Just do a search on abatements, waterfront, and pilot programs on jclist. this has been covered indepth.the posts should still be around.

Well, with an article that has a title like that, I would have hoped the author would have given an explanation on exactly what a tax abatement is and who gets what from it vs. what happens when there is no abatement. Maybe he could have educated people,ya think??

I am one of those people that don't understand abatements, but would like to. Can anyone here give me the brief version answer to the question posed above?

In the dark on tax abatements
Poll: Many don't understand or care about property issue

Nov. 22 -- JARRETT RENSHAW -- JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Hudson County residents have mixed feelings when it comes to tax abatements, according to the latest Jersey Journal/New Jersey City University poll.

When asked whether they support tax abatements for developers, more than 31 percent of respondents said yes, while 27 percent said no.

Slightly more than 27 percent of the respondents said they did not know and about 14 percent did not answer. That means about 41 percent of those surveyed essentially have no opinion on the controversial issue.

"Despite the heavy local media coverage of the abatement issue, and the considerable time devoted to it at council meetings in Jersey City and throughout Hudson, the residents of Hudson remain divided on the issue," wrote the poll's authors, NJCU political science professor Fran Moran and NJCU English professor Bruce Chadwick.

Tax abatements generate payments made directly to the city instead of traditional property taxes, portions of which go to the school district and the county. Following a court ruling several years ago, a small percentage of the payments in lieu of taxes does now go to the county.

The respondents were also mixed about who benefits from tax abatements, with 19 percent saying they are good policy, 14 percent fearing they could be used for political patronage and another 6 percent saying they infringe on developers' rights.

More than 40 percent of respondents said they didn't know either way, which, like the first question, the authors wrote, indicates two possibilities.

First, politicians have an opportunity to engage the public, present information and try to mold opinions in either direction, they wrote.

In addition, the authors wrote, the lack of interest can lead to exploitation.

"Since essentially there is no public scrutiny since the public is uninterested in the issue, political actors and interested parties can develop policies and programs with impunity, with all the attendant problems of corruption that could ensue," the authors wrote.