The Jersey City Desk would like to get a forensic accounting of Jersey City taxes/books

More excellent reporting from Terrence T. McDonald at the Jersey Journal, who asks the hard questions and asks the right questions of the right people. To wit:

A rival of Mayor Steve Fulop is asking state officials to audit Jersey City's tax program, saying the city's recent move to halt new assessments of renovated homes was outside of Fulop's legal authority.

Bill Matsikoudis — a Fulop critic when he was top city attorney under ex-Mayor Jerramiah Healy — alleges in a letter sent today to state tax officials that "political concerns" appear to have been behind the city's request to stop the added assessments, which would have given over 450 homeowners a tax break.

This reval that was cancelled after being 95% done, Loans now to developers, the shifty none-too-aboveboard plan to declare City Hall a dilapidated property so the property next to it can be wink wink'd to developer friends of the mayor at an oh-so-special rate. Who benefits? The developer. Who pays? If you're reading this angrily most likely you and Johnny.

The taxpayers of Jersey City deserve a full accounting of all city finances on a forensic level by an independent firm. This means going back into the Healy years as well Mr. Matsikoudis and if any financial skullduggery was going on back with your guy we're guessing you all know a good attorney. No more trusting city hall or council. A full forensic accounting, if need be to be paid for by developer checks in lieu of real tax rates so it can't be argued the city lacks the finances to do so. No, a locally connected firm or the same old firm attesting to the numbers isn't enough anymore. There are of course many other things the forensic accountants can look into, departmental budgets (and we'll almost guarantee they find some questionable spending and practices under those rocks) and payroll and possible no-show jobs as a certain other investigation turned up quite by a drunken car accident this year. The point is, the taxpayers of our fair city deserve a complete check-up with X-ray machines of our finances. Anyone opposing such makes Johnny wonder about what exactly they'd be worried about someone finding.