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Q&A Councilman Solomon’s Office from Last General Meeting Thank you for meeting with Councilman Solomon at the Van Vorst Park Association meeting on January 17th. As a follow-up to some of the questions and concerns that were raised during your meeting with Councilman Solomon, our office has put together the document below. Our office is committed to answering and addressing all your questions to the best of our ability. If something was not answered or resolved, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office directly. Q: How can we take action to oppose the Turnpike expansion? A: There are a number of organizations that are taking part in the campaign to stop the turnpike expansion. These have come together under the “Turnpike Trap Coalition.” They are hosting events and doing the political work organizing to put pressure on state officials. You can contact them through their website (TurnpikeTrap.org). Please join their events such as their letter writing campaign or you can donate to their efforts Q: What is being done about the intersection of York and Jersey? A: The MUA has committed to installing concrete bump outs in the intersection after they complete the York St sewer repair work. Q: How can we stay more informed about the city’s budgeting process? A:Budgets should be introduced early spring by the city, county and schools. The city council will then hold budget meetings that are open to the public. Please visit https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/citycouncil/citycouncilmeetings to stay up-to-date on these meetings and sign up in advance to voice questions and concerns. Q: How much oversight can the city council exercise over the city’s budget? A: The City Council can exercise oversight over the budget to a certain extent. The council can allocate money to departments in the city but cannot determine how it is spent once allocated. I am working proactively to increase the Council’s oversight capabilities. Last month I introduced and passed an Ordinance which significantly increases the Council’s powers in this area. First, it requires all departments to report all overtime spending to the Council on a monthly basis. Second, it requires the Administration to formally report to the Council if they miss particular budget deadlines. Specifically, state law requires the city to present the city audit and our annual financial statement by specific dates and now if the Chief Financial Officer fails to do so theCouncil must receive a formal report. The Ordinance can be found by clicking here. Q: Do the tax abatements that were previously given to developers help with the tax burden faced by homeowners? A: For the past six years, the city has not given out any long-term tax abatements to developers. Every year, some abatements given out in the prior decades expire. Our office can provide a list of these tax abatement expiration dates upon request. Q: Is there an update on the ordinance passed regarding the frequency of inspections on building facades? A: Yes, currently the ordinance dictates that any building four stories or greater will be subject to a facade inspection every five years. Many brownstones in Van Vorst park do not qualify as they are considered 3.5 stories by the city. You can see how your building is listed in the tax records. Please reach out to our office if you have questions about if your building is subject to the new ordinance. Once the city receives the first year of inspection reports, they will be able to determine whether this timeline can be extended to an inspection once every 10 years. Thank you for making the time for Councilman Solomon to appear at your meeting. We will continue to address the issues raised. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have further questions or concerns. Sincerely, Councilman Solomon’s Office
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