In a letter to the editor, Jersey City resident Tricia Cuthbertson argues that Ward E Councilman James Solomon broke a campaign pledge by supporting a long-term tax abatement for the 6th Street Embankment.
Dear Editor,
Earlier this month the downtown Embankment park project passed with city council member James Solomon voting yes for the 30-year tax abatement for a residential building that contains only 30 units of affordable apartments.
With a total of 604 units in this 40-story downtown building, that sets aside only 5% of apartments as affordable housing. This is far short of his commitment in his campaign to set aside 20% of new development projects for affordable housing.
If you peel back the onion’s layer, a majority of the Embankment Coalition project leaders and the local business sponsors are significant financial donors to his campaign.
Solomon’s tagline of “not for sale” proves otherwise. How can voters not see he was sold by these campaign donors to accept this deal?
With the 30-year abatement, it cuts the developer’s tax payments in half, taking away $122 million in taxes that would have been dedicated for our city’s public schools.
When James Solomon says he’s for education and plans to fight the state for its fair share of education funding, something that is out of his control and at this point likely a lost cause, he turned around and killed the potential public school funding that was in his control.
This means the schools need to continue to find funding which will likely increase our property taxes.
As a Jersey City property owner with concerns about the public schools, I am having a hard time seeing how he will make this city affordable.
He says he will, but his recent vote demonstrates otherwise.
