Higher taxes due to 'wealth'

The upswing of income in Jersey City from $43,426 in 2006 to $51,830 in 2007 is not totally good news. The wealth of our citizens also depends on the amount of school aid the city receives each year. Since 2005, local taxpayers paid an additional $15 million to the local school system partly due to the higher income of its citizens. I believe the increase of income is due to tax-abated buildings, luxury condos, that do not pay Board of Education taxes.

At the other end of the spectrum, the city is building more affordable housing, which is also tax abated. But the affordable housing brings more families and the need for more schools, both public and charter. This "good news" of higher income translate into a higher tax bill for the small homeowner by the Board of Education. Our city is ignoring this problem, which should be addressed as an issue at the mayoralty debates by this paper and other forums.