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Residents urge city to address rising utility bills, taxes and affordable-housing requirements during public comment
Summary
At the Feb. 26 Long Branch council meeting, speakers asked how the city will respond to a 17% JCP&L rate increase, questioned timelines for meeting a state-imposed affordable-housing target of 317 units, and raised concerns about library and health center project costs and tax impacts.
During the public-comment portion of the Long Branch City Council meeting on Feb. 26, residents pressed council members and staff on municipal budget pressures, a recent utility rate increase, affordable-housing obligations and project costs for the library and a proposed health and technology center.
Vincent Lepore of 33 Ocean Terrace asked how the city would cover a State Board of Public Utilities announcement that Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) rates were increasing by 17 percent, and directly asked, “Does that mean increasing taxes?” Lepore also cited specific prepay amounts the city had for JCP&L on an item he referenced as Resolution 31: $39,751.02 and $3,742.59, and asked…
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