[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6167439,"mediaKeyId","5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4","parentId",5411114,"title","Small‑business owner seeks council help after entertainment license denial","audioSeconds",243,"startMs",11892000,"endMs",12135000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4&start=11892&end=12135","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4/thumbnail_11892000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6167439/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Smallbusiness-owner-seeks-council-help-after-entertainment-license-denial","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167439-115ed6860c9c24d21c45b703c9ccc6d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034635&Signature=DQJnKyiC2hm5ZCqdJos-PkTl~9yEcX794M1DJKFHVRa8VHX8uPOkTJlVXvZo7Y4W86E8KrV70ElKlvNBYyn7n3Z6FfH7x3AK-ihQ4-eeK~1z~z5ktE8YIyZ09~Nzb6~md4pHuWhG6CjtxnQg8VScfS3mWyTb4B8hJzKOso7zPdbkWx283fHccSIUmpgIZwqdVqZguIORw2CGO8eU2WGHHa0acQBm8iQ53K0Lo5yyRlm~v9aOP4InkL9RIbPkUYT75DkqetXanLWvQD~uQK9UY4jHEsMo3nSZEy30OSLYMYoqUu3S6X~yoJTPQY9ZOaF2gx6~vXC0Jai82d3W4DIFIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Jersey City, NJ","date","2025-07-17T12:03:55.257Z","article","The owner of Lady G’s asked the council Wednesday for help after the restaurant was denied an entertainment license and told she had been playing music without authorization.

Why it matters: small business owners said unclear guidance about licensing and enforcement harms startups and minority‑owned establishments, and several council members promised to follow up with the commerce and licensing offices.

Gidget Terry (Lady G) said the business spent more than a year obtaining a liquor license and assumed music and entertainment permissions would be consistent with the prior use of the space; she said city staff later told her she needed an entertainment license and then denied the application. She told the council the ABC process and the city commerce office had given inconsistent direction and that the result has been revenue‑interrupting enforcement.

Council members asked staff to contact Commerce and to provide Lady G’s with the guidance needed to reapply or bring the business into compliance. Councilmember offices said they would mediate with licensing staff and offer to escalate the issue if needed.

Several other residents and business owners in public comment urged the council to reduce permitting confusion and to prioritize keeping neighborhood businesses open.

Ending: councilmembers said they would have their staff follow up with Commerce and licensing departments to clarify the entertainment license requirements and to help the owner pursue available remedies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jersey City Municipal Council Meeting July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lady G's, a new restaurant in Journal Square, told the council it was denied an entertainment license after receiving its liquor license and said it was not given clear guidance; councilmembers offered to follow up with Commerce and licensing staff to resolve the dispute.","taxTitle","Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey","taxId",2747,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167444,"Construction workers allege wage theft on Journal Square high‑rise; union presses city to require payroll verification before COs",487,8513000,9000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4&start=8513&end=9000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4/thumbnail_8513000.jpg","/articles/6167444/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Construction-workers-allege-wage-theft-on-Journal-Square-highrise-union-presses-city-to-require-payroll-verification-before-COs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167444-5e836b0e6efe29374bb7d395d59930f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034635&Signature=bFCKcc940W8zUv9586EdKQhf~y6EA7GQQI37zz2JY5ekWzn3v6CRn0~bEd6J1tw15zx76fsnqrFkWjO2yskQi43RcJm4ypYST0bzzvb44BqdJcEEDoARI1Ojie4eB62pSHZPJ2RcCVu58zFkwGmkfaLzGRo85xGqsOCZQAQ8zVMwHrP6uSVHJ7qygTCvAJLo128EDbPlGiJ6eSiocYko43d2NkkT~Hazlsz0ks-nF~mpLNMeHVBNmxjIduFb9YTF5YXoG-rhOIHYMG4mxx3L3zyFZa7tb2pX3Xe91Az3JfuO2WLjMGqWq1LlvbpuIfAVxKkPil3jqR7ui-pqsxNMBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A construction worker and a union representative addressed the council Wednesday to say workers on the Journal Square high‑rise were paid in cash, denied overtime and were subject to state stop‑work orders, and to urge the city to tighten permit and certificate‑of‑occupancy (CO) checks.

Why it matters: the speakers said wage theft deprives workers of pay and benefits and also denies local tax and payroll revenue that would support public services.

Diego, who identified himself as a construction worker on the Journal project, said he worked there from December 2023 until June and averaged 55 hours a week for $15 per hour paid in cash. He said the State Department of Labor issued multiple stop‑work orders on the project and that many workers will be left unpaid while investigations are pending.

Chris Capers of Laborers Local 3 said AJD and some subcontractors on major Jersey City projects are under investigation for misclassification, unpaid overtime and wage theft, and recommended that the city verify payroll taxes and compliance before issuing COs to large projects. “We are building relationships with workers…helping workers file claims with the Department of Labor,” Capers said, and asked city administrators to ensure contractors pay correct payroll taxes as a condition for occupancy approvals.

No immediate municipal enforcement action was announced at the meeting, but several council members expressed concern and said they would follow up with permitting and code enforcement staff. Speakers asked the city to confirm whether the Journal project had an issued certificate of occupancy and whether outstanding payroll‑tax or wage investigations were resolved before final approvals on the development.

Ending: union and worker representatives said they will continue to press the city and state agencies to ensure workers are paid and that the municipality adopt permit or CO checks to help prevent wage theft on high‑value projects.","A construction worker and a union representative told the council that multiple workers on the Journal project were paid in cash without overtime, and that the State Department of Labor issued stop‑work orders; the union urged the city to verify payroll compliance for permits and certificates of occupancy.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167449,"Community demands traffic study and public outreach after proposal to convert Ocean Avenue and MLK Drive to one‑ways",3901,10003000,13904000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4&start=10003&end=13904","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4/thumbnail_10003000.jpg","/articles/6167449/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Community-demands-traffic-study-and-public-outreach-after-proposal-to-convert-Ocean-Avenue-and-MLK-Drive-to-oneways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167449-b061d0392fac4667faf20f95eda1c858/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034635&Signature=b7NoTJm90VuQmcAvaAyb9U5b2tx2jvtfvEJpU5983F52qrAZmB9PkZmJClbTewleThXZbuh~aVFmuNB7fgys5~Jkg-hGbERDOTGGiM7PY~GVDQEwDrc6Ilq0076Z3GyMD68SGFSrNB1JyVDHJtHWud5Iwh1gDok8k~NAXZRpUkbLiWmty0ALklOXDSYcj9Cxf0QBAlGcqoRwL4F1q0~ONjMgly2TPUOHyJkFbFHbpgN-3Iel72Sg-jCe1LT1wc4txV7tcxLxW3r4Qbx4GGI0WHlXrPWPh1PNt3H-~~1ZFOmv5BSFpVUcanMaDOZk4ciu4SxLVR1REe7U0eAQlngUsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents from several southern wards told the Jersey City Municipal Council they were not consulted about proposed one‑way conversions of Ocean Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive and urged the city to pause plans and publish a traffic study and hold community meetings.

Why it matters: speakers said both streets serve seniors, school drop‑offs and local businesses and that a corridor‑wide one‑way conversion without neighborhood outreach could disrupt transit use, emergency access and daily errands.

Several speakers said they learned of the proposal only through community conversations and social media and asked for clear data and multiple public forums before any ordinance is introduced. Charles Maynor, president of the Jersey City NAACP branch, told the council, “We are not in favor of these proposed changes,” and criticized the lack of consultation for predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Council action and administration response: at the start of the meeting the council voted unanimously (9‑0) to add late items including a resolution to establish a committee to review citywide traffic enforcement matters (agenda item 10.38). Later in the meeting items 10.34–10.38, which included the traffic enforcement committee and loading‑zone designations, were approved unanimously 9‑0. Council members and staff said capital funding could be used to pay for professional traffic engineering studies but that hiring permanent staff would require additional appropriations.

Arguments for conversion and for study: proponents who spoke to council staff and some advocates at the meeting said one‑way conversions can reduce conflicts and may support dedicated bus or bike lanes that improve transit reliability and safety. Opponents said blanket corridor conversions are not the same as targeted safety interventions and that conversion plans should be tested on discrete segments supported by crash and traffic data.

Next steps: councilmembers and residents requested the administration publish traffic analyses, explain how proposed conversions would affect bus routes and seniors’ access, and schedule community meetings in the affected wards before further action. The council’s newly established traffic enforcement committee will review enforcement matters and may recommend further study or a pilot before any permanent changes are enacted.","Residents from southern wards urged the council to halt plans to convert Ocean Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive into one‑way corridors until the city releases traffic studies and holds community meetings; council approved a resolution to create a traffic enforcement review committee and added related agenda items for later action.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167454,"Portside tenants and advocates press council to enforce rent control and collect fines from Equity Residential",1486,10334000,11820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4&start=10334&end=11820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4/thumbnail_10334000.jpg","/articles/6167454/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Portside-tenants-and-advocates-press-council-to-enforce-rent-control-and-collect-fines-from-Equity-Residential","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167454-c72488ca2db6f8ea96de642350d9c23e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034635&Signature=H6BPGozCO3-5zTerAbunsNJd-JSODCvE7GIhNkBYCoUGeDv2g1dJH9LCi5f-xgGAR~qtfA37JnZw0LayrW2pvrSzL3thnb43KZWQ3Xs03OpPEyQe-Vwi5ttPaHRqTOPQTRUSPxAeo-iXSLWCk2W8EgEFOmPxSLTSErutlUwxwmdEEgBsLpR2ith~-2FxKQFDgJ7tgmZPBGT6hasWihUmd12MD878SSd2VjpToLFiEy3OwbSn6SZVhL84keVZNZSEmsoVv60fZALkvQiXtjUMVgNM8hT2jDbzkUgH7NGq22oee1h8lOzR7PVBvwNAOZtT7KyUIzWJBw5R6rHGEbu27w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tenants from Portside Towers and tenant advocates used public comment time Wednesday to demand that the city enforce Jersey City’s rent control and multiple‑dwelling rules against Equity Residential and collect fines they say are owed from long‑running violations.

Why it matters: speakers said an alleged, decades‑long failure to register units and deliver required building services has allowed illegal rent increases to compound citywide, pushing working families out of neighborhoods and reducing local economic vibrancy.

Tenant advocates and residents described a pattern they say is deliberate: failure to register for rent‑control exemptions, failure to provide a designated superintendent and sparse building security. Several speakers cited Chapter 2‑60 of the Jersey City code (rent leveling) and argued violations are actionable on a per‑tenant, per‑day basis.

One tenant leader said Portside comprises about 527 units and calculated potential daily fines in the tens of millions over time if the city levied fines unit‑by‑unit; he urged the council to direct the municipal prosecutor and rent‑leveling staff to enforce the code. Other speakers described mold, broken amenities and an emergency answering system rather than a designated superintendent number.

Council members did not announce new enforcement actions during public comment; several council members and residents said they expect the municipal prosecutor and bureau staff to follow up. Speakers repeatedly asked the council to ensure code enforcement and to publish enforcement outcomes.

Context and related action: earlier in the meeting the council adopted an ordinance aimed at banning algorithmic price‑fixing in rental decisions (city ordinance 25‑07‑6), which multiple speakers cited as evidence the city is moving to limit new forms of rent manipulation. Tenants said collecting fines and enforcing Chapter 2‑60 is an immediate enforcement lever the city already has.

What tenants want: tenants and their organizers asked the city to (1) perform building‑wide audits of Portside Towers, (2) require immediate compliance with Chapter 2‑18’s security and superintendent rules, (3) direct the municipal prosecutor to pursue unresolved violations and (4) publicly post fines and enforcement actions so other landlords cannot treat illegal increases as market precedent.

Ending: advocates said they will continue to organize ward‑by‑ward and to press elected officials until they see documented enforcement and collection of fines. Their calls included a legal and accounting rationale and a request that any recovered funds be used for tenant protections and affordable housing.","Tenants and tenant organizers told the council at length they believe Equity Residential has withheld required registrations, failed to provide building security and improperly raised rents; speakers called for enforcement under Jersey City rent‑control rules and for the city to collect daily per‑unit fines for violations.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6167459,"Residents and council press city on budget cuts after summer recreation layoffs",4370,1565000,5935000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4&start=1565&end=5935","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5411114-03dfdc5b5400555dd57e169019faecc4/thumbnail_1565000.jpg","/articles/6167459/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Residents-and-council-press-city-on-budget-cuts-after-summer-recreation-layoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6167459-691cc3571c5f9e01e11330a8bdcf8063/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034635&Signature=dzbhURbXZjp6n-U01zmytjyUp7ORI2ZEoOpmX~UpJeNQjvTxD6zmJH8jTbZCFiJTBqL4VdtQhXaIFgyxJf~BSstJ8pXChOaglvZaJhe8plmIrFQaFTEtmM5WI6M1OSDWbU62tAXpjTkFFZfwX5r8u77lWgeUqRUMGakk7bTfSVENykOu8K4CQrgOsEMxlEEduHr952WUS9N8mqVHJ38t39oDS2M2HQHfWlfyDzFpkJBbhwJ8KwH~cO4frszUEq843nbTUVNwUC8B~jNSMBsyYl1f2Mfj-2jQiA1MbvyElU~AKKpQ~WC0WW-3aMMMQKVspOPMn~22Ha4Y7~gJsVNoVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jersey City Municipal Council heard more than two hours of public comment Wednesday about the city’s proposed 2025 budget, with residents demanding answers about recent layoffs and cuts to summer recreation programs that they say cost local young people jobs and services.

Speakers from multiple neighborhoods told the council they had family members or neighbors recently laid off and urged the city to prioritize restoration of youth jobs and recreation programming.

Why it matters: dozens of residents said the layoffs and program cuts take away paid first‑job opportunities for teens, increase street activity and safety concerns, and remove local supports for seniors and families. Council members and the administration said some of the reductions stem from lost federal and pass‑through grant dollars and that certain revenue sources are constrained.

City financial director Kyle (first name given in the meeting) told the council the city’s total operating budget is “roughly $700,000,000” and that the portion the municipal government controls makes up about 34 percent of the average tax bill. He said the recreation appropriation increased from about $8 million last year to $9 million in the proposed 2025 budget, and that the budget still includes roughly $1 million intended for summer youth programming, which the administration said supports nearly 400 jobs.

Residents disputed that level of support. Samuel Wilkins, a longtime recreation employee who said he was laid off after 23 years, described no 30‑day notice and said the cuts were abrupt: “I gave my life to this — we gotta be there for our kids.” Danielle DiDamo, a Ward C resident, urged the council to put funds into basic infrastructure and summer jobs instead of luxury development, saying, “This budget misses the mark in ways that should concern every working class resident.”

On revenue and reallocations: the financial director said the city received roughly $600,000 in cannabis‑related revenue and that about $500,000 of that was distributed in microgrants ($10,000 each) at the prior council meeting; he also said some grant streams were reduced or delayed at the federal and state level. When asked whether the council could restore recreation funding without a tax increase, Kyle said the council could amend the adopted budget at its August meeting and either reallocate capital or raise taxes; he noted certain capital funds can be used for professional services and studies but that rehiring permanent staff would require an appropriation amendment.

Residents also asked about sanitation, street sweeping and tree care; several speakers described frequent litter and poorly maintained tree pits. Council members said they would follow up with staff and the financial office.

The council closed the public hearing on the municipal budget by roll call (motion carried 9‑0). Council members and the administration indicated there is time to revisit allocations at the August meeting.

Looking ahead: speakers urged the council to prioritize re‑allocations to restore recreation hires and youth programming, to publish clearer line‑item uses for cannabis and other special revenues, and to ensure affected employees are given clear explanations of layoff procedures.","At a July municipal council meeting, dozens of residents raised concerns about recent layoffs, cuts to recreation and youth programs, and how the city is allocating cannabis and other revenues; the city finance director described budget constraints and said the recreation appropriation increased to $9 million with about 400 summer jobs funded.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Small‑business owner seeks council help after entertainment license denial

Construction workers allege wage theft on Journal Square high‑rise; union presses city to require payroll verification before COs

Community demands traffic study and public outreach after proposal to convert Ocean Avenue and MLK Drive to one‑ways

Portside tenants and advocates press council to enforce rent control and collect fines from Equity Residential

Residents and council press city on budget cuts after summer recreation layoffs