If you go to www.folsp.org/ the Friends' web site, there is a listing of animal photos in Liberty State Park. Years ago, I saw wild turkeys.
Yvonne

It depends on the agreement. On a five-year abatement the increases are 20% each year unitl 100% in five years. However, former Mayor Schundler gave generous abatements for luxury condos that lasted from 15 and 20 years. My suggestion, call the tax officer in city hall and ask about the terms of the abatment. Some abatements were even longer 30 plus years, if project was tied into affordable housing 80% luxury and 20% affordable).
Yvonne

For those individuals who believe crime is down, I suggest you walk at night in Jersey City especially Ward F.
Yvonne

I have been to many budget hearings. If there is another budget hearing the public can speak on the new admendments to the budget. Mr. Byrne, the city clerk will not allow you to speak on the general budget. This process happened because, the tax collector needs to advertise delinquent taxes on property in the newspapers. However, you missed the point, the budget process happened after most of the money was spent. Under the Faulkner Act, which our city adopted in the early 1960's, the mayor runs the city and the council votes on budget matters. The council is not doing its job if the money is already spent.
Yvonne

Yesterday, the city council passed the 2008-2009 fiscal year budget. The budget should have been in placed last July 1, 2008 but as usual the money is already spent and the council must "rubber stamp" the approval of the budget.
Jersey City was on a calendar year (January to December) but JC changed in 1991 to a fiscal year and bonded $128.9 Million called the fiscal year adjustment for missing state aid. We are still paying millions every year on that fiscal year gimmick.
The idea of having a fiscal year instead of a calendar year was to match the state calendar so Jersey City would know how much money it would receive from the state. It never happened.
On Wednesday, our government approved a budget without fully funding the pension. The Healy administration is hoping Trenton will pass legislation that will allow municipalities to fund 50% of pension obligation for this fiscal year, meaning $ 14.8 Million is missing from the budget. What happens it Trenton does not pass this legislation? Former Governor Whitman also played with the pension obligations and many towns and county governments were hurt by the process. Many legislators in Trenton will put up a fight to stop this gimmick.
The city is hoping to pay this $14.8 million in bonds payable over fifteen years, but my question is how will the city fund the pension obligations next year?
What is Plan B, if Trenton stops this gimmick? By the way, fiscal year 2009-2010 is already in a $20 Million hole. Due to the slow economy, the pre-payments of abatements are drying up and other one-shot deals that are in this budget will not be available next year? Jersey City is heading in the same direction as Hoboken and West New York.
Yvonne

After the 1988 reval I appealed my property for five straight years. I reduced to assessment to less than half of its assessed value. Go to the tax office in Jersey City. They have the sales you need in the office. The tax office is very helpful.

Yvonne

At last week's anti-crime rally at Christ the King Church on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City, residents wanted to know why the Jersey City administration had not implemented a successful statewide anti-violence program called "Operation Ceasefire." Mayor Jerramiah Healy said the entire program would be implemented "ASAP."

Why wasn't it? Was it because the sponsor of the legislation creating the program was Assemblyman Louis Manzo. Too bad the administration ignored the program because $2 million had been set aside for Jersey City to implement the initiative. The money is no longer available.

The above up article came from the Political Insider, Augustin Torres March 11, 2009

Yvonne

And I guess you don't trust my videotape?
Yvonne

Below is Jersey City Reporter's article, written by Ricardo Kaulessar, there is no mention of hissing and booing and Ricardo states Manzo received the most applause.
Yvonne

People were holding up their brooms and even shovels, looking for a ?clean sweep? of crime in their neighborhoods as they listened to speakers at the Public Safety Rally on Tuesday at Christ the King Church in Jersey City.

About 500 people including community activists, loved ones of shooting victims, and mayoral candidates offered perspectives on combating crime in Jersey City.

The rally was organized by a recently formed coalition of neighborhood associations and civic groups known as the Combined CityWide Block Association.

The frustration was evident as the speakers talked about rising crime statistics over the past year, including murders and shootings, with some far above the national average.

27 murders last year

Raquel Sharper of the Communipaw Avenue Block Association angrily read off the number of murders from last year in Hudson County (36), highlighting 27 that happened in Jersey City alone.

Rev. Robert Allen, a longtime Jersey City resident, lashed out at what he said was an ineffectual police presence. He stood with his 16-year old daughter Olivea, who was shot in the face on Feb. 10 while walking on Communipaw Avenue. Her shooter has still not been found.

Mayoral candidate Louis Manzo said the police statistics were ?manipulated? by Mayor Jerramiah Healy?s administration to show drops in crime, and called for better policing.

_____________

?Mr. Manzo, I don?t lie.? ? Mayor Jerramiah Healy
________


?The only satisfaction any leader of this city should have is not a statistic, but coming to a group here, and saying, ?How safe do you feel?? ? Manzo said.

Healy was on the defensive at rally, citing the positive work of the Jersey City Police Department. However, as he did so, some in the crowd voiced their disapproval. Healy engaged in a back-and-forth with Manzo, saying ?Mr. Manzo, I don?t lie? and ?I?ll put my word against yours.?

Fighting crime at election time

Tuesday?s rally was not advertised as a mayoral candidates? forum/debate, but it might as well have been, as five contenders in the May 12 municipal election spoke about public safety.

Good government advocate and businessman Dan Levin called for the public to improve safety in the streets by electing a new mayor who will bring about such improvements.

Phil Webb, a former Jersey City police officer, said he would look, as mayor, to implement more programs for youths, and echoed Levin?s call for a new administration.

State Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith mentioned state legislation he is working on to help disadvantaged women and former felons to get jobs, and promised if he was elected to concentrate police in areas with the highest crime.

But the loudest applause came for Louis Manzo, who attacked Healy for the rise in crime during his time in office.

Criticizing the criticism

However, Manzo?s comments on crime stats were criticized by Police Chief Thomas Comey, also at the meeting, and by Healy.

Healy took issue with Manzo, citing some positive statistics such as an 8 percent drop in violent crime from 2007 to 2008, and a 24 percent drop in violent crime since he came into office over four years ago.

Healy also promised a 15 percent increase in the police patrolling the streets at peak times, starting within the next week. He was subjected to series of questions on policing later in the rally.

When asked about bringing the State Police and the National Guard to help the Jersey City police, he said the National Guard was not for policing, but for other types of emergencies.

He said he is open to State Police and implanting Operation Ceasefire, a program concentrating on youth gun violence and community-based policing.

My camera did not pick up hisses and boos. I am not saying it didn't happened but it wasn't the majority of the crowd. I was shooting near the front of the church. My audio meter indicated Mr. Manzo received the highest applause.
Yvonne

If you want a list of candidates try the city clerk's office in Jersey City. Call city hall.
Yvonne

Thanks for your comments. It will be interesting to read the Jersey City Reporter. Ricardo was present.
Yvonne

The Q and A was reserved for Mayor Healy not for the other candidates.
Yvonne

The Jersey Journal said Manzo was met with hisses and booes. So I put Manzo comments on youtube. Was the paper correct? Yvonne

I spoke at the council meeting and parts of my comments were printed in the paper. When Journal Square is fully built, it will have an population of 45,000 residents. The population of Hoboken is 40,000 and the population of Bayonne of 60,000. Can our city truly support the services of 45,000 additional people when it struggles to provide support for 240,000 residents? And can Journal Square support that many people?
Yvonne

Liberty Science Center does not acknowledge its location in ads when it asked Jersey City for money.
Yvonne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blcWPzVdjxk&feature=channel_page

The gas is high due to demand, a while back, was discussion of building another pipeline from the west to bring natural gas. The proposal was stopped by New York lawmakers. Our gas is high because New Jersey use natural gas to make electricity, other states burn coal to make electricity. One way to bring down gas prices is to build that pipeline and to use wind energy to make electricity. The wind energy would be make from turbines off the Atlantic Ocean. Many people are against that idea.
By the way PSEG has announced a 7% reduction starting March. They always bring up the cost before winter and drop the prices for spring.
Yvonne

Jersey Journal Feb. 23, 2009

Dear Commissioner Doria:

The City of Jersey City has introduced a budget that proposes to eliminate an approximate $15M expenditure for municipal employee contributions obligated by the city.

Jersey City is one of many municipalities under the DCA?s distressed city program ? requiring DCA guidance and approval for financial decisions and strategies.

City officials are quoted in news items regarding the budget introduction as stating they are anticipating that the state legislature will be passing a bill that will provide municipalities with the authority to defer their pension funding obligation for workers.

The city obviously has chosen a strategy that will enable it to send out lower quarterly tax bills in May, based upon the uncertainty of the passage of legislation. If the legislation isn?t passed, Jersey City taxpayers will be slammed hard in the next quarterly tax statements.

Most recently, Jersey City?s neighbor, Hoboken, was penalized by the State DCA for making decisions on state pension related matters without state approval. I, therefore, assume the city has received the permission of the DCA to waive its pension obligation and that taxpayers wont be penalized should the legislation permitting such action does not pass.

I would further note that the city has proposed an ordinance to exceed the state budget cap by 1%. This, also, I assume, is with DCA permission.

The Governor in his recent State of the State address spoke of further cuts to state aid for municipalities. How can the DCA allow for the city?s budget to proceed with a questionable $15M expenditure being written off and a 1% cap increase?

Can the DCA assure city taxpayers that Trenton will issue additional state aid to cover the budget shortfalls or increases being proposed by the city?

Thank you for a prompt response to my concerns.

Respectfully,



Louis M. Manzo
Former State Assemblyman

There is one great thing about the stimulus bill, if roads, bridges or other structures are repaired in Jersey City then everyone will pay for it. If the city decides to do this work, then bonds will be issued and only the 1-4 homeowner will pay these bonds. The waterfront which is tax abated will be exempted, as well as affordable housing, public housing and rent-control apartments. While everyone votes not eveyone pays the pay burden. The reason I prefer a city income tax so everyone will share the burden.
Yvonne

Twenty years ago, the average tax bill was around $2,000 to $3,500. This is the year before reval. After reval, multi-family builings under rent controlled received a lower assessment than one and two families due to the rent control laws. Reval will not change any abatements they are still in effect and legally cannot be changed.
Yvonne

I lived throught a reval 1988, my taxes went up from $3,000 to $16,000, we were using a calendar year, not a fiscal year so everyone had to pay 18 months over 12 months. Do you really want a reval? Scores of my neighbors lost their homes. Taxes are services, everyone should pay.
Yvonne

Inequities already exists, Public housing had a deal written in which they could exclude utilities and water before they gave any money to the city, as water and utilities increase, public housing gave nothing. Rent-control is fixed by law. It is between 3 to 4 percent a year. Only, the 1-4 housing is paying the freight for the city. Property taxes are services that everyone uses. If you pay a state income tax, then you should pay a city income tax. Everyone wants new parks, charter schools, etc. We even voted several years ago to have a tax on the county level for open space. But only the 1-4 homeowner is paying more tax dollars for the open space. Where is the fairness?
Yvonne

I went up $577.00 since the last quarter. These are estimated tax bills, in theory I could pay $2300 more than last year. Rent-control properties according to city law can only go up 4% this year. Forget property taxes, eveyone should pay an income tax.
Yvonne

Taxes pay for services, police, fire, schools, etc. Tax abatements just shift who will pay and who will get a free ride. That is why we should do away with land taxes and have an income tax.
Yvonne

New show tonight, Newspaper Articles, on Bret Schundler. Speak NJ show was produced during Schundler announcement he was dropping his mayoral bid. So the show is for newcomers who wonder about the man. Tonight on Comcast Monday 10:30 PM, Tuesday 9:00 PM or watch the show from www.speaknj.com web site.
Yvonne

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

People pay what they ask, people living in public housing are just as important as people living on the waterfront. But why would anyone care about city hall if you don't support city hall? More people vote for the president than they do for mayor in JC because if you have a job you pay income tax. People always care about the spending of public tax dollars.
Yvonne

I just want to correct a statement-People living in 5 or more stories, except new construction, is under rent control. Rent control sets the standard each year on how much taxes can be passed on to tenants. For example, in 2005, when the city gave property owners a 18% tax increase, rent-control tenants could only receive a 4% rent increase.
Also, the tax agreement between the housing authority and city states the city can collect 10% each year for taxes. However, the housing authority can deduct water and utilities from the 10%. The city stopped receiving money from the housing authority since the late 1960's. This is why I am a believer in a city income tax. Good people from various parts of the city work, pay taxes to the state and feds but contribute nothing to Jersey City. Only the small homeowner (1-4 families) support the city, schools, and county. If you don't support the city, you are indifferent to political corruption because you don't pay.
Yvonne

In the 1970's I voted for an income tax. I did this because the state legislators said public schools would be supported through an income tax. I did this knowing I would educate my children in Catholic Schools. I wanted funding for public schools. Our legislatures also used this line to ask for the for sales tax (1960's) and lottery-all for education. The state never fulfulled its promise. I would have never yes to an income tax if it did not fulfilled its promise.
I am not running for office, however I do believe we need a city income tax that is deducted from the state. There are many people living on the waterfront, public housing, affordable housing who vote but do not pay anything to the board of ed or county. These are fine human beings but since they vote they should be responsible for government. These are my words, not Lou Manzo.
Yvonne

In the late 1980's/early 1990's, Lou Manzo was a Hudson County Freeholder. He alone battled our former County Executive, Bobby J, who wanted to put a incinerator in Jersey City to burn garbage. I went to many of the freeholders meeting during that time and was impressed how he fought for Jersey City. No incinerator was built and eventually the county adopted recycling as a plan. Jersey City air is still dirty I can only imagine how dirty it would be if that incinerator was built or how many people would have died from complications from breathing air contaminated by the incinerator.
I also remember him fighting to make sure rat problem in Newport was erdicated. Many politicans are afraid of him because he puts people, not developer first. I don't know if he will win, but no politican has accomplished as much as Lou Manzo.
Yvonne

There are videos on
www.speaknj.com
Yvonne