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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
 
Joined:
2006/11/13 18:42 Last Login : 2022/2/28 7:31 From 280 Grove Street
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Posted on: 2015/8/2 3:53
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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The Friendly budget is now up, http://cityofjerseycity.com/uploadedF ... c_Information/UFB2015.pdf
Posted on: 2015/8/1 16:32
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Letter to the editor:
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2 ... t_a_kin.html#incart_river
Posted on: 2015/7/31 19:09
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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I emailed the City Clerk and he said he will have the Friendly budget up soon. The city clerk gave the public two separate documents on the budget, the Friendly Budget which had the tax abatements and the changes made to the budget introduced in March. The public could not talk on the tax abatements only on the changes made. Unless, the city clerk combines both documents, you need the Friendly Budget and the amendment to the original budget.This article on the refinancing of the bonds that I referred to earlier The state did not allow some of these bonds, but we paid a large fee. Jersey City should have know better but I believe this was done to give business to a financial firm. Those firms are political contributors. http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... refinancing_maneuver.html
Posted on: 2015/7/31 1:58
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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That's a bit concerning Yvonne.... I wonder if the "User Friendly" version will shed any additional light on these matters - or was that the data source for your observations? And yes, it would be nice to know exactly how many employees and open headcount there are in the City's budget.
I wonder if everyone wanting to see the budget will have to make OPRA requests to the City Clerk to obtain the documents...? Surely, after so much hype about IT and tech someone from the City could post the .pdf? Reminds me, didn't Candice Osborne have some kind of initiative shortly after she was elected to try and improve the City's use of technology. She certainly uses social media - check out her Twitter posts. BTW, for anyone interested in obtaining a copy of the budget, or other information from the City, here's the link to make an OPRA request.... Maybe if a few dozen of us JCListers submitted requests, they'd get the idea. Just sayin' now... When the link comes up, scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see OPRA info, and more links to the online form. http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/city_clerk.aspx
Posted on: 2015/7/31 1:18
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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What I noticed is the amount of money we are paying in bonds. Let me explain, on the municipal portion of the budget, we pay schools bonds. These bonds are not on the school end of the budget. Early, Fulop refinanced bonds to "save" money. I personally thought it is a way to give contracts to financial people in the field. And I think I am right. Apparently, the Department of Community Affairs would not allow these schools bonds to be added to the list that Fulop wanted to be financed. So we are paying more this year. Another funny expense is the amount of money we are paying in Social Security fees, it increased $4,500,000 to $4,800,000. The city pays around 7% to Social Security on each employee so the $300,000 means there are more people on the payroll. When I question that the city said that was a miscalculation. So the city is admitting that cannot do math or there are more people on the payroll.
Posted on: 2015/7/30 23:26
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Thanks for the clarification Yvonne.
Do you know if any of the expenditure categories changed significantly as a percentage of the overall total. It raised some concerns for me that the second largest category was "Unclassified" - over a quarter of the total budget. This could hide a multitude of problems...
Posted on: 2015/7/30 17:25
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Quote:
That is the budget that was introduced in March, not the Friendly Budget. The budget that passed July 28th is $540 million. If the economy goes south and if development stops, there will be major budget holes.
Posted on: 2015/7/30 14:46
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but it may be of some interest - the pdf of the City Budget. http://jerseycitynj.gov/uploadedFiles ... 0Line%20Item%20Budget.pdf The largest single category of expenditure is "Public Safety" consuming about $181 million or 34% of the total budget. Next is "Unclassified", at about $151 million or 28%. Third is "debt" at about $51 million, 13% of the $535 million total.
Posted on: 2015/7/30 12:30
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Quite a regular
 
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so when do we expect the property tax that is due 8/1 to be updated online ?
Posted on: 2015/7/30 12:12
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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I looked online at the city's website where other budgets are listed and it is not there. I suggest you call the city's clerk office.
Posted on: 2015/7/29 14:37
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Just can't stay away
 
Joined:
2013/5/19 15:36 Last Login : 2023/6/20 18:54 From Paulus Hook
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Where can one find the user friendly budget online?
Posted on: 2015/7/29 12:21
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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The city clerk handed out the friendly user budget at the budget hearing but you could not discuss this at the budget hearing. The city administrators said in March the friendly budget was not ready. According to the Department of Community's website, friendly budget should be available when the budget is introduced and approved. So, it was hidden in March and the public could not speak on the subject in July. So much for transparency in the Fulop Administration. The public was only allowed to speak on the changes to the budget which excluded the friendly budget.
Posted on: 2015/7/29 1:05
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Jersey City passes budget at council meeting, residents wonder why it took so longBy The $535 million 2015 Jersey City municipal budget was unanimously passed at a special city council meeting tonight at City Hall. Despite it being announced that the tax rate will remain the same, some residents in attendance were upset with how late the budget was approved. "We should have been able to comment back in March when it was introduced," said Jersey Square resident Yvonne Balcer. "This is late for the public to comment and now we are not allowed to speak on the city's tax abatements." The roughly 10 people in attendance were asked to not give their opinion on the budget but were allowed to ask general questions on the budget and comment on the second amendment applied to it. The amendment slightly changed revenue and appropriation values. Balcer was not the only person in attendance upset about how late the budget was passed. "Why has it been so late: The state deadline is the first quarter," asked Duncan Avenue resident Mia Scanna. "The fiscal year started on July 1." Read more: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ouncil_meeting_resid.html
Posted on: 2015/7/29 0:51
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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The Pep Boys project is considered workforce housing and it is still receiving a 30 tax abatement. It was discussed at the budget hearing.
Posted on: 2015/7/29 0:36
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
Joined:
2005/6/8 3:24 Last Login : 2022/11/28 0:04 From New Urbanist Area
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We don't need abatements downtown. I am glad that we are getting the 80/20 housing but the state tax credit PLUS the abatement PLUS the redevelopment bonding seems like overkill.
In one of the articles, the city spokeswoman said that only a handful (I think 6) abatements have been given out for market rate projects. I am pretty sure this does not include the hotels, and by adding some affordable housing developers can get an abatement as well. What I want to know is how many downtown developments have been approved without any tax abatements beyond the five year abatement for any new construction. The development on Van Vorst Street comes to mind, are there any others?
Posted on: 2015/7/28 23:09
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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People losing their houses over tax liens is simply wrong and immoral. A lot of cities have implemented a policy of settling the debt on sale or transfer - particularly for vets and seniors. No reason JC shouldn't adopt the same policy.
And given the numbers on another thread - if we converted all abated properties to full tax, JC schools would benefit by $50 million. That's still a lot of pain for JC homeowners if the state removes the $400 million funding. If we stop handing out abatements - JC growth may stop - or worse yet - developers declare bankruptcy and the city starts losing revenue. It's not a zero-sum game.
Posted on: 2015/7/28 21:24
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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It is obvious you are a new comer and did not go through the reval, I saw long time people in JC lose their homes, families that lived here over 100 years. Yes, the reval should happen but it will not be adequate because all of those tax abatements will not go up. It is the reason Fulop cancelled the reval so he could give out 30 years sweetheart tax abatements. But more than the reval I am tired of hearing about affordable housing when the city takes property from long term homeowners. In 2013, 2,300 homes were in tax lien from water and taxes. You cannot have a reval every 30 or 40 years and not expect problems but if it postphone it you can give the city away with tax abatements and the public will not notice. Actually, the next problem in not the reval but the state changing formula for funding public schools. JC receives over $400 million. The only people who will survive will be those living in tax abated properties.
Posted on: 2015/7/28 20:31
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Quote:
I always wondered why you were hung up on abatements, but were not clamoring for the reval. Think this article from the last reval explains why. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/03/nyr ... ng-anger-and-despair.html Quote:
Posted on: 2015/7/28 20:15
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Re: 2015 Budget
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This is the reason Fulop wants the flash cash of tax abatements, but when the economy goes sour, developments stops and we see how our budget is bleeding cash. We don't have a stable tax base because one third of the city is not a ratable.
Posted on: 2015/7/28 19:33
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
Joined:
2004/2/6 23:13 Last Login : 2021/7/30 1:08 From Jersey City
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Spending and payroll continues to increase (increases in public safety are minimal), more gimmicks to kick the can further down the road.
Posted on: 2015/7/28 19:16
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Of course there is a tax increase, the MUA money that should have been returned to ratepayers is now part of the budget. That is a tax increase since we don't get to use that funds. Plus the water and sewerage will go up again next year 3.75% each for 2016.
Posted on: 2015/7/28 18:04
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Jersey City expected to approve $535 million budget tonight -- no tax increaseBy Jersey City is expected to adopt its 2015 budget -- $535 million, with no tax increase -- at tonight's City Council meeting. It is the second straight year under Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop with flat or lower taxes. Last year, taxes went down 2.13 percent. This year's budget is $19 million higher than last year. The City Council meeting is 6 p.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St. City officials have credited policies that have encouraged economic investment throughout the city for an increase in the city tax base -- which rose by $57 million in the pasty year. The previous year it jumped $118 million. "It's a rare accomplishment for a city in New Jersey to lower taxes and even rarer to keep taxes flat the following year, but in Jersey City that's exactly what we've done two years in a row," Fulop said. "Our policies to attract investment and development to Jersey City are working, and with that comes new jobs, stable taxes and more and better services for our residents." Read more: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... nced_at_council_meet.html
Posted on: 2015/7/28 17:49
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Posted on: 2015/4/29 13:07
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Thanks Kitty.
Posted on: 2015/4/16 22:11
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Newbie
Joined:
2015/4/16 21:29 Last Login : 2015/5/22 16:54 From Barrow St, Jersey CIty
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1). Here is the link for prior year budgets as well as other documents, including the debt, financial & audit statements for the past 7 years or so:
http://www.jcnj.org/officialdocuments/ 2). The 2015 budget introduced by the Mayor (in color!) may be found here: http://www.jcnj.org/uploadedFiles/Hom ... 0Line%20Item%20Budget.pdf or just scroll down the front of the city government home page, http://www.jcnj.org/ and look for "Mayor Fulop Introduces 2015 Municipal Budget " on the left hand side. 3). The NJ State Government's Division of Local Government Services, just released today (4/16), the Municipal Friendly Budget on its website. Their notice includes the following text, "Commencing with Adopted Calendar Year 2015 budgets, each municipality must complete the User-Friendly Budget form as part of its annual municipal budget. Calendar Year municipalities are encouraged but not obligated to complete the form for their introduced (approved) 2015 budgets; however must do so for their CY2015 adopted budget and each introduced and adopted budget moving forward. " Considering the State just released (today) what the user friendly format should be used by NJS municipalities, I would think it is reasonable to expect the municipality some time to comply with the new format. I just had a look and "user friendly" != a budget written on the back of a bar napkin. Even that would take more than a day to figure out the final budget #s. I would expect it to be done for the CY2015 adopted budget, which has not occurred, yet, for J.C. Have a nice day!
Posted on: 2015/4/16 21:50
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Re: 2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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The city now has the 2015 budget on the front page of its website. Unfortunately, this is not the User Friendly Budget which all cities are required to use starting in 2015. The User Friendly Budget require property which has tax an abatement to list what it would pay if an abatement is not granted. I am glad this is the law but again, I am disappointed JC is not following the state law.
Posted on: 2015/4/16 21:00
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2015 Budget
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Home away from home
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Last month the city council received the budget. I received a scanned copy which was in black and various colors of gray. It does not show the color graphs well. When I went on-line to compare my gray graphs with the color graphs, guess what? There is no budget posted even the old budgets from previous years are removed, why? The city budget will be introduced next Wednesday, April 22nd.
Posted on: 2015/4/15 21:18
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