| Photo via City of Jersey City website
JERSEY CITY, NJ—At the next city council meeting on May 22, Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop will introduce the FY 2025 budget, representing a 2% change. Of the ten budgets that Fulop introduced, the FY 2025 is the eighth consistent 2% or less change, reflecting his administration’s focus on fiscal responsibility.
The municipal portion of residents’ taxes decreased from 48% to 37% of the overall property tax bill; the remainder comes from the Board of Education and county government. The Fulop administration has said the municipal component is the only tax the mayor and city council control.
“While fixed costs are nearly double the inflation rate – such as 6% increases for health insurance and pension contributions – this budget is responsible and still expands critical city services that residents rely on,” Fulop said.
According to the Fulop administration, the 1.9% increase is below the inflation rate. They add that despite last year’s volatile economy, the city had a $1.4 billion increase in new revenue to tax rolls, further reflecting its economic vitality.
Key aspects in the 2024-2025 budget proposal include:
- Increased 911 dispatch operations with the recruitment of 30 additional call takers.
- Enhanced public safety and police/community relations, including local diversity recruitment efforts, community engagement events, and a new De-escalation Training Center opening next week.
- City-run Animal Care and Control services.
- Continuous funds raised by the Open Space and Arts & Culture Trust Funds, implemented by Mayor Fulop, to generate stable investments in areas critical to the community’s health and overall growth.
–-With Jay Domingo/PDM
