A heated argument erupted Thursday night between Jersey City resident Yvonne Balcer and Councilwoman-at-Large Kalimah Ahmad.
The City Council (9-0) approved a 30-year tax exemption for a low- and moderate-income affordable housing project being built by Pacific Landing Urban Renewal Company. The vacant lot where the property will be built is at 319 Pacific Ave., a few blocks from Liberty State Park.
Balcer shouted from the podium during the public portion of the meeting, “We are drowning in taxes in Jersey City. It’s another burden for taxpayers. You’re adding more costs to the schools and taking more open space.”
“We are drowning in taxes in Jersey City.” – Yvonne Balcer
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At one point, Balcer was directing her comments at Ahmad, who responded by telling her not to speak to her in that manner.
Abatements controversial
A tax exemption (or tax abatement) is an agreement to allow a developer to pay a separate annual fee to the city rather than normal fluctuating property taxes that are divided among the city, county, and schools. Such agreements are meant as incentives to lure developers to an urban area, allowing them to be free of the vagaries of property taxes. Cities like them because they reap all of the revenue, but some residents are against them because it means the residents are paying school and county taxes that the developers do not have to contribute to.
Since the 1970s, Jersey City has been using abatements to develop its abandoned waterfront. Since the revitalization of the waterfront with luxury rentals, condos, and office buildings, critics of abatements believe Jersey City no longer needs to use such incentives along the waterfront.
In fact, last week, The Monaco, a luxurious, 50-story residential rental building, had its ribbon cutting ceremony.
The council disagreed with Balcer and approved the exemption 9-0.
“In this country, it is a necessity for ongoing economic growth to have good, decent, affordable housing,” Councilman David Donnelly said. “I vote yes.”
Background checks on food vendors
Meanwhile, dozens of Jersey City food vendors came out to fight a revision of an ordinance that will require a detailed background check for their license.
Vendors will be required to go through a process including an application, fingerprinting with a background check, a Health Department check, and submitting a photo of their pushcart.
“This is for public safety,” Council President Peter Brennan said. “There are 300 vendors out there selling food, and we don’t know who they are.”
Vendors addressed the council with their concerns.
Francesca Saldana, a vendor and mother of eight children, said the “push cart” business is her family’s main source of income.
“Why restrictions on food vendors? I see clear possible violations of the 14th Amendment [which prohibits local government from depriving persons of life, liberty, or property],” Saldana said. “And deciding who gets a food vending license. I can see background check for sex offenders, but us?”
After hearing all the complaints from the food vendors, the council decided to table the ordinance, stating that it needs to be “fine tuned,” but with a deadline in mind.
“This has been a tough ordinance, with over a year of ideas and work,” Council President Peter Brennan said. “Fees have not been collected by vendors. We need to make amendments and correct the problems that we heard here tonight.”
STD/HIV clinic update
The council also discussed an ongoing issue with a local clinic for sexually transmitted diseases that is slated to close.
“The days are numbered for closing the clinic. We prevent the spread of disease,” said Dorothy Wojcik, who has been employed there for 17 years.
The city of Jersey City was funding the clinic for $575,000 per year, but wants to save costs in the next budget. The clinic also receives state and federal government grants.
The clinic is losing its lease at 115 Christopher Columbus Drive by the end of the month.
The clinic provides free testing and free treatment for the sexually transmitted diseases HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis and Chlamydia, according to Wojcik.
The city administration is hoping that the clinic will be taken over by a private health care company, Horizon, but clinic staff members are concerned that grant applications and other matters could fall through the cracks.
“We don’t need sick people running the street,” Councilwoman Viola Richardson said.
Further discussion is set for next council meeting on May 25. The next meeting is May 25 at 6 p.m.