Mayor Solomon Fights For An Affordable Jersey City: Launches Tax Abatement Audit, Cuts Fees For Community Cultural Events
Administration takes action to put the people of Jersey City first, not developers and special interests
JERSEY CITY, NJ (January 21, 2026) —
Mayor James Solomon today announced a series of actions to make Jersey City more affordable and accountable - launching a comprehensive audit of all tax abatements and reforming fees that have burdened
community organizations seeking to hold cultural celebrations.
"For too long, this city's priorities have been backwards. We give away hundreds of
millions to developers while working families struggle to stay in their homes," said
Mayor
Solomon. "That era of putting developers first ends today. Jersey City cannot be a place
where it is easier to build a highrise than to celebrate Filipino culture on our streets.
We're going to ensure developers pay their fair share, and we're going to make it easier,
not harder, for our communities to celebrate their heritage."
Comprehensive Audit of All Tax Abatements:
Mayor Solomon signed an Executive Order directing the Business Administrator to
immediately commence a comprehensive audit of all long-term tax abatements still
active in Jersey City. There are currently over 100 such abatements in the city, each
with different conditions and payment tiers.
The city has not allocated significant resources to monitor these abatements, meaning there is no assurance that the rules are being followed or that the city is receiving all the revenue it should be receiving. The audit will review every active abatement, determine compliance status, and identify any abatements that warrant enforcement action.
"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," said
Mayor Solomon. "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."
The audit is to be completed by July 1, 2026.
Reducing Fees for Community Cultural Events:
Mayor Solomon announced reforms to the public safety fees charged to community
organizations for parades and cultural celebrations—fees that have forced some
communities to cancel or significantly scale back their events.
Under the current system, administrative fees alone have amounted to nearly 20% of
total costs charged to event organizers. The Philippine-American Friendship Committee
(PAFCOM), for example, was billed nearly $11,500 for their annual parade—forcing
them to cancel the parade that traditionally walked down West Side Avenue, the heart of
the city's Filipino community, and instead hold a smaller event at a county park.
The administration's reform will create a tiered cost-sharing system, and will significantly reduce administrative fees. The total cost to the city is expected to be under $100,000 annually - a modest investment that will cut costs for cultural event organizers roughly in half.
"One of the things we love so much about our city, and one of the things that makes us
Chilltown, is our incredible cultural diversity," said Mayor Solomon. "It makes no sense
that we've been pricing our own communities out of celebrating their heritage. This administration will not balance the budget on the backs of working people."
About Mayor James Solomon:
James Solomon was sworn in as the 50th Mayor of Jersey City on January 15, 2026. A cancer survivor, former professor at NJCU, and eight-year City Council member, Mayor Solomon is committed to building a Jersey City government as good as its people—one that delivers the big things and the basics, puts residents before developers, and earns the public's trust through transparency and
accountability. He lives in Jersey City with his wife Gaby and their three daughters.
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