Jersey City Mayor James Solomon signed executive orders to audit every all city tax breaks with developers, as well as lowering festival and parade fees.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
He said hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks have gone to developers while working families have struggled to stay in their homes in Jersey City while some local nonprofits charged tens of thousands of dollars to hold festivals and/or parades.
“We found that no one has been checking,” Solomon declared about the PILOT agreements approved during his predecessor Steven Fulop’s tenure since the office tasked with evaluating them has been understaffed.
“We actually don’t know if the developers have been following the rules. Meanwhile, property taxes have gone up … We’re going to pursue any and all enforcement actions.”
He noted the Philippine American Friendship Community (PAFCOM) group holds an annual parade on West Side Avenue every spring, but last year they didn’t since they couldn’t afford an exorbitant fee of roughly $11,500.
As a result, Solomon’s administration will create a tiered cost-sharing system that is expected to be under $100,000 annually – a modest investment that will cut costs for cultural event organizers roughly in half.
Organizers for the St. Patrick’s Day, Italian, Puerto Rican, Indian, and LGBTQ+ communities stood with Solomon, applauding the parade fees being addressed.
“Your parade will come back to the West Side Avenue this year,” he declared to applause. “ … It’s essential to what makes Jersey City so special. The era of putting the powerful first ends today.”
“It broke our hearts, we were charged nearly $11,500: We don’t have that kind of money. Our community matters … Our parade is coming home again!” PAFCOM Vice Chair Connie Uy exclaimed.
Councilman at-Large Rolando Lavarro, who if Filipino, expressed how many in the community greatly missed the parade last year, asserting that “we put monied interests over the people of Jersey City.”
“For far too long, developers have skirted those rules. Now we’re going to hold them all accountable,” he added.
“It’s a huge victory for our cultural organizations … There’s an interconnectivity to feel the touch with the community you grew up in. I’ve watched people’s houses go on sheriff’s sales over and over and over,. chimed in Ward F Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore.
Councilwoman at-Large Mamta Singh, Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks, and Council President Denise Ridley all expressed excitement about holding developers accountable and providing support to local organizations.
“A lot of time raising money from year to year can be difficult … We have to have checks and balances, we have to hold people accountable … It’s a new day,” noted Ridley.
Additionally, Solomon said Acting Business Administrator Peter Horton will review the issue and see if an internal audit or third party contractor would be best to go through all of the city’s tax breaks with a fine-toothed comb.
He noted individual residents face harsh penalties for late tax payments, as opposed to local developers who seem to routinely skirt the rules.
Solomon added that this has been an issue many lamented while he was a Ward E councilman, as well as a campaign pledge he was proud to keep.
“You’ve seen expensive luxury developments popping up all over the place—developments that ought to be bringing in money for our city—yet your property taxes and rents continue to rise,” he said in a statement after the presser.
“We’re going to audit the big developers who may not be paying what they owe, and we’re going to ensure they pay their fair share.”
He concluded that the audit is expected to be complete by July 1st.
When are we going to have a real vets day parade it looks so stupid by having a fire truck a police truck n a truck full of kids on it n three horses this is not a vets parade three yrs I went n tured around n went home a very big DISAPPOINTING