Hudson loses $4.5 million in waste disposal aid from state
Saturday, January 16, 2010
By AMY SARA CLARK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Hudson County municipalities are likely to see as much as a 13 percent increase in their waste disposal fees after the Hudson County Improvement Authority lost some $4.5 million in state aid, county officials announced yesterday.
"It's a real kick in the pants coming from the outgoing administration at this point," said Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise.
The $4.5 million gap would translate into a 13 percent increase in solid waste disposal fees for the municipalities. But the HCIA hopes to find a way to reduce the hit, said Norman Guerra, HCIA's executive.
The funding is used to make yearly payments on a bond of some $60 million that the HCIA took out in the late 1980s to buy land to build a waste disposal plant, Guerra said.
The HCIA bought 100 acres at the Koppers Koke Industrial Site in Kearny for the plant after the Florio administration mandated that each county was to have its own waste disposal plant. But a few years later the Whitman administration reversed the mandate. The "Solid Waste Debt Service Aid" program was eventually created to help counties make payments on the land they'd bought for the plants, and in 2005 Hudson started getting the funding, Guerra said.
In 2005, Hudson County got a grant of $7 million; in 2006, it got $6.5 million, and in 2007 and 2008 it got $4.5 million, said Guerra.
Tom Vincz, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, said Hudson didn't get the money this year because it didn't apply, and that it is still welcome to make an application.
But DeGise called the assertion "baloney."
He said that all the HCIA has had to do in past years was put the anticipated amount as a line item in the budget.
The HCIA got conditional approval from the New Jersey Division of Local
Government Services of the budget in June, said Guerra.
"We did nothing different this year from every other year," said DeGise said.
Burlington, Camden, Mercer and Sussex counties applied for and received the aid for this year, Vincz said.
DeGise said he would like to know whether those municipalities applied in a different manner than Hudson, but state officials could not be reached yesterday evening to respond.

To T-Bird, the last revaluation was done in 1988 not 1947. Your statement is a joke, you will get off your abatement to allow your taxes to fall. Your statement does not make sense. No abated property will pay this increase and those properties did not pay the previous increases. More than $2 billion is off the regular tax rolls forcing the regular public to pick up the slack.

How many abated properties will feel this tax increase? None, the reason abatements are bad for this city.

Does anyone know if the state senators vote on this?

This is Bret Schundler as reported by the local paper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5B_3oRUoFo

Call city hall, 201-547-5000. Speak to the tax collector.

I am for anything that saves taxpayers' money. The elections were separate (May) because they are non-partisan, not Democratic or Republican.

More than 20 years ago, NY state legislators stopped a second line, what happened? More development, more need for natural gas, higher prices. We need a second line.

The reason natural gas is very high, there is only one piple line, a second line would hold the cost. Plus, our state creates electricity with natural gas, other states uses coal. 20% of NJ natural gas is used for electricity. There is not a shortage of natural gas in this country only a shortage of pipelines.

People never think what an impact this have on a child.

Government officials want us to be counted. The late Councilperson Melissa Holloway said every counted person is worth $10,000 in grant money over a 10 year period. If Jersey City truly cares about everyone receiving their fair share of money then municipal government wouldn't short change the board of ed and county government with abatements.

The best lights in Hudson County is Broadway in Bayonne.

To PhDog
We don't know which parent might harm a child but we do know that there is something unique about pit bulls. For the safety of a toddler I believe it is irresponsible to have an infant or toddler in the same household as a pit bull. Human life comes first.

I was in Montreal in 2004 and 2005. One of the few English radio station was discussing a Canadian town outlawing pitbulls after a young child was killed. One of the comments I remember is the number of young children that are mauled and killed by pit bulls. While there was discussion that it is the "human fault", if you have young children, I mean toddlers perhaps you shouldn't have a pit bull.

Jersey City had the 108 loan for Newport. The same story, the jobs will go to local residents. Then stories came the construction workers were as far away as Texas. I wish I saved those articles. Local people did not receive construction jobs.

Veterans cops will retire at the end of the year, these 16 cops might just replace the number retiring.

To Sam S
It doesn't matter if you agree with me or not. I am telling you a fact. The Archdiocese of NY is 1011 First Street. Perhaps they will share this data.I believe the year was 1989, I am not sure. However, there was an increase of students. Research the facts. By the way, the majority of the teachers had Masters degrees and our students passed the NY State standards with high numbers higher than the public schools.
Why do you think Vermont reversed its gay law? They were afraid of what was happening in the state of Mass. Some parents tried to remove their children from classes which taught an alternative lifestyle but they couldn't. It gave parents in Vermont a motive to reverse.

In the late 1980's, I was teaching in a Catholic School in New YorK. New York Board of Ed decided to introduce reading material for K-2 titled "My Two Mommies." Social Studies curriculum deals with family life for K-2. There was a influx of students from the pubic schools. Apparently liberal parents did not want their children told about an alternative lifestyle.
Jersey City Catholic Schools have been closing since charter schools opened. The passage of this bill will bring back Catholic Schools.
By the way, the Board of Ed in NY cut "My Two Mommies" from the curriculum after parents stormed the meetings.

Medical web site on animal bites
Mortality/Morbidity
Animal bites can lead to infection, and, if treated appropriately, patients can avoid this risk. Other complications include sepsis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and even death. Fatalities are uncommon, but an average of 10-15 deaths occur following dog bites each year in the United States. Most of these fatalities are children who sustain bites to the head and neck region. Even a minor bite to a major vessel can lead to hemorrhage in a small child. Skull fractures resulting from dog bites have been reported.

If you want a church with an international flavor, then you should attend Resurrection (St. Bridget, St. Mary's and St. Michael). The priests are from various countries (Africa, the Americas, and Asia. It will remind you that the Catholic is universal which is the Greek word for Catholic. If you want beauty, then attend St. Anthony's Church near Holy Rosary. By the way, St. Anthony's Church is the oldest Polish Catholic Church in the State of NJ and Holy Rosary is the oldest Italian Church in the State of NJ. While Holy Rosary and St. Mary's Church is handicapped accessible, a person in a wheel chair might feel more comfortable attending Assumption Church in Bayonne. It is a beautiful modern circular Catholic Church with plenty of parking. Enjoy the holiday.
Yvonne

The rule has been - sewer rates are double the water rates, so does water also increase? I has been saying for a long time, creating automonous agencies and privatizing the water will mean higher rates. Last year, our city council renewed the water contract with United Water for 10 more years, where was the public hearing?

First I would get a copy of the ordinance on this. However, I believe you are correct. The problem is- all properties are under assessed but not under taxed. I don't believe you would win in court. I would contact the mayor's office. The city is desperate for money. Contact the city clerk office for a copy of any ordinance on assessments.

Go to Mazur Bakery
323 Ridge Road (17 South)
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
Phone : 201-438-8500
Email : sales@mazursbakery.com

http://www.mazursbakery.com/

North Bergen, quoted an article I had on my web site, www.speaknj.com/ The problem is- that December 2008 article is last year's budget. Jersey City is on a fiscal budget year but it never starts the budget process until the year is over. The fiscal year ended June 30, 2009. That December article written by Ricardo Kaulessar of the Jersey City Reporter, concerns last year budget which started July 1, 2008 and ended June 2009. The budget was finally adopted May 2009. We are now in a new fiscal year July 1, 2009 which ends June 30, 2010. I am hearing from varying sources, the city has a $70 million deficit. This is why taxpayers received a 11.25% increase even though the budget was not adopted. I believe more increases will come soon. Part of the problem, our city has never adopted a timely budget even though we changed fiscal years in 1991 and bonded $128 million to cover a loss of state aid that year.
Yvonne

Property taxes are over 3% and the Sugar House pays a fraction of what they should. Abatement is NOT a ratable. The county strikes the budget for JC and includes ratables as the source, nearly $3 billion is not included which means everyone taxes is higher (excluding the abated ones). Furthermore, it upsets the school funding from the state. The state bases aid on the number of "poor residents". More wealthy residents live in Jersey City which means less state aid. Since 2005, the Board of Ed taxes are increasing. The regular JC folks are penalized because of this loss aid but they don't have the income to qualitfy for places such as the Sugar House but they are obligated to pay higher taxes caused by the Sugar House.
Below is my interview with Naomi Bressler


http://videos.nj.com/2009/09/naomi_bressler.html

Why is it necessary to have a park open passed 10:00 PM? That is when the destruction of public property happens.

Parks in other urban areas are closed when it is dark, not in Jersey City. Before the renovation of Van Vorst Park pre-1974, there were few benches. After the renovations, benches and tables were placed. A lot of crime then took place then. In the 1990's they were removed. Now they are coming back. We, the taxpayers are making life comfortable for people who sell drugs with the benches and tables. As for the Wayne Street Park, it should have a tall gate that can be locked in the evening.

Under the Faulker Act, which our city is governed, only the mayor can control the city operations (police, etc.), the job of the council is basically the budget. If you want the council to be part of running of city, then we must return to the commission form of government.

There is wildlife in Jersey City coming from Liberty State Park. I have seen possums, rabbits, raccoons, and wild turkeys in LSP and I have also seen possums and raccons near Van Vorst Park. Wildlife could be infected with rabies which means it is possible to transmit that infection to dogs and cats. There are many children in the park, it is frightening this could happen.

Speak NJ did an interview with Naomi Bressler on Tax Abatements. It is currently on-line. It airs Mondays @ 10:30 PM and Tuesdays @ 9:00 PM on Comcast, channel 51 for the next several weeks.

http://videos.nj.com/2009/09/naomi_bressler.html