No extra special tax abatements for 77 Hudson

The 420 condo units at 77 Hudson will have to do without special tax abatements the owner of the property, K. Hovnanian was seeking in Superior Court. Judge Mark Baber dismissed Hovnanian's suit brought against Jersey City which sought the same deal Crystal Point was offered which is an upping of tax abated years from 20 to 30.

These tax abatements (and mea culpa, Johnny has one) seemingly were given out along the waterfront like Johnny Appleseed was giving them away. While the abatements have helped in some cases to fill downtown buildings with residents and businesses, it does make one wonder how Crystal Point got their tax abatement raised from 20 to 30 years and 77 Hudson can't.

One wonders if the tax abatements near the Hudson River in Jersey City didn't start drying up about the same time the huge graft arrests happened last year and so many in the Jersey City government decided it was time to keep a closer eye on taxpayer monies.

Mayor Healy was against tax abatements before he was for them before he's against them

When the Mayor was running for his first term he was against tax abatements. They were mere giveaways to the rich and powerful. Once he became mayor he passed them out like a Jersey City Johnny Appleseed, they were oh so necessary and good for the city despite the blow to the tax base (and a mea culpa, Johnny is moving himself and the Jersey City Desk offices to a downtown tax abated building next week) and woe be to those who dared call him on it. Now, after a good portion of the Jersey City government has been cuffed and booked on public graft charges, suddenly da Mayor says tax abatements are on a case by case basis.

Ya follow?

Whereas Healy told Crystal Point's Fisher Development Associates in June "come and get you some tax abatement loving" he's now telling K. Hovnanian owner of 77 Hudson "hard cheese."

Funny isn't it? Healy claims one building is done for the most part and doesn't need an abatement while the other is still being worked on so an abatement is necessary.

Uh huh, we think the fact that so many went to city employees were exposed as crooks, and the fact the vultures are circling the mayor might just account for his newfound need to protect tax monies.