[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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],{"_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",6509828,"mediaKeyId","5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3","parentId",5419495,"title","Parents urge expanded supports for adults with autism; city outlines programs and follow-up","audioSeconds",1040,"startMs",4070000,"endMs",5110000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3&start=4070&end=5110","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3/thumbnail_4070000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6509828/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Parents-urge-expanded-supports-for-adults-with-autism-city-outlines-programs-and-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509828-0e9ef1aa095e276161fcb2728af154a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180219&Signature=anBb1aytFlcfu2k26nCkfYdqwNMlRkAhT2z4hO6YnAtGrXiLT7FZ8vgdkA8q~FyokezDZPm2IBdJNeskQd25Gmb458FEnauK8EjCAXDelCSBQOywY3KnQqk5AAC47Y-iChmmhj1ppJjWl0YbDc9iqmBHaLc8rsb-dkI2mCgygCmC9-ruGhXoh9f9ocO3~Gr7ZJxDZVl-jXTZpDxyNA~ZyKTHH297bWj5sJ4nSGj02xq0R9FVijNn8Rubw6-NInERuFKPWz58NZMIR4~BtenxmLoB5b2-sJKu6EUjWL4SYSIyEpMfCQymU3YyqCGAE6cvCYCR72t9KcWUaC8qB8Y1vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Passaic","date","2025-07-17T08:00:32.163Z","article","Parents and caregivers raised concerns about services for adults with autism and other special needs during the July 15 public-comment period, asking the council to help with transition planning, housing, job training and access to health and dental care.

Lauren Zulu, who said she runs the \"Per Seq Special Needs Support Group,\" described the group's volunteer work with parents and said members want clearer pathways for adult services — including how diplomas are presented at high-school graduation, expanded job-training programs, housing options for adults who age out of school services, and access to medical and dental care that accommodates sensory needs.

\"We are looking to figure out how they are presented with a diploma... job training for special needs adults... and housing,\" Zulu said in public comment. She added the group meets monthly and provides peer support for parents.

Several residents amplified similar concerns: Nancy Estrella, a long-time support-group participant, said families need an informational hub to help navigate adult-life services and that language access is important for many Spanish-speaking parents.

City response and programs
Mayor (name not specified) and the administration responded with a series of existing programs and proposed follow-ups. The mayor said the police department uses a \"blue envelope\" program for adults with autism (an envelope kept in a vehicle or carried to alert officers to special needs), and confirmed an adult special-needs recreation program is operating and expanding.

The mayor also said the city is exploring job-training pilots for adults with disabilities, including work in contained settings such as food trucks, and is discussing affordable-housing options with community-development officials to locate supported developments near transit and services. He acknowledged concerns about a county GPS tracking service that may end and said staff will report back to the council about replacement or mitigation options.

Police and human-services follow-up
The mayor said staff would engage the police department and human-services professionals to identify training and outreach on interactions between people with disabilities and homeless individuals who may encounter them in public. City staff asked the speakers to leave contact information so a follow-up meeting can be scheduled with administration and council members.

No formal council action was taken during the public comment period; the administration committed to follow-up reporting and to continue discussions with county and nonprofit partners to identify programs and funding.

Sources: Public comments by Lauren Zulu and Nancy Estrella; mayor's remarks and program descriptions during the July 15 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Passaic Council Meeting - July 15th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Parents and caregivers urged the Passaic City Council on July 15 to expand supports for adults with autism and other special needs, citing gaps in transition services, job training, housing navigation and access to health and dental care.","taxTitle","Passaic City, Passaic County, New Jersey","taxId",12672,"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},6509840,"Passaic administration introduces $118.7 million 2025 municipal budget; council sets Sept. 2 adoption hearing",5667,656000,6323000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3&start=656&end=6323","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3/thumbnail_656000.jpg","/articles/6509840/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-administration-introduces-1187-million-2025-municipal-budget-council-sets-Sept-2-adoption-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509840-9dc7f9b8330b14adb032e2edef93b1f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180219&Signature=abZ5pCGBcfpsRKSBDrZi2DQj5YbWvUYMQpb9Nxecan~TJCheia~CWu2vju-XmViHMCcnZ83yfkuYcM0ZhddLiWx0kjo4yT9PE8g7qxJFUkhlZMEgb9ihOVcMiEhglEnSWbOxpD1UBaaHrNHB2vVcVR2CQZo5DMbrQDCo1ReXtkwS2YlvjozSrWKfEJ-Mt4U5t1dZhY~Zidu5C7WtP5CVTmgWWa~IlFndQeTALcyRf4v7NrIY0ma40cwdxwVHGMH4LqPW8nyeDUgLWW1Y4LSN4krmiouwQW3leZf7iNgyYf9octvry~6CoiTcOuJxDNQcda5iTDbw~DiW567WM5k42Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The city of Passaic introduced its 2025 municipal budget at the July 15 City Council meeting, with Omar Garcia, the city's chief financial officer and finance director, presenting the mayor's proposed plan that would appropriate $118,671,554 for the year.

Garcia told the council the proposed budget breaks spending into salaries and wages ($52,725,000, about 44 percent), other expenses including health benefits and liability ($46,111,000, about 39 percent), pension contributions ($15,258,000, about 13 percent), debt service ($2,076,000, about 2 percent), capital improvements ($700,000, about 1 percent) and a reserve for uncollected taxes ($1,800,000, about 1 percent). \"The proposed appropriations for 2025 is $118,671,554,\" Garcia said.

Why it matters: the budget shows sharp increases in employee health-care costs that echo a broader statewide issue. Garcia said the State Health Benefit Commission approved about a 15 percent rate increase for 2025 and that the city has seen roughly a 50 percent increase in the state health benefit premiums over three years. To offset part of the 2025 increase, the administration plans to use $500,000 from reserves; the budget as proposed uses $13.4 million of fund balance or surplus to balance revenue and appropriations.

Key numbers and impacts
- Total appropriations: $118,671,554.
- Amount to be raised by taxes: $79,900,080 (about 67 percent of revenue).
- Proposed increase in amount to be raised by taxes: $3,257,000 (reported as a 4.25 percent increase to the tax levy; the administration reported a 3.9 percent municipal tax impact on the average assessed home after increased assessment values are included).
- Effect on an average assessed home (assessed at $275,000 in the administration's presentation): municipal tax bill rises from $7,137 in 2024 to $7,415 in 2025, an increase of $278 a year ($23.17 per month), according to Garcia.

Garcia identified categories driving the spending increases: a roughly $2.47 million increase in health benefits (largely driven by statewide premium increases), $1.992 million for salaries tied to contractual obligations, higher liability and workers' compensation costs, and increased garbage collection costs tied to new bid contracts. He said the city's outstanding debt at 12/31/2024 was about $18 million and that the municipality retains substantial borrowing capacity.

Council discussion and administration responses
Council members pressed the administration on health-benefit options, comparisons to neighboring municipalities, and the use of surplus. Councilman Love and others thanked the administration for maintaining service levels in public safety and recreation despite fiscal pressure. Garcia and the mayor said the administration has asked brokers to shop the market and explore alternatives (including self-insurance and other products), but cautioned that statutory constraints and market volatility make changes complex. The administration noted a possible three-year requirement for municipalities that exit the state plan to remain out before rejoining, and that any alternative must meet contractual \"equal to or better\" requirements for employee benefits.

Schedule and next steps
The council voted to introduce the budget on July 15, send it to the state for review, hold a public hearing and adopt the budget at a scheduled meeting on Sept. 2, 2025. The administration said the state review typically returns comments requiring minor corrections; the council will review and then hold the public hearing and adoption on the same September meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Introduce the 2025 municipal budget and send to state for review and set public hearing/adoption for Sept. 2, 2025. Mover/Second: not specified on the record. Roll call recorded: Councilman Love ' Yes; Councilwoman Melo ' Yes; Councilman Mayer ' Yes; Councilman Garcia ' Yes; Councilwoman Colombo Montanez ' Yes; Council President Scherer ' Yes. Outcome: introduced.
- Motion: Adoption of ordinance NJSA 40A:4-45.14 (to exceed municipal budget appropriation limits and establish cap bank) for introduction prior to budget introduction. Outcome: introduced by roll call (all yes).
- Motion: Resolution authorizing current year municipal budget to be read by title and budget introduction (procedural). Outcome: approved by roll call (all yes).

What the administration emphasized and caveats
The administration emphasized the role of outside factors beyond municipal control: state-set health premiums, joint insurance fund increases, and volatile bid markets for services such as garbage collection. Garcia warned that if state health premiums continue to increase significantly, future budgets will need to absorb more of those increases.

The council and administration noted the city has used grants and federal ARP funds in prior years; Garcia said ARP funding was fully allocated by 12/31/2024 and that the expiration of temporary municipal relief reduced revenue. The administration also reported the city's fund balance and noted the budget relies on drawing from that fund balance this year.

Next steps and public process
Per the municipality's budget schedule, the council will hold a public hearing on the introduced budget on Sept. 2, 2025, at which residents can comment before the council votes on final adoption. The administration will respond to any state review comments during the review period.

Sources: Presentation and figures supplied by Omar Garcia, chief financial officer and finance director; procedural votes recorded on the July 15 city council meeting transcript.","The city of Passaic introduced its 2025 municipal budget at the July 15 City Council meeting, with Omar Garcia, the city's chief financial officer and finance director, presenting the mayor's proposed plan that would appropriate $118,671,554 for the year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6509833,"Passaic plans pocket park design and study to address two Paulson Avenue rooming houses",0,6166000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3&start=6166&end=6166","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5419495-ed780ffa091a617687db9b61d0dcf3e3/thumbnail_6166000.jpg","/articles/6509833/Passaic-City/Passaic-County/New-Jersey/Passaic-plans-pocket-park-design-and-study-to-address-two-Paulson-Avenue-rooming-houses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6509833-e65ec2032dcf35708c9e67fd5b7f01df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180219&Signature=CBEepJ0R2en-oPosQzdoubc2q2dJz-ZC5fM3nBrjmzsK6HNtMfLxvXNNlvUBNJoKbegRFq80mv2uABwzze5FxaR6L0f24f2iB-C45lnCSePoxqvyWwNluUKDvJsca4yJybcoYW790HK3yEb~PGSNAmR50TdrBUCgTo5AXNh8xsj6G4kAmRrrvavaopKquwnu60leKKJu7Gp94dzb~Pmf5Lo8~MeeJyekUmWkHYWBxKR66TZmOidNlw2CzwbTIMPDn53NBvr9mnl-NDiX-qyp2aODT7QMcVDBJfQfy5GsPbQCWz1~xUSRttP2iHofnAa-Ldr6oJNesA2QYhiupitxCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Passaic City Council reviewed several downtown improvement and redevelopment items on July 15, including design and construction management for a pocket park on Main Avenue at Pennington and a planning study focused on two large rooming houses on Paulson Avenue.

Business Administrator Fernandez told the council the pocket-park work is part of a larger $5.7 million Urban Investment Fund (EDA) grant that included multiple cityscape projects. The pocket park and other small downtown plazas are funded and intended primarily for pedestrian safety, passive recreation and to support downtown businesses.

On Paulson Avenue, the administration described two large preexisting rooming houses containing roughly 25 to 30 rooming units each. Fernandez said rooming houses are a prohibited use in the city's zoning, but these are preexisting nonconforming uses that the city believes qualify for a planning study and potential designation as an area in need of rehabilitation.

What the study would do
Fernandez said the planning study is step one: the planning board would assess property conditions, calls for service, maintenance and public-safety concerns and determine whether the parcels meet criteria for designation as an area in need of rehabilitation. If the planning board recommends designation, the council would later consider a resolution of designation, after which redevelopment planning could lead to demolition and rebuilding as conforming multifamily housing.

Why it matters
Fernandez and council members noted safety and habitability concerns tied to rooming houses (shared kitchens and bathrooms, hot-plate use and other fire risks, and limited tenant screening). Converting problematic rooming houses to standard apartment units would change the vetting process and building standards for the occupants.

Council action and vote
Items in the consent list that included the design/construction management authorization for the pocket park and the Paulson Avenue study were approved during the July 15 consent votes. Roll-call votes on the consent batch (items 23'50) recorded affirmative votes from Councilman Love, Councilwoman Melo, Councilman Mayer, Councilman Garcia, Councilwoman Colombo Montanez and Council President Scherer.

Next steps
If the planning board reports back and the council approves a designation, the city could pursue redevelopment tools to replace the rooming houses with permitted multifamily units. The pocket park item will move to procurement for selection of design and construction oversight professionals under the grant terms.

Sources: City presentation and Q&A with Business Administrator Fernandez at the July 15 meeting; roll-call votes recorded on consent actions during the meeting.","Council discussion covered EDA-funded downtown streetscape projects, a design and construction management request for a Main/Pennington pocket park, and a planning study aimed at two Paulson Avenue rooming houses that the city may designate for rehabilitation and redevelopment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Parents urge expanded supports for adults with autism; city outlines programs and follow-up

Passaic administration introduces $118.7 million 2025 municipal budget; council sets Sept. 2 adoption hearing

Passaic plans pocket park design and study to address two Paulson Avenue rooming houses