Dear Editor: At a recent council meeting the Jersey City council transferred the Mack-Cali abatement to a German firm. The abatement was based on the construction cost of 2 percent of $60 million. The foreign national company bought the building situated on Grove Street for $152.5 million yet their abatement taxes are on the lower figure. The transfer of abatements opens the door to abuse. Any shady developer can purchase abated properties without proper scrutiny. In addition to transferring abatements, the city has been granting abatements at an alarming rate since the introduction of the “Leisure Fund,” more than a year ago. More than $500 million in new construction was given abatement at the April 12, 2000 council meeting. If these properties were not abated then $500 million would be added to our ratable base stabilizing taxes. Under the Schundler administration billions in new construction has been abated, the reasons for our rising tax rate. Yvonne Balcer