A taxing Council meeting


Last night's council meeting kicked off with a PowerPoint presentation of the Mayor's proposed 2017 Municipal Budgetthe total budget is $107M with a 1.25% municipal tax decrease.

GA wants to show a few slides that might interest Hoboken taxpayers.

The first one shows the share of your total tax bill paid to the County, our Schools and our Municipality, for the last 8 years.

Check out what happened to your tax bill during the Zimmer administration and Hoboken Freeholder Anthony 'Stick' Romano's term in office and a Reform-majority BoE. 



HOLY COW.    I hate to pick on Stick Romano when he's black and blue from Joey Muniz... but "funding formula" my tukas. 

Hoboken needs a Freeholder to stop the bloodletting, whatever or WHOEVER it takes. No, Ruben wont do a thing, either.

Conversely, check out what Reform management of City Hall/Hoboken BoE has to done for the Hoboken taxpayer.  This fish is "fresh" from the top-down: no contracts to friends or patronage hires or giving away money in settling  frivolous lawsuits.

So WHY would Hoboken even THINK about opening City Hall to Hudson County bosses?

The next slide shows amount of Muni taxes versus INCREASING County taxes since 2010.


In case you were wondering how Hoboken's resident municipal tax bill fares with the rest of  Hudson County:



For G-d's sake!  Only a meshugunah would want to dump this Mayor, her Council team, and BoE Reformers!

Our Freeholder is another story...

Well, there was more to the meeting, for another day.

Here is the entire municipal presentation for those who missed it:

Comments

  1. A classic example of " If it ain't broke, don't fix it."



    ReplyDelete
  2. Ok so we pay less taxes .. but is what we are paying being used efficiently? .. can it be used in a much wiser way .. yup .. there's room for improvement... this is prob the best she can do .. 8 years is enough and change is definitely much needed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for that detailed plan!

      Delete
    2. I note you don't give any examples of taxes being used inefficiently. If you don't have any there is some reason to believe taxes are being used efficiently.

      Delete
  3. So the taxes plateaud .. she has lower "proposed" taxes if we vote for her .. interesting
    And compare our taxes to the ones in NYC .. they are doing better and getting more for their money !! This analysis doesn't even show or say ifthe data is statistically significant or not ..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where is your "statistically significant" data showing NYC is getting more dollar-for-dollar?

      Delete
    2. If you'd like to discuss NYC's tax structure And compare it Hoboken's I'd be happy to but you might want to talk to someone who has lived and paid taxes there first so you don't continue making a big small minded fool of yourself. Note I used big and little in the same sentence so my post is stature neutral.

      Delete
    3. Trolls, efforts to take the discussion off-topic (to NYC's tax structure) is duly noted. Folks, let's not feed them.

      The topic is how Mayor Zimmer has lowered our municipal taxes while our County taxes have gone through the roof. County bosses see Hoboken as an ATM machine. They aren't satisfied with shaking down our taxpayers, now they want to pick our mayor.

      Sincerely,
      GA, born & raised in NYC

      Delete
    4. If taxes were lower in NYC, people would not be moving to Hoboken. Who comes up with these idiotic talking points for the OG?

      Delete
  4. I'm sure you believe in Jenny McCarthy and her "research" linking vaccines to autism too .. great data GA . This info needs to be presented in a professional way if it's going to be distributed to the people .. my grandmother can make up these numbers

    ReplyDelete
  5. How is this compared to NJ's average GA ?
    Just wondering.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good morning, my fiendish friends, you're here bright and early. Yes, Zimmer has balanced the budget and lowered taxes- bad news for the guy complaining about snow on the bicycle path! And GA hasn't discussed how Zimmer admin flood pumps are keeping it dry on the west side of town- those folks have never seen a season without flooding, until the H5 pump. See what good government can do?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The tax rate can remain stable if the tax base is expanding. It would be helpful to see what it cost (in dollars) to run the city in 2009 and what it costs now.

      Delete
    2. Perhaps you should ask Councilman DeFusco to provide you with that information. If I remember correctly he was actively involved in supporting Peter Cammarano's mayoral campaign on 2009 so I'm sure he has the 2009 info at his fingertips. I'm not sure if he's fully familiar with years since though, given his single minded focus on his high powered business career as a top executive in the television industry until he generously decided to give back to his community by running for Council in 2015. He might well be unaware of all that occurred from 2009-2016.

      To get the info for the years Councilman DeFusco is unfamiliar with you might have to watch the movie. Spoiler alert - in the year prior to Mayor Zimmer's election the City had a budget full of gimmicks which was underfunded by about $12 million due to the hiding of $millions in health care and other expenses by them Mayor Roberts. This resulted in the State appointing a fiscal monitor to run the City's finances and a 70% municipal tax hike. The City's bond rating was near junk.

      Mayor Zimmer's accomplishments turning the City around over the next 8 years are featured in the movie called Hoboken 2009-2017 - the economic turnaround (in which Mike DeFusco and Anthony Soares played no role).

      Delete
    3. The tax base in Hoboken has been expanding for the last two decades.
      Yet under the Russo and Roberts administrations Hoboken had debilitating deficits that were paid off by selling City assets (water -sewer - land) and still had massive of unpaid bills and a credit rating that was at junk bond levels.

      We should not forget there was corruption on an epic scale in almost every aspect of City government which has disappeared under this Administration.

      Delete
    4. DeFusco was a Cammarano guy? I didn't know that.

      Delete
    5. With a "flat tax rate", the school budget has gone from $59 million to $73 million. How does that happen?

      Delete
    6. The topic here is municipal taxes. Try to stay focused. Also learn to read. Nobody said school taxes have been flat. They've modestly increased largely because of a big increase in Charter school costs resulting from the creation and expansion of HoLa.

      Do you really want to debate this stuff? Presenting yourself as an ignorant buffoon even anonymously isn't helpful to your cause. It certainly isn't helpful to Councilman DeFusco who may prefer to appear less ignorant than his supporters seem to be.

      Delete
    7. The original post by GA mentioned the "reform BOE" and the graphs included the school taxes so it appeared to be relevant.

      Delete
    8. The graph shows a steep decline in municipal taxes as well as a modest decline in school taxes as a percentage of total property taxes. Like I said - learn to read.

      Since county taxes have soared while municipal taxes have declined and school taxes have modestly increased (about 3% per year), about 40% our property taxes now go to the County vs. less than 30% in 2009.

      To the extent rising taxes are a problem in Hoboken, it's all about the rise in County taxes.

      I hope this helped. Feel free to share the explanation with Councilman DeFusco and his reported ticket mate Anthony Soares so they don't misspeak and look like ignorant fools.

      Delete
    9. A decline in the tax rate is not a decline in money spent.

      Delete
    10. OK. Would you like to discuss the decline in the tax levy? Seriously, there is not a shred of actual data for you to attach your spin to. That's why you're passive aggressively pretending to ask questions instead of actually saying anything.

      I sympathize. It's seriously tough to come up with reasons why we should replace a hugely successful Mayor like Mayor Zimmer with a guy without any accomplishments or qualifications to speak of.

      Delete
    11. A major revaluation of property value and constant and intrusive construction of new units explains the tax rate falling- especially relative to county government. Using percentages is a zero sum game-- using expenditures ($$$) will be more convincin.

      Delete
    12. I would say the potential challenger has at least similar if not more experience than the incumbant had before assuming the current office.

      Delete
    13. Like I said, choose your data - it all says the same thing so feel free to share any that you think supports whatever it is you're trying to imply.

      FYI - the reval has nothing to do with the decline in Hoboken municipal taxes and the rise in County taxes. And the addition of new ratables has nothing to do with the decline in the tax levy.

      Hobokenites are not stupid. You won't get votes by treating them as if they are. But you may convince people that you are stupid, and if Councilman DeFusco and his supposed ticket mate Anthony Soares show the same ignorance they will convince the public that they are stupid. And voters rarely vote for candidates they think are stupid. If that's your goal, keep up the good work.

      Delete
    14. Hoboken Municipal Budget: 2010- $99.8 million; 2016- $173 million. I agree that people in Hoboken are smart.

      Delete
    15. $99 million to $173 million is an increase of 74% or about 11% a year while inflation was around 2%-3%.

      Delete
    16. Not sure what numbers your playing with but the actual Hoboken 2016 Municipal Budget was just under $12 million dollars.

      Delete
    17. $173 million. Wow that's alot!!!

      You really aren't pretending. You actually are a stupid buffoon who can't read!

      Perhaps Councilman DeFusco and former Councilman, former advertising exec now real estate agent Anthony Soares will put that "data" in their press release announcing their candidacies. Then the fun will begin.

      I hope they like being laughed at as much as you do. They both seem a little thin skinned so maybe they won't like it so much.

      Delete
    18. "The lower tax rate is because there is an increase in ratables, or the total value of taxpaying properties – meaning more properties are contributing, so each property owner’s rate is lower." -Hoboken Reporter

      Delete
  7. It's really challenging trying to turn an 8 year record of fiscal responsibility into a political liability but fortunately Councilman DeFusco and his supporters are up to the task.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Remember GA only talks what GA wants to talk ..
    anything else is out of order.. these topics are hand picked , close minded trying to show Zimmer as someone who can almost walk on water .. yes it looks like she walks on water .. because the town floods .. good thing she didn't use our money to build that wall she was talking about

    ReplyDelete
  9. "I would say the potential challenger has at least similar if not more experience than the incumbant had before assuming the current office."

    Perhaps you would say that but Councilman DeFusco and his supposed ticket mate Anthony Soares are not running against Dawn Zimmer circa 2009. They are running against Mayor Dawn Zimmer circa 2017.

    Of course Mike Defusco circa 2009 and Anthony Soares circa 2009 were big supporters of our shortlived mayor and longer term jailbird Peter Cammarano. So I think its fair to say Dawn Zimmer of any era could at a minimum be said to have far better judgment than any vintage of DeFusco or Soares.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Municipal budget up 74% in 7 yrs-- thats not flat nor declining my friends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon 231 pm - how are you calculating that? I don't see it.

      Delete
  11. I don't think GA is saying she can walk on water. I think she is saying that under the Zimmer administration, Taxes have remained fairly flat. Zimmer inherited a budget that had to be increased by the state monitor to more accurately reflect the recurring costs within the city. Under Zimmer's oversight, she then made drastic cuts in many areas - most unpopular including public safety. And this is not subjective and measured through just biased glasses (yes GA is biased toward reform...but you have to pick sides in Hoboken and there are only 2), this fiscal discipline is also measured by an independent third party which is the rating agencies. Hoboken's municipal bond rating at AA+ is one notch lower than the highest the agencies can give which is AAA. And it got to this level from junk ratings when she first inherited the budget. I think the point GA is saying is that DeFusco / Soares / Romano / Ramos or whomever, cannot make fiscal responsibility a campaign issue. If anything, Soares and Ramos, as councilmembers from before Zimmer's time, were part of the previous fiscal irresponsibility. Nor can they make flooding and emergency response a campaign issue because of how much has been done under Zimmer vs. prior administrations. Can they make traffic and poor street planning a campaign issue? That is fair game. Can they say she hasn't done enough? Of course. They can always say that - and they will. But that is all they can say. And if anything, 4 more years will actually let her do more!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Municipal tax levy 2016: $53,885,664
      2009:$40,183,623

      Delete
    2. "Municipal budget up 74% in 7 yrs-- thats not flat nor declining my friends."

      Nor is it correct, my genuinely stupid fake friend. Perhaps you should take a walk over to Wallace school and see if a grade school student can read through the budgets and walk you through them.

      Apparently neither reading nor mathematics are your thing. Hopefully you're good at home repair or gardening or something like that.

      Delete
    3. Municipal tax levy FY 2009 $60,442,000. Municipal tax levy 2016 $53,885,664. That's a drop of about 11%

      Please stop digging. By now you're even embarrassing Ex- Councilman Anthony Soares and he's known to be a man with little shame.

      Delete
    4. People remember that Soares was all show and no substance. He's a marketing guy at heart. I doubt he understood the budget then let alone now.

      Delete
    5. These numbers are so confusing- what is correct?

      Delete
    6. It's not really hard to find out what is correct for those of us who can read words and numbers. All the budgets are up on the City's website.

      I just spent about 5 minutes there writing down a few highlights:

      2008 - fraudulent underfunded budget. Appropriations $92,688,726 Municipal Tax $33,984,698

      2009 - first honest budget imposed by the State Fiscal Monitor. Appropriations $124,360,227 Municipal Tax $60,442,000

      2011 First full year budget under Mayor Zimmer (2010 involved fiscal year change). Appropriations $106,152,714. Municipal Tax $54,078,242

      2016 - last adopted budget. Appropriations $$111,812,234. Municipal Taxes $54,085,664.

      Now is this so hard to understand? Hopefully Councilman DeFusco and Ex-Councilman Anthony Soares can read words and numbers better than their anonymous shill.

      Delete
  12. I don't see how the taxes are a good issue for the Zimmer people since we've all seen our taxes go up. Sure, sure, sure, it's the county, it's the school, but your average Joe or Jane voter doesn't dig down into the weeds; they don't even dig below the surface thought 'My taxes went up!'

    I see Zimmer being able to talk about the parks coming online (and if she hurry, hurry, hurries, she might get a photo-op cutting a ribbon for her marketing materials. She can talk about the things she's done with flooding and her plans for the future and people will like that.

    She can talk about bike lanes, more, more, more and some people will like that; others will groan.

    She can't talk about being pro-development or being anti-development or anything in-between. Those that like development will say she's done none. Those that hate development will say that we're getting a huge building, the biggest ever, ever, ever under Zimmer.

    She can't talk about being pro-business. Too many empty storefronts. She can't talk about historic character. Too much getting torn down.

    I think parks, bikes and flooding will be her best centerpiece items and it just depends on whether people want something else or more or different.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Net/net you're hoping and praying for idiots who can't read the 3 line items on their tax bill.

      Do you think people with 5 figure tax bills don't bother to do that?

      I can't help but believe that team Defusco, in addition to not being very bright themselves, deal exclusively with not very bright voting populations.

      Check the zip code, sippy cup. Adjust your strategies accordingly.

      Delete
  13. the way things are shaping up, team Defusco's voting population will be bought... so wont matter if they are bright or not. I see record number "campaign workers" hitting the halls of the HHA...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mikey & The Malcontents



    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment