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Four points:

1. I apologize for apparently being poor. I dont own, I rent, but if my landlord increased by rent by 500 per year I would be looking for a new apartment. Which, to be honest, isnt that huge of a deal because I'm sure I could find a way to get by. But I sympathize with homeowners because they are in a contract for 10, 15, 30 years with a bank/mortgage company. They cant move, $500 per year means they need to cut back elsewhere. Now if they own a luxury car, I dont sympathize, they could get a cheaper car, but if they are just scraping by... cmon, step out of your mitt romney bubble and realize that not everyone is as well off as you are.

2. Its a question of percentages. Show me a home in another city where taxes went up +80% in 9 years. Taxes might be up in a lot of towns but they certainly are not up 80% in less than a decade. Taxes are outpacing inflation by around +7% PER YEAR! At this pace it means taxes double every decade! Which (harkens back to point 1 and) brings us to point 3...

3. What does the city have to show for it. If the schools have improved, crime has significantly dropped down, employment is up, parks were built (not just in various planning stages)... then fine, I don't think anyone has a right to complain because they are at least getting the services they paid for. But if you walked in to a store to buy something and the guy behind the counter forced you to buy an item (or threatened to take your house) for nearly double what you paid yesterday and you said, well is the item at least new and improved, and the clerk said "screw you, its the same junk as before but I wanted to cut my cousin in on the profit." How would you feel about that?

And finally...
4. The argument that you made demonstrates exactly why our city is in this mess and had to keep raising taxes so drastically. A lack of financial acumen.

Excluding police and fire:

I would like every single position put under review with the goal of eliminating every position used for patronage. This includes positions with only a stipend, but puts that person on the city health insurance plan.

On a side note:

Isn't the JC debt load approaching 3/4 of a billion $?


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Before the reassessment takes place - shouldn't we be addressing the causes of the city's current budget deficit ?

Additional revenue will help I'm sure, but let's trim the fat first.

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From my property in the Heights which hasn't been re-assessed since Healy has been in power:

Tax 2004: $5,527.20
Tax 2012: $8,620.80

% increase: 55.97%

Total inflation from 2004 to 2012: 20%


So tax rate increases have outpaced inflation significantly. Plus, we got hit with regular water increases and a 45% increase in sewer costs. The rent market also went to hell with the economy in 2008. I am collecting less in rent (adjusted for inflation) than I did 10 years earlier.

When the re-assessment kicks in people in the downtown are going to take it hard. The tax assessors office was a complete mess for years. A lot of properties that were renovated were never properly re-assessed or were skipped completely. Some people are going to see a HUGE tax increase. Say on the order of paying $11k and seeing their taxes go up to $20k+**.



** note: I did my own tax appeal (County level.. not tax court) some years back with the aid of two professionals. I used comps in downtown and both myself and my tax guy commented on how under-assessed downtown is compared to new construction in other parts of the city.

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Let's take an average person that lives, say at 109 Ferry Street in the Heights. Their property tax increased from $4,560 in 2004 to $8,405 in 2012. An 84% increase in property taxes 2004-2012.


Funny how that number is close to the 81% increase in unemployment.

I also wonder did the mayor's income also increase more than 80%, because he's likely one of the very few in JC that saw ANY increase.

Crazy, I don't feel lucky that my taxes have ONLY gone up $4000 in the last 9 years. I might feel lucky if my quality of life has gone up as well, or if I saw a new street sweeper on the road, or if the jersey city police dept. didn't have to drive around in cars with only one head light working, or if they could keep the trash cans emptied on the street corner rather then removing them, or any other small but meaningful issue. what has that $4000 per year gotten me? A mayor who seems complacent to keep the status quo. That value proposition doesn't add up to me. I don't mind taxes going up if there is a direct result on the other side and I don't see or feel that result.

You say the average persons taxes doubled,, but back it up at least.

You are actually right, crazy. Compared to the average JC citizen - who has seen their property taxes just about double in the last seven years - ihatethiscity IS lucky. It's the rest of us who have been screwed for no good reason other than to keep Jeff Dublin, Steve Lipski and the gang overpaid in jobs they don't have the qualifications to fill.

Ok so let me guess

The following issues are the administrations fault too

World hunger
Gas prices
The recesstion
Food prices

Sometimes of of you live in a dreamland. You act as if jc is the only place that has had taxes rise over the years. Show me where a home in a large city hasnt had the taxes rise in 9 years. Thats right. 9 years. Its roughly a 4000 increase, averaged over nine years is only about 500 a year. That is not so bad actually

All I know is that I feel like the current city government has failed me. In 2004 the property taxes for my house in the heights was $7,369 and in 2012 it was $11,494. That is a 56% increase. Do I feel any safer as a result? NO. Am I embarrassed at the state of disrepair of the city (buildings, roads, infrastructure) when I am able to coax friends to come and visits? YES. Do I lay awake at night wondering where all my tax money is going? Why I don't feel like the quality of my life has improved over the past 8 years living in the city? YES and YES.

Everyone can spin figures and numbers, but as a "boots on the ground" citizen, I feel that I have been misled and let down by the current administration. Jersey City is falling apart, yet my property taxes have increased over 50%.

Inpired by crazyforjc's quote on Candice's "Unified JC" thread, I thought I'd start a thread on Healy's numbers during his time as Mayor of JC, Nov 2004-present. Post your stats, good bad or indifferent. Crime rates, property tax, whatever. It would be good to see the mayor's record in one place.

Let me start.

JC unemployment increased a whopping 81% from Nov 2004 to Dec 2012.

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