To the Editor:
To the taxpayers of Bayonne, Wake up. With all the new residential development being proposed in the city, who do you think will have to pay for all the new infrastructure required? 2,500 units at the military base, 1,300 units at the old Texaco site, 300 plus units at North Street, 250 plus units at the old Hi-Hat. If only half of the above units have a school age child, we’re talking about approx. 2,100 children. Enough to fill three additional schools. Currently, all the schools in Bayonne are pretty much at max capacity. So where will all these “new” children go? Who will be responsible for paying for new school buildings, or purchasing and refurbishing older ones? You the taxpayer.
This in addition to the extra teachers, policeman, fireman etc. that would be needed to cover these areas. I’m sure garbage/recycling contracts would increase, as well as maintenance, winter salting and other costs. Meanwhile, the developers walk away with millions in profit, moving on to their next project, and the taxpayers are left holding the bag. Our city council deems fit to grant tax abatements, which further reduce school funding, and brings in fewer taxes.
We don’t need further residential development in town. We need industrial development. Less strain on our resources, more local jobs, more taxes charged, less out of our pocketbook.
I voted for the current mayor and council. However, the path they’re leading us down will only hurt us significantly in the future. I urge all taxpayers to contact the mayor and city council representatives to re-think the current strategy and look for higher taxpaying industrial development.
DAVID FALANDYS