In a letter to the editor, Jersey City resident Yvonne Balcer gives her opinion on why tenants under rent control should not be excluded from a tax increase.
Dear Editor,
I went to the Ward E Budget hearing that was held at City Hall. The mayor gave his speech about how taxes would rise due to the previous mayor’s actions. At the end of his speech, Mayor Solomon took questions.
My question to Mayor Solomon was, why are tenants under rent control excluded from a tax increase?
I told the mayor I have gone to the Hudson County Tax Court on more than one occasion and have witnessed landlords always win their appeals because landlords cannot pass taxes on to tenants.
The judges hearing these cases say this applies to Jersey City while other towns do not allow this exception.
I said if my taxes are going to rise, tenants who benefit from services should also pay the increase.
Mayor Solomon denied my statement by saying they don’t always win, so here is part of the rent control ordinance: Section 260-2 Part B.
Any rental increase at a time other an at the expiration of a lease or termination of a periodic lease shall be void. Any rental increase in excess of that authorized by the provisions of this chapter shall be void.
A tenant renewing his yearly lease for April got an increase of 2.9 percent, the May increase is 3.2 percent. Rent control is under the Consumer Price Index, not taxes.
Oil pushed up the increase for May. Rent control tenants will not be affected by looming taxes compared to small homeowners.
The small homeowner will also pay the bonds associated with successful tax appeals under rent control. It was $34 million in 2025 and $49 million in 2024, which is a double tax burden.
Then, it was announced at the Ward E meeting, the board of education wants a 17 percent increase, pushing taxes more to the small homeowner.
I am sure many tenants under rent control have children enrolled in the local public schools and will not be impacted by the 17 percent increase.
Finally, Mayor Solomon announced he will file appeals in Tax Court on property owners he feels are under assessed because he believes in fairness.
Well, all of those buildings that won successful appeals due to rent control are under assessed, but I am sure this administration will ignore that fact.
Mayor Solomon should stop denying his administration is giving special privileges to tenants at the expense of the small homeowner, just read the ordinance.
Yvonne Balcer
Jersey City resident
