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<\/a><\/p>\nBy Daniel Ulloa\/Hudson County View<\/p>\n
Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Keshav Poddar began the event at the Miller Branch Library by reiterating that the city has an over quarter billion dollar deficit<\/a>, which is about 28 percent of the overall budget.<\/p>\n He said that it\u2019s larger than the budgets of the police and fire departments combined.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s unprecedented!\u201d Poddar exclaimed, continuing that one-shot revenues and COVID-19 funds were use recklessly.<\/p>\n He added 36 percent of a resident\u2019s tax bill comes from the city, with 17 percent from the county, and 43 percent goes to the board of education (BOE), adding that municipal funding to the BOE has increased.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a challenging \u2026 topic that is a great concern to all of us. While I think we have huge challenges \u2026 we have the right people and the right approach,\u201d noted Councilman at-Large Rolando Lavarro said.<\/p>\n Also attending the meeting were Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks and Councilman at-Large Michael Griffin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure you keep receiving the services you need \u2026 We want to make sure people don\u2019t get priced out of Jersey City,\u201d expressed Brooks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do want to make sure that we\u2019re providing the services we need to provide. It\u2019s important that we\u2019re creative in ways to generate revenue,\u201d added Griffin.<\/p>\n Solomon then explained he was in Trenton earlier for Gov. Mikie Sherrill\u2019s (D) first budget address<\/a>, a $60.7 billion spending plan that has a number of cuts expected.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way we can get through this without the state\u2019s support and help. If we were to lay off every single civilian employee \u2026 that wouldn\u2019t even get us to half of this deficit,\u201d the mayor declared.<\/p>\n