Meeting record

Municipal Council, July 1, 2026

Body: Municipal Council
Date: July 1, 2026 (special meeting)
Video: city recording, 3h 51m
Called to order: 0:00:13 (6:22 p.m.)
Adjourned: 3:50:44 (11:04 p.m.)
Agenda: CivicWeb
Minutes: CivicWeb, fetched 2026-10-16
Votes: 4 confirmed

Attendance

Items

5 public comment

Public request for hearing

Public request for hearing (minutes items 5.1 to 5.57). The clerk began calling the list of speakers at 0:02:11 and said 'I believe that concludes our list of speakers' at 1:48:26 to 1:48:29. Speakers are not listed here; the minutes name them.

remarks-mayor other

Remarks by the Mayor and questions from the council on Resolution 26-424

1:48:31 to 3:00:13 · Heard

1:49:07 James Solomon (Mayor): Spoke on the city's $255 million deficit, the $120 million in state aid, the conditions expected on a $105 million state loan, and the reason for setting an estimated third-quarter tax bill before the budget.
2:07:45 Staff: The finance director said that without the resolution the final 2026 tax rate would be set with the budget in August and the third- and fourth-quarter bills would fall due close together.
2:29:45 Michael O. Griffin: Asked what guided spending in the first six months without a budget and when a budget had to be in place.
2:42:56 Thomas Zuppa, Jr.: Asked whether the council could pass a 12% estimate and cut the budget instead; the finance director said there was no assurance the Director of Local Government Services would approve it.
2:43:58 Eleana Little: Read into the record a news outlet's post of an email from the Division of Local Government Services giving two options for the $105 million loan (15% or 20% levy increase), and asked whether not passing 15% would jeopardize the loan.

Not a minutes item. After the public speakers the chair said the Mayor would speak (1:48:31); the Mayor spoke from 1:49:07 and the Mayor, the finance director and the Corporation Counsel answered council questions until 3:00:13.

motion-closed-session Res. 26-425 motion

Resolution authorizing a closed session of the Municipal Council on July 1, 2026 to discuss anticipated litigation and contract negotiations

3:00:22 to 3:05:41 · Approved

9-0 9 ayes, 0 nays, roll call at 3:05:11

Moved by Joel A. Brooks, seconded by Frank E. Gilmore

Aye: Denise Ridley, Eleana Little, Frank E. Gilmore, Jake Ephros, Joel A. Brooks, Mamta Singh, Michael O. Griffin, Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr., Thomas Zuppa, Jr.

Every answer is clear on the audio; the clerk announced 'Approved 9-0' (3:05:32). The clerk numbered this closed-session resolution 10.2, Res. 26-425, on the floor (3:03:26 and 3:03:37); the written minutes do not record it. The mover was first named as Councilperson Zuppa, then as Councilperson Brooks (3:01:06). Published on Adam Hanford's decision of 2026-10-18.

3:01:14 Staff: Said the closed session would be limited to potential litigation risk and ongoing contract negotiations and asked that it be kept to about 20 minutes.

Motion for an executive session to discuss the terms of the memorandum of understanding with the state (3:00:31). The resolution was numbered on the floor as 'resolution 10.2' (3:03:26) and 'resolution 26-425' (3:03:37); the council president read its title (3:04:03). The video resumes with 'we are back on the record at 10 19 p.m.' (3:06:02, word timing, within the 3:05:41 segment); the closed session is not on the video.

10.1 Res. 26-424 resolution

A Resolution authorizing the City of Jersey City Chief Financial Officer or Tax Collector to request approval from the Director of Local Government Services to exceed the 105% calculation of estimated billing and to prepare and mail estimated Tax Bills.

3:06:20 to 3:50:06 · Defeated · document

0-9 0 ayes, 9 nays, roll call at 3:26:27

Nay: Denise Ridley, Eleana Little, Frank E. Gilmore, Jake Ephros, Joel A. Brooks, Mamta Singh, Michael O. Griffin, Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr., Thomas Zuppa, Jr.

Roll call from 'how do you vote? Councilperson Brooks.' (3:26:27); each member spoke before answering. Answers: Brooks 'I vote no' (3:28:48); Zuppa 'it's a no today' (3:32:46); Ephros 'I will also vote against this resolution' (3:33:13); Little 'I also will vote this down' (3:38:27); Gilmore 'I vote no' (3:40:53); Griffin 'I'm going to vote no' (3:42:32); Lavarro 'I vote no' (3:46:46); Singh 'today I'm voting no' (3:47:42); Ridley 'I vote no' (3:49:45). Clerk: 'Resolution 26-424 is defeated with no votes in the affirmative, nine votes against, and no abstentions' (3:50:06). Every answer word heard at p 0.98 to 1.00. No motion or second on the resolution itself is heard on the video; the minutes name Ridley and Gilmore, the resolution PDF only 'COUNCIL offered and moved adoption'. The minutes record the motion as by Ridley, seconded by Gilmore; no motion on the resolution is heard on the video.

3:29:12 Thomas Zuppa, Jr.: Spoke on voting before seeing the budget and on finding spending cuts before a tax increase.
3:32:59 Jake Ephros: Spoke on the fourth-quarter tax bill, public comment on the resolution, and a planned resolution on taxing high earners.
3:36:32 Eleana Little: Spoke on the fourth-quarter tax bill, the December tax sale and the budget process.
3:38:49 Frank E. Gilmore: Spoke on not voting yes on something with so much uncertainty, and on residents saving for a tax increase.
3:43:02 Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr.: Spoke on the state's loan conditions and on alternatives raised before, including the rainy day fund, bonding leave payouts and management furloughs.

Before reading the item the clerk said there were no petitions and communications, officer communications, reports of directors or claims listed (3:05:41 segment). A motion to amend the resolution to 12% (3:07:39) failed 0-9 (see motion-amend-10.1). A motion to 'withdraw' or 'table' the resolution was made at 3:21:13 and seconded at 3:21:29 by members not named on the video; it was not put to a vote: the Corporation Counsel said the administration could withdraw its own item or the council could vote (3:25:57), the administration did not withdraw it, and the chair called the vote (3:26:17). Other explanations of vote, not summarised (at most five discussion entries per item): Brooks 3:26:34, Griffin 3:41:16, Singh 3:46:55, Ridley 3:48:15. Minutes item 11.1 (Ord. 26-016, deferred or tabled agenda, 'Tabled') was not taken up on the video and is not recorded as an item.

motion-amend-10.1 Res. 26-424 motion

Motion to amend Resolution 26-424 to a 12% increase

3:06:48 to 3:23:10 · Defeated · document

0-9 0 ayes, 9 nays, roll call at 3:22:36

Moved by Frank E. Gilmore, seconded by Denise Ridley

Nay: Denise Ridley, Eleana Little, Frank E. Gilmore, Jake Ephros, Joel A. Brooks, Mamta Singh, Michael O. Griffin, Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr., Thomas Zuppa, Jr.

Every member answered no (3:22:57 to 3:23:46), and the clerk announced 'Motion fails' (3:23:48) with no count. The written minutes do not record this motion. Published on Adam Hanford's decision of 2026-10-18.

3:08:22 Staff: The finance director said the levy calculation could not be amended to 12% at the meeting.
3:21:37 Staff: Cited N.J.S.A. 54:4-66.3 on setting the estimated levy within the range computed by the tax collector, who was not present.

Moved by the member who spoke from 3:06:48 ('I'm going to motion to amend to 12%', 3:07:39), attributed by the clerk to Gilmore. Members asked whether the resolution could state a percentage instead of the levy figures (3:09:02 to 3:18:53); the administration said no amended language was available (3:22:36).

motion-adjourn motion

Motion to adjourn

3:50:14 to 3:50:44 · Approved

9-0 9 ayes, 0 nays, roll call at 3:50:25

Moved by Frank E. Gilmore, seconded by Michael O. Griffin

Aye: Denise Ridley, Eleana Little, Frank E. Gilmore^‡, Jake Ephros, Joel A. Brooks, Mamta Singh, Michael O. Griffin, Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr., Thomas Zuppa, Jr.
‡ answer from the count announced at 3:50:44 ("The clerk announced the motion as carried unanimously, as heard by Adam Hanford on listening (2026-10-18); the speech-to-text pass rendered only 'We are adjourned at 11.04 p.m.'"); not heard clearly on the audio

Clerk: 'Motion to adjourn made by, I believe, I heard you Gilmore, second by Griffin' (3:50:17 to 3:50:24; 'Gilmore' p 0.55 in the full pass, 0.94 in the re-transcription). Roll call from 'How do you vote?' (3:50:25), read from a re-transcription without VAD of 3:50:10 to 3:51:07 (_live/council-2026-07-01.13810-13867.transcript), the full pass having cut off after Ephros: Brooks 'Aye' (3:50:28, p 0.97; 0.38 in the full pass), Zuppa 'Aye' (3:50:29), Ephros 'Aye' (3:50:31), Little 'Aye' (3:50:32), Gilmore called (3:50:34) with no answer heard, Griffin 'Aye' (3:50:37, p 0.95), Lavarro 'Aye' (3:50:40, p 0.63), Singh 'Aye' (3:50:43), Council President Ridley called (3:50:44) with no answer in the transcript before 'We are adjourned at 11.04 p.m.' (3:50:45); Adam Hanford heard Ridley say aye on listening (2026-10-18). Adam Hanford heard the clerk announce the motion as carried unanimously (3:50:44); the transcript did not catch that count. Gilmore moved the motion; his aye is not heard, so it is filled from the announced count under the announced-count rule (EDITORIAL.md section 4; nine present, nine ayes required by 'unanimous'). Ridley's aye as heard by Adam Hanford on listening (2026-10-18). The minutes have no entry for the adjournment.

Clerk: 'We are adjourned at 11.04 p.m. We will reconvene on July 15th at 6 p.m.' (3:50:44).

Corrected 2026-10-18: Motion to adjourn: 8-0, Councilperson Gilmore not voting (moved the motion; no answer heard). Log

Corrected 2026-10-18: Motion to adjourn: 9-0, Councilperson Gilmore aye, filled from the clerk's announced count. Log

Record drafted 2026-10-16, checked 2026-10-16, reviewed by Adam Hanford 2026-10-18.