Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is lauding a preliminary $744,579,144.46 municipal budgets that comes with a zero percent municipal tax hike.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“This budget is a testament to our continued commitment to responsible governance over the past 12 years, and our success in redirecting Jersey City onto a positive path,” he said in a statement.
“Even with rising costs and external challenges, we are maintaining a flat municipal tax rate, enhancing services, and avoiding further burdens on taxpayers by thinking strategically about how we manage city operations.”
Fulop also noted that out of the 11 municipal budgets he has been a part of, seven have been a flat tax rate (zero percent) and two more were two percent or less.
Challenging items to consider this time around were rising insurance premiums, cuts to federal and state grant funding, and millions more in health benefit claims, the mayor added.
Additionally, the municipal portion of the average property tax bill has been reduced to just 35 percent, down from 48 percent two years ago.
The remainder is levied by the Jersey City Board of Education and the Hudson County government.
This 2025-2026 spending plan includes $66 million paydown on debt services, allocating $6 million to amicable union contract settlements, hiring new police officers and firefighters, and fully funding of the city pension fund – among other things.
The administration has also reported the addition of $1.6 billion in new ratables to the tax rolls.
“Our focus has always been on building a stronger, more efficient city that protects taxpayers while delivering the high-quality services they deserve,” Fulop concluded.
