Sorry, this really pisses me off, especially the part about the schools. When Jersey City Families for Better Schools held its BOE election candidates forum back on April 5th, many candidates said that there was more than enough extra money in the school budget. In addition, the superintendent has a top heavy administration of 34 people, whereas the previous superintendent had 9.

If this pisses you off as much as it does me, get involved in Jersey City Families for Better Schools.

Join here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jcschools/

Pass this on to your neighbors and friends. You don't have to have children in the public school system or even have children at all to care about misuse of public funds and property taxes!

Public to be heard on budget Wednesday

Friday, April 20, 2007

A public hearing on Jersey City's proposed $432.6 million budget - which would raise property taxes by 3 percent - is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St.

For every $100,000 of assessed value, the municipal portion of a property owner's tax bill would rise from $2,373 to $2,453, an $80 bump, according to Tax Assessor Eduardo Toloza. That does not include the county and school portions of the tax bill.

The total to be raised in taxes for municipal purposes is $140 million, $5 million more than last year, officials said. Last year municipal taxes shot up 18 percent.

Due to a cut in state school aid this year, property owners are going to have to shell out an additional $59 for every $100,000 of assessed value for school taxes, officials said.

KEN THORBOURNE