Hoboken Budget With Tax Hike Up For Vote At Wednesday Meeting: Link Below

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour told taxpayers that the city will either have to make "tough choices" in its next budget, or endure a tax hike of 20 percent.

With a vote to introduce the next budget slated for Wednesday, Jabbour announced a hiring freeze on Monday, listing a few city positions that won't be filled.

Subscribe

"Budget Update: Working closely with the City Council and our community, we’ve made meaningful progress to reduce the budget gap from $17 million to $14 million, ultimately lessening the impact on your tax bill while protecting core services," she said. "We’ve made targeted cuts and balanced this with what we heard matters most to you."

On Monday, Jabbour said no one new would be hired in City Hall, listing a few positions that will remain unfilled: police inspector, some police officer roles, two laborers within the Department of Infrastructure, administrative positions in the Municipal Court office, and Director of Community Services.

She said this will save as much as $600,000, bringing the budget gap down to $13 million.

Council Members Weigh In

"Hoboken is not immune from rising costs," she said earlier. "What cost $61 million in 2010 now costs $96 million. We are staying focused on our long-term financial sustainability. My admin will discuss this and more at the 2026 budget intro."

Second Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who was a frequent critic of Jabbour's predecessor — Ravi Bhalla — referred to these comments as "selective math," saying Jabbour was comparing current costs to those in a year when the budget was still under a state monitor and was "artificially inflated to rebuild Hoboken's surplus."

First Ward Councilman Paul Presinzano sounded more dire.

"I will say what no one else will," he wrote on social media on Sunday. "It appears the mayor has the votes to pass a 20 percent tax hike. Anyone saying or believing that costs are out of the city's control has forgotten why they were elected: to find solutions, not excuses."

The mayor had previously cited $20,000 in savings for canceling an annual mailed newsletter that residents use to keep track of the city's summer programs and events.

Budget Basics

Hoboken had approved its $150.2 million budget for 2025-2026 last August, with a 4.5 percent tax increase.

The next budget will cover the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Hoboken property owners pay quarterly taxes that are split among the county, city, and schools, with each entity approving their budget in spring or summer. The municipal budget is for city spending.

Jabbour said that the city has had to use its surplus to cover rising mandatory costs, such as health insurance for city workers and police and firefighters.

How To Attend

The council can vote to introduce the budget this Wednesday at their meeting at 7 p.m.

The final hearing (for public comments) and final vote would occur at a future meeting. Council members can make amendments before that time.

Watch the council meeting on Facebook here or head to 92 Washington St. at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.