Jersey City Postpones Vote On 20 Percent Tax Hike

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A vote on an estimated tax increase for Jersey City may not take place until July, now that officials are hoping to find more cuts in the proposed $874 million budget.

The vote on an increase of approximately 20 percent was originally set to take place at the City Council meeting on Wednesday night.

Mayor James Solomon's office announced hours before the meeting that the measure would be pulled in response to public feedback.

Council members as well as other residents had complained about the size of the potential tax rise.

Council President Denise Ridley, in consultation with the mayor, is expected to rescuedule the vote for July 1, the mayor's office said Wednesday.

Solomon will host a community meeting this Sunday to gather more public feedback before the special meeting.

Sunday's town hall is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the City Hall Annex.

Services Impacted

“Our city is in a fiscal crisis, and the plan we proposed accomplished our goal of solving the crisis in one year while protecting core city services,” said Solomon. “Since our announcement, I’ve heard from residents that the size and speed of this increase is too large and too fast for household finances to keep up with. To that end, I’ve directed my team to identify further cuts to city services and propose a plan that provides relief to residents and spreads out costs."

Solomon also said reducing and spreading out the increase over time could negatively impact services.

“I must be direct with the residents of Jersey City – reducing and spreading this increase out over time will come at a cost to services we all rely on every day," he said. "We will feel these cuts. The size and scope of the city’s fiscal emergency means we are facing very real tradeoffs and choices with every decision we make.”

Ridley said the delay will give city officials more time to review spending and hear from residents.

According to the mayor's statement, the administration is immediately pulling proposed contacts for park maintenance and composting services totaling about $1 million as part of an effort to reduce city expenses.

The administration also plans to work with the City Council to identify additional cuts to city services and operations beyond the $55 million in savings already identified, Solomon's office said.

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