Today was my fourth day as an intern for Councilwoman Singh, and she hosted a large networking event with several nonprofits from across the city. I came in early to help set up and stayed throughout the event to help make sure it ran smoothly.

I met representatives from a wide variety of nonprofits, including some members who had just started high school. Each representative gave a quick speech about their organization and the work it does. It was a great event for learning how people in our community lead organizations to help those in need, and it opened my eyes to just how many different groups are dedicated to that work.

As an intern for a city councilwoman, I get the opportunity to take on a variety of tasks and meet people from many different backgrounds. Today was my third day and the start of my second week interning for Councilwoman Singh, and it has been an extremely enjoyable experience so far.

Today, I went into the office and was tasked with creating a constituent services directory card with the Councilwoman’s information. The office had an example of what they wanted, and I designed my own version in Canva, branding it to match the Councilwoman’s theme. The purpose of the card is to help constituents find phone numbers for city resources and to spread awareness of the services available to them.

Today was my second day as an intern for Councilwoman Singh, and I split my time between planning social media posts and reviewing policy. The social media posts were meant to connect our communities with local small businesses and highlight their specials. The goal was to promote these businesses and share some fun places for residents to visit.

Along with the social media planning, I reviewed the Exchange Place Alliance Special Improvement District (SID) budget, Resolutions 10.17 and 10.18. I looked for irregularities and drafted questions and notes for the Councilwoman to use at her upcoming meeting on the budget.

Today was a great chance to work on two entirely different sides of public service, and it taught me a little more about the variety of work a public official does. Both tasks showed me how much of the City Council’s work happens behind the scenes, from supporting local businesses to making sure city spending is reviewed carefully.

Today, I went into the City Council Office for my first day of interning for Councilwoman Singh. I arrived at the office and quickly left for an event at the North District Police Station. At the event, the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh nonprofit led a Raksha Bandhan ceremony for some of the officers. The event was dedicated to thanking the officers for their service and for protecting the city. The Councilwoman, along with her team, was there as part of the event.

After the event, some of the police officers gave me a tour of the station, and I got to learn about the oldest police station in Jersey City that is still operational. I also got to see behind the scenes of how the police respond to calls and coordinate officers across different areas. The event was a great way to thank some of our first responders for their service and for keeping everyone safe.

Jersey City’s Budget: The State-Appointed Fiscal Monitor

How the City Got Here

Jersey City accepted state aid, and in exchange, it gave up some control over the city’s budget to a state-appointed monitor. The city was struggling with a budget deficit created under the administration of former Mayor Steven Fulop. Jersey City was paying $255 million more in operating costs and bills than it was bringing in. The previous administration ignored the problem and didn’t share it with residents. Instead, it relied on one-time revenue sources and chose not to balance the city’s budget. The deficit is the result of years of financial problems that caught up to the city all at once because they were never resolved.

The $120 Million From the State

When Mayor Solomon took office, he discovered the large financial hole in the city’s budget. This led him to make large cuts to services and existing projects and to request assistance from the state. The city received a total of $120 million, provided in two different ways. Most of the package, $105 million, came as a long-term, low-interest loan. The extended repayment timeline saved the city from an extremely steep tax increase and mass layoffs.

Jersey City also received $15 million as a transitional aid package from the state. Transitional aid is money the state provides to towns struggling with serious financial issues. It’s rarely awarded, since it’s designed only for towns in financial hardship. The largest single transitional aid package ever awarded in New Jersey went to Camden: $69 million in 2010. Jersey City initially requested $150 million in transitional aid but was given only $15 million in aid and $105 million as a loan. If the full request had been approved, it would have been the largest single transitional aid package in New Jersey’s history.

The Catch: A State Fiscal Monitor

However, to get the $15 million in transitional aid, Jersey City was required to sign an agreement with the state that comes with a fiscal monitor. The monitor is appointed by the state and oversees Jersey City’s finances to watch how the city uses its funds. The monitor also has the right to veto any spending or budget decision the city makes, meaning this person can reject the budget even if the city council and mayor agree on it. Adding another stakeholder to the budget process makes it even harder to reach a decision that all parties agree on.

Normally, budget authority belongs to the city council and the mayor, the officials elected by Jersey City residents. The state fiscal monitor adds another layer to that process. Even if the city council and mayor agree not to move forward with a 20% or 15% tax increase, the monitor can override their decision completely. When the city council rejected the 15% increase, city officials stated that the state already believed a 20% increase was necessary. That means even though the council voted against the increase, the state’s monitor could still step in.

The monitor hasn’t formally taken power yet, since the exact terms are still being finalized. Once those terms are in effect, it will become significantly harder for the city government to control its own spending and budget decisions. The $120 million the city received, split between a loan and transitional aid, gave Jersey City time to pay its bills and build up revenue. However, it came at the cost of the city losing full control over its budget and spending.

What Comes Next

Jersey City is set to introduce its finalized 2026 budget on July 15. That’s when residents will get a clearer picture of the actual tax numbers, and whether the city council’s rejection of the 15% increase holds up against the state’s push for a 20% increase.

What Happened

On June 18, 2026, Mayor Solomon proposed a 20% property tax increase for all residents of Jersey City. The idea was met with a lot of pushback from residents because of how steep the increase was. In an attempt to lower it, Mayor Solomon’s administration worked to find ways to relieve the burden on working-class families. The administration cut $55 million by switching health insurance providers, ending the Centre Pompidou museum project, cutting funding to Hudson County for Liberty High School, imposing hiring freezes, and making other city service reductions. In total, his team cut about $65 million across both phases of the process.

Mayor Solomon also requested $150 million from the state government but received a total of $120 million. Of that money, $105 million is a long-term, low-interest loan and $15 million is a transitional aid grant. Even after all of this, the city still has an $80 million deficit, which still requires a property tax increase. Since Jersey City received a large amount of funding and was able to make cuts, Mayor Solomon proposed a smaller 15% property tax increase to lower the burden on residents. On July 1, all nine city council members voted to reject the 15% property tax increase.

What It Means

Cutting spending, requesting state aid, and raising property taxes are all part of the administration’s effort to address Jersey City’s budget deficit. A budget deficit means the city government owes more money in bills and operating costs than it brings in through revenue. The property tax increase would have made it extremely difficult for working-class families to afford their homes. Since the city council voted to reject the bill, residents will not face a steep property tax increase for now. However, the deficit will continue to be a big problem for Jersey City, which means residents could still face a steep tax increase down the line, or the city will need to request more funding or make other changes to close the gap.

My Take

I believe addressing the deficit is extremely important, but it’s just as important to deal with it in a way that doesn’t put a heavy burden on working-class residents. A 20% property tax increase would have made it extremely difficult for families to afford living in Jersey City. However, if the deficit isn’t addressed now, a future administration will have to deal with it, which would most likely mean an even steeper property tax increase or more services being cut.

The city also still has to pay back the $105 million loan from the state, and there isn’t an easy way to do that without cutting services or raising taxes. The loan does give the city a longer timeframe to pay what it owes instead of paying all of its bills at once, but the core problem remains: the city still owes money, whether it’s to the state or in bills. Jersey City residents will still pay the price for the revenue the city isn’t generating, whether through cut city services or higher taxes.

I also believe that Mayor Solomon and his administration are making good attempts to resolve the deficit that was created under the previous mayor. Still, the big problem remains: the city owes money, and residents will be largely affected.