The Jersey City Council approved a 30-year tax break for the Centre Pompidou at a heated meeting that lasted a stunning six hours last night.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“The mayor … thought the residents should control the destiny of Journal Square. If he actually believed in those words, this would not be a rush vote. It is going to cost taxpayers $4 to $5 million dollars a year,” Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano said before public comment.
“We still haven’t gotten concrete numbers on the cost of the build out. People are tired of the taxes.”
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh then encouraged opening the hearing, which was the second reading of an ordinance to approve a 30-year tax abatement to the KRE Group at 808 Pavonia Ave., to the public.
Gage Wright appeared to be in disbelief that the project was being rammed through “at light speed for the Kushners,” claiming it would cost the taxpayers of Jersey City at least $92 million from the taxpayers of the city over the next decade.
He said if he concocted such a sloppy document at work, he would have been fired, prompting laughter from the crowd.
“The Pompidou is a reliable partner if the city decides to go forward,” Michael Ehrman, who recently wrote a letter to the editor in favor of the project, expressed.
While there were some speakers who came out in support of the plan, the vast majority who spoke were firmly against it.
“The math doesn’t seem to make sense. Our mayor was patronizing when he was challenged. We don’t need more construction in Journal Square,” stated Gina Davison.
“The children here are asking for trees. Give us trees. Give us housing. We don’t want the Pompidou here,” she added to applause.
Edward Perkins said the project doesn’t include affordable housing and is wholly unneccessary given the art institutions that already exist in the city.
“We should never believe what the mayor says. The mayor don’t know what we need. We don’t need no art project. We need housing. We need jobs,” exclaimed activist Tina Nalls.
Linda Velwest, who was wearing a button that said “Pompi-Don’t,” said trying to “pretend to be a global city” shouldn’t be a priority when people don’t have food or healthcare.
Journal Square Community Association President Tom Zuppa, who moderated a four-and-a-half hour community meeting on the project with Mayor Steven Fulop on Saturday, said that they couldn’t get an answer on what it would cost the city to bring the Pompidou in.
“In all the contracts I’ve negotiated as a lawyer, not once do I put pen to paper without knowing the numbers,” he began, continuing that 70 percent of their members believe their opinion doesn’t matter, while 75 percent believes the city isn’t being transparent.
Zuppa said the cost remains ambiguous, as well as that the $67.5 million in state tax credits the council was promised at caucus on Monday was clearly contradicted in a statement from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Alvin Pettit, a member of the Jersey City Arts Council – who backed the project – reiterated his support, while Sarah Ibrahim was in favor of the idea as well.
“Gentrification is coming to Journal Square no matter what we do,” she declared, indicating she liked the idea of protecting space and Jersey City being a global city.
“It’s a gentrification accelerator disguised as progress,” Jessica Brann, of the Portside Towers Tenant Association, asserted during her remarks.
She said the Pompidou’s business model in France is not sustainable.
“Voting yes would be the most elitist thing you could do. The mayor’s doing this to save face. This is his pride,” said activist Michael Griffin, referring to the Fulop pulling together a plan B after the NJEDA withdrew their support.
Centre Pompidou × Jersey City Co-director Anna Hiddleston-Galloni defended the project by emphasizing it would be shaped by the community and local partners.
“The Centre Pompidou in Jersey City will be a place for all … The Centre Pompidou will be a vibrant, inclusive space,” she argued.
She noted that there would be significant youth programming, as well as a dance center and an auditorium for local events, in addition to famous artists being on display with local ones.
“As it relates to the $67.5 million dollars … did we get approval?” Ward F Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore asked.
“We’re voting on a 30-year tax abatement for a cultural recreation space,” Business Administrator John Metro replied, dodging the question before Saleh and Gilmore starting going at it.
“They haven’t been approved yet because they haven’t applied,” Saleh noted.
“I’m talking to John! It’s just yes or no,” Gilmore shouted.
“The people of Jersey City should be given the full picture, okay?” Saleh responded.
“We should have more dialogue,” Gilmore asserted.
“Nobody asks a yes or no question when you want people to understand the totality of the picture!” Saleh yelled.
Metro also said he wasn’t going to answer questions on Gilmore’s terms, to which Gilmore yelled he doesn’t dictate what questions can be asked.
Council President Joyce Watterman than interjected asking everyone to calm down.
“They wrote these tax credits with a project like this in mind. We’ve had multiple conversations with the state,” Metro said.
“They haven’t been approved!” someone yelled.
“No one should be shouting!” City Clerk Sean Gallagher declared.
“So, we have no definitive answers?” Gilmore continued.
“We don’t have the exact numbers. We understand what we’re getting from the white box. I can’t tell you how much the lighting is going to cost today,” Metro said.
Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Counsel Joe Baumann, also bond counsel for the city, said the NJ Performing Arts Center was built without a formal plan by a partnership of then-Newark Mayor Sharpe James and Gov. Tom Kean (R).
“I don’t appreciate you and Councilman Boggiano dominating! I’m not trying to cut you off!” Saleh declared.
He later apologized to Gilmore, which his colleague later did as well, as Boggiano said he still didn’t believe the project was going to happen as the vote approached.
Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley noted that $1.9 million from the project is going to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, that this is a valuable piece of real estate, and that the schools will be receiving full funding from this project before voting yes.
She also wanted to be able to dictate where the $1.9 million is allocated.
“It actually will pan out over time,” Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey argued, noting she had spoken to many residents about it, and while she understands the opposition, that that this will be an economic driver.
“There are too many unknowns here,” Boggiano said as he voted no to applause.
Saleh faced a hostile crowd, being booed as he gave a lengthy speech that began by talking about being raised poor and attending McNair High School before addressing the merits of the project.
“Yes, we are making a generational choice here today. It’s like planting a tree and not sitting in its shade because we don’t know future councils, what they’ll need, what the city will need, if we’ll need it for a staging site, if we can convert it to affordable housing,” he began.
“I agree with all of you today that we should be investing in our local population. I think we should be incubating entrepreneurs and artists so we can have the next Van Gough or Bill Gates right here in Jersey City … The Centre Pompidou project has not been approved for any tax incentives from the NJEDA.”
However, he said as someone with a seat “behind the curtain,” he is aware that the state Cultural Arts Incentives Program was created specifically with the Pompidou in mind.
Ward E Councilman James Solomon, who voted no on first reading, said he knows how Garden State politics work, but even so, there’s no need to rush the project, which won’t be built for three years.
“If we need a public space in Journal Square, there are dozens of building going up in the square, dozens of opportunities for us to do that. This is all going in the second tower that isn’t going to be built for a couple of years,” he said.
“If we are looking for a public space in the square, we should take our time, we should plan it thoughtfully, we should think about it: is it a youth center, a school, is it a multi-cultural center? We have so many different options, we should not rush into it. Sure, could it become something great in the future? Of course. There’s no need for us to rush into it.”
Watterman then expressed frustration over the fact that Jersey City police officers had come into the meeting, noting that she, nor any of her colleagues, requested them.
Gilmore said he had “no faith in the city managing any property” before reiterating that almost none of the financial questions had been answer before voting no, exclaiming he’d vote against it three or four times if he could.
Councilwoman-at-Large Amy DeGise said she felt it was worthwhile to acquire “community space in the heart of Jersey City,” noting that she wanted local artists to serve on the museum board.
“We hope it will be the Pompidou. We really don’t know. Real estate has great value … Jersey City needs tourism,” Watterman added before voting yes.
The measure passed 6-3, with Boggiano, Solomon, and Gilmore voting no, nearly the same tally that it passed on first reading.
Just wow! This appears to be a massive boondoggle. The State is already running away. How much in property taxes can property owners in Jersey City afford to endure???