Dear Editor:
I read “Bright ideas for a dark subject,” in which the city’s administration states they have not received any ideas from the public on how to deal with the current financial straits. Didn’t candidate Healy state last year taxes will be stable? I saw his television ads last year explaining Jersey City’s bright future. I also saw Talking Politics, produced by Mia Scanga, in which candidate Lopez, on the Healy ticket, repeated Healy’s party line on taxes. So why is the public responsible?
However, since they asked, I will repeat my suggestions that I have given at council meetings. First, stop abatements; tax abatements do not add to the ratable base. Our taxes are higher because $2 billion in tax abatements are not added to the ratable base every year. Second, stop bonding; Jersey City has a gross bond debt of nearly $1 billion. Third, stop absorbing the full cost of parades and festivals. Jersey City does expect non-profits groups to pay for some police officers, but taxpayers pick up the lion’s share. This practice must stop.
Lastly, the city must consider an income tax. Freeze property taxes at one percent and institute an income tax. The waterfront, affordable housing, and rent-controlled building have the right to vote in Jersey City, but are not responsible for the true cost of government. Why don’t they pay state and federal taxes? They also vote on the school budget, but pay not a nickel to the system. Citizens who live at the waterfront, affordable housing, and rent-controlled buildings have requested better parks, more money to the library system and better police presence in their neighborhoods at council meetings. I believe they should have those services, but I don’t believe it is the responsibility of the small homeowner to suffer with a yearly 20 percent tax increase to provide those services.
Yvonne Balcer