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Okay, good evening everyone. We are on the record. Today is Wednesday, the 15th day of July in the year 2026. This is a regular meeting of the Jersey City Municipal Council. We had a scheduled 600 p.m. start. The clock on my cell phone is showing 6:18

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p.m. May we kindly have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting? Council person Brooks, >> present. >> Council person Zupa, >> present. >> Council person Efos, >> present. Council Person Little >> present. >> Council Person Gilmore, Council Person Singh,

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>> I'm here. >> Council Person Griffin, >> Council Person Lavaro, >> here. >> And Council President Ridley >> here. >> We have all nine council members in attendance at 6:18 p.m. Can we kindly

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rise for a moment of silence, please? Ron Paul Guiding, Herman Thomas allegiance flag of the republic for it stands one nation. Thank you very much on behalf of Council President Ridley and the members of the

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Municipal Council in the coordinates with New Jersey Public Laws of 1975 chapter 231, the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the posting on the bulletin board of the first floor of city hall. The annual notice which is the schedule

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of meetings and caucuses of the municipal council for the calendar year 2026 and filed in the office of the city clerk on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025. In addition, at its time of its preparation, the agenda of this meeting was similarly disseminated on Friday,

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July 10th, 2026 at 10:45 p.m. to the mayor, municipal council, business administrator, corporation council, and the newspapers and posted on our city's website so I can certify as to our total compliance with the Sunshine Law.

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Council members, before we move on to our agenda, I believe our council president has a couple announcements. >> Yes. Thank you, Sean. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here. Uh, I want to hand it over to Councilman Efos, who wants to say a few words in

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regards to a member of our council family that was in an accident this past few days. >> Thank you for the opportunity. Just yeah, asking uh for all of us to keep in our minds. Uh my chief of staff, Council Aid Bing Fuher, who is thankfully okay,

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but um was victim of a hit and run in downtown Jersey City last night. Um believe currently undergoing surgery. So uh just asking folks to keep him in hearts and minds. Um he was doing very good earlier today and hopefully a

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speedy recovery, but um definitely part of our our city hall family here. So thank you for the opportunity. And then on a uh much lighter and happier note, we want to send congratulations to Councilman Gilmore on

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his nuptuals on yesterday. And also a happy birthday to our councilwoman Elena Little and our deputy mayor Kesha Poda. We would sing, but there's a very lengthy agenda and many speakers, so we're going to skip the singing part. >> We're going to skip the singing. Go

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ahead, Sean. >> Okay. Do I believe we are we deferring? >> No, we we'll do the first readings. >> All right. On to our regular scheduling business. So, if you would allow me going to read the first readings into

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the record and then we'll be taking a vote on those first readings. First reading ordinance item 3.1 city ordinance 26-057 is an ordinance of the city of Jersey City Municipal Council amending the Jersey City Land Development Ordinance

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to remove cyber hotel data center from industrial district 3.2 city ordinance 26-058. We have another clerk in the room. An ordinance authorizing this this [laughter]

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baby's louder than me. My job is going to be taken over right now before she's even 18 or he's 18. An ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew a lease for the Greater Neighborhood Alliance Community Garden sponsored by Greater Neighborhood

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Alliance for the use of block 30003, lot 45, more commonly known as 81 Garfield Avenue. Item 3.3, city ordinance 26-059, is an ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew the lease for Ogden's End Community Garden, sponsored

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by Riverview Neighborhood Association for the use of block 5202, lot 28, more commonly known as 105 Ogden Avenue. Item 3.4, Four, city ordinance 26-060 is an ordinance authorizing the city of

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Jersey City to renew the lease for the Makadoo Community Garden sponsored by 167 Makadoo Community Association for the use of block 26301 lot 28, more commonly known as 142 Makadoo Avenue. Item 3.5, city

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resolution 26-061, is an ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew the lease for Dwight Street Community Garden, sponsored by the Dwight Street Block Association, for the use of block 25604, lot 8, more commonly known as 185 Dwight

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Street. Item 3.6, 6 city ordinance 26-062 is an ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew the lease for Riverview Community Garden sponsored by Riverview Community Garden Association

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for the use of block 30002 lot 2 more commonly known as 285 Ogden Avenue for a community garden. Item 3.7, city ordinance 26-063, is an ordinance authorizing the city of Jersey City to renew the lease for the

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Mandela Community Garden, sponsored by Greenville Neighborhood Alliance, for the use of block 19503, lot 36, more commonly known as 447 Martin Luther King Drive. And finally, item 3.8, 8 city

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ordinance 26-064 is an ordinance amending chapter 160 fees and charges amending the fee schedule for city-owned and operated parks to allow for the rental of athletic fields public spaces the operation of adult athletic leagues and

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for various other fees. Council members, I'm going to be taking a vote for introduction on items 3.1 through 3.8. >> And I think Peter has something to say. >> Okay. Sorry, I messaged you earlier, but we were withdrawing 3.8. Uh, we received

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some information from other council members that also want to look at different fees throughout the city. So, I think it' be more appropriate to tweak the language here and reintroduce the fee ordinance with all the councilman's recommendations at the next meeting. So, we'll withdraw 3.8. Hey, council members,

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let me just put the camera on us so they can see our pretty faces. With that being said, I'm going to be taking a vote on items 3.1 through 3.7 with 3.8 being withdrawn. Council person Brooks,

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>> I for introduction. >> Council person Zupa, >> I for introduction. >> Council person Ephro, >> I for introduction. >> Council person Little, >> I for introduction. Council >> person Gilmore, >> I for introduction. >> Council person Singh, >> I for introduction. Council Person

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Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council Person Labaro. >> I for introduction. >> And Council President Ridley, >> I for introduction. >> Items 3.1 through 3.7 are introduced unanimously. 90. Item 3.8 has been

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withdrawn. Okay. Now, I believe that I'm going to be taking a motion to defer to item

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10.4. >> Correct. >> Resolution 26-428. Does someone Does one of the council members have the resolution to read into the record? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm going to turn it over to that council person. >> Do we

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>> wait before I do that motion? I'm rushing things. I'm sorry. Council. >> So, thank you, council person. Always having my back. So, on the motion to defer to item 10.4, resolution 26-428. May I have a motion?

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>> Motion. >> Motion made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council person Ephos. On the motion to defer to item 10.4, Four. Council person Brooks. >> Hi. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> And our second clerk. Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Could be a council person too. Council person Singh. >> I.

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>> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. Motion carries 90 to defer to item 10.4. Now, whatever council member has the resolution to read into the record,

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I'm going to turn it over to you. >> Okay. Uh resolution honoring the life and legacy of Dyson Haley. Uh Mr. Haley was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and dedicated his life to faith, public service, education, advocacy, and

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the advancement of accessibility for deaf and heart of hearing. Excuse me, Sean. Give me one second. We have um some members of the audience that are hard of hearing. So, I'm going to ask if the interpreter would come up for this resolution. Okay,

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I'll restart that. A resolution honoring the life and legacy of Tyson Haley. Mr. Haley was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and dedicated his life. >> Council President, I'm I'm so sorry. Can the interpreter come this way? I'm I'm so sorry. You're not going to be on

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camera if you're if you're there. For the people at home who are watching on his behalf, >> you can come. I give you permission. >> Yep. Right in front of the clerk. It's great. [laughter] There you go. >> All right.

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>> Mr. Haley was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, and dedicated his life to faith, public service, education, advocacy, and advancement of accessibility for deaf and heart of hearing individuals. After receiving his education through the Jersey City Public

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School System, he continued his studies at Camden County College and Temple University. He devoted his career to empowering others through slow down. Oh, I'm sorry. >> [laughter] >> through uh linguistic education and

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interpretation services throughout New Jersey. As a passionate advocate for inclusion, Mr. Haley served as vice president of the New Jersey Black Death Advocates and founded organizations dedicated to deaf ministry and sign

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language education. He proudly served the residents of Jersey City through his appointment to the Jersey City Ethics Standard Board and through his civic engagement within his legislative district, demonstrating

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a steadfast commitment to public service and community leadership. Tyson served as a sign language interpreter for Jersey City former mayor Steven Phillip, Newark Mayor Roz Baraka, Vice President Kamala Harris, and

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numerous public events throughout New Jersey, helping ensure meaningful access and participation for deaf individuals in the civic and public life. Recognizing the importance of accessibility and public safety, Mr.

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Haley developed initiatives such as sign with cops and first responders helping law enforcement personnel and emergency responders better understand deaf culture and basic American sign language

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communication. His extraordinary service and leadership earned numerous honors and recognition including a congressional award presented by Congressman Donald Payne Jr. reflecting the profound impact of his

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advocacy, education, and community service. Guided by his personal motto, even with my deafness, I still have a purpose to serve the people. Mr. Haley exemplified resilience, compassion, faith, and

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selfless dedication to others, leaving an endur an enduring mark on all who had the privilege to know him. Mr. Haley passed away on May 21st, 2026, leaving behind a lasting legacy of

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service, inclusion, leadership, and love that will continue to inspire future generations. Now therefore, be it resolved that the municipal council of the city of Jersey City hereby honors the life and legacy of Tyson Haley and recognizes his

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extraordinary contribution to the city of Jersey City, the deaf community in the state of New Jersey. Be it further resolved that the municipal council extends its deepest condolences to the

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family, friends, colleagues, congregation, and loved ones of Tyson Haley and expresses its gratitude for a life dedicated to uplifting others through faith, advocacy, education, and

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public service. Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family as a lasting expression of the respect, admiration, and appreciation of the municipal council and residents of

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Jersey city. Okay, council members, if you would like to take a vote on resolution 26-428. Council person Brooks. I >> council person Zupa. >> Hi, >> Council Person Efos.

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>> Hi, >> Council Person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> I I just want to say to Tyson's family, uh my condolences. Thank you for sharing him with us. He was a extraordinary gentleman. Um and

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again, my consololises. I wrote I >> you council person Singh. I vote I >> council person Griffin >> I council person Labaro just echo Councilman Gilmore's comments

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to the family our deepest condolences Tyson uh was a true advocate and um he was a good man would I >> and Council President Ridley >> uh to the family my condolence

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influences. Tyson was my dear friend. Uh he taught a lot of us in this room as I look around sign language. Um and he will deeply be missed and he will always be a part of Jersey City's legacy. I proudly vote I.

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>> I know I don't get a vote, but I just wanted to say Tyson was also a dear friend of mine as well. I'll never forget during the pandemic, he came up with those masks that had the hole to see the lips to read the lips and I was swearing in council president at the

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time for one of the boards that she was appointed on and or and he interpreted everything through the mask. So, I'll never forget that. And I thank his family and my condolences for lending him to us, his dedicated service to the ethical standards board and just being

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an overall commu community activist for his community and caring about Jersey City. Thank you. City resolution 26-428 is approved unanimously 90. Okay, before I have you speak, just let

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me put the camera on you. Sorry about that. Okay. And if you can just identify yourself for the record and for our court reporter, >> Jordan by Quell M. Hi. >> Can you please spell your first name? or

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t h y q u e l. >> If everybody can follow his lead when you come up when we're doing public speaking for the second reading ordinances, that's the perfect example right there. >> Thank you. Thank you, Council President

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Ridley, members of the municipal council, and the great city of Jersey City. I stand here tonight uh the uncle of Thy T. Harley, who you just passed the resolution for, standing representing the family, loved ones, and friends of my uncle. And simply, we

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first and foremost, on behalf of the Halley, the Holiday family, the His hands ministry, and all of the deaf and heart of hearing community in this great city and across this state, we thank you. We thank you for taking a moment out of what clearly is a busy and

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inundated uh council meeting and agenda to pause, to honor, to reflect, and to celebrate the life that my uncle lived. Uh if I knew my uncle any better, he would definitely want there to be a large gathering, as many people in the room as possible for him so he can have

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as much attention uh and foresight, but not to who he was as a person, but the work that he was committed to. Uh he was a true champion for the deaf of heart and hearing community here in Jersey City. Uh growing up in Marian Gartens then in Curry Woods serving as committee

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man uh for A9. I'll never forget it because he ingrained that everywhere he could go uh and for Ward A. He was a committee man and proud to serve in that capacity. uh he led the first deaf uh and heart of hearing flag raising here at city hall and whatever wherever he

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could in this city infiltrate himself to make sure that the deaf and heart and hearing community and residents of this city uh were seen and were valued. He taught sign language for the Jersey City Public Libraries probably as long as I could remember since I was a kid from the libraries to the Bthoon Center then

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back to the libraries. And so just simply thank you on behalf of my family for embracing my uncle into this great city. Even when he moved across the water to Newark, Jersey City, still knew how to call him. And if anyone has ever been to one of the Fourth of July celebrations and you looked on the stage

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and there was somebody doing interpretation, that was also my uncle. And so we thank you. We thank you for allowing his gift, his advocacy, his talent, and his passions to flourish here in this city. And I'll ask if all the family, the friends, and anyone who

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was impacted by my uncle's life that's here, would you just stand so we can show the the impact and representation my uncle had on the great city of Jersey City? That's good. >> It's our prayer that you would forever be committed to the work my uncle started. Thank you and God bless you

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all. Okay. All right. On to our second reading ordinances. First second reading ordinance. Item 4.1, city ordinance 26-040, is an ordinance of the city of Jersey City and the county of Hudson, New

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Jersey, approving the contribution of a portion of annual service charges paid to the city of Jersey City pursuant to the financial agreements entered into by the city of Jersey City into the city's education infrastructure capital account. This was carried from the June

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24th meeting and as discussed at the caucus, I believe we are making a motion to carry to carry this ordinance 26- 040 to the September 23rd meeting. Is that

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correct? >> That is correct. >> So, council members, may I have a motion to carry city ordinance 2016? >> Motion. Motion. >> What? I gotta finish it before you say motion because I'm not going to know who said it. Motion to carry city ordinance

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26 there040 to the September 23rd city council meeting. >> Motion. >> Motion made by council person Ephro. May I have a second? Second by council person Gilmore. On the motion to carry

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city ordinance 26-040 to the September 23rd council meeting. Council person Brooks >> I. Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Labaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to carry city ordinance 26-040 to the September 23rd municipal council

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meeting. Next ordinance item 4.2. 2. City Ordinance 26-043 is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City, County of Hudson, state of New Jersey, amending and supplementing chapter 3, Administration of Government,

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Article 14, Department of Law of the Jersey City Municipal Code, to establish the position of legislative counsel to the municipal council and to clarify the respective roles of corporation, council, and legislative counsel. This

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ordinance was also carried from the June 24th meeting and as discussed at the caucus, we are going to make a motion to defeat city ordinance 26-043 without conducting a public hearing. May I have a motion to def motion to defeat

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city ordinance 26-043 without conducting a public hearing? >> Motion. So the motion I'm given to is to council person Gilmore and I'll give the second to council person Ephro because he was a close second. On the motion to defeat

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city ordinance 26-043 without a public hearing. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Ephro. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Griffin. I, >> Council Person Labaro. >> I, >> and Council President Ridley, >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to to defeat city ordinance 26-043 without a public hearing. So, with that

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being said, sorry, I'm going off. Council members, I'm going to take a vote on the ordinance since we made the motion to defeat it without a public hearing. Your vote should be nay or no.

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>> City ordinance 26-043. Council person Brooks. >> No. >> Council person Zupa. >> No. >> Council person Ephro. >> No. >> Council person Little. >> No. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh.

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>> No. >> Council person Griffin. >> No. Council Person Lavaro, >> no. >> And Council President Ridley, >> no. >> City Ordinance 26, D-043 is defeated.

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09 with all council members voting against. Next second reading ordinance item 4.3 city ordinance 26-045 is an ordinance of the city of Jersey City County of Hudson, New Jersey

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granting a tax exemption with respect to certain property identified as block 21501.01 01 lot 1 850-870 Garfield Avenue and authorizing the execution of a financial agreement with

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Garfield Phase A1 1 excuse me 1A urban renewal LLC. This was also carried from the June 24th meeting and as discussed at the caucus. I need a motion to carry city ordinance 26-045 to the September

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23rd municipal council meeting. Motion made by council person. >> Second. >> Gilmore. Say a second again. >> Second. >> I. Griffin. >> On the motion to carry city ordinance 26 day 045 to the September 23rd municipal

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council meeting. Council person Brooks. >> I to carry. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos. >> Council person. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin.

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>> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> Hi. >> Motion carries 90 to carry city ordinance 26 days 045 to the September 23rd municipal council meeting. On to

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our next ordinance which is item 4.4 city ordinance 26-046. An ordinance of the city of Jersey City, county of Hudson, New Jersey, granting a tax exemption with respect to a certain property identified as block 21501.02,

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lot 1.01, 874-902, Garfield Avenue, and authorizing the execution of a financial agreement with Garfield Phase 1B Urban Renewal LLC. This was also carried from the June 24th

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meeting and also as discussed at the caucus meeting. I need a motion to carry city ordinance 26-046 to the September 23rd meeting. Motion made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second.

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>> Second by council person Griffin. On the motion to carry city ordinance 26-046 to the September 23rd municipal council meeting. Council Person Brooks. >> I to Carrie. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley.

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>> I. Motion carries 90 to carry city ordinance 26-046 to the September 23rd municipal council meeting. On to our next second reading ordinance. Item 4.5, city ordinance 26-049

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is an ordinance adopting amendments to the Jackson Hill redevelopment plan regarding the expansion of the transit proximity bonus. This is a public hearing. on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record.

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>> Motion. >> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-049 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president Ridley. On the motion to close the public hearing

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on city ordinance 26 049. Council person Brooks. >> I. Council person Zupa. Hi, >> Council Person Ephro. >> I >> council person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> Hi, >> Council Person Singh. >> I, >> Council Person Griffin,

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>> I. >> Council Person Labaro, >> I. >> And Council President Ridley, >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-049 for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-049.

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Council person Brooks. >> I, >> Council Person Zupa. I >> council person Efos. >> Hi, >> Council Person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> I >> council person Singh. >> Hi, >> Council Person Griffin. >> Hi,

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>> Council Person Labaro. >> I >> and Council President Ridley, >> I. >> City Ordinance 26-049 is adopted unanimously 90. On to our next second reading ordinance.

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Item 4.6, Six, city ordinance 26-050 is an ordinance amending chapter 31 environmental commission and establishing article 2 environmental justice task force to enable the municipality to make further actions to

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take further action sorry towards environmental justice. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. Before you do that, let me just get the camera on you

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and whenever you're ready. >> Yes. My name is Jean Daly, spelled D A L Y. >> Thank you. >> Um, I know we have tons of committees and environmental justice and having a healthy environment is very important to all of us. However, I still think that

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it could be done perhaps within house without a committee because it's very common knowledge how to solve this. go to every neighborhood and plant trees. You don't need some kind of committee to understand this. Uh I also believe other

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environmental issues are the is the flooding. We have flood maps yet we do nothing about them. Having you know a group of people to get together and have a committee that's lovely but you have to take action. This city hasn't taken action. And to me in my mind having a

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committee is going to slow things down. Buy trees, buy healthy trees cuz the city doesn't do that. Dig the appropriate tree pits, put the trees in, and water them. It's very simple. But nobody does it. This is what I don't

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understand about this town. Who you buy inferior product, you do it incorrectly, you don't water them, and you wonder why they die. It's called a a waste of money. So that's my opinion on it. Uh it's very disappointing that we need

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another committee to study this because everybody knows it's common knowledge. Thank you. I'm sorry to have offended lots of people. >> Okay. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-050. If you can just state your name for the

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record and spell it for the record, I greatly appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. My name is Deborah Italiano. I'm the founder and chair of Sustainable Jersey City. Deb B A T A L I A N O. Hello council. I haven't been here in a while. Thank you for your

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service. I just have um some thoughts which I've discussed at some length with Amanda Diamond, sustainability director for the city, who is one of the sponsors of this ordinance, which I think is misguided and misplaced. So, I think

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it's a great start to the extent that I've also forwarded to council and I've made part of the record here with Sean tonight the mayor memo which outlined and reminded him not only of the imperative of having an environmental

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justice ordinance for the city of Jersey City which he promised to align with and support when he was running for mayor and establish an environmental justice task force which is a good step in that direction. It should crowdsource the very good thinking that's required for

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an EJ ordinance in Jersey City. But if you read this ordinance, and I don't know if it's an ordinance or an amendment to the Environmental Commission ordinance, I think it's a little bit of both. It doesn't really suggest that that's the direction that

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the EJ task force is going to take. That is a major deliverable. that is something that sustainable Jersey City thinks would be, you know, the most important thing for the existence of this. Instead, it's parked to primarily

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focus on the climate and energy action plan for the city of Jersey City and then to also offer up some mandates for action for the New Jersey Northeast resiliency plan which is mostly focused on flooding for the city. Right? So you

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have these climate change plans which are really important which should have an EJ overlay and which should be informed by an environmental justice task force but that is not why it should exist. an environmental task force,

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environmental justice task force and has very good invitation list for members including SJC who will not serve on that task force because as it stands right now we feel that it's mostly window dressing right so it needs to be

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informed to have this set of municipal plans the master plan the transportation plan all all of the plans that the city has put forth should have an environmental justice component. So an environmental justice task force can

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certainly inform that, but the ultimate deliverable should be an environmental justice ordinance for the city of Jersey City. So what we made part of the record this evening is the mayor memo outlining our sentiments about that. We would hope this would be pause for a more

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thoughtful and meaningful outcome. It needs to be rethought. I don't think the administration actually understands that environmental justice presupposes that there are injustices here that have a basis social >> time is up

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>> economic govern. Thank you so much. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26 day 050. Next speaker, if you can spell your name, state your name and spell your name for the record. And I won't start the time until you start speaking.

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>> My name is Stephanie Starts. S T A R TZ. >> S T A R >> TZ >> EZ. Okay. Thank you. >> Many moons ago, I worked for an environmental organization that would sue on behalf of clients. Uh they actually sued on behalf of the Canal

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Crossing Group and got that area cleaned up. Um and in in my day there when we talked about environmental justice, it was about um marginalized communities who were forced to bear the burden of pollution because well they were

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marginalized and the dominant groups felt it was okay for them to live near power plants or chemicals or factories. And this resolution is pretty whitewashed. It's very kumbaya. Let's make sure everyone in Jersey City, you

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know, where Jersey City has real brownfields. There's a disparity between neighborhoods of the air quality. There's PM2 in the air in west in the west side of the city. Um, so I I also

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was at the caucus on on Monday and Councilman Lavo asked the city to make sure that Jersey City together was involved in this. And I felt that the city brushed him off. And again, it

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seemed like a very whitewashed effort. And if we look at the broader effort of this city right now with property taxes, it does seem like we're just trying to get the city ready for the white people who are going to come in to the polluted

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neighborhoods. Thank you. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-050. If you can just state your name for the record. >> Charlene Burke. >> You don't have to spell it.

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>> Thank you. Uh, good evening, council. Um, I agree with Deborah Italiano that I feel that this ordinance really or doesn't have the teeth that it could have. And as an environmental justice committee, that's what you want the

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committee to have so that this way they can affect change in this city. One of the other things I think that's missing in the list of um those groups that are included is the Jersey City Parks Coalition, which has been working with

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the city for two decades now. And it just seems a big oversight that you don't include one of the bigger environmental groups in this city in this group. But also the JCMUA because the JCMUA has a lot of opportunity to

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help or mitigate flooding. Um they could do they could work with homeowners about um having capture storm water runoff. they could work with the city individuals as

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well as neighborhoods and to not include them I think is also missing the boat. So I just wanted to bring that to your attention and whether you vote for this tonight to establish but I think it needs to be amended down the road uh to

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give as I said to give a teeth. Thank you. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-050. Any member of the public still wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record.

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>> Motion. >> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-050 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president Ridley. on the motion to close a public hearing on

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city ordinance 26-050. Council person Brooks. >> Um, council president, I don't know if one of my colleagues wants to make a motion to uh carry >> just close public >> to close the public hearing. I vote I. >> Thanks, Tom.

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>> Council person Zupa. >> I. Council person Efos. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. I, >> Council Person Griffin, >> Council Person Lavaro,

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>> I, >> and Council President Ridley, >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-050 for final consideration and adoption. >> Um, sorry, I

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Okay, thanks. Um, I' I'd like to make a motion to carry to make sure we get the language right. >> It wouldn't be to carry. You're either making a motion to table it >> or you're gonna vote on it. >> Table. >> Okay. >> This is a second reading ordinance and

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we conducted the public hearing and close the public hearing. So now you would make a motion to table the ordinance after the close of the public hearing. Is that what you wish to do, Council Person Little? >> Yes. I' I'd like to table this not because I don't think an environmental

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justice task force is a good idea. I do think it's a good idea to be very clear, but I think there were some uh very reasonable concerns brought up about whether the correct groups have been included in this current draft and um whether it could be perhaps a more

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robust ordinance. And I'd like to take the time to make sure we get it right. >> Second. So the motion is to table city ordinance 26 day 050 after

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the close of the public hearing. Motion was made by council person little. I didn't hear who seconded. >> Second. >> Second by council person Lavaro. on the motion to table city ordinance

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26-050 after the close of the public hearing. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. And I'll just say at caucus on Monday, we heard the intention of the administration was to establish this and

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then try and do some work on it uh later on. Um, but it's it's clear that, you know, we've had a member uh or a organization's representative who would be on this commission come up and express some concerns and I we had other committee members express concerns and

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we haven't gotten all the answers that folks have been asking for. Um, so I think it it is worthwhile uh moving this uh to another meeting where we can get a lot of work done between now and then. So I vote I to table. >> Council person Little. Hi

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>> council person Gilmore >> get it right. Ah >> council person sing. >> Hi and I want to mention Deborah Italiano and Charleneberg. Thank you for sharing it. I think administration um we I would request them to reach out to

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couple of community group and include them if possible. So I vote I thank you >> council person Griffin. You know, I I grew up in a in a community burdened with brownfield sites

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um as well as chromium. Um and we definitely need to get it right. Um people are still getting sick. We're in asthma alley. So I council >> person Lavaro, >> I just want to acknowledge what the

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earlier speaker said about Jersey City together. Um they're one of the oldest groups in Jersey City that have uh if we talk about environmental justice in Jersey City and as she said uh I'm fighting to um for uh the Jersey City

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communities, long-standing communities here in Jersey City that have been most negatively impacted um by um chromium and other uh contaminants. um they they should have a seat at the table. Now, I know

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there was an effort to reach out to them. I don't know what else has happened since then and been a little busy so since this last meeting to be able to follow up on that. So, I'm glad we're tableabling this and we'll follow up on that. The second thing I just want to point out besides some of the other

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comments that the speakers have made is that I'd like to see amendments to the appointment process. Again, um the appointments of the members to the committee are by the mayor. um in this draft. I'd like it to see amended so that it requires the ad advice and

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consent to the city council. Um and so would like to see that when it comes back to this come back to the body. I vote I I vote I table. >> Council President Ridley >> I. >> City or motion to table city ordinance

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26 days 050 after the close of the public hearing is approved unanimously 90. On the next second reading ordinance, item 4.7, city ordinance 26-051 is an ordinance of the municipal council of the city of Jersey City amending

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chapter 160 fees and charges with any associated chapters for fees. This is a public hearing. On this ordinance, any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. >> Motion.

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Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-051 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Is that Zupa? >> Yes, it is. >> Council person Zupa. >> Just bear with me because I haven't been

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here for the last two meetings. I was getting used to your voices and now I'm not. On the motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-051. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Yes. >> Hi. Council Person Evers. >> Hi. >> Council person Little.

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>> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I.

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>> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-051. carries 90 for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-051. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Epos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Labaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley.

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>> I. City Ordinance 26-051 is adopted unanimously. 90. On to our next second reading ordinance. Item 4.8. >> I'm sorry, excuse me. 4.8. Um, item number 26052.

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We want to withdraw this. >> Okay. So, we don't withdraw second reading ordinances. So, you have the option. Hear me out. Sorry. hear me out. You have the option to table the ordinance

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prior to conducting a public hearing. >> Yes, I would like to table it. >> Okay. So, let me just read it into the record and then you can make the motion to table it prior to conducting the public hearing. So, item 4.8 city resolution 26-052 is an ordinance

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amending chapter 122 section 4 regarding the required bonds for special event permits. We have a motion by council person Singh. >> Second. >> Wait, wait. >> You might have pulled this with Helen in, but you're not going to pull it with

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me. [laughter] >> That's right, Sean. Let him >> motion to table city ordinance. No offense to John, but I'm the one with the tenure. >> Right under the bus. [laughter]

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Motion to table city ordinance 26-052 prior to conducting a public hearing was made by council person Singh and I believe the second was made by council person Gilmore.

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>> Yes. >> Um if if I may before we take our vote councilwoman Singh would you like to explain your reasoning for wanting to table this? >> Yes. I want I was waiting for Sean to give me the permission. Uh well uh we are going to make some amendment and we'll again bring it to

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the council for the approval. >> Okay. >> Oh, I'm sorry. We are making uh some amendment and we will bring it to the council again in September. Okay, not my fault, Sean.

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Uh, so we are uh bringing this again after some amendments. I believe next council meeting we'll bring it back. I hope everybody can hear me now. Thank you. >> Did you hear that? So what they're going to do is they're going to be working on

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some amendments and the amendments are going to more than likely be very substantial. So that is the reason why we're tableabling it prior to conducting a public hearing because that basically kills the ordinance. Good. All righty. On the motion to table city

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ordinance 26-052 prior to conducting a public hearing was made by council person singed by council person Gilmore. May I attempt to take the vote on the motion? Council person Brooks. I council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi.

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>> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> Thank you everyone uh for the patience. We'll be back. Thank you. I vote I. >> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Lavaro.

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>> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. Motion carries 90 to table city ordinance 26-052 prior to conducting a public hearing. On to our next second reading ordinance

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item 4.9 city ordinance 26-053 is an ordinance amending chapter 160 section 1 regarding reduced license fee for nonprofit organizations. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and

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state your name for the record. You didn't hear me? Oh, that's a first. Let me do it in my drummer voice. Item 4.9, [snorts] city ordinance 26-053 is an ordinance amending chapter 160,

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section 1, regarding reduced license fees for nonprofit organizations. motion. >> Did you open the You come up. You coming to speak? >> All right.

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>> Well, it it when I was reading, you didn't seem to move. >> Okay, come on up. Let's not waste time. >> No, no, you could take your time. I said, let's not waste time by me saying anything. >> But I said cuz I needed more

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understanding what you reading. >> Okay. Okay. >> And what was the purpose of it? >> Okay. See, I didn't even start the time. >> All right. Don't have me beat you up. >> You ready? >> Yes, I am. >> Okay. >> Like that, Leverne.

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>> More purpose. I ask you and more feedback into this audience cuz I'm not understanding it. >> Who who who produced this audience? Who wrote it? Sean. Who wrote this ordinance?

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>> I don't have it in front of me who actually wrote the ordinance. >> Counciloman, >> I'm sure one of either the BA or one of the council members who sponsored it can tell us. >> Lever, that's that's your only question, right? >> Yeah. Before she uses your time. Okay. Go ahead, council.

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>> I did not hear your question. >> Oh, she wanted to know who wrote the ordinance. >> My office. >> Yeah. She wanted you to explain what what it's doing. >> Okay, sure. Uh Noah,

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>> can you explain please [clears throat] thing what we are deciding to do? >> No, if you could just state your name for the record and spell it for our court reporter because this is the first time she's here and you speak I believe. >> Yeah. >> Uh Noah Navaro. N O A H N A V A R R O

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>> went too fast in the background noise. >> She was nodding. Did you you got it? Okay. >> I didn't. >> Oh, okay. >> N A >> N A V A R R O. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, uh we put forward two ordinances. um one that would increase

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the bond that a not that a organization that wants to host an event is required to put forward if they violate the terms of their permit in the past. We're withdrawing that one because we'd like to make amendments to make it more clear. The second one that you had a

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question about um is changing the rules for a nonprofit who would like to host an event to access the reduced fees that the city offers. So, the city offers reduced fees for nonprofits. All we're saying is that it that nonprofit has to have anformational table at the event.

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That's it. Does that answer the question? >> Perfect. >> And can I just add this that we want non forprofit. So, generally when you organize an event, if you are a LLC, you have to partner up with nonforprofit

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organization. So we want nonforprofit who is partnering with LLC can have a table at the event to spread the awareness about their organization and about their mission. Did I answer? Can everyone hear me now? >> Yes.

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>> Yes. Thank you. All right, we're good. Go ahead, Sean. >> All right. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26 day 053. Any member of the public still wish to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. Motion. >> Motion to close a public hearing on city

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ordinance 2016 053 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president Ridley. On the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-053. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos.

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>> I. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Sing. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. Council person Labaro. >> Griffin. Oh, Griffin's not here. Um, >> and you answered I for him, so I thought

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he was. >> Council person Griffin to close a public hearing on city ordinance. All right. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Lavaro.

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>> What? I >> close I >> and council president Ridley >> I >> motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-053 is approved unanimously 90 for final consideration and adoption of city

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ordinance 26-053 council person Brooks I council person Zupa I council person Efos I council person I council >> person Gilmore Excuse me, Council Person Singh. >> Hi. And just to clarify, we want

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nonforprofit who is sponsoring the event to be there at the event to spread the awareness about their mission and their agenda and the organization. Thank you. I vote I. >> Council person Griffin >> I. >> Council Person Labaro. >> I.

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>> And Council President Ridley. >> I. City Ordinance 26-053 is adopted unanimously. 90. On to our next second reading ordinance. Item 4.10. City Ordinance 26-054

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is an ordinance repealing chapter 304 taxation article 10 medical cannabis transfer tax in its entirety. This is a public hearing. On this ordinance, any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record.

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Motion. Second. >> Motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-054 was made by council person Gilmore. And I did hear a second by council person Lavaro. On the motion to close the public

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hearing on city ordinance 26-054. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. Council Person Singh >> I. >> Council Person Griffin

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>> I. >> Council Person Labaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to close of public hearing on city ordinance 26-054. For final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26 de 054. Council person

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Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephos. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. Council Person Gilmore >> I. >> Council Person Singh >> I. >> Council Person Griffin >> I.

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>> Council Person Labbor. >> I'll just say thank you to the law department for putting this together. Thanks to my colleagues for supporting this ordinance. Um, just in brief, uh, this will restore approximately $1.3 million into the general operating budget, um,

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which is a quarter% um, reduction in the tax rate. I vote I, >> Council President Ridley, >> I, >> City ordinance 26-054

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is adopted unanimously, 90. On to our next second reading ordinance. Item 4.11, city ordinance 26-055 is an ordinance supplementing chapter 332, vehicles and traffic, article 2, traffic regulations, amending section

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332-9, stopped intersections to designate various intersections into multi-way stop intersections. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. Motion

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>> Oh, hold on. Yes. Hello. It's Gan Dailyaly. I just have a quick question. It doesn't have to be answered, but I know I my understanding was according to the state, you have to the state has to approve the put it putting a stop sign

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in various locations. Have we done that? No answer. Okay, there's it is right there. >> I I believe once the ordinance is adopted, it gets it gets sent to the state for the approval and then once the state approves it, then the sign I believe gets >> I understand that, but I think in the

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past um there was some oversight on that because if you get a ticket for a stop sign that's erected without state approval, you can fight it. That's all I was curious about. Thank you. >> Welcome. I I will say that um

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I I do know the infrastructure department um worked to perform engineering studies on these intersections to ensure that there were that the stop signs were were warranted under state regulations. So I don't know

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where it currently stands with the state if that's something that we seek after we pass this. But um the engineering analysis has been done. So if that helps put people's mind at ease >> and remember each ordinance takes 20 days to take effect after the date of adoption.

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So that gives us time to get the approval from the state. >> With that being said, this is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-055. Any member of the public still wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. >> Motion. >> Motion to close a public hearing on city

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ordinance 26-055 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council person Griffin on the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26 day 055. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I.

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>> Council person Ephro. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley.

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>> I. Motion carries 90 to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-055 for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-055. Council person Brooks, I'm proud to vote I for three new stop signs on Bergenav.

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Um reminder, the speed limit in Jersey City is 25 miles an hour and stop for 3 seconds at the stop signs. People are watching. I >> council person Zupa. >> Hi,

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>> Council Person Ephro. >> Uh, this ordinance is going to uh add some really critical uh street safety um on Nelson on Palisade uh Hey, um Ferry. So, these are places

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that residents in Ward D have complained about uh in numerous numerous times over the six months since uh we took office. So, I really appreciate infrastructure department getting on top of this so um we can make our streets safer in the

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heights and beyond. How about I council person Little? >> I am thrilled to share that the Ward E stop signs coming will be all stops at first and Brunswick and Third and Brunswick. Both our intersections I've heard many times from advocates need to

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be safer and um advocates have been asking for years for these stop signs. So, I'm I'm really glad the infrastructure department was able to work with us and get these get these approved. So, um thank you and I'm excited to see safer streets

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>> and your vote. >> Sorry. I [laughter] >> Thank you, Council Person Gilmore. >> Yes. Um I just want to say that I'm grateful for all of the stop signs that have gone up in Ward F, the always stop

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intersections. Um, personally, I wanted traffic lights. Um, but I guess the traffic study called for the stop signs. Um, there's one thing I would request though as it relates to the incoming stop signs. if we can do like some

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community awareness. Um because some people been driving to Jersey City for so long and when stop signs um pop up, it's kind of like a like a shock moment uh and a lot of people don't know. So, we can do a better campaign on just

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advising um at that area or maybe have officers at the area for the first two weeks while it's there. something just to notify the community that this new stock sign is there. I don't know if you could put lights on it. Whatever it is, we have to do something that way people

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um are aware. I vote I count. No, you cannot say anything, ma'am. >> Yell out. Can't >> you can't call out him? >> We don't yell out in the meetings. That's okay. Council person Singh.

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>> Um just want to say that uh population of Jersey City is increasing. There are a lot more cars and you know people we do need stop sign even more stop signs. So uh we also want to enforce it. Drivers are not stopping. So I think

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after these stop signs we will we will need enforcement. So I vote I proudly. Thank you. >> Council Person Griffin. Um, I do appreciate the stop signs. However, um, when they go up, let's please make sure that we're trimming the

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trees around them so people can see them. Um, and and um, you know, move move any hindrance. Um, and like Council Gil Gilmore said, Councilman Gilmore said, let's uh, you know, make sure

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there's more awareness. Um, lights, lights, flashing lights. Um, however we can do it. Uh, let's just make sure we keep people in mind. I vote I, >> Council Person Lavaro, >> I. >> And Council President Ridley,

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>> I. >> City Ordinance 26-055 is adopted unanimously. 90. >> Sean, I just want to say um the young lady uh she's in the audience. She's one of our uh security guards. Um, excuse

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me. Yes. Crossing guards. Um, and as you can see, it's very important, not just for the pedestrians, for the security. I mean, good lord, Jesus Christ, for the um crossing guards to be safe as well

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because I don't know, people just in a rush. They they got to get where they I don't know where they be going. I just know they be in a rush. Uh, so we can make sure we keep uh to the administration, we can make sure we keep an eye on enforcement. Um, that'll be

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great. All right, our last but not least, second reading ordinance, item 4.12, city ordinance 26-056 is an ordinance supplementing chapter 332, vehicles and traffic, article 9, parking for the disabled of the Jersey

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City Code designating reserve parking space at various locations throughout the city. This is a public hearing on this ordinance. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. Albert Herrari. H A R A R Y.

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In downtown Jersey City, there are four handicap spots. There are two at city hall. There are two in front of a medical building. And that's it. If you're handy, if you

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have a handicap plate or a handicap placard, there is no place to park in downtown Jersey City. That's all I have to say. And it's it's really a shame. And I don't even know if

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that's against federal law. still a public hearing. Go ahead, Jean. >> Uh Jean Dailyaly, I'll be very quick. Um this gentleman is correct. There is a problem with the handicapped and that's was the issue one of the issues with the

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um the plaza on Newark Avenue. By law, there are supposed to be um handicap parking. There's supposed to be parking for people who want to visit the actual buildings or the restaurants or the

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physicians there. I brought this up many times many years ago, but no one obviously wants to listen, especially Bulip u when he wants to push something through. But that was one of my arguments is where is the parking that you were supposed to allocate for people who want to visit these businesses,

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including handicap parking, which was required. Additionally, at the time on Newark Avenue, people persons who were visiting to their doctors, there was always elderly people visiting geriatric doctors who were permitted to go into that plaza and

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drop off the elderly and handicapped. That's never been permitted, but that was part of the original ordinance if you look it up. Anyway, I agree with this gentleman. It's really a shame. This is still a public hearing on city ordinance 26-056. Any member of the public still wishing

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to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. >> Motion. >> Motion to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-056 was made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president Ridley. On

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the motion to close a public hearing on city ordinance 26-056. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. Council person Efos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> I.

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>> Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And Council President Ridley. >> I. >> Motion carries 90 to close the public hearing on city ordinance 26-056.

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As discussed at the caucus meeting, there is a tiny amendment that needs to be made to this ordinance. The amendment is on the last individual, Jas Sinsky. The address is incorrect. It

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states as it is 225-225.5 Terrace Avenue and it should be 227-225.5 Terrace Avenue. Um, I need a motion to amend city ordinance 26-056 to correct that address. And just for

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the record, if the corporation council can confirm that this is not a substantial change to the ordinance. >> Motion. >> Nope. Nope. Council. Corporation council, please. >> This is just correcting an administrative error. It is not substantial. You're good to go, Sean.

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>> Thank you so much, Corporation Council. Now, Council Person Gilmore would like to make the motion to amend. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Council Person Griffin. On the motion to amend, city ordinance

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26-056 to correct the address on Terrence Avenue to 227-225.5. Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. I

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>> council person Singh >> I >> council person Griffin >> I >> council person Labaro >> I >> and council president Ridley >> I >> motion carries 90 to amend city ordinance 26-056

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for final consideration and adoption of city ordinance 26-056 as amended council person Brooks >> I council person Zupa >> hi >> council person efos >> hi >> council Person Little. >> Hi,

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>> Council Person Gilmore. >> Um, I'm going to vote I. Um, we I sit on a committee. It's a very rigorous task sitting on this committee um sorting out who's eligible or not. But I do want to

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um raise the voices of the concerns that was made as it relates to the handicap plates like when people are patronizing business. How what Sarah I guess from a legal standpoint because I know when we go to supermarkets and bigger

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establishments they do have reserve handicap parking as it relates to the pedestrian plaza and areas like that throughout the city. What what's what's the state or federal law that speaks to the the amount of handicaps spots that's

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supposed to be available? Is it like based on an area or as needed? Like how does that work? Unfortunately, I do not have encyclopedic knowledge of state and federal statutes. So, I do not know the answer to that, but I am happy to look into it with you. >> Okay. So, we could if we could just

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check that just to see cuz I I do feel the concern. Um cuz I mean everybody would want to visit the plaza. There's businesses over there, get something to eat. I'm hearing that there's do doctors and things over there. So, just to make

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sure, you know, we're looking out for that demographic. I thought you was familiar with state and federal law. That's the only reason I voted for you to be the corporation C. Just so the record reflect. >> Um, Councilman, some, not all.

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>> Council person Singh, >> I. >> Council person Griffin, >> I. Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> City ordinance 26-056

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as amended is adopted unanimously. 90. Okay. Be we have to hold our public hearing on the 2026-2027 Central Avenue Management Corporation Special Improvement District Assessment

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Role and budget. This is a public hearing on that budget. Any member of the public wishing to be heard, please come up to the podium and state your name for the record. >> Motion. >> Motion to close the public hearing on the 2026-2027

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Central Avenue SID assessment role in budget was made by Council Person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second. >> I'm going to give the second to Lavaro because he's speaking low. His voice is

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not what it is, but I know Council President Ridley was pretty loud there, but he came in first. On the motion to close the public hearing on the 2026-2027 Central Avenue SID assessment role in budget. Council person Brooks >> I.

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>> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Ephro. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Labaro.

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>> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. Motion carries 90 to close the public hearing on the 2026-2027 Central Avenue SID assessment role and budget. All right, now to our public

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request for a hearing. I want everyone just to hear the housekeeping rules. We have 114 speakers listed. Please, please adhere to the threeinut rule. You will be muted if you go over

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the three minutes since we have this many speakers. I will be calling the number and the first name of the individual. For everybody who is here and everybody's watching at home, please follow along with your agenda. With that being said, our first speaker, Leverne

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Washington, Web Washington. Uh, good evening, council. I'm here for two reasons. I have family that work. Come on, guys. at work DPW

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and what's going on with them tonight. We are here in protest and where's my sister at? Go ahead, baby, before my time run out. [laughter] So, can she speak with me? Because I my

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my tongue is is I don't want to get put out of here tonight. Is that all right council president? So that it is draw some of your time so all these people don't have to talk. That all right with you council president want to speak good and I'm hurt >> and I want her to talk for me.

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>> You you going to turn on water work? No she can read your statement. >> Okay. >> Good evening mayor council president and members union brothers and sisters and my fellow residents of Jersey City. >> Please raise the mic you can hear you.

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My name is Letia Nolles and I proudly serve as the president of the POBA and the president of the Jersey City United Union Coalition. Tonight I come before you with one message. Do not mistake the people who keep this city running for the problem. We are not the enemy. We are the workforce. We are your

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neighbors. We are your community. Every day we answer to the call of the to serve the city. And yet today working people are being positioned against taxpayers, neighbors against neighbors, unions against unions. The termination of provisional employees is not just about jobs. It's about

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families, neighborhoods, and local businesses. When when one worker loses a paycheck, our entire community feels it because the infrastructure of Jersey City is not just steel and concrete. It is people. The proposed tax increase has created real concern throughout our

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community. I understand that concern, but make it but making difficult decisions exactly why our elected officials were elected. People expect your decisions, votes, and leadership abilities to be driven back, be driven by backroom deals. However, I encourage

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you to prove them wrong. Articulate the facts. Show them that you are that you that they are seen. They're heard and considered when you render your vote. Don't vote where pressure and popularity steers you. Vote where your heart and conscience lies. What I ask is simple.

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Bring us to the table sooner. The people who who do the work know the work. We know where resources are best directed. We know what works. We know where we can be more effective. Leadership is strongest when it is welcome partnership, not when it waits um I'm sorry.

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Leadership is strongest when it welcomes partnership, not when it waits for a crisis. Because respect isn't just a word. Respect is honesty. Respect is transparency. Respect is bringing stakeholders into the conversation before decisions become emergencies. To my fellow union leaders and members,

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these are the moments we were elected to face. >> Thank you. Sorry. bring all people back. >> Our next speaker 5.2 Brendan Brendan Clark. Is Brendan here? If Brendan, if you're here, raise your

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hand as you make your way up. I don't see him. All right. 5.3 Notoria Davis not here. Next speaker 5.4 Lita.

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>> Oh >> Lita is not here either. Next speaker 5.5 Ivonne. I know Ivonne is here. one also. The mayor gave you his budget. It is now your budget. You are responsible for the budget. No one else. Not the mayor. Now, I want to say one

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thing. The mayor Solomon has been part of the budget process since he was a councilman. And I checked online when he voted on his first budget and that was 2019. And then the budget was $598

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million. The budget today is $886 million. That is an increase of $288 million. So when the mayor says this is all fault, yes, I saw what he did because I

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was here. It's also his fault too because he played this game. I never voted for a budget, but he voted for all that spending and this exact same thing. He voted for that spending, which put us in this hole, including some of you on the council.

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I watched the caucus meeting when it when I talk about we have a lack of pilot money. No, pilot money been going on for 30 years. And it's the reason why we have this problems because pilot money are contracts. They're not ratables. and only ratables can

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stabilize the budget. 36% of this the city's land is called tax exempt according to the friendly budget. It's two budgets in case you're not aware of it. And 36% half of that is all affordable housing. So all that and that

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is that has a value of $8 billion. That $8 billion is not added to the rateable base when the county strikes our budget. So, we're struggling all the time because we're constantly getting out these tax debatements which does nothing. It hurts anyone that receives a

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tax bill. And that's $8 billion that could be added to the ratable base that could lower my tax and every other homeowner and you know help even employees because you have a stronger ratable base. No tax

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abatements is worth it salt. For 30 years we've been playing with the budget with tax abatements. Now I also checked that the bonding debt. We are paying $88 million million in in debt service. When Solomon was

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first with the council, it was $73 million. But what really gets me is that when I check what we paying, $2.5 million is going to Bayfront. Bayfront is something the city put in because he want all this affordable housing. They're not a

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ratable so that they hurt the average taxpayer. And we're also paying an additional debt of 2.5 million for what? Affordable housing. Where is my affordable taxes? You can't have it both ways. >> Your time is up, Ivon. Your time is up.

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>> Thank you very much, Sean. Our next speaker 5.6 Charlene. >> Good evening, council. I was reading over theou with the state and it describes that the director of

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the division of local government services has determined that the municipality is in serious financial distress. Well, at 15% increase for taxes, that's

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going to put all of us in even greater fiscal distress. So, I mean, what kind of negotiations took place with the state that says, okay, you can put now your residents at risk. So, yes,

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the budget is at risk, certainly the finances of the city, but you're putting homeowners at risk now. And that is what I consider unconscions unconscionable. And it should be really a concern and

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I'm sure it is with all of you. I know many of you have been very empathetic about this situation and feel that your backs are up against the wall. Well, think of how each and every one of us feel when we have to write that check. And maybe there's other things we can't

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write checks for because of it. All right. A few things I want to bring to your attention. The Hudson uh the Jersey City Open Space Trust Fund. I know that we met with the parks coalition and uh Tom Zuper because

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he's the head of the open space, but I want to bring to your attention that the last city council actually allocated most of that funding to various park projects and that was already committed and this city is moving forward on many

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of those projects. So when this administration thinks that there's 6 1.5 million or more than that sitting in an account, there isn't. Please, I'm making you all aware of that. The other thing is last year, I don't

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know if all of you paid attention, but I know President Ridley, you were there. Certainly, Gilmore, uh, Councilman Gilmore, you were there when I brought up about the $ 58 million that the last administration was trying to reallocate

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into kind of slush funds so they could pay bills. Well, where's that $58 million today? That's all sitting in bond accounts. Why can we not use that to maybe pay down those bonds if it's excess or do those projects that it was

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actually meant for? Many of them are park projects. Some of them are public safety projects. Much money there almost touches on every department and yet I haven't heard that brought up by any of you, particularly the two council people that sat on the

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last administration's council. So why do you not bring it up? That's found money, isn't it? >> Thank you, Charlene. >> Our next speaker 5.7 Esther. Oh, she got to bring the baby with her. The baby's, you know, she got to stir

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kids up. >> She's here. >> She's here. She's coming. >> Good evening. Do you hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, council. And so, here we are, seven months into

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the year. We've had a blank check from the beginning of the year. Administration has been spending money and if you and you have allowed it. I don't envy your position this evening because you have a difficult decision that you have to make and we know what's going on. What's going on? It's as if

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everybody in this room right now has a gun to their head and we're all pointing the gun to someone else. But we know what's going to happen. That being said, once the inevitable happens, what you must do is take a breath, roll up your

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sleeves, and begin working on the 2027 budget now. Because as I have said, if you think this year was bad, and I'm not the the finance person here, but I understand that we had 11 abatements

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that expired this year, and we're going to have 16 next year. So, we're going to be doing this all over again. If you are not prepared for it, you must have a budget. You must demand that every director come in top down, start from

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zero and justify every expense. You have to make sure that when you start going through these departmental hearings, there is no stone left unturned, [clears throat] double-sided printing, turn down the electric, negotiate rates,

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contact PSCG. You tell them, "We are your one of your best clients. We need a discount because if you do not reduce the rates, we'll have to turn off every other street lamp and it'll probably cost you more money that way. So

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negotiate with us and take the goodwill. We can't do this again. We have a really serious situation here and you've allowed it to happen. When you council president ask for the budget for the payroll, excuse me, which

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is what this council needs to start analyzing the budget. You need to get that. They have to answer to you. And if that's not done, you demand it. I don't understand why the two sides of government are not working together

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cooperatively. That is not the way it should be. It doesn't help you. It doesn't help us. we will get nowhere. We have a problem coming up and I think that I don't want to see anybody on Facebook posting

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pictures, marching around, cutting ribbons until we have a budget for 2027 in place. >> You do not pay one bill next year except for emergency city. >> Thank you. Esther,

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your time is up. Next speaker 5.8, Christopher Christopher Lane. >> Is he not here? Hi. >> Thank you. 5.9 Tina. Hi. Yes, my name is Tina Noles and yes,

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I do work for education at Gearmore, but I'm speaking upon myself. Justice for Drew. Justice for Drew. >> I'd like to say congratulations to you, Education Gmore, for making it happen last night. It was a beautiful thing for

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all of us coming together. First of all, let's get into business. My nonprofit is not about my boss. It's about serving an entire community. It's supporting nonprofits who depend and who someone work for and know it's based about

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helping others in a community. As a leader, I believe our responsibility is to bring people together and find solution. The families will belong to us, not to one person. organizations. We should come together, not point fingers

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of who should get served and who should not get served. It's a community. For 20 years, I have been working alone nonprofits, community members, helping families and resources and clothes. When families are choosing between to pay rent and buy foods is bad. It's a burden

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on them. We can we can push them out of our community and it's not fair. These are the ones who built our community. It should not be the union should be here look stating they need their job. It should not be that the crossing guard is losing their job. It should not be that

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the board is losing their job. This is not should have been. I believe that before ask the resident to pay for more, we should first talk about the solution. How can we reduce the burden of families and friends? How can we straighten our

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community? There is a difference between making a decision when we have financial security and living with the deli stress and wondering how will we pay our bill. Many of the residents are living every day trying to make it. I'm asking you to slow down and listen to the people more

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affected. Work with nonprofits. Work with the families. Work with the community. Let's work together. Let's call this community our home. Let's work together to solve problems instead of start um creating more hardships. Our community deserve a chance to shine. Our

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people deserve to be seen and heard. It's time to stop o overlooking the people [snorts] who have been fighting who have been fighting who have been fighting for our community. This passion had been for a minute for everyone. I

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see today, this is the second time I have been seeing that our community have been up here fighting for everyone. Not just for one community, but for everyone. So today, I'm asking Jersey City to start today. I'm asking our mayor to please stop and just listen to

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us and pay attention. It's not our fault what happened. We should have been had change and found out what was going on and where exactly was the money and where it was at. So, right now, I'm asking for all of y'all to make a decision to come together and to help

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our community, not to burden our community. Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 5.10, Mary K. Is Mary here? >> Mary is not here. 5.11 Ming Woo.

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>> Hey, good evening. Um, I'm going to make it a brief. I believe the key to save our city from bankruptcy is the current ongoing audit that hasn't been released and the renegotiation of the pilot program and not the resident tax hike. So, I've been thinking about the negotiation. I don't know what the

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progress is but I think we need to offer the pilot project to developers what would otherwise cost them a lot into cash revenues they pay us. So we need to carefully calculate how much money everything is worth not based on just

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empty words like a public benefits but in actual money terms that would otherwise cost them. They will pay you if you offer to give it back to them what they are a what you are able to take away. So you have to take it away first and this includes all the

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invisible favors they've been getting the whole time like permitting and approvals whether it's expedited or not. So anything then we offer is going to be a cost-saving and we can demand a cut. Another point is anything the developers

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propose first, please assume it's a trap or a way to pay us less. They would only suggested if they know it'll benefit them. So, we need to plan and propose first. We need to think of all the terms that are good for us, a wish list, a

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list of what we are taking away and what we demand. Then we can sit down and talk. I I have an example of um the for example the general square buildings that mayor Solomon have complained about um the Kushner's buildings. So for these

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buildings for these particular three buildings and towers um there's not much leverage because the contract has already been finalized. Um it is what it is but there were other projects from the same developers. For example the artwalk I don't have the latest the details update but I am aware that they

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failed their promise to deliver the museum. So that's a breach of a contract. We have all the legal grounds to claw back all the benefits that we've been given and renegotiate every terms and and we we need a full assessment of the replacement value of the museum.

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They originally proposed not just you know community affordable housing because the value of affordable housing they inflated so much that their way of robbing us. We need a fair assessment and we need future revenue. they don't

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have any leverage. They should pay whatever we demand. Um and um and we need we we and there's also the 30 general square project that's under development. There's a lot of permitting and uh and and approval process that's

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going to happen in this project. I don't know if they request a pilot, but there's a lot of room for us to negotiate on every single term. That's to make it fair. And it's not supposed to be it's it's supposed to be a a mutual benefit for them. It's a cost of saving, reduce of a risk, reduction of a

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risk. And for us, we demand a cut in the cost of savings. >> Thank you, >> Sean. Just on that point briefly, >> sorry, just on that point briefly, uh the city administration canled the Pompadoo Museum. It's not a breach of contract, but we are negotiating a benefit to the community there, just so

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you know. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Our next speaker 5.12 Ada Tarwin. Ada here. Next speaker 5.13 Kevin Davis.

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Let me tell you guys about thisou or as I call it an MWU because you guys met without us. We have been left in the dark as a city is talking about our future. So there's some flaws with this agreement that you guys probably are

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going to agree to. One, I think it's going to cost the taxpayers more money than if you didn't do it. We're getting a $15 million grant from the state plus a $15 million loan, but the interest on the loan is slightly more than the 15

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million we're getting from the state. And not only that, there's something in there that makes it more expensive to do city business. Any bond over $1 million has to be approved by the fiscal monitor and they don't even have a timeline for when they have to approve it. So

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projects can get more expensive as we wait to get it approved. Now this is what it's like being a citizen Jersey City. I got something up my sleeve. We are blindfolded and we can't see what our city government is doing

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now. We asked to be heard and we got managed. We asked for a seat at the table and we got three minutes at the microphone. We asked to participate and we got a calendar invite after the meeting ended.

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We asked for transparency and we got a press release. We asked for transparency and we got talking points. We asked for transparency and we got a public relations campaign. We asked for transparency

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and we got the Jersey City Ministry of Truth. 1984 was 42 years early. We asked for accountability and we got a spokesperson. How is that serving us? It's serving the administration.

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We asked for a budget before a tax increase and we got the proposed tax increase before the budget. We asked to see the negotiation and we got the final offer. And tonight we're

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being asked to play Deal or No Deal, the Jersey City version. And instead of Howie Mandal, we have Mayor James Solomon, who looks like James Franco, but five inches taller. And tonight,

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every briefcase says final offer 15 to 20% tax increase and unreasonable. Stay sharp, Jersey City. Our next speaker 5.14 Cameron or Hello, my name is Cameron or uh from New

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Jersey Friends of People's World, also a member of the Communist Party USA. It's good to see our unions here ready to fight against layoffs and cuts and for fairness. People tired of paying for tax cuts for developers are here too, ready

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to fight. But who do we fight? I do not think this is a situation where a fight between the council and the mayor is going to get us where we need to go. The c the crisis is decades in the making. Financial mismanagement by the prior administration intensified the problem.

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But the state constitution and laws which restrict municipalities ability to raise revenue with progressive taxation on income, capital, and property have long demanded the burden of city finances be placed on working people. Cities across the state and nation

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struggle also under the weight of decades of federal cuts. For example, the handouts for billionaire developer LFrack were initiated shortly after the start of the Reagan years when the public housing budget was slashed in half. The funding of our schools with property taxes in a segregated

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environment pits teachers and students against other community concerns. And while our cities starve, the military budget grows. We need a city united and fighting for change at the state and federal levels. The city and progressive coal co coalition that elected this

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government needs to be united behind a statewide fight to tax billionaires not working people. The combined pressures of the budget crisis, justified anger about the tax increase, state demands on us, and legal constraints on communication within city government

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threaten to tear our city apart. We can't be reduced to fighting for crumbs. We need to raise public understanding of the sources of the crisis and build a mass movement to change state and federal policies. We also need to find alternative ways to raise revenue for future years and offset the hardship of

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the tax hike. I think the mayor and council together need to go back to the progressive coalition that elected you and have a collective conversation about the budget, theou and discuss how to move forward. The labor movement as a whole also needs to be part of that conversation. Let's work with organized

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labor and community groups to organize lobby days, phone calls, and letters to Trenton. Let's work with community groups to expand the door-to-door to work around the senior freeze, anchor, and other programs with volunteers across the city. Create a budget. Create a citizens budget committee could also help raise public understanding of the

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budget and transparency and confidence in our government. Set up a fund to assist distressed homeowners with repairs, mortgage, and insurance payments to offset the cost of the tax increase, perhaps with a small portion of the property tax. Expand rent control. Reestablish the the department

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of rent receiverhip. Find volunteers to help get through the backlog of landlord violations. You know, city- own land also could be a big source of revenue. Uh there's other things we can do. Uh I have a letter I'd like to submit to the uh public record and I hope you'll take time to look at it. Thanks.

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you. >> Yep. Our next speaker, 5.15, Albert. Good evening, council president, members of the council, and good evening, our missing mayor.

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I rise tonight in opposition to this proposed budget because it asks the taxpayers of Jersey City to expect to accept higher spending without sufficient justification or accountability.

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Residents are already struggling with rising property taxes, higher rents, inflation, increasing the cost of simply living in our city. At a time when families are tightening their belts, city hall should be doing the same.

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Instead, what are we seeing? We're seeing a significant expansion of the mayor's office. Reports indicate that 20 people have been appointed to senior positions, most with salaries exceeding

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$150,000. eight new newly created positions, okay, that are over 150,000 a piece. That's $1.2 million plus benefits.

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Why do we need new management? Even using these conservative estimates, these salaries alone will well over $3.5 million annually before benefits. The issue isn't whether talented people need

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to be deserve to be paid fairly. They do. The issue is whether this level of expansion is necessary and whether taxpayers receiving value for every dollar being spent.

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Many residents are also concerned about who is being appointed. Questions have been raised about appointments involving political allies, former campaign associates, non-residents, and

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individuals who qualifications have been publicly debated. Whether every claim is accurate or not, the perception alone underscores the need for greater transparency.

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If these positions are essential, then explain in detail why each position was created, what measurable goals each employees expected to receive, and how these [clears throat] positions will

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improve services for residents. Taxpayers deserve answers. Okay, before I call the next speaker, we are as per Council President Ridley, we're

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going to give speaker number 5.57, uh, Assemblyman Charles Mayor some courtesy to speak next. Good evening all and thank you so much for the courtesy. Um I want to first begin by making one

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thing absolutely clear. I am not here to fight. Many of us are here to work towards a solution. a solution that both the residents and the administration can live with and one that reflects the fairness and base transparency and

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shared burdens. We stand here because a significant tax increase has been placed on the people of Jersey City on homeowners, seniors, working families, and every resident who is already stretched thin. And let me be

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honest, this is not a number on the bill. This is groceries. This is rent. This is medication. This is the difference between stability and struggle. Living in a community or being forced out. For many households, this tax height represents a real immediate

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hardship. And when residents feel blindsided or unheard, trust erodess. We're asking tonight for clarity, accountability, and collaboration, not confrontation. We believe Jersey City can do better. We believe solutions

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exist. We believe that when government and the community work honestly and openly together we can we can protect both the fiscal health of the city and the financial stability of the people who call it home. We are not asking you to reject assistance from the state.

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We're asking you to negotiate a better deal. Many of us believe that this council was presented with little choice of or opportunity just to say yes or no to a deal that had already been reached by the administration focus on its own policies rather than the people that it

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represents. Where is the accountability? Where is the transparency? Where is the shared burden of an administration that recently hired new directors, created new created new positions, and raised salaries for a few while firing the the

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few people that live paycheck to paycheck. We are the heartbeat of the city. And let me be clear, a tax height of this size without clear justification is not just poor policy, it's disrespect. It disregards the very people who make

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Jersey City what it is. We elected you to be our voice and tonight we need you to speak loudly and clear. We need you to say no to an excessive tax hike. We believe in Jersey City where decisions are made with people, not around people. Where taxes

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are fair, service are strong, and leadership is accountable. The members who are leaning towards supporting this tax bill, let me be clear. We will not be silent. We will not be ignored and we will uh not accept a tax burden. and to

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the council president and the members that stood with her. Thank you. Thank you for standing. Thank you for demanding accountability and thank you for doing what we elected you to do, representing us. >> Thank you. Before

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I call the next speaker, if I can just ask the ladies and gentlemen just to hold your applause while people are speaking because when you do applaud, they can't be heard and you're taking up their time. I'm just You can do it after they speak. It's best to do it that way.

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Thank you. Next speaker, 5.16, Maria Ross. Okay. Hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, um I want to thank the city council for allowing everyone to speak and for holding these meetings. And I

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want to say that I am aware that our city council has been very vocal, empathetic, understanding, and trying to come to an agreement with the mayor regarding this uh tax increase. And I want to thank all of you who have been doing your best to help the citizens of

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Jersey City. But I need to ask you because I've been to many of these meetings where people have come for hours and spoken up and asked the council to please vote on say no on a certain ordinance. And after hours of

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people begging, the council has turned around and voted against the people. And what usually happens is every city council person has a little paragraph where they say, "Well, you know, I really didn't want to vote on this

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ordinance or resolution, but I have to because and then they give the reason why." So, I really hope that this is not one of those meetings where the council is going to tell us at the end of the of hours of sitting here and waiting to talk our turn that they're going to say,

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"Well, I'm really sorry, guys, but I have to, you know, vote against you. So, please vote with the people of Jersey City. Please don't give us a tax increase. We cannot afford it." As simple as that. Thank you so much.

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Our next speaker, 5.17, John Ross, John's not here. Okay. >> Oh, John's. He's right here. >> Oh, sorry, John. Um so my first point was going to be about transparency over salaries and new

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hires. Uh the gentleman before me known as Albert over here seemed to cover it very efficiently. He was jolly kind. Um it's in my opinion there's uh a he said a 150,000. There's many many hires that

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are over 200,000. And the final point I would add to what he said is that um there's a lot of doubling up. Uh we now have two municipal heads. That's two people doing one job and we have two deputy mayors, two people doing one job.

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And this is of course is costing a lot of money. Anyway, moving on. Um I'd like to ask where the pilot audit is. I'm sure all of you would like to ask the same thing, but we can't do anything

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about it and we have to ask you to please do something about this to push the administration to release this. It's overdue. I've heard that it's already done, but for some reason they don't want to release it. Could that reason possibly be that they don't want us to know

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exactly how much money the city is owed by developers? Of course, as I learned recently, um if there's $4 million sitting there that the city is owed by developers, that could translate into lowering our

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tax height by 1%. And so on with the math, you know, so we I think it's very important that all of us, you guys and all of us get to read this pilot audit.

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And my last point is relative to that. There is in the workings a new pilot called the canal crossing. And I would like to ask you guys, you know, to consider when you actually get to vote

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on this. What's going on is they are getting a 30-year, again I will repeat, 30-year abatement for 11% affordable housing. So for every 100 units built 11

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of affordable housing and for that they are getting 30 years why does it have to be 30 years if an abatement is needed at all why does it have to be such a long abatement so that's pretty much what I got please

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thank you >> our next speaker 5.8 98. Eliza Rodriguez. >> Hold on, Sean. Hey, John. I just want to say um I understand the public's position as it relates to certain things, but I would urge everyone to

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look into all of the facts of this abatement. Um there's there's a difference between the narrative that it's only 11% but there's another there's a is also a difference between it's 11 I mean it's uh 11 units or a

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certain amount of units at a certain threshold. So, if we're going to be speaking on the different um pilots and the terms, I just want to make sure that everyone's privy to the accurate informations as it relates to the

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available um affordable stocks. I mean, there's we can go back and forth about if it's affordable and to who and things like that. I just wanted to put that on the record as it relates to the >> taken. Fair enough. My >> not a question and answer. I'm sorry.

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>> It has 30 years. That's the whole point. >> Next speaker. 5.18. Eliza, not here. 5.19, Chris Harrison. Bless you. >> Not here.

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5.20. Demetrius Van Demar. Good evening. So according to the Miam Webster dictionary, trust is defined as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something.

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We the people have lost all trust in James Solomon and some of the members on the city council. I come here today as a resident of Jersey City's Ward F. The actions amongst the exeutor of the legislative

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branch of this city is appalling and egregious. Not only are residents now responsible for a deficit that wasn't created by us, but we must sit and watch a modern-day equivalent of a lynching to city employees who made under 50k that were

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laid off and then later escorted out by police. Solomon promised certain public offices would not be touched. The fire department, the police department, and the recreational department.

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Please ensure that the crossing guards to my left who are sitting behind me in uniform are not laid off next. They are the heart they are the heart and the soul of this community since you all are so veheently

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for vision zero. I stand with every city council member who is authentically against this tax proposal. I stand for the community's most vulnerable which are the seniors and the children. the seniors who have lived in this city

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for almost 20 to 30 years who are fearing to lose their houses because of this tax proposal. I work in one of the largest fashion houses in the world. When the inevitable happened with layoffs, it began from the top down.

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The creative director of 13 years was fired. The COO was fired. The CFO, etc. was fired. The bamboozling that King James Solomon has done is not right, nor is it legal.

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We no longer are asking the city council for a clear and coherent audit of the taxes and previous spending, but we are demanding it. Please also remember that the state prosecutor is able to assist you all if you all don't know what you're doing. We

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need this no later than the end of the week. And just so the public is aware, just in case we don't know how to do simple math, most houses in Jersey City are rated at 600K. With a 20% tax increase, most residents

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will be paying an additional $10,000 a month on top of their already high-end taxes. And that equals to $120 a year. That's simple math, guys. Come on. >> That's not accurate. I'm sorry. >> Let let us finish. Renters aren't

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excluded. If I don't live in a rent control apartment, my time back, your rent will be at just as high as >> time is up. Thank you. >> Next speaker 5.21 Benny. And people, we just I don't I I just I

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understand everybody is passionate. Everybody I get it. I just like we have to because there's so many people that's watching that really can't understand exactly what's going on. So if we can focus on

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the facts, it is extremely important so that way we're not spreading misinformation. If we could focus in on the facts, again, I'm not telling anybody which way to lean as it relates to how you feel about things, but if we

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could specifically focus on the facts of these numbers. >> Okay, our next speaker is Benny. >> Good evening, council members, and thank you for your service. Um, my name is Benny Cassal's CAS ALS

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and I've been with the JCIA and DPW for 21 years and I love my job. But I have to say 6 years without a contract and I believe the coalition agrees with me is absolutely unacceptable. We have bills to pay and families to feed and we can't keep up with the

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inflation and they understand the money is in the budget to get this done. So please support the budget. Sweet, short and sweet. Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 5.22, Santo. >> Do I have to spell my name to you?

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>> No, you do not. [laughter] >> Okay. My name is Santo Dalam Monica. I am the president of public employees local 245. And during the election, we supported

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team Solomon and the entire team. And I'm glad to see you guys up there. You asked us for help. We gave you help. We need help now to patch a budget because in that budget is money for us to get a contract. We have suffered six and a

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half years without a contract. If people are talking about cutting city services, this is my second layoff. Okay. The people that was laid off or fired, the 35 people with

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unclassified titles and escorted out of DPW was uncalled for. Guy came in from work, died. Now, here's the important issue. by traffic guards. The traffic guards worked hard

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to get you folks up there for your jobs and they're unclassified. Are you going to wipe out all of the traffic guards? Are you going to lay off police department? Well, wait a minute. You don't have a guard here. You got to put a cop. But if you don't have a cop, you

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can't put a cop there. How about the fire department? You're going to close firehouses. Your city will burn. forestry. Every one of those gentlemen that work there, except for the top of class, [laughter]

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are new, so they're going to be laid off. My mechanics that keep your police cars running, keep the snowmobiles running, but those folks are going to get laid off. What about the pothole crew? Brand new, started fixing

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potholes. Those people just hired. So the last people in will be the first ones to go. So please do not cut city services. You guys don't want to get your salaries

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cut. They don't want to lose their jobs. They got families by traffic guards. And I was listening to the stop signs. We need pro stop signs. A stop sign before you get to the stop sign. This way when that person sees that it slows down. If

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not, you hit it. Maybe hit one of my guards. Uncalled for. We have to get this budget passed. We have to finally get a contract. You folks up there know me. I've been up here. Sean knows me. I

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asked for a contract for six and a half years. And it's beyond my recognition. Why Steve Phillip got away with all of this stuff. But I can't help that. The only thing I can help is save jobs. And that's my job as

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a union president to save jobs. >> Okay. So, please pass a budget. Thank you, Sean. >> Our next speaker, 5.23, Craig. >> How are you today, Sean? >> I am good, Craig. Good to see you. City

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Council, how are you? Listen, let make this short and sweet. I'm a member of Local 245 as I'm on the board and I'm also in the mail room. I work at DPW. The one thing I have to ask you guys is this one question. Why has

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it taken us 6 and 1/2 years with to get a contract? I have struggling people right behind me here and over here and they're all struggling trying to make ends meet. you. We see your salaries going up, but we don't see ours going

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anywhere. And it's six and a half years. We need a budget and we need our money now. I don't I don't care what anyone thinks. If you want to think something, bring me in office. Let's talk these numbers. We're going to figure it out. I can

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guarantee you. Thank you very much. Bye-bye. Our our next speaker 5.24 Maxwell. All right. Good evening y'all. I'm Maxwell Feller. [clears throat and cough] I'm a member of 245 and I'm here tonight

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to express my strong opposition to the proposed tax increase in this year's budget. I'm a renter and like many residents, I simply cannot afford another increase in my monthly expenses. If property taxes go up, there's a very real chance that my rent will go up as well

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and that would definitely hurt. I also have friends who own small businesses and they're facing the challenges of rising costs and increase in property tax with placing ether great and burden on local businesses that are working hard just to stay open and serve

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our community outside of downtown Jersey City. I respectfully ask the council to explore every possible alternative before asking residents and small business owners to shoulder another tax increase. Families are already stretching every dollar and small

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businesses are fighting to survive in an increasingly difficult economy. Please prioritize accountability, responsible budgeting, and finding solutions that do not place additional fi financial strain on the people who live, work, and invest in Jersey City.

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Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Our next speaker, 5.25, 25 Daryl. >> Good evening, city council. Hope all is well with everyone. My name is Daryl Roberts and I'm a parks attendant for the city of Jersey City. I've been with

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this job 11 years in counting. I'm very thankful and humble and appreciative. With that being said, let's get address the matter at hand. I don't think no city worker should be getting laid off or fired. We barely have the people power as it is right now. All departments and divisions are important

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and essential to keeping this city looking presentable. Parks, recreation, sanitation, MUA, DNI, automotive, messengers, dispatchers, police officers, person guards, lifeguards, automotive, forestry, sanitation,

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recycling. If I missed anybody, forgive me, but all all departments. All departments, let me finish. Without us, the city cannot stay afloat and will not function properly. Now, I'm not against the city council. I need y'all to

452
02:11:58.880 --> 02:12:16.079
understand. But I need the city council understand. Work with us to come with a reasonable, fair solution where no one else loses their job and everybody wins. Help us help you. Take care of people that take care of the city. The little guys matter as much as the big guys.

453
02:12:16.079 --> 02:12:50.599
Sometimes sometimes the lightest things carry the most weight. Remember, we are the same people that voted y'all in. And fortunately, some of those same people no longer have a job. Thank you for your time and consideration, and have a good night. 5.26 Samuel

454
02:12:52.400 --> 02:13:07.920
Hi Sean, how are you? >> Viral Brooks, Tom Griffin, Denise Gilmore, Jake, Lilo, Manita. Nice to meet you. Thank you. Good evening, city council. As you know, my name is Sam Ortiz,

455
02:13:07.920 --> 02:13:22.320
standing behind me on behalf of all Georgia City School traffic cars. We are Georgia City's employees serving under Georgia City Police Department District throughout Georgia City Public School, charter school, summer's camp, and after

456
02:13:22.320 --> 02:13:39.599
school. As you know, whenever the community needs me, I'm there. But today, it's not about me. It's about my coworkers. I'm here for them. The importance of recognizing of the

457
02:13:39.599 --> 02:13:56.239
vital role of school traffic guards for pedestrian safety is valid and appreciated. Ensuring the safety of the children pedestrian is crucial. Maintaining each position can significantly contribute to that goal.

458
02:13:56.239 --> 02:14:11.360
Our presence not only help manage pedestrian traffic but also foster fosters the sense of community and security. Maintaining our position can significantly significantly uh contribute to a safer environment for

459
02:14:11.360 --> 02:14:27.520
students, family and teachers. In the light of this city budget constraint that many schools and mun munipal face is important to advocate for the value of that cross for guard that bring to

460
02:14:27.520 --> 02:14:43.599
our neighborhood your neighborhoods. They contribute to [clears throat] all overall well-being of our children and can help reduce traffic congestion during peak school hours. The administration and the city council

461
02:14:43.599 --> 02:14:58.639
must acknowledge and appreciate the work that we do and do on a daily basis on dangerous drivers speeding behaviors. We pay bills. We we pay rent. We sign up for this job because we love the kids to

462
02:14:58.639 --> 02:15:14.560
be safe and see the smile of each day of they feel safe with us. Not only the children but also the teachers, the handicapped, the elderly. Parents need us and they trust us to do our job

463
02:15:14.560 --> 02:15:32.040
safely. We are the first one in the morning and we are the last one to leave to make sure that all children and pedestrian make it back home safely. On that note, I may blow the final whistle.

464
02:15:43.280 --> 02:16:14.239
that because it's the last time you will hear from us. If you decide to lay us off, all the children of Georgia City will be in your hands. Our next speaker 5.27 27 Osama >> 5.27. That's you. Okay.

465
02:16:14.239 --> 02:16:30.639
>> Good evening. Good evening, council president, members of the city council. Feel for all you, especially the ones that are rookies up here because you got a lot of people here, you know, upset. But uh I wish I was here on better terms, but this is a realistic

466
02:16:30.639 --> 02:16:46.080
conversation that we need to have because we're at the point of crossroads of where the city could be. So reason why I'm here, not looking for sympathy tonight, just looking to give you the facts and where we're standing as Jersey City Police Department. So I'm an officer, I'm a sergeant with the police

467
02:16:46.080 --> 02:17:03.040
department, been there for 20 plus years and I've seen the evolution of this police department. I'm a father. I'm a I'm a property owner. I'm a landlord, small business owner. So, I have a lot invested in Jur City. I truly believe in Jur City. It's the reason why I became a Jur City officer. So,

468
02:17:03.040 --> 02:17:18.479
I'm here asking you to make a decision that will determine whether Jur City continues moving forward or begins moving backwards. I stand before you today because if we don't get this right, then all these issues that we're talking about now will be irrelevant. And it's

469
02:17:18.479 --> 02:17:33.599
almost like having a health problem. Once you have a health problem, there's only one thing to focus on. And that's where we're leading right now. if we don't do something about it. So, this is bigger than a contract. It's bigger than a budget. It's bigger than politics. It's about preserving the foundation that allow Jersey City to become one of

470
02:17:33.599 --> 02:17:50.240
the most successful and safest cities in our region given the population to officer ratio. Right now, we have about 720 or so officers, which is drastically down compared to many years ago when we had above a thousand officers. In a city booming this large, we can't be afford

471
02:17:50.240 --> 02:18:05.519
to lose officers, which are losing left and right. Our officers are getting better deals in in other towns because they see our value here and they're scooping up every single officer that allows them the chance to take them. So, we're losing them left and right. This has become a pandemic. It's not just a

472
02:18:05.519 --> 02:18:21.760
random occurrence of officers leaving. And for many years, the city has been built on their backs and which is why I'm here to continue the tradition with them. And I don't want to lose that. And I don't want to lose your city and where we got ourselves to at this point.

473
02:18:21.760 --> 02:18:36.639
You start in the academy now. You have to spend about $6,000 alone just to be an officer buying the equipment and everything. You start a salary around $41,000. You can't afford to live in this city. You have 10 steps to get the top pay. I mean, unless you're living with your parents where you can afford to come here or you're a criminal

474
02:18:36.639 --> 02:18:53.200
infiltrating the system or if you're somebody self-established, we're only going to be limited to a certain type of officer to come on this job at this precipice. [snorts] And if we don't do something now and create and get a good a budget that works for everybody and a contract that works for our officers, this department will not be what it's set now. In about a few years, when I

475
02:18:53.200 --> 02:19:07.920
come to retire, about a third of the department will be eligible to retire. And that's about four years from now. That's not a long term from now. So, I don't want this to be one-term wonders for any of you here. I'd rather see you do the right thing. Lift us up, have our backs the way we've had your backs for many years here in Jersey City. And

476
02:19:07.920 --> 02:19:32.880
these officers care. They truly care. Despite them working with very minimal manpower, very minimal equipment, they still do what they have to do and they sacrifice every single day. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. Next speaker, 5.28, Alberta. >> Good evening, council members. My name

477
02:19:32.880 --> 02:19:48.800
is Alberto Vasquez. I am currently a sergeant with the Jersey City Police Department. I speak today having 14 years of experience in your police department. Along with being born and raised in this great city, I've been representing our city my entire life.

478
02:19:48.800 --> 02:20:04.319
We constantly advocate for our city and for our department. But right now, it's getting difficult. Our men and women answer over 200 calls for service on a daily basis. Our men and women are constantly going out there in danger on a daily basis to protect our citizens.

479
02:20:04.319 --> 02:20:21.280
Our men and women are under constant stress. The stress is a reminder of how difficult and dangerous this job is. Making any cuts now will have a significant and major impact on the quality of life to our officers and our citizens.

480
02:20:21.280 --> 02:20:38.000
As Sergeant Badawi said, we're losing great officers to the from this police department. They are constantly leaving this police department. When I speak to them, most of them say to me, "Sarge, I'm not leaving because of the uh because I I want to leave Jersey City. I'm leaving because of the

481
02:20:38.000 --> 02:20:56.399
pay. I'm also leaving because when I go to my different department, I have a lot less work to do. We currently have approximately 30 supervisors that can leave today with 25 years of experience. We have 87 supervisors that can retire within the next three years with 25

482
02:20:56.399 --> 02:21:12.399
years of experience. We don't want to lose that. Those are the men and women that I count on as well while I'm out there if I need that senior experience. I fill in and say this unpopular decision that will make an extremely

483
02:21:12.399 --> 02:21:26.240
diff that will make it extremely difficult. But I fully believe as US council members will do the right thing and help this city out. It's not only important for our members of the Jersey City Police Department, but our firemen,

484
02:21:26.240 --> 02:21:51.600
our city workers, DPW, our officers out there in the street crossing our children. Now is the time to get it right. I want to end with this. Every day we go out there, we answer the call. No matter what, we answer the

485
02:21:51.600 --> 02:22:08.640
call. Again, whether it's police, fire, DPW, or crossing guards, we answer the call. All I'm asking is for you to answer the call now. Help us out. We'll be here for you. We're going to answer our call our next shift. We're going to answer it. Help us out. Thank you for

486
02:22:08.640 --> 02:22:42.240
your time. Our next speaker 5.29 EJ EJ's not here. Medina. Next speaker 530 Jack also known as John. How you doing Mr. Gallery my friend?

487
02:22:42.240 --> 02:22:58.640
Good to see you again. and keep drumming. My name is Jack Collins. I live at 30C Avenue in Jersey City. I'm a taxpayer in the city and I'm the proud president of the Jersey City Uniform Firefighters Association Local 1066, our city's fire

488
02:22:58.640 --> 02:23:15.600
department. I want to thank council pre oh don't forget I'm also the vice president of the coalition of city public employees unions standing proudly that woman right there who you spoke who you heard speak first. I want to start by thanking Council President Ridley for reaching out last week having a dialogue

489
02:23:15.600 --> 02:23:31.439
with us and trying to give us some information. I want to also thank Councilman Thomas Zupa. You've been reaching out to us. You've been speaking to us months now. Your dedication of labor to the fire department, to the public workers of Jersey City, and to the residents will not be forgotten. I promise you that because you reached out

490
02:23:31.439 --> 02:23:48.399
and so did you, Council President. Rest of the council, it's good to see you. Worried about you. It's been a while. I'm not saying that to be facitious. I'm saying it because we've been asking all along, talk to us, engage us. We were all the bell of the ball in October, November, back in September when there

491
02:23:48.399 --> 02:24:04.800
were elections. Then we got forgotten. We have all these issues that we've been told. We have a financial crisis, 20%, 15%. No one's talking to us. I do want to thank Stu and I want to thank Laura Busmani from the mayor's office. They reached out to us as well. They're at

492
02:24:04.800 --> 02:24:21.520
least trying to talk to us. Where we go with that, we don't know. But what I can tell you is this. I wear two hats. I'm a taxpayer in this city and I am a proud firefighter. We will not be pawns in whatever is going on between the mayor's office and the council and this administration.

493
02:24:21.520 --> 02:24:38.160
We elected all of you to lead and this is where leaders are made. Step up and lead. Figure it out. Fix it. Talk to each other because you could talk when we when when we were out there on the trails. Talk now. We don't know what's going on because you don't tell us. So

494
02:24:38.160 --> 02:24:53.760
engage us. You tell us that you have to pass this budget, that you have to pass this tax increase. Well, then here's what we want from you. My members want to guarantee that you're going to fix what's broke first before you move on to anything else. We don't want to hear

495
02:24:53.760 --> 02:25:09.600
about platforms that you ran on. We don't want to hear about new expenditures. We don't want to hear about social problems. Fix the mess that this money was brought forth first. Secure their jobs. Secure their families. Let them know that you have our backs. Like my good friend Berto

496
02:25:09.600 --> 02:25:25.920
said, I've known him since grammar school. Me and my brother played high school baseball together. We answer the call every time. We do it in rigs that are 30 and 35 years old. We go we go back to houses to recoup that are 30° in the winter. Not cuz it's outside, inside the

497
02:25:25.920 --> 02:25:41.840
house to recover, to go back and do it again. We've been told that there have to be cuts made, but then we watch new hires. We get told that everyone's trying, but then when we ask, everyone just points fingers at each other. Stop pointing. We

498
02:25:41.840 --> 02:26:12.720
know there's a learning curve. We're here to work with you. We don't want to be enemies, but if you want to have our back, we'll have yours. >> Thanks, Jack. >> Thank you. Next speaker 5.31 Sam. >> Um I just I just wanted to thank the

499
02:26:12.720 --> 02:26:29.200
firefighters for their enthusiastic support. Um I was not aware that you guys were trying to reach my office. So I apologize. Uh my office will be reaching out to set up a meeting. Well, unfortunately, we're s we're in a position now where you're pitting the

500
02:26:29.200 --> 02:26:44.960
taxpayers against the unions and also I guess the property devel developers. Unfortunately for, you know, I have some sympathy for the the firefighter unions who just spoke, but it is abundantly

501
02:26:44.960 --> 02:27:02.399
clear that the tax the taxpayers are going to face some kind of increase and it is abundantly clear that the unions are going to have to face cuts or reduction andor reduction in benefits. My dad was a teacher. I have a couple

502
02:27:02.399 --> 02:27:17.359
family members who were teachers. for example, one's a uh used to be a superintendent in New Jersey and she's living in Florida now, but using New Jerseyy's healthc care program because it's better. When my dad was a teacher

503
02:27:17.359 --> 02:27:34.479
in Jersey City, you know, he abused the system. And I told him that because the benefits and protections were so good. He was sick with diabetes. He worked half a year and he couldn't get fired. I would have fired him. That's a personal story. The reason I'm

504
02:27:34.479 --> 02:27:51.920
concerned now and why this tax proposal has gotten an issue for me is because right now I'm paying over $100,000 a year in federal, state, and local taxes. That's the breaking point for me. And

505
02:27:51.920 --> 02:28:07.760
I never thought I I expected I expected to do a couple hundred,000 worth of improvements on my house, expected to retire here and developing developing a plan. As I see that the mishandling of of both the municipal taxes and the board of education are increasing costs

506
02:28:07.760 --> 02:28:24.399
so much, I am now changing my strategy and developing a plan to leave if I need to. Now, I have sympathy. I'm not I I I still oppose the mayor's current proposal and you are listening and I applaud both the mayor and everybody on

507
02:28:24.399 --> 02:28:40.720
the council for taking this seriously. You're not go you're going to make everybody unhappy and that is how it should be. Taxes will be increased maybe 10 15% and there will be reductions in benefits and job losses at the uh

508
02:28:40.720 --> 02:28:56.960
municipal unions and that's as it should be. I currently I currently it has to be that way. It has to be that way otherwise we're going to leave and you're going to leave you're going to leave the city with illegal immigrants and who's going to pay your salary then? So, but but before I I would just add I

509
02:28:56.960 --> 02:29:14.080
would just add I would just add I I oppose the I oppose the I oppose the current budget um mainly because it tries to fix to save a broken system rather than fixing a system uh rather than fixing the system. I would encourage the mayor and the city council

510
02:29:14.080 --> 02:29:30.479
to have structural changes re reducing the cost of health care and for and very a specific example also the cost of education. The mayor should ex official be a member of the board of education and and I encourage um uh >> Thank you, sir. Your time is up.

511
02:29:30.479 --> 02:29:58.319
>> New Jersey statute say >> time is up. >> Everyone is entitled to their three minutes and their opinion whether we like it or not. All right. >> Just for just for the record, no person

512
02:29:58.319 --> 02:30:22.960
is illegal. No human being is illegal. Now, before I call our next speaker, again, I know everybody's passionate. This is an important subject, but the one thing we shouldn't do, we're Jersey City, right? We should, even if we don't

513
02:30:22.960 --> 02:30:39.200
agree with the person, let the person speak and then let the person leave. Okay? Let's be fair on both sides. With that being said, 5.32. Letia is she not speaking cuz she

514
02:30:39.200 --> 02:31:03.200
spoke earlier? Okay. So now we have 5.33 James Carol. >> Wait, wait, wait, wait. Sorry. >> I had a mute. >> I I know a lot of people would like to mute me today. I get that.

515
02:31:03.200 --> 02:31:20.240
I I uh I I wrote a nice speech and uh I spoke to the presidents about it. I think I'm going to leave this on the table and speak from the heart, especially hearing the gentleman before us with his speech. I've had the pleasure of serving, but all of you for

516
02:31:20.240 --> 02:31:37.520
over 30 years. 30 years. You talk about benefits and the cost. Analyze the sums of what we make compared to other departments, to other cities. Our police officers died. I've gone to seven funerals.

517
02:31:37.520 --> 02:31:53.439
officers that died in the line of duty. I was there. I don't I do get a little passionate, Sean, and I apologize because I never want to disrespect you because you're a true gentleman. You're a true you're a true true mediator. But let's be realistic here. When somebody makes a statement of that nature, I

518
02:31:53.439 --> 02:32:09.200
understand. I'm about to face a tax increase, too. But the 1,200 of that 1,800 I'm looking at, it's already done. It left the barn. It's the county. It's the state. I know where that's coming from. We're probably looking at something maybe from a 12 or 15 that the

519
02:32:09.200 --> 02:32:24.240
council is discussing. We all know we're Jersey City. We're in here. We know what the debates are. It's a back and forth. I understand the pressures that are on each council person. I truly do. I've watched this for 30 years and I want to build a relationship with you. It's not my intention to be adversarial to walk

520
02:32:24.240 --> 02:32:41.520
up here, you know. But however, I created a cardinal sin and I did. I absolutely created a cardinal sin. I started a union. whole I had cooties after I did that cuz I can tell you this. You know what happened? A lot of the people that just got laid off, let

521
02:32:41.520 --> 02:32:56.479
me tell you who they are. Two people I've known forever. Single mother with a child. A a a young man just had a baby is on FMLA taking care of a baby bonding time. I'm telling you the people that are impacted on this impass. I don't know

522
02:32:56.479 --> 02:33:12.560
what's going to be right and wrong. I don't. I know what the mayor told us. I agree with Cha. I agree with Lati. I agree with all of our union leaders that are sitting here and have taken the mantle and asked us to all join this leadership. I think Latia, where are you standing? Over there. I think she said a very poised statement about what needs

523
02:33:12.560 --> 02:33:29.280
to happen. We need to make sure that we're having dialogue. We need sure that we're making sure that we're working together. This is not who we are. And here's why I know we're sitting here talking about due diligence, right? Due diligence. Everybody's saying due diligence. Love due diligence. I do. on

524
02:33:29.280 --> 02:33:46.240
one of those study turned fine. However, we voted on $180 million healthcare change and there was no dig due diligence. We know this. You know why? Because it was 7 months later when you received the SP date. Okay. So, you had

525
02:33:46.240 --> 02:34:03.359
good faith in the mayor then, right? Something went wrong in the middle. Where's that dialogue, guys? And here's another question I have. the 11 members that are there. I've watched my social media companions up here have this discussion. I want to be very clear, everybody's on social media. I sent

526
02:34:03.359 --> 02:34:31.359
Denise today cuz you're a gem of a human being and I know you'll follow up. >> Thanks. >> Sorry. Our next speaker, 5.34, John Kilroy. >> Evening, council president and council members. My name is John Kilroy. I'm the president of Jersey City Public

527
02:34:31.359 --> 02:34:46.960
Employees Local 246. I proudly represent more than 500 dedicated city workers who every day keep this city operational. I'm here to this evening express my opposition to proposed tax increase. Like many other members, I am a

528
02:34:46.960 --> 02:35:04.720
taxpayer. Our union includes single mothers, single fathers, and hardworking families who can't simply afford no more money to be taken out of their paychecks. While local 246 is the largest civilian union in the city, our members remain grossly underpaid despite

529
02:35:04.720 --> 02:35:19.760
despite the essential services they provide. Our union was hit especially hard with the recent layoffs. I lost 16 employees. And I will point to people's faces here so you know who these people are at the bottom of the rung who got

530
02:35:19.760 --> 02:35:35.600
laid off. Little passionate because these are people who come out here every day and do a job for you and they were treated like garbage. Despite being told that everybody needs to tighten their belt, the essential services such as the car pound have to

531
02:35:35.600 --> 02:35:50.720
reduce will have to reduce operations or close probably and people won't get their cars and be charged extra fees. These are the residents that you represent. Today I stand with the members and decide to affect one of us. The layoffs can happen to civilians,

532
02:35:50.720 --> 02:36:06.960
police officers, and firefighters. And any other city employed that happened won't be next. Our workforce is already stretched thin. Every day employees expected to do less, do more with less, and that's simply not sustainable. But all across the city has declined

533
02:36:06.960 --> 02:36:21.600
significantly. It's disheartening to see the workplace has become. We are asking the council to prioritize accountability, transparency, and open communications before asking taxpayers to shoulder this

534
02:36:21.600 --> 02:36:37.439
great financial burden. Four, service. Our employees deserve better. The residents we serve deserve better. Thank you for your time. I'm open to anybody who wants to contact me to have a sit down.

535
02:36:37.439 --> 02:36:54.920
My people work hard for this city. I know some use personally, some use I don't. I'd like to have a dialogue with each and every one of you to represent the people that keep this city running to make you look good. Thank you for your time.

536
02:36:56.640 --> 02:37:25.160
Our next speaker 5.35 Hippolito here no one wants >> no >> okay next 5.36 Travis Raglin

537
02:37:26.319 --> 02:38:02.600
Next 5.37 Deonte Griffin Quick Deante. No. Next. 5.38. Peter Noak. Peter, hold on one second. Let's not call out. Let's let the speaker speak.

538
02:38:04.319 --> 02:38:23.600
Same respect for everyone. >> Good evening. Those you don't know me, my name is Peter Noak. I am the president of the Jersey City Fire Officers, IAFF1064. I was born and raised here in Jersey City, and I've been an employee of the fire department for over 34 years.

539
02:38:23.600 --> 02:38:39.439
I'd like to thank Mayor Solomon, his team, the city council, and of course the union coalition who's here today. For the last couple of months, we've been having conversations. We knew these difficult times were coming. They're here. Difficult decisions need to be

540
02:38:39.439 --> 02:38:56.399
made. I have firsthand witnessed this city and its ups and downs. This great city that we have today requires great city workers to keep this city great. Each one of these people perform a job and a task that is needed. There's no extra people hiding in closets. Every

541
02:38:56.399 --> 02:39:12.160
cut will be felt by the citizens that deserve nothing but the best. Tonight, the council's tasked with having to make a difficult decision. I know too well what faces you when you have to make that difficult decision. And it may not be the popular one, but

542
02:39:12.160 --> 02:39:28.479
stick with your gut, stick with your instincts, and do the right thing for every single one of these people and the people who elected you to represent them here on this day. Each one of you put the time and effort in to do your due diligence. Yes, there is probably some communication breakdown

543
02:39:28.479 --> 02:39:46.000
as there was with us. Um, but I ask that you help us, help you, and support a budget, whatever that budget looks like, that provides the essential services that each and every person in this city deserves because we do the best. As many

544
02:39:46.000 --> 02:40:01.439
people have said here today, we answer the call day in and day out in bad weather, in hot weather, in cold weather, in the most adverse conditions, under some very difficult firehouse conditions. Jack took a lot of my speech uh concerning the apparatus and the

545
02:40:01.439 --> 02:40:16.000
firehouses. So, I'm not going to berate the point, but we cannot do more with less. We cannot answer more calls that are coming in with less bodies out in the field and apparatus that is failing. So, I ask you here today, whatever

546
02:40:16.000 --> 02:40:30.960
budget we agree on tonight will protect the citizens as they deserve the best. It protects these government workers that are out here day in and day out doing the best that they can do under some difficult circumstances. I ask that the budget meets the needs of every

547
02:40:30.960 --> 02:40:46.399
department. We need resources and those resources are dollars. Unfortunately, they're tax dollars and it's a difficult decision, but do not let us fail in our mission protecting you and the people that put you up on the deis. Thank you

548
02:40:46.399 --> 02:41:13.720
and God bless. Uh just just uh for the record, I would like to state that we are not voting on a budget tonight. We're voting to introduce the budget and we will be having budget hearings uh in the next two weeks.

549
02:41:18.240 --> 02:41:39.359
>> Okay. Our next speaker 5.39 Kevin evening city council. Tough night, tough day. Um, today we were in municipal court. >> All right, I'm going to ask that

550
02:41:39.359 --> 02:41:57.439
everybody leave quietly so we can be respectful of the uh speakers. >> Sorry about that, Kevin. It's >> okay. If you are exiting, if you can exit quietly, we still have the meeting to conduct and we have public speakers. They were respectful when you were

551
02:41:57.439 --> 02:42:13.439
speaking. If we can be do the same, we greatly appreciate it. >> Hi. So, listening to everything that's happening here and it really has a lot to do with what we experienced today in municipal court.

552
02:42:13.439 --> 02:42:29.760
It's really a strange situation that we found ourselves in over these last couple of years. Seemingly unexplainable why the city would not enforce certain laws that would cause landlords, lawbreaking landlords to pay their fair

553
02:42:29.760 --> 02:42:45.280
share and to pay their fines. I think it was two council meetings ago, corporation council in this room mentioned that the superintendent issues are not subject to any litigation. I agree. Today in municipal court, there were

554
02:42:45.280 --> 02:43:05.920
over 88 summones before the judge. 22 of them had to do with, you could guess it, superintendent. It was the only one the municipal prosecutor did not mention. In October of last year, the ordinance

555
02:43:05.920 --> 02:43:21.120
James Solomon, then council person, sponsored was related to mandatory minimum fines. That same person is now our mayor and put forward an executive order to collect the maximum that ordinance provides.

556
02:43:21.120 --> 02:43:38.319
That was more than 255 days ago. Just the violations the municipal prosecutor opted not to bring up today. at the maximum would be more than the budget deficit times two.

557
02:43:38.319 --> 02:43:55.120
So that means if 255 million deficit is a 15.5% increase with double that owed to the city, we should call for a 15.5% reduction in taxes. It would seem

558
02:43:55.120 --> 02:44:10.399
for the unions, the firefighters, the crossing guards, anyone in this room with lawyers if you lose your job because the city is prioritizing not collecting fines from lawbreaking landlords so that they don't

559
02:44:10.399 --> 02:44:25.840
have the money to pay for your jobs. I won't file that lawsuit, but I can turn over the records. over 6,000 reported violations that the city has not collected that are reported to this council and this mayor every

560
02:44:25.840 --> 02:44:42.800
single day that today in court the press was there and for the first time five national news outlets now have a copy of all of the violations the city is not collecting so that they can fire essential workers. I'm easy to find. I'll turn over the

561
02:44:42.800 --> 02:45:04.720
records. I'll save you the Oprah. Every day this council gets that record. At least $500 million in uncollected. Not even tried to collect. They collected zero today. Thank you. Our next speaker 5.40 Daniel.

562
02:45:04.720 --> 02:45:21.279
I wanted to open with a quote. Uh this is from September 8th, 2025. Quote, "If your landlord breaks the law, they must pay a fine." That's from then Councilman James Solomon. Now, just a few hours ago, many of my fellow tenants and I attended today's

563
02:45:21.279 --> 02:45:38.000
municipal court hearing involving the 88 pending housing code complaints against Equity Residential. And during today's hearing, the municipal prosecutor asked the court to postpone the security guard complaints until after uh pending security court case, superior court case

564
02:45:38.000 --> 02:45:54.319
is resolved. He also stated that the city's position is that the chapter 260 complaints are not contingent on the federal rent control case. Yet, the city is nevertheless waiting for the federal judge's decision before moving forward with the housing code complaints. So, zero fines collected. Now, as a

565
02:45:54.319 --> 02:46:10.479
resident, I find this difficult to understand because if the city's legal position is that these complaints are independent of federal litigation, then why are they being delayed because of that same litigation? And unfortunately, this is not the only example of city ordinances going uninforced because

566
02:46:10.479 --> 02:46:25.680
since December, I have documented the Korean War Memorial being left unsecured after hours in violation of ordinance 07-153. Night after night, I have submitted photographs through the city's CCL fix system showing the same condition. And

567
02:46:25.680 --> 02:46:41.520
despite months of documentation and ongoing communication, the ordinance continues to go uninforced and zero fines have been collected. Now, residents all over the city have spent the past several weeks and months hearing and reading about the city's financial challenges and the need for

568
02:46:41.520 --> 02:46:58.720
higher taxes and even layoffs. And at the same time, the city has ordinances that were specifically designed and strengthened to address ongoing housing violations. Ordinance 25-105 recognizes continuing violations and authorizes penalties that may occur for continuing

569
02:46:58.720 --> 02:47:15.600
non-compliance up to $2,000 per unit per day. and section 1-25 of the Jersey City Code likewise authorizes penalties and fines for violations of Jersey of city ordinances. Now, if the city believes these housing violations can legally be enforced today, residents deserve to

570
02:47:15.600 --> 02:47:31.359
know why those cases are being postponed and why fines aren't being collected. Because every month that enforcement is delayed is another month that tenants continue living with unresolved violations. Another month before those cases can be educated and another month before any penalties and fines

571
02:47:31.359 --> 02:47:47.760
authorized under the city's ordinances can be imposed. Before asking residents to pay higher taxes, I ask this council to ensure that the laws already on the books are enforced consistently, promptly, and in accordance with the city's own stated legal position. and that includes collecting fines related

572
02:47:47.760 --> 02:48:08.160
to housing violations. We're talking about money on the ground here. Thank you. Next speaker 5.41 retata. >> Sorry, did I say that wrong? >> Ranatada. >> Ranata. Sorry.

573
02:48:08.160 --> 02:48:28.720
>> I'll I'll yield my time back, but I I'll leave a question for you guys. Why is a municipal prosecutor working against the best interest of the city? Is anybody watching him? >> Say it again. >> Why is the municipal prosecutor working

574
02:48:28.720 --> 02:48:50.640
against the best interest of the city by not enforcing the collection of the fines that are due to the city? He sided with equity residential today. Our next speaker 5.42 Deepa.

575
02:48:50.640 --> 02:49:08.880
>> Uh I'm sorry Sean. Um uh Sarah, do do we know are there any distractions? Is it backlog? Like why why they can't get to the um like all of these summones and violations?

576
02:49:10.399 --> 02:49:26.720
I don't know. I understand there was a hearing at 4:00 today. I haven't received an update on the hearing. I was not there. I'm happy to confer with the municipal prosecutor and give an update to the council persons on what transpired. >> Thank you.

577
02:49:26.720 --> 02:49:44.560
>> If I can also just note um item uh 10.41 41 on our agenda this evening. Uh resolution 26-465 is um a consideration for us to authorize a request for proposals to contract out to help with debt

578
02:49:44.560 --> 02:50:01.120
collection services for fines like this um around violations like this. I think this is a a crucial step in at least one part of the structural problem that we have with making good on our enforcement around things like housing violations and rent violations. um we don't have

579
02:50:01.120 --> 02:50:15.200
the structure, we don't have the system for it. And so hopefully uh this contract uh if we approve it um successful uh would not cost the city money. Uh the contractor would get some my understanding is get some money uh as

580
02:50:15.200 --> 02:50:32.479
a portion of of the um the fines that are collected, but it would be able to empower us to actually collect a lot more than what we're collecting now, which absolutely has been lackluster to say the very least. So, I just want to point us to um at least part of this

581
02:50:32.479 --> 02:50:53.439
puzzle. We're starting to put it together. Um and we're acting acting on that tonight. Okay. 5.42. She's not here. Okay. Next. 5.43. Sylvia not here.

582
02:50:53.439 --> 02:51:12.880
5.44. Dan, yield your time. Thank you. 5.45 Mark, you yield your time to nominate. In 2024, your predecessors took a definitive stand for public safety by

583
02:51:12.880 --> 02:51:29.680
passing ordinance 2405, explicitly mandating 247 uniform security for massive multiple dwellings. In letters and communications 6.28, 28. Today, the owners of the VYV towers on Warren Street are asking you to gut that

584
02:51:29.680 --> 02:51:45.279
very ordinance with an exemption petition. They want you to believe that a high-tech checklist can replace a human being. It cannot. The landlord's entire petition hinges on a classic fallacy, the illusion that passive security equals protection. They boast

585
02:51:45.279 --> 02:52:00.720
about their expensive CCTV networks and electronic locks. But let's be perfectly clear, cameras are historical, not preventative. A camera doesn't intercept an intruder. A camera doesn't stop a stalker or an armed trespasser. A camera

586
02:52:00.720 --> 02:52:17.359
merely records a crime while it happens, leaving residents to deal with the fallout. Electronic locks are easily defeated by simple tailgating. What keeps people safe is active uniform security on the premises. A licensed uniform guards a dynamic psychological

587
02:52:17.359 --> 02:52:33.040
deterrent providing real-time situational assessment, active gatekeeping, and immediate physical intervention during a crisis. The landlord tries to mask this gap by pointing to their 247 concierge staff. But a concierge is trained in

588
02:52:33.040 --> 02:52:49.279
hospitality, not security. Their continuous coverage, in quotes, is riddled with systemic gaps. Worst of all, their petition is built on flagrant statutory non-compliance. The report openly states that their single superintendent is only available

589
02:52:49.279 --> 02:53:06.720
weekdays from 9 to 5. That's a direct ongoing violation of Munich Code 25445B, which strictly mandates a 247 resident super for each tower of large buildings. When the prior council crafted ordinance

590
02:53:06.720 --> 02:53:23.040
24055, they explicitly stated that tenants had to be consulted. It's spelled out in 218-1D. There's no suggestion from the consultant uh sorry, no suggestion that the consultant even thought about soliciting input from tenants, nor went

591
02:53:23.040 --> 02:53:38.479
to public fora like Reddit to investigate. And let's not forget what they conveniently left out of their report. any analysis of fire or ambulance data and any mention of the resident's actual security issues, including a gunman at the property on

592
02:53:38.479 --> 02:53:54.479
January 16th with SWAT searching the towers floor by floor. If a landlord can't even comply with basic 247 superintendent laws, they have no business asking for an exemption from 247 public safety laws. Do not let

593
02:53:54.479 --> 02:54:18.399
technology become a corporate loot loophole for tenant neglect. protect our residents. Have the director of public safety deny this exemption. Thank you. Our next speaker 5.46, Sylvia M. I'll want to read the names and I'll

594
02:54:18.399 --> 02:54:39.319
tell you. >> Okay. Uh Tara >> yielding. >> Sorry. We got 5.46 Sylvia 5.47 Tara 5.48 Shannon

595
02:54:42.479 --> 02:54:58.000
yielded my time for many many weeks. And so tonight I'm going to speak. Um I'm Shannon Ray. I'm resident at Portide Towers. I never thought I'd be scared to live at Portide, but I am. So, I'm here to ask you to completely eliminate the

596
02:54:58.000 --> 02:55:14.800
exemption provision in chapter 2181 Part D. It's an unnecessary uniform security exemption provision that endangers residents while at the same time wasting precious city resources. Every time I walk through the parking

597
02:55:14.800 --> 02:55:30.399
garage, I do so in fear. Every time I enter a stairwell, which I'm forced to do when our elevators break down, I wonder if today's the day where somebody will attack me. This isn't paranoia. Our garage was left wide open for 17 days. We have building entry doors that don't

598
02:55:30.399 --> 02:55:47.680
lock and empty concierge desks. Several fires, flooding, a bullet, and a bloody woman trying to escape her attacker. There are no 247 unicorn security guards to provide active emergency management for the more than 1,000 tenants who reside at port side. Technology and

599
02:55:47.680 --> 02:56:02.240
untrained concierge are passive measures. They cannot chase intruders, calm residents during emergency or patrol stairwells. My neighbors feel the same terror. But you can help. Chapter 21, excuse me, chapter 2181A

600
02:56:02.240 --> 02:56:19.200
establishes an absolute duty. It says every owner shall furnish unism security guards, not should consider shall mandatory language. Section 2181D, an exemption provision, has created a costly administrative nightmare that's

601
02:56:19.200 --> 02:56:36.399
draining taxpayer payer resources, which we don't have to drain, while leaving us vulnerable. Our buildings house 232 and 295 families. Yet, instead of comp uh complying with the law, Equity Residential has launched an expensive

602
02:56:36.399 --> 02:56:52.800
legal campaign, deliberately misreading the ordinance to treat what should be an absolute requirement as negotiable. While we live in fear, your city staff is forced to conduct inspections, process appeals, draft denial letters, defend administrative decisions. The

603
02:56:52.800 --> 02:57:07.600
Department of Public Safety has spent countless hours on Portide's case alone. The emergency management director produced his detailed professional report explaining obvious security failures. The exemption provision cost taxpayers

604
02:57:07.600 --> 02:57:24.240
twice. First in administrative burden and second in public safety failures when adequate safe inadequate security leads to police calls and emergency responses. So I'm asking you to please remove 211D completely. Make the law what it should be. Simple, clear,

605
02:57:24.240 --> 02:57:41.520
absolute. Stop wasting taxpayer money on landlord convenience. Stop leaving us defenseless while lawyers argue. Protect your budget and us. We'd love to know which of you should we contact to update chapter 2181.

606
02:57:41.520 --> 02:58:01.200
>> Thanks. >> Next speaker 5.49 David >> building. 550 Susan R >> yielding >> 5.51 Jessica >> not yielding

607
02:58:01.200 --> 02:58:17.800
>> sorry >> don't be sorry it's >> um I just wanted to start out by acknowledging the massive support and force here tonight um the unions that represent the people who serve the city of Jersey City and thank you for your service.

608
02:58:21.279 --> 02:58:36.399
We we might have met before because you've been to my building many many times to address people getting stuck in elevators, fires, floods. Kevin got stuck in an elevator once. I'm sure that he has a picture with at least a few of you. Um

609
02:58:36.399 --> 02:58:53.200
safety violations, etc. And I think that we have a shared mission, believe it or not, because um you heard from a couple of us that today was one instance in the saga, the ongoing saga of court hearings for our group. Um, this court hearing today was about 88 summones that have

610
02:58:53.200 --> 02:59:11.439
been issued by the city for a variety of safety and other violations um, for my landlord. And we watched collectively because there were more than 50 tenants who took time out of their work days to attend this this Zoom to see if any of

611
02:59:11.439 --> 02:59:28.399
the fines associated with these summones would be actually collected. And we saw that the number was zero. And that means something for you too because that means there's less money in the budget. There's less money coming in for municipal fines that can support other

612
02:59:28.399 --> 02:59:44.080
things, other programs, safety, fire control, etc. So, it's a it's a it's an odd financial game that's happening right now because as Kevin said, there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars in uncollected fines and my

613
02:59:44.080 --> 03:00:00.240
landlord is one instance. There are 30,000 buildings in this city and many of the landlords are not paying their fair share for the safety violations that they are forcing onto us, not only in avoiding the cost of the fine, but

614
03:00:00.240 --> 03:00:14.960
causing more cost in general on all of us. So, the city's own mandatory minimum ordinance still puts $132 million on the floor uncollected since October. And that conservative math on the maximum

615
03:00:14.960 --> 03:00:31.920
fine, which is per unit per day, puts it past half a billion. We're talking about a 15% tax increase when we have half a billion dollars on the floor from one bu two buildings from one landlord.

616
03:00:31.920 --> 03:00:49.120
Imagine what we can do with that money. We could pay you, right? So, I happen to be a scientist and I don't get excited about one good afternoon where we had a little bit of movement. We finally heard the prosecutor acknowledge there were a

617
03:00:49.120 --> 03:01:07.880
couple of buckets of fines, not just everything lumped under rent control. Give me more data points. Let's see progress. Let's see progress from now until August going into the fall. We can do something with this money. We can ameliate the budget crisis. Thank you.

618
03:01:09.200 --> 03:01:26.960
If I council president, um I just want to say thank you for continuing to raise the need uh for accountability for landlords, for slumlords. Um our office is tracking every single summon um that a property owner gets. Um we want to

619
03:01:26.960 --> 03:01:41.920
track the life cycle of when it's issued. Um do they abate? Do they cure? When is the court date? What happens on the court date? what happens when they miss the first court date. Um, so you know, anything I can only look out for W

620
03:01:41.920 --> 03:01:59.520
B. That's who elected me. Um, but I just want you to know that our office is tracking all that stuff when it comes to us. So, thank you for continuing to raise that. Um, and yeah, these these entities need to be held accountable and pay their fair share for violating the

621
03:01:59.520 --> 03:02:40.560
law. Okay, next speaker 5.52 Stephanie. >> Stephanie, you're here. She's come kind of counterintuitive to set a property tax rate so high, you know, residents won't be able to pay it and they will lose their homes because the

622
03:02:40.560 --> 03:02:56.479
city has a deficit and the city needs money. So why would the city make it harder for homeowners to pay them the money they so desperately need? And what does the city do when they can't collect the property tax owed to them? Wouldn't that make it

623
03:02:56.479 --> 03:03:13.279
further exacerbate their deficit? How does the city pay bills when the residents can't? I think I found the answer to this question in my summer reading. It's called the black tax. 150 years of theft, exploitation, and dispossession in America. And yeah, you

624
03:03:13.279 --> 03:03:30.640
could see from the note tabs, Jersey City makes a couple appearances. In 1993, Mayor Brett Shundler pioneered the practice of selling tax debts as securities. Mayor Shundler issued a 44 million bound bond. This gave Jersey

625
03:03:30.640 --> 03:03:46.960
City 25 million in immediate cash. It also enabled predatory loan servicesers to charge high interest rates on payment installment plans. One resident in 1990, Ruth Fails, missed a property tax

626
03:03:46.960 --> 03:04:03.680
payment on the home her family had since 1977. After a capital management company purchased her debt in 1993, they aggressively stirred her into a installment plan with an 18.25%

627
03:04:03.680 --> 03:04:20.479
annual interest. This became insurmountable and ultimately she lost her home and the capital management offered her the opportunity to rent it back from them. 20% of the homeowners who were in

628
03:04:20.479 --> 03:04:36.560
repayment plans lost their homes to foreclosures. In fact, there were so many foreclosures the state couldn't keep up with them. That's and the only justices in this story is that the capital management company lost money because of that delay. Individual

629
03:04:36.560 --> 03:04:52.080
investors took the pick of the most attractive properties and the rest are likely the abandoned lots we see today. If I were to predict the future, I would say James Solomon, enabled by you, will enforce punishing property taxes, then

630
03:04:52.080 --> 03:05:08.880
securitize the tax debt, and then the city will pray on homeowners, offering them repayment plans at 18% annual interest. Most attractive lots will be picked up by his friends, I mean real estate investors. And then the blighted properties, well, he'll offer his friends, I mean real estate developers,

631
03:05:08.880 --> 03:05:24.240
pilots. I want to be clear. You're putting a target on every homeowner's back. Also, the idea that if you don't sign anou, the state's going to come in and set a property tax. That's not how contracts work. Mikey Cheryl isn't going

632
03:05:24.240 --> 03:05:39.120
to chopa in. Also, she's not going to steal it away. She had a fancy press conference. She's not going to have another one where she explains you didn't flee your enough. Our

633
03:05:39.120 --> 03:05:58.319
next speaker, 5.53, Jonathan. >> Hello. Good evening. I'm here to speak on 10.29, the Morris Canal redevelopment plan. I'll go back a few months. Uh the council president and city planning, they held a few community meetings.

634
03:05:58.319 --> 03:06:14.240
There was kind of a survey visioning session where uh everyone in attendance listed their priorities. Uh I believe you had seen those a few months back. Uh some of the things that were mentioned were affordable housing and also a commercial component. A few months back

635
03:06:14.240 --> 03:06:30.800
you know the city uh city planning had raised a resolution to open up the plan and there were a few speakers that night and I think their primary concern was the lack of a commercial component. Now, a few days back, I believe Council Member Singh and Council Member Griffin,

636
03:06:30.800 --> 03:06:46.960
you mentioned you attended the uh most recent Morris Canal meeting where I believe the developer has talked about they're adding they're looking to add a commercial component, potentially a uh grocery store. So, as a I I live about 15 minutes away, you know, I think

637
03:06:46.960 --> 03:07:03.520
commercial component that would really unlock uh that corridor. It would be great for the neighborhood. And we need housing. We need Ratables. You know, that's why everyone's here tonight. We don't necessarily have to choose between raising taxes and cutting services. We need to add revenue sources for the

638
03:07:03.520 --> 03:07:20.880
city. You know, this project is not taking a pilot. Um, and you know, just approving looking at the RDP. It doesn't mean necessarily the developer will get everything they want. You know, the planning board will look at this. They could go in many directions. You know, right now the project is zoned for 17

639
03:07:20.880 --> 03:07:37.439
stories. Who knows? Uh, rent keeps going up. You could have a developer come by and want to build a tower in the park and a lot of people nearby wouldn't want back. Wouldn't want that. So, I think it's kind of a win-win for everyone. You get the community, the commercial component, you build the housing, including a pretty big affordable

640
03:07:37.439 --> 03:08:01.040
component. You get tax revenue for the city. It's win-win. So, please vote yes. Thank you. Our next speaker 5.54, Natalia Good evening. Thank you. My name is Natalyia. I serve on the Jersey City School Board. However, I'm here in my

641
03:08:01.040 --> 03:08:17.439
individual capacity and my opinions are my own tonight. Thank you. Um, there goes the disclosure. I want to say that I showed up at your caucus on Monday not realizing that the city council does not have public comment at caucus. So, caveat, school board actually does. So

642
03:08:17.439 --> 03:08:33.760
since there was a lot of conversation about you know public suppressing public voices so our meetings have public comments at both caucus and um general meetings. Next I would like to thank Councilman Lavaro uh from this council because uh you were the one person who's

643
03:08:33.760 --> 03:08:49.359
been uh genuinely engaging with us uh on the budget conversations trying to understand not just the process but the contents. So, thank you for that. And I want to congratulate the council on finally receiving the $886 million

644
03:08:49.359 --> 03:09:06.160
budget from the administration. I know you all were waiting for it and asking for it, and now it's in the headlines. So, fun fact, not just for the council, but also for the public, you may have heard that the school district budget is 1 bill96 million. And if you subtract

645
03:09:06.160 --> 03:09:22.720
the $210 million charter school payout, which goes through the district district's books and comes right out, you are left with exactly the same amount, $886 million. So, yay, we match. And except on the district's end, that

646
03:09:22.720 --> 03:09:39.200
amount goes to cover approximately 5,000 employees, six bargaining units, 30,000 students, 50 plus buildings, more than half of which are 150 years old. So that's just putting it out there. Um, finally, I actually came here to speak about the abatement. I understand that

647
03:09:39.200 --> 03:09:55.920
it was tabled, but more so for the big picture. Um, I've been following the school funding issue for almost a decade now. And I want to emphasize as you as you plan ahead with new abatements or this abatement or what have you, the

648
03:09:55.920 --> 03:10:12.720
reason why the school levy has grown so greatly, has tripled over the last decade. And just as the state aid has diminished proportionally, it used to be the reverse. Over $400 million used to be provided by the state to the schools,

649
03:10:12.720 --> 03:10:30.319
now it's the reverse. Over 100 million gets provided by the state to the schools. is because of the city's perceived wealth and the abaded values that cannot get taxed. Our city is literally being punished by state government for the last decade for not

650
03:10:30.319 --> 03:10:45.200
being able to retrieve the kind of tax revenues that they're expecting. There is nothing any of us can do about that and that is what drives our school budget. The last thing I want to say is please visit jcoe.org finance and budgets section. We have

651
03:10:45.200 --> 03:11:01.399
budget presentations. We have town hall recordings on demystifying school budgets. We have every single budget for the last 10 years. It can answer so many questions and I urge you to do that because we also believe in transparency and accountability. Thank you.

652
03:11:04.240 --> 03:11:31.920
>> Next speaker 5.55 Anthony Paul. Is Anthony here? Nope. 5.56 Janine Jean Jean sorry yes Jean Dailyaly thank you Sean um I

653
03:11:31.920 --> 03:11:47.279
see that you have the same resolution that I had spoken uh against I guess two weeks ago so I don't know what the I wasn't also there to listen to your comments regarding the resolution um specifically about the Exchange Place

654
03:11:47.279 --> 03:12:03.680
Alliance and how they can only spend their funds within their district. Um I've noticed, as I mentioned before, that you've been accepting funds from them for various projects throughout the city, which is unlawful. Um now that

655
03:12:03.680 --> 03:12:19.120
that's been alerted, I'd like to know or I'm hoping that something is being done about it uh by this council because you cannot accept this money. Um, I also would like to address the fact that the Exchange Place Alliance, as I

656
03:12:19.120 --> 03:12:35.520
mentioned again or before, does not allow um much public input. They don't let us see the the meeting documents. They don't they they vote on their own procurements

657
03:12:35.520 --> 03:12:52.479
without even running it past the public. They buy things, they sell things, whatever. They they acquire statues and art exhibits um and installs them without any input from the community. So again, I really would ask someone to

658
03:12:52.479 --> 03:13:09.120
look into the exchange place alliance. Uh former council uh men So was actually supposed to be doing well had put some effort, if you will, into doing something about the exchange place alliance and defining their abilities

659
03:13:09.120 --> 03:13:25.520
and descriptions, but he kind of um dropped the ball uh quite heavily. Um but the key there's a a municipality in New Jersey. is called Keyport and they've had problems with their some of their SIDS actually one um this one one

660
03:13:25.520 --> 03:13:41.040
in particular and they've had to recall their special improvement districts and then um write the bylaws differently or the enabling ordinances and many of it had to do with um term limits

661
03:13:41.040 --> 03:13:57.439
uh complying with uh state law and municipal law which exchange place alliance hasn't done um for example Demarco, Mike DeMarco has been on the head of that thing since 2018 or 2016. He doesn't live in Jersey City, doesn't work in Jersey City. Why is he the

662
03:13:57.439 --> 03:14:13.760
president of the board? There's another member who does not live in the Exchange Place Alliance area, nor does have a business there. Why is he on the board? Yet the municipality that the historic Exchange Place, I mean, Charles Hook District powerhouse can't be on that

663
03:14:13.760 --> 03:14:30.560
board. So, there's a lot of stuff that is wrong and I'm asking some cooperation with trying to get to the bottom of this and make it better for the community, not these corporate uh developers. Thank you. >> U council president, can I answer? Just

664
03:14:30.560 --> 03:14:46.080
want to let you know that I'm on the board for said and one of the thing I am hoping will happen, we will have um in person or hybrid meeting. So that will be the starting point and couple of other concerns people have been sharing

665
03:14:46.080 --> 03:15:03.200
I think we will be handling one by one but that is the starting that we'll have hybrid meeting in person or virtual both options available so there should be inerson meeting that's what I have been hearing from people that there should be inerson

666
03:15:03.200 --> 03:15:22.399
meeting that has not been happening >> we can we can you can have a conversation cyborg we reach out to you privately but just and council president previous council president Joyce Waterman was the on the board I'm not sure about you Sullah

667
03:15:22.399 --> 03:15:43.040
>> thank you >> okay >> okay Jean >> okay thanks Jean >> okay council um to comment on the um legality issues of the city accepting donations questions. >> Hello. We can prepare something for the

668
03:15:43.040 --> 03:16:00.479
council and follow up after the meeting. >> Um, well, cuz cuz Jean was alleging that there are things on here today that are not lawful, which I would assume would not be the case, but >> you are soliciting legal advice and so I am going to provide that in private.

669
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>> Okay. Thank you. >> You're putting on their budget today. >> Okay. Sure. >> Okay. 5.57. Mr. Mayor spoke earlier. 5.58. Michael. >> Evening. My name is Mike Carl, the president of Jersey Jersey City

670
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Supervisor Association. First, I'd like to thank you for your time tonight. I'm here to express my frustration with this entire budget process. This has resulted in layers of 31 dedicated city employees already. What I struggled to understand is why the mayor's budget proposal is being dismissed as if these problems

671
03:16:48.000 --> 03:17:04.000
came out of nowhere. As a union president, I have known for several years there were issues with every budget for the past two or three years. They were citatively underfunded. I find it hard to believe that the council was unaware of this as well. It is well documented that the previous administration balanced budgets by

672
03:17:04.000 --> 03:17:20.160
selling property, restructuring debt, rely on one-time revenue sources to keep taxes lower than what they should have been. These measures worked temporarily, but everyone knew eventually they were not sustainable. Without these one-time infusions, a significant tax increase

673
03:17:20.160 --> 03:17:35.359
would be forthcoming to cover all the operating expenses of the city. Now, you may argue, let's cut manpower. That's great. But the problem with that would also be about five years ago, we had 3,900 employees. Today, we have roughly 3,300 employees. It's a 15% reduction of

674
03:17:35.359 --> 03:17:52.720
workforce already. As union leaders, we all know how this affects operations and the service that our residents rely on. I also find it very interesting when the board of ed county imposed much larger tax increases there was this there was nowhere near level of this I'm sorry

675
03:17:52.720 --> 03:18:08.000
there was nowhere near this level of opposition we are seeing tonight even the tax municipal tax increase was a zero on the average homeowner with assessed value of $500,000 they would still see an increase of $1300 this year because of the board event in the county

676
03:18:08.000 --> 03:18:23.359
I understand it's difficult to vote on a 15 or 20% tax increase I get But there are two choices clearly to be made. Either raise the revenue to need to operate the city or continue to decimate the workforce and our services that our residents depend upon. Jersey

677
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City is one of the greatest midsize midsize cities in this country. And one of the reasons is the dedication of all the employees present. I ask you to seriously consider the proposed resolution of the financially paid package for the state of New Jersey that Mayor Solomon's administration went forth and obtained and vote yes when

678
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this resolution comes to a vote. Thank you. Our next speaker 5.59 Nilia, good afternoon or good evening. Um, this is very confusing and it's um, this city has managed to put everybody

679
03:19:11.760 --> 03:19:26.800
against each other and that's pathetic to say the least. But my biggest problem with all this conundrum is our mayor. Our mayor keeps on talking and talking and talking. He just posted a statement two

680
03:19:26.800 --> 03:19:43.439
hours ago. I had a different statement to make, but this caught my eye. Even and I quote, "Even during um difficult times, our budget replace uh reflects our core values. We fought to protect

681
03:19:43.439 --> 03:19:59.520
services for our city as we navigate this financial crisis, keeping residents safe, getting the basics right, creating opportunity for our young people, and protecting Jersey City's vibrant culture, all the while spending less uh $58

682
03:19:59.520 --> 03:20:16.160
million less than last year by Jame James Alen. Um what core values? The core values of which of the people here? Because right now what we're

683
03:20:16.160 --> 03:20:33.040
getting is a mayor that is firing people without a budget. We don't even get we pay and pay taxes. We have dirty streets. We don't get anything for our money. I go to the to

684
03:20:33.040 --> 03:20:49.680
the supermarket, I get something. I pay because I get groceries, but now I pay you. I bail all these people out and I get nothing in return. Which brings me to the ordinances. And this is a tell us all this time. We get

685
03:20:49.680 --> 03:21:07.200
charged as little people for everything. Tickets, ordinances that apply to the small housing, the large guys. Listen to this. Are we all in the same room? And how does the major actually say that our core values are being

686
03:21:07.200 --> 03:21:23.120
expressed? This is um to say the least, but whatever. But [sighs] what really bothers me about this mayor is that he's he has a marketing campaign about

687
03:21:23.120 --> 03:21:38.319
himself. He keeps on talking and talking and talking and there's no action. There's no proper action. He doesn't show anything. We just have to accept his word and that's a little pathetic.

688
03:21:38.319 --> 03:21:54.560
I hope I don't know what you guys are going to do because obviously nobody is agreeing. People have attitudes and at this point I hope the best for you and thank you for your efforts because I know you guys have been working very

689
03:21:54.560 --> 03:22:20.319
hard and this is thanks to your mayor, not anybody else. Have a great night. Our next speaker 5.60 Barbin Patel. Good evening. My name is Bhavin Patel. I'm here simply as a Jersey City resident and a taxpayer. I'm not here as

690
03:22:20.319 --> 03:22:37.359
a political insider. I'm here because I care about the city and like everyone else, I want to see it move forward. I'll be honest, nobody likes a tax increase. I don't. I'm sure most people in this room don't either. But I also believe we have to deal with a reality

691
03:22:37.359 --> 03:22:53.279
in front of us, not the one we we had. From everything that's been made public, this administration inherited a very difficult financial situation, a budget deficit of roughly $250 million, a nearly depleted rainy day fund, and more

692
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than 100 million in expenses that had never been budgeted for, but still have to be paid. Those aren't opinions. Those are the financial facts the city has to address. What I respect is that Mayor Solomon didn't try to pretend those problems didn't exist or pushed them off

693
03:23:09.840 --> 03:23:24.640
for someone else to deal with later. Instead, he pushed the numbers out in the open, held the public town halls across the city and asked resident to be part of conversation. Whether you agree with every decision or not, that's

694
03:23:24.640 --> 03:23:40.720
that's the kind of transparency we have been asking for. I also appreciate that this isn't a budget that simply raises taxes and moves on. It includes about 58 million in spending reduction cut cross across 10 cities of 13 departments while

695
03:23:40.720 --> 03:23:58.160
still protecting public safety with a modest increase of police and fire services. To me, that shows an effort to balance fiscal responsibility with a maintaining essential service resident depends on every day. Now it's the council responsibility to examine this budget carefully, ask tough questions,

696
03:23:58.160 --> 03:24:14.319
improve whether wherever possible. That's exactly what good government looks like. Healthy debate is important, accountability is important, but I also hope that when all is said and done, the conversation stays focused on solving the problem instead of scoring political

697
03:24:14.319 --> 03:24:31.600
points. As a resident, we less we are less concerned about who wins the next headline than whether our streets are maintained. emergency service response and when we need them, park stays open and city government remains financially stable for the long term. I support the direction Mayor Solomon has taken

698
03:24:31.600 --> 03:24:47.200
because I believe honesty is a better foundation. They're pretending everyone is everything is fine. At the same time, I hope the council continues to provide careful oversight because transparency, accountability should go hand in hand. In the end, I think everyone in this room wants the same thing. a financial

699
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stronger Jersey City that continues to provide quality service while planning responsibility for the future. Thank you. >> Our next speaker 5.61 Amanda. >> Good evening, council president and council members. All of you know me. Uh, I am an employee and I do not take this

700
03:25:14.560 --> 03:25:30.319
decision likely to speak with you today. I believe I wouldn't have done everything I possibly could if I did not voice my opinion. I'm also a resident. The reason I started working for Jersey City is because I believe in one of the most important things you can do is work that benefits your community. I

701
03:25:30.319 --> 03:25:46.000
understand difficult times are ahead and that you were faced with what feels like an impossible decision. I also understand this will impact people's lives beyond Jersey City. These key decisions affect not only our residents but also their loved ones both directly and indirectly. The budget has already

702
03:25:46.000 --> 03:26:02.640
been cut by 58 million. You've heard all the numbers and we're seeing the aftermath of this budget crisis. Employees have been laid off. City services have been cut or significantly reduced and I know a lot of residents including myself who understand the need to continue reducing expenses. But we cannot reduce ourselves to nothing,

703
03:26:02.640 --> 03:26:17.520
provide nothing [clears throat] and serve nobody. That's not how we get through this. My division has reduced by two salary lines and I only started with three. We are able to we were able to offset with one through a grant but the other position was cut and in my

704
03:26:17.520 --> 03:26:34.399
department infrastructure and since my time starting working there I have watched the number of employees decreased by almost 30 to 50%. And I have only been there for 3 years. My operating budget for projects has been reduced to cover one outstanding bill. Without money, I am continuing to find

705
03:26:34.399 --> 03:26:49.600
new opportunities to advance sustainable projects by working with local organizations, you all from council, the administration, residents on projects like the environmental justice task force, green building task force, community solar program, grant funded tree planting projects, tree planting projects funded through tree resolution

706
03:26:49.600 --> 03:27:05.279
funds, green business incentives, uh installing new EV chargers, and looking to a new revenue RFP, revenue generating RFP to expand our EV charging network. I want to thank you all for your comments and suggestions as well as members of the public. And I especially want to

707
03:27:05.279 --> 03:27:19.920
thank local organizations like Sustainable Jersey City, Hudson County Tree Allies, Parks Coalition, Native Plant Society, Wild Ones, and the Environmental Commission, and uh Shade Tree Committee, and others who continue to inspire me. They provide me with both

708
03:27:19.920 --> 03:27:35.600
ideas for this me and city with ideas for not only uh uh that cost little or nothing but also come up with new revenue generating ideas. The point is is that without dedicated missiondriven staff who are willing to go the extra

709
03:27:35.600 --> 03:27:52.479
mile and find the next opportunity to benefit residents in creative ways, the city will suffer. I am not exceptional. I am not out of the ordinary. I know there are countless other employees just like me throughout the city and without passing 15% tax increase, it might not be my budget or my position that's cut

710
03:27:52.479 --> 03:28:20.080
further, but it could be someone just like me who's trying to do the most with so little. Again, thank you for listening and I wish you all the best. >> Our next speaker 5.62 Jed Good evening, members of the council. I'm Jed Armon. I'm the board president

711
03:28:20.080 --> 03:28:35.520
of Jersey City Soccer Association, a youth soccer nonprofit that has existed here for 40 years. Um, I came here to speak about ordinance 2664, which I think you tabled. I heard you tabled tonight, and I just wanted to thank you. Um, I

712
03:28:35.520 --> 03:28:50.960
appreciate all the all the questions during caucus and I appreciate you tableabling it to to make the bill better. I think it's an important issue. Um, and I think working together we can make the bill the ordinance uh better. Uh, I I actually like the direction

713
03:28:50.960 --> 03:29:07.840
Director Vincent is trying to to go with the bill. I just think it was not fully formed. Um, I think with all of the youth, uh, organizations, we can improve it. And, um, I'm looking forward to see where it goes. So, I just wanted to thank you all. Um, since I'm here, since

714
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I have the time, I just wanted to say our mission, Jersey City Soccer Association's mission is simple. We want to encourage a love of soccer. We run a program that is envied around uh, New Jersey. Frankly, um, no one does it like us. And so, uh, some of your children have played with us. Uh we provide a

715
03:29:24.000 --> 03:29:40.399
service that the city can't afford to. We have we have approximately a thousand kids playing in our co-ed and girls wreck program which costs 250 for a full year of fall and spring practice and games. So that's 20 weeks about 1920 depending on the weather. Um and we have one of the most affordable travel

716
03:29:40.399 --> 03:29:57.600
programs in Northern New Jersey where we have about 200 to 250 kids. We don't turn away kids because a family can't pay. We scholarship anyone who can't afford it and that's part of our mission. We also hire and train youth referees, which puts young people into paid jobs, often the first for them. We

717
03:29:57.600 --> 03:30:14.080
are constantly trying to do more and more just to get kids playing and loving soccer, even if it means more work for us. We're even offering right now to help fund raise and try to improve Jersey City Fields so everybody can benefit because we've done it before. Uh, Councilman Rolando, your aid, actually helped us do it for uh, Caven.

718
03:30:14.080 --> 03:30:30.239
So, um, I volunteer my time. I volunteer my hours with this organization because I believe in it. Both my kids played and for my son especially, it was a critical part of his childhood, especially during COVID. Um, and I'm not alone. Our board, our coaches, our team managers, they all

719
03:30:30.239 --> 03:30:46.720
donate enormous amounts of time because they care. And I would say that's true of all of the youth nonprofits in Jersey City. Um, we all do this because we care and we're filling in a gap. Um, we're, in fact, I would say all the nonprofits are trying to help fill in gaps the city can't, especially now with some of the

720
03:30:46.720 --> 03:31:04.000
budget problems. So, that's why I appreciate you guys acting and uh tableabling this to make the bill better. Um I'm looking forward to see where it goes. Thank you. >> And I I would like to say um my my daughter played for that league. She also played for JC Lax. Um, but I know

721
03:31:04.000 --> 03:31:19.920
that all coaches are volunteers and you know, you guys do a phenomenal phenomenal job getting the kids down there, um, getting parents involved and so we we understand why it was necessary to

722
03:31:19.920 --> 03:31:43.600
make more amendments to it. >> Our next speaker, 5.63, 63 Caitlyn Caitlyn Duffy not here. 5.64 Vanessa Rodriguez not here.

723
03:31:43.600 --> 03:32:07.200
Where? Oh, okay. Good evening, council. I don't envy any of you or the decisions you have to make going forward. No one wants to introduce a budget with a tax increase that asks more residents, especially during difficult economic times. But leadership is not measured by the easy votes as

724
03:32:07.200 --> 03:32:23.520
measured by the difficult ones. I'll be honest, as a resident, I was skeptical at first. I wanted to know there was another way out of this. But as a city employee, I know all too well that so many departments are already working under staffed and underresourced. So there's simply very little left to

725
03:32:23.520 --> 03:32:39.840
cut without jeopardizing the essential services that protect the residents. For years, budgets were passed while spending continued to grow. Warning signs were ignored. It was easier to approve another irresponsible budget than it was to ask the hard questions or make the difficult choices. Year after

726
03:32:39.840 --> 03:32:56.800
year, those decisions move Jersey City further from fiscal stability and brought us to where we are today. For the first time in years, the council has the opportunity to pass a physically responsible budget. One that confronts reality instead of passing the problem to the next year or the next

727
03:32:56.800 --> 03:33:13.680
administration. This may not be the politically easy choice, but is the responsible one. But with that, I also want to add that it cannot end with this year's budget. The work on 2027 needs to begin now. I'm asking the council to stay engaged throughout the entire year. Ask the hard

728
03:33:13.680 --> 03:33:28.560
questions early. Challenge spending before it becomes a crisis. Demand accountability every step of the way. Budgeting should never be a once a year exercise. We need to learn from where we are today so we never have to find ourselves in this situation again. Thank

729
03:33:28.560 --> 03:33:55.000
you. Next speaker 5.65 Leonard and Fleming out here. 10.66 66 Hemishu 10.67 John T.

730
03:34:02.479 --> 03:34:17.760
Good evening uh council president and members of the city council. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. Um I'm John Theodoris. I'm currently a Jersey City police lieutenant. This is not the first time I've stood before this council during a financial crisis. Um, I

731
03:34:17.760 --> 03:34:34.479
did in 2009 speak when Jersey City faced the possibility of layoffs. Jersey City chose a different path than our neighbor Newark at the time. We reopened negotiations and avoided layoffs while Newark had to cut officers. Today, we face difficult financial decisions. I

732
03:34:34.479 --> 03:34:49.920
understand the budget challenges and residents concerns are about property tax increase. Those concerns are valid. One of our greatest strengths has always been the trust between our officers and residents, earned over decades through professionalism, respect, and community

733
03:34:49.920 --> 03:35:06.000
policing. Yet, the reality is that our police department has already been significantly reduced. 13 years ago, we had approximately 900 officers. Today, we have approximately 700. Calls for service have increased sharply in a larger city with more residents and

734
03:35:06.000 --> 03:35:21.120
businesses, while staffing has declined. This means fewer patrol cars, longer response times, and especially for the lower priority calls like blocked driveway and loud noise, and officers are constantly moving from call to call with little to be proactive in

735
03:35:21.120 --> 03:35:38.239
neighborhoods. This workload has created real stress, burnout, and injuries, and makes it harder to retain experienced officers. At the same time, Jersey City has become one of the lowest paid police departments in Hudson County, making recruitment and retention even more difficult. I urge you to aggressively

736
03:35:38.239 --> 03:35:53.600
pursue available state and federal public safety grants like the cops hiring program which is uh actually due at the end of this month which directly impacts salaries, the burn justice assistance grant and the urban area security initiative to bring outside

737
03:35:53.600 --> 03:36:09.359
funding to reduce the pressure for the local taxpayers. In addition, we should conduct a thorough staffing study to identify internal efficiencies. For example, a year to date, the Jersey City Police Department has already spent approximately $1 million in overtime just to cover precinct desks with

738
03:36:09.359 --> 03:36:27.120
sergeants. And with summer vacation approaching, these overtime numbers will only go higher. These positions could easily be covered by lieutenants instead. Promoting approximately 40 lieutenants would cost roughly $80,000 annually in salary adjustments, yet deliver an approximate $800,000

739
03:36:27.120 --> 03:36:42.800
savings in overtime each year. Simple, practical fixes like this can generate meaningful cost savings while maintaining strong public safety. Jersey City is strongest when we support both our residents and the officers who protect them. Let's work together and

740
03:36:42.800 --> 03:37:07.040
maintain a safe, thriving city. Thank you for your consideration. >> Our next speaker, 56 I'm sorry, Sean, my mic I just had to cut my mic on. Um Ruby uh can ask you a question regarding um overtime and hiring of police now or

741
03:37:07.040 --> 03:37:22.880
any anybody for that matter, police, fire, anyone. When we hire when we bring on new staff, do we reduce our um overtime within the budget, the anticipated amount that we're going

742
03:37:22.880 --> 03:37:39.680
to spend? So, I I don't think I can address that generically for all positions. I know um we're talking about law enforcement. Director Ambrose and I have had a lot of discussions about this and um I think

743
03:37:39.680 --> 03:37:54.319
the idea of doing a study is what we need to do to really look at the um um uh the impacts to the overtime budget and also the general budget. Um, I'm happy to look into other titles in

744
03:37:54.319 --> 03:38:18.600
particular, but that that point in particular we've been already discussing. >> Um, I I would just say like uh public safety and uh Department of Public Works. >> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Our next speaker 5.68 Sarah

745
03:38:21.200 --> 03:38:44.319
Martinez. No 5.69. John, thank you, city council, for letting me speak. I know it gets monotonous up here with you guys hearing all the same stuff. I'm just here without a speech. I'm here speaking from my heart. Um, few

746
03:38:44.319 --> 03:38:59.840
facts. I see both sides of it. I understand salaries and benefits packages for city employees and I understand the tax burden. I my family's been in Jersey City well over 100 years. I have family members that right now

747
03:38:59.840 --> 03:39:16.160
currently have about 10 homes in Jersey City. So I I understand all the tax burdens. I understand all tax stuff. But the other side of it I see is the safety for for them and my family and my friends who live in the city. And that's a burden that we all have. And for me to

748
03:39:16.160 --> 03:39:31.840
work my way up 33 years to the ranks and become the chief of department and I hear recently of I'm reading stuff that there's going to be cuts in public servy, public safety and and other you know police and fire and it doesn't make sense to me just just with some facts

749
03:39:31.840 --> 03:39:46.640
that we have so far this year just to give you some ideas. Jersey City is the ninth biggest city in the country for highrises. So think about that. in the entire United States. Jersey City has the ninth most highrises for any city in a state

750
03:39:46.640 --> 03:40:02.560
in the country. That's that's crazy. A lot of people don't realize that there's a lot of there's a lot of pressure, a lot of burdens. With that being said, a lot of training, a lot of a lot of needs that those highrises have to have. And we require basic needs. We require

751
03:40:02.560 --> 03:40:20.560
equipment, tools, working fire trucks, um training. That all comes with financial uh burden and which is the burden of my family, all of you, all of us. And it comes from tax money. But one

752
03:40:20.560 --> 03:40:37.439
life is not worth losing over over any amount of money. And I'm on the job 33 years. I've seen many lives lost and I've seen many lives saved. And not one life is worth it. Worrying about cuts, especially to public safety, it doesn't

753
03:40:37.439 --> 03:40:52.399
make sense to me. Some other basic facts. So far this year in Jersey City, if you could figure out the numbers, we've had 58 structure fires. Doesn't sound like a lot maybe, but we have we average about three buildings fires a

754
03:40:52.399 --> 03:41:08.160
week, which is which is a lot when you think about it. We come to the job every day 24/7. We come prepared and we we run into these buildings where everybody else is running out and we're prepared. We're dedicated. Like our patch says, duty, honor, and dedication. We're all here

755
03:41:08.160 --> 03:41:24.800
and we do our job and we love doing it. We just need the funds to help us do our job. It's pretty it's pretty basic. It's it's just tools, equipment, fire trucks, and and living living in firehouses that are a lot of them are over 100 years old. So, it's pretty basic necessities.

756
03:41:24.800 --> 03:41:40.720
I guarantee you that the Jersey Fire Department is definitely the most efficient fire department around. We're probably the most efficient department in Jersey City. and we could sit down and talk about something. >> Sorry, your time is up. >> All right. Well, you get my point. So, thank you.

757
03:41:40.720 --> 03:42:16.319
>> Thank you. >> Next speaker. 5.70. Nadia Gray. Nia here. No. 5.71. Janice Whitehead. 5.72 Natasha Oh

758
03:42:16.319 --> 03:42:37.840
5.73 Patrick. Hello Pat Kino with the NRP group. Great meeting many of you over the last uh couple months. council men and women. Um I'm here just to give an update with 417 Kamina Paw, which is the Steels Tech project in the Bergen Lafayette

759
03:42:37.840 --> 03:42:53.120
neighborhood. Um the firm I work for NRP is a national firm. Um we have two projects in Jersey City that we've built over this last several years. One on New York Avenue and one in the Port Liberty neighborhood. Um the project we're proposing um right now over the last 14

760
03:42:53.120 --> 03:43:10.000
months is called Steeltech. And a little history on it, it's been an industrial site for several decades. In the early 2000s, the city considered including it in part of Berry Lane Park, but they formally decided to pass on that because it was very expensive to clean up the contamination. And then a prior

761
03:43:10.000 --> 03:43:26.399
developer spent about 3 years fighting to get a 17story tower approved and then two more years trying to get it financed. Um, and he talked to dozens of people, couldn't find anyone to give him money and so we walked away from it um because it wasn't feasible. We've been working on the project for 14 months.

762
03:43:26.399 --> 03:43:42.960
We've had about not about we've had five formal community meetings um and ongoing contact with both council president uh Ridley and her team, council president uh Councilman Gilmore and his team and then Morse Canal CDC uh leadership including June Jones. Our goal here is

763
03:43:42.960 --> 03:43:59.199
to clean up a site that's been vacant and contaminated for 30 years, provide much neededed housing, uh, ratables on the tax role, and a proposal that incorporates as much community um, requests as possible while also being feasible. We want to be able to deliver on our

764
03:43:59.199 --> 03:44:15.199
promises. Um, unlike some past plans, our current proposal, which was formed and is still evolving with community input, it's an ongoing process, uh, entails this. It's five and six stories and 380 units versus the 420 in a

765
03:44:15.199 --> 03:44:30.640
17story tower, which we don't think is a good fit for the neighborhood and been told that by neighbors. We're proposing 10% affordable versus the five that's currently approved. And we recently um added commercial space due to community feedback from multiple community meetings with the goal of a grosser

766
03:44:30.640 --> 03:44:46.160
because there's not um it's a bit of a a food desert. Um the groceryer outreach we shared it at the end uh at the Morse Canal CDC meeting last week. There was about 30 attendees. Uh Councilwoman Singh, thanks for attending. There was a couple of uh aids there. We thank you.

767
03:44:46.160 --> 03:45:03.040
We appreciate it. Um the kind of TLDDR of that is the big boxes weren't interested, but a lot of the small format ones are. So we're excited to continue working on that. The property owner has been continuing cleaning the space. And then another update is just that the Morse Canal CDC is touring the head house which is like a vacant

768
03:45:03.040 --> 03:45:19.120
building that we hope to give back to the community on Friday. They hope to see if like Barry Lane friends of Bane Park could use that space. But the process has been evolving. We're doing our best to communicate um and work with the direction we've been giving. Um we've talked to June yesterday and understand her frustrations are not with

769
03:45:19.120 --> 03:45:36.520
us or the project but really the process and just wanted to hear directly from us that we're communicating best we can. We're continued uh continuing advancing. Thank you very much. Time is up. >> Time. >> Our next speaker 5.74 Kenneth

770
03:45:48.880 --> 03:46:04.479
is Kan. I'm an employee of Jersey City, a resident of Jersey City, and a member of the Jersey City Management Association Union. I would like to first reiterate the assertions made by my fellow members and the other unions and ask that you council members please advocate for the people working beside you as we unite to keep the city safe

771
03:46:04.479 --> 03:46:21.279
and growing. I advocate for my fellow workers who were laid off and my fellow Jersey City employees inside and outside of the unions who now worry about job security. I ask I hope before the budget is passed we consider passing more strict tax revenue legislation for new developments and higher penalties for

772
03:46:21.279 --> 03:46:37.120
abandoned projects. I ask that we increase periodic in-depth inspections of all buildings around the city so that we can see so that we can profit from any buildings in disrepair, especially the new builds who sometimes you see on social media,

773
03:46:37.120 --> 03:46:53.120
even though they're brand new, they have a lot of problems. I think there's a lot of potential for revenue for the city. ask that we take back money from the faceless for-profit corporations and LLC's that come from all over and then disappear after benefiting from the city's tax programs intended for

774
03:46:53.120 --> 03:47:13.680
economic and population growth. Though it was not the intention, the burden of the city debt looks like it's falling on small people and people whose incomes are already fixed. Thank you so much for your time. Our next speaker 5.75

775
03:47:13.680 --> 03:47:27.600
Thomas >> Thomas Colleen. Thank you council members. Um I just want to urge you I'm a city employee. I'm also management and part of the manager's union. I would like you to urge you to support the

776
03:47:27.600 --> 03:47:43.199
mayor's budget. I'm also a taxpayer. Nobody wants to see a tax increase. I think we all have to work together to get through this. It's something that's been coming for quite a few years. I think most of you are aware of the budget shortfall that's been

777
03:47:43.199 --> 03:48:10.800
approaching. Um I just ask you to support the mayor's budget. Thank you. >> Our next speaker 5.76 Shane Hey everybody, good to see you again. Picket line still going, but this time I had time to put on a jacket. But thank

778
03:48:10.800 --> 03:48:26.880
you first of all uh Council President Ridley and the members of the council for the opportunity to speak. My name is Shane Mitchell and I'm a proud Ward C resident. I'm also the New Jersey Public Director for the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, the union representing hotel and hospitality workers in our region. Last time I was here, I encouraged you

779
03:48:26.880 --> 03:48:44.239
all to put our community first. I spoke about the gimmicks that the prior administration had used to obuscate the city's financial health and my sincere hope that the mayor and council would both continue to work transparently on this core issue. I'm here now today to implore you to maintain our public

780
03:48:44.239 --> 03:49:00.640
services and the workforce that provide those services. We have more members living in Jersey City than in any other municipality in the state. And for their sake and mine, we need a Jersey City that's affordable and that provides great public services. Jersey City is a place where our members

781
03:49:00.640 --> 03:49:16.399
both work and live, and we all want to stay in this great city and see it get even greater. When you cut services, we feel it. When you increase taxes, we pay it. But we need to get our arms around this thing if we're going to get back to building this great city.

782
03:49:16.399 --> 03:49:33.279
So, I'm urging you today to uh accept theou to sustain the services that make Jersey City home for our members. But we also need this for our livelihoods. Our hospitality industry cannot thrive if the streets go uncleaned, if our streets become unsafe, and if basic services go

783
03:49:33.279 --> 03:49:49.600
by the wayside. No tourist is going to want to stay here, if the city is too broke to take care of itself. No one is going to want to open a new hotel or restaurant in a place where basic services are at risk. And I dare say no bank is going to want to lend to a business in a city in distress. This

784
03:49:49.600 --> 03:50:03.840
council and this mayor did not make this situation, but I have faith in our city's collective ability to solve our own problems. Thisou is only the first step. And I can commit to you that the hotel workers of Jersey City are going to remain engaged as you all work

785
03:50:03.840 --> 03:50:21.520
through the crisis you inherited. Even now as the feelings uh as tempers flare here both in this room and in our streets, I know and I hope you all know that our best days are ahead of us if only we commit to working together. I urge you

786
03:50:21.520 --> 03:50:45.920
to accept theou and put the city on the right step forward. Thank you. Next speaker 5.77 cures Oliver. Good evening council president, council members. My name is Karice Oliver. I'm a

787
03:50:45.920 --> 03:51:01.199
lifelong resident of Jersey City. I'm a tenant. I'm a proud member of Lyona Labor's Local 3. And more importantly, I'm a father. By any means, I am not a politician. I am not an accountant. I'm just a guy

788
03:51:01.199 --> 03:51:17.520
that wakes up every day, go to work, pay my rent, and try to establish a great lifestyle for my family. When the city was faced with this crisis, I didn't just go home and complain about it or read the news. I

789
03:51:17.520 --> 03:51:34.000
took action. Uh, I took a day off work. I went up to NORC and I sat with state legisl I I sat at a state hearing and gave testimony and um I believe that everyone that was there that day who gave testimony played

790
03:51:34.000 --> 03:51:49.520
a huge role in helping Jersey City secure some of the funds they so desperately desperately needed. So that's one reason why I'm here tonight. I really want to just see this thing through. Uh I don't want high taxes just like anyone else in this room. Uh, as a

791
03:51:49.520 --> 03:52:04.960
tenant, I already know how this is going to work. Uh, landlords are going to use this as an excuse to raise rent. And, um, Jo City residents already struggling just to pay rent, keep lights on, and just keep a roof over their head. So, I

792
03:52:04.960 --> 03:52:22.479
think I can speak for them and everybody in this room. Nobody wants to see a 15% tax increase. Whether Yeah, excuse me. Um but whether um we here tonight to support Mayor Solomon or not, uh that's really is not even a

793
03:52:22.479 --> 03:52:39.840
question. Uh a lot of members are here just basically to uh protect their city. Uh the real question tonight is what decision put Georgia City in the best position going forward, not just for tomorrow, but for years to come. And as I see it, we have two options. We can

794
03:52:39.840 --> 03:52:56.479
introduce this budget tonight. uh spend the next 20 to 30 days breaking down this budget line for line um questioning every dollar dime and nickels and holding uh the administration accountable for every uh

795
03:52:56.479 --> 03:53:12.640
dime spent. Um, other option B, it's pretty much doing nothing. Possibly letting the state come in, watch massive layoffs, uh, more cancellations of city services that a lot of people in the

796
03:53:12.640 --> 03:53:28.960
family uh, this the room family uses and um, we're already seeing that this gridlock is already affecting people in our city because of the layoffs. I mean, as a union member, I hate to see a lot of members from my brother as brother and sisters get laid off.

797
03:53:28.960 --> 03:53:53.840
Um, so basically, uh, I asked the this administration, you know, I expect you guys to be perfect cuz nobody here is perfect, but we just expect everybody to be accountable and basically >> Thank you. >> Excuse me. >> Our next speaker, 5.78, Chris.

798
03:53:53.840 --> 03:54:09.120
>> Yes. Good evening, council members. As you may know, I'm a proud Luna Local three member. I'm here tonight as a building laborer and a lifelong resident of Jersey City. My union has helped build this city. We've constructed

799
03:54:09.120 --> 03:54:24.000
Jersey City buildings, foundations, roads that leads to these buildings, utilities beneath them. I've personally mason tended at the city council hall annex and I clean hazardous waste from

800
03:54:24.000 --> 03:54:40.000
Garfield Avenue that was poisoning our community. I have a sweat equity in Jersey City. Let's make Jersey City great again. On tonight's council agenda is a tax increase. Nobody's like tax

801
03:54:40.000 --> 03:54:56.560
increases. Not even me. Not my family or my community. not you council members, but I'm willing to pay my fair share to make sure this city keeps working for the people that call it home. Many families are going to struggle to make

802
03:54:56.560 --> 03:55:14.560
ends meet. Vulnerable folks in our community cannot afford to you to lose vital services. To see potholes filled, new parks built, and landlords held accountable for exploitive practices gives me hope.

803
03:55:14.560 --> 03:55:30.880
I love my city and I want to see it grow. Economic development does not occur within cities that are failing apart. It's too easy for private investment to go elsewhere to some other community where the people don't look

804
03:55:30.880 --> 03:55:45.840
like me because of our parks. They're dirty or our streets unsafe. Less development projects means less union construction jobs. Fewer blue collar families will be able to pay

805
03:55:45.840 --> 03:56:03.120
their bills, including me. My hope is that the mayor Solomon continues to raise funds in Jersey City by passing policies that support better wages for workers and ensures exploitive employers are paying their fair share.

806
03:56:03.120 --> 03:56:18.000
My understanding is that the budget proposal before you tonight secures our urgent needs protecting public safety, sanitation, and our city's parks. Real priorities and real choices. I have

807
03:56:18.000 --> 03:56:35.279
always been a respectfully direct with you council members. Tonight will be no different. A tax increase of any kind has the potential to hurt families, but a nonfunctional city will hurt families twice. Once in a loss of services and

808
03:56:35.279 --> 03:56:50.399
again in economic growth. I urge the city council to formally accept the state aid from the Trenton and pass the administration budget proposal to jumpstart the city's road to financial

809
03:56:50.399 --> 03:57:12.160
recovery. Thank you. Our next speaker at 5.79, Robin. Thank you, Chris, while Robin's coming up. And thank you to the Leuna um brigade that does so much community service out there. Uh for seniors in W

810
03:57:12.160 --> 03:57:36.080
B, uh even one in W A. Council President isn't here, but anyway, thank you again, Robin. >> Hi. Good evening everyone. I know most of you here. I want to be clear. I'm not saying don't pass a budget or take aid from the state. But for where but before

811
03:57:36.080 --> 03:57:51.680
residents are asked to absorb a 15.5% tax increase, every new hire, every new title, every consultant, every contract should all be reviewed. I'd like this council to show us what else can be cut or restructured. cuts that don't count out the pockets of people who can afford

812
03:57:51.680 --> 03:58:08.960
it the least. A tax increase this high is unacceptable. And even though this is a proposed budget, if thisou passes tonight, taxpayers and residents will be hurt by a 15 to 20% tax increase. I understand hard decisions need to be made and I don't envy any of you. But

813
03:58:08.960 --> 03:58:25.199
such a large increase that is this sudden doesn't give residents time enough to prepare. To give you some background, my grandmother was born in the city. My father was born here, too. He graduated from Dixon High School in 1948. In 1965, he opened our family business, a business that my family

814
03:58:25.199 --> 03:58:42.239
still runs today. When it came time to raise my own children, I chose to raise them here because I wanted them to be part of this community the way my family has been for generations. This is about the residents, people who make the city what it is. It's very difficult for me to stand here today.

815
03:58:42.239 --> 03:58:58.399
This isn't just about a tax increase. it. This is about preserving the city I love and protecting the people who make it what it is. There are plenty of people who work hard in the city who save carefully and now live paycheck to paycheck just to cover the taxes on the home that their grandparents bought.

816
03:58:58.399 --> 03:59:14.239
It's about our seniors on fixed incomes. It's about small business owners who already struggle to make rent. It's about small landlords trying to figure out how to absorb an increase this large without passing it on to their tenants who can't afford it either. Affordability is not just a renters's issue. It affects every person in the

817
03:59:14.239 --> 03:59:29.760
city. How will residents who are owners who can't afford an increase this high be assisted? Are there any mechanisms in place? The last thing any of us want to see is people's homes who are taken by tax lans which are in December. I also want a real transparent breakdown

818
03:59:29.760 --> 03:59:45.359
of the $58 million and proposed spending cuts. Where are these cuts coming from? Because right now it looks like any savings are being balanced in the backs of the working people after all the layoffs last week. We've been told there are only two options. Pass this budget with a 15.5

819
03:59:45.359 --> 04:00:01.760
increase. Lay off essential employees or lose the state aid that will help keep our finances afloat. This is a aid that's coming with very harsh conditions for our city. But a false choice is still someone else's choice. When this when did this body

820
04:00:01.760 --> 04:00:17.840
agree to negotiate against itself before they even weighed in? Where was the real debate on any third option? real cuts, real restructuring, a real accounting of the $58 million of cuts before residents were told this was the only option and the only way forward. I'm asking you just to fight the terms of this

821
04:00:17.840 --> 04:00:45.120
decision, just not accept them. Fight for the residents who could lose their houses in a few months. You elected to use your judgment, not just rubber stamp and ultimatum. Thank you. >> Our next speaker, 5.80, Eric My name is Eric Fleming. I serve as the

822
04:00:45.120 --> 04:01:01.920
president of Jersey City Lacrosse, which is a Jersey City based all volunteer nonprofit serving the boys and girls uh of Jersey City from ages uh kindergarten through 8th grade. Nonprofits like mine, the JCSA, Hockey in New Jersey, Pony

823
04:01:01.920 --> 04:01:16.960
Little League, and many others serve as the de facto uh recreation programs for the children of this city. I'd like to thank uh this council. You probably heard a lot of that tonight. I'd like to thank you guys uh for your wisdom and

824
04:01:16.960 --> 04:01:33.199
your prudence in tableabling ordinance 260064. The ordinance is well-meaning and needed, but the draft as it stood needed uh too much work and it lacked the input from those who would be affected by it

825
04:01:33.199 --> 04:01:50.479
like myself uh and my organization. I look forward to working with the recreation department and uh other um parts of the city to put together an ordinance that is clear, fair, equitable, and while raising well-needed revenue

826
04:01:50.479 --> 04:02:21.279
for the city. Thank you. Next speaker, 5.81, Chris 3 minutes. I don't start the clock yet. >> Do you hear that? >> Yes, I do hear it. And I was expecting Jack and everyone to, you know, to accompany me, but

827
04:02:21.279 --> 04:02:36.640
no, you know, all throughout this all throughout this evening, like I've heard uh people echo the same sentiment. They was like, I don't envy the council. And you know,

828
04:02:36.640 --> 04:02:53.120
right now, you know, tonight, no one's passing a budget or doing any of that thing tonight. They're actually introducing uh the budget. But I don't envy uh the council because you were left out.

829
04:02:53.120 --> 04:03:08.319
Um, and I'm going to say you were left out because throughout this whole process, you weren't informed of the administration going to the state asking for a loan, the terms and stipulations

830
04:03:08.319 --> 04:03:23.279
of a loan,ou discussion. You wasn't told any of that. And you know, a lot of times residents are going to say, "Everybody's going to come here and talk and talk about job protection and all the rest of that."

831
04:03:23.279 --> 04:03:39.040
The budget is is here. The budget was already drafted. Theou, the state legislators, everybody voted for it. The allocations, the dollars, everything else is here right now. So,

832
04:03:39.040 --> 04:03:54.479
we really do just have to move forward. Um I I personally work with Councilman Gilmore and Mike um Griffin and moving forward I think the public should see over the next couple of weeks maybe you

833
04:03:54.479 --> 04:04:11.040
can get Stan ready but you're going to have meetings and you're going to have the discussions with directors. Those meetings should in the past those meetings happened like in the spring and like you had all discussions talked about what you was going to cut expectations and all the rest of that

834
04:04:11.040 --> 04:04:26.800
stuff and then you presented a budget but now you're kind of like working backwards. So I would propose that every meeting with a department director all departments inside of the city are televised. They are they're streamed on

835
04:04:26.800 --> 04:04:41.920
Facebook. They're streamed on Instagram. And each time that a meeting happens on the city website, you actually have that department and you have allocations from last year and this year, what's about to be cut, what's about to, you know, what

836
04:04:41.920 --> 04:04:58.000
could be out there. And then the council at that time can present, you know, the administration some um options too because all throughout this whole process, options were not put out there by the city council. So now what the

837
04:04:58.000 --> 04:05:14.239
city council can do is look at the budget for 2627, make proposed cuts and have this dialogue within the public so that they can see that there is a city council that is fighting but they were just left out of the process from the jump from

838
04:05:14.239 --> 04:05:33.760
250 million all the way up until right now to where we're at right now. every last city councilman person should have been engaged and not asking the administration for additional >> paperwork and employment and all the rest of that. >> Thank you. >> And just just for the record, every

839
04:05:33.760 --> 04:05:50.520
budget hearing since I've been municipal clerk has been televised and live and str. That's up to the administration. Next speaker 5.82, 82. Jack McKe.

840
04:05:58.080 --> 04:06:13.920
Good evening, council. I am here to voice my support for not just the budget, for what the what the budget supports. The budget supports people. People providing services to our community that we need. We can't afford to go without parks or garbage

841
04:06:13.920 --> 04:06:29.840
collection or athletics or infrastructure, which is particularly important to me. Um, as I mentioned last meeting, a much more challenging meeting to speak in, I must say. Um, I don't want this city, more than I fear a tax increase, I fear the death spiral that

842
04:06:29.840 --> 04:06:46.960
the midsized American city can experience. when you cut this, businesses leave, people leave, the revenue drops, you have to cut more and then you end up in a far bleeer situation than uh than facing an increase. Um, but as I say this, we need creative, decisive leadership. We need

843
04:06:46.960 --> 04:07:03.840
to push things, new ideas that can generate revenue and they will not be it will be not it's not following the path the well-worn path of the past because that path has led us here where we're discussing how to dig ourselves out of a hole. Uh I know it's coming forward. I'm

844
04:07:03.840 --> 04:07:19.680
not oblivious to that. But parking reform is a huge one. I understand that's going to be unpopular with a lot of people, but the reality is that is a very valuable thing that the city has been subsidizing for so long and we treat it as our god-given right to bring a car anywhere we please and it has a

845
04:07:19.680 --> 04:07:35.760
measurable cost. It pollutes our environment. It's square footage on the road. We have to maintain those roads, so on and so forth. Also enforcing violations. Um I have I don't know the ins and outs of it, but I'm sure the port side towers people can tell you about some violations. They seem to be

846
04:07:35.760 --> 04:07:52.560
here. uh pretty regularly and there are others. I know I was a residential painter for years. I wasn't allowed to just spill paint all over the person's house and then say, "Well, that's just the cost of doing business." Look into the contracts with the uh the garbage providers, uh regional industries. Uh

847
04:07:52.560 --> 04:08:07.359
and if there isn't something in that contract that says you must maintain your trucks or else we're going to find you, then renegotiate the contract. Uh I see that all the time and it just seems like bindrop says it's regional industries, regional industries says it's bindrop and uh and then we all walk

848
04:08:07.359 --> 04:08:23.279
away and forget about it. These are opportunities to collect revenue that are not being collected right now. And I just want to say about the the nature like the nature of your jobs, God bless you. Uh I know it's marked as part-time. It nothing of the sort. It's full-time and then some. And I know you're not

849
04:08:23.279 --> 04:08:39.600
getting paid overtime. I bet a lot of you are regretting running for this role right about now. Um, but I the way I look at elected office is like we don't ask you to know what the future is going to bring. We ask you about how you solved problems in the past, how you

850
04:08:39.600 --> 04:08:56.239
would supposedly approach the problems down the road. But then once you are here, I look to you as our leaders. I look to the mayor as as the executive. And I hope that you guys see it the same way and don't that you feel the ability to make decisions on our behalf.

851
04:08:56.239 --> 04:09:28.160
Sometimes we will kick and scream a lot of times, but that's part of it. Thank you. >> And I hope that uh you will continue on. >> Thanks. >> Our next speaker 5.83 Jonah. >> Uh good evening council. Uh my name is Joanna. I am one of the board members of

852
04:09:28.160 --> 04:09:45.520
uh Jersey City Soccer Association and I want to thank you again behalf of my other sports colleagues for tableabling the ordinance 2664. Um when we were presented and found out

853
04:09:45.520 --> 04:10:01.680
about it, uh our first initial reaction to it was why was nobody consulted? The ordinance essentially would pass forward a set of uh fees for for field rentals and if you looked at the structure the

854
04:10:01.680 --> 04:10:18.720
way it was written, it could possibly have put some nonprofit sports out of business in the city. Um, I urge whoever is going to be rewriting this to look at the structure of this ordinance, to consider nonprofits, to

855
04:10:18.720 --> 04:10:35.520
consider forprofits, to consider adult and youth leagues and build a structure that is appropriately based and bring the stakeholders to the table. Um, we are all volunteers in these clubs. We spend a ridiculous amount of time and

856
04:10:35.520 --> 04:10:52.960
it's very often our own money to do something that is obviously not being filled by the city. Jersey City Soccer Association has about 1,200 kids playing soccer. If you look at our sort of the kids who are in our club, they cross

857
04:10:52.960 --> 04:11:08.800
every nationality, speak almost every language, and it's almost incredible to watch these kids kind of play on the field. It's an amazing experience. Why do we do it? Because of that. Um when you know, no matter how stressful and

858
04:11:08.800 --> 04:11:22.960
how frustrating the sort of the back, you know, the organizing 66 wreck teams gets, you go out to the field and you see what happens and it's you know why. So again, um I want to thank you for

859
04:11:22.960 --> 04:11:40.640
tableabling it. Um, I want to have us included more in a discussion, especially when it comes to sports in the city. We are always very happy and willing to fill any voids. We have hundreds of volunteers

860
04:11:40.640 --> 04:11:58.000
and anytime there's a need, we are willing to step up. So, that's all I wanted to say and um, thank you again. Our next speaker 5.84 John H.

861
04:11:58.000 --> 04:12:26.359
I don't think he's here. 5.85 Robin Stewart Carrington 586 not here. Wanda Glover, you're confusing me. Council person Griffin, I mean Gilmore.

862
04:12:32.000 --> 04:12:49.040
Good evening, council and council president, members of the Jersey City U municipal council. My name is Panda Glover and I am the founder of Save a few nonprofit, an organization serving families, students, and residents throughout the city of Jersey City, especially in the

863
04:12:49.040 --> 04:13:05.600
southside and in our neighborhoods where many families are living below the poverty line. I am speaking today in strong support of res resolution 26-430 authorizing Jersey City to accept the flow initiative. This resolution would

864
04:13:05.600 --> 04:13:21.199
allow up to two flow fairy units to be placed and moved throughout indoor and outdoor public serving locations in Jersey City, providing free menstrual and incontinence products at no cost to

865
04:13:21.199 --> 04:13:38.319
the public and at no cost to the city. I support this resolution because I have seen firsthand what a labor and the flow initiative has done for Jersey City. Save a few has worked with Ako on programs throughout the city, especially

866
04:13:38.319 --> 04:13:55.760
in schools and communities where access is not always guaranteed. Over the years, Ako has donated thousands of menstrual products to save a few and collaborated with us on countless workshops to ensure that young people, families, and residents have

867
04:13:55.760 --> 04:14:10.640
access to products, education, and dignity. Overall, the flow initiative has donated over 2 million products and was recently featured in essence as a leader in the field. For many people,

868
04:14:10.640 --> 04:14:27.600
thank you. For many people, not having the products their body needs is not a small inconvenience. It can mean missing school, feeling embarrassed, being unprepared at work, using unsafe alternatives, or having to ask someone

869
04:14:27.600 --> 04:14:43.600
else for help with something deeply personal. That should not be the standard in a city that cares about its residents. What I admire about Ego is not only what she sees, what she sees the problem, but that she is bold enough to imagine

870
04:14:43.600 --> 04:15:01.120
something better and actually build on it. This is not just about placing products somewhere. It is about imagining a Jersey city where people can manage their bodies with dignity and care without having to explain themselves, feel ashamed, or go without.

871
04:15:01.120 --> 04:15:17.279
This pilot is especially important because it includes both menstrual and incontinence products that matters. Bodies change across age, health, pregnancy, postpartum, recovery, disability, and life circumstances.

872
04:15:17.279 --> 04:15:33.040
Public spaces should be prepared for that. I urge the council to support this resolution. It is at no cost opportunity for Jersey City to lead with dignity, common sense, and care. It is also an opportunity to support Jersey City

873
04:15:33.040 --> 04:15:51.680
women. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for your consideration. >> Our next speaker 5.88 McKenzie. >> Good evening, Council President Ridley and members of the Jersey City Municipal Council. My name is Mackenzie Morand and

874
04:15:51.680 --> 04:16:07.680
I am the youth ambassador for the flow initiative and I have been a part of this work since 2018 when I was 12 years old and I here today 18 years old in strong support of resolution 26-430. The Flow Fairy Dignity Infrastructure Demonstration. I want to remind everyone

875
04:16:07.680 --> 04:16:24.000
that the Flow Initiative has been doing this work in Jersey City for years. The Flow Initiative helped make period poverty a public issue here. Not just a product issue, but an issue of a health, dignity, education, and public infrastructure. Its first public convening was held in 2018 at Curriculum

876
04:16:24.000 --> 04:16:39.520
Michael Yun's headquarters in the Heights. Since then, the flow initiative has distributed between 1.8 8 and 2 million menstrual products, expanded access through schools, shelters, libraries, and community spaces, and educated more than 30,000 students, and

877
04:16:39.520 --> 04:16:54.960
community members on menstrual health, stigma reduction, and self- advocacy. The Flow Institute has also used Logo data to drive change. Jersey City has surveyed data showed that 28% of students surveyed reported missing school because they did not have access

878
04:16:54.960 --> 04:17:10.319
to products. And 90% of Jersey City women surveyed believed access to menstrual products can improve people's experience within the health care system. This work has helped advance menstrual equity policy, including advocacy connected to Bill A1349,

879
04:17:10.319 --> 04:17:25.279
New Jerseys free menstrual products in schools, legislations, and the recognization of May 28th as menstrual equity day in New Jersey. This work has also received recognition and engagement from institutions including ARPAH, NJEDA,

880
04:17:25.279 --> 04:17:42.479
CSIT, the Ruth Batter, Ginsburg women's rights and gender justice clinic at Ruckers Newwork and even contributed expert input to inform the United Nations special reperator's work on the human rights and sanitation and non-discrimination. But what matters most is that flow

881
04:17:42.479 --> 04:17:58.960
initiative has helped shift the conversation from donation to infrastructure. Flow fairy is the next up. It asked Jersey City to imagine a world where products people need to manage their bodies are available with dignity, privacy, and care before someone is in a crisis, before someone

882
04:17:58.960 --> 04:18:19.840
has to ask, and before someone has to go without. I urge you sir to support resolution 26-430. Thank you, council. >> Next speaker 5.89, Elena not here. Okay,

883
04:18:19.840 --> 04:18:37.920
thank you. 5.90 Dan. >> Good evening, city council. Um, you know me as Dan Israel, a news correspondent for Hudson County View. Uh, but today I'll be speaking as a resident and a resident only on agenda item 10.6. Um,

884
04:18:37.920 --> 04:18:54.960
and that's resolution 26-430. um which would authorize the city to accept a gift from the flow initiative for the placement of two menstrual product dispensing kiosks otherwise known as flow fairies um to be installed at city hall or other public spaces. Um

885
04:18:54.960 --> 04:19:12.399
my dear friend I labor of the flow initiative asked me to speak as a man uh about the importance of advancing menstrual equity, access to related care products and taking a dignity centered approach to public health and bodily care. Uh so this includes the flow fairy

886
04:19:12.399 --> 04:19:28.319
dignity infrastructure initiative designed to integrate free menstrual and incontinent product access with a dignity centered and privacyconscious public care access system through a rotating citywide demonstration developed by IEO herself who is I would

887
04:19:28.319 --> 04:19:44.399
say one of the defining voices um on this issue. Uh that being said, menstrual equity means everyone can manage their period with dignity. And that means treating menstrual products as basic necessities while pushing for free access to said products in public

888
04:19:44.399 --> 04:20:00.560
restrooms, schools, and more. Gender equality includes menstrual equity and considering the fact that menration affects the the health, economic success, and education of half of the population. Dignity and

889
04:20:00.560 --> 04:20:17.359
menstrual equity means the fundamental right to manage one's menration safely, comfortably, and without shame. For men, when we champion this cause as partners, fathers, and colleagues, we help dismantle harmful stigmas and foster more inclusive and productive workplaces

890
04:20:17.359 --> 04:20:35.560
and environments. So, while everyone is focused on the tax increase, because I've been writing about it, uh I know we can walk and talk and chew gum here in Jersey City and support the health and dignity of those who menrate by passing 10.6 unanimously. Thank you.

891
04:20:36.239 --> 04:20:52.479
Our next speaker, 5.91, Jasmine, not here. >> Thank you. 5.92 Liz here. Okay. 5.93. Is that you?

892
04:20:52.479 --> 04:21:08.159
>> Yes, that is. Okay, I'm [laughter] here. I'm present. Thank you so much. Good evening, council, Madame Council President Ridley, members of the Jersey City Municipal Court, Mr. Gallagher and Trustee Stenographer. Thank you for being here and always. I

893
04:21:08.159 --> 04:21:24.479
always see you on TV. [gasps and laughter] My name is Eco Labori. I am the founder of the Flow Initiative and Flow Ferryy. I come before you tonight in support of the resolution 26-430 and in support of a truth older than any policy budget or building on record. The

894
04:21:24.479 --> 04:21:40.080
problem was never the body. The problem has always been the infrastructure. Every generation carries bodies that bleed, leak, recover, give birth, miscarry, age, move through menopause, live with disability, and manage incontinents and still have to show up

895
04:21:40.080 --> 04:21:55.359
in public life anyway. But public life was never designed with those bodies in mind. We plan for nearly everything the body does in public except for the quiet uncertainty of not knowing when it will need attention. And when the product is missing, we don't blame the design. We

896
04:21:55.359 --> 04:22:12.000
blame the person. We say they were unprepared. We send a student to the nurse. We tell the worker to figure it out. That is not dignity. Dignity means no one bleeds through their clothes, misses school, or walks off a job because the public space failed them.

897
04:22:12.000 --> 04:22:27.760
Dignity means a person can get what their body needs because their the space anticipated them. We have worked for years to make menstrual equity visible in the city. And we've helped carry this issue from charity to policy. But menstrual equity cannot end at

898
04:22:27.760 --> 04:22:44.800
awareness. It cannot end at donation. It cannot end one basket that gets refilled when everyone anyone remembers. It has to become operational and that is what flowferryy is. Flowferryy is dignity infrastructure and yes women and girls remain at the center of this work but

899
04:22:44.800 --> 04:23:01.439
dignity drawn wide enough for one is dignity wide enough for all trans men, non-binary people, postpartum, menopausal people, disabled people, older adults, immigrants, refugees, the unhoused, and every caregiver who has ever carried someone else's need

900
04:23:01.439 --> 04:23:18.479
alongside their own. because a public space is not truly public if it was never designed for all bodies. I want to thank Mayor James Solomon for keeping his promise and for refusing to do what so many before him have done which is shrug and call this a state issue

901
04:23:18.479 --> 04:23:35.520
choosing instead the harder path of vision and empathy. Thank you to Laura Bamante, Director Lender Ivory Green, Corporation Council's office, and special thanks to Michelle Perez who has helped us carry us to this point uh with a renewed sense of dignity and who

902
04:23:35.520 --> 04:23:52.239
believes in what the city can be. And last but not least, all the countless faces I have met uh along the way and is an honor to serve and who inspire. Tonight, Jersey City has the chance to say, "We see this need. We understand it, and we are willing to lead. I

903
04:23:52.239 --> 04:24:09.600
respectfully ask you to support resolution 26-430." Thank you. >> Madame President, can I say something? Can I say something? >> Yeah. Just want to say I've seen your journey

904
04:24:09.600 --> 04:24:29.600
working over years for your mission and thank you for doing it. I I'm so proud of you. Thanks. >> Okay, our next speaker, 5.94, Caitlyn Graham. >> Oh,

905
04:24:29.600 --> 04:24:51.199
5.95, John Lynch. >> Make it. Yeah. Thanks for having all the patience, everyone. Good evening, city council president and members of the city council. Thank you for all your hard work. I know the hard decisions you have to make and I respect that all. I've been a resident of Jersey

906
04:24:51.199 --> 04:25:06.800
City for 65 years. I'm an active member of this community, a city employee, and I serve on the board of the management unit. Residents are concerned, employees are worried. Both the council and the administration is under nor enormous pressure. The city's facing fiscal

907
04:25:06.800 --> 04:25:23.600
challenges and ignoring them, delaying them, any of difficult decisions won't make it go away. As a resident, I don't want higher taxes. However, I understand the situation. As a city employee and the union board member, I don't want layoffs, reductions in services,

908
04:25:23.600 --> 04:25:40.399
uncertainty for our workforce. unions will work with the mayor administration because in reality that's what we need to ne we negotiate contracts address staffing and we work to maintain services that the residents rely on that doesn't mean anyone's going

909
04:25:40.399 --> 04:25:56.399
to get a blank check it means choosing to sit at the table ask tough questions and help shape the most responsible path forward instead of standing on the sidelines I'm asking tonight to the mayor and the administration continue to be transparent show the residents the and the employees not only the tax

910
04:25:56.399 --> 04:26:11.680
increase and show the numbers behind it and the alternatives that were made and considered and the difficult trade-offs that had to be made to the council. If you believe there's a better path, present the alternative that balances the budget, protects the essential services, minimizes the impact on

911
04:26:11.680 --> 04:26:28.080
taxpayers and the city employees alike. And to both sides, remember behind every budget, every line item is a person, a homeowner, a renter, a city employee who serve in this community every day. We're all in this together. I'm

912
04:26:28.080 --> 04:26:44.800
confident between the administration and the city council and the residents, we will get through this and make Jersey City great for years to come. I also like to add on behalf of the Jersey City Management Association. I'd like to acknowledge Stu Thomas, Laura Bastamanti, Peter Horton, Bill Vera, and

913
04:26:44.800 --> 04:27:04.800
Ruby Choy for meeting with President Jim Carroll to hear our concerns and we appreciate the relationship. Thank you. Our next speaker, 5.96, Bob and R. Patel. I could have sworn we

914
04:27:04.800 --> 04:27:26.080
had him before. Anyway, I think he left. Next speaker by 97, the great Steve Lipsky. I'm not talking taxes and don't start until I start. >> I called you great.

915
04:27:26.080 --> 04:27:42.720
>> I will talk taxes, but in a different capacity. Members of the council, good evening and thank you for the opportunity to speak about our great Jersey City Marathon this year. And I'm going to address item 1014, resolution 26 through 438. This year, the Jersey

916
04:27:42.720 --> 04:27:58.880
City Marathon uh had nearly 10,000 runners from 36 countries, all 50 states, and about 1,600 residents from Jersey City. Want to thank Councilwoman Little and Councilman Efos who braved the rain and the strong winds and

917
04:27:58.880 --> 04:28:16.159
cheered on all these uh great runners. Uh bringing our total of runners and participants from Jersey City to about 6,000. recently came across my desk. Two concerns uh by Council President Ridley and Councilman Efos about the light

918
04:28:16.159 --> 04:28:30.960
rail. One constituent complained about not having access. I replied to that uh resident with four specific reasons why the light rail is temporarily suspended for 6 hours and offer to help that person plan an alternative means of

919
04:28:30.960 --> 04:28:47.920
travel on race day to include the exact uh shuttle options and bus detours available. In addition, yesterday I spoke with representatives from New Jersey Transit who confirmed they will again provide shuttle services on the day of the marathon at the stations

920
04:28:47.920 --> 04:29:04.159
being closed. Please keep in mind that the Denver Marathon, the Houston Marathon, each with about 25,000 runners temporarily suspend their light rail services. Also, major marathons such as the New York City, Chicago, Boston,

921
04:29:04.159 --> 04:29:20.960
Marine Corps, and Los Angeles marathons close iconic stretches of surface transportation as well as bridges and tunnels. We are not unique. We are elite. The other concern that came up was a convers well communication I had with

922
04:29:20.960 --> 04:29:36.080
council president Ridley starting yesterday about Port Liberte and I appreciate your advocacy on this. Um this year we met with OEM police and fire chiefs and traffic officers before and after after the marathon

923
04:29:36.080 --> 04:29:52.159
specifically about concerns in this area. Everyone reported that the event went smoothly. In fact, uh Chief Johnson, who's sitting here confirmed to me that in his conversations with Deputy Chief Dailyaly, who attends these meetings, reports that it went smooth.

924
04:29:52.159 --> 04:30:07.439
In addition, I emailed the property manager at Port Liberty at Port Liberte asking how things went and he responded, "Steve, things went so well this past year that I do not have any notes on this. I would just suggest we take the same steps as we did this past year to

925
04:30:07.439 --> 04:30:24.560
ensure things go as smoothly." Let me end on a positive note. We commissioned the $25,000 economic impact study and used the same company as New Jersey City University and the New York City Marathon. And they found that the Jersey City Marathon had an estimated economic

926
04:30:24.560 --> 04:30:43.680
impact of $7 million for this great city. The fiscal Thank you. [laughter] You used to sit behind here. You remember [laughter]

927
04:30:43.680 --> 04:31:08.560
5.98. Brett Alisandra. >> Good evening, council president and members of the city council. My name is Brett Allesandro. I'm speaking to resolution 10:30. I've been a Jersey City resident for the past 10 years. I've been living in the Lincoln Park area. I'm a United States Marine veteran

928
04:31:08.560 --> 04:31:23.439
and the founder of Backpacks for Life, a Jersey City based nonprofit serving the homeless and at risk veteran community. I'm here this evening because I strongly support Jaime Morren and Warrior Weed. I truly believe Jaime is a person of integrity, that she genuinely cares

929
04:31:23.439 --> 04:31:40.000
about Jury City, and that Warrior Weed will be a positive addition to our community. Before I explain why I believe that, I'd like to share a little about who I am and the values I live by. Now, our nonprofit has given out over 13,000 backpacks that I developed to help homeless and Iris veterans get off

930
04:31:40.000 --> 04:31:55.760
the street. We raised millions of dollars. Don't worry, none of it came from the Jersey City budget. And we've helped thousands of veterans get a second chance at life. Especially specifically in Jersey City, I've housed multiple veterans, gotten veterans off the streets. One veteran was on the

931
04:31:55.760 --> 04:32:10.720
streets for 15 years, got him into housing. Not only did we get him into housing, we refernished their houses. I got 35 pallets of hand sanitizer in the height of COVID for the board of education. got a factory to start

932
04:32:10.720 --> 04:32:27.920
mass-producing PPE for all the veteran homes as well. Countless of other things we've done for Jersey City, especially our VFW, getting a carport, paying off the insurance, uh, paying the insurance yearly for the van so they could get disabled veterans to appointments. So, that's just a little bit about who I am.

933
04:32:27.920 --> 04:32:43.600
And I mention all that because I want to give you the sense of, you know, who I am and who's standing before you. I feel so strongly about supporting Jamie and James Morren. They come from a family of Jersey City firefighters and cops. I've had the opportunity to know them

934
04:32:43.600 --> 04:32:59.439
personally, to see how they treat people, and to watch them quietly give back without looking for recognition. Their actions have constantly matched their words. And regardless of tonight's outcome, I know that they're they'll continue to serve the community because that's simply who they are. So, how I

935
04:32:59.439 --> 04:33:14.400
got to know them. When I got back from my deployment to Afghanistan, I was really banged up and somebody called me about a group called Barx Project that they matched you with uh one of the individuals that you served with. So they sent us on a fly fishing trip to

936
04:33:14.400 --> 04:33:30.879
Montana. My buddy, he lost his legs, he lost his eyesight, and he had sin gra skin graft on his hands. So, I was his bu battle buddy going on this fly fishing trip and it was very, very impactful and that's why I'm up here today just giving my support to them because it truly means the world to me

937
04:33:30.879 --> 04:33:46.000
to support my brothers and sisters at arms and I know how impactful this business will be for Jur City, especially for this budget where we need taxes any which way we can get. And I really appreciate all of your time listening to me and I hope that you would consider

938
04:33:46.000 --> 04:34:10.561
just consider hearing them out and listening to them as everybody should have a voice especially people who are trying to have a business in Jerry City. Thank you very much for your time. >> Our next speaker 5.99 Common Good night everyone. Um I'll be brief.

939
04:34:10.561 --> 04:34:25.439
My name is Carmen Brown. I'm a Jersey City resident and a local business owner. We recently opened Able Life Services and it's a dayhab center for adults with autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, any developmental

940
04:34:25.439 --> 04:34:42.719
disorder. I'm here to speak on the resolution 26-448, the loading zone for 136 Summit Avenue. When I was looking at the fact sheet, it says that the purpose is to safely accommodate deliveries and loading needs

941
04:34:42.719 --> 04:34:59.359
of the building and nearby uses. And I think this minimizes why this resolution is important. This is about people, not packages. Our center transports our individuals. We pick them up and we drop them off. And right now, we don't have a

942
04:34:59.359 --> 04:35:14.959
safe loading space, so we have to double park on Fairmont. And if you're ever driving by Summit turning into Fairmont, cars rush and speed pass by there and that is a safety issue for our participants. We have people that need

943
04:35:14.959 --> 04:35:31.520
physical assistance. We have people with behavior disorders or they wander off. So, we're not able to pull over in our parking lot because we do have a designated parking space because we have to cross two intersections to get to the entrance of our facility. So, I'm I'm

944
04:35:31.520 --> 04:35:47.920
asking um if you can please support this resolution because again, it's not about building deliveries. It's about loading and unloading our participants safely and protecting the most vulnerable residents of Jersey City, people with

945
04:35:47.920 --> 04:36:09.199
disabilities. Thank you. our next speaker 5.100 Ira while he's coming up. Carmen, thank you for making time and thank you for opening up your business uh when you had the open house. Um and uh yeah, thanks

946
04:36:09.199 --> 04:36:27.600
thanks again for all you do for folks with disabilities in Jersey City. Heyra, how you doing Sean? Thank you. Council Tonight we've heard from residents, workers, advocates, taxpayers,

947
04:36:27.600 --> 04:36:44.240
heard frustration, fear, passion, and after hours of testimony, I'm still asking, uh, where is the imagination? [snorts] So much of the debate seems to revolve around the same variations of choices. Raise the taxes, cut the workers, reduce

948
04:36:44.240 --> 04:36:58.561
the services. Surely they cannot be the only solutions available to one of the most innovative cities in America. I was born and raised here. I've watched Jersey City transform over the course of my life. So, we've built an incredible

949
04:36:58.561 --> 04:37:14.719
skyline. Uh I also work in finance. So, I know how appearances can be deceiving. How an impressive skyline can mask the bare cupboards in our coffers. measure of a city success isn't just what visitors see when they drive

950
04:37:14.719 --> 04:37:31.039
through, but more so whether the people who built it can still live and thrive in the city that they uh that they built. I've watched lifelong residents get priced out of neighborhoods they helped create. And tonight uh we're asking

951
04:37:31.039 --> 04:37:47.279
taxpayers to pay more while the city workers face losing livelihoods. the real people, not line items on a spreadsheet. Thought about the last conversation I had with Kevin Weller. Last time we spoke, he told me how many consecutive

952
04:37:47.279 --> 04:38:04.639
council meetings he had been to. I don't remember the number, but I remember what it represented to me. And that's someone who keeps showing up because he believes the city is worth fighting for. And that's something that I I I debated myself because I I just came back from my sister's wedding out west. And one of

953
04:38:04.639 --> 04:38:20.400
the things I wonder when I when I travel is why it's worth coming back to a place where it's so hard to exist. But I grew up here and I love my city. I love my town. I'm not going anywhere.

954
04:38:20.400 --> 04:38:36.879
And I would love for a council as long along with the administration to be more creative. That said, I I know that the council wasn't privy to all the information when they were presented certain budgets and

955
04:38:36.879 --> 04:38:54.561
proposals, but we got to fight. Bring business leaders, labor leaders, financial experts, nonprofits, universities, residents into the conversation in a real way. um not only ask how we close this year's

956
04:38:54.561 --> 04:39:09.520
budget, but how we ensure we're not standing having a conversation 5 years from now. Leadership is more than balancing the budget. It's building a future. People of Jersey City deserve solutions that are as ambitious as the city we project ourselves to be. That's all I

957
04:39:09.520 --> 04:39:43.240
have to say. Thank you. >> Next speaker, 5101, Johnny Miller. No. 5.102. Sky Allen. 5.103. Cecil 5.104. Carlos

958
04:39:45.120 --> 04:40:10.638
5.105. Tanya 5.106 Genevieve >> or Gigi. >> Yeah, you all know me as Gigi. Good evening, council president and members of the council. I come before you tonight not only as a Jersey City resident and homeowner, but as a Jersey

959
04:40:10.638 --> 04:40:27.120
City employee. The painful fiscal crisis we find ourselves in will certainly have a crushing impact on my family and my neighbors. And I want to thank all the residents who've come out to speak about their very real fears in the face of a staggering tax increase.

960
04:40:27.120 --> 04:40:43.280
I also want to thank my fellow city employees for showing so much solidarity tonight and I stand to speak as one of you tonight. For those of you who don't know me, I'm the division director for the division of affordable housing. And I love what I do. I love what I do for

961
04:40:43.280 --> 04:40:59.760
Jersey City. I know that you don't have a direct say in staffing or personnel matters, but you came in with this new administration, one that promised a new level of respect, a new culture of leadership, a new way of engaging with the workforce. At the beginning of his

962
04:40:59.760 --> 04:41:15.280
term, Mayor Solomon sent an email to the city workers stating, and I quote, "You keep the city running. You answer the calls, process the permits, maintain the parks, and show up often in difficult circumstances, often without the

963
04:41:15.280 --> 04:41:32.718
resources you need. Jersey City works because of you. The administration is going to have your back. This means listening to the people that do the work. And I am sad to report that on Friday, July 10th, no one listened and

964
04:41:32.718 --> 04:41:49.520
31 provisional staff were cut loose. No one had our back. I was blindsided by the layoff of a team member of mine. And you know, the division of affordable housing, like so many other divisions, punches above its weight despite growing exponential workload. I scrambled into

965
04:41:49.520 --> 04:42:05.680
action. I called every member of the administration's leadership that I could find, only to be told, "This is really tough. We really have hard decisions to make. I'm a division director. I do understand that. But I would have appreciated being counted as a partner in that hard decision rather than being

966
04:42:05.680 --> 04:42:22.320
told to stand down and take a hit. Now, let's talk about city uh civil service titles. This is a mythical process that we don't know how to figure out. HR can't help. They point the finger at the civil service commission. The civil service commission points it at the

967
04:42:22.320 --> 04:42:40.000
state. We talk about higher salaries to attract talent and we don't talk about retaining talent that is under our noses. We lost a provisional talented person because of that issue. So please hold this administration accountable for the culture that you're creating around

968
04:42:40.000 --> 04:42:56.920
city workers, workers you call upon to aid your constituents who are experts in their field. see us as a human being, not as a line item on a spreadsheet. As people who want to contribute and help us help you. Thank you.

969
04:43:01.280 --> 04:43:27.920
Our next speaker, 5.107, Donna. >> Good evening. I just want to express my solidarity with the speaker right before me because she she's totally right and I I was very happy to see all the unionists, the trade union people who

970
04:43:27.920 --> 04:43:46.400
are here tonight. I am a a teamster. I I I'm a retired Teamster. I worked for the Teamsters Local 237 in New York City which was uh we represented 23,000 public employees and I worked on the paper in the union

971
04:43:46.400 --> 04:44:02.400
and so I I actually interviewed lots of our members and retirees and I really learned to appreciate public employees the services that they provide for the you know for the city and um and for

972
04:44:02.400 --> 04:44:17.520
people you know People tend to complain about this and that and this and that, but they're really the the city would be no place without the without our public employees. Um, and I thought I think because of so

973
04:44:17.520 --> 04:44:33.440
many union members were here and the unions that it ch it was a different tone from other meetings that I've gone to that I've seen. I've been to a a lot of, you know, several of the city council meetings to the meeting at the annex. I've been to a couple of ward

974
04:44:33.440 --> 04:44:50.080
meetings and then I watched some of the live stream of you know at the church and at the mosque and I I thought that this was a much more positive in a way you know when um our union members they

975
04:44:50.080 --> 04:45:04.878
sometime if there was a problem they'd be blaming the union whereas which was misdirected they should have been yelling at the city and here I in with all our conversation here. I think that there was a lot of misplaced blame and

976
04:45:04.878 --> 04:45:22.000
anger here. I mean, Fulip, you know, Fulip was full of it and but I think that people he attended at at first to be blaming city council and and Mayor Solomon for for everything. So, and I didn't think that was, you know, the

977
04:45:22.000 --> 04:45:39.680
best, you know, the best thing. I and I've said before I really believe that that people are not aware of all the state restrictions, the laws, the constitution, and people need to be much more aware of that, you know, and I and

978
04:45:39.680 --> 04:45:54.798
I've said that before. And I think that we need to be able to mobilize our people to change some of these laws, maybe work with some of the other cities because you know the the state legislature, we have a lot of we have a

979
04:45:54.798 --> 04:46:10.958
lot of rural and suburban areas and representatives assembly people, they don't understand or maybe they don't care about cities. We need to change the whole financial structure and the and the laws so that we're not stuck with something like a take it or leave it.

980
04:46:10.958 --> 04:46:33.040
You know, we had two options and take it or leave it. And you I think the city council should have been involved earlier. Okay. >> 5.108. Cheryl Cheryl here. 5.109. Janie

981
04:46:33.040 --> 04:46:58.560
Janine, I'm sorry. Good evening, Sharks. Tonight, I do not stand here only for myself, but I stand for the lifelong residents of Jersey City who couldn't be here late tonight because they are currently working late, raising families, paying bills, and carrying the weight of decisions made

982
04:46:58.560 --> 04:47:14.798
inside this building. even when they are not subconsciously considered. I stand for more than 80% of residents who are not earning $200,000 a year. Yet, we are expected to keep paying for more while being told there is no room for belief. As a lifelong resident of Jersey City

983
04:47:14.798 --> 04:47:30.000
and a product of the public school system, we were always told there was not enough money, not enough for taxpayers and resources, not enough for neighborhoods, and now not enough for property tax relief. But accordingly to but according to public reported salary

984
04:47:30.000 --> 04:47:46.958
information, it's baffling to me that this administration has appointed about 20 senior staff members earning average between 100 to $150,000 a year and including reportingly strangely new positions. That means six of the highest paid appointees alone

985
04:47:46.958 --> 04:48:03.840
have represented approximately 1.3 to$ 1.5 million annually before benefits. And with estimates placing the infamous male salmonella I mean Salomon I'm a payroll between 3.5 to3.7 million and I

986
04:48:03.840 --> 04:48:20.160
know I said salmonella by accident but I know the difference. Salmonella might knock you out for a week but this administration's decisions could burden taxpayers for a generation. And one requires medicine that you can buy and the other requires accountability which

987
04:48:20.160 --> 04:48:36.480
you cannot buy. But I am a woman with empathy. So maybe these positions are necessary. Maybe every dollar is justified. And if that's the case, then prove it. Show the people the data. Show the job description. Show the qualifications. Show us the results. And

988
04:48:36.480 --> 04:48:52.480
in the language that the people will understand because the people who pay the bills deserve more than promises. They deserve clear transparencies. And since you underestimate the people, the people have been doing the math that you won't provide the numbers to us.

989
04:48:52.480 --> 04:49:09.920
Accordingly, if $6 million can be saved, that could potentially reduce property taxes by approximately 1.5%. So the question is simple. Why are residents being asked to carry the burden while the government continues to

990
04:49:09.920 --> 04:49:25.120
grow? This is not about fear and intimidation because my father have taught me to never fear politicians who hide in the shadows of their bad decisions. This is about accountability and the people are waking up. The public the public records

991
04:49:25.120 --> 04:49:41.120
will remain, the budgets will remain and the payroll records will remain and remember that history will always remember. Those who sit in these offices should never fear the voices of the people. They should respect them because public office is not a throne. It is a

992
04:49:41.120 --> 04:50:07.480
responsibility. You have asked for our trust in your campaign. So now earn it. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker 5 110 Brendan here. Speaker 5.111 Monica.

993
04:50:12.160 --> 04:50:28.480
>> Well, good evening everyone. I'm here to say first of all, thank you for voting 20% tax increase and I'm asking again to vote down 15% tax increase. I'm also asking

994
04:50:28.480 --> 04:50:45.040
as a homeowner, as a resident to please get your city inspectors, your city sweepers, your ticket maids up and let them do their job. I cannot get a street cleaner or a

995
04:50:45.040 --> 04:51:02.638
ticket maid to come down my block for no reason, for any reason to get my street clean. Our streets are filthy. They're unsafe. They poorly liten and yet you continue to ask us to pay taxes for a service that we cannot get.

996
04:51:02.638 --> 04:51:20.320
I'm asking the city inspectors to go out and look at these store owners, these people that instead of sweeping in front of their street, they blow everything out on the street and the street cleaner don't come pick it up because it's not running. And then when the street

997
04:51:20.320 --> 04:51:38.160
cleaner does run, the ticket maid is not with them. so they don't move their cars. So, we got the dirt and the mess blowing all over our neighborhoods. I'm asking, can we please stop with the $30,000

998
04:51:38.160 --> 04:51:54.480
salary increases? Can we stop with the $200,000 salaries and just give the tax pay taxpayers what we are already paying for but can't get the service? I'm also asking these high-rise luxury

999
04:51:54.480 --> 04:52:09.920
buildings, apartments, take a look into them and see some of these if units that you can open up for affordable housing and stop giving these developers all the breaks. I'm asking I appreciate you all

1000
04:52:09.920 --> 04:52:39.520
tonight and have a good one. Thank you. Next speaker 5.112 Rich I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. >> Sir, if you speak to the mic. >> Excuse me. >> Just speak into the mic. All right. Did

1001
04:52:39.520 --> 04:52:54.718
you hear any of it? No, sir. >> Okay. and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey that I will faithfully impartially and justly justly justly perform all the duties of the

1002
04:52:54.718 --> 04:53:19.680
office of council person for the city of Jersey City. I think we're about to find out what those words mean and what they're worth. And last but not least, our last speaker

1003
04:53:19.680 --> 04:53:39.280
was handing me a bunch of stuff. The legendary Joe Krenic. Good evening everyone. It's been a long night and I listened to every word everybody said back there in my corner. My name is Joe Kraik and I've been the

1004
04:53:39.280 --> 04:53:55.360
president of the firefighters for 47 years. Paul Jordan was the first mayor I worked with. We had a budget problem then and in 1976 I was going to get laid off. I didn't because my President

1005
04:53:55.360 --> 04:54:13.360
Thomas W. Burke concocted an idea with the city and we weren't laid off. Gerald McCann laid 50 police officers off. 50 firefighters were going to be laid off, but not one firefighter got

1006
04:54:13.360 --> 04:54:30.560
laid off, but 50 police officers did. The council at that time voted over and over again a resolution to bring the police back. They never did. The mayor laid the cops off for 362

1007
04:54:30.560 --> 04:54:46.798
days. You know why? Because if it went over a year, he'd have to retrain them for two weeks. I rise for two reasons tonight. One, I've been following your budgets for a while.

1008
04:54:46.798 --> 04:55:04.878
Since January to now, you made different appropriations. You got your budget today. And what we're saying in this budget that you have and I think you have to look at everything and help all the union presidents that were here.

1009
04:55:04.878 --> 04:55:21.040
You got to give them what? You have to give them the information, the data, the sheets that each director must have. My first budget director was Mr. McCarthy. He sat right where the

1010
04:55:21.040 --> 04:55:38.080
president of our council was. Dominic Buglesi, myself and others would sit there and he would question the directors. There's worksheets that had to be had. How many firefighters do we have? How many fire officers do we

1011
04:55:38.080 --> 04:55:55.440
have? How many police officers do we have? And etc with the police superiors in your budget right now with this MUA and the DCA. There's so many questions to be answered.

1012
04:55:55.440 --> 04:56:12.560
Okay? You have to do the job that the people of Jersey City elected you for. And God bless you all because it's not an easy task. But unless these union presidents have the information, you'll never get it done. They're all good men

1013
04:56:12.560 --> 04:56:28.560
and women. The trade labor unionist that I have been for 60 years is in my heart. When I speak, I have no prepared notes. It's coming from here. And Jersey City is our city. It's been my city, even

1014
04:56:28.560 --> 04:56:56.400
though I don't live here. I was born and raised downtown. >> Thank you, Joe. Okay, that will conclude our public speaking portion of the meeting. [clears throat] Council President, I believe you want to address the municipal council and members of the

1015
04:56:56.400 --> 04:57:13.840
public. >> Yes. uh there is a need to go into an executive session as we have uh some new details to discuss in terms of theou that is on the agenda. So I um make a

1016
04:57:13.840 --> 04:57:31.040
motion to add item 1050 to the agenda um to call for an executive session and I can read it into the record. >> Second. So motion was made by council per council president Ridley.

1017
04:57:31.040 --> 04:57:45.680
I'm going to give the second to Brooks even though there was a tie somewhere [laughter] on the motion to add item 1050 city resolution 26-474 which is the close session to the

1018
04:57:45.680 --> 04:58:02.878
agenda. Council person Brooks I. >> Council person Zupa. Hi. >> Council person Efos. Hi. Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin.

1019
04:58:02.878 --> 04:58:17.520
>> Hi. >> You can only vote once. Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And Council President Ridley. >> Uh I Do you need me to read it into the record, Sean, or you're good? >> As soon as I take soon as I recap the motion. >> Okay.

1020
04:58:17.520 --> 04:58:34.798
>> So motion carries. 90 to add item 1050, city resolution 26-474. Now, the council president will read it into the record and then we'll make a motion to defer to that item. >> Okay. Uh resolution authorizing a close

1021
04:58:34.798 --> 04:58:51.920
session of the municipal council on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 at I got that right. at uh 11:16 p.m. to discuss issues related to anticipated litigation and contract

1022
04:58:51.920 --> 04:59:11.760
negotiation. >> Okay. May I have a motion to defer to item 1050, resolution 26-474? >> Motion second. >> Motion made by council person Gilmore, seconded by council person Zupa. On a

1023
04:59:11.760 --> 04:59:26.878
motion to defer to item 1050, city resolution 26-474. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Epos. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. Council person

1024
04:59:26.878 --> 04:59:43.360
Singh. Don't go anywhere yet. Council person Griffin. >> I. >> Council person Labaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Motion carries 90. and to approve city resolution 26-474.

1025
04:59:43.360 --> 04:59:58.958
Council person Brooks >> Sean >> Sean over here. Hi. >> May I briefly? >> You can for council members walk away after the vote. I just want to for the benefit of the public and also the council remind everyone that going into

1026
04:59:58.958 --> 05:00:14.638
closed session is for an extremely limited and specific purpose. This is not a free-for-all for policy discussions or debating how or why you are going to vote. We are going to stay very narrowly focused on contract negotiations to the extent that you need

1027
05:00:14.638 --> 05:00:29.200
confidential information to receive legal advice from your lawyer. But I've said that up here. I will repeat that downstairs if it bears repeating. We're going to stay laser targeted and make sure that any public discussion about the merits of your votes is happening in

1028
05:00:29.200 --> 05:00:47.600
the public eye. Okay, with that being said, may I take a vote on city resolution 26-474? Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Ephro. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi.

1029
05:00:47.600 --> 05:01:04.718
>> Council Person Gilmore. >> Council Person Singh. >> Hi, >> Council Person Griffin. >> I. >> Council Person Labaro. >> I. >> And Council President Ridley. >> I. City Resolution 26-474 is approved unanimously. 90. Members of

1030
05:01:04.718 --> 05:01:21.440
the public who are here, you can feel free to wait in the room. We are going to go downstairs to the caucus room, hold our close session, and come right back up as soon as possible. >> Do Do we have an estimated time of our close session? >> We do not have an estimated time because

1031
05:01:21.440 --> 05:01:46.000
we don't know what's actually going to be discussed. We do not have an estimated time, but I'm asking all of the council members to please keep it as concise as possible. >> Okay. Yeah.

1032
05:01:46.000 --> 05:02:39.440
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to be getting started. So, if we can find our seats and if you put your cell phones on, silence them again. All right, we're back on the record. So, with that being said, I think the

1033
05:02:39.440 --> 05:02:55.920
council president would just like to address the members of the public and people who are watching at home. >> Okay. Um, we had our executive session. We did get new information in regards to theou

1034
05:02:55.920 --> 05:03:11.040
that is before us. Um, I did step out earlier. I took a call and I wanted to discuss the details of that conversation in executive session uh with our attorney

1035
05:03:11.040 --> 05:03:28.320
uh to be sure that any new terms of uh thisou etc. uh what our legal standing was. And um at this point where we are is I did have a conversation today uh with our senator

1036
05:03:28.320 --> 05:03:46.240
McCury and uh he is along with our other state elected officials uh willing to advocate continue to advocate for more favorable terms for thisou.

1037
05:03:46.240 --> 05:04:03.200
Um he stated that he is confident that he can be a productive advocate in getting a few more changes along with working with our other elected officials. Um he is confident that he can get some changes.

1038
05:04:03.200 --> 05:04:17.840
Unfortunately, I do not have those changes tonight. Um, so theou that is before us tonight is before us and we did speak with our corporation council to see that if those terms change or if the state is willing

1039
05:04:17.840 --> 05:04:33.440
to change those terms, are we able to amend that regardless of tonight's vote? If we vote for thisou, are we still within our rights to go back and amend that? And our corporation council did say that is accurate. I just don't want

1040
05:04:33.440 --> 05:04:48.958
to quote her word for word. I'll let her respond to that question. >> Yes. The only thing that I'll clarify is theou is a contract like any other. So if we are able to negotiate amendments that the state would agree to, then procedurally the council can vote on those amendments and incorporate them

1041
05:04:48.958 --> 05:05:04.560
into anyou. >> Okay. And so that is the conversation and what we discussed in executive session. And I just wanted the public to know uh the message that we did receive from our state electeds that they still

1042
05:05:04.560 --> 05:05:21.280
pushing and they can still push and legally we can still adjust the term. So that is where we are and I wanted the council to have that information before they took any vote tonight. >> Okay. All right.

1043
05:05:21.280 --> 05:05:36.718
Moving forward with our agenda. Any questions or comments on petitions communication 6.1 through 6.49 hearing? None. There are no reporter direct excuse me uh officer

1044
05:05:36.718 --> 05:05:52.958
communications. There's one reporter director. Any questions or comments on 8.1 and to our claims? So, council members going to be taking a vote on the claims? Council person Brooks. >> I. >> Council person Zupa. Hi,

1045
05:05:52.958 --> 05:06:09.520
>> Council Person Ephro. >> Hi, >> Council Person Little. >> Hi, >> Council Person Gilmore. >> Council Person Singh. >> Hi, >> Council Person Griffin. >> Hi, >> Council Person Lavaro. >> Hi,

1046
05:06:09.520 --> 05:06:26.718
>> and Council President Ridley. >> I claims all claims are approved unanimously. 90. on to our resolutions and council members. Before I I usually take a vote on a combination of resolutions, but we

1047
05:06:26.718 --> 05:06:42.400
wanted to make sure that we're taking a vote individually on the first two resolutions because if the first one doesn't get approved, we cannot uh approve or move forward with the second resolution. So, with that being said, >> hold up one second, Sean, because I

1048
05:06:42.400 --> 05:06:58.000
think we discussed incorporation council, please clarify. I'm I'm happy to >> Okay, I think you know where I'm going, but we still have not uh introduced a resolution to the three tax rate, right?

1049
05:06:58.000 --> 05:07:12.878
And I think you mentioned certain things have to happen before other things happen. So, I just want to make sure that we're going in the proper order if we're starting with thatou this evening. >> So, I think the order of starting with theou makes sense for a few reasons. So

1050
05:07:12.878 --> 05:07:28.878
under state law, the city can only move to introduce a budget if it is balanced. The only budget that has been prepared to date that I am aware of or I think anyone else in the administration is aware of is a budget that incorporates the assumption of $120 million loan from

1051
05:07:28.878 --> 05:07:44.560
the state. And so until the city has legally accepted that money by voting on theou, it cannot move to introduce the budget. So that's why it's very important to follow the sequence of items one through two separately. I'm aware and since you opened the door, council president, I hope I'm not

1052
05:07:44.560 --> 05:08:00.000
letting the cat out of the bag that several council people have discussed walking on a resolution that would request authority from DLGS to mail out a Q3 tax bill even though we are past the statutory deadline. That is

1053
05:08:00.000 --> 05:08:16.638
something that they have the authority to grant or decline to give. state has indicated to the city that it would contemplate granting that approval in the event that the city is willing to accept the terms of theou. So, put more simply, if you know the city's willing

1054
05:08:16.638 --> 05:08:34.280
to accept, whether it's the 15 or 20, then it's up to the city to decide how to allocate that amount between the Q3 and Q4 tax bills. So, if that resolution is going to be walked on, it should be done after theou is voted on um and at any point after that in the agenda.

1055
05:08:37.200 --> 05:09:00.560
So I have a question. So if they vote on theou then they were they should add the walk-on or vote on the budget then add the walk-on. >> I think the first item has to happen first. I see no reason not to go ahead

1056
05:09:00.560 --> 05:09:16.560
and vote on the second item and do the late item at the very end like we normally do. Um, that order makes sense. Arguably, you could switch two and three. I don't think it makes a big difference legally or in terms of the decision-m of the council. >> Okay. Thank you very much.

1057
05:09:16.560 --> 05:09:33.680
>> All right, council members. >> Sorry, Sean and Mr. President. >> Um, and then there was also the uh um have a walk-on that the law department prepared. I've discussed in the past changing the interest rate for late payments. Um, and

1058
05:09:33.680 --> 05:09:54.240
so I'm going to hand out um this draft and I don't know, we could take it up whenever. >> Would you like me to address that now or >> I mean I I'll defer to the council president and that might as well discuss it now. Yeah. Let's take all resolutions, get

1059
05:09:54.240 --> 05:10:10.878
everything on the agenda, and then call for the vote. >> So, shortly before the meeting, um, Council Person Lavaro asked the law department to prepare a resolution that is requesting authority from DLGS to set a lower interest rate for late payments

1060
05:10:10.878 --> 05:10:28.680
in connection with that Q3 bill. That is something that the council can by passing a resolution request state approval to do. We have not received any assurances from the state that they will approve that and so this is just taking the step of asking them for permission

1061
05:10:29.840 --> 05:10:47.040
>> questions. Okay. >> The numbers aren't set in this uh um draft at this point. So the maximum on the first $1,500 of delinquency is 8%. And then the

1062
05:10:47.040 --> 05:11:04.160
maximum for anything above 1500 is 18%. Um and folks feel about it. This is your first time looking at it. So my my thought would be that for average working families the 1500 is probably

1063
05:11:04.160 --> 05:11:19.360
the number that we want to get lower. Yeah. 2% maybe because you want to have something to encourage folks to still pay their bill at the end of the day. Um and then the number in excess of 1500 when you talk about the large buildings

1064
05:11:19.360 --> 05:11:36.240
and um and corporate interest and so forth around that that uh can can set that number a little higher set it higher frankly to ensure that they pay their fair share that they pay their their bills on time. Now, this this

1065
05:11:36.240 --> 05:11:55.840
refers to um until the deadline in November. No. Um well, the idea would be to the next third quarter is August 1st, right? Deadline. And so, they would have a 10-day grace period um from August 1st.

1066
05:11:55.840 --> 05:12:11.440
Unfortunately, the bills will be coming out this week, so they'll probably get it sometime next week. and they probably have less than a week at that point to around a week to pay might meet their August 1 deadline with additional 10 days for the grace period. >> Um and then they get hit hit with

1067
05:12:11.440 --> 05:12:29.040
delinquency um charges as a result. Um and could we also can we also ask for maybe five more days on that grace period? >> What you got to speak a little more into the mic? Are we able to add ask for five more days for the grace period?

1068
05:12:29.040 --> 05:12:45.120
>> That is something that Councilman Labaro asked us to look into. During the time that we had to research this, we did not find any statutory authority that would let the council ask for that. Similar to how you have the ability to ask for a little bit of a modification on the interest rate. So to our knowledge, there's no ability to do that at this

1069
05:12:45.120 --> 05:13:02.000
point. I would like just to add what I I've been told by our tax collector's office is this the schedule would be more or less as follows. If we approve tonight, take about a week to print and mail. So that would take us

1070
05:13:02.000 --> 05:13:18.480
to say the 22nd for argument sake. Today's being the 14th, the due date remains August 1st. I've been told we have the ability then to extend the grace period from to 25 days by 25 days from the date of mailing. 25 days from

1071
05:13:18.480 --> 05:13:35.200
the date of mailing would bring us to August 17th as the effective due date with no late fees. Beyond the 17th interest acrru back to August 1st. That's the advice I've been given by tax

1072
05:13:35.200 --> 05:13:50.480
collector's office. I do think we need to make sure after today that that's accurate. That's been the advice again I have received from the tax collectors. I would like to make one other comment with respect to the interest rate. There's a reason there are late fees and penalties, right, to incentivize people

1073
05:13:50.480 --> 05:14:06.638
to make the payments. Receiving those payments is extremely important for the city for purposes of meeting its own obligations. So to the extent we lower those rates and disincentivize people from paying on time,

1074
05:14:06.638 --> 05:14:21.360
I don't know about how much, but it is impacting the city's ability to pay its own bills to the extent it we receive receipts later than necessary. And we do have to remit payments to the school and the county no later than September 15.

1075
05:14:21.360 --> 05:14:38.480
So it is important that we collect taxes on time. >> Okay. So, just to be clear to the public because this can be confusing like we're uncharted territory, I guess. Um, so this

1076
05:14:38.480 --> 05:14:53.520
specific ordinance refers to if your tax bills are not paid for Q3. Um, the first 1,500 is 8%. um subsequently anything after that is

1077
05:14:53.520 --> 05:15:11.520
18% but only as it relates to it before it goes to lean. >> Right. >> So to clarify 8% and 18% are the default interest rates that are set by statute. This resolution is requesting authorization to reduce those numbers.

1078
05:15:11.520 --> 05:15:28.480
So council could inject whatever number it would like to. >> Yes. But the the bigger point in which you're beginning to make is because people may get confused because the the tax lean rate is 18% too when someone

1079
05:15:28.480 --> 05:15:44.480
purchase your lean. This have nothing to do with that. This is as long as the debt is outstanding before that period. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, I just I just wanted to make that clear for the public so they don't

1080
05:15:44.480 --> 05:15:59.840
get confused. >> And and so um my my question is uh regarding um the the money um after theou is signed, what when do we expect to see money? How is it going

1081
05:15:59.840 --> 05:16:17.040
to be paid out? Are we getting like a lottery check? Is this going to be paid in lump sums? I mean, because we're talking about running out of money. Um, but if we're going to if if we're going to receive this money before that happens,

1082
05:16:17.040 --> 05:16:34.160
um, you know, I I I don't I don't think we should have an issue with with, you know, lowering the, um, >> basically paying out bills. >> Councilman, I've been told by DCA that we would receive the $105 million in loan proceeds relatively quickly. I have not given a specific date, but I would

1083
05:16:34.160 --> 05:16:49.440
anticipate that would be within a week or two. That said, our expectation would be that we would typically collect somewhere around $300 million in tax receipts. Without those tax receipts, even with the loan, we

1084
05:16:49.440 --> 05:17:05.600
would not have sufficient receipts to make the payments to the school and the county. The the tax receipts for the city are by far and away the biggest source of cash. >> A question. Um >> Okay. So, could you just explain uh how

1085
05:17:05.600 --> 05:17:19.760
what you just laid out regarding the 25day extension seems to already exist as a as a possibility that would bring us to August 17th. How that would square with the second resolved clause in the

1086
05:17:19.760 --> 05:17:37.520
proposed ordinance here um that gives us grace period to the 10th of the month um after the date upon which the saint became payable. So would that be the 10th of September uh following August 17th or

1087
05:17:37.520 --> 05:17:54.718
how would those mesh corporation council? >> All we can do in this moment unfortunately is give you the best information we have. This question has come up just within a couple hours of the council meeting starting. Law department has not been able to track down the authority for the 25-day

1088
05:17:54.718 --> 05:18:12.718
figure. I trust that our tax collector is expert in this area. bill reports that the state has also indicated that it believes it is 25 days, but I I don't have a statute in front of me that spells that out. >> So, we would be sending out the we would

1089
05:18:12.718 --> 05:18:28.878
be essentially voting on this. also potentially voting on a quarter 3 tax bill to be sent out tonight um without knowing for certain tonight when the due date would be or whether there would be a grace period beyond that due date.

1090
05:18:28.878 --> 05:18:46.000
Correct. So it will take roughly a week to print and mail the bills anyway. I think it would tomorrow we would make sure we had button down the details. Again, I think in council president and council member Lavaro and uh

1091
05:18:46.000 --> 05:19:02.320
Gilmore may recall this conversation also on Monday when we met with DCA. The discussion about a grace period is consistent with what the tax collector's office has told me, but we've not been able to track down the exact statutes that would govern that grace period.

1092
05:19:02.320 --> 05:19:16.958
>> If it's correct, then we would mail roughly a week from today. the due date turns into August 17th. Any payments after August 17th would be subject to the penalties, the interest back to August 1st.

1093
05:19:16.958 --> 05:19:34.878
>> Okay. And then just lastly to clarify, if this were to pass and we were to also pass a estimated quarter 3 tax bill, um we we still need approval from DCA for both of those items. That correct? We

1094
05:19:34.878 --> 05:19:49.760
need approval from DCA for both of those items. Correct. >> I believe so. >> Okay. >> I believe it would they would grant it as well. I But I we would have to make the request. >> Your impression that they would look favorably upon both of those? >> Yes. >> Okay.

1095
05:19:49.760 --> 05:20:09.280
Thank you. >> Yeah. I mean, I'll just say I appreciate Councilman Lavaro, you you putting this forward um as an op option for us and as an option for Jersey City taxpayers right now. Um, I'm interested in this. I I would want to make sure that the do

1096
05:20:09.280 --> 05:20:28.840
not set the uh the first 1500 uh interest rate so low that we're too steeply disincentivizing. Um, but I I appreciate that. I'm open to the number that is lower than eight to try and spare some of the pain.

1097
05:20:31.680 --> 05:20:48.400
>> May I interrupt for a second? and I was just able to find the statutory authority for the 25th day. So when you're talking about the third installment of current tax years, uh interest cannot be assessed until the latter of August 1st or the 25th calendar day after the date the tax bill

1098
05:20:48.400 --> 05:21:05.360
for the third installment was mailed or otherwise delivered. So, my apologies to uh Bill in terms of questioning the tax collector's analysis of that, but we have found the statutory authority for you. >> Great. But we still need a little bit

1099
05:21:05.360 --> 05:21:21.120
more time to see how that would square with the the second clause in this proposed ordinance around the 10th of the month um being a grace period. We would still need some more time to review how that would square with this

1100
05:21:21.120 --> 05:21:37.280
25day extension. >> Yeah. Yeah. We we can amend the resolution to put in the correct dates and the correct time frame before the vote. Yeah. >> Oh, I see. Okay. So, we could put August 17th. >> Well, it would be from the 25th day of

1101
05:21:37.280 --> 05:21:56.718
mailing, assuming August 17th based on when the prints the printed tax bills come back and are mailed out. >> Understood. Thank you. >> So Sean, given all of this, my recommendation would be to go through the first two items and then once we've

1102
05:21:56.718 --> 05:22:14.080
gone through everything else, handle the two walk-ons. And there's still some decisions that the council needs to make about the specifics of those walk-ons. We'll make the edits to the resolution we just talked about. We will need to know what number interest rate the council would like to inject. And then

1103
05:22:14.080 --> 05:22:32.000
Sean, we will send you via email and the council president the electronic versions of those resolutions which we have some print copies of. >> Excellent. Okay. I have some copies to hand out, but I do want to start taking votes. So,

1104
05:22:32.000 --> 05:22:58.638
if somebody would volunteer to come up and hand out to the council, I'd really appreciate it. Okay. Thank you, Stuart. While Stuart's doing that, so council members, we're going to start with item 10.1, city resolution 26-425,

1105
05:22:58.638 --> 05:23:13.840
which is pursuant to the final terms provided by the division of local government services on July 13th, 2026, a resolution for the memorandum of understanding, division of local government services for a loan to eliminate structural municipal budget

1106
05:23:13.840 --> 05:23:31.520
shortfalls and historic municipal budget deficit. Council members going to be taking a vote on 10.1 city resolution 26-425. Council person Brooks. Uh before I vote, I want to thank our state legislative um

1107
05:23:31.520 --> 05:23:46.638
delegation um our county uh elected officials um Commissioner Bill OD and and uh County Executive Greg Guy um for their advocacy to get us to this point. Um,

1108
05:23:46.638 --> 05:24:02.718
and I want to say to the residents of Ward B, I take the privilege of being here very seriously. Uh, your trust that you placed in me um, last year when I was elected. Um, and I really believe we cannot pass up this opportunity to get

1109
05:24:02.718 --> 05:24:19.680
Jersey City on the road to recovery. Um, this loan will help us um, address our debt. uh a tax increase while painful uh will help us address our operating deficit which is separate from our from

1110
05:24:19.680 --> 05:24:35.520
our from our debt. Um I want to take accountability uh the leadup to this vote today. Um I'll speak for myself. my communications around a possible 20% increase for Clumsy and did not take

1111
05:24:35.520 --> 05:24:52.160
into account um consultation with the residents of WB. Um I have committed uh to two community meetings with WB residents to go over the budget line by line. Um doesn't mean we're going to agree on everything, but I do want to

1112
05:24:52.160 --> 05:25:07.040
make that commitment to transparency. Um, I also want to thank all the city employees and their unions um who came out to speak tonight. Um, seven out of nine unions have no

1113
05:25:07.040 --> 05:25:23.200
contract to this day. Um, every employee deserves respect and dignity on the job. Um, I don't look like it, but I've spent 20 years in the labor movement helping workers build power and achieve respect and dignity and fair contracts.

1114
05:25:23.200 --> 05:25:38.798
um what I've heard about the way the 31 layoffs went down um was not dignified or respectful and our Jersey City employees deserve better. Um I just want to speak to the process uh

1115
05:25:38.798 --> 05:25:53.280
that residents may not have seen which is we all did have many meetings with the mayor with the CFO. Um we did not get to meet with DCA until quite recently. I'm glad that my colleagues did get to have that meeting.

1116
05:25:53.280 --> 05:26:09.360
Um, it was overdue. Um, but I'm voting yes today so when you call 911, someone answers. I'm voting yes so we can hold slum lords and absentee landlords accountable. I'm voting yes so health

1117
05:26:09.360 --> 05:26:27.120
inspectors can make sure our residents are safe and healthy. I'm voting yes so we can move towards vision zero. and I'm voting yes so Jersey City employees can get fair contracts that Steve Fulpup screwed them out of. I vote I.

1118
05:26:27.120 --> 05:26:42.320
>> Thank you, Council Person Zupa. >> Thank you, Sean. Uh before I make my remarks, I just want to send a personal thank you to the Georgia City Police Department, specifically North District Sergeant Mike Strathers and his team. Yesterday, they responded to a call uh from my family of a burglary and a disturbed individual at a friend's

1119
05:26:42.320 --> 05:26:58.878
house. the caller did not identify themselves. So, you didn't know you were responding to uh a Zupa family member, but you responded quickly and professionally as we have all come to expect. So, I thank you specifically, but also all members of our police department and the fire department who

1120
05:26:58.878 --> 05:27:13.600
put it on the line day in and day out. So, thank you. Uh it's obviously late in the evening. Uh so, I do apologize. I do have a lot to say uh about this resolution and theou. I told all of you and our residents in W C that at some point a tax increase would be necessary

1121
05:27:13.600 --> 05:27:29.840
purely due to the structural deficit that we have now. Whether you voted for me or not, I was elected not to be a rubber stamp. But I'll also never vote a certain way just because it may be politically popular or easy for me. I could vote knowing uh I I could vote no

1122
05:27:29.840 --> 05:27:45.520
knowing that this would still pass and let you blame my council colleagues while while I take a victory lap, but that'll leave us with a full $200 million deficit and no tax revenue coming in. I'll always do what I think is the most responsible thing to do for our residents. Now's the time we need to

1123
05:27:45.520 --> 05:28:02.878
come together as a city. I'm tired of the blame game and the fingerpointing that has been going on between this council and the and the administration. I know you as residents are as well. We uh didn't create the mess we're in, but we're here now. It's not all a bad dream. We won. We're here, and so now on

1124
05:28:02.878 --> 05:28:19.680
us to get the job done. Uh and we must do better. Doing better means no more attacks by the administration on this council. We're doing it job of asking questions, demanding transparency, and disagreeing when we believe the approach you're taking is wrong. Doing better means no more misleading social media

1125
05:28:19.680 --> 05:28:36.240
posts or the nonsense and untrue scare tactics that were sent to our union leaders and our employees. Voting blindly without independent opinions is exactly what got us into this position that we're in now as a city. Our employees deserve better. Our residents deserve better. To our employees who

1126
05:28:36.240 --> 05:28:51.040
spoke today and who reached out to me privately, I'm sorry that you were not afforded the respect that you all deserve. You should not be pawns in a budget dispute or rallied here by false information. and the fear of losing your jobs. Not a single council person

1127
05:28:51.040 --> 05:29:06.480
advocated for layoffs. Not a single council person said we should cut public safety or DPW and let our city descend into lawlessness. But you wouldn't know that based on the talking points that you were given by the administration. Facts matter. The council has no

1128
05:29:06.480 --> 05:29:23.280
authority to hire or fire anyone. We were not consulted on who was laid off this past Friday. Now, speaking for myself, at no time in my advocating for transparency or cutting of spending did I suggest firing the people who are making the least and doing the most. In

1129
05:29:23.280 --> 05:29:38.638
case I was not clear before, let me be clear now. I am available to the administration to consult with and will be always be a partner. I propose bonding the $13 million in tax appeals which would represent a three descent 3% tax incre decrease uh because this

1130
05:29:38.638 --> 05:29:53.280
council has been trying to do whatever we could to lower the expected tax increase that was rejected and I understand the reasons why I proposed budgeting less for contingencies which is not money that we owe currently but money that we want to have on hand for this year and for next year. That meant

1131
05:29:53.280 --> 05:30:10.080
no layoffs, no service cuts. Those ideas were also rejected and I respect the reasoning behind them. Uh but instead we've been presented with thisou mandating a 15% tax increase in exchange for the $105 million loan. Until today, we were given zero

1132
05:30:10.080 --> 05:30:26.080
flexibility to decide our own fate, which means to bond or to make cuts where appropriate, and a bad deal ended up being negotiated for us. That does not mean that this council has not tried to do what we can. Many of us reached out, as you heard today, from our council president, to our legislative

1133
05:30:26.080 --> 05:30:42.000
delegation, and to the county executive, and many have helped and are helping with getting more favorable terms. I want to shout out senators Raj McCery, Angel Mcnite, Assemblyman Walker, and County Executive Guy for hearing us as we uh as a council refuse to be told

1134
05:30:42.000 --> 05:30:56.878
that there's nothing more that can be done. I want to thank our council president and also Councilman Lavaro. uh you put in a tremendous amount of time to get commitments for better terms uh from the DCA. Councilman Lavaro, well done. I'll let you discuss what you can during your vote, but I want to thank

1135
05:30:56.878 --> 05:31:13.360
you for your time as well. Uh now for the vote. How can I say no if it means not getting the state aid and crippling our city? As I said, it's a bad deal. And instead of making the council a partner in the negotiating process, we got stuck with this impossible choice to

1136
05:31:13.360 --> 05:31:29.680
decide between taking state aid with a tax increase or rejecting the aid and we need the financial assistance. If things are as dire as we have been told, and I believe that they are, if we're telling our residents they need to feel the pain for the mistakes that are not of their own making, then we need to feel it

1137
05:31:29.680 --> 05:31:45.200
first as a city. Again, I'm not saying laying off people who are doing the work in the trenches day in and day out. Now, what I'm going to say next is also not meant to disparrage anyone in the roles I mentioned. I trust everyone is a dedicated employee and they're decent

1138
05:31:45.200 --> 05:32:02.080
people. They come to work for this city for the right reasons. But it needs to be said, how am I supposed to look my seniors in the eye and tell them that they can't go on their grocery trip because we fired their driver making $44,000 a year, but we have someone doing social media in public safety

1139
05:32:02.080 --> 05:32:19.200
making $80,000 a year. How can we beg the state for record-breaking money and suggest that law enforcement should come investigate our prior mayor and this and his administration when we're knowing when knowing that we're in a historic deficit? People were hired making $200,000 a year or more. We do not get

1140
05:32:19.200 --> 05:32:35.920
rich in government. This is not the private sector. It's one thing to say we don't want to cut recreation or public safety, but we cannot pay directors what they're currently getting paid. Not in the situation where we are in currently. Not when we're asking our residents to eat a 15% tax increase. That is not a

1141
05:32:35.920 --> 05:32:52.558
responsible decision with the flexibility that this council gave you with the salary ordinance passed many months ago. We were told we must pass a 20% increase. We were told the state was watching. Then we also granted salary increases and making non-essential hires while we asked our residents to carry

1142
05:32:52.558 --> 05:33:09.600
the burden which amounts to a betrayal that of their trust and this council's trust. We did not do what we could do do our part as a city before asking residents to suffer a tax increase. But we need the money from the state. Even taking other avenues as residents have

1143
05:33:09.600 --> 05:33:26.160
recommended like selling land. It will not make up for the deficit that will exist next year too. As you've heard before, we have a structural operational deficit. Need the money. So I will vote yes for theou with the hope for continued terms and discussion with assistance from the mayor and Senator

1144
05:33:26.160 --> 05:33:42.240
Mccury. Uh, but I will not pass a budget that reflects political hires or protects only those making the most while hurting the working families of Jersey City. We must end what's been referred to as this tale of two Jersey cities. We are one city. We are one community and we all need to do better

1145
05:33:42.240 --> 05:33:58.160
to take care of our residents and I remain committed to work with the mayor and his administration to getting that done. Thank you. And I I vote I. >> Council person Ephos. Uh, long night everybody. We're getting

1146
05:33:58.160 --> 05:34:14.558
there. Um, I'm also going to uh be voting in support of thisou. Um, and it's with a lot of gratitude and humility for all the residents uh in W D um the heights slopes and part of downtown that I've

1147
05:34:14.558 --> 05:34:29.360
been speaking with uh over the past month beyond. Um we're voting on the final third of your tax bill. um after the board of ed and the county have already locked in their increases and those are on the way no

1148
05:34:29.360 --> 05:34:46.160
matter what we do. Um committing to thisou is a necessity to solve our budget gap. Um and a no vote just exposes our city to an unbalanced budget inviting the state to take over and impose a much more drastic increase um

1149
05:34:46.160 --> 05:35:02.638
on working-class people in Jersey City. and I'm I'm not going to allow that um exposure. So, I I appreciate that the administration has continued to negotiate this. It sounds like even after we've been handed these along with the state delegation and uh recently

1150
05:35:02.638 --> 05:35:20.000
with council colleagues. So, I'm I'm grateful for that. And um I just want to talk about the alternatives uh because I've had so many discussions with residents in Mid about what alternatives there are. Have to be some other options. Well, alternatives that we have

1151
05:35:20.000 --> 05:35:35.280
in front of us to accepting the 105 million amount, um, they really amount to privatization, the selling out our city to private industry, um, in a way that would skyrocket costs for working-class people. It's neoliberalism. It's gutting city

1152
05:35:35.280 --> 05:35:53.040
government through devastating layoffs uh or sacrificing public assets uh like land that we own that when in the hands of private capital makes it that much harder for us to actually win the kind of development uh that serves the public good like affordable housing or more

1153
05:35:53.040 --> 05:36:09.360
public housing. Um, I also expressed my frustration uh to the administration uh that they started laying off city employees with no notice to council with no heads up. And um in the budget hearings that are coming up, I'm going to fight against layoffs of our rank and

1154
05:36:09.360 --> 05:36:25.920
file workers that run this city. So, thank you for showing up tonight uh for showing strong. Um, and whether it's health and human services workers, whether it's the bus driver for our seniors, uh, one of two that we had in the city, um, whether it's the crossing

1155
05:36:25.920 --> 05:36:42.798
guards, uh, that keep my neighbors safe. Um, that's that's critical. And I will also still look uh, really diligently for savings uh, in places at the top. Um, so these are, uh, these are some of the commitments that I'm making going into the the hearings in the next weeks.

1156
05:36:42.798 --> 05:37:00.480
Um, and as has been said already, it is just absolutely unacceptable to have union contracts open for years after years after years. And I look forward to 2026 being the year when we close this. Uh, and we are able to make sure our

1157
05:37:00.480 --> 05:37:15.840
union workers have their contracts locked in. Um, that we stand with our union workers in Jersey City. Um, beyond this, I commit as I did last session when we had our special meeting on July 1st to the long-term fight

1158
05:37:15.840 --> 05:37:31.040
beyond what we're going to be doing in 2026 even so that we can empower Jersey City with the tools that we are currently banned from using right now. um namely in income tax, namely changing state law so that Jersey City is empowered to actually put progressive

1159
05:37:31.040 --> 05:37:47.040
taxation on the books and not rely on the same tools of regressive property taxes that hit everyone with the same rate. Uh whether you are workingass or whether you are LFrack um on your building. So, I I look forward to working with my council colleagues and

1160
05:37:47.040 --> 05:38:03.200
working with community members and organizations to building that campaign so that we can empower us to do better and never be in this situation again. Um, we're going to be fighting in these budget hearings and beyond to make Jersey City work for working people. And with that, I I vote I on theou.

1161
05:38:03.200 --> 05:38:23.920
>> Council person Little. Jersey City is facing a historic deficit, one that we inherited from the last administration. Fortunately, we've been offered a historic amount of state aid.

1162
05:38:23.920 --> 05:38:39.440
120 million, 15 million in direct aid that we don't have to pay back and 105 million in the form of a lowterest loan. currently at 2.75% but I'm hearing um thanks to the ongoing negotiations that

1163
05:38:39.440 --> 05:39:02.480
we might even be able to get it lower. That is theou we are voting on tonight and no other municipality in the history of the state has received a state aid package this large. Um, this is truly a historic

1164
05:39:02.480 --> 05:39:19.400
moment and I do want to thank everyone who's been involved with the ongoing negotiations. Um, you know, and I'm grateful for my council colleagues that were able to be um involved in the conversations with DCA this week. Um,

1165
05:39:20.958 --> 05:39:40.878
I'm grateful to the state for for recognizing the severity of the problem that we are facing and and um giving us appropriate options to get out of this financial hole. to the people who are asking us to not

1166
05:39:40.878 --> 05:39:55.600
accept this state aid this this loan because because it requires a 15% tax increase. The alternatives are far worse.

1167
05:39:55.600 --> 05:40:12.718
We do not haveund million $105 million sitting around that we can magically pull out of the couch cushions. Um, we need that money now. And you know, I've heard some people say, "Why don't you take out a loan from the private sector? Why does it have to be

1168
05:40:12.718 --> 05:40:27.920
from the state? We would be paying at least double the interest if we got a loan from the private sector." Um, this lowinterest loan is a a helping hand. It's a way out of this hole for Jersey City.

1169
05:40:27.920 --> 05:40:44.878
If we were to reject this state aid, which I'm thankful that my council colleagues so far um seem not inclined to do, um we would not only have a tax increase much higher than 15%. We would have to gut essential city

1170
05:40:44.878 --> 05:41:00.798
services to the bone, meaning your potholes would not get filled, the garbage in the parks would not get picked up. you would call when your house is on fire and you would not know when when someone would come. That is

1171
05:41:00.798 --> 05:41:16.958
unacceptable. And I want to thank all the uh the unionists who showed out today and and made their case. Um we see you. We see the people keeping Jersey City running and um we we are going to fight to

1172
05:41:16.958 --> 05:41:36.400
maintain our essential city services at a high standard and maintain our workforce. There's also the very real chance if we were to reject this state aid that we would not be able to pass a balanced budget. In fact, that's the most likely scenario. When this happened to Hoboken

1173
05:41:36.400 --> 05:41:55.040
in the as when they were unable to pass a city budget, the state completely took over and they can raise your taxes however much they want to at that point. They are not capped at 31% like Jersey City is. they can bypass that. Um, they can

1174
05:41:55.040 --> 05:42:12.680
raise your taxes even 70%. And that is a nightmare scenario that I cannot in good faith play Russian roulette with. Um, I I cannot gamble with the future of Jersey City.

1175
05:42:13.840 --> 05:42:31.040
So, while I hear the people who are concerned about a 15% increase, and none of us came into office wanting to raise your taxes 15%. That is certainly was not on any of our minds. But given the magnitude of the situation and given

1176
05:42:31.040 --> 05:42:47.520
what we are hearing from the state and the terms of the loan from the state, the only responsible decision is to pass to vote I on this memorandum of understanding. Um and I'm committed to working with my colleagues to looking

1177
05:42:47.520 --> 05:43:03.200
for cost savings, looking for other um paths of revenue generation. Um our office is currently working with a few others on um a a parking reform ordinance like some people brought up. um you know, making sure that we that

1178
05:43:03.200 --> 05:43:20.000
our municipal prosecutor and our our um fine our our backlog is cleared and our fines on um on bad actor landlords are being fully are being collected to the fullest extent. Um you know, we are

1179
05:43:20.000 --> 05:43:34.000
committed to looking and you know, traffic enforcement, we have already seen great strides in that, but you know, there's more work to be done. So we are committed at looking at all forms of revenue generation. Um we are

1180
05:43:34.000 --> 05:43:49.600
com that you know can help that can help balance the city budget in future years without overburdening this the small homeowner the small taxpayer. Um, and we are committed to looking for cost

1181
05:43:49.600 --> 05:44:07.440
savings this year, but it would be staggeringly irresponsible to turn down this state loan. And so, um, with resolution, I vote I. >> Council Person Gilmore.

1182
05:44:07.440 --> 05:44:25.040
Um, this is very trying time for us here in Jersey City. Um, I take issue with the fact that the last administration left this huge deficit.

1183
05:44:25.040 --> 05:44:41.760
I also take issue with the current administration knowing when they came in we were in financial turmoil. They knew when they ran the numbers, they knew that we were in a deficit.

1184
05:44:41.760 --> 05:44:58.718
Yet, we br at high salaries. I would much rather have seen us be proactive from that point on. Soon as we look and seen a deficit, we should have

1185
05:44:58.718 --> 05:45:14.798
began to address the deficit right then and there. I'm going to tell you this now. This is not what I think. This is not what I hope. This is what I know. This is going to push Jersey City residents out. How

1186
05:45:14.798 --> 05:45:31.840
do you know that, Councilman Gilmore? How do you speak so confident? Because I know people can't survive. Now I know that there's people who at wit's end there's people on two s two people on two salaries and they're struggling to

1187
05:45:31.840 --> 05:45:48.240
live. And then to add insult to injury, we're constantly going back to ask the same people to cover for mistakes that the municipal government made.

1188
05:45:48.240 --> 05:46:05.600
So, while I'm mad at the old administration, I take issue with this administration as well. I also take issue with the fact that police were present when individuals were getting laid off.

1189
05:46:05.600 --> 05:46:22.878
These are the same people who have sweat equity in this city. These are the same people that worked on a national health pandemic. These are the same people who have blood, sweat, and tears and roots in Jersey City. To engage them in that

1190
05:46:22.878 --> 05:46:38.240
manner is a bad precedent set by this administration. Under no circumstance should that have been done because you you you're treating them like they've done something wrong.

1191
05:46:38.240 --> 05:46:56.480
So I take issue with that. I take issue with the fact that the council wasn't a part of the game in the beginning. The council didn't have say in the negotiation. The council didn't know exactly what were going on. The council

1192
05:46:56.480 --> 05:47:13.360
just voted 0 to9 to the 15% proposal. And now we're tasked with voting on anou that's going to push the tax rate to that 15% threshold.

1193
05:47:13.360 --> 05:47:29.440
And as a council, I hate to be in this type of position because on one end, you don't want to vote for theou because the way things were done and the ultimate harm is going to do everyday

1194
05:47:29.440 --> 05:47:44.638
Jersey residents. But in the same light, you want to vote for it because you need the $105 million. This this this it's not a mystery. Like we need the money. So

1195
05:47:44.638 --> 05:48:03.040
it's it's a damn if you do, damn if you don't. Right. So, at this point, we have to we have to actually make sure that we're in the business of doing the business of the people.

1196
05:48:03.040 --> 05:48:18.480
People, man, people are going to lose their houses, man. And I just don't know how like from a conscious standpoint, forget about a political standpoint, from a conscious standpoint. Oh, I can vi like it's almost like you're signing

1197
05:48:18.480 --> 05:48:35.520
on to someone losing their house. This is hurt. This is like this is hurtful. This is a bad position for us to be in. All these meetings the administration have done in the last I don't know since

1198
05:48:35.520 --> 05:48:49.600
inauguration. These are the conversations that should have been transpiring. We should have been looking for a proactive implementation of trying to save the taxpayers money. You keep going

1199
05:48:49.600 --> 05:49:07.280
to the same bank to get money and misappropriating that money and spending that money. I'm going to say it as I said it before. I don't know how somebody is not in jail with this stuff right here. I don't know how you leave a municipality

1200
05:49:07.280 --> 05:49:26.558
$20 and something million dollars. 200 and something million dollars in the red and then and like nothing happens. That is crazy. So here we have it. You almost forced to

1201
05:49:26.558 --> 05:49:42.558
vote on thisou. But if I'm the administration, I'm not taking the victory lap here. I'm not taking a victory lap because this administration had the opportunity to to write the prior administration wrong. This administration had a chance

1202
05:49:42.558 --> 05:49:57.600
to set a precedent for people to say, you know what, these people care about us. So the mayor took a dollar salary, but everybody in there gettingund and something thousand like I don't

1203
05:49:57.600 --> 05:50:13.200
that is mindboggling. If I know I'm in a deficit and I'm asking everybody else to compromise, I'm gonna compromise, too. Do we need to attack the best attract the best talent? Yes, we do. We also

1204
05:50:13.200 --> 05:50:30.240
make we need to make sure that people stay in their houses. We also need to make sure people got jobs to feed their family. So, I hope this administration look at this as something they can learn from,

1205
05:50:30.240 --> 05:50:47.680
something they can grow from. And we we we got to be more in unison as a team, right? It can't be hundreds of union workers coming down here as if the council is to blame for

1206
05:50:47.680 --> 05:51:02.080
layoffs. as if the council somehow hired people at these astronomical salaries. The record is clear. The council don't have the jurisdiction to say who's hired

1207
05:51:02.080 --> 05:51:19.520
and who's fired. So, we have to get away. We have to get out of this business of, you know, pointing the finger when you point one, three is back at you. What are we going to do as a whole to ensure that people can stay in their

1208
05:51:19.520 --> 05:51:41.680
house, that people have their jobs? And that's what we tasked with doing. So, this is a sad yes vote for me. This is a sad day for me because there's no there's no winners in this. There's no victory laps. >> Done, Sean.

1209
05:51:41.680 --> 05:51:58.558
>> Okay. And your vote is yes. >> Yes. Council person Singh, >> last few months have been really emotional for most of us, uh, for everyone, administration, council,

1210
05:51:58.558 --> 05:52:14.000
um, and of course for people of Jersey City and thank you for sharing all the emotions over the months with us in the meetings. Um some of them literally said they cannot afford to live in Jersey

1211
05:52:14.000 --> 05:52:31.680
City anymore. Um and uh you know we we have been we have been we have been taking your feedback seriously. We have been um going back and forth. There has been lot of meetings and lot of meetings with

1212
05:52:31.680 --> 05:52:46.638
administration about budget start last couple of months. Um I thank everyone today. um from public safety. They came to share um that you know why we need them or they need us.

1213
05:52:46.638 --> 05:53:03.200
So we absolutely do not want to compromise on any single job. Um I feel young families live here they they want to be in a safe city. So we need public safety. We want to live in a clean city.

1214
05:53:03.200 --> 05:53:20.000
So we want DPW. We want our city workers. you know they are the backbone uh of city government. Uh and I want to say that tonight we have decided whether to we were we had to

1215
05:53:20.000 --> 05:53:36.480
make the decision that we accept or reject our state money. We begged for this money because our city will not continue functioning without it. that the state isn't giving us for free and the state is offering us a choice.

1216
05:53:36.480 --> 05:53:50.958
Accept the loan with the terms or receive no state aid. I'm upset with the condition, but I'm also upset that we are we were left out of the negotiation that determined them. [clears throat] I wish I could tell you exactly what you

1217
05:53:50.958 --> 05:54:07.920
want to hear, but unfortunately I can't. What I can tell you is that every other option that was presented to us was worse like firing, may uh mass layoffs

1218
05:54:07.920 --> 05:54:23.520
requiring more sacrifices and more pain. None of us want tax increase. We know no one has extra money even, you know, enough money to take care of their families.

1219
05:54:23.520 --> 05:54:40.160
We do not want to lose any single job. Uh so it's very hard to vote yes today. But um I guess this is the only option we have for now. But as I've been telling for months and with my office,

1220
05:54:40.160 --> 05:54:55.280
I'm working on it. We have to think about ideas to generate revenues regularly. um you know the ideas people have been giving in these community meeting and some of them are great actually. So uh

1221
05:54:55.280 --> 05:55:13.120
going forward I think we council should take this responsibility that we have to work on these ideas we can generate some revenue for cities so that we are not relying just on taxes. I want to thank our uh county for negotiation,

1222
05:55:13.120 --> 05:55:32.000
administration for negotiation, senator for negotiation, and my council colleague. Um I'm hoping for better days ahead, and my vote is yes. >> Council person Griffin, >> on July [clears throat] 1st, the council

1223
05:55:32.000 --> 05:55:48.480
voted unanimously against raising taxes in the third quarter. myself and other council members urged the public to prepare for a tax hike. We we know what this is going to do to people. We know what it's going to do to

1224
05:55:48.480 --> 05:56:03.280
seniors um who are not uh paying their mortgages through a bank where the bank doesn't reset until January and they're going to have to pay this right away. Uh and and and you know, now we're back

1225
05:56:03.280 --> 05:56:18.400
here voting on an MUA and and shout out to our state and and and and county legislation for advocating and and helping us uh renegotiate terms. Thank you, Councilman

1226
05:56:18.400 --> 05:56:34.160
Lavaro, Council President Ridley. But, you know, we're we're we're in a situation um that we we we we got to take control

1227
05:56:34.160 --> 05:56:50.638
of, right? But we have to work together. Instead of having conversations, members of the administration attended a union meeting to discredit five out of the nine council members. Some some people that spoke tonight were unfortunately

1228
05:56:50.638 --> 05:57:09.680
misinformed. And then July 10th, 2026, a day before my birthday, 31 people were laid off without us seeing a budget. The council didn't see a budget, right? And and some

1229
05:57:09.680 --> 05:57:27.200
of those people that were laid off, their salaries and and their benefits were were through grants. They were through grants. Like,

1230
05:57:27.200 --> 05:57:46.080
how does that work? I mean, look, we're we're we're in a a situation where, you know, if we don't accept this money, taxes will be astronomical.

1231
05:57:46.080 --> 05:58:00.638
Um, we're having budget hearings next week and we will be going through that budget with a fine hoop comb. Uh, thank you for the unions for coming

1232
05:58:00.638 --> 05:58:18.240
down being passionate. Um, thank you for the homeowners coming out um, expressing their their frustrations. And with that being said, I vote I

1233
05:58:18.240 --> 05:58:38.080
>> Council Person Lavaro. >> So I'm going to begin with uh gratitude because it's deserved to our partners at the state to our delegation who went to bat for the people of Jersey City, particularly Senator Raj Mccuri, Senator Angela Mcnite,

1234
05:58:38.080 --> 05:58:54.400
Assemblyman Jerry Walker, County Executive Craig Guy, and Commissioner Bill Oay. Thank you. They listened. They advocated and the state was willing to work is willing to work with us. That is what partnership looks like and

1235
05:58:54.400 --> 05:59:10.080
is why we are in a better place hopefully tonight than we were a week ago. Because of that partnership, there is likely there is a high likelihood that there will be a change in the loan terms that will be favorable to the city, more

1236
05:59:10.080 --> 05:59:26.638
favorable than we have today. But given the sensitivity of the discussions, I can't disclose those potential terms at this time. But I will say that it means we may not be punished for trying to protect our residents with a lower tax rate increase.

1237
05:59:26.638 --> 05:59:44.520
So I'm grateful that the state heard us and I want them to know we will be good stewards of that relationship going forward. So, I am casting my vote tonight on the strength of that commitment and our partnership with the state.

1238
05:59:44.638 --> 05:59:59.920
So, now let me be clear about what my vote tonight is and what it is not. My vote is to accept this aid on fair terms so that Jersey City has the resources it needs. I feel hopeful that we will have a

1239
05:59:59.920 --> 06:00:15.600
partner in the state moving forward. So, knowing this, I vote yes. But my vote tonight is not, and let let no one suggest otherwise, an endorsement of a 15% tax increase on the working

1240
06:00:15.600 --> 06:00:32.000
families of this city. I've always said this, a budget is a statement of priorities. I have not yet reviewed this budget thoroughly, and until I do, I cannot tell you that its priorities are the right ones.

1241
06:00:32.000 --> 06:00:48.400
What I can tell you is what I will be looking for when we get to those budget hearings. I'm looking for real value for working families, for seniors, for the residents and employees who make Jersey City run.

1242
06:00:48.400 --> 06:01:03.680
I made a promise to turn over every stone before we ask our residents to pay more. That promise does not end tonight. He continues in every budget hearing to come where the work of lowering this burden will truly happen.

1243
06:01:03.680 --> 06:01:20.558
I am not naive to think that it's going to be easy. It's going to be hard. But it will continue. And not just with this budget, but with the 2027 budget, which will begin the day after we pass the 2026 budget.

1244
06:01:20.558 --> 06:01:37.840
Now, I want to say a word about how we move forward with the administration. I would rather build than fight. I want to turn a page, but turning that page requires something simple. Transparency.

1245
06:01:37.840 --> 06:01:53.600
A true partnership means as council and the public are not left in the dark. I am extending my hand to the administration. Let us do this the right way, openly together, with the information the people deserve.

1246
06:01:53.600 --> 06:02:10.958
And to all the workers that came into this room, to the unions and to the workers laid off, I want you to know that I see and hear you. You are not a bargaining chip. You deserve respect and you deserve a fair contract.

1247
06:02:10.958 --> 06:02:25.520
And I want particularly the workers who were laid off to know I will fight to get your jobs restored. I will keep fighting for that. Let me also thank my council colleagues and with no disrespect intended to

1248
06:02:25.520 --> 06:02:42.400
anyone, but I want to thank Councilman Zupa, Councilman Gilmore, Councilman Griffin, and Council President Ridley for standing fast against the 20% third quarter tax levy that was proposed on June 24

1249
06:02:42.400 --> 06:02:57.040
and have continued to be partners with me leading up to this point. I want to thank the council president who has been steadfast in her resolve and has been very disciplined, never getting too high or too low,

1250
06:02:57.040 --> 06:03:13.760
very even killed. After proposing a 12% third quarter tax levy compromise on July 1, which couldn't get done, I want to thank all nine council members who voted no on the 15% third quarter tax levy.

1251
06:03:13.760 --> 06:03:29.840
While all of that was messy and I know has been disconcerting to Jersey City residents and Jersey City employees, I am hopeful that this council and the administration will do better better forward moving forward in the spirit of

1252
06:03:29.840 --> 06:03:46.080
partnership. I would simply say going forward, let us explore every solution and form of assistance available to us and do that together with the council at the table because the biggest financial

1253
06:03:46.080 --> 06:04:03.040
decisions the city faces should be made with the people who have to answer to the taxpayers. None of this is the fault of Jersey City residents or Jersey City employees. You did not create this deficit. You did

1254
06:04:03.040 --> 06:04:20.798
not run up the bills. My job, our job is to make sure you are not the ones who pay the price for it. And that is what I am fighting for. And that is the fight I will continue. I am voting yes, but I am not vi voting

1255
06:04:20.798 --> 06:04:37.200
to stop fund finding cost savings and efficiencies. and I am more determined than ever to convince the state that we can get that 15% tax increase down while being financially sustainable. So, I vote yes on this aid in the hope

1256
06:04:37.200 --> 06:04:50.320
that we will have fair terms and I will keep working every day for Jersey City's families first and foremost. Thank you, >> Council President Ridley. Uh, I will try

1257
06:04:50.320 --> 06:05:12.558
to be short, but what I heard tonight um as people spoke was a lot of confusion and a lot of that is due to improper messaging. A lot of that is due to false

1258
06:05:12.558 --> 06:05:30.320
information. Um, so you know, I watched members of the same union get up here and say two different things, right? Not because they uh didn't want to appear unified, but because this is very confusing and we haven't made it easier

1259
06:05:30.320 --> 06:05:47.120
for people to understand and so everyone is all over the place right now. Um, what I will not allow while I'm council president, um, is for outside forces to

1260
06:05:47.120 --> 06:06:03.520
come in and attempt to divide this council. Um, we will not always all vote the same. We will not always agree, but I don't appreciate

1261
06:06:03.520 --> 06:06:19.360
um people who are not members of this council or other levels of government attempting to create a split council. Everyone is entitled to their vote and we don't need outside forces interfering. We will handle our own

1262
06:06:19.360 --> 06:06:36.558
business. Um, so the I guess mama bear in me wants to make certain things clear uh about this council. The council as was stated earlier is not responsible for hiring and firing of

1263
06:06:36.558 --> 06:06:51.520
city employees. We were not involved in the 31 layoffs. We had no information prior to that. uh we learned when you learned we did not approve any of that and I

1264
06:06:51.520 --> 06:07:06.798
have made the commitment to um the members of the unions who have reached out to me and to the employees that were laid off that were reached out that have reached out that I will look into making sure that everything was done uh above

1265
06:07:06.798 --> 06:07:22.878
board legally fairly. uh we you have my commitment to look into that and to do whatever in my power to make sure that that is uh was done properly. The other thing that I keep hear keep

1266
06:07:22.878 --> 06:07:37.920
hearing people say is uh you know tonight's approval of the budget. There is no resolution vote tonight to approve the budget. What we are doing tonight is voting to introduce a budget that begins the budget process.

1267
06:07:37.920 --> 06:07:55.200
Then we will have budget hearings and those hearings are open to the public. We meet with each director. We go through line by line. All of that information is available. We will not be voting on a final budget tonight. We are voting to start the budget process

1268
06:07:55.200 --> 06:08:13.840
officially. The other thing is no one from this council was involved in negotiations with getting this funding from the state in the beginning. Our first meeting with the state was Monday. So I just want to make that clear to everyone.

1269
06:08:13.840 --> 06:08:32.320
I also want to make clear that this council led from the front. I hear a lot of people say that we um we increased our budget, we increased our staff. This council is legally allotted

1270
06:08:32.320 --> 06:08:49.600
to a certain amount of funding for their offices by state city mandates. Legally, there's a certain amount that we can use to staff our offices. The council came in expecting to be able to use what they were legally obligated or legally

1271
06:08:49.600 --> 06:09:04.558
allowed to do. When we were told that there was a budget crisis, we decided that we would not use our full office budget. We led from the front and we said that we were not going to do that and we

1272
06:09:04.558 --> 06:09:23.120
still have not done that. Um, so I want to thank this council for doing that because we did put the people first in the council office contrary to whatever is out there. The other thing I want to encourage

1273
06:09:23.120 --> 06:09:40.798
residents to do is to go on the city's website and use the tax calculator because I know that while yes, this is a significant increase as was displayed here tonight, some residents are calculating that incorrectly. And I want

1274
06:09:40.798 --> 06:09:56.638
you to have the correct numbers um because I know a lot of people are not familiar with uh how taxes work, what's included. So the best resource is for you to use that calculator that is on

1275
06:09:56.638 --> 06:10:13.280
the city site so that you can understand exactly how much this will impact you. Uh I want to remind everyone that the council is still going through the budget. That is our right as a council. We are the governing body. We will go through this

1276
06:10:13.280 --> 06:10:30.718
budget line by line and we still have the ability to make cuts where we see fit. I want to thank the council for their work um through this process. I want to thank Councilman Lavaro for uh

1277
06:10:30.718 --> 06:10:46.160
advocating. I want to thank there were advocates on um I don't want to say both sides because I don't want to [laughter] both uh there were advocates throughout the council right so you also had

1278
06:10:46.160 --> 06:11:02.958
council members who uh advocated for the 20% t tax increase in the beginning with the information that they had at that time again it is difficult to make decisions and to act as a governing independent body when you only can go

1279
06:11:02.958 --> 06:11:20.320
off of information that is given to you from um other people, right? Same thing with the last administration. It is difficult to get information from the people who are hiding the information and that is who you have to get information from. So, everybody's grown

1280
06:11:20.320 --> 06:11:35.840
up here. They're all big boys and girls. I'm not making excuses for anyone, but that is how this process works. So even in that, Councilman Brooks was also advocating today to see if we could renegotiate terms and I appreciate him

1281
06:11:35.840 --> 06:11:51.920
for that. So I want to just say I appreciate this council for when we were let in, we did what we needed to do and I thank our state elected officials for taking those calls today. I thank our county exec. Thank you to Senator Senator McCury. And now we are depending

1282
06:11:51.920 --> 06:12:09.760
on our state electeds to uh get together with us to get together with the administration and to go to the state and negotiate some better terms. And that is where we are residents. We still need your advocacy. Um because just like you get in the booth and you vote for

1283
06:12:09.760 --> 06:12:26.240
us, you get in the booth and you vote for electeds all the way up the chain. So, uh, we need you to push and to continue to push. So, with that, I vote I. >> City resolution 26-425

1284
06:12:26.240 --> 06:12:44.400
is approved unanimously. 90. Next resolution is item 10. I'm sorry, before I do that, I believe Peter Horton would like to address municipal council. just want to say on behalf of the mayor that he's very appreciative that the council, you know, was able to work with

1285
06:12:44.400 --> 06:13:00.320
him. Um the leadership on his part and from the state to kind of secure this and get the better loan terms um and to continue, you know, working with the council to get the best deal for the city, which I think is going to be an ongoing process, not just through this year, but through next year as well. Um

1286
06:13:00.320 --> 06:13:17.520
would say thank you to the unions, you know, especially the ones that are still here at this late hour. um all their advocacy and you know all their ability to work with everyone to try to find the best solutions for all the city employees and all the residents of the city. Um as we go into the budget season

1287
06:13:17.520 --> 06:13:33.760
and the next few weeks and actually look at all the workbooks. The mayor has continued to advocate that he'll work with you. He wants to provide all the information to you and make sure that together if there are any additional cuts or changes I can make to help the budget, you know, he's willing to work with everyone and make sure they find those because ultimately it's the

1288
06:13:33.760 --> 06:13:49.280
residents of the city that benefits from that. Thank you. >> Hey, Peter, real quick, Peter, if you can um because I've been hearing and and I don't know, well, Councilman Griffin just alluded to it. Can you either

1289
06:13:49.280 --> 06:14:10.000
confirm or deny if any of the individuals that were recently laid off were receive I wasn't involved in the whole process but I can certainly look at that and get you an answer. Um there are a lot of

1290
06:14:10.000 --> 06:14:31.440
ancillary grants that cover large swath of the city you know employees that are partially covered things of that nature. So I have to look into the exact employees and I can get you a response for that. Councilman. >> All right. >> Say okay. Next [clears throat] resolution is item 10.2 city resolution

1291
06:14:31.440 --> 06:14:48.240
26-426 is a resolution introducing the calendar year 2026 municipal budget. Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos. I >> council person little

1292
06:14:48.240 --> 06:15:07.600
>> I >> council person Gilmore only that one >> only that one council >> person Griffin I council

1293
06:15:07.600 --> 06:15:25.920
>> person Lavaro and council president Ridley I >> city resolution 26-426 is approved unanimously 90. >> We adding anything now or going to wait

1294
06:15:25.920 --> 06:15:42.638
till the end. >> Are we adding uh you doing with the um >> are we just do the rest of the agenda? >> Yeah, I think that Sarah asks what I'm asking the rest of the agenda. Yeah. Go through the rest of the agenda and then

1295
06:15:42.638 --> 06:16:02.718
>> we'll make a motion to add the last two. >> Fair enough. All right. So, I'm going to be taking a vote on items 10.3 through 10.11 and I believe 10.12 is being withdrawn. Is that correct? You got ahead of me.

1296
06:16:02.718 --> 06:16:17.360
Yes. 10.1 is being withdrawn at the request of the applicant um who can't perform the service at this time. Okay. So, that being said, council members going to take a vote on items 10.3 through 10.11. Council person Brooks,

1297
06:16:17.360 --> 06:16:35.120
I for all. Council person Zupa, >> I for all. >> Council person Efos. >> I. >> Council person Little. >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> I. >> Council person Singh. >> I. >> Council person Griffin.

1298
06:16:35.120 --> 06:16:49.680
>> Yeah. Hi, >> Council Person Lavaro. >> Just uh thanks to um Ako and the uh flow initiative um for your your work and your advocacy.

1299
06:16:49.680 --> 06:17:11.360
Um I'm voting I >> Council President Ridley >> to 13, right, Sean? >> Uh to 11. >> 211. Okay. I vote I on >> items 10.3 through 10 1011 are approved

1300
06:17:11.360 --> 06:17:28.080
unanimously 90. On to our next set of resolutions which includes 10 20 uh excuse me 10.13. What I'm going to be doing council members I'm going to be taking a vote on

1301
06:17:28.080 --> 06:17:44.000
items 10.13 through 10.20 and 10.22. 22 10.21 I'm going to take a separate vote on because we have a couple of council members who are going to recuse themselves from the vote. So with that being said, we're taking a

1302
06:17:44.000 --> 06:18:01.200
vote on items 10.13 through 10.20 and 10.22. Council person Brooks, >> I for all. >> Council person Zupa, >> I for all. >> Council person Ephro, >> I vote I. >> Council person Little.

1303
06:18:01.200 --> 06:18:17.958
Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council Person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> I for all. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> On 1014.

1304
06:18:18.080 --> 06:18:35.280
I am going to uh abstain. I think that the points that um Steve Lipsky made are are good and I think he puts on a good event, but each year my residents in Port Lib are tracked

1305
06:18:35.280 --> 06:18:49.440
at the end of their block. Um if you are familiar with that area of the city, Chapel Avenue after Caven Point Road is one way in and one way out. And during the marathon, there is nowhere for them

1306
06:18:49.440 --> 06:19:07.600
to go. um to exit or to enter. Um Steve has set up a ferry service during the last marathon where they uh can exit by ferry to get where they need to go. But year after year, my residents on

1307
06:19:07.600 --> 06:19:21.840
Chapel, not just Fort Lib, now the Oliver because we've added more residents down there um are trapped and they I get all those emails after the marathon all the time. So, not to um any

1308
06:19:21.840 --> 06:19:38.080
discredit to Steve Lipsky, but I think the root is something that public safety really needs to examine. So, I'm going to abstain on that vote >> and I for the rest. >> Okay. So, if I can just recap the vote,

1309
06:19:38.080 --> 06:19:56.798
item 10.13 is approved unanimously 90. Item 10.14 is approved 801 with Council President Ridley abstaining. Items 10.15 through 10.20 are approved 90 and item 10.22 is also approved 90.

1310
06:19:56.798 --> 06:20:19.600
Now this would be the time if they already did it. Uh council person Brooks and council person Little just leave the room for one minute. here. >> Okay. With that being said, council members

1311
06:20:19.600 --> 06:20:35.520
going to be taking a vote on resolution 26-445, which is item 10.21. Council person Zuba, >> that you said voting first. Uh, vote I. >> Council person Efos I.

1312
06:20:35.520 --> 06:20:51.840
>> Council person Gilmore. All right, Sarah, just for uh Sarah point um just for clarification, when you're when when when council members recuse themselves, they have to remove from the meeting to do it. >> This is a judgment call. >> Technically, when you're recusing

1313
06:20:51.840 --> 06:21:07.520
yourself, you're fully removing yourself from the deliberative process. And so to avoid any appearance that you could be impacting how your peers are voting, you can fully leave the room during deliberations at caucus and a council meeting. But again, these are really hard judgment calls about interpretation

1314
06:21:07.520 --> 06:21:25.920
of our local ethics code. No hard and fast rules. >> Hi, Sean. >> Thank you. Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley.

1315
06:21:25.920 --> 06:21:42.718
City resolution 26-445 is approved 70 with council members Brooks and Little absent. Please get them. >> They can come back in. >> They're gone home. >> Council person Brooks and Little, I think they can hear me. They can come

1316
06:21:42.718 --> 06:22:01.760
back in. >> I have the speaker on in the lobby. It's echoing through the whole building. >> He is the the AC down again. >> So, I don't control the AC. That's like hundth time I've as answered the

1317
06:22:01.760 --> 06:22:16.718
question. However, I think it's on a timer and because of the time we are in these chambers, think it's on a timer so it's not running constantly. I don't know. But Bernard, he >> that that's fine, Sean. We can move on. We can't afford to turn it back on. Let

1318
06:22:16.718 --> 06:22:34.320
it stay off. [laughter] >> But >> All right. All right. We're almost done. I'm going to be taking a vote on items 10.23 23 through 10.36. >> Sean, I'm very sorry to say I'm about to

1319
06:22:34.320 --> 06:22:49.520
become the least popular person in chambers. However, there are six items on the agenda 1030 through 10.35 that are various resolutions concerning cannabis businesses. As we have discussed at length with the council,

1320
06:22:49.520 --> 06:23:04.878
due to recent legal developments, it is essential, especially if any council persons are declined to vote no on those resolutions, that you give an explanation of your reasons on the record, however brief it may be. So, if we could treat those differently, Sean, just to make sure we give council that

1321
06:23:04.878 --> 06:23:22.280
opportunity, I would be grateful. >> Sure. So, I'll be taking a vote on items 10.23 through 10.29. 29 and 10.36.

1322
06:23:23.280 --> 06:23:38.400
Council person Brooks. >> So, just so we're clear, we're leaving out for the time being 1030 through 10.35. >> Did we do 10.22? Sean >> did that. >> Yes. >> Okay.

1323
06:23:38.400 --> 06:23:57.280
>> Hey, hey, Peter. No. Where's um what you guys doing with 29? Peter, are we uh I know they said they were um I don't know table or pulling it. >> If the council feels strongly that

1324
06:23:57.280 --> 06:24:13.760
they'd like to withdraw it, we have no attachment to it. So, we're fine with doing that if you' recommend it. I'm going to just so the public know um this has been like extensive conversation going back

1325
06:24:13.760 --> 06:24:30.878
and forth as it relates to um the type of development for this area. I know they did have a a meeting recently, I think this week. Um, but we I I still was in conversation with the developers

1326
06:24:30.878 --> 06:24:48.000
as it relates to this project. Um, and I I was going to get [snorts] back I was in the process of getting back with them um while they had that meeting. So, just to clear up any uh uncertainty or causing any confusion or anything, I'm

1327
06:24:48.000 --> 06:25:11.920
going to motion to uh >> Councilman, I can do you a favor and just withdraw it. You don't have to motion if you don't want. >> Oh. Okay. >> So, make sure I heard right where we are withdrawing item 10.29.

1328
06:25:11.920 --> 06:25:31.040
>> Yes. >> Resolution 26-453. >> Okay. So, with that being said, we're going to be taking a vote on items 10.23 through 10.28.

1329
06:25:31.040 --> 06:25:54.000
10.29 has been withdrawn and 10.36 for the time being. Sorry, Council Person Brooks. >> 10.36. Air conditioning is good. I vote I on

1330
06:25:54.000 --> 06:26:12.798
all. >> Council person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council person Efos. >> Hi. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. One second. I think Councilman

1331
06:26:12.798 --> 06:26:28.400
Lavaro has a question. >> Aren't people supposed to talk about >> there are we going to do those individually? Sean, just repeat what we're voting on, please. >> Okay. Again, we're voting on items 10.23 through 10.28

1332
06:26:28.400 --> 06:26:45.280
and 10.36. Item 10.29 was withdrawn. We will be taking a vote on items 1030 through 10.35 after this vote. >> Okay. My apologies. >> Okay. Council person Griffin.

1333
06:26:45.280 --> 06:27:01.600
>> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> Hi. and council president Ridley. >> I >> just to recap items 10.23 through 10.28 and 10.36 is approved unanimously 90

1334
06:27:01.600 --> 06:27:26.320
and item 10.29 has been withdrawn. So now on items do we have to take them individually? >> Sorry Sean. Okay. though.

1335
06:27:26.320 --> 06:27:46.558
All right. So, let's do item 1030. Don't know if this night's ever going to end. Um, which is the warrior weed resolution 26-454. Council Person Brooks,

1336
06:27:46.558 --> 06:28:02.160
>> I can in good faith uh vote for a resolution for local support to a business that is closed and owes back taxes and to my knowledge has not made any attempt to make the city whole. Uh

1337
06:28:02.160 --> 06:28:19.360
so I vote no. >> Council person Zupa. >> All right. So um this was obviously came up before uh for us but have an opportunity to give some reasoning. Uh I I just want to say I have a lot of respect for Mr. D. Alessandro who came

1338
06:28:19.360 --> 06:28:35.680
by before and appreciate his work, but but I recall um months ago uh seeing petitions from the residents of downtown and while I I certainly would support this business, uh I don't believe the location is suitable based on what I'm hearing from the community uh and do

1339
06:28:35.680 --> 06:28:53.600
take the resident concerns uh to heart. So, I'll vote no on 10:30. >> Council person Efos. Uh, I will vote no based on um what seems to be outstanding community um dissent against opening

1340
06:28:53.600 --> 06:29:10.000
this door or bringing public support for it. >> Council person Little to vote no based on the amount of uh concerns from the community that I heard

1341
06:29:10.000 --> 06:29:27.520
and community feedback. Council person Gilmore. >> No. Um, in light of all of the issues that was brought forth by the community. What's >> a person sing? Um,

1342
06:29:27.520 --> 06:29:45.520
I'll vote no because the dispensary faced significant community community opposition including 200 people signed uh the petition for and they were all living in in the area. So, I'll vote no.

1343
06:29:45.520 --> 06:30:03.360
>> Council person Griffin. >> Um, residents. I've I've I've I've heard a lot of um I've heard a lot from residents. I'm sorry it's a long night. Um and they're not in support of this. Um they feel it

1344
06:30:03.360 --> 06:30:18.320
would have a negative impact on their community. So I'm going to vote no. >> So person Lavaro. So, since I've um been on the council, returned to the council, been um a

1345
06:30:18.320 --> 06:30:35.280
number of applications for new dis um new cannabis dispensaries. Um I've generally abstained on them because I feel um that there's the market is oversaturated in Jersey City. Um but that and coupled with the idea that um

1346
06:30:35.280 --> 06:30:51.920
in all those instances it it's not personal just a feeling is that the market is oversaturated and um knowing the complaints that uh generally just kind of get from residents about um cannabis dispensaries citywide. Um but

1347
06:30:51.920 --> 06:31:07.200
in all those other cases they the neighborhood was generally supportive as well as the the ward council persons. Um, and so I just abstained in those cases. But in this case, there's um a strong opposition from the the

1348
06:31:07.200 --> 06:31:22.558
neighborhood. Um, and so I voted no then and I will vote no today. >> Council President Ridley, >> uh, I vote no based on the, uh, strong opposition from the community and the petitions and number of complaints we

1349
06:31:22.558 --> 06:31:37.120
received. >> Uh, Sean, before you record the vote, it's very late. Uh, and I mistook this particular business for a different business. I do

1350
06:31:37.120 --> 06:31:55.600
my vote is still a no, but based on the um community's opposition to this business, I did not mean to I conflated this business with a different business and I apologize. Thank you. City Resolution

1351
06:31:55.600 --> 06:32:12.718
26-454, item 1030, is defeated. 09 with all council members voting no. On to our next resolution. Item 10.31, city resolution 26-455,

1352
06:32:12.718 --> 06:32:30.478
which is the downtown LLC. Council Person Brooks, sorry. >> Before I vote, I just want to um ask if the council does not uh renew local

1353
06:32:30.478 --> 06:32:51.200
support, what does that mean for this particular business, its ability uh to continue to operate these renewals are required under state law. Um I can't speak to the particular timeline of any consequences that would

1354
06:32:51.200 --> 06:33:06.478
flow from that. That's something we can look into and report to the council on. >> Okay. Um I am going to motion to carry this. I think I'd like to hear more about this particular

1355
06:33:06.478 --> 06:33:21.440
business. I can only speak for myself. So I don't know if that's out of order. >> Second. uh fun. >> We don't carry the uh resolutions. >> We don't carry resolutions. >> Would the administration like to

1356
06:33:21.440 --> 06:33:42.240
withdraw this one as well? >> Is there a set renewal time that we have to approve these renewals or? >> Not that I'm aware of. I was just conferring with for council for that. So, I'm amendable with rolling. Say that again. You were going to

1357
06:33:42.240 --> 06:34:00.638
amendable to withdrawing. >> So are you? >> No, I guess Sarah's looking. Is Sarah searching something? >> She is, but she's a little slow at this hour. [laughter] >> I think we can let the administration proceed. >> The administration.

1358
06:34:00.638 --> 06:34:18.160
>> So to save time, >> Ruby says we're withdrawing, >> right? To save time, we're withdrawing. 10.31. >> Um, just do we need to state on the record why we're withdrawing? Is that helpful in this case? No. >> No. But thank you for confirming.

1359
06:34:18.160 --> 06:34:35.360
>> Yeah. Any anything you need? Okay. All right. Now going to 10.32. Resolution 26-456 is concerning renewal for the Green Stop Wellness LLC.

1360
06:34:35.360 --> 06:34:50.000
Council Person Brooks. >> I vote I to renew local support. Uh you know, we need continued revenue from uh cannabis business in Jersey City. Council person Zupa

1361
06:34:50.000 --> 06:35:07.200
>> vote I. Council person Ephro I for local support. Council person Little >> I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Hey. Sorry. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. Sorry. >> That's okay. Council Person Griffin. >> Hi.

1362
06:35:07.200 --> 06:35:23.760
>> Council Person Labaro. >> Hi. >> And Council President Ridley. >> I. >> City Resolution 26-456, item 10.32 is approved unanimously 90. On to item 10.33,

1363
06:35:23.760 --> 06:35:40.000
city resolution 26-457, which is concerning renewal local support for Jersey Leaf LLC. Council Person Brooks. >> Hi. >> Council Person Zupa. >> Hi. >> Council Person Ephro. >> Hi.

1364
06:35:40.000 --> 06:35:56.400
>> Council Person Little. >> Council Person Gilmore. >> Hi. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. Yeah, I I just want to make a comment for all of the renewals for me because I my earlier

1365
06:35:56.400 --> 06:36:10.878
reference was that market's oversaturated and so given these are my but my position on this is also I mean these were approved um while the market's oversaturated in my estimation

1366
06:36:10.878 --> 06:36:27.600
um not looking to put people out of business if they've already got a business established. So, um I'm going to be approving all of them, but on this particular one, I'll be voting yes. And I did not get any complaints about these businesses nor and then also asked for

1367
06:36:27.600 --> 06:36:44.000
compliance reports to ensure that they were in compliance with our laws and paying their taxes and all of them are in compliance as well. So, I'm voting I >> and Council Person Ridley, President Ridley, sorry. I

1368
06:36:44.000 --> 06:37:03.760
>> item 10.33 city resolution 26-457 is approved unanimously 90. On to our next resolution. Item 10.34 city resolution 26-458 which is concerning renewal for MMD NJ.

1369
06:37:03.760 --> 06:37:21.680
Council person Brooks >> I. >> Council person Zupa. But I I have familiarity with this business, not as a customer, but as a neighbor. >> We'll check the receipts. Council person Efos. >> Nothing against being a customer. >> I wasn't done yet, Sean.

1370
06:37:21.680 --> 06:37:37.360
>> Oh, sorry. >> But you said he was I was paused for laughter. >> I vote I. Thank you, Sean. [laughter] >> Council person Ephos I. Council Person Little,

1371
06:37:37.360 --> 06:37:52.878
>> I have not heard any community concerns about this. Um, so yes, I vote I, >> Council Person Gilmore, >> Council Person Singh, >> I, >> Council Person Griffin, >> I, >> Council Person Lavaro, >> I,

1372
06:37:52.878 --> 06:38:09.920
>> and Council President Ridley. >> City Resolution 26-458, item 10.34 is approved unanimously, 90. And on the last resolution for the cannabis business,

1373
06:38:09.920 --> 06:38:26.558
item 10.35, city resolution 26-459. This is local support for RIP dispensary. Council person Brooks >> I vote I. >> Council person Zupa. >> I.

1374
06:38:26.558 --> 06:38:42.558
>> Council person Ephro. >> I. Council person Little. I have not been approached with any community concerns about this business. I vote I. >> Council person Gilmore. >> Council person Singh. >> Hi. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Labaro.

1375
06:38:42.558 --> 06:38:58.080
>> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Item 10.35 city resolution 26-459 is approved unanimously 90. >> Sean just real quick we did do a bit of research. There are expiration dates for

1376
06:38:58.080 --> 06:39:18.240
some of the licenses, but we have plenty of time to continue. So, the withdrawal will not affect that. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Now, I usually take a vote on the balance,

1377
06:39:18.240 --> 06:39:37.360
but because we're adding a few, I'll ask for that motion now. motion. >> But before I ask for it, I need to know what we're adding. I need to know what we are adding, what items.

1378
06:39:37.360 --> 06:39:55.040
>> Okay. So, so the the first one is a resolution authorizing the city of Jersey City chief financial officer or tax collector to request approval from the director of local government services to exceed the 105% calculation of estimated billing and to prepare and

1379
06:39:55.040 --> 06:40:12.878
mail estimated tax bills. Um, every council member has two um versions of this resolution. One establishes a tax rate of increasing the tax rate by to tw by 12% and another one increases the tax rate by 15% for the third quarter bill.

1380
06:40:12.878 --> 06:40:29.440
Um as you remember on July 1st was introduced with the 15% increase and then the council um sought to do a 12%. Um, both are being proposed because now we have anou

1381
06:40:29.440 --> 06:40:44.638
that uh sets a a minimum of 15%. So just putting it out to to folks at um the city council which which option you would like to consider adopting um even though is yeah it's yeah I mean

1382
06:40:44.638 --> 06:41:02.558
I think in light of it's going to be changed but I mean in light of trying to provide as much relief as possible um I think we should motion to do the 12 uh the 12% but just to be clear to the public Um,

1383
06:41:02.558 --> 06:41:19.600
based on theou that we voted on, it has to be at 15. Um, so while I don't want to confuse anyone, I do want to try to lease in a b, excuse me, lessen a burden as much as possible. Um, so I think at

1384
06:41:19.600 --> 06:41:36.478
this time the 12 12% will be good versus the 15th at this juncture. >> Okay. you any other comments or nothing than >> well let me let me take that motion

1385
06:41:36.478 --> 06:41:54.558
first so that would be item I have to do it individually item 10.51 at the 12% motion was made by council person Gilmore I have a second

1386
06:41:54.558 --> 06:42:14.360
>> second by council person Lavaro on the motion to add item 10.51 at 12%. Council person Brooks >> just confirming that this is not um in contradiction to theou.

1387
06:42:15.760 --> 06:42:31.920
>> So theou sets the overall tax rate for the year at 15%. This resolution is requesting state approval to set the rate for Q3 bills that will be mailed out. It is not impacting the annual tax rate

1388
06:42:31.920 --> 06:42:47.440
>> overall. >> Thank you. Okay. So I vote I to add this. Thank you. >> Council person Zupa. >> I. >> Council person Efos. Hi. >> Council person Little.

1389
06:42:47.440 --> 06:43:04.798
>> Council person Gilmore. Hi. >> Council person Singh. Hi, >> Council Person Griffin. >> Hi. >> He said, "I >> I heard him." Council Person Lavar, I was just switching the camera. >> I

1390
06:43:04.798 --> 06:43:21.200
>> And Council President Ridley, >> I >> item 10.51 at 12% add to the agenda is approved 90. The other item that we're adding is item

1391
06:43:21.200 --> 06:43:41.520
10.52. Council person Lavaro. Is that also the one fixing the interest rate on delinquent taxes assessments or other municipal leans or charges? >> Correct. So, as I said earlier, the the rate uh the

1392
06:43:41.520 --> 06:44:00.760
maximum rate for the first 1500 um is 8% and then 18% for anything in excess of 15 um $1,500 delinquency. Um could could I ask the administration what is the current rate? Do you know of hand?

1393
06:44:05.360 --> 06:44:21.600
Councilman, we currently bill at the maximum of the eight and the 15. >> Anyone have ideas on where to set the rate? Again, there's >> we said at the maximum eight

1394
06:44:21.600 --> 06:44:43.360
8% for the first 1500. >> 8 and 18. I'm sorry, I misspoke. Eight and 18 are the maximum. And that's how we build. We use the maximum. can't hear you. >> Guess in light of in light of that um

1395
06:44:43.360 --> 06:44:58.478
guess the middle the middle mark would be yeah or nine. That way you I mean you don't want to incentivize people not to pay it. You also don't want to burden people in the

1396
06:44:58.478 --> 06:45:16.878
same light um who can't pay it. So I think you split the difference four and nine. It's fine with me uh want to hear from others. >> Could we just get um some analysis bill if you will? Do you I know it's hard to

1397
06:45:16.878 --> 06:45:34.558
anticipate um but just anticipating if we send out a Q3 bill and um these are the interest rates, do we think that we would see a a really serious cash flow issue? I understand that might be hard to

1398
06:45:34.558 --> 06:45:48.958
speculate here, >> Councilman. I really have no way to to guess at that. Um I really couldn't even take a st about it. And so I, as I said earlier, I think we should bear in mind the less incentive people have to pay, more

1399
06:45:48.958 --> 06:46:06.080
likely is people will will not do so. And that's why those rates are set where they are. But I really have no mathematical way of estimating what that might be. And >> the one thing I'll say is in our budget, the collection rate, if I recall, is

1400
06:46:06.080 --> 06:46:24.080
over 98%. >> That was correct. That's the current collection rate is at 90% or 98 >> in 2025. >> Okay. So that means by the wait when you say the the collection rate is at 90

1401
06:46:24.080 --> 06:46:39.760
what? >> 98. >> It was almost 99% in 2025. >> So what happens what happens to the what to the other percent? >> Well people people pay pay right? So it is collected whether it's late or not.

1402
06:46:39.760 --> 06:46:55.520
It's still collected. We also do the accelerated tax sales. >> Well, that's what I was about to say. So once is that's still recorded as um because I can't imagine any properties going to lean and not being sold at the

1403
06:46:55.520 --> 06:47:14.558
lean. >> Correct. In December, typically Jerry City does the tax sale and uh sells nearly every single lean uh in the one day tax sale. >> Jesus. >> Okay.

1404
06:47:14.558 --> 06:47:32.558
>> Okay. I kind of lost my place. Are we still adding item 10.52 to the agenda? >> Yes. >> Who's making a motion? >> Motion >> made by Council Person Gilmore. May I have a second? Second >> by council person Griffin on the motion to add item 10.52 to the agenda. Council

1405
06:47:32.558 --> 06:47:47.760
person Brooks I >> Sean just before we vote it's it's not clear I think for the record what resolution is being voted on. Are are we proceeding with the proposal to go with half 4% and 9%? >> Yes. >> Okay. We'll update that and I'll circulate to the BA the council

1406
06:47:47.760 --> 06:48:03.600
president and and the clerk the updated version of that resolution. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. So on that adding the item 10.52 to the agenda council person Brooks >> I council person Zupa >> hi.

1407
06:48:03.600 --> 06:48:18.400
>> Council person Efos >> I. >> Council person Little. >> Hi. >> Council person Gilmore >> I. >> Council person Singh >> I. >> Council person Griffin. >> Hi. >> Council person Lavaro. >> I. >> And council president Ridley. >> I.

1408
06:48:18.400 --> 06:48:34.638
>> Motion carries 90 to add item 10.52 to the agenda. Okay, before I take a vote on the balance of the items, just to confirm, item 10.44 is being withdrawn. Is that correct? >> Correct. Or sorry.

1409
06:48:34.638 --> 06:48:52.718
>> Well, we're going to have to BA to >> She beat me to it. Correct. >> 10 >> 44 Ken Memorial. >> Yes. Correct. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> It will be back. So on items 10.37 through 10.52 with the

1410
06:48:52.718 --> 06:49:09.280
exception of 10.44 which has been withdrawn. Council person Brooks, >> real quick for you vote, Councilman, I do have a bit of positive that we can end on for 1049. That was the emergency resolution that we uh were trying to collect from the developer. We do have confirmation that the developer has

1411
06:49:09.280 --> 06:49:24.400
agreed to reimburse the city. So we've gotten that money back for the c for the city and the council. >> Great. Great. >> Hold on, Peter. He he agreed to pay or he paid it. >> He accepted the invoice. We have not received the cash yet, but he has told

1412
06:49:24.400 --> 06:49:47.600
us that he is paying it. >> Thank you for the new. That's not good news, Peter. We need to see that money in the account on items 10.37 through 10.52 with the exception of 10.44 44 which has been withdrawn. Council person Brooks

1413
06:49:47.600 --> 06:50:02.878
>> I for all. >> Council person Zupa. >> Uh I for all just on 1040 uh credit where credit's due to the administration for modernizing the uh overtime payment process for public safety, specifically the police department. That's a big concern for our residents. So thank you

1414
06:50:02.878 --> 06:50:20.320
for for getting that into a a the 21st century. Uh and like I said, eye on the rest. >> Council person Efos. I on all and uh looking forward to item 10 uh or one and the RFP that comes out of it to get our

1415
06:50:20.320 --> 06:50:37.600
enforcement in line these civil offenses. >> Council person Little >> for all and I echo my colleague statements. I'm hopeful that um bringing overtime scheduling into an electronic system instead of a paper

1416
06:50:37.600 --> 06:50:53.840
system uh will result in cost savings like we discussed in this um and 10.41 I'm hopeful that this will enable the city to um collect more revenue from

1417
06:50:53.840 --> 06:51:09.760
you know from bad actor landlords and other other city code violators. So, you know, we're tackling both ends, the the cost savings and the revenue generation. So, yeah, I for all. >> Council person Gilmore.

1418
06:51:09.760 --> 06:51:25.360
>> Going to vote I for all. I'm keeping my eyes on 49. If we don't receive that payment, um I think we should look to start the lane uh process. I vote I. >> Council person Singh >> I.

1419
06:51:25.360 --> 06:51:43.040
>> Council person Griffin >> I. Council Person Labaro. >> Hi. >> And council president Ridley. >> I. >> Items 10.37 through 10.52 with the exception of 10.44 which has been withdrawn are approved unanimously. 90.

1420
06:51:43.040 --> 06:51:59.600
>> May I have a motion to adjourn at 1:43 a.m.? >> Motion. >> Motion to Hold on. Motion to adjurnn made by council person Gilmore. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Who made that second? Who? >> Griffin.

1421
06:51:59.600 --> 06:52:12.320
>> By council person Griffin. All in favor of the motion to adjourn at 1:43 a.m. All council members present by acclamation, please say I. We are out of here at 1:43 a.m.