Wow the JC old guard really wants you to vote NO on JC question #1 ? moving the elections from May to November. Healy and Schundler have a quarter page ad running in today?s print JJ telling voters to vote NO. I love how they are more or less calling JC resident?s morons by stating?.

- ?.?will create an overwhelming and confusing ballot.?

- ?.?runoffs??.?to the middle of the Holiday Season in December, when days are short and bad weather is common.?

- ??will dilute the traditional focus Jersey City residents place on important local elections every four years.?

Also whoever is behind the ?Keep Jersey City Elections Local? group has a half page ad with the words ?VOTE NO TODAY! On the scheme to move Jersey City elections from May to November?

The topper is a few friends of mine getting robo calls from Bill Matsikoudis telling them to vote NO.

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If JC did not bond for everything the city would have money for parks. I do not like the idea that people will vote yes and go home to their tax abated buildings and not pay this tax.

Question #2 is a non-binding referendum, which means the City is gauging residents? willingness to pay a small amount of money directed specifically to improve our parks & public spaces & preserve our historic sites. If it passes, an ordinance will need to be written and it goes before the council and the public. At that time we can include specific wording to address a variety of issues such as: the establishment of an advisory committee and their role, abated properties contributing to the open trust fund going forward, and what will be eligible for funding (perhaps maintenance is excluded because it should be a line item already included in the budget). As stated by Laura Skolar (president of the Jersey City Parks Coalition) letter to the editor, we are fortunate that we have an effective & successful model in the Hudson County OSTF.

The Parks Coalition advocated for this because we feel it will help to bridge a gap sorely needed to upgrade & increase our parkland and bring additional funding sources to the City. While the timing may not be great due to the uncertainty of the impending reval, there could be possible dollar ceiling proposed or something similar crafted in the ordinance.

We still feel strongly that voting YES for Question # 2 is the right thing to do. Thanks & happy voting!

I personally will vote no on this one. Having spring mayoral elections in Jersey City is a lifelong tradition that I would prefer remained as is. I think we're bombarded with enough political ads around election time and would prefer to focus on the Mayoral election separately.

so, do we want more efficient, effective and proactive local government? well then, vote yes on municipal questions #1 to move local elections to November and have greater voter and minority participation (turnout.) consolidate elections and empower more citizens to vote. otherwise the status quo continues and small voting blocs (not those that really focus on local issues) that are filled with patronage employees and those that benefit from having things stay the way they are will continue to carry the day.

believe in democracy.

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Personally, I support the open space trust fund and plan to vote for it - as far as "paying" for it, I don't see how anyone can really avoid paying their fair share of the tax. Those of us who pay taxes directly will continue to do so; the abated properties - since their PILOT payments do not go into the black hole of the state and school coffers, probably already have contributed more to enhancements in and around Jersey City.

Yes, the schools need to be funded, but that needs to be a state responsibility, and there needs to be parity between the school's needs and the needs of the rest of JC's residents in terms of amenities like parks.

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You seem to want many things, none which YOU want to pay for.

I do, I have in-laws that are also home owners in JC, along with my wife's parents and brothers who pay property taxes through their rent. Besides, I do not believe that it is a good idea to disenfranchise people that own or rent in tax abated properties. It is unfortunately our government that gave those deals away and still doing it.

agree, good reason to support these two questions, and vote no on expanding casino gambling. our family, my wife and I, her parents and two brothers, along with assorted in-laws will be voting that way along with the half a dozen of us in ward b will also be voting for John Hallanan.



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It would be nice if everyone that voted would actually pay the taxes associated with this levy. It is absolutely foolish to pass a tax when the state of NJ wants to cut school funding.

Vote Yes on Jersey City Public Question 2

Establishment of a Local Open Space Trust Fund

On Election Day, November 8, 2016 the voters of Jersey City will have a lot to consider both on a National and local level through a series of very important ballot questions.

The Jersey City Parks Coalition has advocated for the creation of a Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Historic Property Preservation Fund to create dedicated funding for our municipal parks, open spaces and preservation of our historic resources. It is a non-binding referendum which means the City is gauging the residents? willingness to pay a small amount of money directed specifically to improve, repair, develop and acquire open space and parks and the preservation of historic structures.

JERSEY CITY PUBLIC QUESTION 2 - ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND

Should the Municipal Council of the City of Jersey City establish a Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Historic Property Preservation Fund, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:12-15.7 to be funded at a rate not to exceed $0.02 per $100 of assessed valuation of each annual tax levy commencing with the first tax quarter for calendar year 2017 and used exclusively for the acquisition, development and maintenance of lands for recreation, conservation and historic purposes?

Much like what?s being proposed here, Hudson County voters approved a countywide open space trust fund in 2003 that is expected to bring in $20 million this year (that tax is one cent per $100 of assessed value). In Jersey City, the fund was used to expand Boyd McGuiness Park, rehabilitate soccer fields at Caven Point, fund the creation of Berry Lane Park and more.

Over the last 10 years numerous Coalition Projects were funded through HC Open Space Funding bringing over $500,000 of improvements to these Jersey City parks and historic sites:

Historic ? Pershing Field: The America Triumphant statue and the Fourth Regiment Arch were restored
Parks ? Van Vorst Park: Children?s Sprayground in conjunction with Green Acres Funding
Historic ? The Historic Harsimus Cemetery: Preservation of the Gate Keepers home/structure
Parks ? Village Park: The full rehabilitation of the abandoned First Street Park

Since 1988, the United States has seen 2,524 ballot initiatives approving new taxes for open space, according to the Trust for Public Land. 1,902 have passed. As of last November, voters have approved open space trust funds in 237 New Jersey municipalities and all 21 counties. The only municipality in Hudson County with its own open space trust fund is Hoboken, approved by voters in 2007. The ballot initiative was passed 62 to 38 percent. The two-cents-per-$100 tax led to an expected $2.24 million this year.

To levy the tax after voters have approved a ballot question, the county or municipal governing body must adopt an ordinance that establishes the dedicated tax, sets up a separate trust fund to hold the tax proceeds, and states the purposes for which they may be used, as proposed in the ballot question. Full public disclosure and a review of all expenditures would be required and only used for identified purposes. Another advantage would be that the City becomes eligible for a greater match of funds through the State Green Acres program and other public & private sources maximizing the City?s investment.

A YES vote assures that in the future old and dying trees in our parks will be readily replaced, park equipment will be repaired quickly and updated periodically, parks will be kept safe and usable for everyone. There will even be funds available for historic preservation of significant Jersey City structures and sites. It?s up to you. Make certain to vote on November 8th and let?s keep Jersey City parks and historic sites the best they can be for many future generations.

Has anyone seen this total nonsense facebook group?
https://www.facebook.com/keepjerseycityelectionslocal/

What a joke. Who organized this thing, Yvonne? Healy?

I thought you weren't a liberal.

Why would you vote yes to question 2? Like we really need yet another tax that will inevitably be pissed away? I don't trust those in government to responsibly handle the proceeds so I'm voting NO.

I don't really care about the first question and will probably vote yes.

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(I would vote YES for Question #1 just for the fact that Matsikoudis/Healy tried to get it thrown off of the ballot. You know it has got to be good for Jersey City?s forward progress if Matsikoudis/Healy wanted it off the ballot. And this clown wants to run for Mayor in 2017. lol) (?Matsikoudis/Healy 2017 ? why save taxpayers money!?)


JERSEY CITY MUNICIPAL QUESTION #1

Should the Charter of the City of Jersey City, governed by Mayor-Council Form C, be amended as permitted under that plan, to provide for the holding of its regular, non-partisan municipal elections on the same date of the general election in November, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:69A-34.1(b)?

JERSEY CITY MUNICIPAL QUESTION #2

Should the Municipal Council of the City of Jersey City establish a Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Historic Property Preservation Fund, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:12-15.7 to be funded at a rate not to exceed $0.02 per $100 of assessed valuation of each annual tax levy commencing with the first tax quarter for calendar year 2017 and used exclusively for the acquisition, development and maintenance of lands for recreation, conservation and historic purposes?

INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT

The purpose of this non-binding referendum vote is to ascertain the voters? opinion concerning whether or not the City of Jersey City should establish its own Open Space Preservation Trust Fund to fund the acquisition, development and maintenance of recreational, conservation and historic lands. The annual yearly rate would be $0.02 per $100 of assessed valuation, meaning that a property assessed at $100,000 would pay no more than $20 per year to the Open Space Preservation Trust Fund.