from u/jazzplate I was wondering if you could explain last year's budget (that caused a fairly large property tax increase) and why you voted against it. Some insiders called the budget bloated and unnecessary, but I've also read that it had to be done because state funding is receding. What is actually going on?

In short both of the reasons you are hearing are correct. The state has cut about $235 million dollars in aid since 2018 and we have both a bloated budget and wasteful spending. Please keep in mind that while we were losing state funding, the district was actually increasing the budget every year. In 2020 Jersey City had a school budget of $774 million, in 2021 $827 million and in 2022 the budget is now set for $973 million! That’s a $200 million dollar increase in just 3 years. So yes, Jersey City is receiving less money from the state now to offset these total amounts but that combined with a bloated budget has gotten us to where we are today. I voted no to these increases because I felt it was irresponsible of this district to ask the taxpayers to pay more, first when the pandemic started and now again when we are on the verge of a recession with inflation at an all time high. Too much burden on our residents for what we are getting.