kind of nonsense uh
[10:47] political theater press release that
[10:49] went out that tried to make I don't know
[10:52] someone look good for banning data
[10:54] centers um when the data centers they
[10:57] were referencing weren't really being
[10:59] banned. That's all.
[11:06] » Hey, this is still a public hearing on
[11:07] the ordinance. If you can just state and
[11:10] spell your name for the record.
[11:12] » It's Brendan Clark.
[11:14] » Can't hear you.
[11:15] » B R E N D E N.
[11:17] » Sir, you're going to have to bring the
[11:19] mic up. I can't hear you.
[11:21] » Brendan Clark. B R E N D E N. C L A R K.
[11:27] » Thank you, sir. Pleasure. Council
[11:30] President and members of the council,
[11:32] I'm here to ask you to table Ordinance
[11:35] 26057 tonight, not because data centers
[11:38] should get a free pass, but because a
[11:40] categorical prohibition is the wrong
[11:42] response to problems that can be
[11:44] regulated.
[11:46] Before Jersey City eliminates this use
[11:48] from its industrial land, I think
[11:50] taxpayers deserve answers to some very
[11:52] specific questions. Electricity. We've
[11:55] been told data centers should be banned
[11:57] because they use enormous electrical
[11:59] demand and could raise our utility
[12:02] bills. But on July 7th, Governor Cheryl
[12:04] signed the data center fair share law
[12:07] specifically to address that problem.
[12:10] The law directs the BPU to create
[12:12] separate rate structures for large data
[12:15] centers so that ordinary customers do
[12:17] not subsidize them. It specifically
[12:19] requires cost attributions to serving
[12:22] those facilities including generation,
[12:25] transmission, distribution, and
[12:26] substations to be allocated to the data
[12:29] center customers. So my question is, why
[12:32] are we banning an industry because of a
[12:34] cost shifting problem that the state of
[12:36] New Jersey just enacted legislation
[12:39] specifically designed to prevent?
[12:42] Second, money. Jersey City's own budget
[12:45] documents say this year we're facing a
[12:47] $225 million deficit. A 15.5%
[12:52] tax increase has gone into effect and
[12:55] we're telling homeowners we desperately
[12:57] need more recurring revenue. Yet at the
[13:00] same time, we're considering an
[13:01] ordinance eliminating an entire category
[13:04] of capital intensive development from
[13:06] our industrial property. Where is the
[13:09] fiscal impact study telling us how much
[13:12] ratable value and annual tax revenue
[13:14] ordinance 26057
[13:17] would could cost Jersey City? In
[13:19] Carterette, right down the road, NASDAQ
[13:22] and Equinex expanded the NY11 data
[13:25] center by 63,000 square ft. Carter
[13:29] publicly estimated that expansion would
[13:31] generate $13.5
[13:33] million in tax revenue over 30 years.
[13:38] If the concerns are legitimate, and many
[13:40] of them are, then regulate them. Instead
[13:44] of a ban, direct the planning
[13:46] department, finance department, and
[13:47] corporation council to develop a
[13:50] conditional use ordinance. Require every
[13:52] proposed data center to provide an
[13:54] independent electrical load study.
[13:57] Require compliance with the state's new
[13:58] data center rate payer protections.
[14:01] Require water usage infrastructure
[14:04] impact analysis.
[14:06] How much money will this ordinance, if
[14:08] adopted, cost Jersey City taxpayers?
[14:12] Let's not ban it. Let's regulate it.
[14:15] Thank you so much.
[14:19] » This is still a public hearing on this
[14:20] ordinance. Please state your name and
[14:22] spell your name for the record.
[14:24] » Jason Harley. Jason with J A Y S O N
[14:29] Harley. H A R L E Y B U R G.
[14:34] » Thank you.
[14:35] Um
[14:37] the in issue here is power and how do we
[14:41] get more power? Uh if everyone remembers
[14:45] we got to make power but cheaply. How
[14:48] many people here remember the little
[14:50] flywheel toys that you used to pull
[14:52] across the floor. Now interesting about
[14:55] the flywheel. China has the largest
[14:58] flywheel
[15:00] uh energy producing in in the world and
[15:05] flywheels basically can be made out of
[15:07] steel or by fiber uh fiber materials.
[15:11] Now Jersey City has two corridors that
[15:15] can make its energy. the uh down in
[15:18] Greenville uh on the down there what it
[15:22] called
[15:24] the Hudson River and then the the also
[15:27] the
[15:29] the Hackasack. Now the thing is is that
[15:32] Jury City has 43,000
[15:35] homeowners and we're being taxed hard.
[15:39] thing is is that if we take our people
[15:42] and do a consolidation called equity in
[15:46] our deeds
[15:48] with those 43,000 people homeowners,
[15:52] that's 2 two 215
[15:57] trillion
[15:59] coming out from the people's chest.
[16:02] If we use that, we can do very well. The
[16:06] thing is when we do a trusty ship,
[16:10] we would be able to do more with our own
[16:13] worth, not worry about speculators
[16:15] coming into our city and dividing us.
[16:19] Now, the city of Jersey City cannot do
[16:22] its own loans because if the loans
[16:25] become fault, the entire city goes
[16:27] under. But if you do a system of equity
[16:32] deeds, equity is on purpose. There's
[16:34] also people there in George. Jersey City
[16:37] has about 300,000 people now and 25% are
[16:42] kids, another 25% are seniors and the
[16:44] other 25 is uh the working class. The
[16:48] real thing here is working out a plan
[16:51] that works with the people. we become
[16:54] profitable by their own resources
[16:57] and when we do such a thing we will have
[17:01] the control of the data centers. Now
[17:04] I've done research on that and uh in
[17:07] order to do a data center like that
[17:09] power we have to uh use construction uh
[17:13] concrete. Now the real problem with
[17:15] Jersey City, these uh lands are on
[17:18] either side of a river bank and uh the
[17:23] real issue there is flooding. Now in
[17:25] this they do this construction here we
[17:27] would have to make sure these areas
[17:28] don't flood and are well protected and
[17:31] the point here is if we don't take a
[17:35] step forward for the city.
[17:37] » Thank you Jason.
[17:38] » Thank you. Time is up. God bless. Thank
[17:39] you.
[17:41] This is still a public hearing on city
[17:43] ordinance 26-057.
[17:46] Any member of the public still wishing
[17:47] to be heard, please come up to the
[17:49] podium and state your name for the
[17:51] record.
[17:51] » Motion.
[17:52] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[17:54] city ordinance 26-057
[17:57] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[17:59] I have a second?
[18:00] » Second.
[18:01] » Second by council president Ridley. on
[18:04] the motion to close a public hearing on
[18:05] city ordinance 26-057.
[18:08] Council person Brooks,
[18:17] Council Person Brooks. Sorry, I had
[18:20] feedback. I
[18:22] » Council Person Zupa.
[18:24] » Hi,
[18:25] » Council Person Ephro. I
[18:27] » Council Person Little.
[18:28] » Hi,
[18:29] » Council [clears throat] Person Gilmore.
[18:30] » I
[18:32] » Council person Singh. I
[18:34] » Council person Griffin.
[18:35] » I
[18:36] » Council person Lavaro.
[18:38] » Hi.
[18:39] » And council president Ridley.
[18:40] » Hi.
[18:41] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[18:43] city ordinance 26-057
[18:46] carries 90 for final consideration and
[18:49] adoption of city ordinance 26-057.
[18:53] Council person Brooks.
[18:56] » I.
[18:57] » Council person Zupa.
[18:59] » I.
[18:59] » Council person Ephro. Uh I'll vote I and
[19:02] I um just want to say appreciate the the
[19:05] comments before. Um I think this this
[19:07] ban is important not only for energy
[19:09] needs and I think we can't be too
[19:11] careful even with recent moves at the
[19:12] state level. Um but in addition to that
[19:16] land use that we have very limited land
[19:18] in Jersey City and I want to make sure
[19:20] that it's being put to the best use and
[19:22] I don't think data centers uh that are
[19:24] exclusively run as data centers not
[19:27] these collocation centers are um taking
[19:30] up that land. uh especially when the
[19:32] capital behind these kinds of industries
[19:34] is uh capital coming from artificial
[19:37] intelligence companies uh that are
[19:39] really hellbent on promulgating this
[19:41] industry at all costs. So I vote I
[19:45] council person.
[19:47] » Um I'm going to vote I as well. I I just
[19:50] want to clear up some of the
[19:51] misconceptions surrounding um the
[19:54] details of this. This is a ban on
[19:56] standalone data centers. Uh what Miss
[19:58] Start said was correct that it does
[20:02] exempt colllocated data centers but
[20:05] these are not the large
[20:07] AI data centers that people around the
[20:09] country are protesting right now. They
[20:11] are used by financial institutions,
[20:14] research institutions. Um they are used
[20:18] to meet the data needs of that
[20:20] particular business or research
[20:23] institution. So a laboratory on a
[20:25] college campus might have one of these
[20:27] if they if they are are running a large
[20:29] amount of computing. Um financial
[20:32] institutions frequently have these um
[20:34] they may take up one or two floors of
[20:36] their office building but they are not
[20:38] these standalone data centers um that
[20:41] are being driven by the rise of AI. Uh
[20:45] so so that is the difference between the
[20:47] two of them. um
[20:50] for the data centers that are
[20:55] being constructed across the country
[20:58] currently. And um
[21:02] is that me?
[21:15] the the standalone data centers that
[21:18] that we
[21:26] the standalone data centers that we are
[21:28] looking to ban create very few jobs for
[21:31] local Jersey City residents. And um
[21:37] given our very limited land in Jersey
[21:40] City, it is not a wise use of our
[21:41] industrial areas compared to industrial
[21:44] uses that could create better jobs and
[21:46] do not have the same energy and water
[21:48] usage concerns as large AI data centers
[21:51] have. So I just, you know, wanted to
[21:53] speak a little on the distinction
[21:54] between those, but uh I'm proudly vote
[21:56] I. I think this is a a great step for
[21:59] Jersey City.
[22:01] » Council Person Gilmore. I
[22:03] » Council person sing Singh.
[22:05] » Hi. And just um to add to what my
[22:08] colleagues are saying, they might be
[22:10] hiring less than 10 people from Jersey
[22:13] City, so it's not worth it.
[22:18] » Council person Griffin.
[22:21] Uh, and I I just want to say that um,
[22:23] you know, growing up in Jersey City,
[22:25] growing up in in in Greenville and in
[22:27] the Bergen area, we dealt with a lot of
[22:29] pollutants here in this city over the
[22:32] years and to bring a data center in uh,
[22:35] those types of data sensors that, you
[22:37] know, use heavy diesel, use a lot of
[22:39] water that cause air pollution is
[22:41] something that we don't need in our
[22:43] communities. I vote I,
[22:46] » Council Person Lavaro.
[22:48] » Yeah, I'm voting I. Um the the big the
[22:51] reason is affordability on this agenda
[22:54] and in future agenda we'll have a
[22:58] 15% tax increase on Jersey city
[22:59] residents. And so um couple that with
[23:02] rising electricity tax increase on
[23:06] Jersey City residents and coupled that
[23:08] with rising uh electricity bills and
[23:10] utility costs. Um it's documented that
[23:13] uh these data centers um are driving uh
[23:18] demand
[23:20] uh and electricity costs are going up as
[23:22] a result. And so um I'm going to vote I
[23:26] and uh hope that we can see a uh our our
[23:31] electricity costs here in Jersey City um
[23:33] as well as throughout the state
[23:34] ultimately um re that in.
[23:40] Council President Ridley.
[23:41] » I.
[23:43] » City Ordinance 26-057
[23:45] is adopted unanimously. 90.
[23:49] On to our next second reading ordinance.
[23:51] Item 4.2. City Ordinance 26-058
[23:55] is an ordinance authorizing the city of
[23:57] Jersey City to renew a lease for the
[23:58] Greater Neighborhood Alliance Community
[24:01] Garden sponsored by Greater Neighborhood
[24:02] Alliance for the use of block 30003.
[24:07] Lock 45, more commonly known as 81
[24:10] Garfield Avenue. This is a public
[24:12] hearing on the ordinance.
[24:16] Before I ask, if you can just state and
[24:19] spell your name for the record, I
[24:21] greatly appreciate it.
[24:24] » Charlene Burke, P H A R L E N E B U R K
[24:29] E. Good evening, council. I
[24:33] » Charlene, you got to bring the mic up.
[24:35] I am currently the acting president for
[24:38] the Jersey City Parks Coalition while
[24:40] Paula Mayioan has some personal things
[24:43] that she's attending to in the next few
[24:45] months. So I would like to speak on this
[24:48] ordinance all the way to the end of all
[24:51] the second readings. So all the
[24:53] community gardens, it's very important
[24:56] for our neighborhoods to have community
[24:59] gardens that are supported by the
[25:02] surrounding neighborhood because it's a
[25:04] place. It's a gathering place for people
[25:07] and it's a learning place for everyone.
[25:10] Whether you're young or you're older,
[25:13] there's something new to be learned
[25:15] about nature and what it does and how it
[25:18] exists and how it survives. That's what
[25:21] we do every single day of our lives. And
[25:25] we use this all of these observations in
[25:28] nature as a metaphor for what we
[25:31] struggle with. So, I really encourage
[25:34] not only you to vote affirmatively for
[25:38] all of these, but when any other
[25:40] community is bringing forth a community
[25:44] garden to you, that you all support that
[25:47] initiative because this is what really
[25:51] becomes the gathering place. If there's
[25:53] not a farmers market, if there's not a
[25:56] community center, these become the
[25:59] community gathering spaces. So, I
[26:02] encourage you all to support all of
[26:04] these as well as any of them that come
[26:06] forth to you from neighborhood
[26:09] initiatives,
[26:11] not the city necessarily determining,
[26:14] but from those that are supported by the
[26:17] neighborhood bringing to you to create
[26:20] them. Thank you.
[26:25] » This is still a public hearing on this
[26:26] ordinance. Any member of the public wish
[26:28] to be heard, please come up to the
[26:29] podium, state your name for the record.
[26:31] » Jason Harley Berg, we spell again.
[26:34] » No.
[26:34] » Okay.
[26:36] Um I was the adopted block program was
[26:39] an excellent program in the city.
[26:41] Actually, that was I was there when it
[26:43] was first done uh in Garfield Avenue
[26:46] when I did uh Green Waters. And uh it's
[26:50] interesting about that property, they
[26:52] only have a corner. Now, if you go in
[26:55] the back, there is another 11,000 square
[26:58] ft. And at the point I was trying to do
[27:01] when I was there is open that up. And
[27:04] the real thing uh with Miss Bert said,
[27:07] we need to have gardens uh in our
[27:10] community. And even more, we need to
[27:12] have more flowers. If you notice if you
[27:15] uh you're over 50, you're going to see a
[27:18] difference in the plants and the insects
[27:22] because of lack there's less insects.
[27:26] Now there is I think we have an
[27:28] ordinance for flowers. We need to do
[27:29] more but uh the adopt a lock program is
[27:33] very important but one thing we got to
[27:35] do is uh take that one step further.
[27:38] Flat roofs need to be have having
[27:40] gardens too. If anyone remembers during
[27:43] World War II, we had parents doing
[27:45] victory gardens. Very important was the
[27:49] home front. Without the home, without
[27:50] the homeront, there would have been no
[27:51] warfront. And if everyone starts using
[27:55] that uh the top of the roofs and have an
[27:57] ordinance that would help these uh
[28:00] individuals do that, we'd have more
[28:02] food, more flowers, and a better
[28:04] healthier life. And the key here is
[28:07] food. I mean, we don't have to use the
[28:10] atomic bomb with our with our an
[28:13] arsenal. We just need to throw our food
[28:15] out there. We have the most dangerous
[28:16] food there is high fructose corn syrup.
[28:19] It is very it's in everything. That's
[28:21] why America is 69% fat and obese. Cola
[28:25] wars started that. And if we start
[28:27] eating better, go back to the Bible
[28:29] reading, we can do better. And the real
[28:31] thing is we do need gardens, but we need
[28:34] people to be concerned. And the real
[28:35] problem is volunteers. And people don't
[28:38] give her, but they do. They have to. If
[28:42] they do that, they knew better. Hey, Mr.
[28:44] Gilmore, you know how hard it is to get
[28:46] people in involved in bite and bite and
[28:50] what happens around with all this stuff.
[28:51] The real thing here is let's be fruitful
[28:54] and let's do do it well because if we're
[28:57] not going to do it, we're all going to
[28:58] hell. Thank you.
[29:03] Still a public hearing on city ordinance
[29:05] 26-058.
[29:07] Any member of the public still wishing
[29:08] to be heard, please come up to podium
[29:10] and state and spell your name for the
[29:12] record.
[29:12] » Motion.
[29:13] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[29:15] city ordinance 26-058
[29:18] was made by council person Gilmore.
[29:22] » Who made the second?
[29:23] » Rolando.
[29:24] » If you can just allow me to read the
[29:26] motion into the record before you say
[29:27] second, I greatly appreciate it. I
[29:29] wouldn't have to ask who said it.
[29:32] » Second.
[29:34] » There you go.
[29:35] » On the motion to close a public hearing
[29:36] on city ordinance 26-05A. Council person
[29:39] Brooks
[29:40] » I.
[29:40] » Council person Zuba.
[29:42] » I.
[29:42] » Council person Efos.
[29:43] » Hi.
[29:44] » Council person Little.
[29:45] » I.
[29:46] » Council person Gilmore.
[29:47] » I.
[29:48] » Council person Singh.
[29:49] » I.
[29:49] » Council person Griffin.
[29:51] » Council person Labaro.
[29:53] » I.
[29:53] » And council president Ridley.
[29:55] » I. Motion carries 90 to close the public
[29:58] hearing on city ordinance 26-058
[30:01] for final consideration and adoption of
[30:03] city ordinance- 20 excuse me 26-058.
[30:08] Council person Brooks
[30:09] » I.
[30:10] » Council person Zupa.
[30:11] » Hi.
[30:12] » Council person Ephro.
[30:13] » Hi.
[30:14] » Council person Little.
[30:15] » Hi.
[30:16] » Council person Gilmore.
[30:18] » Hi.
[30:18] » Council person Singh.
[30:20] » Hi.
[30:20] » Council person Griffin.
[30:22] » Hi.
[30:22] » Council person Labaro.
[30:24] » Hi. and council president Ridley
[30:27] » I.
[30:27] » City ordinance 26-058
[30:30] is adopted unanimously 90.
[30:33] On to our next second reading ordinance.
[30:36] Item 4.3, city ordinance 26-059,
[30:40] is an ordinance authorizing the city of
[30:42] Jersey City to renew the lease for the
[30:44] Ogden's End Community Garden, sponsored
[30:47] by Riverview Neighborhood Association,
[30:49] for the use of block 520,
[30:53] lot 28, more commonly known as 105 Ogden
[30:57] Avenue. This is a public hearing on this
[30:59] ordinance. Any member of the public
[31:00] wishing to be heard, please come up to
[31:02] the podium and state your name for the
[31:04] record. Motion
[31:07] Motion to close the public hearing on
[31:09] city ordinance 26-059
[31:11] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[31:14] I have a second?
[31:16] » Second.
[31:16] » Second by council person Lavaro. On the
[31:19] motion to close a public hearing on city
[31:21] ordinance 26-059.
[31:23] Council person Brooks.
[31:25] » I.
[31:25] » Council person Zupa.
[31:26] » I.
[31:27] » Council person Epro.
[31:28] » I.
[31:29] » Council person Little.
[31:30] » I.
[31:30] » Council person Gilmore.
[31:32] » I.
[31:32] » Council person Singh.
[31:34] » I. Council Person Griffin.
[31:36] » I.
[31:36] » Council Person Labaro.
[31:38] » I.
[31:39] » And Council President Ridley.
[31:41] » I.
[31:42] » Motion carries 90 to close the public
[31:44] hearing on city ordinance 26-059
[31:47] for final consideration and adoption of
[31:50] city ordinance 26-059.
[31:52] Council person Brooks.
[31:54] » Hi.
[31:54] » Council person Zupa. I.
[31:56] » Council person Efos. I.
[31:58] » Council person Little. Hi.
[32:00] » Council person Gilmore. I. Council
[32:03] Person Singh,
[32:04] » Council Person Griffin,
[32:06] » I.
[32:06] » Council Person Laboro,
[32:08] » Hi.
[32:09] » And Council President Ridley,
[32:10] » I.
[32:11] » City Ordinance 26-059
[32:14] is adopted unanimously 90. On to our
[32:18] next second reading ordinance. Item 4.4,
[32:21] Four, city ordinance 26-060
[32:24] is an ordinance authorizing the city of
[32:26] Jersey City to renew the lease for Madoo
[32:29] Community Garden, sponsored by 167 Madoo
[32:32] Avenue Community Association, for the
[32:35] use of block 26301,
[32:38] lot 28, more commonly known as 142
[32:41] Makadoo Avenue. This is a public hearing
[32:43] on this ordinance. Any member of the
[32:45] public wishing to be heard, please come
[32:46] up to the podium, state your name, and
[32:48] spell it for the record.
[32:49] » Motion. Motion to close the public
[32:52] hearing on city ordinance 26-060
[32:56] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[32:57] I have a second?
[32:58] » Second.
[32:59] » Second by council person Griffin. On the
[33:02] motion to close a public hearing on city
[33:04] ordinance 26- 060. Council person
[33:07] Brooks.
[33:07] » I.
[33:08] » Council person Zupa.
[33:09] » I.
[33:10] » Council person Ephro.
[33:11] » I.
[33:11] » Council person Little.
[33:13] » Hi.
[33:13] » Council person Gilmore.
[33:15] » I.
[33:15] » Council person Singh.
[33:16] » Hi.
[33:17] » Council person Griffin.
[33:18] » Hi. Council person Lavaro.
[33:21] » I.
[33:21] » And council president Ridley.
[33:23] » I.
[33:23] » Motion carries 90 to close the public
[33:26] hearing on city ordinance 26- 060 for
[33:29] final consideration and adoption of city
[33:31] ordinance 26- 060. Council person
[33:34] Brooks.
[33:35] » I.
[33:36] » Council person Zupa.
[33:37] » I.
[33:38] » Council person Ephro.
[33:39] » Hi.
[33:40] » Council person Little.
[33:41] » Hi.
[33:42] » Council person Gilmore.
[33:43] » I.
[33:44] » Council person Singh.
[33:45] » Hi.
[33:45] » Council person Griffin.
[33:47] » Hi. Council Person Labaro.
[33:49] » Hi.
[33:49] » And council president Ridley.
[33:51] » Hi.
[33:52] » City ordinance 26-060
[33:54] is adopted unanimously. 90. On to our
[33:58] next second reading ordinance. Item 4.5.
[34:01] City Ordinance 26-061
[34:03] is an ordinance authorizing the city of
[34:05] Jersey City to renew the lease for
[34:07] Dwight Street Community Garden,
[34:09] sponsored by Dwight Street Block
[34:10] Association for the use of block 25604,
[34:15] lot 8, more commonly known as 185 Dwight
[34:18] Street. This is a public hearing on this
[34:21] ordinance. Any member of the public
[34:22] wishing to be heard, please come up to
[34:24] the podium, state, and spell your name
[34:25] for the record.
[34:27] » Motion. Motion to close the public
[34:29] hearing on city ordinance 26-061
[34:33] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[34:35] I have a second?
[34:36] » Second.
[34:37] » Second made by council president Ridley.
[34:41] On the motion to close the public
[34:43] hearing on city ordinance 26-061.
[34:46] Council person Brooks. I.
[34:49] » Council person Zupa. Hi.
[34:50] » Council person Efro. Hi.
[34:52] » Council person Little. Hi.
[34:54] » Council person Gilmore. Hi. Council
[34:56] person Singh.
[34:57] » Hi.
[34:58] » Council person Griffin.
[35:00] » Hi.
[35:00] » Council person Lavaro.
[35:02] » Hi.
[35:02] » And council president Ridley.
[35:04] » I.
[35:04] » Motion carries 90 to close a public
[35:07] hearing on city ordinance 26-061
[35:10] for final consideration and adoption of
[35:12] city ordinance 26-061.
[35:15] Council person Brooks.
[35:16] » I.
[35:17] » Council person Zupa.
[35:18] » Hi.
[35:19] » Council person Ephro.
[35:20] » Hi.
[35:20] » Council person Little.
[35:22] » Hi.
[35:22] » Council person Gilmore.
[35:24] » Hi. Council Person Singh, Council Person
[35:27] Griffin,
[35:28] » I.
[35:29] » Council Person Lavaro,
[35:31] » I.
[35:32] » And Council President Ridley,
[35:33] » I.
[35:34] » City Ordinance 26-061
[35:36] is adopted unanimously. 90. On to our
[35:40] next second reading ordinance. Item 4.6.
[35:43] City ordinance 26-062
[35:46] is an ordinance authorizing the city of
[35:48] Jersey City to renew the lease for
[35:50] Riverview Community Garden. sponsored by
[35:53] Riverview Community Garden Association
[35:55] for the use of block 30002.
[35:58] Block 2, more commonly known as 285
[36:00] Ogden Avenue for a community garden.
[36:03] This is a public hearing on this
[36:04] ordinance. Any member of the public
[36:06] wishing to be heard, please come up to
[36:07] the podium and state, spell your name
[36:09] for the record.
[36:11] » Motion to close a public hearing on city
[36:13] ordinance 26-062
[36:16] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[36:18] I have a second?
[36:19] » Second.
[36:19] » Second by council person Singh. On the
[36:22] motion to close the public hearing on
[36:23] city ordinance 26-062.
[36:26] Council person Brooks
[36:28] » I.
[36:28] » Council person Zupa.
[36:30] » I.
[36:30] » Council person Efos.
[36:32] » Hi.
[36:32] » Council person Little.
[36:33] » Hi.
[36:34] » Council person Gilmore.
[36:35] » I.
[36:36] » Council person Singh.
[36:38] » I.
[36:38] » Council person Griffin.
[36:40] » I.
[36:40] » Council person Labaro.
[36:42] » I.
[36:43] » And council president Ridley.
[36:45] » I.
[36:47] Motion carries 90 to close the public
[36:50] hearing on city ordinance 26-062
[36:52] for final consideration and adoption of
[36:54] city ordinance 26-062. Council person
[36:57] Brooks
[36:59] » I.
[36:59] » Council person Zupa.
[37:01] » Hi.
[37:01] » Council person Efos.
[37:03] » Hi.
[37:03] » Council person Little.
[37:05] » I.
[37:05] » Council person Gilmore.
[37:07] » I.
[37:07] » Council person Singh.
[37:09] » I.
[37:10] » Council Person Griffin.
[37:12] » I.
[37:13] » Council Person Labaro.
[37:14] » Hi.
[37:15] » And council president Ridley. I
[37:18] » City ordinance 26-062
[37:21] is adopted unanimously
[37:24] 90.
[37:26] On to our last
[37:29] second reading ordinance.
[37:34] Item 4.7, city ordinance 26-063,
[37:39] an ordinance authorizing the city of
[37:41] Jersey City to renew the lease for the
[37:43] Mandela Community Garden, sponsored by
[37:45] Greenville Neighborhood Alliance for the
[37:47] use of block
[37:49] 19503,
[37:51] lot 36, more commonly known as 447
[37:54] Martin Luther King Drive. This is a
[37:57] public hearing on this or on ordinance
[37:59] 26-063. Any member of the public wish to
[38:02] be heard, please come up to the podium
[38:04] and state your name for the record.
[38:06] Before you do that, let me just get the
[38:08] camera on you.
[38:09] » Oh. Oh,
[38:10] » No. No, no. And it's Tina NoS. I do know
[38:15] you.
[38:17] When you're ready, Tina.
[38:18] » Hi. Yes, my name is Tina No. And yes, I
[38:20] do work for Education of Gearmore. Um,
[38:23] I'm just going to say we should leave
[38:25] all the gardeners alone. We better
[38:27] enough don't have trees. So to see that
[38:29] we have this on here, we shouldn't. I
[38:31] want to say especially in my community,
[38:34] we already know education in Gilmore,
[38:36] they not allowed to stand on a corner.
[38:38] So by them not allowed to stand on the
[38:39] corner, remember we was able to open up
[38:42] the garden and let the young people come
[38:44] inside of the garden. They end up having
[38:46] movie nights. They do game nights. They
[38:49] meet and greets and they interact in the
[38:51] community by them having that park. So
[38:54] to see I'm just going to ask y'all to
[38:55] please continue to help all the gardens
[38:58] to continue to stay open because it's
[39:00] very important by us not having enough
[39:03] space for people. So to see that happen
[39:05] they are able to go inside the park in
[39:08] the um garden and um also learn about
[39:11] the gardens and different vegetables and
[39:13] different things that we do inside. So
[39:15] please put an account of keeping all the
[39:17] gardens open. Thank you.
[39:20] This is still a public hearing on city
[39:22] ordinance 26-063
[39:24] and I see Erica Walker.
[39:27] » Good evening, council. Erica Walker
[39:28] McQuilla. I'm here in support of
[39:31] renewing the lease of the Mandela
[39:32] Community Garden on MLK Drive aka
[39:35] Jackson A and really in support of all
[39:37] community gardens throughout Jersey
[39:39] City. I think sometimes we underestimate
[39:41] just how important spaces like this are.
[39:43] The Mandela Garden gives people a place
[39:46] to come together, grow food, beautify
[39:48] their neighborhood, and simply have
[39:50] somewhere peaceful to go. And on Jackson
[39:52] A especially, that matters. MLK, we have
[39:56] people in the area who are unhoused,
[39:58] people going through drug treatment and
[40:00] recovery, and people just dealing with
[40:02] the everyday stresses of life. Sometimes
[40:04] being able to put your hands in the dirt
[40:06] and plant something, watch it grow, and
[40:08] feel like you're a part of something
[40:10] positive can make a real difference. But
[40:12] we can't expect volunteers to carry all
[40:14] of this by themselves. We've seen Jersey
[40:17] City raise money and bring in sponsors
[40:19] for the Fourth of July and for FIFA
[40:22] events. Those are major events, but they
[40:24] come and go. Our community gardens are
[40:27] serving Jersey City residents every day.
[40:29] So, I would love to see the city use
[40:31] some of those same relationships and
[40:32] fundraising power to help our gardens
[40:34] get sponsors, grants, tools, soil,
[40:37] water, access, programming, whatever
[40:39] they need to be successful. It doesn't
[40:41] always take a lot of money. Sometimes
[40:43] people just need a little help and and
[40:45] the city willing to stand behind them. I
[40:47] support this ordinance. I support our
[40:49] community gardens. And I especially want
[40:51] to thank our volunteers who keep these
[40:53] spaces going. You're doing the real
[40:55] community work and you deserve our
[40:57] support. Also help keep Jersey Citys.
[41:04] This is still a public hearing on city
[41:06] ordinance 26-063.
[41:10] Any member of the public still wishing
[41:12] to be heard, please come up to the
[41:13] podium and state your name and spell
[41:14] your name for the record.
[41:16] » Motion.
[41:17] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[41:20] city ordinance 26-063
[41:24] was made by council person Gilmore. May
[41:26] I have a second?
[41:26] » Second.
[41:27] » Second by council person Griffin. On the
[41:30] motion to close a public hearing on city
[41:32] ordinance 26-063.
[41:34] Council person Brooks.
[41:36] » I.
[41:37] » Council person Zupa.
[41:39] » I. Council Person Ephro.
[41:40] » Hi.
[41:41] » Council person Little.
[41:42] » Hi.
[41:43] » Council person Gilmore.
[41:44] » I.
[41:45] » Council person Sing.
[41:46] » I.
[41:46] » Council Person Griffin.
[41:49] » I just want to thank everyone who
[41:50] » This is the close the public hearing.
[41:51] » Oh yeah. I
[41:53] » Council Person Labaro.
[41:55] » Hi.
[41:56] » Council President Ridley.
[41:57] » I.
[41:59] » Motion carries 90 to close the public
[42:01] hearing on city ordinance 26.063 063 for
[42:05] final consideration and adoption of city
[42:07] ordinance 26-063.
[42:10] Council person Brooks
[42:12] » I.
[42:13] » Council person Zupa.
[42:14] » Hi.
[42:15] » Council person Ephro.
[42:16] » I.
[42:17] » Council person Little.
[42:18] » I. And I'm proud to support all our
[42:20] community gardens.
[42:23] » Council person Gilmore.
[42:24] » I.
[42:26] » Council person Singh.
[42:27] » I.
[42:28] » Council person Griffin. You can say what
[42:30] you want.
[42:31] » Okay. Now,
[42:33] » Um, you know, I want to thank everyone
[42:35] um who came up today to speak on uh the
[42:38] community gardens. Um, and you when you
[42:42] think about the neighborhoods that
[42:43] they're in, they are greatly needed. Um,
[42:46] because you know, many of those areas
[42:49] there's not much to do or you know there
[42:52] you can you know what they say about
[42:54] idle hands. So to to have these gardens
[42:56] and to show people um you know how to
[43:00] grow and and and for these people to see
[43:02] things growing in their community I
[43:04] think is very important. Uh so I vote I
[43:08] » Council person Lavaro.
[43:10] » Hi.
[43:12] » And council president Ridley.
[43:13] » Uh I just want to echo the sentiments of
[43:16] people who spoke today in favor of
[43:18] community gardens. I think it was 2011 I
[43:22] started a community garden at the corner
[43:24] of Ocean in Bay View. There is now uh
[43:27] housing there, but at that time uh it's
[43:30] not there anymore.
[43:32] » Oh, they put the Yes.
[43:36] » He wants to mess with me. So, um at that
[43:40] time, you know, I don't I still don't
[43:43] have a green thumb. I just didn't want
[43:44] to see the empty lot there and figured
[43:46] it could have a better purpose. But
[43:48] luckily there were people in the
[43:49] community who did have green thumbs um
[43:52] who volunteered in that garden and made
[43:55] sure that it was open to the community.
[43:56] So community gardens in our neighborhood
[43:59] are super important and we should do
[44:01] anything that we can do to support them.
[44:03] So with that I vote I.
[44:05] » City ordinance 26-063
[44:08] is adopted unanimously
[44:10] 90.
[44:20] So,
[44:26] we are going to go a little bit out of
[44:28] order. I believe the council president
[44:32] wants to
[44:34] make a motion to defer to the public
[44:39] hearing on the 2026
[44:44] 2027 Journal Square
[44:47] special improvement district. Is that
[44:48] correct, Council President?
[44:50] » Correct. I just um anticipate there may
[44:53] be less speakers on that and if people
[44:55] are waiting specifically for that, I
[44:57] want to give them that opportunity um
[45:00] before we get to the public hearing on
[45:01] the budget.
[45:03] » Okay. So, the motion was made by Council
[45:06] Person Ridley. May I have a second?
[45:09] Second by council person Gilmore on the
[45:12] motion to defer to the public hearing on
[45:15] the 2026 2027 general square special
[45:18] improvement district assessment role and
[45:21] budget. Council person Brooks
[45:24] » Hi.
[45:25] » Council person Zupa.
[45:26] » Hi.
[45:27] » Council person Efos.
[45:28] » Hi.
[45:29] » Council person Little.
[45:31] » Council person Gilmore.
[45:33] » Council person Singh.
[45:34] » Hi.
[45:35] » Council person Griffin.
[45:36] » Hi. Council person Lavaro I.
[45:39] » And council president Ridley
[45:41] » I.
[45:42] » Motion carries 90 to defer to the public
[45:45] hearing on Journal Square SID assessment
[45:48] role and budget. So with that being
[45:51] said, we are going to move to the public
[45:55] hearing on the 2026 2027 general square
[45:59] special improvement district and
[46:01] assessment role. This is a public
[46:02] hearing. Any member of the public
[46:04] wishing to be heard, please come up to
[46:06] the podium and state your name and spell
[46:08] your name for the record.
[46:12] It's for the Journal Square special
[46:15] improvement district assessment role and
[46:18] budget 2026 2027.
[46:24] » Leverne, I can't hear you. This is a
[46:27] public hearing on the SID. If you want
[46:29] to speak on it, come up. I want to know
[46:32] about the public speaking list. If you
[46:34] count that we didn't get to that yet,
[46:36] Miss Lever separate. We didn't get to
[46:38] that yet.
[46:39] » We're not there yet.
[46:41] » Are we going there?
[46:42] » We will be.
[46:52] » So, are you speaking on the Journal
[46:54] Square special improvement district?
[46:56] » Yes.
[46:57] » Make sure you stay on the subject,
[46:58] Jason.
[46:59] » All right. A question from uh how many
[47:01] districts are there special in Jury
[47:03] City?
[47:05] » That's a question. I just wanted
[47:11] » Seven
[47:12] » Seven
[47:13] » Seven
[47:15] um and how much is this budget going to
[47:17] be? This where is this money coming
[47:19] from? Is this coming from the city of
[47:20] Jur City or is this coming from the
[47:23] merchants of the general square area?
[47:25] It's based on an assessment of the
[47:27] properties within the district.
[47:29] » And how many blocks is that? It's not a
[47:31] a back and forth. We're just here to
[47:33] listen to your comment.
[47:34] » All right. Yeah. I just But I'm not I'm
[47:36] ignorant at this point.
[47:38] And uh I'm sure that people uh want to
[47:41] know. I'm just I'm I'm the inquisitor.
[47:44] You're the teacher. If you don't know,
[47:45] » Do you have your cell phone with you?
[47:47] » Uh yes. You're going to go on there. If
[47:49] you were to go online and click on the
[47:52] assessment role and the actual budget,
[47:55] you would see the answers to your
[47:56] question.
[47:56] » Okay. Well, this helps the city of
[47:58] Jersey City and uh I would like to what
[48:02] I'd like to see happen with the with the
[48:05] districts. Um they do sweeping. Uh what
[48:09] I would like to see is then to do
[48:12] cleanup using u portable dry um
[48:16] [clears throat] dry wet vacuums. Now, in
[48:18] 2008, I was laughed at about having the
[48:22] uh street cleaners put in vacuum
[48:24] cleaners. Unfortunately, those units are
[48:26] terrible. They can't even take five
[48:28] blocks and they had to go back to the
[48:29] center. But again, if we have these um
[48:33] areas being cleaned up with uh vacuum
[48:36] cleaners, one is be less dust. Two,
[48:38] there'd be less dirt and our city will
[48:40] be cleaner. I mean, just using a little
[48:42] application for that for all the
[48:45] districts. So, uh, again, if, uh, who is
[48:49] it? They're saying, uh, cleanliness is
[48:51] next to godliness. Well, Jersey City has
[48:54] two ghettos,
[48:57] the poor and the rich. Now, what do
[49:00] these two communities have in common
[49:02] outside being diversely apart? They're
[49:05] all tenants, whether you gain paying
[49:08] $6,000 a month or you're getting section
[49:11] 8. Again, it's all about attitude and
[49:15] about also people not giving uh rats
[49:18] behind about anything because that they
[49:21] feel that uh they're not obligated to be
[49:24] good citizens and be caring people. And
[49:27] uh as I do, thank you very much for your
[49:30] time. God bless.
[49:33] This is still a public hearing on the
[49:34] Journal Square 2026 2025 special
[49:37] improvement district and assessment
[49:38] role. Any member of the public still
[49:40] wishing to be heard, please come up to
[49:42] the podium, state, and spell your name
[49:44] for the record.
[49:45] » Move to close.
[49:46] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[49:48] the 2026 2027 general square special
[49:52] improvement district assessment role and
[49:53] budget was made by council person Zupa.
[49:56] May I have a second?
[49:57] » Second.
[49:58] » Second by council president Ridley. on
[50:01] the motion to close a public hearing on
[50:02] the 2026 2027 Journal Square SID
[50:06] assessment and budget. Council person
[50:08] Brooks
[50:09] » I.
[50:10] » Council person Zupa.
[50:11] » Hi.
[50:12] » Council person Efos.
[50:13] » Hi.
[50:14] » Council person Little stepped out.
[50:17] Council person Gilmore.
[50:19] » Stepped out.
[50:20] » Stepped out. Sorry. Council person
[50:22] Singh.
[50:22] » Hi.
[50:23] » Council person Griffin. Hi.
[50:25] » Council person Lavaro. Hi.
[50:28] » And council president Ridley. Hi.
[50:30] Motion carries 70 to close a public
[50:34] hearing on the 2026 2027 Journal Square
[50:37] special improvement assessment role and
[50:39] budget with council members Little and
[50:42] Gilmore absent. Okay. Now on to our
[50:46] public hearing on the calendar year 2026
[50:49] municipal budget. Before we start lining
[50:53] up, I'd like you to line up in an
[50:55] orderly fashion in the middle of the
[50:58] floor.
[51:00] And just so you know, you're going to be
[51:02] paying attention to the little clock on
[51:04] top of the big clock because that's
[51:05] going to give you five minutes. You get
[51:08] five minutes and it's very strict. So
[51:10] you please you have to stay on the
[51:13] subject of the budget.
[51:15] » That being said,
[51:16] » One second,
[51:17] » Sean.
[51:17] » Okay,
[51:18] » We I just want to say a few things
[51:20] before we start, but go ahead, Corp
[51:21] Council, if you have something to say. I
[51:23] was going to flag that I suspect that at
[51:25] this moment in time we want to defer to
[51:28] a late item resolution to wave what is
[51:31] otherwise the mandatory reading of the
[51:34] budget.
[51:34] » We did.
[51:35] » We did that and we actually approved it.
[51:37] » Sorry.
[51:38] » That's okay.
[51:40] » Um I just want to go through uh the
[51:43] process because I know that all of the
[51:46] budget stuff can be a little confusing.
[51:48] So I just want to um outline a few
[51:50] things in the beginning. Uh this is a
[51:53] public hearing on the introduced budget.
[51:56] I know tonight some of you may see a
[51:58] resolution for budget amendments. There
[52:00] will be a public budget hearing for the
[52:03] amendments next week. We are holding a
[52:07] special meeting for that on next
[52:09] Wednesday the 26th
[52:11] um at 5:00 p.m. So this is on the budget
[52:14] as introduced. Um, as most of you know
[52:18] from our discussions at previous
[52:20] meetings, or if you do not know, um, the
[52:23] state has mandated a 15% tax increase
[52:28] that is mandated from the state. Um,
[52:32] of course, our council isn't thrilled
[52:34] about that and we welcome any uh
[52:37] assistance and advocacy from residents
[52:39] who would like to join in with pushing
[52:42] for some more changes at the state, but
[52:44] that is just where we are. So, I want
[52:46] everyone to be aware of that. And again,
[52:48] tonight we are not voting on the budget,
[52:50] but we are having a public hearing on
[52:53] the introduced budget. And with that,
[52:56] Sean, you can take it away.
[52:58] » Okay.
[52:59] Our first speaker,
[53:03] » Ivonne Bolster. And yes, I read the
[53:05] budget very well. And I'm going to quote
[53:09] the pages you have there. For instance,
[53:11] on page or you have sheet 27A,
[53:15] we're paid $7 million in notes and bond
[53:19] on Bayfront. This is another example why
[53:22] the city cannot afford affordable
[53:24] housing because the burden is not placed
[53:27] on the tenants. It's going to be placed
[53:30] on us. So, this is I've always said
[53:33] there is a a u something a problem with
[53:36] this seven. It is notes. in his
[53:40] interest. I mean, it's ridiculous. And
[53:41] you want to push more affordable housing
[53:43] and I got to pay the bond interest on
[53:45] this.
[53:46] On sheet 27A, it also shows that we're
[53:50] paying $88 million in total bond debt.
[53:55] Now, when Mayor Full came into office,
[53:58] the bond debt was $59 million. So, we're
[54:02] now paying a total of $29 million extra.
[54:06] And yet, our rateable base has
[54:07] increased.
[54:10] on page 20, which is really important,
[54:14] the city has put aside $13 million for
[54:17] tax appeals. You're underfunding the
[54:20] budget.
[54:22] When I look at the friendly budget,
[54:24] which is not here, and it should be
[54:25] here, by the way. It has in the past.
[54:28] and the friendly budget from previous
[54:30] years. It would show you that the city
[54:33] in 2025 paid $34 million in tax appeals
[54:39] and in 2024 we paid $49 million in tax
[54:43] appeals. So automatically this budget is
[54:46] underfunded for tax appeals. And the
[54:49] reason why we underfunded for tax
[54:51] appeals because landlords cannot pass on
[54:54] a tax increase of the rent control. So
[54:56] they run the tax court and they win and
[54:59] then me the taxpayer got to pay not only
[55:02] for affordable housing, I got to pay for
[55:04] all the tax appeals because privileged
[55:06] people are not going to pay a tax
[55:08] increase. And by the way, I'm going up
[55:10] 15.5%
[55:12] on the city, 17% on the board of ed, and
[55:15] 10 14% on the county. The most you can
[55:18] bring up for September for rent control
[55:21] tennis is 4.1%.
[55:24] I got it from the city's website.
[55:27] So that's a real problem. You you're
[55:30] putting people like me, the independent,
[55:32] in in tax jeopardy.
[55:34] Now, the other thing I want to bring up
[55:36] is that the city is
[55:40] you have $49 million in deferred
[55:44] payments. What's the problem for that?
[55:46] If we're getting money from the state,
[55:48] then why does this budget show deferred
[55:50] payments? Doesn't make sense at all.
[55:55] Now,
[55:58] I know you would like to bra to blame
[56:00] the mayor, the previous mayor, but you
[56:03] know, Jersey City is under the Forkner
[56:05] Act, which means the budget process
[56:07] belongs to you. The mayor's job is to
[56:10] spend the money. It's your job to lose
[56:12] the budget. But the problem is that ever
[56:14] since you got elected to office, you've
[56:17] been spending and spending and spending,
[56:22] and the budget has not been out. Now I
[56:24] may not blame the new people but there's
[56:27] there's three people here that's was
[56:29] part of the previous administration and
[56:31] there's Mayor Stalin himself. So the
[56:34] budget if you don't do the budget the
[56:37] state of New Jersey goes after you does
[56:39] not go after the mayor but you go
[56:41] ordinance after ordinance. Some of these
[56:43] ordinances is is open-ended. I should
[56:46] say resolutions they're open-ended and
[56:48] you just vote on them. You vote on them.
[56:50] Why don't we have a fixed budget in
[56:52] February? So when I have my bills, I
[56:55] know what they are. But you spend spend
[56:57] spend spend and therefore by the time
[56:59] you have a budget, you can't cut nothing
[57:02] back. If I did that with my household,
[57:06] I'll be in the street. I have to first
[57:08] pay my bills and then what's left over
[57:11] is for other things. But you spend spend
[57:13] spend the first three quarters. The
[57:15] first three quarters are estimated
[57:17] bills.
[57:19] Now those people that have a mortgage,
[57:21] they have to put in more money in escrow
[57:24] and their bank is going to war more than
[57:27] what you you have. So the the bottom
[57:30] line is it is your job. You like to
[57:33] blame um I guess Phil and he deserves he
[57:36] deserves full but it's your job and you
[57:39] have not been doing your job especially
[57:41] those who were in previous
[57:43] administrations. The bonding is out of
[57:46] control. You cannot have the bonds keep
[57:48] going up. And it doesn't make sense
[57:50] because when Philip got into office, the
[57:52] city's debt was the city's revenue was
[57:56] $485 million. When he left office, it
[58:00] was $750 million. We're now looking at
[58:02] something much higher than that. Much
[58:05] higher than that. And yet you have to
[58:07] continually defer compensation. Where is
[58:10] the money going?
[58:11] » Thank you.
[58:30] You can state your name.
[58:31] » Stephanie starts.
[58:32] » Okay.
[58:34] » Just to start off, it's uh almost late
[58:36] August and we are talking about a budget
[58:39] that began in January 2026.
[58:43] They spent it. I mean, what is there to
[58:45] what is there to talk about? What
[58:47] savings are there to make when we start
[58:49] the process in late June, July?
[58:52] kind of the dies cast. Um I would ask
[58:54] that for 2027 that process began in Q1
[58:59] and we actually make an effort to make
[59:01] changes to how this city spends and look
[59:04] for ways to save residents money. The
[59:07] cost of living in Jersey City is 26%
[59:10] higher than the national average driven
[59:12] by housing costs that are about 85%
[59:14] above the US norm. Jersey City will get
[59:17] more expensive as homeowners, landlords,
[59:20] and small businesses are burdened by
[59:22] this 15.5% property tax. Well, let's
[59:26] make one thing clear. This was not a
[59:27] transparent process. This property tax
[59:30] was decided by the mayor and the mayor
[59:32] alone.
[59:34] Mayor owns this property tax, how it was
[59:36] rolled out, how poorly it was
[59:38] communicated, and the harm it will build
[59:41] bring to residents. All of that is owned
[59:43] by the mayor. Our already inflated
[59:46] housing costs are going to increase. We
[59:49] are already seeing residents spend less
[59:51] in response to this. Bis local business
[59:53] owners are reporting a slower August
[59:55] than usual. Gym owners are reporting
[59:58] canceled memberships and fewer
[1:00:00] individual class purchases because
[1:00:02] renters are receiving renewals that
[1:00:04] includes the added cost of the property
[1:00:06] tax. Some that assumed it would be 20%.
[1:00:09] Dog walkers are losing clients because
[1:00:11] people are already moving out of town.
[1:00:13] Small business owners will be forced to
[1:00:15] raise their prices and be
[1:00:17] disincentivized to create jobs. When
[1:00:20] locals pull back their spending, stores
[1:00:22] raise their prices, and employers cut
[1:00:24] back on hiring, the local economy
[1:00:26] suffers. Also, this mayor can claim
[1:00:29] fiscal responsibility.
[1:00:31] How fiscally responsibility is it to get
[1:00:33] to August and not have a budget? How
[1:00:36] fiscally responsible for it is the city
[1:00:39] to continue continue to spend to
[1:00:41] continue to hand out patronage jobs with
[1:00:44] inflated salaries?
[1:00:46] All we know about this budget is that it
[1:00:48] asks residents to pay more while city
[1:00:51] hall does less and has the nerve to
[1:00:53] expand their own compensation. While
[1:00:56] residents struggle to pay their
[1:00:57] mortgages, rent, grocery bills, this
[1:01:00] administration has expanded highle
[1:01:02] compensation. The mayor's inner circle
[1:01:05] and newly created positions account for
[1:01:07] roughly 20 employees, earning nearly
[1:01:10] four million in combined salaries before
[1:01:12] benefits. The mayor's highest paid
[1:01:14] employees earn nearly three times the
[1:01:17] average city hall employee. The mayor's
[1:01:20] directors are paid one and a half times
[1:01:22] more than the average director level
[1:01:24] employee. Fiscal responsibility cannot
[1:01:26] mean higher taxes for residents while
[1:01:28] expanding six figure salaries and
[1:01:30] executive compensation within city hall.
[1:01:33] The city's chief financial a officer
[1:01:36] should be the strongest advocate for
[1:01:38] fiscal restraint, not an example of
[1:01:40] exceptions being made at the top. The
[1:01:42] person charged with holding the line on
[1:01:44] city spending received a $60,000 raise,
[1:01:47] bringing his total compensation to
[1:01:49] $250,000.
[1:01:51] The CFO's raise was justified by
[1:01:53] consolidating roles. Yet, the city later
[1:01:56] created a new $150,000 position to
[1:01:59] support him. Leadership means
[1:02:01] demonstrating the same fiscal discipline
[1:02:03] expected from everyone else. The mayor
[1:02:06] should be focused on programs that help
[1:02:08] keep homeowners and renters in Jersey
[1:02:10] City. He should be developing new
[1:02:12] revenue streams to offset the burden
[1:02:14] placed on homeowners. And he should be
[1:02:16] creating jobs that pay well for
[1:02:18] everyone, not just a select few, so
[1:02:20] people can keep up with the cost of
[1:02:22] living. Now, I have a question about
[1:02:24] where is some of this money? We received
[1:02:26] a $15 million grant from the state. How
[1:02:29] is it being used? According to the
[1:02:31] city's audited financial statements, at
[1:02:33] the end of 2025, we had a surplus of
[1:02:35] nearly 28 million. Why was only 2.2
[1:02:38] million introduced in the budget? Where
[1:02:40] is that 26 million? There was an attempt
[1:02:43] at the end of 2025 to reallocate 58
[1:02:46] million, then I think changed down to
[1:02:48] 4745
[1:02:50] in excess proceeds from previously
[1:02:52] authorized bonds. That was tabled. The
[1:02:54] money is still there. I think 9 million
[1:02:56] of that was spent in June. I think 3
[1:02:58] million is probably on the book uh this
[1:03:01] agenda for first reading ordinance.
[1:03:05] The 2025 audit conclude there are only
[1:03:08] 94 millions in deferred charges but
[1:03:10] cannot explain the mayor's claims of 255
[1:03:14] million deficit. This unpaid bills
[1:03:18] narrative does not match the city's own
[1:03:20] records. The city readily admits in
[1:03:22] documents that the 109 million unpaid
[1:03:25] bills number is an estimate. it
[1:03:27] reconstructed with no single source.
[1:03:32] Line items complete future headcount
[1:03:34] requests, capital expenditures, and
[1:03:37] reserves.
[1:03:45] » Next speaker, you're Brandon, right?
[1:03:47] » Yes, sir.
[1:03:48] » Okay. When you ready? in the budget
[1:03:51] under appropriations that had
[1:03:54] appropriations in 2025.
[1:03:56] For 2026,
[1:03:58] 45 of those appropriations have an
[1:04:01] increase of more than 10%.
[1:04:05] Of that, there are 11 appropriations
[1:04:08] that have an increase of more than 100%.
[1:04:12] There are such increases as a 36,000%
[1:04:17] increase in a line item that is just
[1:04:21] called traffic engineering other
[1:04:24] expenses.
[1:04:26] There is a line item with an increase of
[1:04:30] 141.5%
[1:04:33] and its description is just information
[1:04:36] technology salaries and wages.
[1:04:40] Now, I think everyone in this room would
[1:04:43] agree that we are owed a little bit more
[1:04:46] of an explanation as to why any
[1:04:49] appropriations that are increasing by
[1:04:52] more than 10%.
[1:04:55] We're not asking for a lot. Two, three,
[1:04:58] four sentences for every item that is
[1:05:01] being increased by more than 10% when
[1:05:04] you're asking us to pay 15%. I know
[1:05:07] there were a lot of meetings over the
[1:05:09] past month where you had department
[1:05:10] heads come in here, present their
[1:05:13] budgets. Maybe they explained that in
[1:05:15] detail to y'all, but we unfortunately
[1:05:18] aren't don't always have the ability or
[1:05:21] the privilege to be at those meetings or
[1:05:23] watch them for 4 hours online. But I
[1:05:26] think the least this council can do is
[1:05:28] give your constituents some information
[1:05:31] as to why those line items are being
[1:05:34] increased so much. I mean things
[1:05:39] sustainability, other expenses is
[1:05:42] increased by 237%
[1:05:45] over its appropriation last year. We
[1:05:47] need information as to what that is.
[1:05:50] Maybe there's a great reason for it, but
[1:05:52] you're asking us to put a lot of extra
[1:05:55] money on our tax bill, but we're getting
[1:05:58] no information here. So, please, please
[1:06:02] consider working with us and giving us
[1:06:04] information on this. Thank you so much.
[1:06:13] » Next speaker,
[1:06:15] » State your name for the record. Last
[1:06:17] name ever. First name greatest. Okay. My
[1:06:20] legal name.
[1:06:22] You can see that coming. My legal name
[1:06:25] Kevin. Ke V I N. Uh. My last name Davis.
[1:06:30] D A V I S.
[1:06:36] All right. So, at the last meeting, I
[1:06:38] had something up my sleeve. I
[1:06:40] blindfolded myself to show what it's
[1:06:42] like living in Jersey City. We are
[1:06:45] blindfolded and we can't see what we are
[1:06:47] doing. Well, you know what? We are also
[1:06:50] handcuffed as my magic trick is about to
[1:06:53] show you you.
[1:07:06] We are handcuffed and there's so many
[1:07:08] things we are unable to do to change
[1:07:11] this budget. Abracadabra.
[1:07:20] All right. And don't worry, I had a
[1:07:22] locksmith disable the locks, so they're
[1:07:24] not legally a restraining device, so I'm
[1:07:26] not committing any crimes. I did do my
[1:07:29] homework. My dad's a lawyer. Just by
[1:07:32] being Jewish, I should know enough law
[1:07:34] myself.
[1:07:35] All right. So, we are handcuffed by the
[1:07:40] calendar because look at the month right
[1:07:43] now. It is August. The fiscal year
[1:07:46] started in January. So, how are you
[1:07:48] supposed to change the budget when most
[1:07:50] of the year is already over? We are
[1:07:53] handcuffed
[1:07:55] for uh for next year's budget for with
[1:07:57] expiring pilot agreements. So, there's
[1:08:00] going to be even more of a revenue
[1:08:02] crunch.
[1:08:03] We are handcuffed by underutilized
[1:08:06] government-owned properties. We have so
[1:08:08] many government-owned properties where
[1:08:11] we could be getting readables and
[1:08:12] revenue out of. Just like open your eyes
[1:08:15] and think of the possibilities.
[1:08:17] Schools have issues with capacity. Why
[1:08:19] not take some of that space? Build a
[1:08:22] school at the bottom. Have luxury
[1:08:23] housing up top. We have a housing
[1:08:25] crisis. we don't have enough housing to
[1:08:29] on the supply side uh to answer the
[1:08:32] demand side. Uh we are handcuffed by the
[1:08:35] inclusionary zoning ordinance because
[1:08:37] even though it's good to build
[1:08:39] affordable housing uh there's certain
[1:08:41] developments where it may not make
[1:08:43] sense. So why not do it on a case-byase
[1:08:46] level uh rather than grinding it to a
[1:08:48] halt. Uh we are handcuffed by
[1:08:51] expenditures that already occurred. Um,
[1:08:54] you can't exactly cut something in the
[1:08:56] budget if it's already been spent. Uh,
[1:08:59] we are handcuffed uh by low cash
[1:09:02] reserves. Uh, and that ties into another
[1:09:05] thing that we're handcuffed by. Uh,
[1:09:07] we're handcuffed uh by our bond rating
[1:09:10] being downgraded. Um, so when the bond
[1:09:12] ratings downgraded, uh, borrowing is
[1:09:15] more expensive. Uh, so if we increased
[1:09:18] our cash reserves, we upgraded our bond
[1:09:21] rating, we can refinance our debt, not
[1:09:23] cut any services, and have more money to
[1:09:25] spend on other things. Um, we are
[1:09:29] handcuffed by the long-term loan
[1:09:31] agreement because any budget we have to
[1:09:33] do from now on, we have to go to the DCA
[1:09:35] first, just like for today, we only have
[1:09:37] one budget amendment, even though we
[1:09:39] originally had four because the DCA
[1:09:41] said, "No, no, no. It has to be one bond
[1:09:43] agree. It has to be one um amendment. It
[1:09:47] has to be a tax increase of at least
[1:09:50] 15.5%.
[1:09:52] Um we are handcuffed by rising health
[1:09:55] care costs. Uh we're also handcuffed by
[1:09:59] uh deferred healthcare payments.
[1:10:01] Uh we are handcuffed because of a
[1:10:04] mismatch between the city and the state
[1:10:06] fiscal year calendars. The state fiscal
[1:10:08] year in Trenan has a different schedule
[1:10:10] than ours. Why can't we map ours so
[1:10:13] we're at the same time as them? Because
[1:10:14] especially now that we're pretty tied in
[1:10:17] with them for our budget as well as the
[1:10:19] mandates they pass on, why can't we look
[1:10:21] into moving our fiscal year to match the
[1:10:22] state? I brought that up at Zupa's town
[1:10:25] hall. Uh we are handcuffed by a
[1:10:28] dysfunctional OPER process uh where some
[1:10:30] of my Oprah requests are older than
[1:10:32] Richard Boiano.
[1:10:35] Um well, that's not very nice to Richard
[1:10:37] to compare it to the length of time that
[1:10:38] I'm waiting for my Opras. Um, we're
[1:10:41] handcuffed by the a blame game where
[1:10:43] people are blaming the last
[1:10:44] administration, the current one. I don't
[1:10:46] care whose fault it is. Just fix the
[1:10:48] issues.
[1:10:49] We are, oh god,
[1:10:52] we we are handcuffed by a taxpayer
[1:10:55] funded government communications machine
[1:10:58] that controls the narrative. And
[1:11:00] sometimes we're the first, we find out
[1:11:03] about things from them first. Uh, that
[1:11:05] sounds very uh, Ministry of Truthish.
[1:11:08] Uh, we are handcuffed by the Socialist
[1:11:10] and Office Committee. Oh, good. I only
[1:11:12] have 20 seconds left. You guys are
[1:11:13] spared. But maybe you should listen to
[1:11:16] all your constituents, not just the 73
[1:11:18] in W D that are members of the DSA. Uh,
[1:11:21] it's called democracy for a reason. You
[1:11:23] got to listen to the people.
[1:11:26] We need to stop being handcuffed.
[1:11:29] Stay sharp, Jersey City.
[1:11:36] Oh, my
[1:11:39] You can just state your name and spell
[1:11:40] your name for the record. Uh,
[1:11:42] » My name is Iwani Skivas. It is spelled I
[1:11:45] O A N I S.
[1:11:46] » Slow.
[1:11:47] » I O A N I S. Last name S K O U L I D A
[1:11:55] S.
[1:11:56] » L I D A S.
[1:11:58] » Correct. All right. Um, so hello city
[1:12:01] council.
[1:12:03] Obviously, it is very understandable how
[1:12:06] difficult a position that the city is in
[1:12:08] with this uh budget crisis but on in
[1:12:12] part by the actions of a previous
[1:12:15] administration that did not care about
[1:12:18] uh keeping this uh city financially
[1:12:20] healthy. However, unfortunately for the
[1:12:22] residents of Jersey City today, we are
[1:12:25] struck uh stuck with a drastically
[1:12:28] increasing tax burden that we have no
[1:12:30] way out of. Uh and it is no fault of our
[1:12:33] own. And yes, uh unfortunately, Jersey
[1:12:37] City residents will feel real pain with
[1:12:39] this tax increase causing Jersey City to
[1:12:41] be ever more unaffordable.
[1:12:43] But while we may, some of us may be able
[1:12:46] to rationalize why there are few options
[1:12:48] for Jersey City besides this large tax
[1:12:52] increase. What residents cannot accept
[1:12:53] is a budget after accepting this which
[1:12:57] uh mind you our council and mayor have
[1:12:59] full control over that does not make it
[1:13:01] its first priority to protect residents
[1:13:03] as much as possible from the
[1:13:05] unaffordability by putting these taxes
[1:13:07] to good use. And that's where my
[1:13:10] confusion lies. How can a budget which
[1:13:12] purports to uh sorry how can a budget
[1:13:16] which purports to be engaged in
[1:13:18] discipline spending cutting almost $10
[1:13:20] million from the vast majority of uh
[1:13:24] departments in the city blow 30% of
[1:13:27] those savings just on police salary and
[1:13:29] wages? Yes, because of this budget
[1:13:32] budget crisis it may be impossible to
[1:13:34] continue fully funding every department
[1:13:36] in the city. But do we really believe
[1:13:38] drastically cutting the department of
[1:13:40] health and human services, uh, cutting
[1:13:42] right to council, cutting the division
[1:13:44] of affordable housing, and cutting the
[1:13:46] division of sanitation to name a few
[1:13:48] parts of the city services that have
[1:13:50] been drastically cut? Is all of this
[1:13:52] worth
[1:13:54] just a small percentage of increase for
[1:13:57] police wages? Why is disciplined
[1:13:59] spending suddenly out of the question
[1:14:00] when it comes to the police? To put it
[1:14:03] frankly, the solution to budget uh
[1:14:05] Jersey City's budget crisis brought on
[1:14:07] by the proposed 26 uh budget by Mayor
[1:14:10] Solomon is to cut the vast majority of
[1:14:13] city services that crucially protect
[1:14:16] residents when we're in this very
[1:14:18] difficult uh situation with the tax
[1:14:21] increase. And it's to solve uh whatever
[1:14:25] crime that may be uh increasing when
[1:14:27] people are put into extreme financial
[1:14:29] hardship by a minor 3% increase in
[1:14:32] police wages. The alternative is the
[1:14:35] people's budget for which this council
[1:14:37] has received so many letters in support.
[1:14:39] So many services which uh will be
[1:14:41] crucial for working-class residents in
[1:14:43] the face of a large tax increase are
[1:14:45] able to remain properly funded
[1:14:48] uh if we don't just blow uh $3 million
[1:14:52] for a 3% increase in police salaries.
[1:14:56] And I don't care what uh the uh director
[1:15:00] of uh public safety says. This small uh
[1:15:04] increase in the budget is not the
[1:15:05] difference between an entire city police
[1:15:08] precinct shutting down. So no, Jersey
[1:15:11] City residents are not begging for
[1:15:13] salaries for bloated police leadership
[1:15:16] or for tens of cops to amulously stand
[1:15:18] around at ma minor rallies at the city
[1:15:20] hall or for funding overtime abuse by
[1:15:22] the police. We are begging to be able to
[1:15:24] afford to live in the city we love with
[1:15:26] its important city services that the
[1:15:28] least advantage of us rely on. And so
[1:15:31] I'll briefly add that while I appreciate
[1:15:33] the direction of the budget amendment uh
[1:15:36] later in this meeting, it barely
[1:15:38] scratches the surface of what I'm
[1:15:39] talking about. And it's very
[1:15:41] disappointing to see uh D uh DCA
[1:15:44] pressuring the city council to roll all
[1:15:47] of their amendments into one when there
[1:15:49] are no terms of that in theou.
[1:15:52] So what Jersey City needs to best
[1:15:54] support us in this face of a large tax
[1:15:56] increase is a workingclass centered
[1:15:58] people's budget. Thank you very much.
[1:16:07] » Just state and spell your name for the
[1:16:08] record.
[1:16:10] » Good evening, council. My name is Isaac
[1:16:12] Himenez.
[1:16:15] Just to clear something up that
[1:16:17] Stephanie said, municipalities do
[1:16:19] budgeting this late because they need
[1:16:21] the state budget done first.
[1:16:24] I'm not going to entertain you with
[1:16:25] magic tricks. I'm speaking today as a
[1:16:28] concerned Jersey City resident and I'm
[1:16:31] concerned with this budget. That's why
[1:16:32] I'm here.
[1:16:34] Not because this amendment doesn't
[1:16:36] attempt to address a growing police
[1:16:38] budget because it attempts to, but
[1:16:41] because the process, the lack of local
[1:16:44] control, the overreach of the state. It
[1:16:46] was shared in the Jersey City Times that
[1:16:48] after four amendments to this budget
[1:16:51] were drafted by different council
[1:16:52] members, the DCA instructed the city
[1:16:55] that only one amendment would be heard
[1:16:56] and that amendment would be chosen by
[1:16:58] the council president.
[1:17:00] Thank you, Councilman Brooks, Ephro, and
[1:17:03] Councilwoman Little for initiating this
[1:17:05] amendment process. And thank you,
[1:17:06] Council Member Griffin, Lavaro, and
[1:17:08] Ridley for having your own amendments.
[1:17:10] Democracy is important. Local control is
[1:17:13] important. I want to be clear when I say
[1:17:16] this. DCA is holding this city's
[1:17:18] autonomy hostage. Where in theou for the
[1:17:21] 105 million did it say the state would
[1:17:23] need to have its budget approved by the
[1:17:25] state and and that the council president
[1:17:27] had the sole authority to select an
[1:17:28] amendment. That was never a condition to
[1:17:31] my knowledge of the loan.
[1:17:33] What was a condition of the loan was
[1:17:35] that Jersey City had to raise its taxes
[1:17:37] and that was hard. That, in my view, was
[1:17:40] a painful and yet necessary decision
[1:17:41] that the city had to make to rid itself
[1:17:44] of the situation wrought on by the
[1:17:45] former administration.
[1:17:47] But what we choose to pay for with those
[1:17:50] levied taxes should be our choice. And
[1:17:53] when we ask the residents of Jersey City
[1:17:54] where they'd rather see their taxes go,
[1:17:56] they tell us. And they tell us in this
[1:17:58] chamber.
[1:18:00] They tell us they want to see more
[1:18:01] affordable housing. They tell us they
[1:18:04] want to see mental health crisis
[1:18:05] response because too many Jersey City
[1:18:07] residents have been left to fend for
[1:18:09] themselves or worse, be criminalized
[1:18:11] during their hardest moments. Justice
[1:18:14] for Drew.
[1:18:18] They tell us they want to see code
[1:18:20] enforcement. They tell us they want to
[1:18:22] see effective animal care and control.
[1:18:24] They tell us they want traffic
[1:18:25] enforcement. And we need that because
[1:18:27] these drivers on the road are
[1:18:28] crazy. And I say that as a driver.
[1:18:34] What I've never once heard a speaker at
[1:18:36] this day say who wasn't employed
[1:18:38] directly by the department is that we
[1:18:40] need more police overtime or more deputy
[1:18:43] chiefs or more police captains. The
[1:18:45] people's budget calls for funding real
[1:18:47] public services that keep us safe,
[1:18:49] healthy, and thriving. Over 300
[1:18:51] residents sent you all letters this past
[1:18:53] week calling for a budget that reflects
[1:18:54] the priorities of the people. It is
[1:18:57] unacceptable that the state can come in
[1:18:58] and say no, you can't do that. The state
[1:19:01] may be scared, scared that a movement is
[1:19:03] being built here in Jersey City of
[1:19:05] working-class residents and that we're
[1:19:06] organizing, fighting, and winning a
[1:19:08] Jersey City. They're scared that this
[1:19:10] movement could grow outside of Jersey
[1:19:11] City and, god forbid, land in Trenton.
[1:19:14] But it already has. This movement will
[1:19:17] grow. This movement will win. I strongly
[1:19:19] urge you to vote I on the amendment and
[1:19:21] that you remember this moment in budget
[1:19:22] years to come. Remember that it's
[1:19:24] working people who run this city. We
[1:19:26] cannot punish, police, or incarcerate
[1:19:28] our way to safety. Every dollar we spend
[1:19:31] on police is a dollar not spent on
[1:19:33] housing or healthcare or economic
[1:19:36] security and that's what keeps our
[1:19:38] community safe. Thank you.
[1:19:44] » If you can just state and spell your
[1:19:47] name for the record. Uh my name is Zach
[1:19:49] Cordialis. Zac.
[1:19:52] » Hold on.
[1:19:54] Go ahead.
[1:19:55] » Slow.
[1:19:56] » Z A C. First name. Uh last name
[1:19:58] Cordalis. K O U R G I I I missed the
[1:20:02] first letter.
[1:20:03] » Sorry.
[1:20:04] » K O U R G I A L I S.
[1:20:11] » Thank you.
[1:20:13] » Uh hello. So I'm also uh here to speak
[1:20:16] about my support for the people's budget
[1:20:18] and to not increase uh the police's
[1:20:22] budget, which I think is unnecessary and
[1:20:24] wasteful in light of this historic
[1:20:26] budget crisis. I understand we've been
[1:20:27] had to tighten our belt on uh various
[1:20:31] services including useful services like
[1:20:33] via in light of the historic budget
[1:20:35] crisis that was left by Philip. Uh and
[1:20:38] we've had to deal with the property tax
[1:20:39] increases. But it's for that exact
[1:20:41] reason that I think uh you know 3%
[1:20:43] increase is unnecessary and should be
[1:20:45] spent on essential services for the
[1:20:46] working people of Jersey City. Uh the
[1:20:49] crime rate across the entire country is
[1:20:51] at a historic low and Jersey City
[1:20:53] already had a crime rate well below the
[1:20:54] average. I can assure you increasing the
[1:20:57] uh already considerable police budget is
[1:20:59] not going to reduce the crime rate much
[1:21:00] further. It will likely have the
[1:21:02] opposite effect if it means not fully
[1:21:04] funding programs like rental assistance
[1:21:07] through the division of housing
[1:21:08] preservation and the arrive unit program
[1:21:10] for mental health crisis response work.
[1:21:13] Crisis of affordability and of strained
[1:21:16] healthcare system especially in light of
[1:21:18] the closing down of Christ hospital will
[1:21:20] be a primary driver of crime going
[1:21:22] forward. If we re really care about
[1:21:24] public safety, we we will m maintain
[1:21:26] funding for other essential city
[1:21:28] services and pass a people's budget.
[1:21:31] Thank you.
[1:21:38] » Just state and spell your name for the
[1:21:39] record.
[1:21:40] » Oraing.
[1:21:42] L A U R A. P E A T I N G.
[1:21:51] The problem is I couldn't really hear
[1:21:52] you. You're not close enough to the mic.
[1:21:54] Just your last name.
[1:21:55] » Sorry. K is in kitten. I I'm sorry. K is
[1:22:00] in kitten. E is in elephant. A T as in
[1:22:04] Tommy. I N G.
[1:22:07] » Thank you.
[1:22:10] » You had a tough budget to deal with. You
[1:22:13] had to make cuts. State didn't help. But
[1:22:16] you made the wrong cut. You weren't
[1:22:19] thinking about the right people and you
[1:22:21] weren't thinking about the right
[1:22:23] approach. You cut services. You cut
[1:22:25] health and human services. You cut
[1:22:28] rental assistance. God forbid you cut
[1:22:30] mental health, which is only going to
[1:22:33] make things worse.
[1:22:35] We have someone in Washington trying to
[1:22:38] solve all our problems by a brutal
[1:22:40] police force. You can't police our
[1:22:42] problems away.
[1:22:45] spend our money on what our city needs.
[1:22:48] That will save us money, save our city,
[1:22:53] and yes, police can be helpful. I've
[1:22:55] been helped by many policemen,
[1:22:58] but we don't need to increase that.
[1:23:00] They've the the the crime rate is low
[1:23:02] all over the country, but definitely
[1:23:05] including here.
[1:23:07] Think about your what you're cutting
[1:23:10] and think about some of the other things
[1:23:11] people mentioned. They sounded pretty
[1:23:12] good to me, too, but I didn't know about
[1:23:14] them. But please pass the people's
[1:23:16] budget,
[1:23:24] Jason Berg.
[1:23:26] Um,
[1:23:28] what is it? The
[1:23:30] box comes back to roost. Uh, this whole
[1:23:34] problem with our budget has been going
[1:23:35] on since the uh abatements. We don't pay
[1:23:39] enough. the abatements are really
[1:23:41] hurting us. We have to stop the
[1:23:44] giveaways and the bad the the uh we gave
[1:23:47] away property to uh the science center
[1:23:51] which then built a condo
[1:23:55] and as far as I'm concerned it's a
[1:23:58] breach of contract and the city of
[1:24:00] Jersey City need to take that building
[1:24:02] over for the breach of contract.
[1:24:06] Now stop the giveaways. All right. and
[1:24:09] that look at what we give away.
[1:24:12] Uh when Jersey City gave property to um
[1:24:16] to Hudson County, then Hudson County
[1:24:19] then charged us for other stuff. I mean
[1:24:23] good good a good hand is always feeding
[1:24:25] the other or good mouth. Now best way to
[1:24:29] solve our problems is the hardest. It's
[1:24:31] called zerobased management budget. It's
[1:24:36] Japanese a Japanese thing during the
[1:24:39] 70s. It's the hardest thing to do. You
[1:24:41] have to prove your worth to the
[1:24:44] administrators. What are you going to
[1:24:46] do? How you going to do it? And be
[1:24:48] practical.
[1:24:50] And affordable housing. Well, that's an
[1:24:52] oxymoron.
[1:24:54] 30%. You go, you get $1,000 and you pay
[1:24:59] $300.
[1:25:01] You got $700 left. have not a lot to do
[1:25:04] anything with these days. And uh if you
[1:25:08] want to stop affordable housing, let's
[1:25:09] have this administration do an
[1:25:11] inventory. How many houses you go down
[1:25:13] in the city that that are that's sitting
[1:25:16] there as a city waste? I mean, go down
[1:25:20] Clammont Avenue, there's some beautiful
[1:25:22] houses that are abandoned. I mean, how
[1:25:24] many abandoned houses do we need to put
[1:25:26] down a city? The thing is we are losing
[1:25:32] our recyclables.
[1:25:34] Back when I was a kid, I'm 73. Don't
[1:25:36] look at they were 40, which is a problem
[1:25:38] every time I go out.
[1:25:42] The women are not trying to go after me.
[1:25:44] The authorities are. Okay.
[1:25:48] And I want you to know folks that uh I
[1:25:50] am I was cited as a person of interest
[1:25:54] when I was called out as a individual as
[1:25:59] a homeland security risk. I was called a
[1:26:02] sovereign citizen. Oxen
[1:26:03] » Jason you got to stay on the subject of
[1:26:05] the budget.
[1:26:06] » All right. Now we are losing we have
[1:26:09] recyclables the city property we're
[1:26:11] losing. We have carpet baggers or better
[1:26:14] can baggers coming in from New York City
[1:26:17] taking our recyclables and that's and
[1:26:21] that's a lot of money. Just look at
[1:26:22] recyclables. How many are doing that?
[1:26:24] And back when uh when when Ferrara was
[1:26:27] running back in the day and I wanted to
[1:26:29] get we got to want to raise money to
[1:26:32] make the city cleaner make sure that
[1:26:34] Jersey City is the permanent way to to
[1:26:36] reestablish recycling in the city. And
[1:26:40] um we want to create better jobs and
[1:26:43] stuff. Duke Duke, it's called Cottage
[1:26:46] Industries. Look at that. Education is
[1:26:48] the key to our lives. If literacy, you
[1:26:52] want to stop crime, literacy is key. And
[1:26:55] um
[1:26:58] you see um the the hardest thing about
[1:27:01] any industry is budgets, is the
[1:27:04] employees, and the health. The real
[1:27:06] thing here is we got to go back to God
[1:27:08] and health, not pharmaceuticals.
[1:27:12] I'm a four-time cancer survivor and I
[1:27:15] knew it. I take care of myself. The
[1:27:17] thing is everyone in the city is
[1:27:19] polluted and uh W A right near Home
[1:27:22] Depot was a nice dump for how Honeywell
[1:27:26] and the real thing here is we got to
[1:27:27] look at we have look at it and look at
[1:27:30] the properties and we can do a lot more
[1:27:32] when we think of a future with the
[1:27:34] zerobased Japanese management. If you
[1:27:37] have a mind you have a set if you have a
[1:27:39] set of cards you can play. If they're
[1:27:41] old jokers, I think you're gonna lose
[1:27:43] because again, if they're all the same,
[1:27:46] how do you know how you didn't change?
[1:27:48] God bless you all. Thank you for my
[1:27:50] time.
[1:27:55] » Let me just state and spell your name
[1:27:56] for the record.
[1:27:58] » Hi, my name is Vicky Hernandez. V I C K
[1:28:02] Y H E R N A N D E Z.
[1:28:05] » Can you spell your first name slowly?
[1:28:07] for V I C K Y
[1:28:11] » And Hernandez, right?
[1:28:13] » Yes.
[1:28:13] » Thank you.
[1:28:17] » Hello. I'm I'm Vicki Hernandez. I'm the
[1:28:19] executive director at the Waterfront
[1:28:21] Project, Jersey City's lead right to
[1:28:23] council provider.
[1:28:25] Um, one of the uh budget items uh
[1:28:29] proposed in the mayor's budget calls for
[1:28:32] a reduction of more than 50% in right to
[1:28:35] council funding. funding that the city
[1:28:37] has been waiting a very long time for.
[1:28:41] I want to start by thanking the council
[1:28:44] representatives here, Council President
[1:28:46] Ridley, Council Members Little, Brooks,
[1:28:48] Ephro, and Lavaro for the various budget
[1:28:52] amendments um that have been introduced
[1:28:55] to restore right to council funding to
[1:28:57] its 2025 level of $328,000.
[1:29:01] Your leadership means everything to the
[1:29:04] families at risk of losing their home.
[1:29:06] The Waterfront Project is often the
[1:29:08] first call by residents, by elected
[1:29:11] officials and their staff, by community
[1:29:13] service providers and advocates whenever
[1:29:16] a tenant is in crisis and at risk of
[1:29:18] losing their home. Um we receive calls
[1:29:22] and text messages
[1:29:25] um seven days a week. Um, if the
[1:29:28] Waterfront Project were not here, those
[1:29:30] residents would walk into housing court
[1:29:32] with no representation at all and in
[1:29:35] most cases they would be evicted. We
[1:29:37] don't just represent tenants in court.
[1:29:39] We help them to navigate crisis, connect
[1:29:42] them with resources, and help them get
[1:29:44] to a stable place.
[1:29:47] This year alone, 176 Jersey City
[1:29:50] households received a full legal
[1:29:52] representation from the Waterfront
[1:29:54] Project's legal team. These are families
[1:29:56] across Jersey City's neighborhoods
[1:29:59] staying housed because the waterfront
[1:30:01] project is a lifeline for them. The
[1:30:04] residents we serve are the same
[1:30:06] residents most exposed to the city's
[1:30:09] current fiscal crisis. When property
[1:30:11] taxes rise, building owners pass those
[1:30:14] costs down to tenants through higher
[1:30:16] rent. The families facing rent increases
[1:30:20] they're unlikely to be able to afford as
[1:30:22] a result of this year's tax changes are
[1:30:25] the ones most likely to end up in
[1:30:27] housing court and most in need of a
[1:30:29] lawyer if this funding is cut. The
[1:30:33] mayor's proposed budget cuts that
[1:30:35] lifeline by more than half. Jersey City
[1:30:37] saw 5,716
[1:30:40] eviction filings last year, up 26,000
[1:30:44] p I'm sorry, up 26% since 20122.
[1:30:48] And warrants of removal nearly
[1:30:50] quadrupled between 2022 and 2024.
[1:30:55] This program already runs lean. We only
[1:30:57] have three attorneys and one intake
[1:30:59] specialist for the entire city. Um, and
[1:31:02] of the households we fully represented
[1:31:04] this year, 65% of the cases closed
[1:31:10] ended with the tenant keeping their home
[1:31:12] outright and 96% avoided a formal
[1:31:15] courtordered removal. That's a that's a
[1:31:18] tremendous track record of helping to
[1:31:21] keep keep people housed.
[1:31:24] The difference that representation makes
[1:31:26] is stark. Statewide research shows the
[1:31:29] tenants with a lawyer avoid the worst
[1:31:31] outcome of eviction in 80 to 90% of
[1:31:34] cases.
[1:31:35] We're asking uh that the council support
[1:31:38] the amendments to restore right to
[1:31:40] council funding to $328,000.
[1:31:43] Thank you.
[1:31:50] » You can just spell and state your name
[1:31:51] for the record.
[1:31:53] » Good evening. Elizabeth Hurley. H U R L
[1:31:56] E Y.
[1:31:57] » Thank you.
[1:32:00] » My name is Liz Hurley and I'm the legal
[1:32:01] director of the Waterfront Project, the
[1:32:03] legal services provider for Jersey City
[1:32:06] tenants facing eviction. Each day, the
[1:32:09] landlord tenant division of the Hudson
[1:32:11] County Superior Court has roughly 60 to
[1:32:14] 80 eviction cases on its regular trial
[1:32:17] calendar. Additionally, the court
[1:32:19] permits up to 20 emergency applications
[1:32:22] from tenants who have been locked out
[1:32:24] that day or who face a lockout the
[1:32:26] following day. For those who come in
[1:32:29] excess of the 20 count or who have a
[1:32:32] lockout in coming days, they are told
[1:32:33] that they must come back. The scene is
[1:32:36] chaotic and emotions run high with
[1:32:38] tenants terrified about where they will
[1:32:41] go if they lose their home. Our team of
[1:32:43] three attorneys is present in court each
[1:32:45] day providing a first and last line of
[1:32:48] defense against the irreparable harm of
[1:32:50] eviction. Each day tenants are told to
[1:32:53] find someone from the waterfront project
[1:32:55] and because of the right to council
[1:32:56] funding they do.
[1:32:59] The city has already recognized that
[1:33:01] tenant representation is essential by
[1:33:04] codifying the right to council, but that
[1:33:06] right is meaningless without adequate
[1:33:09] funding. Just this summer, we've
[1:33:11] prevented numerous evictions of some of
[1:33:13] Jersey City's most vulnerable residents,
[1:33:16] senior citizens, households with young
[1:33:19] children, and tenants with disabilities.
[1:33:21] I'll provide one example. A recently
[1:33:24] widowed mother of four who missed her
[1:33:26] court date in June,
[1:33:28] was facing eviction the very next day.
[1:33:31] She walked into court with a warrant of
[1:33:33] removal, scheduling her lockout with no
[1:33:36] idea of where she and her children would
[1:33:39] go while they were grieving the terrible
[1:33:41] recent loss of her husband who lost his
[1:33:44] battle to cancer on June 9th.
[1:33:47] She walked out that day having worked
[1:33:49] with us to file an emergent application
[1:33:54] and she had an order vacating the
[1:33:56] judgment that had been filed against
[1:33:58] her.
[1:33:59] Within a week, we secured a grant of
[1:34:02] rental assistance to keep her family
[1:34:04] housed through November. This critical
[1:34:07] time will allow her and her family to
[1:34:10] get back on their feet and find a path
[1:34:12] forward. Investment in the right to
[1:34:14] council is not only the right thing to
[1:34:17] do, it is the fiscally responsible thing
[1:34:19] to do. It is an investment in our city's
[1:34:22] stability, in our residents, and in the
[1:34:25] future of the city.
[1:34:27] Please allow us to continue to do this
[1:34:30] vital work. We cannot do it without you.
[1:34:33] Thank you.
[1:34:40] If
[1:34:40] » You can just state and spell your name
[1:34:41] for the record.
[1:34:43] » Hi, my name is Aar Borfuanes. Z A H
[1:34:49] O U L A.
[1:34:54] I'm here to
[1:34:55] » Your f your first name. Oh, Zaharula.
[1:34:57] » And what's your last name?
[1:34:58] » Morphanius.
[1:34:59] » Can you spell that?
[1:35:00] » O R.
[1:35:01] » Yeah. Gotcha.
[1:35:02] » Ready?
[1:35:03] » Yes.
[1:35:04] » Go ahead.
[1:35:05] » M O R F O G E N.
[1:35:12] » Thank you.
[1:35:13] » Thank you.
[1:35:16] So, the word going around there's two.
[1:35:19] There's crisis and there's austerity.
[1:35:22] Austerity is presented usually as a
[1:35:24] pragmatic form of arithmetic, especially
[1:35:27] when externally applied and mandated
[1:35:30] from, you know, a higher level of the
[1:35:31] state. A deficit appears, numbers
[1:35:35] circulate. Suddenly, the specifics of
[1:35:38] what is cut, where it's cut, and why
[1:35:42] are supposed to be inevitable and
[1:35:44] universally agreed upon. But a budget is
[1:35:47] a political document. It tells us what
[1:35:50] we consider necessary, what we're
[1:35:52] willing to sacrifice,
[1:35:56] whose lives are expected to absorb the
[1:35:58] cost, and
[1:36:01] from whom.
[1:36:02] Jersey City is being asked to weather a
[1:36:05] fiscal crisis that did not emerge
[1:36:06] overnight. It was produced by a model of
[1:36:09] governance that treated development as a
[1:36:11] substitute for public investment. Sell,
[1:36:14] abate, borrow, defer, and then attract
[1:36:16] another developer. and then we're going
[1:36:18] to call the whole resulting bubble
[1:36:20] prosperity. I think we all saw how that
[1:36:23] played out. Corporate development is not
[1:36:26] pro-social and it is not infrastructure.
[1:36:29] Pro-social infrastructure would be the
[1:36:30] library, the affordable home, the street
[1:36:34] getting maintained, the transit that
[1:36:36] gets our workers home on time, and a
[1:36:38] hospital system that has capacity, maybe
[1:36:41] even services that answer when people
[1:36:44] need them.
[1:36:45] These are not luxuries that we can
[1:36:47] afford only when the books are balanced.
[1:36:50] They are material conditions that make a
[1:36:53] city livable in the first place,
[1:36:55] contribute massively to the social
[1:36:57] determinance of health, and these are
[1:36:59] the determinants of health that prevent
[1:37:01] more suffering and yes, more spending if
[1:37:04] that's
[1:37:05] more important than human suffering.
[1:37:08] We cannot talk about austerity without
[1:37:10] asking who is being asked to sacrifice
[1:37:13] what.
[1:37:16] This takes me back to the Pompadoo
[1:37:17] project which is very instructive here.
[1:37:21] Millions of public dollars were
[1:37:22] committed to a prestige project tied to
[1:37:25] a major private development while the
[1:37:28] city now confronts the consequences of
[1:37:30] years of deferred obligations and
[1:37:32] one-time solutions.
[1:37:34] If public investment creates the
[1:37:36] conditions for private wealth, then
[1:37:38] private wealth has an obligation to
[1:37:40] replenish the public wealth from which
[1:37:42] it came.
[1:37:44] If residents are being asked to pay
[1:37:46] more, then we deserve more than a
[1:37:49] spreadsheet. We deserve true
[1:37:51] transparency.
[1:37:52] We deserve to know where the money went,
[1:37:55] what was deferred, who received the
[1:37:57] abatements, who benefited from the
[1:37:59] growth of this city, and why ordinary
[1:38:01] people are now being asked by the state
[1:38:04] under threat of bankruptcy to weather
[1:38:06] the consequences.
[1:38:08] Let's further define our terms.
[1:38:11] So, austerity is more than simply making
[1:38:14] cuts. It is about what we cut and who it
[1:38:17] affects most.
[1:38:20] Thus, austerity is the erosion of our
[1:38:22] capacity to live with dignity and
[1:38:24] respect. It destroys our neighborly
[1:38:27] bonds. It diminishes our capacity to
[1:38:29] care for one another. And once that
[1:38:31] capacity is gone, it's much harder to
[1:38:33] rebuild than it was to balance a budget
[1:38:36] by cutting it. I mean, think about what
[1:38:39] it's going to be like to have to rebuild
[1:38:40] Head Start once it's gutted. We're
[1:38:42] dealing with this on a micro level. Now,
[1:38:45] public safety cannot begin at the moment
[1:38:47] of a crisis. It has to begin upstream in
[1:38:50] whether people have a home, whether
[1:38:52] children have somewhere to go, whether
[1:38:54] it's stable, whether communities have
[1:38:56] places to gather, whether people have
[1:38:58] access to care before they reach a
[1:39:00] breaking point, and who responds to that
[1:39:02] call and how. That means restructuring
[1:39:05] police spending, restructuring it around
[1:39:08] a broader conception of safety,
[1:39:10] specifically in investing in the social
[1:39:12] infrastructure that prevents violence
[1:39:14] rather than simply managing the
[1:39:16] aftermath.
[1:39:18] This is why we need a people's budget
[1:39:19] for all of Jersey City. Not just a
[1:39:22] budget written around what the
[1:39:24] billionaire class needs from this city,
[1:39:26] but around what the people who live here
[1:39:28] need from one each other one another.
[1:39:30] Sorry, long day of talking.
[1:39:33] But a budget built through democratic
[1:39:36] participation, transparency, and
[1:39:38] investment in social infrastructure that
[1:39:40] makes a city more than a collection of
[1:39:41] properties and commuters is something we
[1:39:43] deserve. We deserve to be our own city.
[1:39:46] Not a bedroom community for Manhattan.
[1:39:48] Not a playground for capital. Not a city
[1:39:51] whose public life is hollowed out so
[1:39:53] much that private development can
[1:39:55] flourish unhindered for
[1:39:59] what 60-year tax abatements. Anyway, I
[1:40:01] digress. Under the threat of bankruptcy
[1:40:03] from Trenton, we deserve a Jersey city
[1:40:06] with a life of its own. We deserve a
[1:40:09] Jersey City where people can afford to
[1:40:10] stay, work, raise families, gather, eat,
[1:40:15] grow old, and enjoy the art of life.
[1:40:18] » Thank you.
[1:40:24] You can just state your name and spell
[1:40:27] your name for the record.
[1:40:28] » Dion Patterson. P A T E R S O N.
[1:40:34] » Thank you.
[1:40:36] Uh, I'm here on behalf of my uncle, 79
[1:40:39] years old. Um, I keep hearing the 15 and
[1:40:42] a half% property tax increase, but what
[1:40:45] I don't hear is the I'm going to use the
[1:40:48] number 78 million. In August of 2025 on
[1:40:52] my street, specifically streets around
[1:40:55] me, there was a sewer infrastructure uh
[1:40:58] concerned going up digging the streets.
[1:41:01] As of a year later, the streets still do
[1:41:04] not have a curb. But yet, based off of
[1:41:07] the 2024
[1:41:10] authorized and consent, the council
[1:41:12] consented to JCMUA sewer capital
[1:41:15] projects. Have we looked into we paid
[1:41:18] this money? Did they do it? I can say
[1:41:21] no. Water is in my basement because the
[1:41:24] curb is still not there.
[1:41:27] Secondly, I'm hearing all of the
[1:41:30] increases with engineering capital
[1:41:32] projects to other things. One of the
[1:41:35] concerns is as a homeowner, are we
[1:41:37] taking into account 15 and a half%
[1:41:41] increase? But yet, when vehicles are
[1:41:44] parked on the sidewalk, we're expected
[1:41:46] to fix it out of our own funds. When we
[1:41:49] call the police station to say, "Please
[1:41:52] come assist," no one comes. On
[1:41:55] Wednesday, I called at 2:15, waited to
[1:41:58] 4, no one came. Got back in the house at
[1:42:01] 6:15, called again, no one came. But
[1:42:05] it's funny, we received two weeks ago a
[1:42:08] notice that sidewalks must be updated.
[1:42:12] How can I update a sidewalk when cars
[1:42:15] are constantly parked with their left
[1:42:18] front wheel and rear uh uh wheel on the
[1:42:21] sidewalks? But yet the 15 12% increase
[1:42:26] is going through. I hear about all of
[1:42:29] the salary increases and items of that
[1:42:31] nature. I hear it. But if we're calling
[1:42:35] and no one's coming, who's getting paid
[1:42:38] for that? If we're calling and no one's
[1:42:41] looking into it, who's getting paid for
[1:42:43] that? If we're paying 78 million for a
[1:42:48] sewer infrastructure update that we
[1:42:50] voted yes for and curbs are not
[1:42:53] complete, who's checking on that when it
[1:42:55] becomes the homeowner's cost? Thank you.
[1:43:04] » You can state and spell your name for
[1:43:06] the record, please.
[1:43:07] » Sure. My first name is Rick. R I C K.
[1:43:10] Last name is Pine. That's P is in papa.
[1:43:13] E is in echo. R is in Romeo. R is in
[1:43:16] Romeo. I is in India. N is in November.
[1:43:19] E is an echo.
[1:43:20] » Thank you.
[1:43:21] » You're welcome. Uh I'm encouraged by
[1:43:23] some of my the previous speakers
[1:43:24] actually. Um but I'll be quick
[1:43:28] hopefully. Um I guess I just wanted to
[1:43:31] say that I also don't understand why it
[1:43:33] seems like the so-called public safety
[1:43:36] budget seems to be untouchable when it
[1:43:38] comes to the operating budget
[1:43:40] discussion. Um to me some things like
[1:43:44] inspectors and right to council and
[1:43:47] health services and street
[1:43:48] infrastructure safety and park services.
[1:43:50] The to me like these are the kinds of
[1:43:52] things that impact the root cause of
[1:43:54] what make our neighborhoods safe. And if
[1:43:57] everybody in every department is
[1:43:59] supposed to be having their budgets
[1:44:00] tightened, I don't know why that doesn't
[1:44:02] apply to all of them or at least uh what
[1:44:05] have you applies to all of them
[1:44:06] everywhere. Um I really think that's all
[1:44:09] I just wanted to say. I am pleasantly
[1:44:11] surprised by some of the other speakers.
[1:44:12] Uh, thank you.
[1:44:18] » You can just state and spell your name
[1:44:20] for the record, please.
[1:44:21] » Anna Cologne. A N A C O L O N.
[1:44:26] » C O
[1:44:27] » B C O L O N.
[1:44:30] » L O N. Thank you.
[1:44:33] I'm co-founder of the Fair Housing
[1:44:36] Action Network where we advocate for
[1:44:38] tenants, landlords, homeowners, or
[1:44:40] anyone facing housing instability and
[1:44:42] needing advocacy. Um, today we are here
[1:44:46] um to urge the city of New City of
[1:44:50] Jersey City to restore the full 328,000
[1:44:52] in funding for the right to council
[1:44:55] rather than reducing it to 160,000, a
[1:44:58] cut of 168,000.
[1:45:00] The right to counsel gives eligible
[1:45:02] tenants facing eviction access to legal
[1:45:05] representation and helps them understand
[1:45:07] their rights, where to turn to for help.
[1:45:10] Cutting this funding in half reduces
[1:45:12] access to exactly that help. When
[1:45:16] someone is accused of a crime, we make
[1:45:18] sure they know their rights, including
[1:45:20] their right to an attorney. We do that
[1:45:22] before we know whether they are innocent
[1:45:23] or guilty because we understand how
[1:45:26] serious the consequences can be. So when
[1:45:29] someone is facing the loss of their
[1:45:30] housing, who makes sure they know their
[1:45:32] rights. If FHN has seen what can happen
[1:45:36] when nobody does. We encountered a
[1:45:38] tenant who went through eviction court
[1:45:40] without an attorney. She may have
[1:45:42] qualified for free legal help, but she
[1:45:44] didn't even know it existed. Right to
[1:45:47] counsel helps close that gap by making
[1:45:49] sure eligible tenants know their rights
[1:45:52] and have access to legal representation
[1:45:54] before facing eviction court alone.
[1:45:57] After she was evicted, FHN researched
[1:46:00] her situation and identified illegal
[1:46:02] rent increases. An attorney could have
[1:46:04] recognized that, but by then she had
[1:46:07] already lost her housing, and today she
[1:46:09] is homeless. And the need isn't limited
[1:46:11] to those who qualify for traditional
[1:46:13] legal aid. FHN also met a nurse who put
[1:46:17] herself through college, built a career,
[1:46:19] and then went through a divorce. Two
[1:46:21] incomes becoming one. On paper, she had
[1:46:23] a good job. In reality, she could earn
[1:46:26] too much to qualify for certain
[1:46:27] assistance while she didn't have enough
[1:46:29] to afford a private attorney. Right to
[1:46:32] council was originally envisioned as
[1:46:34] universal representation for Jersey City
[1:46:36] tenants regardless of income. What
[1:46:39] ultimately passed was limited to
[1:46:40] households at at or below 80% of area
[1:46:44] median income. We already narrowed who
[1:46:47] can receive help. Now we're cutting the
[1:46:49] funding by more than half. What gets cut
[1:46:51] next? New Jersey DCA found that helping
[1:46:54] a household avoid eviction costs about
[1:46:57] costs about 1,300 on average and nearly
[1:47:00] 86% of the families who received that
[1:47:02] intensive help either stayed in their
[1:47:04] homes or were successfully relocated.
[1:47:08] By comparison, New Jersey analysis
[1:47:10] estimated approximately 26,000 for one
[1:47:13] year of homeless shelter per household.
[1:47:16] So the question is why are we cutting
[1:47:17] prevention? Why are our systems so often
[1:47:20] reactive instead of proactive? Why wait
[1:47:23] for a crisis and spend more fixing what
[1:47:26] we could have helped prevent? Housing is
[1:47:28] no different. We should be strengthening
[1:47:30] prevention, not cutting it. Because
[1:47:32] behind every housing crisis is a human
[1:47:34] being. A renter facing eviction, a
[1:47:37] landlord trying to stay afloat, a nurse
[1:47:40] whose two income households suddenly
[1:47:42] became one, a senior on a fixed income,
[1:47:45] or a homeowner struggling with rising
[1:47:47] taxes and housing costs. Let's steward
[1:47:50] the resources and infrastructure we
[1:47:52] already have while remembering the
[1:47:54] people who have lived here, build their
[1:47:55] lives here, and call Jersey City home.
[1:47:58] Today we are asking Jersey City to
[1:48:00] protect one important piece of that
[1:48:01] prevention, right to council. FH
[1:48:04] respectfully asked Jersey City to
[1:48:06] restore the full 328,000
[1:48:09] and right to council funding and to
[1:48:11] consider investing more and expanding in
[1:48:14] ser expanding services, not less.
[1:48:21] » You can just state and spell your name
[1:48:23] for the record, please.
[1:48:24] » Anna Basset.
[1:48:27] A an N A B A SS E T.
[1:48:31] » Thank you.
[1:48:32] » You're welcome. So, my name is Annab
[1:48:34] Bassid, uh the co-founder of Fair
[1:48:36] Housing Action Network, and I'm here in
[1:48:38] support of the full funding of the Right
[1:48:40] to Council and the Waterfront Project.
[1:48:43] Um tomorrow morning, you'll likely find
[1:48:45] me at Hudson County Superior Court
[1:48:46] supporting a tenant I'll call Georgina.
[1:48:50] Georgina earns roughly $70,000 a year
[1:48:53] and paid about two uh $2,200 a month in
[1:48:56] rent. She and her landlord got into a
[1:48:59] dispute over utility charges that were
[1:49:01] not written into her lease. The utility
[1:49:04] bill was not even in her name and she
[1:49:07] repeatedly asked the landlord to explain
[1:49:09] what she supposedly owed. Eventually,
[1:49:12] they agreed that she could break the
[1:49:14] lease and then she moved out. But the
[1:49:17] landlord still filed for eviction,
[1:49:19] claiming unpaid rent. The problem is
[1:49:23] Georgina paid her rent. What is being
[1:49:26] presented as unpaid rent includes
[1:49:28] disputed utility charges and fees she
[1:49:31] says she never owed. Now she has to walk
[1:49:34] into eviction court and defend herself
[1:49:37] against a claim that turns a disputed
[1:49:39] utility bill into an alleged rent debt.
[1:49:43] Georgina needs a lawyer, but she falls
[1:49:46] into a gap we see all of the time. She
[1:49:49] makes too much money to qualify for many
[1:49:51] traditional low-income legal services,
[1:49:53] but she does not have thousands of
[1:49:55] dollars to hire a private attorney. I
[1:49:58] know that gap very well because I've
[1:50:00] lived it myself and I see other tenants
[1:50:02] living it now. Another tenant I'll call
[1:50:06] an who lived for more than a decade in a
[1:50:09] rent controlled building. A new owner
[1:50:12] presented the tenants with a lease
[1:50:13] containing provisions that raised
[1:50:15] serious legal concerns and refused to
[1:50:18] sign that illegal lease. She documented
[1:50:21] her objections and proposed provisions.
[1:50:24] In retaliation, the landlord stopped
[1:50:27] accepting her rent and then took her to
[1:50:29] court for non-payment and for refusing
[1:50:31] to sign the lease. Anne's refusal to
[1:50:34] sign was ultimately right, but her
[1:50:37] landlord disregard disregarded her
[1:50:39] rights and she was still dragged to
[1:50:42] court and made to pay several thousand
[1:50:43] dollars to be represented by attorney on
[1:50:46] her own. The bleak housing system here
[1:50:49] in Jersey City painfully teaches us that
[1:50:52] being legally right does not protect you
[1:50:54] from being evicted. And having rights
[1:50:56] does not position you well enough to
[1:50:58] defend yourself when your landlord is
[1:51:00] taking you to court. When you are
[1:51:02] already overwhelmed and your housing is
[1:51:04] on the line, knowing your rights is not
[1:51:05] the same as having a lawyer who knows
[1:51:07] how to defend them. And that's why right
[1:51:09] to counsel matters.
[1:51:11] Tomorrow morning, if Georgina doesn't
[1:51:14] get an attorney, we will be there
[1:51:16] supporting her in every way that we can.
[1:51:18] But advocacy is not legal
[1:51:20] representation. As an advocate, there's
[1:51:23] both a metaphorical and a very literal
[1:51:26] line I personally cannot cross in that
[1:51:28] courtroom. I can stand beside her, but I
[1:51:31] cannot stand before the judge and
[1:51:33] represent her. She needs an attorney.
[1:51:36] And when tenants in Jersey City face
[1:51:38] evictions, we hear it over and over. Did
[1:51:40] you call the waterfront project? The
[1:51:42] city says it. Other organ other
[1:51:43] organizations say it. Our residents say
[1:51:45] it. Our landlords say it. We all say it
[1:51:48] because we trust the waterfront project
[1:51:49] to put a lawyer next to a tenant. We
[1:51:52] need for tenant legal service. Sorry.
[1:51:55] The need for tenant legal services is
[1:51:57] enormous and only a fraction of those
[1:52:00] who need a lawyer ever get one. Right to
[1:52:03] council expands that capacity, allowing
[1:52:06] the waterfront project to serve more
[1:52:08] tenants, including people like Georgina
[1:52:10] and an who would otherwise fall through
[1:52:12] that gap. We cannot keep telling people
[1:52:15] call the waterfront project um while
[1:52:18] proposing to give waterfront only half
[1:52:20] of what it needs to answer those calls.
[1:52:23] Cutting the funding in half does not cut
[1:52:25] the need in half. It means fewer tenants
[1:52:28] have a chance to not be displaced.
[1:52:31] [clears throat and cough]
[1:52:31] Tomorrow morning, FHN will have
[1:52:34] organized Georgina's evidence, made the
[1:52:36] calls, helped her understand what is
[1:52:37] happening, will show up, but we're not
[1:52:40] her lawyer.
[1:52:42] Thanks.
[1:52:48] » Can you please state your name and spell
[1:52:49] it for us?
[1:52:51] » Anthony Silver. S I L V E R.
[1:52:56] Thank you.
[1:52:59] When you're ready, Anthony.
[1:53:01] [clears throat]
[1:53:01] Good evening, council president, members
[1:53:04] of the city council. My name is Anthony
[1:53:06] Silver. I'm a police officer with the
[1:53:08] city of Jersey City. I've had the
[1:53:11] privilege of serving this city for the
[1:53:12] past 11 years.
[1:53:14] I'm here tonight because I believe we
[1:53:16] need to have an honest conversation
[1:53:18] about the future of this police
[1:53:19] department
[1:53:21] and the safety of this city.
[1:53:24] For 11 years, I've watched our
[1:53:25] department be asked to do more with way
[1:53:28] less.
[1:53:29] We are among the lowest paid police
[1:53:31] departments in the county while serving
[1:53:32] one of the largest populations with one
[1:53:34] of the highest call volumes.
[1:53:37] There was a time when people fought to
[1:53:38] become a police officer here. People
[1:53:40] wanted to work here, build their careers
[1:53:42] here, raise their families here.
[1:53:45] Today, people are leaving and fewer
[1:53:49] people are willing to come. We need to
[1:53:51] ask ourselves why.
[1:53:54] Our officers haven't stopped caring.
[1:53:56] They continue to work nights, weekends,
[1:53:58] and holidays. They respond to
[1:54:00] emergencies, walk into dangerous
[1:54:02] situations, and put their lives on the
[1:54:04] line to protect this community.
[1:54:07] But dedication does not pay the bills.
[1:54:10] For officers who live in this city, it
[1:54:12] is becoming increasingly difficult to
[1:54:13] afford to stay here and to raise their
[1:54:15] families. And when an experienced
[1:54:18] officer leaves, the city doesn't just
[1:54:19] lose an employee. It loses years of
[1:54:22] training, experience, knowledge, and
[1:54:25] close relationships with this community.
[1:54:32] Then the city has to recruit and train
[1:54:34] someone new, hoping that that officer
[1:54:36] stays long enough to develop the same
[1:54:38] experience.
[1:54:40] That is not sustainable.
[1:54:42] There's another cost that we won't uh we
[1:54:44] don't always talk about. It's the impact
[1:54:46] of the officers who remain. When
[1:54:49] staffing levels fall, the officers who
[1:54:51] stay are asked to carry more of the
[1:54:53] workload. more calls, more overtime,
[1:54:56] more responsibilities, and more time
[1:54:58] away from their families. And eventually
[1:55:01] that creates a cycle.
[1:55:04] The department loses officers. The
[1:55:06] remaining officers work harder and fill
[1:55:08] the gaps. Burnout increases, morale
[1:55:11] suffers, and more officers begin looking
[1:55:14] for the door. We cannot wait until that
[1:55:16] cycle becomes impossible to reverse.
[1:55:19] We also have to remember that policing
[1:55:21] is not a job where experience can simply
[1:55:23] be replaced overnight. You can hire a
[1:55:26] new officer, but you cannot immediately
[1:55:28] replace 10 to 15 years of experience.
[1:55:31] You cannot instantly replace an officer
[1:55:33] who knows the neighborhoods, knows the
[1:55:35] people, understands the patterns of
[1:55:37] crimes, knows how to handle difficult
[1:55:39] situations, and has built relationships
[1:55:40] within the community. Those things take
[1:55:43] years to develop. That experience is an
[1:55:46] investment.
[1:55:48] And when experienced officers leave, we
[1:55:50] lose that investment.
[1:55:53] This isn't simply about asking for more
[1:55:55] money. This is about investing in public
[1:55:57] safety. If we want to attract good
[1:56:00] officers, we have to be competitive. If
[1:56:02] we want to retain experienced officers,
[1:56:04] we have to give them a reason to stay.
[1:56:06] If we want residents to receive the
[1:56:08] level of police to service that they
[1:56:10] deserve, we did we need enough qualified
[1:56:13] and experienced officers to provide it.
[1:56:16] So, I'm asking this council and this
[1:56:18] administration to seriously look at
[1:56:20] where our police department stands
[1:56:22] compared to the rest of this county.
[1:56:24] Look at what we're asking our officers
[1:56:25] to do. Look at the workload. Look at the
[1:56:28] call volume. Look at the recruitment at
[1:56:30] the retention. And most importantly,
[1:56:32] look at where we're headed. If nothing
[1:56:34] changes,
[1:56:36] give our officers a reason to stay. Give
[1:56:39] prospective officers a reason to come
[1:56:41] here. and give experienced officers a
[1:56:44] reason to make their department their
[1:56:45] career. Because this isn't just about
[1:56:48] police officers. It's about every
[1:56:50] resident who calls 911 and expects
[1:56:52] someone to answer. It's about every
[1:56:54] family that wants to feel safe in their
[1:56:56] neighborhoods. It's about business that
[1:56:58] depends on the safety of the community.
[1:57:02] I've been proud to wear this uniform for
[1:57:04] 11 years and I want to continue serving
[1:57:06] the city. I want to continue serving the
[1:57:09] residents of Jersey City. But we cannot
[1:57:11] take our officers for granted and expect
[1:57:13] them to stay forever.
[1:57:15] We we have the opportunity to change the
[1:57:18] direction we are heading.
[1:57:20] We can make this department a place
[1:57:22] where police once again want to build a
[1:57:24] career. A place where experienced
[1:57:27] officers want to stay and a place where
[1:57:29] the next generation of officers sees
[1:57:30] Jersey City as an opportunity, not
[1:57:33] simply a stepping stone to somewhere
[1:57:35] else. Investing in our police officers
[1:57:37] is investing in the public safety. And
[1:57:39] investing in public safety is investing
[1:57:41] in the future of Jersey City. Thank you.
[1:58:00] » Next speaker, if you can just state and
[1:58:02] spell your name for the record, please.
[1:58:04] » Frank [clears throat] Frank Wilson. Wo
[1:58:08] N.
[1:58:09] Um,
[1:58:10] » Thank you, Frank.
[1:58:10] » This is the last place I want.
[1:58:12] » Hold on one second. If we can just quiet
[1:58:14] down and just let their speaker speak.
[1:58:17] Thank you.
[1:58:20] » This is the last place I wanted to be.
[1:58:22] But I sent a few council members emails
[1:58:25] that I never got a reply. And I sent the
[1:58:28] mayor an email. I never got a reply. So,
[1:58:30] I really don't think you all are going
[1:58:32] to take me serious right now, especially
[1:58:34] when this councilman won't even look me
[1:58:35] in the eye. Thank you.
[1:58:38] I want your uninvited attention. Some of
[1:58:40] you have seen me at the past mayor
[1:58:42] meetings when I discussed some things
[1:58:45] and I'm going to bring him up again
[1:58:46] today and some of it has to do with the
[1:58:49] police. We need to split it in two. It's
[1:58:52] not the police. It's not the rank and
[1:58:53] file. It's not the patrolman. I looked
[1:58:56] at the meeting for the public safety
[1:58:58] meeting and the numbers that they
[1:59:01] quoted.
[1:59:02] There's 300 people from sergeant up to
[1:59:06] deputy chief with 120 something
[1:59:09] detectives and 400 rank and file
[1:59:11] patrolman that put their lives on the
[1:59:13] line every day. That means it's for
[1:59:15] every patrolman
[1:59:17] the 1.5 upper management controls them.
[1:59:22] I don't know any patrolman that need to
[1:59:24] have that much guidance that we don't
[1:59:26] have more patrolman on on the bead and
[1:59:29] not as many brass. were brass heavy.
[1:59:34] Okay. And I I say this because the last
[1:59:38] two chiefs, the fire and the police
[1:59:40] chief, retired with their pension and a
[1:59:44] $420,000
[1:59:45] payout for fire and $512,000
[1:59:50] for police. That's almost a million for
[1:59:52] two individuals. I think that's
[1:59:54] excessive.
[1:59:56] Okay.
[1:59:59] I'm leading. It says here that there's a
[2:00:01] law that was enacted in 2010 that
[2:00:04] cretails the contractual obligation of
[2:00:07] payouts to $15,000
[2:00:10] dollars to anybody that was hired after
[2:00:12] 2010.
[2:00:14] Okay, I say that because I found and I
[2:00:18] gave one of the councilman this. Okay, I
[2:00:20] found this um notice that came from the
[2:00:23] previous administration that he he gave
[2:00:27] an executive order that any any deputy
[2:00:31] chief that was promoted from 2018 and up
[2:00:35] was given 180 sick days.
[2:00:40] From what I see, this is still in
[2:00:42] effect.
[2:00:44] So that means we're giving them 100 half
[2:00:46] a year salary when they retire. anybody
[2:00:48] that was from 2018.
[2:00:51] The these numbers that I'm quoting have
[2:00:53] nothing to do with the rank and file.
[2:00:56] It's a bloated system of payouts at the
[2:00:58] end. It's a bloated thing for patronage
[2:01:01] that you've you've given these these
[2:01:04] deputy chiefs a half a year salary.
[2:01:08] I'd like to add that. Okay. And I don't
[2:01:11] see anywhere where it's been revoked. I
[2:01:13] asked the mayor. I never heard a word
[2:01:15] back from them. So, it's like go along
[2:01:18] to get along. And some of you may have
[2:01:20] still been here when this was put into
[2:01:21] effect because this was put into effect
[2:01:23] in 2018.
[2:01:27] So, I'd like to give this to the record
[2:01:29] that you have to now see it. If we can
[2:01:31] put this into the record, whoever takes
[2:01:33] these papers that you have, you can't
[2:01:34] just like say, "Okay, move on." Um, I
[2:01:38] I'd like you to get your attention. And
[2:01:40] some of you, I know two of you up there
[2:01:42] saw me at at the one of the meetings and
[2:01:45] I discussed this. And I'd like to make
[2:01:48] sure that all of you understand this.
[2:01:50] Again, it's not the rank and file.
[2:01:52] Everybody says police, police, police.
[2:01:54] You've got 400 cops on the job in the
[2:01:58] cars. You got 300
[2:02:01] management personnel
[2:02:03] that aren't patrolling in the cars.
[2:02:07] Uh, I think something's wrong here.
[2:02:11] I I
[2:02:13] So, I I I think think you need to start
[2:02:15] taking a look at this and you start to
[2:02:17] need to take a look at these payout
[2:02:18] numbers that they're entitled to it.
[2:02:20] Take it in the current year. Don't all
[2:02:22] of a sudden saddle us with a million
[2:02:24] dollars because two individuals retired
[2:02:26] and are getting paid a million bucks
[2:02:28] because this problem you got is never
[2:02:30] gonna go away.
[2:02:32] and I can't afford another hit because I
[2:02:34] just got the one in the mail. Um I can't
[2:02:37] afford another one again to say, "Okay,
[2:02:39] well, we made a mistake." And all this
[2:02:40] kind of stuff. So, you're all now in the
[2:02:43] position. It's not somebody else. It's
[2:02:45] not the previous mayor. Um if you want,
[2:02:47] I'll leave this.
[2:02:49] And that's all I got to say. Thank you.
[2:03:04] Speaker
[2:03:05] » Philip Petraelli P.
[2:03:07] » Bring up Bring up the mic. Phil.
[2:03:08] » Philip Petraelli. P H I L I P.
[2:03:13] Petraelli. P E T R U Z C Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
[2:03:17] Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z E L L I. Thank
[2:03:21] you. And many of the people tonight have
[2:03:23] talked about, you know, they need more
[2:03:25] money and other things. What I want to
[2:03:26] do is actually challenge the council to
[2:03:29] do something else. I've been a resident
[2:03:32] for approximately 29 years in Jersey
[2:03:35] City. I have a home. I consider it my
[2:03:38] community. I can walk down the street. I
[2:03:40] know my neighbors. If I go I can walk to
[2:03:43] my doctor's offices. If I go somewhere
[2:03:45] else because you're going to for if
[2:03:47] taxes go much higher, I'm going to have
[2:03:49] to leave a lot of that behind. And
[2:03:51] that's not something I want to do at my
[2:03:52] age. It's one of the greatest things
[2:03:55] stresses stress providers uh that people
[2:03:58] go through is that. But my challenge is
[2:04:00] to you not only find a way to reduce the
[2:04:03] budget if you can if you can't make sure
[2:04:07] future increases are limited to
[2:04:10] inflationary rates instead of anything
[2:04:13] excess in excess of that. And that mean
[2:04:17] that may mean uh selling assets which
[2:04:20] we've done in the past. If you sell 100
[2:04:23] million assets, you can probably get the
[2:04:24] state off your back immediately.
[2:04:28] Um,
[2:04:30] if a department says goes beyond the
[2:04:32] budgetary amount, limit that department,
[2:04:36] furlow the people for a while until they
[2:04:38] get back and think, put some
[2:04:40] consequences for exceeding the budget.
[2:04:43] You have to give some accountability to
[2:04:45] the people that are spending the money.
[2:04:47] You can authorize it. Where's the end to
[2:04:51] make sure that it happens that way and
[2:04:53] people are held accountable?
[2:04:55] You know, you people are all aware that,
[2:04:58] you know, the 15% is unsustainable over
[2:05:01] time. You're driving people, the retired
[2:05:03] people out. You I'm well into my 70s and
[2:05:07] a 15% increase is
[2:05:10] is really excessive. So why don't you
[2:05:13] ask the pass an amendment to move the
[2:05:16] school budget so it's voted on in April
[2:05:19] every year. You can pass that here at
[2:05:22] your level
[2:05:24] and make sure that people have a choice
[2:05:26] in what the city count what the school
[2:05:28] budget spends cuz we're spending
[2:05:30] excessive of somewhere said somebody
[2:05:33] said 30,000 a student for an education
[2:05:36] that is subpar when was it 49% of the
[2:05:40] people can't pass math and what 50% pass
[2:05:43] reading or something like that. You
[2:05:45] know, it's really poor for a city this
[2:05:49] size to have that poor of a school
[2:05:51] representation.
[2:05:52] Put some teeth behind the budget you
[2:05:55] make and make sure you follow up on it.
[2:05:57] You know, the past administration said,
[2:05:59] "It's somebody else. It's somebody
[2:06:01] else." Put some teeth. A gentleman
[2:06:03] tonight made a great thing on the
[2:06:05] budget.
[2:06:06] Pass it in June for the following year.
[2:06:11] That way they know what they're
[2:06:12] spending. They know if they go over,
[2:06:13] they're going to be penalized.
[2:06:16] Help the people out, the residents out
[2:06:17] that want to have a long-term home and
[2:06:21] community here. Thank you.
[2:06:28] If you can just state and spell your
[2:06:30] name for the record, please.
[2:06:31] » Yes. Uh, Jennifer King. J N I F E R K I
[2:06:36] N G.
[2:06:38] » Thank you, Jennifer. I wasn't prepared
[2:06:40] to talk tonight, so I just But um my
[2:06:43] story is the perfect culmination of
[2:06:46] » Jennifer, you could just bring it close
[2:06:47] to you.
[2:06:48] » Yeah,
[2:06:49] » That's better.
[2:06:51] » My story is the perfect culmination of
[2:06:53] what's happening here this evening and
[2:06:55] why funding for the waterfront project
[2:06:57] is so important and the tax increase
[2:07:00] isn't working for the people that are
[2:07:03] the heart of Jersey City. My landlord is
[2:07:06] not a nice person and wants to tear down
[2:07:09] the building we live in I've lived in
[2:07:11] for 20 years and build another
[2:07:14] high-rise. Instead of offering us a
[2:07:17] buyout, he tried to sue my partner and
[2:07:20] I.
[2:07:22] We were referred to the waterfront
[2:07:24] project because we made too much for a
[2:07:28] free lawyer and not enough for $500 an
[2:07:31] hour.
[2:07:32] Um they stepped up for us unbelievably
[2:07:37] so.
[2:07:38] Um
[2:07:40] Barl Dalton
[2:07:42] not only let my landlord and his lawyer
[2:07:46] know that their action was almost
[2:07:50] criminal but also got us our rightful
[2:07:53] buyout.
[2:07:55] The tie-in with the tax increase
[2:07:57] affected us in the fact that we are not
[2:07:59] able to stay in Jersey City,
[2:08:03] which truly breaks my heart. [snorts] I
[2:08:06] have raised my children here. I've made
[2:08:09] lifelong friends. I've worked, shopped,
[2:08:13] woripped, and helped save a piece of
[2:08:16] Jersey City history that is older than
[2:08:18] this country.
[2:08:20] I am
[2:08:22] not far away uh to keep close to that
[2:08:25] historic site, but I'm not in Jersey
[2:08:28] City. And the very real fact is that as
[2:08:32] renters, we can't afford to stay here. I
[2:08:36] have friends who are homeowners and
[2:08:39] whose family has been here for
[2:08:40] generations considering giving it all up
[2:08:44] because they can't afford to stay.
[2:08:47] The people who spoke up this evening is
[2:08:50] just a fraction of the people who reside
[2:08:53] here and feel the same as all these
[2:08:55] people who have spoken tonight. If you
[2:08:58] lose the people who have made up the
[2:09:00] heart of Jersey City, Jersey City will
[2:09:03] just be a name and its living history
[2:09:06] will be lost. Please rework the budget
[2:09:09] and make it work for all and not just a
[2:09:12] few. Thank you.
[2:09:18] You can just state and spell your name
[2:09:20] for the record, please.
[2:09:21] » Hi, my name is Jeff JFF Vortimer Viking
[2:09:25] Victor. O R C H E I M E R. Um, briefly,
[2:09:33] first of all, thank you very much for
[2:09:34] all for council for their patience and
[2:09:36] for the real passion and and outstanding
[2:09:40] comments by the people who spoke before
[2:09:42] me. I did want to say um you know as an
[2:09:45] older resident of Jersey City, I am
[2:09:47] grateful for the Jersey City Police
[2:09:49] Department for keeping a low crime rate.
[2:09:51] Again, my wife and I are a little less
[2:09:53] able to defend ourselves than we once
[2:09:54] were. And I have a daughter whose dog
[2:09:57] insists on going out late at night. Um
[2:09:59] there is a sense of order in Jersey
[2:10:01] City, frankly, that I don't attribute to
[2:10:05] national trends. Um I don't find in New
[2:10:07] York City at all and I do not take for
[2:10:10] granted. Thank you.
[2:10:16] Hi everyone. Uh, my name is Campbell
[2:10:18] Charie. That's C A M P B E L L. Uh, C H
[2:10:23] A R S H E
[2:10:26] » C H A R
[2:10:28] » Uh C H A R S H E Campbell Charie.
[2:10:33] » S H I'm sorry. S H E
[2:10:35] » S H E. Yeah.
[2:10:36] » Thank you, sir.
[2:10:38] Uh so I just wanted to impress upon the
[2:10:41] council and also everyone in this
[2:10:43] chamber uh the importance uh I heard
[2:10:45] someone Isaac say it of establishing
[2:10:47] local control over Jersey city's budget
[2:10:50] and um also thinking about progressive
[2:10:53] meth methods of taxation to deal with
[2:10:55] the budget crisis. Um, I've been
[2:10:57] involved in the effort to save Christ
[2:10:59] Hospital. Um, and the Christ hospital
[2:11:02] closure let the city and even the New
[2:11:04] Jersey Department of Health without
[2:11:06] legal and regulatory options regarding
[2:11:09] bigging uh bringing a bad faith hospital
[2:11:11] operator, that's HR, to heal and
[2:11:14] reestablishing critical health services
[2:11:16] uh in the Jersey City Heights. Um uh
[2:11:19] there are now state legislative efforts
[2:11:21] uh to give the state new powers to step
[2:11:23] in in these kinds of situations. But
[2:11:26] let's be clear, the situation is bad. Uh
[2:11:28] there are 1.2 hospital beds for a city
[2:11:31] of 300,000 people. That's less than half
[2:11:34] the national average. And god forbid uh
[2:11:37] there's another natural disaster or
[2:11:39] pandemic. Um the the city's going to be
[2:11:42] really screwed. So um that's a that's a
[2:11:44] situation where a lack of HR used
[2:11:48] lawfare and all manner of things to uh
[2:11:52] basically uh avoid accountability and
[2:11:54] and similarly right now with this budget
[2:11:56] process with the $255 million uh budget
[2:12:00] deficit the aid package offered by the
[2:12:03] state cond conditioned upon the 15.5 uh%
[2:12:06] property tax increases and uh the
[2:12:09] inability of Jersey City of the council
[2:12:11] and the mayor to levy any form of
[2:12:13] progressive property tax uh or adjust
[2:12:15] any taxes on developers or local uh
[2:12:18] corporate residents um at the municipal
[2:12:21] level. That's smacks of the same problem
[2:12:23] to me. Um so uh that problem is the lack
[2:12:27] of adequate local control over both our
[2:12:29] social services and budgetary prospects.
[2:12:31] Uh so short term I would reiterate
[2:12:34] support for passing the people's budget
[2:12:36] which prioritizes funding social
[2:12:38] services including critical uh health
[2:12:40] services. Uh but more long-term uh we
[2:12:43] don't want to live in a city where
[2:12:45] powerful corporate actors can make
[2:12:46] self-interested moves and then escape
[2:12:49] accountability when the bills come due.
[2:12:51] Uh long term we need the state to give
[2:12:54] Jersey City more power to levy
[2:12:56] progressive property taxes. And the
[2:12:58] state also needs to look seriously at le
[2:13:00] levying new taxes on private developers
[2:13:02] and corporations direct to directly
[2:13:04] benefit one of New Jersey's largest
[2:13:06] cities uh and the 1.3 to$ 1.5 billion it
[2:13:10] provides the state annually. Um but the
[2:13:12] power to do that only begins at the
[2:13:15] community level democratically with
[2:13:18] transparency and with a long-term
[2:13:20] organizing strategy and with the
[2:13:22] fullthroated support of the mayor and
[2:13:24] city council. Thanks very much.
[2:13:32] » Just bring the mic down if you could
[2:13:33] just state and spell your name for the
[2:13:35] record, please.
[2:13:36] » Donna Rristauchi. R I S T O R U C I.
[2:13:42] » Thank you, Donna.
[2:13:44] » Um, well, actually, everyone has said
[2:13:47] what I what I had thought to say, so I
[2:13:51] meant I I'll just take a minute. Um,
[2:13:55] you know, I think I I I uh I want to
[2:13:57] thank the people who have given concrete
[2:14:00] examples, you know, from the waterfront
[2:14:01] and the uh right to legal counsel and so
[2:14:04] on because it adds it makes it real, you
[2:14:07] know, shows really what the budget how
[2:14:09] it affects people and and what we need
[2:14:11] to do. A budget is a statement of your
[2:14:14] values and
[2:14:18] and that's what that's what our budget
[2:14:19] should be. I I think that that our state
[2:14:23] talk about handcuffs. The state then the
[2:14:26] DCA has really put handcuffs on our
[2:14:28] ability to make our budget reflect our
[2:14:31] values. Our our values are for the
[2:14:35] services for the people, you know, and
[2:14:37] um you know, I used to work for a labor
[2:14:40] lawyer and he told me that the law has
[2:14:43] nothing to do with justice. And I think
[2:14:46] that that's we sometimes see that, you
[2:14:49] know, in our uh especially in the in the
[2:14:51] way the state is um controlling our
[2:14:54] constitution
[2:14:56] basically defended the property of
[2:14:58] wealthy white land owners and and
[2:15:02] everything that we have gotten
[2:15:03] throughout the years has been a fight, a
[2:15:06] struggle. And I think that's that's what
[2:15:08] we need to to continue to do here. I
[2:15:11] think that the DSA has really added a
[2:15:14] lot to the um the Democratic Socialists
[2:15:17] of America has added a lot to our budget
[2:15:19] process here because they're actually
[2:15:22] organizing like a bunch of individuals
[2:15:24] you can just say so much and do so much
[2:15:27] but to be organized and struggle
[2:15:30] together in a movement as one of an
[2:15:32] earlier speaker said is is the only way
[2:15:35] that we will get a budget that can
[2:15:37] reflect our values and really protect
[2:15:40] the people of our of our city. So that's
[2:15:43] all. Thanks.
[2:15:49] » Next speaker,
[2:15:51] you can just state your name and spell
[2:15:52] it for the record, please.
[2:15:54] » Monnique K. Andrews. M O N I Q U E K
[2:16:01] like in kite. Andrews. A N D R E WS.
[2:16:07] » Thank you so much.
[2:16:09] Uh, first I wanted to uh speak about the
[2:16:12] fact that I'm glad y'all did the moment
[2:16:13] of silence this today, but I would hope
[2:16:16] that you have would have done it for
[2:16:18] Nolan Wells, the young man that lost his
[2:16:21] life in Mississippi. Today is his
[2:16:23] birthday and I was hoping that I had
[2:16:25] heard that from this panel. But besides
[2:16:28] that,
[2:16:30] um, speaking of this budget, one thing
[2:16:33] that I'm concerned about is that the
[2:16:36] street on Ocean Avenue between Stevens
[2:16:41] Avenue all the way to Sheffield Avenue
[2:16:43] has been torn up for months.
[2:16:46] And the cars are being ripped apart
[2:16:49] coming through there which also is
[2:16:52] across from the
[2:16:56] cemetery down the street from a school
[2:17:00] where kids got to go back and forth. You
[2:17:03] can break your leg going across the
[2:17:05] street. Okay. But yet we're talking
[2:17:07] about bike lanes.
[2:17:10] Okay. where the difference is the bike
[2:17:13] lanes are green in the square and
[2:17:16] downtown but they're black in Greenville
[2:17:20] where you can't see them at night. So
[2:17:22] now you're you're you know driving your
[2:17:24] car and you're about to lose your car.
[2:17:27] Who's going to pay for that? Is that
[2:17:28] going to be in the budget?
[2:17:30] I'm paying I'm paying insurance for a
[2:17:33] car that it keeps getting torn up from
[2:17:35] the streets of the you know the streets
[2:17:37] that y'all not paving. How can you have
[2:17:40] this work done and don't hold these
[2:17:43] people accountable for making it
[2:17:45] smoother for the for the residents?
[2:17:48] That's a danger. That's a safety hazard.
[2:17:49] It's it's a problem. Okay. The other
[2:17:52] thing, um, [clears throat] there was a
[2:17:55] young man that made a statement about
[2:17:57] people that live in Greenville.
[2:18:01] Uh, if they can't afford it, they need
[2:18:03] to leave. And he's supposed to be the
[2:18:06] mayor's top dog or something.
[2:18:10] Um, yeah, Steuart. Steuart Thomas. Um,
[2:18:14] yeah. [clears throat]
[2:18:15] Well, let him know this. I hope he's
[2:18:18] listening. Um, I was born and raised
[2:18:21] here. I don't think he was. So, if
[2:18:23] anybody going to leave, it's going to be
[2:18:25] him.
[2:18:32] Next speaker.
[2:18:35] You can just state your name. You don't
[2:18:36] have to spell it. I know who you are.
[2:18:38] Esther.
[2:18:40] » Um, my name is Esther Whitner.
[2:18:44] Good evening, council. [clears throat]
[2:18:46] We are nearing the end of what has been
[2:18:48] an extraordinarily difficult budget
[2:18:50] season. A 15% tax increase is not just a
[2:18:54] number on a spreadsheet. It impacts
[2:18:57] mortgage payments, rents, seniors on
[2:18:59] fixed incomes, working families, small
[2:19:02] property owners, and their tenants.
[2:19:05] When the dust settles on this budget, we
[2:19:08] cannot simply turn the page and move on.
[2:19:10] The question is no longer how did we get
[2:19:13] here. The question is what kind of city
[2:19:16] are we going to be from this point
[2:19:18] forward. Jersey City has spent years
[2:19:21] talking about progress and growth we
[2:19:23] have built and we have developed. But
[2:19:26] growth without affordability is not
[2:19:28] progress for everyone. That is why the
[2:19:31] decisions being made outside this
[2:19:33] chamber are important, too. At last
[2:19:36] night's JC meeting, resolutions were
[2:19:39] approved authorizing the procurement of
[2:19:41] economic analysis and construction
[2:19:43] advisory services that can influence
[2:19:46] redevelopment throughout the city. And
[2:19:48] while they may sound like routine
[2:19:50] resolutions, they are not routine to the
[2:19:52] residents who will ultimately live with
[2:19:54] the consequences.
[2:19:57] Every pilot, redevelopment agreement,
[2:19:59] and every dollar of public support must
[2:20:02] now be viewed through a different lens.
[2:20:04] Does this decision make Jersey City more
[2:20:07] affordable or does it cost the taxpayer?
[2:20:10] We cannot endure a 15% tax increase
[2:20:13] today and at the same time establish
[2:20:16] policies that create the conditions for
[2:20:18] another affordability crisis tomorrow.
[2:20:21] That means you have learned nothing.
[2:20:25] now should mark the end of an era in
[2:20:27] which residents discover the financial
[2:20:29] consequences of government decisions
[2:20:31] only after those consequences arrive on
[2:20:34] their tax bills. From this day forward,
[2:20:37] fiscal discipline and affordability must
[2:20:40] become inseparable. Residents should
[2:20:43] receive quarterly public financial
[2:20:45] reports from this administration
[2:20:47] presented publicly by those responsible
[2:20:50] for managing our finances, produce
[2:20:52] revenues, spending, debt, outstanding
[2:20:55] obligations, and the budget. We should
[2:20:57] never again have to wait for a fiscal
[2:20:59] crisis to learn the condition of our
[2:21:02] city's finances. And before we subsidize
[2:21:05] developers and surrender revenue, ask
[2:21:08] what it means to residents and what it
[2:21:10] will ultimately cost them.
[2:21:13] Before we celebrate growth, ask whether
[2:21:15] the people who already live here will
[2:21:17] still be able to afford to remain here.
[2:21:20] Jersey City is not about its skyline and
[2:21:22] shiny buildings. It's about its people.
[2:21:25] And the people cannot afford another
[2:21:27] massive tax increase. The lesson of this
[2:21:30] year must be ongoing. Never again should
[2:21:33] oversight and affordability be an
[2:21:35] afterthought. Every budget, every pilot,
[2:21:39] redevelopment agreement, you must first
[2:21:41] ask one question. Can the people of
[2:21:44] Jersey City afford the city we are
[2:21:46] creating? Because if the answer is no,
[2:21:49] then no matter how much we build, you
[2:21:51] will have failed to build a city for its
[2:21:53] people. I would also like to ask I sent
[2:21:56] a an email to the mayor and to uh Mr.
[2:22:00] Vicera. They didn't respond. I don't
[2:22:02] think they're speaking to me now. But I
[2:22:04] do think that it would be a good idea to
[2:22:06] have a public meeting with the CPA, with
[2:22:09] the auditor, with the business
[2:22:10] administrator for the public to
[2:22:12] understand
[2:22:14] line by line, not on a not on a
[2:22:17] flowchart, not on a chart, but we need
[2:22:19] to understand the reconciliation
[2:22:22] the numbers of how we went from 2025 to
[2:22:26] a deficit of $250 million. this year. We
[2:22:31] need to understand what part is
[2:22:33] structural, what part is deferred
[2:22:34] obligations. We need to understand the
[2:22:37] the actual numbers because we deserve
[2:22:40] that. We're paying for that. And so when
[2:22:42] we're told that there's this major
[2:22:44] deficit, then we deserve the answers in
[2:22:48] um in full clarity. Thank you.
[2:22:56] Please come forward.
[2:23:00] You can just state your name for the
[2:23:01] record. Charlene,
[2:23:02] » Thank you. Charlene Burke. You
[2:23:06] » Council council president, thank you for
[2:23:09] the five minutes affording the public to
[2:23:11] comment on the budget. And I would like
[2:23:14] to ask about next week's meeting. Will
[2:23:16] we have a public uh the ability to
[2:23:19] comment on the amendments following
[2:23:23] those as well? Got that?
[2:23:26] » Yes.
[2:23:28] » Okay. Thank you.
[2:23:29] » Five minutes again.
[2:23:31] » Five minutes again. Thank you very much.
[2:23:33] Um, I did have the opportunity to watch
[2:23:37] some of the department here uh hearings
[2:23:40] that you had and I commend you all for
[2:23:42] the for having the stamina and actually
[2:23:47] being able to ask questions on the fly
[2:23:50] because I understand a lot of those
[2:23:51] documents were not given to you until
[2:23:54] shortly before you had the director
[2:23:56] sitting there. Now, as a member from the
[2:23:59] public, I didn't have those documents,
[2:24:01] so I wasn't able to follow along with
[2:24:05] all of the commentary that was going on
[2:24:07] there. And I would appreciate in the
[2:24:10] future that in fact, if it's being
[2:24:12] handed to you, then even if it's an if
[2:24:15] that's within the P hour leading up to
[2:24:18] it, it should be available online as
[2:24:20] well, so a public member can watch and
[2:24:24] follow along with the commentary. That's
[2:24:26] number one.
[2:24:27] This is the transparency that this
[2:24:30] administration was promising us and it's
[2:24:33] really important especially in the kind
[2:24:35] of critical times we're in. Um I
[2:24:40] appreciated the certainly all of the
[2:24:42] questions that came from all of you
[2:24:44] about trying to squeeze out every dollar
[2:24:48] that could be squeezed out of the budget
[2:24:50] or you know asking about whether the
[2:24:53] departments needed to spend the money
[2:24:55] that they do. I really think that, you
[2:24:59] know, if we look back on when everybody
[2:25:02] was running for their positions and in
[2:25:05] the runoff, our mayor was well aware of
[2:25:08] the kind of hole we were in. Maybe not
[2:25:11] to the degree he stated once he was
[2:25:13] here, but he was stating at the forums
[2:25:17] and certainly at the debate that the
[2:25:20] Westside Community Alliance held that it
[2:25:22] was 100 to $150 million.
[2:25:26] So you would think that walking in the
[2:25:28] door from day one, you would have taken
[2:25:32] some kind of actions that would have
[2:25:36] actually cut or controlled the
[2:25:40] expenditures that are going on for this
[2:25:43] year. Not where we're doing it in
[2:25:45] August, but where we were doing it in
[2:25:48] January.
[2:25:50] Now, of course, that's history, but it
[2:25:52] bothers me so that here we are at the
[2:25:56] brink of 2027.
[2:25:59] So now, whatever you're deciding today,
[2:26:02] I think you need to ditto this for next
[2:26:05] year or between now and the end of the
[2:26:09] year, you all should be looking at
[2:26:12] cutting more out of the budget for 2027.
[2:26:17] And when I say cuts, I'm talking about
[2:26:21] um the payroll. And I know it's an
[2:26:25] unpopular way to talk about where you
[2:26:28] need to cut, but honestly, it's 60% of
[2:26:32] the entire budget. And if you attended,
[2:26:36] many of you have attended community
[2:26:38] meetings, you hear people complaining
[2:26:42] all the time that departments in this
[2:26:45] city do not do the work that they're
[2:26:48] supposed to do. Well, excuse me. If we
[2:26:52] have employees, paid employees to do the
[2:26:55] work, and that department's not doing
[2:26:58] the work, what are we doing with this
[2:27:02] payroll? just having people paid to have
[2:27:07] a job and a title. I know you have
[2:27:10] unions. I know you also have um civil
[2:27:15] service, but there also has to be some
[2:27:18] kind of track record that these people
[2:27:21] have in their jobs. Now, maybe some of
[2:27:24] the supervisors aren't well trained
[2:27:26] about being supervisors,
[2:27:28] and I can attest to that on the parks
[2:27:31] level because we've had without
[2:27:34] supervision of the personnel in the
[2:27:36] field, they cut down all the rain
[2:27:39] gardens or the community gardens that
[2:27:41] exist in our parks. So, all the
[2:27:44] volunteer efforts that have been put
[2:27:46] into our parks are removed in one fell
[2:27:49] swoop. And these are problems on a small
[2:27:53] scale, but I could repeat every single
[2:27:56] department has the same kind of
[2:27:58] problems. Please look into this. Thank
[2:28:02] you.
[2:28:08] Next speaker, if you can just state your
[2:28:10] name and spell it for the record,
[2:28:12] please.
[2:28:14] » R O
[2:28:14] » Rosanna, just bring up the mic to you.
[2:28:20] R O S E A N A
[2:28:24] Petraelli P E T R U Z Z Z E L L I
[2:28:31] » Thank you.
[2:28:32] » I came this evening because we have been
[2:28:35] living here for over 30 years and built
[2:28:37] a home, a community, and we're facing
[2:28:40] the fact that we may have to leave and
[2:28:44] we don't want to leave. But after
[2:28:46] sitting here and hearing all these
[2:28:48] people and how much they're suffering, I
[2:28:51] only want to come up here to say that I
[2:28:53] hope you're hearing that your neighbors,
[2:28:55] the people that put you there, because
[2:28:57] we need your help. They all need your
[2:28:58] help and they're scared and this is
[2:29:02] unsustainable. Solomon is not listening
[2:29:07] and it's it's just scary. and from the
[2:29:10] police officers who gave me chills as a
[2:29:14] community that came out and asked for
[2:29:15] your help and the people who need the
[2:29:18] police officers and not getting any
[2:29:20] response. They need your help. So, I
[2:29:24] hope you're all listening and reach out
[2:29:27] and help the people that put you there.
[2:29:29] I pray for all of us. Thank you.
[2:29:35] Next speaker, you can just state and
[2:29:37] spell your name for the record, please.
[2:29:39] » Yes. My name is Roxan Small. S M A L L.
[2:29:46] » Thank you, Roxan.
[2:29:48] » People,
[2:29:50] I oppose of this little this property
[2:29:53] tax. I'm a homeowner
[2:29:57] and I have one tenant.
[2:30:00] I'm trying to keep her. I don't want to
[2:30:03] go up on her rent.
[2:30:06] It's hard to get tenants out here. And
[2:30:09] this [clears throat] tax increase makes
[2:30:10] it even harder.
[2:30:13] So, I oppose of this tax increase
[2:30:17] because I am trying to keep my home and
[2:30:20] I am also trying to keep a tenant.
[2:30:24] I also have one more thing. I the lady
[2:30:28] talked about the street on Ocean Avenue.
[2:30:31] I live on Ruckers.
[2:30:34] They went into the pipeline
[2:30:37] in the street. Didn't even put it back
[2:30:40] together.
[2:30:43] So now we're we we're damaging our cars.
[2:30:48] We're damaging our car. We have to go in
[2:30:50] other directions to keep from going up
[2:30:52] that block.
[2:30:55] My car has been damaged twice.
[2:30:59] So again, council,
[2:31:02] we need help. We need help with the with
[2:31:04] the roads that they're digging up and we
[2:31:06] also need help with this tax
[2:31:09] because we all are trying to keep our
[2:31:11] homes out out here and we all are trying
[2:31:13] to keep our tenants. Thank you.
[2:31:21] You just state and spell your name for
[2:31:23] the record.
[2:31:24] » Sure. My name is Dina Tikv. D as in
[2:31:26] David. I N A. Last name T as in Tom. S
[2:31:31] as in Sam. U K R O V as in Victor.
[2:31:37] » Thank you.
[2:31:39] » You um I want to heark back to the
[2:31:42] happier part of this meeting. We were
[2:31:43] talking about community gardens. Um,
[2:31:45] however, I wanted to speak about
[2:31:46] something that's not an existing
[2:31:48] community garden ordinance. Uh, so I was
[2:31:50] told this might be the time to do it
[2:31:51] since it goes into the budget area. Let
[2:31:52] me know if that was incorrect. Um, I was
[2:31:55] so happy to see all the support for the
[2:31:57] community gardens in our community. I'm
[2:31:59] representing a newer garden tour to our
[2:32:01] system. For the last 7 years, I've been
[2:32:02] running the Arlington Community Garden.
[2:32:05] It is on the lot between 283 and 289
[2:32:08] Arlington Avenue in Bergen Lafayette.
[2:32:10] Um, and it's a lovely little home. We
[2:32:12] grow organic fruits, vegetables,
[2:32:14] flowers. We have a pollinator garden. We
[2:32:17] host a lot of events for the community
[2:32:18] with a focus on education, especially
[2:32:20] for the children. You know, we grow a
[2:32:22] pumpkin patch. Then for Halloween, they
[2:32:23] decorate the pumpkins. Um, we do Easter
[2:32:25] egg hunts. It's a lovely space. Um,
[2:32:28] unfortunately, uh, looks like a luxury
[2:32:31] developer that was working nearby
[2:32:32] reported us as a lot overgrown with
[2:32:34] weeds a few weeks ago and DPW sent in
[2:32:38] workers and raised the whole garden to
[2:32:40] the ground. Um, I can hear the fellow
[2:32:43] gardeners in the audience understand how
[2:32:44] devastating this was for all of us for
[2:32:46] all of the the work, the hundreds of
[2:32:48] hours. I was on maternity leave hoing
[2:32:51] with a baby strapped to my back for 3
[2:32:53] hours a day and I could have been
[2:32:54] sleeping with my newborn that time. Um,
[2:32:57] it it really was heartbreaking for all
[2:32:59] of us. Um, and I want to say the workers
[2:33:01] were actually lovely. I happened to walk
[2:33:03] in as they were finishing their job and
[2:33:05] I did manage to save one row of the
[2:33:07] garden beds, but most of what we had
[2:33:09] done was was taken away. Um, and I'm
[2:33:13] wondering if there's anything that we
[2:33:16] might be able to do um, first to
[2:33:18] investigate how something like this
[2:33:20] happened. So, I've been in contact with
[2:33:22] some folks. I want to give a very
[2:33:23] enthusiastic thank you to Erica Walker
[2:33:26] um, on Councilman Gilmore staff who was
[2:33:27] very responsive and helped connect me
[2:33:29] with some folks. Um, that said, it did
[2:33:31] take me Mhm. Thank you. It did take me
[2:33:33] more than a month of calls and emails to
[2:33:35] finally get connected with somebody from
[2:33:37] that and so now I'm speaking with Sonia
[2:33:40] Dublin about the adopt a lot program. Um
[2:33:42] and I'm excited that that can help it go
[2:33:44] forward. But the whole process has been
[2:33:46] really hard. The adopt a lot link on the
[2:33:49] website has been broken for at least the
[2:33:51] 3 months I've been trying to go um and
[2:33:53] fill it out. Um we requested wood chips,
[2:33:57] you know, more than 3 months ago and DPW
[2:33:59] responded saying the truck is broken.
[2:34:01] the wood chipper is broken and then they
[2:34:03] just stop responding to emails. So, I I
[2:34:05] feel like there's a limited space for
[2:34:07] low-level tasks that the city might be
[2:34:09] able to assist us with uh all of the
[2:34:12] community gardens, but especially
[2:34:14] getting a a new or an existing space,
[2:34:16] but a new space formally recognized um
[2:34:18] so it can be protected in the future. Um
[2:34:21] especially if we can get like a hose
[2:34:22] hookup so we don't have to hand water
[2:34:24] from rain barrels. Um, and I see that
[2:34:28] you all appreciate how wonderful
[2:34:30] community gardens are for the community,
[2:34:31] but I'm hoping that we can be a bit more
[2:34:33] diligent in establishing resources for
[2:34:35] supporting these gardens, maybe helping
[2:34:37] us replace those perennial plants in the
[2:34:39] pollinator garden that were cut down and
[2:34:41] I paid for out of my own pocket the
[2:34:43] first time. Um, at minimum, if I Google
[2:34:46] Jersey City Community Gardens, I should
[2:34:47] be taken to a page with an actual
[2:34:49] person's contact information on there,
[2:34:51] so I don't need to spend I the
[2:34:52] hypothetical and don't need to spend
[2:34:53] another month trying to get help. um in
[2:34:55] the future. Um yeah, thank you all for
[2:34:58] the support that you've done and I hope
[2:34:59] that you can make a little space in the
[2:35:01] budget for more community garden support
[2:35:03] going forward. Thank you.
[2:35:08] » Next speaker, if you can come to the
[2:35:10] podium, state and spell your name for
[2:35:12] the record, please.
[2:35:14] » Dar Little D E N A R. You need me to
[2:35:19] spell my last name?
[2:35:20] » Low. You said
[2:35:22] » Little. Little. No.
[2:35:24] You're good. Thank you.
[2:35:26] » Okay. So, today I'm here to address the
[2:35:28] council on the 15.5
[2:35:30] tax hike.
[2:35:34] » Okay. I think that, you know, with that
[2:35:37] tax hike, it affects everyone. Lower
[2:35:40] class, middle class,
[2:35:42] um higher class.
[2:35:45] It's a real slap in the face to the
[2:35:47] people.
[2:35:50] See the lower class, we we keep you guys
[2:35:52] in these seats. You want us to vote for
[2:35:55] you guys, we're there to vote for you
[2:35:57] guys.
[2:35:59] You know, I'm not a homeowner. I'm a
[2:36:01] renter. And I believe, you know, with
[2:36:05] that 15.5
[2:36:07] increase, it might affect, you know, the
[2:36:10] the rent. Also, I'm also a father, a
[2:36:13] single a single father, just like the
[2:36:15] rest of these people in here. might be
[2:36:17] parents, you know, that that that that's
[2:36:20] a big slap in the face to to the people.
[2:36:22] And I live in an urban neighborhood. We
[2:36:24] feel it even more.
[2:36:27] You know, I I live up on Bergen. Right
[2:36:30] around the corner is Monttoello. Nothing
[2:36:32] is getting developed there. Everything's
[2:36:34] getting snatched away. We try to call
[2:36:37] you guys. No one picks up the phones.
[2:36:40] But then we hear about a budget.
[2:36:43] Who's the budget for? Is it for the
[2:36:45] people or is it for the mayor?
[2:36:48] Because we all deserve to live the same
[2:36:50] way.
[2:36:52] No one's better than no one. We all are
[2:36:55] human.
[2:36:57] You guys were just like us.
[2:37:01] So, you know, if you want to continue to
[2:37:03] stay in those seats, you should care
[2:37:04] about the people
[2:37:07] because the people is going to keep you
[2:37:08] there, not the mayor.
[2:37:11] That's all I got to say.
[2:37:19] Um, okay. Next speaker. Sorry. Give me a
[2:37:23] second. If you could just state and
[2:37:24] spell your name for the record, please.
[2:37:26] » Um, Demetriottis Vandermark.
[2:37:29] D M E T R I O T I S.
[2:37:34] Last name is Vandermark. V A N D E M A R
[2:37:38] K.
[2:37:39] » Thank you.
[2:37:42] I want to bring to your attention uh two
[2:37:44] exhibits of evidence. Um I'm also asking
[2:37:47] that no council members interrupt my
[2:37:49] time. If it doesn't apply, let it fly.
[2:37:54] Exhibit one. I would like to bring to
[2:37:57] your attention the Supreme Court case of
[2:37:59] Kilo versus the city of New London,
[2:38:01] 2005.
[2:38:04] Imminent domain, which Jersey City has
[2:38:06] no specific local legislation against,
[2:38:09] allows the government to seize private
[2:38:11] property for public use, especially in
[2:38:14] times of financial constraint.
[2:38:16] This also means that the government can
[2:38:18] allow a private developer to seize
[2:38:20] private properties of the working and
[2:38:22] poor class to be developed for public
[2:38:25] usage to promote de excuse me, promote
[2:38:28] economic development. And this is JC in
[2:38:31] the flesh. According
[2:38:34] to Justice Sandra Okconor, the justices
[2:38:36] who voted in favor of the city of New
[2:38:39] London voted in favor of a predatory act
[2:38:42] which prays on the poor and the working
[2:38:44] class. And this is the tale of the have
[2:38:47] and the have nots.
[2:38:49] It seems quite similar to the 15.5% tax
[2:38:52] increase that the city and council has
[2:38:54] already voted on and will pass.
[2:38:57] God, you got to remember that all money
[2:38:59] is not good money.
[2:39:02] This increase is predatory and will
[2:39:04] affect marginalized communities.
[2:39:07] Similar to Senica Village aka Central
[2:39:10] Park, this was all in the plan.
[2:39:14] You all campaigned and said that you
[2:39:16] were for the people. However, you all
[2:39:19] are traitors. True Benedict Arnold.
[2:39:23] And in the final exhibit,
[2:39:26] Trump is very similar to Solomon.
[2:39:30] Trump is providing tax cuts to the
[2:39:32] wealthy while taxing the poor.
[2:39:35] Solomon is taxing Jersey City residents
[2:39:37] while giving developers tax abatements,
[2:39:39] aka Canal Crossing.
[2:39:42] Trump fired federal employees.
[2:39:45] Solomon laid off 31 city employees and
[2:39:48] then had them exported out by police.
[2:39:51] Trump hired political cronies who
[2:39:53] weren't qualified to hold executive
[2:39:55] positions.
[2:39:57] Solomon has hired endless amounts of
[2:39:59] non-J city residents at six-f figureure
[2:40:01] incomes while claiming a budget deficit.
[2:40:05] Trump advised during his campaign run
[2:40:07] that he would not go into new wars or
[2:40:09] higher grass prices.
[2:40:12] Solomon promised during a runoff debate
[2:40:14] in Lincoln Park he wouldn't hire taxes
[2:40:16] higher than the inflation rate.
[2:40:18] According to the US Bureau of Labor and
[2:40:21] Statistics, as of June 2026, the
[2:40:24] inflation rate is 3.5%.
[2:40:27] Not 15.5%.
[2:40:30] It's not the same.
[2:40:32] Trump withheld the Epstein files and
[2:40:35] then when they were produced, he
[2:40:36] redacted names.
[2:40:38] The independent audit of the Philip
[2:40:40] administration was withheld.
[2:40:43] When it was produced, we discovered that
[2:40:45] the deficit is not $250 million, but $94
[2:40:50] million.
[2:40:52] Why do we need $150 plus more dollars? I
[2:40:56] don't want to hear that they didn't know
[2:40:58] about this because there are a few
[2:41:00] people that were up here on the city
[2:41:02] council today, 8 years prior, 12 years
[2:41:05] prior that knew about this.
[2:41:08] All I'm just asking is just don't forget
[2:41:10] about the people who voted you all in
[2:41:11] these seats. Guys, you got to be for the
[2:41:14] people and you got to have a soul up
[2:41:15] here. We all have to answer to a higher
[2:41:17] power. I hope you guys believe in a
[2:41:19] higher power or you believe in God.
[2:41:27] Next speaker, just state your name for
[2:41:29] the record.
[2:41:32] » Good evening. My name is Phil
[2:41:33] Carrington. Do you have a serious
[2:41:35] problem with this 15%? You were asking
[2:41:38] 15 at one time uh 20 and now you're
[2:41:41] asking for 15%.
[2:41:44] See, that's a 15% increase to make up
[2:41:48] your shortfall for the city. But it is a
[2:41:51] 40 something% decrease for poor black
[2:41:54] people. How do we arrive at that number?
[2:41:58] It's 15.5% you're asking for. The county
[2:42:01] asked for 14%. The board asked for
[2:42:03] another 14%.
[2:42:05] I don't know of any black person who
[2:42:07] whose income increased 15, 20, 30%.
[2:42:12] So this is a joke. No, it's a scam. See,
[2:42:16] every time you look around, you're
[2:42:18] asking us for more money, more money,
[2:42:20] and more money. And I'm not seeing
[2:42:22] anybody's income reaching that level.
[2:42:26] Let me give you an example. Atlantic
[2:42:28] City, they asked for 20%
[2:42:31] for that on the people. It didn't help
[2:42:33] the budget. See, 20% is a serious number
[2:42:37] because 20% of the world's oils in
[2:42:42] chaos
[2:42:44] in terms of the straits of harmoose. If
[2:42:47] your income for your business was
[2:42:49] decreased 20%, you're going out of
[2:42:51] business. 20% in the 1930s
[2:42:54] caused inflation, cause all kinds of
[2:42:57] chaos, cause a depression. And so if you
[2:43:01] are increasing your income to 15% and we
[2:43:05] are decreasing you're asking black
[2:43:07] people or you're forcing black people
[2:43:08] out of the Jersey City. How does that
[2:43:11] work? See
[2:43:14] every time you look around this money is
[2:43:17] going up up and up.
[2:43:21] At one point the mayor says that he he's
[2:43:24] not going to take any money from
[2:43:25] developers. He didn't say he's not going
[2:43:27] to take any money for commercial
[2:43:30] landlords. How is he going to raise the
[2:43:34] budget, the taxes to 15.5%
[2:43:38] and then tell me he's going to bring
[2:43:41] them bring about $1,000
[2:43:44] a month rent. The only way you can do
[2:43:47] that is if the commercial landlords buy
[2:43:50] up all of black people's properties who
[2:43:53] can't pay these taxes.
[2:43:57] But this is this increase is for
[2:44:00] commercial landlord and speculators from
[2:44:03] my standpoint. So the commercial
[2:44:05] landlords will pick up all of these
[2:44:07] black people's properties who can afford
[2:44:09] it and lose it for non- taxes, have it
[2:44:12] as a write off, and of course then you
[2:44:15] could afford to charge $1,000 a month
[2:44:18] rent. It is impossible for you to tell
[2:44:21] me he's going to make it possible to
[2:44:24] have $1,000 a month rent. I'm a
[2:44:27] landlord, man, a property owner. It is
[2:44:29] it just can't be done. You see, in the
[2:44:32] black community, we say figures don't
[2:44:34] lie, liars do figure.
[2:44:38] I'm having a serious serious problem
[2:44:41] understanding why are we going at the
[2:44:44] level of 15%.
[2:44:47] After the county did what they're doing,
[2:44:48] after the board doing what they're
[2:44:50] doing, what is in it for us?
[2:44:53] Let me say it again. That is an increase
[2:44:56] to fill his shortfall.
[2:44:59] I don't know of any black person and I'm
[2:45:01] black so I only speak for black people
[2:45:03] but other people are hurt as well whose
[2:45:05] income have increased even 10%.
[2:45:08] 5%.
[2:45:10] See if you were charging 15%.
[2:45:15] Then I have to charge my tenants some
[2:45:18] kind of percent.
[2:45:20] I mean it's just that simple. People are
[2:45:23] screaming right now. right now
[2:45:28] they can't pay the taxes. You are adding
[2:45:30] to the problem. This is this is this is
[2:45:34] a scam. This is nothing more than a scam
[2:45:38] for the speculators
[2:45:41] and the commercial landlords.
[2:45:44] You can laugh or you can do all you that
[2:45:46] you want to do or say all you have to
[2:45:48] say, but I guarantee you 20 to 15% of
[2:45:52] black people are going to lose their
[2:45:54] property within the next year. You can't
[2:45:56] really afford this. There is no way. I
[2:45:59] don't see incomes that will bring you up
[2:46:03] to this level.
[2:46:05] It is unfair. But this area was designed
[2:46:08] that way. Give me some better numbers.
[2:46:12] letting me understand that it this is
[2:46:14] going to profit people or benefit us. It
[2:46:17] does not. It may benefit the city or
[2:46:20] those who were running this scam, but it
[2:46:22] hurt black property owners.
[2:46:27] That's it.
[2:46:33] Okay. This is still a public hearing on
[2:46:36] the 2026 fiscal year municipal, excuse
[2:46:39] me, calendar year municipal budget. Any
[2:46:42] member of the public still wish to be
[2:46:43] heard, please come up to the podium and
[2:46:45] state and spell your name for the
[2:46:46] record.
[2:46:47] » Motion.
[2:46:48] » Motion to close the public hearing on
[2:46:50] the calendar year 2026 municipal budget
[2:46:53] was made by council person Gilmore.
[2:47:01] » We're we're in the middle of taking a
[2:47:03] vote. Sorry.
[2:47:06] May I have a second?
[2:47:07] » Second.
[2:47:08] » Second by council president Ridley on
[2:47:12] the motion to close the public hearing
[2:47:14] on calendar year 2026 municipal budget
[2:47:17] which is introduced municipal budget.
[2:47:19] Council person Brooks
[2:47:21] » I.
[2:47:22] » Council person Zuba.
[2:47:23] » Hi.
[2:47:24] » Council person Efos.
[2:47:26] » I to close public hearing.
[2:47:28] » Council person Little.
[2:47:31] » Hi. Council person Gilmore.
[2:47:34] » Hi,
[2:47:34] » Council Person Singh.
[2:47:37] Council Person Griffin,
[2:47:40] Council Person Lavaro.
[2:47:42] » I,
[2:47:43] » And Council President Ridley,
[2:47:45] » I.
[2:47:46] » Motion carries 90 to close the public
[2:47:49] hearing on the calendar year 2026
[2:47:52] introduced municipal budget.
[2:47:54] So, um, really, really quickly, if I
[2:47:57] may, I literally just now was made aware
[2:48:01] of
[2:48:04] some possible,
[2:48:09] this has to do with the right to council
[2:48:10] funding. So, when we reviewed the
[2:48:13] spreadsheet as a council, um, we saw
[2:48:15] last year was budgeted 328,000 and this
[2:48:18] year was budgeted 160,000. We saw that
[2:48:21] was a cut of over 50% and we introduced
[2:48:24] an amendment to restore it. Um I have
[2:48:27] just been told um by the administration
[2:48:29] that it was actually not a cut but that
[2:48:32] this additional amount is still required
[2:48:35] to meet the need of right to counsel and
[2:48:37] I am just for the record so everyone has
[2:48:40] this information. Um I'm hoping to ask
[2:48:43] corporation council andor the business
[2:48:44] administrator to explain.
[2:48:50] Sure. I'm happy to address that. So, the
[2:48:54] administration did not reduce funding
[2:48:57] for right to counsel in 2026. The 2026
[2:49:02] right to counsel program is being
[2:49:05] covered by a grant. So, what might look
[2:49:07] to the public like a reduction compared
[2:49:09] to the 2025 budget just reflects that
[2:49:12] that money is coming from a different
[2:49:14] source. It's not coming from city
[2:49:16] coffers. It's coming from a grant. And
[2:49:18] for the council and the public's
[2:49:20] awareness, future budgets will likely
[2:49:22] not have that line item either because
[2:49:24] the right to council program will be
[2:49:26] funded by the affordable housing trust
[2:49:28] fund and development fees that go into
[2:49:31] it. The amendment resolution that the
[2:49:34] council will be voting on later this
[2:49:36] evening, which adds that money back in,
[2:49:39] will therefore reflect, by my math, a
[2:49:42] roughly 50% increase in funding for the
[2:49:45] right to counsel program. Um, the
[2:49:48] administration and I know the mayor
[2:49:49] personally is incredibly supportive of
[2:49:51] that amendment and of the right to
[2:49:52] council program broadly. I know that
[2:49:55] personally because as a resident I
[2:49:57] talked to then councilman Solomon about
[2:49:59] this program and he championed the
[2:50:01] legislation that has created that
[2:50:03] office. And so it's a wonderful thing
[2:50:05] that we're contributing additional
[2:50:06] resources towards the right to council
[2:50:08] program and the amazing work that the
[2:50:10] waterfront project does.
[2:50:14] And and just to clarify, when we
[2:50:15] introduced our amendment to restore this
[2:50:17] funding, which we thought was restoring
[2:50:19] it over over a week ago, when we
[2:50:21] introduced this amendment, that was also
[2:50:23] the impression that everyone else was
[2:50:25] under in the administration that that
[2:50:28] this was going to be a restoration of
[2:50:30] funding, but that now
[2:50:33] some
[2:50:35] accounting practices, I guess, have been
[2:50:37] unearthed to from the previous
[2:50:39] administration to show that it was never
[2:50:41] cut to begin with.
[2:50:47] So, I believe there was a
[2:50:48] miscommunication of how the um
[2:50:52] information was reflected. So, I'm happy
[2:50:55] to provide more information, whatever
[2:50:57] questions the council has, but we just
[2:50:59] want to clarify that miscommunication.
[2:51:02] And final question,
[2:51:05] is the amount included in the budget
[2:51:08] amendments,
[2:51:11] will that get us closer to the need
[2:51:15] for right to council in Jersey City, or
[2:51:18] is it the administration's opinion that
[2:51:20] that is an excess?
[2:51:26] I think we heard plenty in the public
[2:51:28] comment tonight about how there is much
[2:51:30] more need for funding for these
[2:51:31] services. This is a phenomenon
[2:51:34] nationwide. This is not a Jersey City
[2:51:36] specific problem. Um but I think we can
[2:51:38] comfortably say that these dollars will
[2:51:40] be well spent. There is no such thing as
[2:51:42] an excess of funding for legal services
[2:51:44] for tenants.
[2:51:46] » Thank you.
[2:51:48] » Can I just get a clarification on this
[2:51:50] just since we're talking about this? So
[2:51:54] is the amendment that's on the agenda
[2:51:56] include an additional was it 168,000 for
[2:52:01] it does.
[2:52:02] » So does that bring the total to 320
[2:52:05] plus,000 or 480,000 plus? I'm trying to
[2:52:09] understand now just looks looks like
[2:52:12] » The latter
[2:52:14] » 480.
[2:52:15] » That's correct. So the full line item
[2:52:17] for right to council is being covered by
[2:52:19] a grant and so what is reflected in the
[2:52:21] budget amendments is in addition to that
[2:52:24] and that will be paid out of the city as
[2:52:26] compared to any external sources.
[2:52:29] That's definitely um a communication
[2:52:32] error in in the budget workbooks because
[2:52:34] it clearly says I I don't have it in
[2:52:36] front of me right now, but it's it had
[2:52:38] the offset
[2:52:40] um I believe in the in the budget
[2:52:42] workbook and that's why folks thought
[2:52:45] that at least I thought that it was uh
[2:52:47] um reduced. So
[2:52:50] » I am not an expert in this and I of many
[2:52:53] people sitting here have not spent the
[2:52:55] most time with those budget workbooks.
[2:52:57] My understanding is the confusion came
[2:52:59] from the fact that the former
[2:53:00] administration in 2025 added that
[2:53:04] roughly
[2:53:06] 120 160 some odd thousands to the 2025
[2:53:08] budget because it had not yet secured
[2:53:11] the grant that we have now secured to
[2:53:13] cover 2026. So it doesn't look like an
[2:53:15] offset like many other line items
[2:53:17] because there's an asymmetry between the
[2:53:19] calendar years. So it was added in 2025.
[2:53:22] We now have a grant that applies as of
[2:53:24] January 1, 2026. So, it doesn't look
[2:53:27] like an offset from an accounting
[2:53:29] perspective like many of the other grant
[2:53:30] offsets that you're used to seeing in
[2:53:32] those workbooks, but I can commit to
[2:53:34] working with Ruby and the administration
[2:53:36] to share documentation that will make
[2:53:38] all of that grant funding clear for the
[2:53:40] council and and that will be public
[2:53:41] information you can share with residents
[2:53:43] as well. So, it's it's perfectly clear
[2:53:45] exactly what dollars and cents are going
[2:53:47] to this program.
[2:53:48] » So, Sarah, I'm a little confused. Um, so
[2:53:53] the money is coming via a grant. I
[2:53:56] thought the money when we wrote the
[2:53:58] legislation was coming from the
[2:54:00] developers paying it to the So is it
[2:54:02] coming from both or is it where is
[2:54:04] specifically is it coming and where is
[2:54:07] where is the grant coming from?
[2:54:10] » To answer your question, the right to
[2:54:13] council program will be funded in future
[2:54:15] years out of the affordable housing
[2:54:17] trust fund and the developer fees that
[2:54:19] go into it. There is a lengthy process
[2:54:21] that the city has to go through in order
[2:54:23] to be able to do that. We've talked with
[2:54:25] this council before about the spending
[2:54:26] plan that has to be approved by the
[2:54:28] courts. And so that is why we hope that
[2:54:30] in 2027 those fees will be available and
[2:54:33] will cover the program in this year
[2:54:35] while we're still taking some of those
[2:54:37] administrative steps. It is being funded
[2:54:39] through a grant. I don't know the
[2:54:40] specifics of that grant, but we can
[2:54:42] absolutely follow up and provide you
[2:54:43] with that information. Yes, if we can
[2:54:45] please just get the the
[2:54:49] I guess all the logistics
[2:54:52] because if in 20 if in 2025
[2:54:56] they disperse the initial grant amount
[2:54:58] and then at the top of this year they
[2:55:01] dispersed the full grant amount which is
[2:55:03] bringing us to the four whatever it is.
[2:55:05] Um if we can just get all of those
[2:55:08] numbers and exact source where the grant
[2:55:09] was.
[2:55:10] » Absolutely. They probably won't come
[2:55:12] from me, but we'll make sure you get
[2:55:13] that
[2:55:14] » Someone.
[2:55:15] » And a question. So why isn't right to
[2:55:18] council stand alone? because I fear it
[2:55:21] going to the affordable trust fund funds
[2:55:23] can be co-mingled and and
[2:55:30] » So the legislation that was passed by
[2:55:32] the previous council introduced by the
[2:55:34] now mayor specifically designated
[2:55:37] development fees that go into the
[2:55:39] affordable housing trust fund as a
[2:55:41] source of funding for the right to
[2:55:42] council program so that it would have a
[2:55:44] consistent dedicated funding source
[2:55:47] separate from the annual municipal
[2:55:48] budgeting process.
[2:55:50] Under state law, we are allowed to use a
[2:55:52] portion of those development fees to
[2:55:54] support administrative programs like
[2:55:56] right to council. And so my
[2:55:58] understanding is that the legislative
[2:55:59] intent was to have developers contribute
[2:56:02] towards the costs of housing that some
[2:56:05] tenants bear.
[2:56:05] » Okay. So that percentage for right to
[2:56:09] council once we get the fees they'll be
[2:56:12] moved.
[2:56:13] » No.
[2:56:14] » Yeah. I'm trying to
[2:56:15] » Up to 20%
[2:56:17] » Will be moved
[2:56:18] » And out of affordable housing.
[2:56:22] » It would be in a separate account or
[2:56:23] admin.
[2:56:24] » Guys, you got to speak one at a time for
[2:56:26] my court reporter.
[2:56:29] » Up to 20% of the affordable housing
[2:56:31] trust fund monies coming from those
[2:56:33] different developer fees may be used for
[2:56:37] administrative purposes. So staff and
[2:56:40] etc. instead of you know the development
[2:56:42] of affordable housing. um of that 20% of
[2:56:47] administrative uh money that can be
[2:56:50] spent, it remains to be seen how much
[2:56:52] would go to right to council. And so I
[2:56:54] know that's one of the um just topics of
[2:56:57] discussion as we finally get the
[2:56:58] affordable housing trust fund committee
[2:57:00] back off the ground, but that is still
[2:57:02] all in the works. Um and so I think it's
[2:57:06] very important that we continue to have
[2:57:07] funding for for the office in the
[2:57:09] meantime while all of that money is
[2:57:10] coming online.
[2:57:11] » No, understood. My question is the 20%
[2:57:15] or up to 20%.
[2:57:18] Will that be taken
[2:57:22] will will that money be taken and placed
[2:57:25] like will water get it immediately? Will
[2:57:28] » Or is it taken out as it's needed?
[2:57:34] » See what I'm saying?
[2:57:36] » No. What my my understanding is that
[2:57:38] that money then can be voted maybe I'm
[2:57:42] wrong but my understanding is that the
[2:57:43] affordable housing trust fund committee
[2:57:45] can vote to dedicate a certain amount of
[2:57:47] funding stream to the office of the
[2:57:48] right to counsel. It would get that
[2:57:50] funding stream up to that 20% of the
[2:57:53] allowed administrative fees and then the
[2:57:56] office of the right to counsel would
[2:57:59] make use of it how they will. Some could
[2:58:01] go to waterfront project. Eventually, it
[2:58:03] could develop a staff of its own. It's
[2:58:05] also part of the legislative intent.
[2:58:08] » Thank you.
[2:58:11] » Um, all right. You finished, council?
[2:58:13] » I'm finished.
[2:58:14] » Okay.
[2:58:15] » Well, I just I just want to take this
[2:58:17] time to thank all the residents for
[2:58:20] coming out um voicing their concerns as
[2:58:23] it relates to the budget. Um, full
[2:58:25] transparency. We are in trying times.
[2:58:29] There's some very hard decisions and
[2:58:32] just a microcosm of how complicated it
[2:58:36] is to come to a balanced budget. You
[2:58:38] heard about 50 60 people came before the
[2:58:43] council and spoke to how they think
[2:58:46] funds should be dispersed in the
[2:58:48] municipal budget. And it and like I
[2:58:51] said, it's just a microcosm of how
[2:58:53] complicated it is to try to advocate for
[2:58:58] every program. Um, and I just want to
[2:59:02] just to set the record straight because
[2:59:04] several people have said, uh, there's
[2:59:07] been elected officials in here as
[2:59:11] there's been this mess with the
[2:59:13] finances. I'm only going to speak on the
[2:59:15] behalf of Councilman Gilmore. Uh, I know
[2:59:18] for the last four years I was screaming
[2:59:20] to anybody who were here how I think the
[2:59:25] decisions that was made during the last
[2:59:27] administration was going to harm Jersey
[2:59:29] City. The beautiful thing is that all of
[2:59:32] these council meetings are recorded and
[2:59:35] people can consult the records. It's one
[2:59:38] thing to be outraged and frustrated
[2:59:41] about the situation that we're in and
[2:59:45] having feelings on why we're in that
[2:59:47] situation. It's a total another thing to
[2:59:50] misrepresent the facts of what happened.
[2:59:55] I vividly recall about one time revenue
[2:59:59] builders getting us in trouble down the
[3:00:02] line because I know just being in
[3:00:05] business is not a sustainable mechanism
[3:00:08] to keep revenue coming in. I knew that.
[3:00:10] I learned that in Ruckers business
[3:00:12] school. Um so I understand that people
[3:00:16] are frustrated. I am frustrated too. Um,
[3:00:20] and it's not going to just be black
[3:00:22] people losing houses, but the way that
[3:00:25] these taxs are going up, people are in
[3:00:28] trouble in the whole Jersey City. The
[3:00:32] entire Jersey City, every single ward. I
[3:00:35] talk to homeowners every day. They can't
[3:00:37] afford to live in Jersey City right now.
[3:00:40] Regardless of a 5, 10, 12, 15, 20% tax
[3:00:44] increase, they can't afford to live now.
[3:00:47] Many of our residents are on fixed
[3:00:50] incomes. It's already taking two and
[3:00:52] three incomes to subsidize the cost of
[3:00:55] living as it is.
[3:00:57] So
[3:00:59] I I sympathize. I feel the frustration.
[3:01:03] I feel the anger. I feel the pain. We
[3:01:06] are in trying times. And I know in my
[3:01:09] heart of hearts that that increase is
[3:01:12] going to cause us to lose some
[3:01:14] residents. um some residents are going
[3:01:16] to lose their like I know that I'm not
[3:01:19] hopeful of it. I don't think like I know
[3:01:21] definitively that is what's going to
[3:01:24] happen. I do this work every day.
[3:01:27] So I know that. Um but again I I just
[3:01:31] want to commend everyone for coming out
[3:01:34] speaking out letting their voices be
[3:01:36] heard. Um, and I know at least for my
[3:01:40] part, I'm going to do everything I can
[3:01:42] do literally in my power as it relates
[3:01:45] to making sure the budget is balanced,
[3:01:47] making sure money is not
[3:01:49] misappropriated, making sure I'm
[3:01:51] educating the residents on how municipal
[3:01:53] government work, how the dollars are
[3:01:55] spent, how the dollars are traced, what
[3:01:58] should be happen, what shouldn't be
[3:01:59] happen. If you've been watching the
[3:02:01] budget meetings, I've been asking a ton
[3:02:04] of questions and like many residents, I
[3:02:07] am frustrated, too. Um, so I just wanted
[3:02:10] that to be on the record. Thank you.
[3:02:15] » Okay, we're moving on to our public
[3:02:17] request for a hearing. I'm going to be
[3:02:19] calling the number and the first name of
[3:02:22] the individual. Please pay attention to
[3:02:24] your agenda. With that being said, first
[3:02:27] speaker 5.1 Leverne I believe she left.
[3:02:31] Next speaker 5.2 Ira
[3:02:35] here. Next speaker 5.3 Charlene.
[3:02:41] She left.
[3:02:43] Next speaker 5.4. Ivonne.
[3:02:48] Ivonne Bolster. And as I said before, in
[3:02:51] 2024, 4,200
[3:02:54] people went in tax lean according to the
[3:02:57] Jersey Journal. They print the tax as
[3:02:59] their last tax lean. Not one of them
[3:03:02] were affordable housing tenants or rent
[3:03:04] control because the reason why we have a
[3:03:07] problem I am still subsidizing people
[3:03:10] who get cheap housing and no one wants
[3:03:12] to address that. But that is the truth.
[3:03:15] Affordable housing is not erodable. So
[3:03:18] their buildings are not added to the
[3:03:19] state to the county when he does the
[3:03:21] budget rent control. I'm going if a rent
[3:03:26] control tenant went up 15.5%
[3:03:29] you would use my tax dollars to take
[3:03:32] that landlord to court because the rent
[3:03:35] for like I said September is 4.1%.
[3:03:38] So we have like two different people
[3:03:40] here two different standards. You have
[3:03:42] reduced a homeowner into an indentured
[3:03:45] servant to subsidize affordable housing
[3:03:47] and rent control. That's where we are.
[3:03:49] We keep going up. With this new tax
[3:03:52] increase, the average taxes will be
[3:03:55] $13,000.
[3:03:57] Across the United States based upon the
[3:04:01] 2024 numbers, the last they have, the
[3:04:04] average taxes for property in the United
[3:04:07] States is $1,800.
[3:04:10] less than $2,000.
[3:04:13] So, you wonder why there's no such thing
[3:04:15] as affordable housing if you don't have
[3:04:16] affordable taxes. Doesn't work. We have
[3:04:19] a a problem because of the bonding. We
[3:04:23] have problems as one person said earlier
[3:04:25] uh about these boat deals with it and
[3:04:28] when people leave. My first budget
[3:04:31] hearing was sometime in the 70s. I've
[3:04:33] been going meetings for over 50 years.
[3:04:36] The budget was $90 million. And I said,
[3:04:40] "Oh my god." I remember as a child
[3:04:42] reading about Jersey City becoming 300
[3:04:44] years old in 19 in 1960.
[3:04:48] I remember reading about that and I
[3:04:51] said, "It took 300 years to get to $90
[3:04:54] million." Well, oh my, we're near a
[3:04:57] billion dollars. And that's that was 50
[3:05:00] years from now. I mean, that's
[3:05:01] ridiculous. You're spending and
[3:05:03] spending. You're appeasing groups.
[3:05:05] You're make you're forcing a person who
[3:05:07] votes and you want their vote and you're
[3:05:10] passing their tax burden on to the small
[3:05:12] homeowner. Yes, you are losing
[3:05:14] long-term. And I used to live downtown
[3:05:17] in Vanos Park and I had to see I had to
[3:05:20] sell my house. When reval happened in
[3:05:22] 2018, the Jersey Journal had picture of
[3:05:25] my house. It was a tax of $48,000
[3:05:29] for a row house. So, of course, people
[3:05:32] are going to sell to developments
[3:05:34] because nobody else can afford to live
[3:05:35] in Jersey City thanks to incompetence by
[3:05:38] city government going way back. And by
[3:05:40] the way, we had a a a budget that
[3:05:44] started in July 1st. It didn't work. So,
[3:05:47] that's the came to you does not work. I
[3:05:50] see my time is up. I'm letting you lousy
[3:05:53] job.
[3:05:53] » Thank you,
[3:05:54] » Ivonne. I I just want to say I I
[3:05:57] understand your position as it relates
[3:05:59] to affordable housing, but there are
[3:06:01] some people who own affordable houses on
[3:06:03] that foreclosure list. There are
[3:06:05] definitively I don't think I know
[3:06:07] definitively. In fact, there have been
[3:06:09] some people who had affordable homes
[3:06:12] that lost a house on affordable um on a
[3:06:15] sheriff sale. But I get your position. I
[3:06:18] don't agree with it, but I get your
[3:06:19] position.
[3:06:21] » Okay. Our next speaker, 5.5, Esther
[3:06:28] 5.6 Albert.
[3:06:31] » Thank you. 5.7 Brendan.
[3:06:37] Thank you. 5.8 Danielle.
[3:06:41] 5.9 Ming.
[3:06:47] 5.10. Jeff.
[3:06:52] All right. First of all, thank you for
[3:06:54] your professionalism tonight and your
[3:06:56] service to the community. It's something
[3:06:57] I really appreciate. I think the council
[3:06:59] has um really helped bring a lot more
[3:07:03] information into the community. Um just
[3:07:05] a quick mention before about the date of
[3:07:07] the board of ed election. I would
[3:07:08] certainly for anyone who's still hanging
[3:07:10] in uh participating in the board of
[3:07:13] election is extremely important as it is
[3:07:16] this year as it is frankly every year.
[3:07:18] Um quick thing. The mayor continues to
[3:07:20] support the current structure of an
[3:07:22] independent board of education. He
[3:07:24] commented about that on his um uh
[3:07:27] internet show last night. What I don't
[3:07:29] understand is why do we have an
[3:07:31] independent board of education while
[3:07:33] maintaining council and mayoral control
[3:07:35] of the police and fire departments which
[3:07:38] are also of course very critical
[3:07:39] agencies to the cities. Um, just to be
[3:07:42] brief, do any council members have a
[3:07:44] thought about the idea that I think was
[3:07:47] considered some years ago regarding um a
[3:07:50] referendum where voters can decide their
[3:07:52] favorite struct their favored excuse me
[3:07:55] structure for the board of education.
[3:07:57] Just any ideas or anyone who's lived
[3:07:59] through that before and uh why it didn't
[3:08:02] come about and just a brief thought from
[3:08:05] anyone.
[3:08:07] I'll let you finish your your time and
[3:08:09] then I'll I'll comment.
[3:08:11] » That's it.
[3:08:11] » That's it. Okay. Well, yeah, the council
[3:08:13] did consider that in 2020. I was on the
[3:08:16] council at that time. It is probably my
[3:08:18] worst council meeting. Um, it was a very
[3:08:21] contentious meeting and then COVID
[3:08:22] happened, so we had other priorities at
[3:08:25] the time. But if that is something that
[3:08:27] residents are looking to come back, then
[3:08:29] I would uh advise the residents to lobby
[3:08:32] the council to reconsider.
[3:08:35] » Okay. Thank you very much. Our
[3:08:39] next speaker 5.11 Erica L
[3:08:47] 5.12 Isaac
[3:08:52] 5.13
[3:08:57] hold not here
[3:08:59] you can help me with it
[3:09:02] » Thank you 5.14 McKenzie
[3:09:08] 5.15 Kevin
[3:09:15] » Smoke okay
[3:09:17] » The greatest spoke okay got it
[3:09:21] » 5.16 Joseph is not here
[3:09:26] 5.17 Sam
[3:09:32] I um I'm still going through the budget
[3:09:34] and I don't understand it completely.
[3:09:37] I've only printed out the 2024 I think
[3:09:39] audit and
[3:09:42] um I haven't printed out the 2025 audit
[3:09:44] yet. Um what I thought was a little
[3:09:47] interesting is that it's very easy to
[3:09:50] lie in a budget or at least be
[3:09:53] misleading or somewhat deceptive.
[3:09:56] um as we even if unintentionally
[3:10:01] um there's you know as as I just saw
[3:10:04] with the miscommunication over the
[3:10:07] funding for um
[3:10:11] what was it for the yeah for for for the
[3:10:13] council. So I I I think
[3:10:17] um like that type of level of analysis
[3:10:20] is is certainly required and that's what
[3:10:22] I'm trying to do to just trying to
[3:10:23] figure out what the line items in in the
[3:10:25] budget are. My perspective right now I'm
[3:10:29] my perspective is a little different
[3:10:30] from maybe other people in the council
[3:10:32] and certainly everybody in the room. I
[3:10:34] think it's abundantly clear that taxes
[3:10:37] have to increase
[3:10:39] and it doesn't even seem like 15% is
[3:10:41] close enough. What? And that that
[3:10:44] frustrates me and concerns me, but it
[3:10:46] doesn't give me the level of anxiety
[3:10:49] that
[3:10:50] a
[3:10:53] that future budget increases
[3:10:57] are that that we're going to see future
[3:10:59] budget increases that are even worse
[3:11:01] than now. So, I don't know if if just
[3:11:03] I'm not sure if you've seen this week,
[3:11:05] but two numbers that are even worse than
[3:11:07] Jersey City's budget is the $40 trillion
[3:11:10] budget from the US government and I hope
[3:11:12] you continue to watch for the rest of
[3:11:14] your lives, the rate of the 30-year
[3:11:18] bond, which went over 5%. So, just na
[3:11:21] our what we're facing locally is
[3:11:25] magnified on the national level. And
[3:11:26] what gives me anxiety
[3:11:28] is that this the type of spending that
[3:11:31] we're seeing and the debt is
[3:11:34] unsustainable
[3:11:37] uh in in the 2024
[3:11:40] budget. It's there seems like the the
[3:11:43] debt and I just want also also to
[3:11:46] clarify a number of people have spoken
[3:11:48] about the the debt or deficit. There may
[3:11:50] have been a deficit of a couple hundred
[3:11:51] billion dollars, but the debt for Jersey
[3:11:54] City, Moody's reports it as 1.4 billion
[3:11:58] dollars,
[3:12:00] which includes some kind of guarantees,
[3:12:02] which I'm which is unclear to me about,
[3:12:04] which I'm not clear about, but the the
[3:12:07] debt is at least over $500 billion. It
[3:12:11] seems to me that this current budget,
[3:12:13] even with the 15% uh increase, doesn't
[3:12:16] even come close to managing an actually
[3:12:20] fiscally responsible budget that we can
[3:12:22] rely upon in the next 10, 20, or 30
[3:12:24] years to get us into uh a balanced
[3:12:27] spending.
[3:12:34] Thank you. Our next speaker, 5.18,
[3:12:36] Stephanie
[3:12:50] Stephanie,
[3:12:51] » Sorry. Okay. I just wanted to make a
[3:12:53] point. Last summer in April 23rd, 2025,
[3:12:56] resolution 25275
[3:12:59] passed the adoption of the spending plan
[3:13:02] for the affordable tr housing trust fund
[3:13:04] where it says the 20% is approved for
[3:13:06] right to council. So, that's what kind
[3:13:08] of confused me because I thought a judge
[3:13:10] approved that last summer, but I will
[3:13:12] let that hang out in your court for
[3:13:15] though. Um, I want to make a broader
[3:13:17] point about how we approach problems in
[3:13:20] Jersey City. Um, especially knowing what
[3:13:22] the actual problem is is crucial in
[3:13:24] solving it. Last week, there was a
[3:13:26] shooting and an encampment. If we only
[3:13:29] diagnose that as a housing problem,
[3:13:31] we're not addressing the full problem.
[3:13:33] St. Lucy's does not allow people who are
[3:13:36] in active addiction to stay there. We
[3:13:38] see this as an issue elsewhere in the
[3:13:40] city. The friends of Montichello came
[3:13:42] and spoke before you about the substance
[3:13:44] abuse problems they've identified.
[3:13:46] Business owners around the Newark
[3:13:48] pedestrian plaza have identified a
[3:13:50] similar problem. Some of the people
[3:13:52] there may be unhoused, but not all of
[3:13:55] them are. Um they congregate there
[3:13:57] because the city allows them to engage
[3:13:59] in an active addiction. Um, now maybe
[3:14:02] next week, the week after, the
[3:14:04] Department of Health will have a hearing
[3:14:05] on Christ Hospital. If we use that as an
[3:14:08] opportunity to only advocate for a
[3:14:10] hospital without identifying the full
[3:14:12] scope of needs and necessary
[3:14:14] interventions, we're not doing the
[3:14:15] people of Jersey City any favors. If
[3:14:18] someone has a substance abuse disorder,
[3:14:20] they need specific interventions and
[3:14:22] they may also have other serious medical
[3:14:24] needs like dialysis. I think we're
[3:14:27] seeing the same disconnect in other
[3:14:29] areas. the autom modus and municipal
[3:14:32] parking systems resolutions tonight. Res
[3:14:35] residents are asking for safe streets
[3:14:37] where they live, but this plans to
[3:14:39] monitor transit station areas. They want
[3:14:42] people want hardened infrastructure in
[3:14:44] the places their children play soccer,
[3:14:46] ride their bikes, and cross the street
[3:14:47] on their way to school. Also, let's
[3:14:49] acknowledge that the two vendors up for
[3:14:51] approval are donors to the mayor and
[3:14:53] some council members. MPS donated to
[3:14:56] team Solomon, which would include
[3:14:58] council members Little Singh, Griffin,
[3:15:00] Lao, and Ridley. Now, I thought having
[3:15:02] two donors apply for the contract was
[3:15:05] going to be a Sophie's choice for the
[3:15:06] city, but not here. Everybody gets their
[3:15:08] paytoplay. Now, what I'd like to see
[3:15:11] this city do during caucus is make sure
[3:15:13] that we are applying for every grant
[3:15:15] donor uh grant dollar available. For
[3:15:17] example, the state already taxes
[3:15:19] polluters. The regional greenhouse gas
[3:15:21] initiative has funding available for
[3:15:23] projects like HVAC systems, damaged
[3:15:25] roofs, microtransit. That sounds
[3:15:28] incredibly relevant to Jersey City. In
[3:15:30] fact, we have 1.6 million already from
[3:15:33] this program for VIA. Do we know if
[3:15:36] we're going to get that money next year?
[3:15:38] Um, if we want to solve the problems,
[3:15:40] let's really diagnose them and use the
[3:15:42] solutions we already have um and make
[3:15:45] sure those interventions actually work.
[3:15:47] Thank you. Our
[3:15:51] next speaker 5.19 Demetrius.
[3:15:56] Thank you. 5.20 Nick.
[3:16:02] Thank you. Next. 5.21. Eric.
[3:16:07] Thank you. 5.22. Mark.
[3:16:12] Mark L. No.
[3:16:14] 5.23. Dinor.
[3:16:19] 5.24 Jonathan.
[3:16:27] » Hi, good evening. I want to briefly
[3:16:29] cover the um p the pilot for traffic
[3:16:32] enforcement that you're voting on later.
[3:16:34] That is not what I'm here to speak about
[3:16:36] tonight, but I would urge the council to
[3:16:38] support that. I am here to speak about
[3:16:41] housing and specifically the um 417
[3:16:44] Communa, the Steeltech project. you
[3:16:46] know, there is an item before you uh to
[3:16:48] reopen the development plan to have the
[3:16:51] uh you know, city planning take a look
[3:16:53] at that. I'll I'd like again like to
[3:16:55] thank the uh council president. She's
[3:16:57] held a few uh meetings in the ward and I
[3:17:00] know a few of the other council members
[3:17:01] have attended. I've really appreciated
[3:17:03] um everyone who's shown interest in
[3:17:05] this. Uh to summarize the uh there was a
[3:17:07] visioning session a few months ago and
[3:17:09] the attendees there you know they had a
[3:17:12] survey and they said that they wanted
[3:17:14] more affordable housing and they wanted
[3:17:16] a commercial component and I know there
[3:17:18] have been some back and forth
[3:17:19] negotiations you know with the developer
[3:17:22] and I think the plan now is they're
[3:17:24] looking at a commercial component you
[3:17:25] know maybe they can try to get a grosser
[3:17:27] in the area you know we'll see what
[3:17:29] happens but I think you know it's a
[3:17:31] pretty good start and what this affords
[3:17:34] us you know if you vote vote for uh that
[3:17:36] resolution. It doesn't mean we
[3:17:38] necessarily have to go 100% with the
[3:17:40] developer plan. You know, everyone will
[3:17:42] have a chance to weigh in and ultimately
[3:17:44] it'll go before the council, but me as a
[3:17:48] somewhat nearby resident, I think it's a
[3:17:50] good plan and I urge the council to
[3:17:51] support it. You know, as a city, we have
[3:17:54] a affordable housing crisis. We need
[3:17:56] more units, both market rate and
[3:17:58] affordable. We need the tax revenue that
[3:18:00] this project would provide. And
[3:18:02] honestly, if what we've talked about
[3:18:04] here with all the givebacks, if this
[3:18:06] still isn't enough, my question is what
[3:18:09] is what is the standard? Like why can
[3:18:11] the community come and say they want
[3:18:13] this and then one or two people can say
[3:18:15] no and we don't do it. I don't get that.
[3:18:17] So I'd urge everyone to vote yes on
[3:18:20] that. Thank you very much.
[3:18:25] » Next speaker 5.25. Rachel
[3:18:30] not here. 5.26
[3:18:33] Frank
[3:18:37] 5.27 Leslie
[3:18:43] 5.28 Rashia
[3:18:49] 5.29 29. Vicki, I think she left. Oh,
[3:18:52] no. She's here. Sorry.
[3:18:55] Sorry, Vicki.
[3:18:57] » I just want to um express our
[3:19:00] appreciation for the clarifications that
[3:19:02] were made tonight as it relates to the
[3:19:05] right to council funding and our
[3:19:08] appreciation for the administration and
[3:19:10] the council. This is crucial funding and
[3:19:14] um it will not be wasted. It will be put
[3:19:17] to the best possible use. So, thank you
[3:19:19] all.
[3:19:23] » 530 Grace.
[3:19:29] » No.
[3:19:31] 5.31
[3:19:34] Tisa. Tisa,
[3:19:44] » Take your time.
[3:19:45] » How are you, Tisa?
[3:19:49] » [laughter]
[3:19:50] » Good evening everybody. I know it's been
[3:19:53] a very tumultuous night, but it's good
[3:19:57] to see some good faces and to see that
[3:19:59] people still care about this city and
[3:20:01] that they're willing to come out and you
[3:20:03] guys did a great job taking that abuse.
[3:20:06] And now I got to remember I only got
[3:20:07] three minutes. I am here to speak about
[3:20:10] tonight. Once again, my name is Tisa
[3:20:13] Dowling. I am a born born born and
[3:20:16] raised here at Jersey City, Jersey City
[3:20:18] resident and I'm here about resolution
[3:20:22] 26
[3:20:24] 530.
[3:20:26] Um, I'm here to support that that you
[3:20:29] please allow
[3:20:31] the business administrator to that you
[3:20:35] guys approve
[3:20:36] the board, the Jersey City Planning
[3:20:39] Board to study and prepare an amendment
[3:20:42] to the Mars Canal redevelopment plan.
[3:20:45] Um, we had a great meeting the other
[3:20:47] night where the council president came
[3:20:50] out and a representative from um, Mr.
[3:21:00] Good morning.
[3:21:01] » Came out in reference to what was going
[3:21:04] on down there in Ward F right off
[3:21:06] Communal Avenue. And we do need help and
[3:21:09] we are isolated. It's like a desert down
[3:21:12] there, transportation. And as far as
[3:21:15] grocery stores, we don't even have a um
[3:21:18] a post office anymore. And we got a new
[3:21:22] library named Communal. that's nowhere
[3:21:25] near communal Paul Avenue and we're
[3:21:28] still isolated down there. We need help.
[3:21:30] So, I really, really, really would love
[3:21:32] to have you guys. Let's get back to the
[3:21:35] table. I'm not saying I agree with
[3:21:37] everything, but let us get back to the
[3:21:39] table and see what kind of resources we
[3:21:41] can get in my neighborhood because now I
[3:21:43] have to walk four blocks over to catch
[3:21:46] the number 16 or I have to walk two
[3:21:49] block or I have to walk seven blocks to
[3:21:51] go to the light rail or just wait for
[3:21:53] the number one that drives me past the
[3:21:56] light rail down there at Liberty City um
[3:21:59] science center to go to exchange place
[3:22:01] in order to catch the light rail because
[3:22:03] the light uh the bus on Garfield doesn't
[3:22:06] start running till 8:00. So if I got to
[3:22:09] be the Hoboken by 7:30, I can't even
[3:22:12] think about even going down Garfield to
[3:22:14] catch the light rail over there on
[3:22:15] Garfield. So we really need you guys to
[3:22:18] look in to what's going on and give us
[3:22:20] the opportunity to come back to the
[3:22:22] table to see what we can put in our
[3:22:24] community cuz I'm really tired of
[3:22:26] Walmart and shop, right? I would like to
[3:22:28] walk to my grocery store.
[3:22:31] Okay, and I'm going to leave it at that.
[3:22:34] Thank you.
[3:22:38] Our next speaker 5.32 Phillip I think
[3:22:42] they left right Petra is
[3:22:47] uh 5.33 Anna.
[3:22:52] Oh,
[3:22:54] 5.34 Anna.
[3:22:59] 5.35 Daniel.
[3:23:09] Good evening, Council President Ridley.
[3:23:12] » There you and members of the council.
[3:23:15] » Wait, wait till your crew stand behind
[3:23:17] you, Dan.
[3:23:18] » Okay. My name is Dan Feldman and I have
[3:23:21] lived at Portside Towers since 2021.
[3:23:24] In 2023, the Jersey City Rent leveling
[3:23:28] board determined that Portside Towers is
[3:23:30] subject to rent control.
[3:23:32] Is now August 2026,
[3:23:35] and I still have not been told what my
[3:23:38] legal rent is. So, I want to keep my
[3:23:40] question tonight very simple.
[3:23:43] After the rent leveling board determines
[3:23:45] that a building is subject to rent
[3:23:47] control, what is supposed to happen
[3:23:49] next? And when is it supposed to happen?
[3:23:53] Because from where I stand as a tenant,
[3:23:56] there seems to be no clock. My landlord
[3:23:59] can send me a lease every year telling
[3:24:02] me what rent I am expected to pay. And
[3:24:04] they send me a bill every month that I'm
[3:24:07] required to pay. But 1,035
[3:24:11] days after the rent leveling board's
[3:24:14] determination, I cannot point to any
[3:24:17] document from Jersey City that tells me
[3:24:19] what rent I am legally supposed to pay.
[3:24:23] Now, that should concern more than just
[3:24:25] the residents of Portside because a rent
[3:24:28] control determination should lead
[3:24:30] somewhere. There should be a defined
[3:24:32] process, someone responsible for
[3:24:35] carrying out said process, and a point
[3:24:38] at which the affected tenant receives an
[3:24:40] answer. So, tonight I'm asking the
[3:24:43] council for something very specific.
[3:24:46] Please require the city to tell portside
[3:24:49] tenants in writing what our legal rents
[3:24:53] are. If there is something preventing
[3:24:55] the city from doing that today, tell us
[3:24:58] what it is. who is responsible for
[3:25:00] resolving it, when it will be resolved.
[3:25:04] 1,035
[3:25:06] days after unanimous determination, I
[3:25:09] should not still have to ask this
[3:25:11] question.
[3:25:13] What is my legal rent?
[3:25:17] Thank you.
[3:25:22] Next speaker 5.36 Deepa
[3:25:26] you 5.37 Barbara
[3:25:31] thank you 5.38 Mark
[3:25:44] good evening city council
[3:25:46] tonight I'm speaking for renters all
[3:25:48] across Jersey city it's Something that
[3:25:50] sounds fairly innocuous but isn't.
[3:25:53] Mandatory amenity fees. State regulators
[3:25:57] are already sounding the alarm. New
[3:25:59] Jersey Attorney General Jennifer
[3:26:01] Davenport's made it clear that junk fees
[3:26:03] and mandatory add-ons violate the New
[3:26:06] Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. At Portide,
[3:26:09] management charges every apartment a
[3:26:11] mandatory $750 annual amenity use fee.
[3:26:16] That's nearly 400,000 a year coming from
[3:26:18] our community on top of the rent. And
[3:26:21] here's the funny part. It's called a use
[3:26:23] fee, except you don't have to use it.
[3:26:27] You don't use the gym, you still pay.
[3:26:30] Don't use another lounge, you pay. Don't
[3:26:32] use the amenities at all,
[3:26:33] congratulations, you still pay. In fact,
[3:26:37] you can politely decline the entire
[3:26:39] package and they're still happy to put
[3:26:41] the $750 on your bill. It's not an
[3:26:44] optional service. It's an additional
[3:26:46] housing cost and calling it an amenity
[3:26:49] fee doesn't change what it is. Chapter
[3:26:52] 260 defines rent as any price for the
[3:26:54] use of a housing space including charges
[3:26:57] paid for services connected with that
[3:27:00] housing space. It also says that rent
[3:27:02] increases beyond those authorized by the
[3:27:04] ordinance are void. If a landlord can
[3:27:07] simply take part of the rent, put it in
[3:27:09] a different bucket and call that bucket
[3:27:11] a fee, then rent control becomes a very
[3:27:15] easy game to beat. It's basically three
[3:27:17] card monty. The cards are labeled rent,
[3:27:20] amenity fee, and other mandatory charge,
[3:27:24] and the tenant loses always. We
[3:27:26] shouldn't allow corporate landlords to
[3:27:28] bypass Jersey City's rent protections by
[3:27:30] breaking out mandatory charges on the
[3:27:32] invoice. So tonight I'm asking this
[3:27:34] council for three things. First, ask the
[3:27:38] office of landlord tenant relations to
[3:27:40] enforce 260 against compulsory fee
[3:27:44] breakout schemes. Second, encourage the
[3:27:47] rent protection special investigative
[3:27:49] committee to investigate mandatory
[3:27:51] amenity fees and other similar charges.
[3:27:55] And third, formally clarify the
[3:27:57] mandatory amenity fees must be included
[3:28:00] in lawfulbased rent and remain subject
[3:28:02] to the applicable controls.
[3:28:05] Because whether you call it rent, an
[3:28:07] amenity fee, a resident fee, or a we
[3:28:10] found another way to charge you fee, the
[3:28:12] tenants know what it really is. It's
[3:28:14] money coming out of our pockets for the
[3:28:17] right to keep living in our homes. Thank
[3:28:19] you.
[3:28:21] Our
[3:28:24] next speaker 5.39 David
[3:28:30] 5.40 Claudia
[3:28:32] thank you 5.41 Sen Keitha
[3:28:38] 5.42 Danilo
[3:28:41] thank you
[3:28:43] 5.43 43. Brendan,
[3:28:50] that's okay. I caught it, but and after
[3:28:53] the agenda was printed. Uh 5.44.
[3:28:58] Thank you. 5.45.
[3:29:02] She speaking, Susan.
[3:29:05] Thank you.
[3:29:12] Good evening, Council President Rid
[3:29:14] Ridley, members of the council. My name
[3:29:16] is Susan Roa and I'm here about Portide.
[3:29:19] Portide was determined to be rent
[3:29:21] controlled in 2023.
[3:29:24] It is now August 2026
[3:29:27] and tenants still have not been told
[3:29:29] what their legal rents are. The board's
[3:29:32] 2023 determination instructed the city
[3:29:35] bureau of rent leveling to obtain the
[3:29:38] owner's records and recalculate every
[3:29:40] single rent. The city office is
[3:29:43] responsible for carrying out the rent
[3:29:45] leveling work after the board's
[3:29:47] determination. The owner holds these
[3:29:49] records, leases, ledgers, rent rolls.
[3:29:53] Almost three years later, the bureau
[3:29:55] still hasn't obtained them all. That's
[3:29:57] from the written testimony filed with
[3:29:59] the rent protections special
[3:30:01] investigation committee. And on Monday,
[3:30:04] residents at Portside were notified that
[3:30:06] the Equity Residential and Avalon Bay
[3:30:09] communities have come together as Vivark
[3:30:11] Residential. The company holding our
[3:30:14] records has a new name as of this week.
[3:30:17] New name, same records. You have two
[3:30:21] tools for this. Number one, the Rent
[3:30:24] Protection Special Investigation
[3:30:26] Committee has subpoena power. State law
[3:30:29] allows a committee of council members to
[3:30:32] subpoena testimony and documents from
[3:30:34] the people within New Jersey. So, if the
[3:30:38] city still needs leases, ledgers, rent
[3:30:41] roles, or testimony from the people who
[3:30:43] maintain these records, the committee
[3:30:46] has a tool to obtain them. In five
[3:30:49] months of hearings, the committee has
[3:30:51] heard from city directors and staff. But
[3:30:53] when the committee was asked in July
[3:30:55] whether any landlords have invi have
[3:30:57] been invited to testify, the answer was
[3:31:01] no.
[3:31:02] Number two, any one of you can require a
[3:31:05] report from any aspect of city
[3:31:07] government by written request to the
[3:31:09] mayor. No vote, no committee, one
[3:31:12] member, one letter. The statue is on a
[3:31:15] one-page handup. Our group just is
[3:31:17] leaving with the the city clerk. One of
[3:31:19] you could send the letter tomorrow
[3:31:20] morning. Where are the records? What
[3:31:24] does the city need in order to ask them?
[3:31:27] Either tool works. The letter takes one
[3:31:30] of you and one page. So that's what I'm
[3:31:33] asking for you tonight. Send it while
[3:31:35] the people who keep those records are
[3:31:37] still in place. Thank you.
[3:31:43] » Next speaker 5.4. 46 John
[3:31:48] speaking.
[3:31:51] Sorry, I am speaking.
[3:31:54] Don't be sorry. It's kind of a joke. Uh
[3:31:57] anyway, yeah. Uh last year, James
[3:31:59] Solomon claimed, "If your landlord
[3:32:01] breaks the law, we will freeze your
[3:32:03] rent." He also championed and sponsored
[3:32:06] several ordinances designed to protect
[3:32:08] tenants from landlords lawbreaking,
[3:32:10] including issuing mandatory fines. The
[3:32:12] last time I spoke at one of these
[3:32:14] meetings was way back in March this
[3:32:16] year. Sorry.
[3:32:19] At the time, our landlord was continuing
[3:32:21] to break the law as it had already been
[3:32:23] doing for decades. Our rent remains
[3:32:25] unfrozen. Also, back in March, no fines
[3:32:28] have been collected. That was over 5
[3:32:31] months ago. Our rent remains very much
[3:32:33] unfrozen and the mounting fines remain
[3:32:36] very much uncolcted. Almost three years
[3:32:38] ago, as you know, our buildings were
[3:32:40] determined to be rent controlled. The
[3:32:42] city began working on cor calculating
[3:32:44] roll backs, etc., not without a sneaky
[3:32:46] attempt to trim off a year. Yet,
[3:32:48] residents are still waiting to be told
[3:32:50] what their legal rents should be. Why
[3:32:53] won't the city enforce these ordinances?
[3:32:55] Why won't the city tell us what we
[3:32:56] should be legally paying in rent? Why
[3:32:59] won't the city collect the fines owned
[3:33:01] owed by our and other landlords? We've
[3:33:03] been told the infrastructure isn't there
[3:33:05] to collect the fines. And come on, the
[3:33:07] city has a municipal court, a judge, a
[3:33:10] prosecutor, and all the evidence it
[3:33:11] needs to back up the grounds to make
[3:33:13] them pay. Yet, the choice is presumably
[3:33:15] let's not rock the boat. Who cares if it
[3:33:17] upsets several thousand of the city's
[3:33:19] general population. The administration
[3:33:22] promised much, but in terms of tenant
[3:33:24] protections against corrupt landlords,
[3:33:25] at least is delivered precisely nothing.
[3:33:28] In that respect, there's zero difference
[3:33:30] between this administration and the
[3:33:31] Fulip administration. That is not a
[3:33:33] badge of honor. I saw that the mayor was
[3:33:35] publicly speaking on the Make Polluters
[3:33:37] Pay Act this week. I applaud that and
[3:33:39] it's good to see. But where's the same
[3:33:41] enthusiasm for making law-breaking
[3:33:43] landlords pay? He's gone very tight
[3:33:45] lipped on that subject. Our landlord
[3:33:47] alone owes so much in fines it would
[3:33:50] wipe out the budget deficit several
[3:33:52] times over. Yet the city's solution is
[3:33:54] to make its residents pay for it instead
[3:33:56] by a massive tax hike. Why? Why does
[3:34:00] this city continue to put the rich,
[3:34:02] powerful, and corrupt over the welfare
[3:34:03] of its residents? I urge everyone in
[3:34:06] this room, everyone watching the live
[3:34:07] stream, all your friends, your families,
[3:34:10] as many people as you can find to
[3:34:11] contact your council representatives,
[3:34:13] contact the mayor's office, contact the
[3:34:15] prosecutor's office, call them, email
[3:34:17] them, write to them, demand to know why
[3:34:19] you are being made to put the bill of
[3:34:21] closing the budget deficit while
[3:34:22] landlords are being allowed to break the
[3:34:24] law with impunity compounding the
[3:34:26] financial hardship placed on you. The
[3:34:28] time to stop putting the regular people
[3:34:30] of Jersey City first is long overdue.
[3:34:32] Thanks.
[3:34:37] » Next speaker 5.47 Mel.
[3:34:42] » Okay. Music to my ears. 5.48 Shannon.
[3:34:49] [laughter]
[3:34:51] » Sing.
[3:34:52] » Don't want me to sing. Good evening
[3:34:54] council.
[3:34:56] Uh, good evening, Council President
[3:34:59] Ridley, members of the council. My name
[3:35:00] is Shannon Ray. I am a nurse and have
[3:35:03] lived at Portside Tower since 2021.
[3:35:07] Portide, as you know, was determined to
[3:35:09] be rent controlled in 2023.
[3:35:12] It is now August 2026, and I still
[3:35:15] haven't been told what my legal rent is.
[3:35:19] I said this to your committee at the
[3:35:21] July 27th hearing on August 7th, 2024.
[3:35:26] The city's own bureau computed the
[3:35:28] permitted base rate for 523 of the 527
[3:35:33] units in my building. Those numbers are
[3:35:36] wrong. The bureau can fix them
[3:35:38] regardless. Nobody ever sent me mine.
[3:35:42] So, at work, when I give a high-risk
[3:35:45] medication,
[3:35:47] getting the number right matters. A
[3:35:49] second nurse or health care professional
[3:35:52] reads the dose back to me before the
[3:35:54] medication ever reaches the patient,
[3:35:56] every single time. Here at home, there's
[3:35:59] another number that matters to me, the
[3:36:01] legal rent for my apartment. The city
[3:36:04] calculated that number two years ago,
[3:36:06] but Director Richardson never provided
[3:36:08] it to me. So, I'm asking our new
[3:36:11] director of housing preservation,
[3:36:13] Director Smith, when will you read that
[3:36:16] number back to me?
[3:36:19] So, this month, I signed my renewal
[3:36:21] anyway. Another 4% increase. Like the
[3:36:25] renewals I've signed before, it still
[3:36:26] reflects my landlord's position
[3:36:28] regarding my rent, not what the rent
[3:36:30] leveling board determined unanimously in
[3:36:33] 2023. So once again, I signed a lease
[3:36:36] with a new rent amount without knowing
[3:36:39] the most basic thing. What is my legal
[3:36:43] rent? As I mentioned before, the city
[3:36:45] has a new director of housing
[3:36:47] preservation, Colleen Smith. She started
[3:36:49] on August 3rd. Our associations have met
[3:36:51] with her. Welcome, director. We're glad
[3:36:53] you're here.
[3:36:55] Section 260-9 gives her bureau three
[3:36:59] things it can do. It can adjust rents.
[3:37:03] It can order rebates and bring legal
[3:37:06] charges.
[3:37:07] The bureau already has the number I've
[3:37:10] been asking for, just my legal rent.
[3:37:13] Send every tenant the legal rent the
[3:37:15] bureau computed in 2024. Set the rents
[3:37:18] to those amount. Border rebates on the
[3:37:21] difference.
[3:37:23] So my ask goes to the council.
[3:37:26] Each of you can help with one sentence
[3:37:29] tonight. say on record that you want
[3:37:33] that authority used and used quickly. My
[3:37:37] neighbors and I are signing new leases
[3:37:39] this month.
[3:37:43] So, just like you'd expect every nurse
[3:37:45] who gave you a medication to ask,
[3:37:47] "What's the proper dose?" I want to know
[3:37:49] what is my legal rent. I'd like to know
[3:37:52] the answer.
[3:37:56] Our
[3:38:01] next speaker, 5.49, Michelle.
[3:38:05] » Good evening, council. I have an open
[3:38:08] letter to the new director of the
[3:38:09] landlord tenant office. And you, dear
[3:38:13] Miss Smith. Hello. I'm Michelle Hirsch,
[3:38:16] president of the Portide Towers West
[3:38:18] Tenant Association. Portide tenants,
[3:38:20] welcome you. We've been waiting for
[3:38:23] someone to get some good, lawful work
[3:38:25] done for this city.
[3:38:28] During the January 11th, 2023 council
[3:38:31] meeting, I read a letter to your
[3:38:32] predecessor appealing to his moral
[3:38:35] compass and asking him to align himself
[3:38:38] to chapter 260. You should watch it.
[3:38:41] Dina Henden had failed tenants before
[3:38:43] him. Now, we have a new director. So,
[3:38:45] tonight, a new letter. Nearly three
[3:38:48] years ago, the rent leveling board
[3:38:50] determined that both portside buildings
[3:38:52] have always been subject to rent control
[3:38:54] and instructed your office to
[3:38:56] recalculate and adjust rents to their
[3:38:58] lawful 2016 rates. Those recalculations
[3:39:02] were completed in August 2024.
[3:39:06] Chapter 260-7 lets a tenant deduct an
[3:39:10] unpaid refund 30 days after a
[3:39:12] determination orders it. Section 260-9
[3:39:17] makes that rebate a penalty against the
[3:39:19] landlord 30 days after the determination
[3:39:22] is served. And it gives you the power to
[3:39:24] adjust rentals and order rebates.
[3:39:27] Neither clock starts until your office
[3:39:30] issues a written determination to each
[3:39:32] tenant setting their le their unit's
[3:39:34] legal rent and ordering their money
[3:39:36] returned. It's been 2 years.
[3:39:39] As far as I'm aware, no such
[3:39:41] determinations have ever been issued.
[3:39:44] Not a dollar has come back to a tenant.
[3:39:47] You may be told to wait until the end of
[3:39:50] current litigation with my landlord, but
[3:39:53] no court has stayed the board's
[3:39:55] determination or ordered your office to
[3:39:58] wait. Miss Smith, we are aware that the
[3:40:01] people who have the most access to you
[3:40:04] are not tenants, but they do not hold
[3:40:07] your powers that are grant grounded in
[3:40:09] chapter 260. Only you do. Instead of
[3:40:13] lawful outcomes, for years, all we've
[3:40:15] heard is that your office is
[3:40:17] understaffed. That's not an excuse when
[3:40:20] there are families whose homes are
[3:40:22] hanging in the balance. and council
[3:40:25] members, use your Faulner Act powers.
[3:40:29] NJSA40
[3:40:30] colon 269A-37.1,
[3:40:34] page two of your handout, states in
[3:40:37] part, "Nothing in this section shall be
[3:40:40] construed to prohibit the council's
[3:40:42] inquiry into any act or problem of the
[3:40:45] administration of the municipality. Any
[3:40:49] council member may at any time require a
[3:40:52] report on any aspect of the government
[3:40:55] of the municipality by making a written
[3:40:57] request to the mayor. So ask Mayor
[3:41:00] Solomon how many legal rent
[3:41:02] determinations have been served on
[3:41:03] portside tenants? How many rebates have
[3:41:05] been ordered? Chapter 260 on the phone
[3:41:08] will give you this power. Thank you.
[3:41:14] The next speaker 550 Tina
[3:41:17] » She left
[3:41:20] » 5.51 Elizabeth
[3:41:23] » Not here
[3:41:24] » She's here
[3:41:26] » Elizabeth you don't she don't want us
[3:41:30] » I got it 5.52
[3:41:32] Anthony
[3:41:34] you left
[3:41:35] » Yeah anony's
[3:41:37] » 5.53 Medallia I don't believe she's here
[3:41:43] I 54 Renee.
[3:41:53] » Evening.
[3:41:54] » You can bring that up to you, Renee.
[3:41:56] Bring the mic up to you.
[3:41:57] » There you go.
[3:41:57] » Okay. Thank you. Um, good evening. My
[3:42:00] name is Renee Pera. Um, I would like to
[3:42:03] start, if I may, by speaking directly to
[3:42:05] the local business owners um, who have
[3:42:08] started petitions asking for our school
[3:42:09] bus stop to be moved on Washington. Um,
[3:42:13] I understand your frustration, but I
[3:42:15] don't know if you realize that next
[3:42:16] school year there will be even more
[3:42:18] buses.
[3:42:20] I hope you're listening tonight because
[3:42:21] we are on the same side. You are our
[3:42:24] neighbors.
[3:42:26] I always cry. We come into your shops
[3:42:29] and restaurants. You know our families.
[3:42:31] You know our pets. You know our
[3:42:33] children. You've watched them grow.
[3:42:36] We don't want this either. We don't want
[3:42:39] to bust our two, three, and foury olds
[3:42:41] across the city for preschool because
[3:42:43] there's been no consideration made for
[3:42:45] them in their own neighborhood. And now,
[3:42:47] despite years and years of growth and
[3:42:49] data, our five and six-year-olds are
[3:42:51] also about to be busted out of their
[3:42:53] neighborhood.
[3:42:54] We don't want our very small children
[3:42:56] and their siblings to have to wait at an
[3:42:58] unsheltered bus stop in all weather,
[3:43:00] blistering heat, driving rain, and
[3:43:02] bitter cold, waiting for the buses to
[3:43:04] reach us in the mornings. We don't want
[3:43:06] buses returning our children in the dark
[3:43:07] fall and winter evenings while
[3:43:09] frustrated drivers go around them on the
[3:43:11] wrong side of the road. Please join us.
[3:43:15] Moving the bus stop just moves the
[3:43:16] problem to somebody else's block. Buses
[3:43:19] are a symptom. The real problem is that
[3:43:21] we don't have enough classrooms for the
[3:43:23] children who already live here. Several
[3:43:25] months ago, four parents sat down with
[3:43:27] representatives from the city and the
[3:43:28] board of education. We left feeling
[3:43:31] hopeful. We felt heard. We genuinely
[3:43:33] thought something was finally moving,
[3:43:35] but months have passed without a
[3:43:37] meaningful update, and many of our
[3:43:38] questions remain unanswered. It's
[3:43:40] incredibly disappointing because we have
[3:43:42] shown up in good faith. We are proud to
[3:43:45] live here. We love Jersey City. We
[3:43:47] believe in this city and in the people
[3:43:49] leading it.
[3:43:51] Will you work with us? Will you join
[3:43:53] your voices with ours in making
[3:43:55] meaningful progress to do better for our
[3:43:58] children? The next time a developer
[3:44:00] comes before this city asking to build
[3:44:02] hundreds more apartments, please ask one
[3:44:04] simple question. Where will the children
[3:44:06] who live in those apartments go to
[3:44:08] school? Our schools are either more than
[3:44:10] a century old with inadequate
[3:44:12] infrastructure or so overcrowded that
[3:44:14] our educators are being asked to move
[3:44:16] heaven and earth to give our children
[3:44:18] the education they deserve. We are not
[3:44:21] asking for luxury. We are not asking for
[3:44:23] privilege. We are simply asking for
[3:44:25] classrooms. We are asking for planning.
[3:44:27] We are asking for a permanent solution.
[3:44:30] So to our businesses, join us. To the
[3:44:33] board of education, do better. And to
[3:44:36] the city, please help us keep this
[3:44:38] moving. We are not asking Jersey City to
[3:44:40] stop growing. We are asking Jersey City
[3:44:42] to plan for the children who come with
[3:44:44] that growth. Because when we talk about
[3:44:47] thousands of new residents coming to
[3:44:48] Jersey City, please remember some of
[3:44:51] them are 3 feet tall. Thank you.
[3:44:55] Our
[3:44:57] next speaker 5.55 Quinn.
[3:45:06] » Hello council. My name is Quinn
[3:45:07] Slotsnik. The last time I spoke before
[3:45:09] you was in June to raise awareness and
[3:45:12] ask for your help regarding the burden
[3:45:13] that has been put upon Jersey City's
[3:45:15] public school system with aging school
[3:45:18] buildings as more than half of our
[3:45:19] schools are between 95 and 130 years old
[3:45:23] and rampant development that adds
[3:45:24] additional students without accompanying
[3:45:26] classrooms. Specifically, I am here as a
[3:45:29] PS16 parent. With 10,000 new units being
[3:45:32] added to our zone over the next few
[3:45:34] years, we need additional space. Now,
[3:45:37] for this upcoming school year, a few
[3:45:39] band-aids have been slapped on the
[3:45:41] issue. PreK students have been told that
[3:45:44] Danforth, which already is a band-aid in
[3:45:46] of itself, is at capacity. So, new
[3:45:49] registrants are being busted to other
[3:45:51] schools across the city like PS22 and
[3:45:53] PS26.
[3:45:55] How is this a more efficient use of
[3:45:57] resources than focusing on actually
[3:45:59] getting school space that can
[3:46:00] accommodate the capacity needs in a
[3:46:03] zone? ES16 preK students represent 10%
[3:46:07] of the preK student population in Jersey
[3:46:10] City. That's 228 students out of 2099 in
[3:46:14] 2025 and 2026 school year. But we
[3:46:17] currently have 0% of the preK classrooms
[3:46:20] in the zone. The kindergarten students
[3:46:23] for the upcoming year anticipate being
[3:46:24] put into classes of 35 to 40 children as
[3:46:28] another band-aid. Late registrants have
[3:46:31] been placed in kindergarten classes at
[3:46:33] PS3. More busing. In total, PS16 has
[3:46:37] 8.91% of students, but only 1.97%
[3:46:42] of JC classrooms. The math just doesn't
[3:46:45] add up. As it stands, I still don't know
[3:46:48] where my daughter will attend
[3:46:50] kindergarten next year or in what
[3:46:52] conditions. Will she be in a class of 35
[3:46:54] to 40 kids with her education suffering
[3:46:56] as a result? Will she be busted Danforth
[3:46:59] for the third year in a row, divorced
[3:47:00] from the PS16 campus and the total
[3:47:02] school activities like watching the
[3:47:04] school school plays
[3:47:08] to a classroom that does not yet exist?
[3:47:10] As you may remember, renovations on
[3:47:12] Danfor's third floor were halted by the
[3:47:14] New Jersey DO in the spring when
[3:47:16] concerned parents alerted them to the
[3:47:18] work that was being done by JCPS without
[3:47:20] appropriate permitting. In March, the
[3:47:22] superintendent said that barring a
[3:47:24] miracle, kindergarten would be at
[3:47:25] Danforth next year, 26th 27th. Parents
[3:47:29] immediately started advocating to create
[3:47:31] that miracle. But after months, our
[3:47:33] efforts continue to be met with lack of
[3:47:35] response and action on the part of the
[3:47:37] city, JCPS, and the BOE. We know that
[3:47:41] this body is not responsible for school
[3:47:43] construction, but we're hoping you will
[3:47:45] help advocate to those who are. When
[3:47:47] developers bring projects for approval,
[3:47:49] please consider the lack of classrooms.
[3:47:52] And we ask for short-term lease space
[3:47:54] downtown to accommodate PS16
[3:47:56] overcrowding so our children do not have
[3:47:58] to be bust all over the city. Thank you.
[3:48:01] Our
[3:48:08] next speaker, 5.56, Patrick.
[3:48:13] » Good evening. I'm here to talk on the
[3:48:15] same topic, PS16. Um, I was here a few
[3:48:18] months ago. Um, and kind of wanted for
[3:48:22] to to provide an update. Um, you know, I
[3:48:24] said that PS16 is at 200% capacity. That
[3:48:27] remains the case. Uh we're expecting 35
[3:48:30] to 40 students per classroom this coming
[3:48:31] year. I subsequently raised the issue
[3:48:34] with the board of education and they
[3:48:36] resolved to do a study um about
[3:48:39] redistricting.
[3:48:40] » I'm sorry, Patrick, can you just pull it
[3:48:41] up a little closer to you?
[3:48:42] » Sorry about that.
[3:48:43] » Yeah.
[3:48:44] » Um so the board resolved to do a
[3:48:46] redistricting study. Um I do I welcome
[3:48:49] the study. Um but I've also used my
[3:48:52] powers of prognostication to I can
[3:48:55] reveal what they will show. Um so
[3:49:01] what they will show is that there is not
[3:49:03] school space downtown to accommodate
[3:49:05] several hundred students uh currently
[3:49:08] let alone projected students in coming
[3:49:10] years. Um PS3 has 181 seats available.
[3:49:14] PS5 has 74 seats. PS37 has about 150 um
[3:49:19] for a total of 405 seats. Um,
[3:49:22] hypothetically, if we max out those
[3:49:24] schools capacity, bear with me, I'm
[3:49:26] sorry, and numbers are um so boring to
[3:49:29] me. Anyway, uh PS16 is about 550
[3:49:33] students over capacity. Um to bring all
[3:49:37] of our preschoolers into the PS16 zone,
[3:49:39] we would need to account for another 240
[3:49:41] students. Uh a total of 790 kids as of
[3:49:44] last year and more like 800 this year.
[3:49:47] So, summing it all up, uh we're short
[3:49:51] like 800 seats in the in the PS16 zone.
[3:49:55] Um there's not enough capacity across
[3:49:57] downtown to handle these students. Um
[3:50:00] it's simply inescapable that we need
[3:50:02] school space.
[3:50:04] Um I would suggest instead of contorting
[3:50:06] our district maps and squeezing kids
[3:50:08] into every inch uh of school space
[3:50:10] across downtown, um we we need space. If
[3:50:14] we wind up with too much capacity
[3:50:16] somehow, I I'm sure that it will be
[3:50:19] utilized um in in coming years.
[3:50:24] Recently, the board of education voted
[3:50:26] to extend the superintendent's contract
[3:50:29] over the objections of many parents and
[3:50:31] along with the mayor, um Councilwoman
[3:50:34] Little and others, the mayor made a
[3:50:36] strong case against renewing the
[3:50:38] contract that rested largely on academic
[3:50:39] performance. Maybe the superintendent
[3:50:42] bears responsibility for academic
[3:50:44] performance, but there are two things
[3:50:46] that are shown to improve it as well.
[3:50:47] One is alleviating poverty, and two is
[3:50:50] updated school facilities and good
[3:50:52] repair.
[3:50:54] More than half of our Jersey City school
[3:50:56] buildings are between 900 uh 95 and 130
[3:50:58] years old, and they show their age. Um,
[3:51:02] and it should be obvious, but students
[3:51:03] and teachers thrive when their built
[3:51:05] environment is welcoming to them.
[3:51:09] Knowing that schools are slow to get
[3:51:10] built, we are asking for short-term
[3:51:12] space downtown to handle some of this um
[3:51:15] added capacity. I thank you very much.
[3:51:20] » Our next speaker, 5.57, Jack,
[3:51:23] » If if I may, I just want to thank the
[3:51:25] parents for your continued efforts and I
[3:51:27] want you to know that you don't go
[3:51:28] unseen. Um, I've spoken to the
[3:51:31] administration about this and they are
[3:51:33] actively looking at two sites where it
[3:51:36] may be possible to negotiate a school as
[3:51:38] part of a new development. Those are
[3:51:40] 111st Street and 155 Montgomery. Um,
[3:51:43] they're, you know, actively looking at
[3:51:45] that. And, um,
[3:51:48] I I know they were also looking at
[3:51:50] short-term leases and possibly
[3:51:52] converting commercial space. And I don't
[3:51:54] know where that stands, but I will try
[3:51:55] and get an answer for you.
[3:52:02] Good evening. I'll be quick. My name is
[3:52:04] Jack McKe, Hudson County Complete
[3:52:06] Streets campaign manager, and I'm here
[3:52:07] to speak in favor of resolution 26
[3:52:10] 26-511,
[3:52:12] which is to improve the curb management
[3:52:14] in Jersey City. I live downtown in
[3:52:16] Newark. I I see the chaos that poor curb
[3:52:20] management creates. I see that are are
[3:52:23] our parking enforcement. There just
[3:52:24] aren't enough people to tackle all the
[3:52:27] illegally parked cars. And uh just on a
[3:52:29] personal level, I mean, I've I have felt
[3:52:32] the heat of a radiator on my stomach
[3:52:34] from when a parked car blocked a view. I
[3:52:36] mean, that person was also going 40 down
[3:52:39] a street where they shouldn't. But um
[3:52:42] this is something that we need. It's
[3:52:44] good. Uh by my understanding, it's not
[3:52:47] something the city has to pay for. the
[3:52:48] company that automotives would they
[3:52:50] would install it, they would take care
[3:52:52] of it, they would maintain it and uh it
[3:52:53] would make our streets safer, collect
[3:52:55] revenue and uh bring some much needed
[3:52:58] order to our streets for me downtown but
[3:53:02] for wherever these are going to be
[3:53:03] deployed and I hope this is something
[3:53:04] the city sees is effective, solves a
[3:53:07] problem, generates revenue, takes the
[3:53:09] burden off an overburdened uh
[3:53:11] trafficking for parking enforcement and
[3:53:14] uh it can just be one of those
[3:53:15] win-winwins. So, thanks
[3:53:21] Next speaker 5.58 Phillip
[3:53:29] once again
[3:53:31] thank the council for allowing me to
[3:53:33] speak
[3:53:35] want to add to what I said earlier today
[3:53:39] this e this afternoon this evening right
[3:53:45] in if you're taking over a new business
[3:53:48] as they do in construction.
[3:53:51] They have a clause called contingency.
[3:53:53] Contingent upon the unforeseen
[3:53:56] and usually in their construction
[3:53:59] performer,
[3:54:00] the unforeseen or contingency usually
[3:54:03] have a 15 to 25%
[3:54:06] of the budget. The mayor should have had
[3:54:09] a contingency. I understand that there's
[3:54:12] some problems, but where is his
[3:54:14] contingency plan? You just can't come
[3:54:16] and ask people for 15%. When you should
[3:54:19] have had a contingency plan from 15 to
[3:54:22] 25%.
[3:54:24] I need to see that. I also
[3:54:26] [clears throat] heard that we are going
[3:54:27] to make some charges to bring legal
[3:54:31] action against Steve Phillip, which I
[3:54:33] think is a good idea, but I want to hear
[3:54:35] something more. How are you going to
[3:54:37] bring that? What is the basis? Because
[3:54:39] Steve has some shrewd, dishonest,
[3:54:42] well seasoned attorneys behind him. they
[3:54:45] make false statements but they get over
[3:54:47] with that and so I would like to give
[3:54:50] some information on that but I want to
[3:54:52] hear clarity as to how that is going to
[3:54:56] take care. I really came to speak on the
[3:55:01] suburban
[3:55:03] waste disposal and I've heard the mayor
[3:55:06] say it's somewhere down in St. Paul's
[3:55:08] Avenue. I'm not going down there to pick
[3:55:11] it, but the people down there needs to
[3:55:12] be revved up. And it's a good idea to
[3:55:15] rev the people up because those people
[3:55:17] ain't going to come in the black
[3:55:18] neighborhood. I can't get black folks to
[3:55:20] come, black upass negroes
[3:55:23] festival. Uh get Gilmore to come one
[3:55:27] time and we had
[3:55:30] um what's the name? Jerry Walker and
[3:55:33] Brandy Warren this time. None the
[3:55:35] members of the city council. So y'all
[3:55:36] don't come in the black neighborhood. So
[3:55:38] I ain't going nowhere. they are. But
[3:55:40] anyway, the point is the people needs to
[3:55:44] be revved up and the mayor needs to go
[3:55:47] after the money. That's what I want to
[3:55:48] say. There's some secret pocket of money
[3:55:50] that funding that project. I have some
[3:55:53] information information on that because
[3:55:55] I had to sue the state. They closed my
[3:55:57] business down for the D. So, I would
[3:56:00] like to speak with some person to meet
[3:56:02] with them to let them know about that
[3:56:04] that pocket of money. But it is
[3:56:06] important that money is there. It has to
[3:56:09] be used up. But it is see is a secret
[3:56:12] pocket of money. So yes, get the people
[3:56:14] to march, pick it, whatever else. And
[3:56:17] I'm not seeing much of them here. But
[3:56:19] the pocket of state money and it's not
[3:56:22] really state money. It is federal money
[3:56:24] that was sent to the state and the state
[3:56:25] deciding that. Again, I have information
[3:56:28] on that, but I'm not willing to give it
[3:56:30] unless I'm asked.
[3:56:31] » Thank you.
[3:56:34] Our next speaker 5.59, Patrick
[3:56:41] Evening, Council President Ridley and
[3:56:43] council members. I'm here to ask for
[3:56:44] your support in allowing us to move
[3:56:46] forward with the study of 417 Communa
[3:56:48] Steeltech project. Uh the site has been
[3:56:51] vacant for 30 years. previous developers
[3:56:53] spent five getting a 17story tower
[3:56:56] approved that was not financable. And uh
[3:56:59] my team for the last 14 months has
[3:57:01] worked with council president uh whose
[3:57:03] ward this is in um the local some local
[3:57:05] stakeholders including Morris Canal CDC
[3:57:08] uh and we've spent
[3:57:10] uh we've had five community meetings
[3:57:12] over that time as well and I've also met
[3:57:15] uh various residents one-on-one um who
[3:57:18] live around the site. Our current
[3:57:20] proposal calls for several elements that
[3:57:22] the community told us were important to
[3:57:24] them, including a shorter building, a
[3:57:26] grocery store, and community space in
[3:57:28] the historic head house along Commun. We
[3:57:31] hope to start the formal process with
[3:57:33] city planning staff and continue the
[3:57:35] next round of community meetings um with
[3:57:38] Councilman Gilmore's development
[3:57:39] transparency town hall that he put
[3:57:41] together, I think next week, which we're
[3:57:43] signed up for. Um and again, we hope for
[3:57:45] your all support tonight. Thank you.
[3:57:50] our next speaker 5.60 Rick
[3:57:57] again.
[3:57:59] This one's for me. Um, a few I guess
[3:58:02] like things I wanted to bring up while I
[3:58:05] was here. Uh, firstly, I forgot about
[3:58:08] the cameras for parking safety was
[3:58:10] coming up today and I just wanted to get
[3:58:12] out into the ether that I think that
[3:58:14] those are generally a net positive. I
[3:58:15] think that'll be a good idea, but I
[3:58:17] think like longterm we should
[3:58:21] be uh cognizant of like what goal we're
[3:58:24] trying to accomplish with those because
[3:58:26] I'm sure they'll bring in, you know,
[3:58:28] more revenue to the city overall, which
[3:58:30] is probably a good thing. Um, but for me
[3:58:33] and I think some of the other people
[3:58:34] that have just spoke, um, I think things
[3:58:37] like those in terms of like what makes
[3:58:40] the streets safer for people, um, like
[3:58:44] people walking or driving or on the bus,
[3:58:47] those are the cameras are again like a
[3:58:49] net positive, but I don't think they'll
[3:58:51] accomplish all the goals that we
[3:58:54] uh would like want to accomplish with
[3:58:56] making the streets safer for
[3:58:58] pedestrians. Next thing for me, um,
[3:59:04] I live up in the Heights and I tried to
[3:59:07] walk to the reservoir in Persian Park
[3:59:12] last night and I guess it was closed at
[3:59:15] 700 p.m. Uh, my understanding was that
[3:59:19] parks like that are supposed to close at
[3:59:20] 8:00 p.m. And I'm here to just voice my
[3:59:25] frustration and I suppose that
[3:59:29] my understanding is the director of park
[3:59:31] maintenance is Samuel Kazio. Um,
[3:59:35] and I guess I'm looking for a bit of an
[3:59:38] explanation as to why the reservoir was
[3:59:40] closed at 700 p.m. And I don't think
[3:59:43] that he's here. Uh, but you are, so I'm
[3:59:47] voicing that.
[3:59:49] And the last thing I wanted to say is
[3:59:52] that there are a lot of delivery robots
[3:59:56] in the city and I don't like them. I
[3:59:59] think they take up space that humans
[4:00:01] could take up. I think they block
[4:00:03] intersections when traffic tries to get
[4:00:05] through. I saw one with a broken wheel
[4:00:08] blocking a crosswalk in the heights the
[4:00:09] other day. And I think that's not only
[4:00:11] annoying, but I think it's just
[4:00:13] dangerous. And just conceptually, I
[4:00:16] think they're like a breakdown in the
[4:00:19] social fabric of seeing other human
[4:00:21] beings on the street together.
[4:00:24] And I think that we should either just
[4:00:28] ban them outright or just tax the hell
[4:00:31] out of them so badly that any business
[4:00:35] that wants to like put them into the
[4:00:37] city, it just like financially doesn't
[4:00:40] make any sense. or we make so much on
[4:00:41] them that, you know, there's our budget
[4:00:44] problems, whatever.
[4:00:46] And yeah, I think that that's it. Um,
[4:00:49] oh, and I'm uh I know I'm a little ahead
[4:00:51] of the curve and short on time, but I
[4:00:53] think uh sidewalk bumpouts are a good
[4:00:56] idea. I can't wait to see the Department
[4:00:58] of Infrastructure. Thank you.
[4:01:01] » Could you give your your information to
[4:01:03] Arjun right here? We're getting an
[4:01:04] answer on Persian Field. I'm sorry about
[4:01:06] um the reservoir supposed to close at
[4:01:08] sunset which would be 7:48 or 8:00 p.m.
[4:01:10] So I'll find out and let you know
[4:01:14] our next speaker 5.61 Donna
[4:01:21] 5.62 Frank
[4:01:26] 5.63 Monnique gone
[4:01:30] » Thank you 5.64 64 Tiffany
[4:01:36] here 5.65 Dion
[4:01:43] let's keep
[4:01:43] » 5.66
[4:01:45] cat
[4:01:49] okay 567
[4:01:52] Thomas
[4:01:56] 5.68 is a duplicate of 5.43 5.69 69
[4:02:01] June.
[4:02:19] » Good evening, council.
[4:02:21] I'm here um intentionally
[4:02:25] on the language to you a little bit
[4:02:27] more.
[4:02:29] I am here to speak intentionally on
[4:02:32] resolution 10 uh 54. Um but I understand
[4:02:37] you got to hand out the information that
[4:02:39] I um put together with the friends of
[4:02:42] Barry Lane and meeting minutes that we
[4:02:45] put together from previous meetings. So
[4:02:48] I won't be reiterating or repeating
[4:02:52] that. Um I think from the conversations
[4:02:56] that um took place [clears throat] in in
[4:02:59] the caucus meeting um it's important for
[4:03:03] you to understand where we are at Morris
[4:03:06] Canal. We've been
[4:03:10] uh in business since 1999.
[4:03:13] Uh we hold community meetings monthly
[4:03:16] since then. Um, as a matter of fact, I
[4:03:19] truly want to thank uh, Councilwoman Ma
[4:03:23] for coming to our community meeting and
[4:03:26] bringing your aid and hearing our uh,
[4:03:29] concerns and you, Councilman Brooks, for
[4:03:32] sending your representative to listen to
[4:03:35] our concerns. It's very important and I
[4:03:38] can't thank uh Councilman Gilmore and
[4:03:43] Erica enough for just their
[4:03:45] attentiveness in what's going on. And I
[4:03:49] just want you to understand that there's
[4:03:50] been a whole lot going on in these
[4:03:52] years. And when we talk about our
[4:03:56] council person who is ward A and the
[4:03:58] councilman that's Ward F, you need to
[4:04:01] understand that with the redistricting
[4:04:03] redistricting of the maps, our
[4:04:06] neighborhood is cut in half. Half of
[4:04:08] Lafayette is in Ward F, half is in A. So
[4:04:12] when we talk to Councilman Gilmore, it's
[4:04:15] because that's the person we voted for.
[4:04:17] That's the person who understood us, who
[4:04:19] was who was aligned with us during that
[4:04:22] voting period. We are now trying to
[4:04:25] regain a relationship with Councilwoman
[4:04:29] uh Ridley who up to this point hasn't
[4:04:32] been that engaging with us. However, I
[4:04:35] think we had a breakthrough last night
[4:04:37] and at the JC meeting, which brings me
[4:04:41] to a very important point, notification.
[4:04:44] In a Mars Canal redevelopment plan
[4:04:47] around uh page nine, there is a law that
[4:04:51] says you must notify us whenever things
[4:04:53] are going on in the neighborhood. I want
[4:04:56] not only the council but the JC, all of
[4:05:00] the agencies to hold uh fast to that. It
[4:05:04] is important. We shouldn't find out
[4:05:06] what's going on in our neighborhood by
[4:05:09] looking at an agenda. We should know
[4:05:11] beforehand and inclusion is really
[4:05:14] important for us to to work this out.
[4:05:18] It's a new administration. I hope it's a
[4:05:20] new day and that we'll be able to work
[4:05:23] » Thank you.
[4:05:23] » Closely together going forward.
[4:05:26] » Thank you.
[4:05:28] » Our next speaker 5.70 Jerome.
[4:05:35] » Thank you. 5.71 Dena.
[4:05:43] » All right. Nice to talk to you guys
[4:05:45] again. You heard from me a couple hours
[4:05:46] ago. Thank you all for your patience. um
[4:05:48] on community gardens when I spoke about
[4:05:50] the more budget aligned aspect of our
[4:05:53] concerns of the Arlington community
[4:05:55] garden that was accidentally cut down by
[4:05:56] DPW. Um and on the budget side, you
[4:05:59] know, funding to replace any of the
[4:06:01] perennial plants or get a water hose
[4:06:02] hookup um or compost and wood chips
[4:06:05] going forward would be lovely. However,
[4:06:07] I also wanted to note that kind of a
[4:06:10] larger issue is the breakdown in
[4:06:11] communication when things like this
[4:06:13] happen. So over the course of the last
[4:06:14] few hours, I've had at least five other
[4:06:16] audience members approach me and say
[4:06:18] that their pollinator gardens or rain
[4:06:20] garders are also mowed down. It seems to
[4:06:22] be a right of passage in Jersey City if
[4:06:24] you're in the gardening space. And I'm
[4:06:26] generally wondering whether anything can
[4:06:28] be done to communicate when a larger lot
[4:06:31] area is going to be raised down. So
[4:06:34] there's no signage posted. There were no
[4:06:36] alerts on cclick fix for the area. There
[4:06:38] was kind of no way for any of the
[4:06:40] surrounding people to discover that this
[4:06:42] work is taking place. and it seems to be
[4:06:43] a larger issue and if there's no person
[4:06:46] we can message for coordinating
[4:06:48] community gardens um I don't really know
[4:06:50] how we prevent such issues going
[4:06:52] forward. So I would love if you can
[4:06:54] consider ways we can address
[4:06:55] specifically the communication issue
[4:06:57] when a big area is going to be serviced.
[4:07:00] Thank you.
[4:07:03] » Thank you Dina. I just want to share
[4:07:05] this happened at Leonard Gordon Park as
[4:07:07] well. Um, and I reached out to parks
[4:07:10] following that and got what I think is a
[4:07:13] a hopeful answer that um, there's going
[4:07:15] to be a lot more communication going
[4:07:17] forward and uh, communication and just
[4:07:19] education of the workers who are being
[4:07:21] sent there to be able to look out for
[4:07:23] the kind of gardens and also making sure
[4:07:25] the gardens can proactively put up
[4:07:27] signage so that the workers have really
[4:07:29] clear. So yeah, this was really
[4:07:31] important to us too because of Leonard
[4:07:33] Gordon Park and um, want to make sure it
[4:07:34] never happens again. So thank you
[4:07:39] All right, that will conclude our public
[4:07:41] speaking portion of the meeting. On to
[4:07:43] our petitions and communications. Any
[4:07:46] questions or comments on items 6.1
[4:07:50] through
[4:07:52] 6.56? I know I owe Council Person Little
[4:07:56] some copies. I'm I'm sorry I didn't get
[4:07:58] them to you. Very short staff this week
[4:08:00] with vacations going on,
[4:08:03] but I will get them to you. Um, any
[4:08:06] question? Well, there's no office
[4:08:07] communications. Any questions or
[4:08:08] comments on reporter directors 8.1
[4:08:12] through 8.17
[4:08:15] hearing? None. We're going to go right
[4:08:17] to our claims and addendum number one.
[4:08:19] So, council members going to be taking a
[4:08:21] vote on claims and addendum number one.
[4:08:23] Council person Brooks,
[4:08:28] » Before I vote, um just wanted to see if
[4:08:30] there was an answer on the Moody's um
[4:08:33] fee.
[4:08:44] Councilman, the claims related to
[4:08:46] Moody's is the we asked them to rate the
[4:08:49] note rollover we did in July. Uh and
[4:08:52] there's a fee for those services.
[4:08:54] » Yeah.
[4:08:56] » Thank you. I vote I.
[4:09:00] » Council person Zupa.
[4:09:01] » I council person Ephro. Hi,
[4:09:05] » Council Person Little.
[4:09:08] » Council Person Gilmore,
[4:09:09] » I
[4:09:10] » Council Person Singh,
[4:09:12] » I
[4:09:12] » Council Person Griffin.
[4:09:15] » Uh, I may have asked this, but I don't
[4:09:18] remember what the answer is. So, with
[4:09:20] the claims, can they be more specific?
[4:09:22] Right. I'm just looking at claims and
[4:09:24] I'm seeing stuff just encumbrance.
[4:09:25] Encumbrance.
[4:09:27] Like, there's a lot of things. I don't
[4:09:29] know what we're paying for. is just
[4:09:31] there's no it's not specific.
[4:09:37] » My understanding is that it comes from
[4:09:39] our admin system. Um
[4:09:43] I don't know Bill if you want to say
[4:09:45] anything more about the
[4:09:48] list.
[4:09:49] » Bill, if you could help. Thank you.
[4:09:51] » Sure council man. I would have to look
[4:09:53] at it. The list is generated directly
[4:09:55] from our financial platform.
[4:09:58] We have put some work into that to get
[4:10:01] you one list. As you might recall, it
[4:10:02] wasn't long ago you get two lists and
[4:10:04] they didn't quite make sense. So, we did
[4:10:06] do some work to consolidate it. I'll
[4:10:08] take a look and see if it can be a
[4:10:09] little more descriptive as well.
[4:10:12] » Thank you,
[4:10:16] » Council Person Lavaro.
[4:10:18] » Hi.
[4:10:20] » And Council President Ridley,
[4:10:21] » I.
[4:10:22] » Claims and addendum number one are
[4:10:24] approved unanimously. 90.
[4:10:29] » On to our resolutions
[4:10:32] going in order. Council members going to
[4:10:34] be taking a vote on items 10.1 through
[4:10:37] 10.12.
[4:10:40] 10.1 through 10.12. Council person
[4:10:43] Brooks.
[4:10:44] » Uh before I vote on these, I just wanted
[4:10:46] to defer to my colleague, Councilman
[4:10:49] Labaro. Sorry to put you on the spot. I
[4:10:51] think you had um Oh,
[4:10:53] » Yeah.
[4:10:54] » Some thoughts on the prescription.
[4:10:56] plan.
[4:10:58] » Yes. Um I shared some emails with
[4:11:01] everybody, raised some questions about
[4:11:03] the language. Um that's unclear to me as
[4:11:07] to whether or not we were um uh changing
[4:11:11] the terms for future years uh on the
[4:11:14] contract. Um,
[4:11:16] Corporation Council has advised me in um
[4:11:20] in writing that uh that uh this only
[4:11:24] impacts the purchase order, this
[4:11:27] resolution itself um and not for only
[4:11:30] 2026 and not 27 and 28. Is that
[4:11:33] accurate?
[4:11:38] » That's correct. The intention and effect
[4:11:41] of this resolution is to increase the
[4:11:44] purchase order. These two contracts um
[4:11:48] authorize the city to pay for services
[4:11:51] based on utilization. And so the cap
[4:11:54] that was reflected in the original
[4:11:56] resolutions that awarded these contracts
[4:11:59] did not reflect the amount that we were
[4:12:00] committing to spend. Rather, it
[4:12:02] reflected the amount that we were
[4:12:03] actually set aside in a PO to pay for
[4:12:05] these services. But as the year goes on,
[4:12:08] we learn what that utilization rate
[4:12:10] actually is and how much we actually
[4:12:11] owe. So what this resolution does, it it
[4:12:14] increases the PO for calendar year 2026.
[4:12:17] We will have to do this process again in
[4:12:20] 2027 based on what we know about our
[4:12:22] utilization at that point to make sure
[4:12:23] that we're setting aside money in order
[4:12:25] to pay based on utilization.
[4:12:28] Um, I will also just note that the
[4:12:31] amount [snorts] that we're adding to the
[4:12:33] PO here is consistent with what was in
[4:12:36] the introduced budget for these
[4:12:37] services. So this is just making the PO
[4:12:40] consistent with what is in the budget
[4:12:42] that was introduced by the
[4:12:43] administration.
[4:12:49] » And and then Sarah, can we um and if you
[4:12:51] saw my message earlier about including
[4:12:54] your your um legal opinion on this as
[4:12:58] part of the public record,
[4:12:59] » We will not be doing that. That
[4:13:01] contained confidential and privileged
[4:13:03] attorney client advice. I have shared my
[4:13:06] remarks for the record. If there's any
[4:13:08] further information you like from the
[4:13:10] administration to clarify that
[4:13:12] resolution, I'm sure they would be happy
[4:13:13] to provide it, but I'm not authorizing
[4:13:15] sharing that email.
[4:13:18] » Okay. So, that uh hopefully that
[4:13:22] explains for folks where things stand.
[4:13:26] » Welcome.
[4:13:29] » Thank you, Councilman, and thank you,
[4:13:31] admin, for answering questions. Um, I
[4:13:34] vote I on all. I'm really looking
[4:13:37] forward to getting this uh
[4:13:40] uh list and appraisal and valuation for
[4:13:43] our fixed assets.
[4:13:48] Council person Zupa vot.
[4:13:51] » Council person Epris.
[4:13:54] » Council person Little.
[4:13:55] » Hi.
[4:13:56] » Council person Gilmore.
[4:14:07] going to um abstain on 107 I on arrest.
[4:14:12] » I I couldn't hear you.
[4:14:14] » Want to abstain on 107 I on arrest.
[4:14:17] » Okay.
[4:14:20] Council person Singh.
[4:14:23] » Hi.
[4:14:24] » Council person Griffin.
[4:14:27] » Hi.
[4:14:28] » Council person Labbor.
[4:14:30] And just on on 10.6 and 10.7
[4:14:34] um
[4:14:36] for for the viewing public, this is our
[4:14:39] prescription benefits coverage for um
[4:14:41] Medicare retirees,
[4:14:43] uh eligible retirees,
[4:14:46] um and for our city employees.
[4:14:49] um the the original contract and um I
[4:14:55] guess correct me if I'm wrong on any of
[4:14:57] my language like estimated our costs to
[4:15:01] be $14 million annually for one and then
[4:15:04] um what the exact number was for the
[4:15:07] other one but um and and collectively
[4:15:11] it's increasing the purchase order
[4:15:14] because and correct me again if I'm
[4:15:16] wrong but we've already exceeded those
[4:15:19] dollars, the uh um the amount spent on
[4:15:23] our prescription drug coverage um here
[4:15:26] in Jersey City uh for our employees. Um
[4:15:29] and we're increasing it by 50% in both
[4:15:32] cases. Right. So the total increase is
[4:15:34] 13 million. It's budgeted to the
[4:15:36] administration's credit. It's been
[4:15:38] budgeted here um in our introduced
[4:15:42] budget and um that will come for a final
[4:15:44] vote. Um you I I just want to comment on
[4:15:48] a couple things which is that um there
[4:15:54] Gilmore said this somebody needs to be
[4:15:55] held accountable for this stuff. I mean
[4:15:58] this is really um egregious um and and
[4:16:03] I've asked for and I still have to kind
[4:16:05] of look at the record on this uh what
[4:16:07] happened in 2025 when this was approved
[4:16:09] in December of 2025. Um but um to
[4:16:15] uh under uh estimate these costs that
[4:16:18] severely
[4:16:20] um when we know that these costs just
[4:16:23] keep rising year after year. Um I can't
[4:16:27] help but think that there's uh more than
[4:16:30] just uh an error in judgment, right?
[4:16:34] that there was something intentionally
[4:16:35] done here to um uh to defer charges,
[4:16:40] which is what this is, has shown up in
[4:16:42] our budget. So, for folks who've asked
[4:16:45] about where the some of the deferred
[4:16:46] charges are, um here's um I guess was it
[4:16:51] 21 million of it or something to that
[4:16:53] effect. I'm not sure exact what the
[4:16:55] numbers are at this point, but um but
[4:16:57] between these two contracts, uh so you
[4:17:01] can find some of it right here, a good
[4:17:03] chunk of it. Um and it's uh uh it's
[4:17:07] frankly terrible for the for the people
[4:17:10] of Jersey City. And um and so we have to
[4:17:13] deal with this kind of moving forward
[4:17:15] and figure out how best to bring these
[4:17:16] costs under control. Um, and it's my
[4:17:20] idea that I'm going to fight to do that
[4:17:22] and figure out working with the
[4:17:23] administration how to rein these costs
[4:17:26] in. Um, that being said, um,
[4:17:31] given the uh opinion of the corporation
[4:17:34] council that this is uh um only
[4:17:38] affecting 2026
[4:17:40] and that uh um and that's budgeted for
[4:17:44] in this current budget. Um, I'm going to
[4:17:46] vote I on all.
[4:17:51] » Council President Ridley.
[4:17:53] » I
[4:17:56] » Hey Sean, I'm Excuse me, Sean. I had to
[4:17:59] abstain on six and seven.
[4:18:02] 10.6 and 10.7
[4:18:05] toward two of the not the same two of
[4:18:08] the
[4:18:10] uh prescription
[4:18:13] benefits.
[4:18:15] So I abstain on 10.6 and 10.7.
[4:18:19] Got it.
[4:18:20] I can just recap.
[4:18:24] Items 10.1 through 10.5 are approved
[4:18:27] unanimously. 90. Item 10.6 is approved.
[4:18:31] 801
[4:18:32] with council person Gilmore abstaining.
[4:18:35] Item 10.7 same vote 8 01 with council
[4:18:40] person Gilmore abstaining. Items 10.8
[4:18:43] through 10.2. 2 are approved unanimously
[4:18:47] 90.
[4:18:48] On to our next set of resolutions going
[4:18:51] from 10.13
[4:18:53] through 10.23.
[4:18:56] Council person Brooks.
[4:18:58] » A lot of great grant funding in here. I
[4:19:00] vote I on all.
[4:19:02] » Council person Zupa.
[4:19:03] » Hi.
[4:19:04] » Council person Efos.
[4:19:06] » Hi.
[4:19:07] » Council person Little.
[4:19:08] » Hi.
[4:19:09] » Council person Gilmore.
[4:19:11] » A quick question. Sean for um 1013. Uh
[4:19:15] Steph is that's the young lady that's
[4:19:18] HR, right? That's the
[4:19:20] » She's the HR director. Correct.
[4:19:22] » She we haven't voted on her appointment
[4:19:24] yet.
[4:19:25] » No, this is this is voting to for her to
[4:19:29] become a member of the
[4:19:31] » Insurance fun commission.
[4:19:35] » So because HR is now under
[4:19:38] » It's under the BA. It's not a standalone
[4:19:40] department. Oh, okay.
[4:19:43] » She's a division director basically.
[4:19:45] » Yes. Yes.
[4:19:51] » And we going to which one again, Sean?
[4:19:54] » 10.23.
[4:19:59] » I council person Singh.
[4:20:03] » Hi.
[4:20:04] » Council person Griffin. I
[4:20:06] » Council person Labaro.
[4:20:10] What what numbers are we voting through
[4:20:11] to
[4:20:12] » 10.13 to 10.23?
[4:20:17] » Um just on uh 10.16 I just want to
[4:20:20] reiterate what I said at caucus um with
[4:20:22] this new round of funding the opioid
[4:20:25] settlement um
[4:20:28] staying within compliance rules for for
[4:20:30] these funds. Um, I would urge the
[4:20:33] administration since it takes effect in
[4:20:34] 2027 to look at using this as a offset
[4:20:39] for our budget in the next budget cycle.
[4:20:43] um we need to use every dollar I will
[4:20:46] implore um that we can use to offset
[4:20:49] these grants in 2026 where this money
[4:20:53] was used in 2026 to award grants to uh
[4:20:57] programs that had to do with steam kind
[4:21:00] of education um around uh um opioid use
[4:21:05] and so forth and drug use um
[4:21:10] helpful but it wasn't it wasn't an
[4:21:12] essential program that we were like
[4:21:14] having to do because we never had this
[4:21:16] money previously. So I know because
[4:21:21] when I worked at St. Peters University,
[4:21:23] I applied for the grant and St. Peters
[4:21:24] University was awarded a grant at the
[4:21:26] time. Um and so um I would implore us to
[4:21:30] use these monies for uh budget offsets.
[4:21:33] Um I vote I
[4:21:35] council person Ridley, Council President
[4:21:37] Ridley, sorry.
[4:21:38] » That's okay. Same thing. I
[4:21:42] » Items 10.13 through 10.23 are approved
[4:21:46] unanimously 90.
[4:21:49] » On to our next set of resolutions. Items
[4:21:51] 10.24 through 10.35.
[4:21:55] Again 24 to 35. Council person Brooks.
[4:21:59] » Hi.
[4:22:00] » Council person Zupa.
[4:22:01] » I just on a note on 1035 there for
[4:22:05] anyone concerned about the pilot
[4:22:06] program. And this is just a pilot for
[4:22:08] the um parking and violation cameras. Uh
[4:22:12] it's for enforcement. It's not to
[4:22:14] collect any data. I understand there's
[4:22:16] some concern about other types of
[4:22:18] cameras uh utilized in other parts of um
[4:22:22] the US. That's not what this is. Uh and
[4:22:24] and someone asked a great question in my
[4:22:26] our town hall the other day, which was
[4:22:28] why don't we just hire more parking
[4:22:30] enforcement officers, which is also a
[4:22:31] great idea, but they can't be at two
[4:22:33] places at once. And we have an issue in
[4:22:34] W C specifically around Bergen Avenue
[4:22:37] where this pilot's going to go and in
[4:22:38] Journal Square with double parking which
[4:22:41] uh makes the streets less safer for
[4:22:42] everyone. So I vote I on all and that
[4:22:44] was my note on 1035.
[4:22:47] Council person Nefros,
[4:22:49] » I will vote I on all and just to carry
[4:22:51] on the the comments of my colleague,
[4:22:53] Councilman Zupa. Um just want to put
[4:22:57] into the record that the pilot program
[4:23:00] for uh CAP, the camera um automated
[4:23:04] parking enforcement. It's not a ALPR,
[4:23:07] the automated license plate reader. Um
[4:23:09] it does not capture all passing
[4:23:11] vehicles. These cameras, they do not
[4:23:13] capture images um regardless of whether
[4:23:16] a crime has occurred. It's really only
[4:23:17] for those violations of parking rules.
[4:23:20] It does not capture or store details
[4:23:22] that aren't relevant to the parking
[4:23:24] violation, whether it's the state of
[4:23:26] your car, bumper stickers, and so on. No
[4:23:29] uh faces or facial recognition
[4:23:32] technology is used. Um it's not
[4:23:35] searchable by law enforcement for any
[4:23:37] reason, and it's not shared with any
[4:23:40] third party or unauthorized users. So,
[4:23:42] um, you know, we I just felt like it was
[4:23:44] really important to make that clear into
[4:23:46] the record for the public um before we
[4:23:48] vote on this. It is a pilot so we can
[4:23:50] assess as we go. Um, but I look forward
[4:23:53] to uh seeing if this is really effective
[4:23:55] as it has been in other cities for uh
[4:23:58] street safety. So, I vote I.
[4:24:01] » Council person Little.
[4:24:03] » I also vote I. I would like to echo my
[4:24:06] colleagues Ephesus, Councilman Ephris
[4:24:08] and and Zuba. Um, you know, we take
[4:24:13] street safety concerns very seriously
[4:24:15] and we also take privacy concerns very
[4:24:17] seriously. Um,
[4:24:20] this has a proven track record of
[4:24:23] helping with parking enforcement and
[4:24:25] street safety, traffic safety,
[4:24:27] pedestrian safety in other cities. Um,
[4:24:31] and to add on to um everything that
[4:24:35] Councilman Effort said, this camera
[4:24:38] assisted parking enforcement program
[4:24:39] does not do, um, it does
[4:24:44] um, deidentify faces and personal
[4:24:47] features before the imagery is even
[4:24:49] transmitted or stored. So, it it blurs
[4:24:52] the faces essentially before before it's
[4:24:55] even uploaded. Um
[4:24:58] and it only captures the vehicles
[4:25:00] violating the parking rules. So if you
[4:25:02] are not violating a parking rule, your
[4:25:04] vehicle will not be captured um in an
[4:25:10] image. So um this is very very limited.
[4:25:14] This is not part of the surveillance
[4:25:16] state. This is um a really helpful and
[4:25:19] useful tool for us to achieve our vision
[4:25:23] zero goals. So I vote I. Council person
[4:25:27] Gilmore.
[4:25:29] Council person Singh.
[4:25:30] » I vote I and want to clarify one more
[4:25:33] thing. Um I asked this question to
[4:25:36] infrastructure
[4:25:38] both the the location they have chosen
[4:25:42] are uh near public transit and the
[4:25:45] reason for that is that majority sorry
[4:25:49] majority of people come and park their
[4:25:52] cars and leave for the city. So we do
[4:25:56] not want to target residents. We just
[4:25:59] want to make sure people who are parking
[4:26:02] and leaving Jersey City right away.
[4:26:04] That's the idea behind it and I vote I
[4:26:07] on all. Thanks.
[4:26:09] » Council person Griffin.
[4:26:11] » Hi.
[4:26:12] » Council person Lavaro.
[4:26:14] » Sorry, I'm just going to backtrack just
[4:26:15] to because I I made some incorrect
[4:26:18] information with regard to resolutions
[4:26:20] 10.6 to 10.7. My vote remains the same,
[4:26:23] but just for the record, I want to
[4:26:24] correct the 10.6 six. The amount for the
[4:26:28] previous um contract was or cap or was
[4:26:33] $14 million and this increases that for
[4:26:37] this 2026 year to 21 million and that's
[4:26:41] 50% increase. And then the other
[4:26:44] resolution for also pro prescription
[4:26:46] drug for Medicare eligible retirees. Um
[4:26:50] it was approved in 2025 at 12 million
[4:26:54] and this increases the cap to $18
[4:26:56] million. So a $6 million increase 50%
[4:26:59] again. Between those two um it's a $13
[4:27:02] million increase. So just want to make
[4:27:04] sure for the media as well report that
[4:27:07] correctly. Um and um with regard to the
[4:27:11] resolutions that we're talking about uh
[4:27:13] 10.24 to 10.35
[4:27:16] um on 10.26 and 10.27
[4:27:20] um I I just want to I I don't think I
[4:27:23] necessarily it's not going to change my
[4:27:25] vote here but I'm going to vote yes. Um
[4:27:28] but I requested certain information
[4:27:29] related to that. Ask my staff to um
[4:27:32] follow up on that. It's not uh I don't
[4:27:35] what I see I don't think it's complete
[4:27:37] that I received. Um and then on 10.35,
[4:27:42] um can you just clarify for me that uh
[4:27:46] this is a pilot program and how long is
[4:27:48] the pilot for?
[4:28:02] » Oh, Peter. Oh, Peter was on this, right?
[4:28:04] » Yeah.
[4:28:06] this.
[4:28:07] » Sorry, I can I can answer this. So,
[4:28:09] we're we're planning on running it for a
[4:28:11] few months um and they're in different
[4:28:13] locations and doing an evaluation and
[4:28:15] sharing the results back to the council.
[4:28:19] » So, hypothetically,
[4:28:22] um how many months did you say six
[4:28:24] months?
[4:28:25] » A few months.
[4:28:26] » Few months. The contract itself is for
[4:28:28] one year. So if if at the conclusion of
[4:28:31] the um pilot
[4:28:35] conclude that it's not uh effective
[4:28:39] which I don't think it I think it will
[4:28:40] be but um but if we come to that
[4:28:43] conclusion do we have an out on the
[4:28:46] contract to
[4:28:49] terminate
[4:28:54] » The contract is zero costs but I believe
[4:28:57] in the contract we also of certain
[4:28:59] requirements and um if the if any vendor
[4:29:03] is not meeting the requirements of the
[4:29:05] city we can terminate the contract.
[4:29:09] » Thank you. I I vote I
[4:29:13] » On all
[4:29:15] » I and Council President Ridley
[4:29:18] » I
[4:29:19] » Items 10.24 through 10.35 are approved
[4:29:22] unanimously 90.
[4:29:26] On to our next set of resolutions. Items
[4:29:28] 10.36
[4:29:30] through 10.46.
[4:29:32] Again, 36 to 46. Council person Brooks.
[4:29:36] » Hi.
[4:29:37] » Council person Zupa.
[4:29:39] » Hi.
[4:29:40] » Council person Efos.
[4:29:42] » Hi.
[4:29:43] » Council person Little.
[4:29:44] » Hi.
[4:29:45] » Council person Gilmore.
[4:29:47] » Hi.
[4:29:47] » Council person Singh.
[4:29:49] » Hi.
[4:29:50] » Council person Griffin. Hi.
[4:29:52] » Council person Lavaro.
[4:29:54] Did
[4:29:54] » You say 10:46?
[4:29:56] » Yes.
[4:29:57] I have a notation. This is withdrawing.
[4:29:59] Is that wrong?
[4:30:00] » That's correct. It's withdrawn. 10:46.
[4:30:05] » Oh, I'm sorry.
[4:30:11] So, we're going to third uh 45
[4:30:17] because 46 was withdrawn. I apologize.
[4:30:21] It's long day.
[4:30:26] I vote uh no on 10.41.
[4:30:32] Um and this is a claim again um
[4:30:37] work that was not under contract at the
[4:30:40] time. I've consistently voted against
[4:30:41] this. I'm going to vote no on 10.41
[4:30:45] and vote I and all the rest.
[4:30:52] So, President Ridley,
[4:30:55] » I
[4:30:57] » Okay,
[4:30:59] I can just recap. Items 10.36
[4:31:02] through 10.40 are approved unanimously.
[4:31:05] 90. Item 10.41
[4:31:08] is approved 81 with council person
[4:31:11] Lavaro voting no. Items 10.42 through
[4:31:15] 10.45
[4:31:16] are approved unanimously 90.
[4:31:21] Okay, on to our next set of resolutions.
[4:31:25] Um, I believe we are withdrawing
[4:31:30] item 10.48. Is that correct?
[4:31:35] » It's correct.
[4:31:36] » Yes.
[4:31:37] » Okay. So, council members are going to
[4:31:39] be taking a vote on items 10.47
[4:31:43] through 10.56.
[4:31:46] I'm holding 10.57 for a reason.
[4:31:50] and wait till you hear what that reason
[4:31:52] is.
[4:32:00] » And keep in mind 10.48 has been
[4:32:03] withdrawn. Council person Brooks,
[4:32:06] » I vote I. Congratulations. Uh, Mr.
[4:32:08] Nolan,
[4:32:12] » Person Zupa.
[4:32:13] » I,
[4:32:15] » Council Person Efos. I go,
[4:32:18] » Council Person Little,
[4:32:21] Council Person Gilmore,
[4:32:22] » I
[4:32:23] » Council Person Sing,
[4:32:26] » I and I congratulate corporate council
[4:32:30] to get the furniture for the office.
[4:32:34] » Okay,
[4:32:37] » Council Person Griffin.
[4:32:39] » Uh 10:49, I'm going to abstain. um only
[4:32:43] because I believe that, you know, with
[4:32:45] 300,000 residents, I believe, you know,
[4:32:49] uh we didn't search hard enough within
[4:32:50] our city, uh this is no knock to Mr.
[4:32:53] Nolan. Um I'm pretty sure he's
[4:32:55] qualified. Um and congratulations. Uh
[4:32:58] but I vote eye on everything else.
[4:33:02] » Council person Lubara,
[4:33:05] » Just a question on 10.49. Um is Mr.
[4:33:08] Nolan a Jersey City resident in his
[4:33:10] residency required?
[4:33:19] is
[4:33:22] to
[4:33:23] » He is not a resident of Jersey City. I
[4:33:26] hope and think that his residency is not
[4:33:29] required, but I do not know off the top
[4:33:31] of my head.
[4:33:33] It's not going to change my position on
[4:33:34] this, but um if he is required and just
[4:33:38] like the previous um appointees, it's a
[4:33:41] a waiver is required um in order to do
[4:33:43] that, I would assume. I don't know to
[4:33:47] look into that. That'd be great. Um
[4:33:50] so that being said, um
[4:33:54] I too am going to abstain on 10.49 49.
[4:33:58] And I'm going to share my reasons, which
[4:34:00] is uh we we've got talent here in Jersey
[4:34:04] City. And um and frankly, a lot of good
[4:34:09] talent's gotten um
[4:34:14] has left the city and uh we should be
[4:34:17] trying to find ways to uh retain talent,
[4:34:20] but also retain institutional knowledge.
[4:34:23] um and folks who are familiar with
[4:34:25] Jersey City. Um and we have people
[4:34:28] literally in the tax office who've uh
[4:34:32] put in a lot more time and had
[4:34:34] credentials and there are people who've
[4:34:36] left um that I don't think probably
[4:34:38] should have left um probably could have
[4:34:40] retained them. Uh
[4:34:44] I I wish him the best. Um but I will say
[4:34:47] this that um I think he Mr. Nolan
[4:34:50] suggested that he had 25 um um pilots
[4:34:54] that he worked on in in Payic. Um I
[4:34:57] looked at their audit report. Um it
[4:35:01] didn't mount more than 11 11 audits in
[4:35:04] the previous uh three years. Um we have
[4:35:08] over 140 and like hundreds I think of
[4:35:11] fiveyear audits, fiveyear tax
[4:35:13] abatements. Um
[4:35:16] he'll be taking on the payroll tax um
[4:35:18] which we know we've had challenges with
[4:35:21] and now we have the opportunity and
[4:35:23] funding to be able to put together a
[4:35:25] robust um payroll tax department and
[4:35:29] there's only two cities in the state of
[4:35:30] New Jersey that do that. New York and
[4:35:32] Jersey City. Um and Pay didn't have
[4:35:35] that. So, um, when he was here at caucus
[4:35:39] did not speak to that, um, and how he
[4:35:41] would, um, address the payroll tax. Um,
[4:35:44] so, uh,
[4:35:48] obviously we need a tax collector. Um,
[4:35:51] and so he has the votes already to pass.
[4:35:54] So, I'm just going to abstain. Uh but
[4:35:56] but I will also ask this is that um
[4:36:00] the tax collector is also a um to call
[4:36:03] the position where you get um tenure
[4:36:06] » Statutory required position.
[4:36:08] » Oh, I'm asking if it's a tenur position.
[4:36:10] » It is.
[4:36:11] » It is. So by by with this vote, are we
[4:36:14] voting for his tenure or is it
[4:36:16] » No, it's his appointment.
[4:36:18] His first appointment. He would have to
[4:36:20] be reappointed in order to get tenure.
[4:36:24] When does that reappoint come up for
[4:36:26] you?
[4:36:26] » I believe it's written in the
[4:36:28] resolution. I don't have it in front of
[4:36:29] me, but I believe it's either three or
[4:36:33] four years. Um, with the clerk, it's
[4:36:36] three years. It's got to be similar to
[4:36:38] that.
[4:36:40] » Interesting. Um, so I abstain. I vote on
[4:36:43] I and all the rest.
[4:36:46] and Council President Ridley,
[4:36:50] » I do not have the ordinance in front of
[4:36:53] me and I'm trying to like search it from
[4:36:55] my phone, but I think it was just
[4:36:57] answered and I think I remember the tax
[4:37:00] collector being part of the ordinance
[4:37:01] where we have to do a waiver. Um, so
[4:37:05] since we don't really have clarity on
[4:37:07] that, I'm going to abstain because I
[4:37:10] would prefer to do the waiver um, at the
[4:37:13] same time. Uh, so we don't have a
[4:37:15] situation like we did last time where we
[4:37:17] confirmed someone and then later had to
[4:37:19] go back and do the waiver. Um, but
[4:37:24] best of luck to uh, Mr. Nolan and this
[4:37:27] is in no way a reflection of him in his
[4:37:31] resume.
[4:37:33] » Hold on. Sarah, can can we just confirm
[4:37:37] um because
[4:37:41] we may have a bigger problem on our
[4:37:43] hand. Um this is just for the
[4:37:46] appointment. Now if there's a residency
[4:37:48] status, what if anything happened? If
[4:37:51] the the residency waiver get voted down
[4:37:53] then how like
[4:37:56] » Yes. So, can we is there any way we can
[4:37:59] quickly confirm
[4:38:01] um is the tax collector on the list for
[4:38:04] the residency waiver? Because my fear is
[4:38:08] if it is and for some reason he doesn't
[4:38:13] clear that hurdle, what if anything
[4:38:15] happens with this appointment vote?
[4:38:21] The doicile requirement for certain city
[4:38:25] employees is spelled out in chapter 53,
[4:38:28] section two of our municipal code. Um,
[4:38:32] section one of that same chapter defines
[4:38:34] the employees who are covered by that
[4:38:36] local residency requirement. It looks
[4:38:39] like it does include the tax collector.
[4:38:43] As we discussed the last time the
[4:38:45] residency waiver resolution came before
[4:38:47] this council, the ordinance as drafted
[4:38:50] is largely silent as to what happens in
[4:38:53] the event an employee fails to obtain a
[4:38:56] waiver. It would be up to this council
[4:38:58] to consider any amendments that would
[4:39:00] give more clarity. A local ordinance
[4:39:03] cannot interfere with certain
[4:39:05] entitlements that an employee might
[4:39:07] have. So for example, we talked about
[4:39:09] how the local ordinance could not
[4:39:11] overcome tenure in the case of our dear
[4:39:14] clerk. So this would be untested
[4:39:16] territory. There's no clarity in the
[4:39:18] code as written about what the city
[4:39:20] needs to do if it hires someone who then
[4:39:22] fails to get a waiver.
[4:39:23] » Okay. So VA, in light of that
[4:39:27] explanation for legal, um Sean, is it
[4:39:31] too late to request to pull it? because
[4:39:33] we kind of
[4:39:34] » We already have a vote on it and
[4:39:36] » The I'm just awaiting council
[4:39:38] president's vote on the rest of the
[4:39:40] items.
[4:39:43] » Well, I mean
[4:39:46] I know I just need clarity. So that's if
[4:39:49] I'm going to change my vote if we not
[4:39:51] pulling it. So you go and ask the
[4:39:52] council president about the rest.
[4:39:58] » Yeah. Yeah.
[4:39:59] » I vote I on all arrests.
[4:40:02] So,
[4:40:04] council person Gilmore, you're going to
[4:40:06] change your vote, you said.
[4:40:07] » Yeah, because I mean the thing is we
[4:40:09] have to be able to do things in decency
[4:40:11] or we have to be able to do things
[4:40:13] right. I don't want to be in uncharted
[4:40:15] territory,
[4:40:18] right? So, if it's if I mean I just
[4:40:21] don't understand how this stuff isn't
[4:40:23] isn't out.
[4:40:26] So, I I don't know what we can do. I
[4:40:30] don't know if the
[4:40:30] » So, is there a a request, I guess, or is
[4:40:34] there a um is the administration willing
[4:40:37] to move this item to the next meeting?
[4:40:42] » We just voted on it.
[4:40:44] » Yeah, but you have council people who
[4:40:45] now want to change their vote.
[4:40:47] » All right. Well, I'm changing my
[4:40:48] » Which they are entitled to do.
[4:40:51] » I don't want to be in uncharted
[4:40:52] territory. I'm changing my vote to no.
[4:40:55] » I didn't hear you.
[4:40:57] » I'm changing my vote to no.
[4:41:03] No on 1049. I on all the rest.
[4:41:06] » Yes.
[4:41:08] » Is anyone else changing their vote?
[4:41:14] » Before I recap
[4:41:18] I I
[4:41:20] think the administration is trying to
[4:41:21] figure.
[4:41:24] We're not withdrawing it.
[4:41:30] So just to confirm, I have Gilmore
[4:41:32] voting no. Is Griffin you abstain to
[4:41:38] » And Lavaro and council president?
[4:41:41] » Correct.
[4:41:42] » Anyone else?
[4:41:46] All right.
[4:41:49] Hearing none.
[4:41:51] Item 10.47 is approved unanimously. 90.
[4:41:56] Item 10.4 48 has been withdrawn. Item
[4:41:59] 10.49
[4:42:04] is approved. 5
[4:42:08] 1
[4:42:10] 3
[4:42:13] with council person Gilmore voting no
[4:42:16] and the following council members
[4:42:18] abstaining Griffin Lavaro and council
[4:42:20] president Ridley.
[4:42:24] And items 1050
[4:42:27] through 10.56 are approved unanimously
[4:42:30] 90.
[4:42:32] And on to the great moment of the night.
[4:42:34] So
[4:42:36] this is a local budget law requirements
[4:42:40] that I must read the amendment
[4:42:43] resolution in full prior to intro taking
[4:42:47] the introductory vote of the amendment.
[4:42:51] So, it's a resolution authorizing
[4:42:52] amendments to the calendar year 2026
[4:42:55] municipal budget. Whereas the calendar
[4:42:57] year 2026 municipal budget for the city
[4:43:00] of Jersey City was introduced on July
[4:43:02] 15, 2026, whereas a public hearing was
[4:43:05] held on August 19th, 2026 and where it
[4:43:08] is a desired to amend said budget prior
[4:43:11] to adoption. Now, therefore, it be
[4:43:13] resolved by the city council of the city
[4:43:16] of Jersey City as follows. The following
[4:43:19] amendments to the approved calendar year
[4:43:21] 2026 municipal budget be made.
[4:43:27] General revenues. Number three,
[4:43:29] miscellaneous revenues. Section A, local
[4:43:32] revenues,
[4:43:33] ABC license, excuse me, ABC fees and
[4:43:36] licenses. Account number 08-029
[4:43:41] one from 1 million to 1,120,000.
[4:43:46] Food vendor licenses account number
[4:43:49] 08031
[4:43:51] from 1 million to1 million20,000
[4:43:57] and festival licenses account number
[4:43:59] 08033
[4:44:01] from 10,000 to 13,000
[4:44:04] parking enforcement permits and fees
[4:44:06] from 2 million 400,000 to 2,480,000.
[4:44:13] Is it all right if I don't have the
[4:44:16] account numbers or do I have to read
[4:44:18] them too?
[4:44:20] I'm going to go back. Uh, the account
[4:44:22] number for the carnival is 08033.
[4:44:26] Parking enforcement 08042
[4:44:30] parking. Okay, I think I'm caught up.
[4:44:33] Uh, parking tax, parking lot taxes. It's
[4:44:36] been a long day. OE44 from 8,900,000
[4:44:41] to 8,916,000.
[4:44:45] Recreation program fees 08-614
[4:44:50] 250,000 to 264,000.
[4:44:53] Car inound license and fees 08-616
[4:45:00] from 1 million to 1,ion45,000.
[4:45:05] Interstate waste 08170
[4:45:09] from nothing to 361,850.
[4:45:15] Scrap metals 80 excuse me 08-615
[4:45:20] from nothing to 454,264.
[4:45:26] Fuel reimbursements 08165 from nothing
[4:45:30] to $121,13.
[4:45:34] Lot cleaning charges 08123 from nothing
[4:45:38] to $16,659.
[4:45:43] Recycling receptacles 08248
[4:45:46] from nothing to 14,445.
[4:45:51] Total section A local revenues 08001
[4:45:55] 57,800
[4:45:57] from 57,839,000
[4:46:00] to 59,15,321.
[4:46:06] Next is number three, miscellaneous
[4:46:09] revenue section B, state aid without
[4:46:11] offsetting appropriations.
[4:46:13] Building aid allowance for school aid
[4:46:15] 09-203523,53
[4:46:21] to531,319.
[4:46:27] Transitional aid 09212
[4:46:31] from
[4:46:32] 120 million to to 15 million.
[4:46:37] State loan 092213
[4:46:40] from nothing to 105 million
[4:46:44] total total section B state aid without
[4:46:47] offsetting appropriations 09001
[4:46:50] from 185,149,000
[4:46:53] to185,156,816.
[4:47:01] Number three, miscellaneous [snorts]
[4:47:02] revenue. Section F, special items of
[4:47:05] general revenues anticipated with prior
[4:47:07] written consent of the director of the
[4:47:10] of local government services. Private
[4:47:12] and public, excuse me, public and
[4:47:14] private revenues offset appropriations.
[4:47:17] Senior nutrition
[4:47:20] 10-874
[4:47:23] $11,250
[4:47:25] to nothing. Total section F, special
[4:47:29] items of revenue,
[4:47:31] excuse me, special items of general
[4:47:33] revenue anticipated with prior written
[4:47:36] consent of the director of local
[4:47:37] government services. Private and public
[4:47:40] and private revenues offset with
[4:47:42] appropriations
[4:47:44] 10-00123,474,29544
[4:47:53] to23,463,4544.
[4:48:00] Summary of revenues number one surplus
[4:48:03] anticipated sheet four number 108-101
[4:48:08] two from 2,238,433
[4:48:13] to 2,238,433.
[4:48:19] Only a couple more pages. Number two,
[4:48:22] surplus anticipated with prior written
[4:48:24] consent of director of local government
[4:48:26] services. Sheet 4 number two account
[4:48:29] number 8 08102
[4:48:33] 0 from 0 to 0 miscellaneous revenues
[4:48:37] total section A local revenues 08001
[4:48:41] from 57,839,000
[4:48:45] to 59,15,321
[4:48:49] total section B state aid without
[4:48:52] offsetting appropriations 09-00001
[4:48:55] 1 185,149,000
[4:48:59] to 185,156,816
[4:49:05] total section C dedicated uniform
[4:49:07] construction code fees offset with
[4:49:09] appropriations 08-000029
[4:49:12] million to 9 million
[4:49:15] total section D special items of revenue
[4:49:18] anticipated with prior written consent
[4:49:21] of the director of local government
[4:49:23] services shared service agreement
[4:49:25] 11-001
[4:49:27] 117,393
[4:49:30] to 117,393
[4:49:34] total section E special items of revenue
[4:49:37] anticipated with prior written consent
[4:49:38] of the director of government services
[4:49:41] additional revenues 08003
[4:49:45] nothing to nothing
[4:49:48] total section F special items of revenue
[4:49:51] anticipated with prior written consent
[4:49:53] of the director of local government
[4:49:55] services, public and private revenues
[4:49:57] 1000123,474,29544
[4:50:04] to 23,463,4544
[4:50:11] total section G special items of revenue
[4:50:15] general revenue anticipated with prior
[4:50:18] written consent of the director of local
[4:50:20] government services of the special items
[4:50:22] 08004 4123,420,320
[4:50:29] to $123,420,
[4:50:34] 320.
[4:50:36] Total miscellaneous revenues 13-099
[4:50:41] $399,844
[4:50:46] to 400,262,89544
[4:50:53] receipts from delinquent taxes number
[4:50:55] four 15-499
[4:50:58] 3,182,466
[4:51:02] to 3,182,466
[4:51:05] 6. Number five, subtotal general re
[4:51:09] revenues items 1 2 3 and 4
[4:51:12] 13-1994,420,97444
[4:51:20] to 405,683,7944.
[4:51:28] Number six, amount to be raised by taxes
[4:51:30] for support of municipal budget.
[4:51:33] A local local tax for municipal purposes
[4:51:36] including reserve for uncollective taxes
[4:51:39] 07-190459,953,660.72
[4:51:48] to458,568,888.35
[4:51:56] addition to local district school tax
[4:51:58] 07-19169,29
[4:52:03] 97 to 651,48481.
[4:52:13] Number C, minimum library tax
[4:52:15] 07-192,512,729
[4:52:21] to $21,512,729.
[4:52:27] Total amount to be raised by taxes for
[4:52:29] support of municipal budget
[4:52:31] 07-199482,125686
[4:52:39] with 72480,733,98.35.
[4:52:47] Number seven, total general revenues
[4:52:49] 13-299
[4:52:51] 886,546,59416
[4:52:59] to 860 $886,416,892.79.
[4:53:07] Number eight, general appropriations, OP
[4:53:10] A, operations with caps. Office of the
[4:53:13] mayor, cultural affairs, other expenses.
[4:53:16] Account number 20-112,423,481
[4:53:23] to $443,481.
[4:53:30] Office of the city clerk and municipal
[4:53:32] council. Pay attention.
[4:53:35] City clerk's office. Salary and wages.
[4:53:38] Uh, account number 20-120
[4:53:40] 1,46,543
[4:53:43] to 1,76,255.
[4:53:50] Municipal Council Office other expenses.
[4:53:52] Pay attention again.
[4:53:54] Count number 2123 21,857
[4:53:59] to 45,926.
[4:54:03] Office of Assessments Count uh City
[4:54:06] Assesses Office Salary and wages 20-150
[4:54:10] 1,600
[4:54:11] excuse me 1,68,599
[4:54:15] to 1,134,455.
[4:54:20] City Assesses Office other expenses
[4:54:23] account number 20-150
[4:54:25] $361,764
[4:54:28] to $370,514.
[4:54:32] Department of Public Safety Police
[4:54:34] Salary and Wages account number 25-240
[4:54:38] $104,988,279
[4:54:43] to $104,788,279.
[4:54:50] Quality of life, salary and wages.
[4:54:52] Account number 25-273
[4:54:55] 4,374,520
[4:54:58] to $4,395,520.
[4:55:04] Traffic and parking salaries and wages
[4:55:07] account number 25-274
[4:55:10] 9 million from 9,555,178
[4:55:15] to9,600,178
[4:55:19] Department of Health and Human Services
[4:55:21] HHS Director's Office. Other expenses
[4:55:25] account number 27-330
[4:55:28] 20,000
[4:55:30] to 220,000
[4:55:34] Community Health and Wellness salary and
[4:55:36] wages count number 27-334
[4:55:42] 319,692
[4:55:45] to $338,923
[4:55:50] Senior Citizen Affairs Salary and wages
[4:55:52] account number 27 7-335
[4:55:56] $567,630
[4:55:59] to $600,590
[4:56:03] Department of Housing Economic
[4:56:04] Development and Commerce Housing
[4:56:06] Preservation Salary and Wages Count
[4:56:08] Number 22-194
[4:56:11] 1 million from 1,134,545
[4:56:16] to1,162,187
[4:56:20] affordable housing salary and wages
[4:56:22] count number 22. 2-199512,225
[4:56:28] to $530,567.
[4:56:33] Tenants right to council other expenses
[4:56:35] account number 20-171
[4:56:38] from $3 to $171,000.
[4:56:43] Department of Recreation and Youth
[4:56:45] Development, Park Maintenance, Salary
[4:56:47] and Wages, account number 28-375
[4:56:50] from 2,243,389
[4:56:54] to $2,274,533.
[4:56:58] Enrichment salary and wages account
[4:57:00] number 28-41,71,412
[4:57:06] to1,714,889.
[4:57:13] Recreation salary and wages 28-42
[4:57:16] from 1,569,434
[4:57:21] to1,580,727.
[4:57:26] Department of Infrastructure
[4:57:27] Sustainability Salary and Wages 20-129
[4:57:32] from $18,79
[4:57:35] to $131,526.
[4:57:39] Unclassified employee group health
[4:57:41] insurance other expenses account number
[4:57:44] 23-220
[4:57:46] from 153,280,434
[4:57:51] to70
[4:57:53] million
[4:57:55] reserve for bargaining agreements and
[4:57:57] salaries salary and wages account number
[4:58:00] 30-414
[4:58:02] from $6 million to $5,630,000
[4:58:08] reserved for accumulated absences,
[4:58:10] salary, and wages. Account number 30-476
[4:58:13] from $9 million to $8 million, $260,000.
[4:58:22] Only two more pages. Total
[4:58:24] appropriations item 8A within caps
[4:58:29] account number 34-199
[4:58:32] from $545,684,153
[4:58:39] to 561,88012
[4:58:45] B. Contingent other expenses account
[4:58:48] number 35-470
[4:58:51] from $1 million to $1 million. Total
[4:58:54] appropriations including contingent with
[4:58:56] caps account number 34-201
[4:58:59] from $546,684,153
[4:59:05] to 562,880,112.
[4:59:11] Detail salary and wages account number
[4:59:13] 34-201
[4:59:15] from 297,8984,827
[4:59:23] to $297,40,441.
[4:59:30] Other expenses including contingent
[4:59:33] account number 34-201
[4:59:36] 248,699,326
[4:59:41] to265,839,711.
[4:59:48] E deferred charges and statutory
[4:59:51] expenditures within excuse me municipal
[4:59:54] within caps. Number one, deferred
[4:59:56] charges over expenditure of
[4:59:59] appropriation reserves. Account number
[5:00:01] 55-550,
[5:00:03] $246,8
[5:00:06] 246,88
[5:00:09] to $487,133.
[5:00:14] Federal and state grants fund grant
[5:00:16] reserves account number 55566
[5:00:20] from 0 to $296,778.
[5:00:25] Total deferred charges and statutory
[5:00:27] expenditures municipal within caps count
[5:00:30] number 34-209
[5:00:32] 108 million from 108,85,655.37
[5:00:38] to 108,623,478.37
[5:00:45] H1 total of general appropriations for
[5:00:48] municipal purposes within caps account
[5:00:51] number 34-299
[5:00:53] 654 million 769,88.37
[5:01:00] to
[5:01:01] 671,53,590
[5:01:07] D um $590.37
[5:01:10] sorry
[5:01:12] a operations excluded from caps employee
[5:01:16] group health insurance section I'm
[5:01:18] excuse me account number 23-2220
[5:01:22] from 16,719,000
[5:01:25] 566 to zero. Reserve for snow operations
[5:01:29] account number 30-475
[5:01:32] from 2,238,433
[5:01:36] to nothing.
[5:01:38] declared state of emergency cost for
[5:01:40] January 2026 storm response and recovery
[5:01:43] NJSA 40A col4-45B
[5:01:47] and 40A col4-45
[5:01:51] in parenthesis BB
[5:01:54] account number 30-475
[5:01:57] from nothing to 2,238,433
[5:02:01] total other appropriations excluding
[5:02:03] from caps account number 34-353
[5:02:07] million
[5:02:08] 470,728
[5:02:11] to $36,751
[5:02:15] $751,162.
[5:02:19] Sorry about that. Public and private
[5:02:21] programs offset by revenues senior
[5:02:23] nutrition account number 41-874
[5:02:27] 11 from 11,250
[5:02:29] to zero. Total public and private
[5:02:32] programs offset by revenues account
[5:02:34] number 40-999
[5:02:37] from 24,474,29547
[5:02:43] to 24,463,4547.
[5:02:49] Total operations excluding from caps
[5:02:51] account number 34-305
[5:02:54] 77 from 77,945,2347
[5:03:01] to61,214,2747
[5:03:06] detail
[5:03:08] salary and wages account number 34-305
[5:03:13] 0 to 0. Other expenses account number
[5:03:16] 34-305
[5:03:19] 7 from 77,945,2347
[5:03:25] to61,214,2747
[5:03:31] H2 total general appropriations for
[5:03:34] municipal purposes excluding from caps
[5:03:37] account number 34-309
[5:03:39] from 213,127,900
[5:03:44] 3247
[5:03:46] to196,397,11647
[5:03:53] K. District school purposes items I and
[5:03:57] J excluded from caps. Account number
[5:03:59] 29-410
[5:04:01] from 1,182,800
[5:04:04] to1,182,800.
[5:04:10] Last page. Get excited.
[5:04:14] Oh, total general appropriations
[5:04:16] excluding from caps account number
[5:04:18] [clears throat] 34-399
[5:04:22] from 214,310,73247
[5:04:28] to197,579,91647.
[5:04:34] L subtotal general appropriation items
[5:04:37] H1 and O account number 400 from 869
[5:04:45] million80,54084
[5:04:51] excuse me to 8 million869
[5:04:54] million excuse me $83,5684
[5:05:00] B reserve for uncollective taxes account
[5:05:03] number 50-899
[5:05:05] from 17,466,53.32
[5:05:10] to 17,333,385.95.
[5:05:16] Number nine, total general
[5:05:17] appropriations, excuse me, account
[5:05:19] number 34-499
[5:05:22] from 886,546,594.16
[5:05:29] to86
[5:05:31] 886,416,892.79.
[5:05:37] Summary of appropriations H1 total
[5:05:40] general appropriations for municipal
[5:05:42] purposes with caps count number 34-299
[5:05:46] from 654,769,88.37
[5:05:52] to 671,53,590.37
[5:05:59] A operations excluding from caps other
[5:06:03] operations account number 34-300
[5:06:06] from 53 million 470,728
[5:06:09] to 36,751,162.
[5:06:15] Uniform construction code account number
[5:06:18] 222-999
[5:06:20] from 0 to 0. Shared service agreements
[5:06:23] account number 42-999
[5:06:25] 0 to 0. Additional appropriations offset
[5:06:29] by revenues account number 34-303
[5:06:32] 0 to 0. Public and private programs
[5:06:35] offset by revenues. Account number
[5:06:37] 40-999
[5:06:39] from 24,474,29547
[5:06:44] to $24,463,4547.
[5:06:49] Total appro operations excluded from
[5:06:52] caps account number 34-305
[5:06:55] from 77,945,2347
[5:07:01] to61,214,2747
[5:07:07] C. Capital Improvements account number
[5:07:09] 44-990
[5:07:11] to 0. D Municipal Debt Service account
[5:07:14] number 45-999
[5:07:16] from 87,993,131
[5:07:21] to87,993,131.
[5:07:27] E total deferred charges sheet 28
[5:07:30] account number 46-999
[5:07:32] from 47,189,778
[5:07:37] to47,189,778.
[5:07:42] F judgment sheet sheet 28 I didn't say
[5:07:46] the curse word uh account number 37-480
[5:07:50] from 0 to 0. G. Cash deficit with prior
[5:07:53] consent of local finance board account
[5:07:56] number 46-885
[5:07:58] from 0 to 0. K local district school
[5:08:02] purposes account number 29-410
[5:08:05] from 1,182,800
[5:08:08] to1,182,800.
[5:08:13] N transferred to board of education
[5:08:15] account number 29-45 from 0 to 0. M res
[5:08:19] reserve for uncollective taxes 50-899
[5:08:24] SE se from 17,466,500
[5:08:28] excuse me from 17,466,53.32
[5:08:34] to 17,333,385.95.
[5:08:40] And last but not least, total general
[5:08:42] appropriations account number
[5:08:44] 34-49986,546,59416
[5:08:52] to86,416,892.79.
[5:09:00] Be it
[5:09:07] Thank you.
[5:09:22] Be it be it further resolved that this
[5:09:24] is the complete amendment [laughter] in
[5:09:26] accordance with the provision of
[5:09:28] NJSA484-9
[5:09:31] be published on the the city of Jersey
[5:09:34] City's website on August 20th 2026 and
[5:09:37] that said publication shall contain the
[5:09:40] notice of public hearing and set
[5:09:42] amendment to be held at the Jersey City
[5:09:44] City Hall on Wednesday, August 26, 2026
[5:09:48] at 5:00 p.m. It is hereby certified that
[5:09:50] this is a true copy of a resolution
[5:09:52] amending the budget soon to be adopted
[5:09:55] by the municipal council on the well
[5:09:58] introduced on the 19th day of August
[5:10:01] 2026.
[5:10:08] Johnny, can you run that back? Actually,
[5:10:12] one more time. I missed a couple.
[5:10:13] » I don't even know if I would run that
[5:10:15] back for a year's worth of salary added
[5:10:17] to my salary. So, with that being said,
[5:10:19] council members, I'm going to be taking
[5:10:21] a vote of introduction on the budget
[5:10:23] amendment item 10.57.
[5:10:26] Council person Brooks,
[5:10:28] » I.
[5:10:29] » Council person Zupa,
[5:10:30] » I'm going to vote I just briefly though.
[5:10:32] I mean, Sean's reading of that without
[5:10:34] any inflection whatsoever um was the
[5:10:36] most pleasant part of this budget
[5:10:38] process.
[5:10:42] [laughter]
[5:10:45] » On a more serious note, I do want to
[5:10:46] thank my colleagues for who I work with
[5:10:48] on the budget amendments. Um we we tried
[5:10:51] to focus on some priorities which were
[5:10:52] bringing back our senior bus driver,
[5:10:54] finding um
[5:10:57] money to bring back the other revenue
[5:10:59] generating positions. I appreciate the
[5:11:01] administration's assistance on getting
[5:11:02] the small but meaningful appropriation
[5:11:04] for the Museum of Jersey City History so
[5:11:06] we can continue their operations for the
[5:11:07] year. Uh and and that was meaningful and
[5:11:10] when we said we tried to work with um
[5:11:12] each other and the administration on
[5:11:14] lowering the tax levy that wasn't that
[5:11:15] was not uh theater. Uh it was a true
[5:11:19] attempt. I'm aware that there was a
[5:11:21] comment made um by someone from the DCA
[5:11:26] who we appreciate their support and and
[5:11:28] uh funding here as well. Uh but it
[5:11:30] certainly was not a waste of time to try
[5:11:32] to ease the burden on our residents. Uh
[5:11:34] with that again I vote I and thank
[5:11:36] everyone for their efforts.
[5:11:39] Council person Efos just to comment on
[5:11:42] on the process and address some of the
[5:11:44] residents issues that were brought up
[5:11:46] tonight about this whole process. Uh it
[5:11:50] for the record we had multiple
[5:11:52] amendments um worked together with some
[5:11:54] of my council colleagues. So, Councilman
[5:11:56] Brooks, Councilwoman Little, thank you
[5:11:58] for working really closely together to
[5:12:01] um try and and find money to paper over
[5:12:04] and and reverse a lot of the cuts to
[5:12:06] critical services, especially in
[5:12:08] community care. Um, and to make sure
[5:12:10] that we have funding for things like
[5:12:11] right to counsel, for mental health
[5:12:12] crisis response, for staffing,
[5:12:14] affordable housing, uh, and our
[5:12:16] infrastructure department, among other
[5:12:18] things. Um and appreciate our council
[5:12:22] colleagues who all put amendments
[5:12:23] forward as well. Council president for
[5:12:25] leading the effort to kind of unify um
[5:12:28] to councilman Lavaro for uh finding uh
[5:12:32] as as much revenue as that we can really
[5:12:35] accept. Um, I know there's some risk
[5:12:38] that we are talking about in terms of um
[5:12:40] maybe less of a surplus next year if we
[5:12:44] uh max out in the anticipated revenues,
[5:12:46] but I I really appreciate the diligence
[5:12:48] that you've been taking to all of those
[5:12:50] line items. So, um grateful to to have
[5:12:53] the kind of coordination with all the
[5:12:55] council members and working with the
[5:12:57] administration through what's just been
[5:12:59] a really rocky and arduous process. and
[5:13:02] um vote I and and I know we'll hear a
[5:13:05] lot more comments next week. Uh and I'll
[5:13:07] I'll save some more comments on the
[5:13:09] budget myself for for next week when we
[5:13:11] have our final vote.
[5:13:15] » Thank you, Council Person Little.
[5:13:20] » Um I'd like to echo my colleagues
[5:13:22] comments. Um, you know,
[5:13:25] several of us on the council worked to
[5:13:28] prepare our own amendment packages
[5:13:30] either in collaboration with others or
[5:13:32] individually and um were under the
[5:13:35] impression that each of them would be
[5:13:37] considered and able to be debated upon
[5:13:39] this day which in in the interest of a
[5:13:42] transparent government is is how I felt
[5:13:45] it should be. Um
[5:13:47] unfortunately due to um
[5:13:51] time and staffing constraints, we were
[5:13:54] told Friday morning after we had already
[5:13:57] submitted our proposed amendment
[5:13:58] packages that DCA only had the capacity
[5:14:01] to review one of the amendment packages.
[5:14:05] and um Council President Ridley called
[5:14:09] an and called an emergency meeting and
[5:14:13] um different council members and council
[5:14:16] staff members. Um so, you know, staff
[5:14:20] members representing offices um got
[5:14:23] together and tried to come up with a
[5:14:27] compromise that we could all feel okay
[5:14:29] about. Um,
[5:14:32] so I want to thank Council President
[5:14:34] Ridley for her leadership in this. Uh,
[5:14:36] this was not the ideal scenario that we
[5:14:38] wanted to be
[5:14:41] introducing amendments under. We we
[5:14:43] would have loved to present them and
[5:14:46] debate them out in the open here. Um,
[5:14:52] but that was we were told by the state
[5:14:55] that that was not an option. Um,
[5:14:59] so
[5:15:01] that being said, there are some things
[5:15:04] that um we fought really hard for and I
[5:15:08] I want to acknowledge and um that I'm
[5:15:12] that I'm proud of in this compromise
[5:15:14] amendment. Um, so we are going to have
[5:15:18] funding for a mental health first
[5:15:20] responders program which had been
[5:15:24] promised to groups like Jersey City
[5:15:26] Together and the Drew Washington family
[5:15:31] and the Justice for Drew Coalition and
[5:15:33] had never come to fruition. So I'm I'm
[5:15:36] very excited about that. Um that was a
[5:15:39] big success um finding that in there um
[5:15:43] that we fought for. Uh we were able to
[5:15:48] um restore the senior bus driver in
[5:15:50] health and human services. We were able
[5:15:53] to um
[5:15:56] fund um additional park maintenance
[5:15:58] staff. Since we are working to after the
[5:16:02] park maintenance contracts were ended,
[5:16:03] we are working to bring
[5:16:05] that in house. Um we are able to fund um
[5:16:09] additional uh recreation aids for the
[5:16:12] youth. Uh we were able to backfill a
[5:16:14] position in sustainability that we had
[5:16:18] hoped to fill months ago as this
[5:16:22] individual um resigned in January of
[5:16:24] this year. So you know these are
[5:16:27] definitely some wins and they were all
[5:16:30] done without changing the topline
[5:16:32] number. Um, I will say in in our
[5:16:35] amendment that package that we initially
[5:16:37] submitted, um, myself, Councilman
[5:16:39] Brooks, and Councilman Efos, um, we had
[5:16:41] actually tried to reduce the overall
[5:16:43] budget number, um, so that we could get
[5:16:46] closer to 15.0 instead of 15.5%, but,
[5:16:50] um, you know, we can't get everything we
[5:16:51] want and this compromise is still at
[5:16:53] 15.5%. So, it does not change your tax
[5:16:56] dollars as compared to the mayor's
[5:16:57] budget. Um,
[5:17:00] but it it does not increase it either.
[5:17:02] and we were able to fund some of these
[5:17:03] really important um community services,
[5:17:07] right to counsel, um mental health first
[5:17:10] responders, recreation,
[5:17:13] um sustainability. We didn't get
[5:17:15] everything we wanted, but that is that
[5:17:17] is the nature of a compromise. Um, and I
[5:17:20] do also want to acknowledge that um, a
[5:17:24] large chunk of the savings and why we
[5:17:26] were able to fund some of these
[5:17:27] positions is because we were able to
[5:17:29] reduce police overtime by $200,000.
[5:17:33] Um, and I I do want to acknowledge and
[5:17:35] give credit where credit is due. This
[5:17:37] new leadership, Director Ambrose, unlike
[5:17:39] his predecessor, uh, has been very on
[5:17:43] top of overtime and he's been making
[5:17:44] great strides. and um you know I I want
[5:17:47] to acknowledge his leadership in
[5:17:48] reducing overtime and finding cost
[5:17:50] savings for the city there. Um
[5:17:53] acknowledging that there will always be
[5:17:55] some overtime just due the to the nature
[5:17:57] of the job. It is still something that
[5:17:58] we can streamline and work to make more
[5:18:01] efficient and and find more cost savings
[5:18:03] in. So I'm very happy about that. Um,
[5:18:06] again, you know, this these amendments
[5:18:10] maybe don't go as far as I would have
[5:18:12] hoped in certain areas, but um, they are
[5:18:15] definitely a step in the right
[5:18:17] direction. And I want to thank all of my
[5:18:18] council colleagues for engaging in this
[5:18:20] process in good faith. I want to thank
[5:18:22] all of our staff who have worked long
[5:18:24] hours um, you know, and and
[5:18:29] the administration and all the
[5:18:31] departments who came and testified
[5:18:32] before us during the budget hearing
[5:18:34] process. So I vote I
[5:18:38] » Council person Gilmore.
[5:18:40] » Um just want to say this have been
[5:18:44] longest budget season I've been a part
[5:18:46] of. I think I've spoke with my
[5:18:48] colleagues in the administration
[5:18:51] more in the last two weeks than I spoke
[5:18:53] with the last administration in the last
[5:18:55] four years. Um, and that's uh that's a
[5:19:00] credit to the administration on a pledge
[5:19:02] to to work together. You know, we don't
[5:19:05] always agree on everything. Um, but we
[5:19:09] find a way to figure it out and make it
[5:19:11] work. Um, I'm not taking a victory lap
[5:19:16] here, uh, because, you know, the tax
[5:19:18] levy is still too high, um, for my
[5:19:22] liking. Uh, but I think it's a step in
[5:19:26] the right direction. Um, and I'm eager
[5:19:29] to see what we can really do next year
[5:19:32] to save some people. That's my time. Uh,
[5:19:37] » Emotion.
[5:19:38] [laughter]
[5:19:41] » I'm eager to see what we can do next
[5:19:43] budget cycle to begin to give some
[5:19:47] people some relief. I know it's been
[5:19:49] very burdensome
[5:19:51] um on the taxpayers, but I do want to uh
[5:19:54] thank my colleagues. There was countless
[5:19:57] conversations without running violations
[5:20:00] on sunshine
[5:20:02] um the administration calls at the calls
[5:20:04] and communicating just trying to get as
[5:20:08] many priorities addressed as possible in
[5:20:10] this budget. Um and again, it's it's
[5:20:13] hard. It's hard. You can literally make
[5:20:16] the argument that every entity that was
[5:20:20] cut in the beginning deserved the
[5:20:21] funding. You people can literally make
[5:20:23] that argument. Um so it's it's hard when
[5:20:26] you trying to incorporate the priorities
[5:20:29] of nine different council members and
[5:20:31] administration.
[5:20:33] Uh people that's vocal in the public,
[5:20:35] community leaders. It's it's hard. Um,
[5:20:39] but the thing I enjoy most is the
[5:20:43] willingness of my colleagues in the
[5:20:45] administration to listen to different
[5:20:48] perspectives and point of views. Um,
[5:20:51] they've been dogging the administration
[5:20:54] these last, I don't know, couple months
[5:20:57] or so. But I'll tell you one thing, what
[5:20:59] you won't say about this administration
[5:21:02] is that they're not willing to listen
[5:21:04] and work with people. You may not always
[5:21:06] agree with the conclusion they come to,
[5:21:09] but at the very least, they're going to
[5:21:10] afford you the opportunity to come to
[5:21:12] some meetings, give some input, and
[5:21:15] they're going to offer some compromises
[5:21:18] as well. So, um, with that, I'll vote. I
[5:21:20] Sean,
[5:21:23] » Council person sing,
[5:21:24] » I'll cut it short.
[5:21:28] Um as uh council woman little said that
[5:21:31] there are lot of amendments uh and
[5:21:34] everybody has worked hard so thank you
[5:21:36] council president um lot of transparency
[5:21:39] discussing and figuring out ways to uh
[5:21:42] accommodate all what we wanted and I'm
[5:21:45] happy that senior bus driver bus driver
[5:21:49] for seniors
[5:21:51] uh the that was really important because
[5:21:53] I work closely with seniors and small
[5:21:56] trips matter they look forward to those
[5:21:58] trips. So that is exciting. I also
[5:22:02] wanted um one employee for clerk's
[5:22:05] office. We know that uh regularly you
[5:22:08] get birth certificate
[5:22:10] uh death certificate, marriage
[5:22:13] certificate every single day. So many
[5:22:15] requests. So so accommodating
[5:22:18] everything. Um everybody worked very
[5:22:21] hard and uh this is the starting this is
[5:22:23] our first budget.
[5:22:28] our first budget and um thank you for uh
[5:22:32] thank you to everybody working as a team
[5:22:35] and I vote I
[5:22:39] » Council person Griffin
[5:22:43] » With a a 15 and a half% tax raise um you
[5:22:50] know we we we must ensure that city
[5:22:53] services are you
[5:22:56] moving in the right direction. People
[5:22:58] need to see what they're paying for. Um
[5:23:02] and also, you know, um I think we got a
[5:23:06] lot of wins uh coming out of this with
[5:23:09] like, you know, funding arrive uh
[5:23:12] bringing some employees back. Um,
[5:23:16] but one one thing I got to say is um,
[5:23:19] you know, people, if we expect our
[5:23:22] homeowners to sacrifice,
[5:23:25] then every department needs to
[5:23:27] sacrifice. Every every department from
[5:23:30] top to bottom needs to sacrifice
[5:23:32] something.
[5:23:33] Um,
[5:23:35] you know, it's a lot on people and we
[5:23:37] need to show them that we're we're doing
[5:23:41] our all to at least improve, um, our
[5:23:45] city since we can't lower the tax levy.
[5:23:50] Um, I want to thank my colleagues, um,
[5:23:53] everyone I spoke to, which is everybody.
[5:23:57] Um, and I want to, you know, thank our
[5:24:00] council president,
[5:24:02] uh, for having these meetings. Um, I
[5:24:06] want to thank my staff
[5:24:08] for showing up when I couldn't. And I
[5:24:10] especially, you know, want to thank, um,
[5:24:17] every time I called you, you was too
[5:24:19] busy.
[5:24:20] No, I wanna I want to I want to I want
[5:24:22] to especially thank Frank Gilmore.
[5:24:25] um
[5:24:27] Rolando Lavaro,
[5:24:30] uh Tom Zupa,
[5:24:33] um
[5:24:35] and and you know um you know people were
[5:24:40] burning the midnight oil um to at least
[5:24:43] you know make these these um cuts to
[5:24:46] improve other services.
[5:24:48] Um so thank you all for that. I vote I.
[5:24:54] » Council person Lavaro,
[5:24:57] » Before I cast my vote and make a
[5:24:59] statement, c can I just ask um can we
[5:25:01] get confirmation on what with these
[5:25:03] amendments what the tax rate tax levy
[5:25:06] increase will be?
[5:25:14] Still an increase at the end, but
[5:25:17] a decrease in the increase. hopefully
[5:25:20] » Decrease in the increase.
[5:25:22] » Councilman, with the changes uh
[5:25:25] in the amendment, the levy
[5:25:28] is 458,5688.35.
[5:25:34] They must have missed that when Sean
[5:25:35] read it. Uh that's a reduction in the
[5:25:38] levy of 1,384,772.37.
[5:25:44] That means the tax rate increase is
[5:25:46] 15.15%.
[5:25:50] » I think they missed it, but I said it.
[5:25:55] [laughter]
[5:25:57] » Oh, decrease.
[5:25:58] » Said a lot, Sean.
[5:25:59] » 15.15.
[5:26:03] » Okay.
[5:26:05] So, let let me begin with um some
[5:26:07] acknowledgements first. Um while the
[5:26:10] budget cycle was too long, um this
[5:26:13] budget amendment process was not a long
[5:26:15] one. Uh from the time the council
[5:26:17] received it, um we've had a little over
[5:26:20] a month, um to come to these amendments.
[5:26:23] It was very compressed and very intense.
[5:26:25] Um and there were plenty of
[5:26:27] disagreements, I can say. But I can also
[5:26:30] say that everyone has been working very
[5:26:31] hard. So, I want to acknowledge u
[5:26:34] members of the administration, the
[5:26:36] business administrator Ruby Choy,
[5:26:37] finance director Bill Vicera, um Stu
[5:26:40] Thomas and Isaac Smith from the mayor's
[5:26:41] office um for their hard work um
[5:26:44] throughout this uh member process and
[5:26:46] supporting the city council. Um I want
[5:26:48] to thank um the council president's
[5:26:51] office uh Billy Wilson um for all of his
[5:26:53] work. Um and of course the council
[5:26:55] president uh Denise really for her
[5:26:57] leadership in keeping this process on
[5:26:59] track and dealing with nine different
[5:27:02] egos um throughout this process. Um I
[5:27:05] want to thank um Councilman Zupa and
[5:27:07] Councilman Griffin um with whom I
[5:27:09] co-hosted some budget town hall meetings
[5:27:11] and I thank all my co colleagues in the
[5:27:13] council um for all your work that you've
[5:27:16] done um throughout this process and this
[5:27:18] budget amendment process. Um, now I just
[5:27:21] really want to thank everyone who came
[5:27:22] out and I say uh I mean I don't know
[5:27:26] that they really want to be thanked
[5:27:27] because it's not a good outcome. So
[5:27:29] everyone who's come out to speak at
[5:27:31] different uh um this public hearing
[5:27:34] tonight and town halls and everywhere
[5:27:37] else and um and we still have another
[5:27:39] one and encourage people to come out.
[5:27:41] But I want you to know that um I have
[5:27:43] been listening. I hear the anger. I hear
[5:27:47] the frustration. And I want you to know
[5:27:49] it's justified. Um, people are being
[5:27:52] asked to pay more and I've heard this
[5:27:55] for a problem that they did not create.
[5:27:58] And many are still are wondering out
[5:27:59] loud if this is a city they can afford
[5:28:01] to stay in. That fear is very real. And
[5:28:05] I'm not going to talk around it. What I
[5:28:08] heard tonight from renters and
[5:28:10] homeowners alike was one message. This
[5:28:13] budget has to work for all of us, not
[5:28:15] just a few. and has to answer the
[5:28:17] question, can the people of Jersey City
[5:28:19] still afford to live here? And sadly for
[5:28:22] many, the answer is no.
[5:28:25] Um,
[5:28:27] I am voting yes on this amendment, not
[5:28:30] because it's the budget I would write,
[5:28:32] but because it's the best hand I can
[5:28:34] play with the cards I've been dealt. I'm
[5:28:36] voting yes on this amendment, not
[5:28:38] because it's the I said that already. I
[5:28:40] went through this budget line. I went
[5:28:42] through this budget line by line and
[5:28:45] proposed revenue increases to help bring
[5:28:46] the tax levy down, reducing the levy, as
[5:28:50] the finance director said, to um the tax
[5:28:53] increase to 15.15%.
[5:28:56] And I regret that I can't do more in
[5:28:57] this budget cycle.
[5:29:03] Besides trying to lower the levy, one of
[5:29:05] my priorities in this budget process um
[5:29:07] was to restore the jobs of all 31
[5:29:09] employees who were laid off on July
[5:29:12] 10th.
[5:29:13] I proposed several millions of dollars
[5:29:15] in expense reductions to offset the cost
[5:29:17] of restoring those jobs. And this
[5:29:20] amendment restores the jobs for five of
[5:29:22] the 31 employees laid off on July 10th
[5:29:26] with levy neutral expense offsets.
[5:29:29] But it's not enough.
[5:29:31] It's not enough for the two dozen more
[5:29:33] employees who were laid off and are not
[5:29:35] being made whole
[5:29:37] and their families.
[5:29:40] And they didn't cause this deficit any
[5:29:41] more than the families facing this tax
[5:29:43] increase did.
[5:29:46] I'm very glad that Right to Council be
[5:29:49] fully funded as a city will need these
[5:29:51] services, but we also need much more.
[5:29:56] foreclosure assistance and prevention
[5:29:58] programs, rental assistance, help for
[5:30:01] families before they ever reach a
[5:30:02] courtroom or receive an eviction notice.
[5:30:07] One of the speakers said tonight that a
[5:30:09] budget is a statement of values. And I
[5:30:12] agree wholeheartedly,
[5:30:14] and I'll be honest with everyone out
[5:30:16] there, this budget does not reflect
[5:30:18] mine. My own amendments don't even
[5:30:20] reflect my values here. They reflect my
[5:30:23] priorities in this process given the
[5:30:25] constraints we were handed.
[5:30:28] Still, I'm voting yes on this amendment
[5:30:30] tonight. But I want you to know to the
[5:30:33] people of Jersey City that my work on
[5:30:35] this budget crisis continues and my
[5:30:37] fight continues for Jersey City's
[5:30:39] residents, my neighbors, for the workers
[5:30:41] and the families who came out to be
[5:30:43] heard. Thank you all. I vote I.
[5:30:48] » Council President Ridley.
[5:30:50] » Mr. President Comm, can I make a quick
[5:30:52] » Go ahead, Bill.
[5:30:53] » Thank you, Councilman. I just wanted to
[5:30:55] add one thing to your comments. I think
[5:30:56] we added back approximately 11 positions
[5:30:59] of those 31. So, I just wanted to get
[5:31:02] that from
[5:31:02] » Oh, really? All of them?
[5:31:03] » I think there were 11.
[5:31:05] » 11. 11. Okay, great. Good to hear. Thank
[5:31:09] you. That's good to know.
[5:31:12] » Council President Ridley.
[5:31:15] » Okay. Uh it's been a long evening and an
[5:31:19] even longer budget process that we are
[5:31:22] still not through yet. Um so I'll have
[5:31:25] more to say next week, but I want to
[5:31:29] start by thanking this council.
[5:31:32] This council worked extremely hard. Uh
[5:31:35] and we started the work before the
[5:31:38] budget process started. So, as soon as
[5:31:41] this council knew that we were in a
[5:31:43] budget deficit, um you know, we started
[5:31:46] deciding what we could go without. So, a
[5:31:49] lot of well, all of this council walked
[5:31:51] in the door expecting to be able to um
[5:31:55] use their fully allotted and legal
[5:31:57] budgets. They took a cut on that. Um and
[5:32:01] I thank them for that. But not just
[5:32:04] taking cuts on the budget,
[5:32:08] but
[5:32:09] serving as a council person,
[5:32:12] particularly in a city as large as
[5:32:13] Jersey City, is definitely a sacrifice.
[5:32:17] Um, we did two weeks worth of budget
[5:32:20] hearings, then came back and did an
[5:32:22] extra day. There were council people
[5:32:24] here who had vacations planned. there
[5:32:26] were council people who had other
[5:32:27] obligations and they put those things
[5:32:30] off to be here for the residents and to
[5:32:32] review that information and I thank them
[5:32:34] for that sacrifice and you know anybody
[5:32:37] can say well you signed up for the job
[5:32:39] or we voted you in and we get all that
[5:32:42] and I'm not making light of that or
[5:32:43] saying that anybody does not appreciate
[5:32:45] their job um but being up here is a
[5:32:48] sacrifice um and you sacrifice a lot of
[5:32:51] time from your personal life your
[5:32:53] families etc So, I want you to know that
[5:32:56] I appreciate that because there were a
[5:32:58] lot of times during this process where
[5:33:00] we had to pivot where you might have
[5:33:02] thought something was done or we were
[5:33:04] going to wrap something up in a certain
[5:33:05] amount of time and then everything just
[5:33:07] changes uh at a moment's notice. You can
[5:33:11] get an email from me 11:00 on a Sunday
[5:33:13] night. Um, and it just continuously
[5:33:16] changes and that's that is the job. Uh
[5:33:20] so we did run into a lot of changes in
[5:33:23] this process. Having the state included
[5:33:25] uh definitely presented its challenges.
[5:33:30] Having the state being able to kind of
[5:33:32] change things as they see fit.
[5:33:34] Definitely has its challenges. Uh and
[5:33:37] that is a new process that we are
[5:33:39] navigating. As my colleague said, we did
[5:33:42] what we could with what we had and
[5:33:45] everyone worked very hard going through
[5:33:48] different line items, working on their
[5:33:50] priorities. Thank you to all the council
[5:33:52] members for doing that. Even as far as,
[5:33:56] you know, Councilman Lavar, you did a
[5:33:57] lot of work around the revenues and some
[5:34:00] of those other items as as we were going
[5:34:03] through the different departments. So,
[5:34:05] everybody pitched in and kind of did
[5:34:08] their part of what they could do. And I
[5:34:10] appreciate that. I appreciate the
[5:34:11] administration, Stu, Isaac, because if I
[5:34:15] was in those emails and telling people
[5:34:17] we're pivoting, you were in those
[5:34:20] emails, too. Or calling me saying, "Hey,
[5:34:22] we just got thrown a bone from the um
[5:34:26] from the state, Bill, Ruby, answering
[5:34:29] all our emails. We ask for a lot of
[5:34:31] information. Uh [laughter] so we
[5:34:34] appreciate you getting those things to
[5:34:36] us in a timely manner." So, just the the
[5:34:39] entire administration and the council, I
[5:34:41] really thank you for all that you did.
[5:34:43] Um, and just so we're clear, tonight we
[5:34:47] are voting to introduce the amendment.
[5:34:52] Next week, we will take a vote on the
[5:34:56] amendment. There will be a public
[5:34:58] hearing on the amendment next week. next
[5:35:01] Wednesday the 26th at 5:00 p.m. and then
[5:35:04] there will also uh be a final budget
[5:35:07] vote on next Wednesday. So that is the
[5:35:10] process. That's what's taking place now.
[5:35:13] Um as I mentioned earlier, the state has
[5:35:16] a lot of opinions and restrictions. They
[5:35:19] are not willing to go between the 15%
[5:35:21] levy. Thankfully, we were able to get it
[5:35:23] down from 15.5 to 15.1.
[5:35:27] Um, not a big drop, but we did what we
[5:35:30] were able to do, and I'm still trying to
[5:35:34] hold on to what I can hold on to. Uh,
[5:35:37] and that is to continue to fight and put
[5:35:40] pressure to hopefully change these
[5:35:42] terms. So, I am still fighting for that.
[5:35:45] I have, uh, a meeting with the state
[5:35:47] tomorrow. Um, we have some meetings
[5:35:50] scheduled for next week. So, I am still
[5:35:52] pushing for that. I would ask residents
[5:35:54] to continue to push for that. We are the
[5:35:57] municipal council. You get in the booth,
[5:35:59] you vote for us, and you vote for
[5:36:00] everybody up the line for your state
[5:36:02] legislators all the way up to the
[5:36:03] governor. Um, and a lot of these
[5:36:06] situations and decisions are being made
[5:36:08] above us, and we need you to push with
[5:36:10] us. Uh, cuz it will benefit all of us if
[5:36:13] we can renegotiate some of these terms.
[5:36:15] So, with that, I vote I, and uh, we'll
[5:36:19] see you next week.
[5:36:22] » Not too fast. Um,
[5:36:26] city resolution 10.57
[5:36:29] is introduced unanimously. 90.
[5:36:33] Nope.
[5:36:35] [laughter] Um,
[5:36:37] item 10.58 was approved earlier and the
[5:36:41] only thing that the council president
[5:36:44] didn't mention is that I'm going to be
[5:36:45] putting an encore performance on reading
[5:36:49] the amendment back into a record again
[5:36:51] next Wednesday. So everybody who enjoyed
[5:36:54] it, come and visit again.
[5:36:56] » On that, may I have a motion to adjourn
[5:36:59] at 11:44
[5:37:02] p.m.? Motion was made by council person
[5:37:05] Gilmore. And I did hear a second by
[5:37:07] council person Singh. All in favor of
[5:37:09] the motion to adjourn at 11:44 p.m. Ple
[5:37:12] by acclamation. All council members
[5:37:14] present, please say I. I. We are out of
[5:37:17] here at 11:44 p.m.