Good evening.

Welcome to the regular meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday, December seventeenth.

Please stand for the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance Allegiance, and Invocation by Bishop Kevin E.

Taylor.

We thank you to be gathered in the greatest city and the greatest state on the map.

We ask right now, Lord God, that you would bless the walk and the works of these servants called North and South, East and West, Central and At large, to be of service as servants to the citizens of the great city of Newark.

Bless Lord God every pledge and every program, bless the walks and the works of everyone who comes to speak before them today with conviction, with purpose, with power, with intention, with the duty of citizenry.

Bless this meeting tonight and all the works that will be brought forth.

Bless all that will be achieved and all that will be brought to the table.

Bless this council, bless these citizens, bless our mayor, bless this great city.

Keep cover and comfort us, and we'll be sure indeed and in doing to give you all praise.

We keep on trusting, for your word is true.

You've already done what you said you would do.

We say our shave, that means there's power in the blood.

Amen.

And so it is.

Council members, Bay.

President Council.

Present.

Gonzalez.

Present.

Kelly.

Here.

Donna.

Ramos.

Here.

Got round tree.

President.

Here.

President.

Present.

Council President, Council members.

We're in the hearing of citizens portion of this meeting, where each speaker will have five minutes to speak.

Your name is called.

Please approach the podium and address the council members.

The first speaker is Alif Mohammed.

Present.

Appearing.

Sorry.

It's two.

Good evening.

Alif Mohammed Core Towers.

Alif Mohammed, the president and founder of Alif Mohammed Near School at Silaam Olaykum.

I'm gonna start off and talking about the movie studio.

You know that that was originally Seth Borden projects.

And it's owned by the Housing Authority.

And at that time, when it came up, I was the I was on the House Authorities Commissioner.

Pat, you was not on, you're not a commissioner then, so we can't hold this against you.

Um Victor brought the idea to me, Safeli, I said, Oh, what a great idea.

But then the more I got into the housing authority, and I seen our list of 10,000 people, I said, Wow, we're getting rid of, we need we're not in the uh job business, we're in the housing business.

And the first thing I want to talk about is it started off, as you see right here, it says request for qualification, RFQ.

And this was for the movies, but it was also the component of having uh rentals, apartments, commercial, and uh residential.

And what happened, we had a vendor that won the RFQ, and he was the I'm not gonna say his name.

He's the one that was Shaq build the movies and build rector street, and and now is on Mulberry Street, he's a good builder.

And the problem was he didn't want after he had won the F the the bid after he had won the bid, he didn't want to build residential, I mean he didn't want to build commercial and residential, and Victor came up and said, We're gonna cross that out.

So I say, wait a minute, how you gonna put an RFQ out for something now?

You're gonna cross it out.

So they said, Well, he don't want to do it, so you can't do that because nobody else did it because nobody other developers wanted to do a res they didn't want to do commercial, so they cross it out, and I say, Hey, you can't do that.

You gotta go back and redo it.

It's not fair because if it would have been other people, uh, if it's residential, it'd have been other people.

So being that it wasn't fair, they said the hell with it.

So what I did was I sent it to the uh hot uh HUD in the FBI saying what happened, and you'll see the transcripts, you'll see the conversation, and you'll see the letter that I sent to the uh feds.

The next thing was Pat.

Now you was there when this happened.

Oh, wait a minute, no, you weren't.

You weren't there when this happened.

Okay.

The next thing was when it came up and we were voting on it.

The rule was it's gonna be 200 apartments to go along with this.

It says it's in the transcripts.

My problem was I say I can't win this fight.

That's what I just told Deborah, you can't win every fight.

I know I can't win.

The uh mayor's involved, the governor, Hood was Democrat Biden, can't win.

So I said, Well, do this to me.

Give me back Pat.

This is what I said, because you wasn't there.

Give me back the 400 apartments.

I don't care if you make it two, 200 senior citizen buildings.

And then when you read the transcript, you'll read that everybody say, Oh, yeah, we can do that.

Now, when I read everything else, I don't see nothing about the apartments.

All I see is about the movie and everything, but you took 450 apartments.

And in the transcript, what I'm giving you, I need you to check it out to see why we're not doing apartments.

Because when it originally started, it was 200, and I asked for 400.

I said, give it back.

Because in my house, if I court street, there's 200 and 30 apartments.

So give me two of those and build.

But I knew, like I tried to tell Deborah and them, you can't stop everything.

You can't fight.

It was too big for me.

So I'm like, so I'm asking you to go back and see what Spices to see what happened.

Because I would hate to have somebody run against you and say you didn't put 400 apartments there that I'll, you know, I mean, I don't want that to happen to you.

Uh I got some other things, but I gotta come back.

Uh Didi Lee is old apology.

Because everybody thought she was crazy.

And then Spicer came in and said, it's mold, and it's a problem.

And then again, Eric putting Pennerman called Meneira a liar.

You can't tell people crime is going down when 10 people last week got killed.

You can't do it.

And guess what?

Monica Louise, Candam didn't have no murders last year.

And this can them is worse than New York.

Thank you for your comments.

No mirrors.

Next slide.

While they go my salon.

Well, they can my salon.

Deborah Salters.

Uh Madam Clerk, if you could have them turn the microphone down a little bit.

I might be just Mr.

Mohammed, but let's just try to turn it down a little bit.

It's hard to hear what exactly he's saying because of that.

I got you.

Oh, that's me.

That's me.

There you go.

My check.

All right, there we go.

Deborah Salters.

So we got it.

Come on, let's fix this volume, y'all.

Um let me start by saying last week we had a we had the special, and there were supposed to be three presentations.

Spicer was the only one that got to do his presentation.

Wooton was here and she was ready.

Um, and the week before, uh Roundtree had asked about the elevator.

She was ready to present.

No, no, no, we'll do it next week.

And then you, Mr.

President, said, Oh, we're waiting for the presentations.

No, we'll do those later because the mayor wants us in executive session.

Um, I mean, that executive session could have waited.

We needed answers for these elevators and the other things that are going on here.

Like, we the people are the priority.

And then when I saw who was in that executive session, I need to see those minutes.

What were we giving away now?

That's what I need to know.

When I saw those folk thanking Allison, thank you for your leadership.

And she's telling them, oh, if anybody else tells you anything else, don't believe them and all of this.

No, what is going on?

And what did y'all give away?

Because there was a whole lot of big people up in there, and I need to I need those minutes.

So let's get to this police department, because I wasn't gonna talk about this tonight, but I'm gonna talk about it.

I just left somewhere for about an hour.

I don't know how these sergeants get promoted, who they know or who they blow, but they need to be demoted.

Do you understand?

I just left Sergeant uh DeCampos.

Now let me ask you something.

If you leave your room or you leave your home, you come back, your doors open, your stuff is gone.

Is that not burglary or theft or breaking an intimate?

I mean, that's just common sense.

He ran a whole hour round in circles because he didn't want to do his job.

If these cops don't want to do their job, then I like I said, we got the good ones out there, but it's the bad ones that make the bad name for the good ones.

This joker did not want to take the report and had a whole attitude.

Him and the other ones that was there, one of them actually blocked my way.

And I said, Excuse me.

And then he wanna, you know, talk tough, right?

Maybe because consent decree is over, they feeling themselves, because this is not the first cops that I've seen do this.

Okay.

Somebody needs to put a check on these jokers, and they need to be demo.

He the campus needs to be demoted and retrained.

Because clearly he does not know the law, and he does not know how to work with his bosses.

We the people, we pay their salaries, they work for us.

And the other thing is, um, Silva, I know that uh, you know, I saw you show up for the tree lighting the other week.

You had missed like four meetings or whatever.

I don't know if you're ill, I don't know what's going on.

Um, you called in from Brazil one time to vote on that 450 million for uh Riviera, and then we haven't seen you.

Uh a whole lot of messes going on, and there's no you.

So I don't know what's going on.

And I know one of the meetings, one of your colleagues was like, oh, he's excused from this meeting.

No, they that's your coworker.

We the people excuse you, not them.

Y'all work for us.

We need to know what's going on.

We know call no show, we have no job.

So the streets are a mess.

We just passed the almost seven million dollar contract last week before y'all met on it for the snow removal.

The streets everywhere are a complete mess.

It makes no sense.

We need a refund.

Also, y'all are talking tough on, it's like talking tough on crime when it comes to the properties and who you work with, LM last week.

Uh uh Kelly was going off about LM, but y'all knew that when y'all did the L project with LM and the museum down there, and y'all let it pass and knowing what was going on with GKV and all their other disgusting properties.

So now it's too late.

The barn is open, the horse is out, the place is on fire.

They don't need you to talk tough to them now.

Y'all already gave it to them.

Now you want to get tough on the uh uh uh the property.

Oh, we're selling it for this, and you've been selling since 2023.

Um I'm only going back to 23.

It was a property for 466,000.

You gave it away 428,000.

$8 a square foot.

And it's more, just down the line, down the line.

But now y'all talking tough because it's re-election season.

And Norkers, I'm telling you, don't get bamboozled by this because where have they been the last 10 years?

Where have they been the last four years when we're suffering?

Our rents are through the roof, and we get no services.

And then you look at us like we don't know what's going on, but you do whatever you want, but all of y'all are happy, chipping, walking around.

Oh, life is great.

And our people are suffering.

What you gonna do about it?

This monstrosity.

1,400 apartments, no parking, because that's what the BA talked about.

Oh, well, they don't use the lots.

That's not the point.

We're already overcrowded.

We already don't have parking.

And people that come here park in the uh Harrison and walk up or park in the north and take the train down.

They're not paying our bills.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

I'm sorry, hold on hold on one second, Ms.

Bradley.

Uh, microphone test.

One, two, three, four, microphone test.

All right, God.

Ms.

Bradley.

Okay.

Good evening, um, honorable council members, community leaders, and residents of North.

My name is Vikira Bradley, and I stand before you as a community advocate with lived experience and addiction, homelessness, and recovery.

I'm here to present restoring Hope Norfolk, Inc., a North-based 501 C3 nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing homelessness, substance use disorder, and overdose prevention in our city.

Norwegian facing a serious ongoing public health and public safety crisis.

In recent years, 1,900 residents have been counted as experiencing homelessness in Exodus County.

Continues to report hundreds of suspected overdose deaths annually.

These are not just statistics, they represent lives lost.

Families destabilized in neighborhoods of the strain.

So many people fall through the cracks because services are fragmented, difficult to access, or disconnected from street level realities.

Restoring Hope Nork Inc.

was created to close the gaps by meeting people where they are.

Our mission is to provide street outreach, emergency meals, harm reduction, education, peer recovery, support, and direct connections to treatment, housing resources, and social services.

We operate with dignity, consistency, and trauma-informed care.

Because recovery begins with trust and human connection.

My commitment to this work is personal and proven.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, I personally organized and prepared meals for the homeless individuals throughout New York.

Working with local food hubs and pantries to ensure that people living in tents on the streets were fed and not forgotten.

I have spent years volunteering, advocating and collaborating with column community partners to support residents.

Most impacted by addiction and poverty.

I am also trained through PCTR, police community interaction training initiative, which shapes my street level outreach with accountability, disescalate de-escalation, trauma informed care, allowing me to safely engage with individuals and active addiction, crisis, diffuse volatile situations before police EMS intervention is needed, and strengthen public safety by reducing emergency calls, prevent escalation, and build distrust between vulnerable residents and first responders, restoring hope and work in will collaborate with existing service providers, faith-based organizations and community stakeholders to strengthen, not duplicate current efforts through peer-led outreach and practical or practical and ground support.

We will reduce overdose risks, increase engagement and treatment, and help individuals, excuse me, and help individuals move towards stability, recovery, and law self-sufficiency.

First year measurable outcomes.

In its first year of Operation Restore Hope, North Inc.

will deliver clear measurable outcomes that directly improve public health and public safety.

Conduct 1,200 street level outreach engagements with individuals, experienced homelessness or active substance use across North.

Provide 8,000 emergency mills and hygiene kids, rights, rising unsheltered residents, high knee areas, connect with 300 individuals to substance use treatment, mental health services, or detox programs, support 150 individuals with transportation case management and follow-up care, reduce relapse and repeat emergency room visits, distribute harm reduction education supplies to reduce reduce over overdose risk with gold preventing at least 49 fatal overdoses through early intervention, reduce non emergency 911 and EMS related to street level crises by 10 to 15 percent in targeted outreach areas through PC ITI informed de-escalation and crisis prevention.

Funding requested on respectfully requested investment of 100,000 to launch the sustained role restoring hope, NORC Incorporated during the first year of operation.

These funds, these funds will directly support street outreach emergency mills, harm reduction services, transportation treatment, peer recovery support, and case management.

Thank you for your time and service.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Linda McDonald Carter.

Appearing.

Hi.

First, I want to begin with what I usually do.

How are all the children in the city of Newark?

Second, I usually oh, can you hear me now?

Can you pull it down a little bit more just to make sure?

Can you hear me now?

I think that's better.

It's not.

It's not on.

No, it's on.

Speaking to the mic.

Okay.

Uh, first, I want to begin with how are all the children.

Second, I usually address emergency preparedness associated with Mother Earth's reaction to the damage that we're doing to it.

But today instead, I trust that the New York City Council in their respective wards working with the city administration and county of Essex in collaboration with the other necessary and essential community nonprofit and religious organizations are bracing for and preparing for the potential hit, those depending on affordable health care and SNAP may suffer.

Third, let me speak to the issue of white supremacy.

To be clear, one does not have to be Caucasian or of the white race to engage in white supremacy actions and conduct.

In other words, one can be black or brown and be in front, be a front for or engaged in acting or conducting themselves knowingly or unknowingly as white supremacist.

This because capitalism requires that one pull themselves up by their bootstraps and their boots, particularly without any government assistance.

Otherwise, it's corporate welfare or socialism for corporations.

The city council's allocation of funding to those who profess to be capitalists rather than using the funding to direct directly support the city's working poor and to reduce the financial burden of the city's working class and legacy North taxpayers.

I said legacy because those are the people who remained here and sustained the city when nobody wanted to come here.

Right?

Because once they found about a billion dollar school district, our prime transportation location, Newark Airport, and Port North and etc.

could be considered acts of white supremacy because those awarded abatements, incentives, and subsidies in many instances are made to people who do not live in the city of Newark and do not contribute to the city's tax base.

If anything, those abatements, incentives, and subsidies extract resources at the detriment of the black and brown residents of the city of Newark.

The exclusion of the primary black and brown working poor are generally working class and legacy taxpayers from consideration and contributing to the decision making is arguably white supremacon, or at a minimum discriminatory against the black and brown legacy taxpayers who carry the financial burden of the city's budget.

Note that if those profiting from those abatements and incentives and subsidies do not live in the city, our tax dollars are effectively supporting their communities at the expense of North residents.

Somehow, I don't believe that Millburn, Shorthills, Chatham, uh, where else do we have?

Bernardsville, Mendham, Alpine would be handing out awards and incentives, abatements and subsidies at the expense of their taxpayers.

Remember that last year I provided council members with a report about a year ago, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supported that fact.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Ms.

Doc, put please.

So we can hear the speakers.

No calling out.

Next speaker.

Shakir McDougall.

Appearing.

Hey, family, Miss Shaw.

Good evening, Council members.

Good evening.

Thank you for your dedication to Nork.

And thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak today.

So there's an old saying many of us screw up on hearing.

If the roof leaks and you keep moving furniture, eventually the house still collapses.

Tonight I'm here because NORC doesn't need more furniture rearranged.

We need to fix the roof.

School safety, violence, corruption, environmental decisions, and highlight concrete solutions, especially how we address violence by finally taking mental health seriously.

First, let's talk about school security.

In light of the recent incidents like what happened at Brown University, it's clear that safety cannot be assumed.

It has to be planned for.

One real solution already exists.

Federal programs like the Stop School Violence Grant.

This program doesn't just provide funding, it comes with oversight, accountability, and clear guidelines.

That matters because our goal shouldn't be security theater.

It should be real safety.

Implemented transparently so parents, students, and educators can trust the process.

And that brings me to trust.

Bribery cases involving city officials.

Ignoring that history doesn't make it disappear.

Transparency isn't an assault.

Regular audits, open data policies, and clear oversight aren't punishments.

They're repairs.

That's how trust is rebuilt.

Not with slogans, but with systems.

Now regarding the proposed fossil fuel plant, if the project moves forward, it must be held to strict local emission standards, regardless of what happens at the federal level.

Local ordinances can require advanced pollution controls, continuous monitoring, and public reporting.

And if transparency fails, federal oversight should be triggered.

That's not anti-development, that's pro-community, pro-health, and pro-future.

Now, on the issue of violence, we cannot keep pretending this is the only policing issue.

Violence is also a mental health issue, one we have underinvested in for decades.

There are proven federal tools available, Silva, like mental health awareness training, grants, and community-based behavioral health funding.

These programs work because they address problems before they explode.

This does not mean abandon accountability.

A fair judicial process and appropriate penalties are essential.

Compassion and accountability are not opposites, they are partners.

To our police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and city workers carrying enormous stress, to families struggling with affordability, housing, health care, and the cost of living, to those willing to stand up against injustice even when it's uncomfortable.

Your resilience is what holds this city together.

Your voices matter.

It does not lack ideas.

It does not lack hope.

What we've lacked is follow-through, Kelly.

If we're willing to do the harder work now to fix the roof, instead of moving the furniture, we can build a city that is safer, healthier, and worthy of the people who call it home.

None, I miss y'all.

I know y'all are glad to see me.

I ain't worried about that.

I wanted to bring this energy back.

Um, first, I want to say, you know, um, I need some prayers.

I usually come here to my praying folk for some prayers.

My grandfather, um, a veteran, uh, he's in the hospital right now.

He's moving into hospice care.

This is gonna be my last grandparent.

So, you know, um, one thing um I'm just so grateful for.

I'm just so grateful for.

I've watched them fight.

I've watched them fight.

Gonzalez, I've seen his heart rate go down to 35 beats per minute.

Tubes all in his throat on breathing machines, and now my boy breathing with no machines, no tubes in them.

But when his time is up, his time is up.

So, you know, I just want y'all to continue to see our prayers.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

My condolences to you.

Check, oh, there he is, appearing.

Good evening, Nork.

Good evening.

Good evening, council members, employees of the city government.

I'm a bit taken aback that we still have the clear uh, I don't know if we will call this a visor between the public and you all as the government, but it's symbolic of the barrier between only the president has his open, but it's it's symbolic of the barrier, just it being there.

It's symbolic of the barrier of transparency between Nork's public and Norks governing officials.

So good evening with respect to those who have come to this meeting tonight.

Good evening, President, Mr.

Crump, Representative, Council members, guests of this golden chamber.

Salute to our Nork families and the honorable 325,000 residents, citizens.

Currently, Nork Board of Education, over the last few years has gained control of its school after schools after 25 years of oversight and has struggled to recover from the effects of the pandemic, particularly our students where more than 90% of them identify as black and Latino.

Our pandemic has still shown challenges on our students who are 90% at schools that have populations of 90% black and Latino.

Wake up, Nork.

Today our youngest students are struggling with the state standards on reading, writing with 27.7% English language arts.

Ladies and gentlemen of tonight's chamber, this is not a criminal indictment.

This is unfortunately a serious moral indictment on Nork's elected leadership and those puppeteered by its material and behavioral control.

2025 was the year of municipal transparency alarm.

Nork Housing Authority, our precious quasi public private agency has revealed so much self-inflicted administrative and political damage.

Employees that once held jobs with health benefits will now be replaced through procurement procedures by third-party management companies instead of professional training and development for the recent employees.

In addition, Nork's residents who are within the Nork Housing Authority population are accounted to the figure of 11,500 women, men and their families.

This agency has served more than 45,000 families over the last five calendar years, both within and outside of the of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's ironic that the IT director of Nork Housing Authority, Mr.

Venacio Diaz was caught selling 1,500 pieces of technology for legal profits of a half a million to his own bank accounts.

We do not know if Nork Housing Authority information and the residents is vulnerable to the dark web, attacks of both domestic farm and the local damage that it inflicts.

New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University have overdeveloped Newark Central Ward without leaving investment in Nork's academic portfolio.

Presents the kind of transparency, professional courage, and city hall compliance Norkers truly deserve.

It's in your hand, Nor this anticipated 2026 municipal election, and the stage has already been set for a true and needed new political identity.

If we don't, as men and women of our dear city, they will continue to make a mockery of our democracy.

Furthermore, Norfolk's urban growth zone ordinance was passed more than 20 years ago when I was a sophomore high school.

It has encouraged transformative projects within Norks downtown and the gateway city radius around Penn Station.

But what's happening in our wards?

Your change in the master plan will allow bigger buildings to be constructed, although this process must happen in a safe manner.

Tax abatement pilot programs on land should include representatives from the school board to include a school development fee plan at the rate of delinquent tax abatements.

We have outstanded unpaid and the long-term lack of investment into our geo infrastructure and community cohesion of North New Jersey.

Today I say I say John Toussaint culture I'm requesting an ordinance to stream your meeting in four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Opal R.

Right.

Appearing.

Good afternoon.

My name is Opal R.

Right.

I reside at Vanderbilt on Vanderpool Street in Newark.

I'm here.

My concern is with the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

I would like to begin with title with 10.

Title 10.

This appears to be the um section 1027, the limitation authorities of the bureau.

Preservation of the authorities.

And in this section, find that it's the um there's the exceptions for small for our small issuers.

And it goes into the exemption of government, administered payments, uh programs, and the reloadable prepaid cards.

And I believe I didn't talk on that, talked about that the last time.

And there has been an amendment.

I know that it uh I had mentioned that there was a you can have a minimum uh withdrawal of ten dollars, and there's it goes on to say that the prepaid cards, I believe when they first uh issue the uh debit cards or prepay cards, they're saying that you can go to your ATM, your automated uh machine, tailor machine, and you can de you can for your if you're uh you can have a withdrawal of the amount between uh starting at ten dollars to one thousand five hundred.

So that would mean that if we were hoping that our council with uh this council for the city of Newark would be able to monitor if we are uh at least at a normal rate of uh opening savings accounts and the amount that's allowed to be withdrawn for from our ATMs, would mean that if we were able if we had a reloadable or there's money automatically placed into accounts that we would have access to right at the um uh the tailor, we would have access to loans for up to the amount of 1500 or 1,500.

So if we were able to um just insert or add a button for loans, we would be able to conduct or have that amount since it's already uh it's already known to the community that you can you can withdraw that amount.

Um it would be a very um profit, it'd be it it would be helpful to it to all of us in this community.

And thank you very much for your husband.

Thank you for your comments.

Next slide.

Oh, and I I just wanted to mention that there's uh a law that states that loans should not be in residential areas.

I don't want to cut you off, but thank you, thank you.

It should be handled by financial institute.

Thank you.

Kim Gaddy appearing.

Uh what I just disseminated to the clerk is a copy of the ordinance uh with the concerns that was addressed at the pre-council meeting.

Um I highlighted you will see the different sections to give you the information that you requested.

I'm Kim Gaddy, executive director of the Southwater Environmental Alliance, and I along with Iron Bound Community Corporation, Earth Justice, Pacific Environment, are here seeking your support of our two ordinances 9A 251510, 9B, 25151.

We understand and we are keenly aware as an environmental justice activist of the public health risks that is posed by operations of major fossil fuel facilities through the adoption of several policy tools, such as the cumulative impact ordinance, that as the chair of the first environmental commission that we established here, I fought to get that ordinance passed, and then on the state level, we fought for 12 years to get the strongest environmental justice cumulative impacts ordinance passed in the country.

It is not about an either-or an environment or economics.

We want our city to grow, right?

We we are not against development.

But we are against development at the expense of our health.

Individuals are dying in this city each and every day because of the decisions we refuse to make.

And it's in, and I don't want anybody to have to experience what I experienced with three children who were born with asthma and then losing my son at 32 to a premature heart attack.

This stuff is real.

But until it touches you, then you begin to understand the realities.

And so people who reside and work in North and specifically the South and West and East Fords want to breathe clean air and improve their quality of life.

We put together a petition.

We have over 1,000 signatures that have been collected on a petition, calling for each and every one of you this August Fody as a decision makers to cut emissions, stop fossil fuel expansion, protect our health, and create green jobs for North residents.

I'm gonna summarize some of the benefits so that when you read it, this can kind of be at the top of your um at the top of your mind.

The ordinance, if passed, will stop public funding for polluting infrastructure and prevent taxpayer dollars from being used for new or expanded fossil fuel facilities.

That is not gas stations, okay?

And you'll clearly see the definitions in there.

It will halt fossil fuel expansion of major source of air pollution by amending land use codes to prohibit new or expanded fossil fuel facilities within city limits.

There are only seven facilities that will fall under this.

Seven.

What the benefits of these two ordinances will bring to the city of Newark is a healthy future for each and every one of us for all our families.

Passing this ordinance will protect public health by preventing toxic emissions from future fossil fuel facilities, improve air quality for all residents, and support the transition to zero emission infrastructure and create opportunities for clean energy jobs.

We are from a marginalized community.

We need to be at the forefront of the jobs that will be created with clean energy jobs, not the reliance of fossil fuels.

In 2012, when we had the Sandy song, right?

Super Song Sandy, I coined the phrase Noork strong because it was a plan that we developed for the Dayton Street neighborhood because the flood maps for the state of New Jersey said in 2050, the Dayton Street community will be underwater.

And if we continue to do business as we have always done, not only will the Dayton Street neighborhood be underwater with Lionsgate, but each and other in each and all the other communities.

So I am seeking your support.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Lisa Mitchison Parker.

Not appearing.

Felicia Alston Singleton.

Not appearing.

Appearing.

Good morning, good morning, good morning, Donna Jackson, part two.

Sick of y'all, sick of y'all, sick y'all.

Black on black supremacy.

So worry about white, the boy over there in the corner with his out of control, don't give a damn about nobody's self, and y'all co-signing it.

Nobody better answer me after I get finished in here, or it's gonna be something to pay.

I'm telling you that right now.

So sick of y'all lying.

All these numbers are for your paperwork off of your ordinances that y'all lie about every month.

You ain't got no money.

That's why you transferred the retro pay into the 2026 budget.

Today you got the audacity, because again you haven't done the budget, and all of y'all need to go to jail.

232 million dollars.

You're allocating today, again for the 10th year to cover the month of January, February, and March.

Y'all want to see it?

Bring yourself downtown.

Donna ain't got time to lie.

It's on the agenda.

And he'll get up and say it ain't.

How much money do y'all think we could keep rolling over?

How much is the retro pay?

How far back does it go?

Is our mayor gonna be greedy again and give himself 32% increase?

Because that's what he got.

The first time he did it with retro pay back to 2014.

And y'all voted on it.

The Negro walked away from the table, and I was gonna say the other word, Larry, but I see you looking at me, and I know my mother watching, but sometimes it calls for that.

Because I know who sees me, God, he knows I'm bilingual, and I'm not scared to say it.

But I can't afford for y'all to silence me right now when we got people watching, looking and ready to take y'all down.

Because that's what needs to happen.

I've been in Trenton for the last three months, and I'm telling you right now, I'm helping Tessa come in here and get y'all and get that Negro out the corner.

Sick of y'all.

Y'all keep rolling over the same 41 million dollars up at the watershed.

Y'all think we stupid.

Y'all been rolling this money since 2019.

And you keep doing it.

You ain't fixed nothing.

Why are we settling with somebody today for 450 million, 450,000 civil ludication?

Why?

And now here come Mikey Sherrow, y'all girl.

Uh-huh.

And I know her.

She didn't do a damn thing in Congress.

Now she down there in Trenton, won $600,000 for a transition team.

Y'all think that's all right, blue team?

Y'all think that's okay?

She hired Mr.

Lee to come in for mental health with all of the bullying cases at that school or Clinton Avenue.

Mikey Sherrell, step down already.

You ain't even start.

You have tripled the budget for the incoming transition team.

Nobody don't care about y'all friends.

Nobody don't care about rash friends getting a job.

That's what y'all do right here.

The boy y'all just hired for the IT director.

Hire, hire during a hiring freeze.

How y'all gonna explain that?

Because y'all voted on it.

I'm talking to the feds, hell yeah.

Come get them.

I don't care who in there.

Ain't got nothing to do with Trump, ain't got nothing to do with Biden.

They neither one of them did nothing to me.

Ain't did nothing for me either.

Either.

The conditions y'all got these seniors living in.

You ain't sent the qualified, can read right person, inspect anything.

St.

Mary's.

What's going on?

These senior buildings.

Franklin, I know y'all trying, but y'all ain't doing enough.

When we gonna lock somebody up.

Oh, the state just gave y'all power.

We could lock up the slum laws for six months.

It ain't enough for me, but let's get some.

Oh, campaign contributions.

Damn it, Donna.

Donna, you can't have that.

We cannot afford to have our coffee spill.

Don't mind that we're getting three, four or five checks.

You can't imagine what we feel in this community.

You don't know what people going through.

Now I didn't hear one of y'all open your mouth.

And Raz, let me say this right now for my ministers.

Oh, shut your damn mouth about the violence that's going on in this city because your behind ain't doing a damn thing nowhere.

You ain't even out here.

You at your house in Warren County.

Negro, you don't even live here no more.

And we know it.

You just like the Monica, Franklin Park, you next door to her.

You don't live here.

You sorry sack of suds.

That's for you, Larry.

Because I don't want you to have to correct me about cussing.

But next month I'm cussing because I don't care.

We're going into the new year in hell.

300 million dollars.

Are y'all serious?

Y'all better stop this.

Get the money together because I'm telling you, I'm coming with the cuffs and the citizens of North, we doing our own budget.

Ain't gonna be no 25 million dollars for executive protection.

If Baraka's scared to walk around, y'all better stop giving them the money.

Thank you for your company.

If he needs security, tell him come see me.

Cassandra Doc.

A period.

Cassandra.

Are you done, Miss Jackson?

You done?

You okay?

Cassandra Doc.

And I told you guys I have a one, I have a two, I have a three, I have a four.

One gonna always be Rash, J.

Baraka.

Two gonna always be Dashay Carter.

Three gonna always be La Monica McIver.

And four is whoever catches my eye.

And you know who caught my eye for four tonight?

You, Miss Lamina Bay.

You caught my eye.

Well, let me start off.

Raz, I want to know about that snap money, but you know, I don't want my minutes to go up, so let me just uh skip right to Dashe Carter.

Here we go again, Dashe.

Here we go again.

This time is Erica Jackson.

Erica Jackson received the voucher in January.

She said the voucher says that she had from January to April to find an apartment.

She finds an apartment in March.

She sends the information, the realtor sends the information to Mr.

Spicer.

Mr.

Spicer, along with about four or five staff members at the housing authority gets the information.

Then about two months go by, nobody comes out and do the inspection for Miss Jackson.

So now we at June.

So now all of a sudden somebody wants to contact her again.

So now you know that that now by now, of course, the vibe the voucher has expired.

Not because Miss Jackson did anything wrong.

Miss Erica Jackson, that is, not Miss S.

Jackson that work at the Housing Authority.

She did nothing wrong.

So you give her another voucher in August, right?

90 days for the voucher.

The voucher runs out in November.

She finds November the 26th.

She finds an apartment, December the 3rd.

You know what they send her a letter saying, oh, your time is expired.

You know, then it says that you could have two 30 days in addition to the 90 days, which would take her to January 2026, right?

Your time expired.

So I sent a notice down there on her behalf, giving them all of what went on what I just said to you guys with a little bit more.

Still, nobody reached out to her yet.

So you know, and then she reason why she was took a little extra day is because she has an autistic kid.

So now we got to reach out to the disability community because now you want her to be homeless with her autistic kid.

Because you know what?

You don't give a call, you know.

None of you.

None of you.

Welcome.

Because I mean, I believe it's probably your first or second time ever at a council meeting, probably, right?

But welcome.

That's Dashay Carter.

Raz to snap beneath.

But I want to get to La Monica McIntyre.

Paul.

Really?

Legislative immunity.

Really?

Let me tell y'all what that is.

So legislative legislative immunity deals with protects lawmakers from legal action, you know, when they're doing for activities with their official duties like debating, voting, and drafting laws.

When she was down there attacking that officer, she wasn't doing none of that, Paul.

How?

How are you using that?

And it says right here, it doesn't even, it doesn't protect them from criminal activities.

That's criminal.

She attacked that officer.

Amina, let me get to you.

Let me tell you something, Amina.

I almost fell out my seat when Alif Mohammed said every time he calls you, you never have no money.

Yeah.

When I call you, you say the same thing to me, with the exception of one time.

One time in all the years.

So you know I have to stop calling you.

With the exception when I called you not too long ago for the young lady with the furniture voucher.

You said you caught her.

She said you never did.

And you know why they came to you?

Because you were at the 24 hours apiece promoting what you do at the Norwegian Services, right?

And by the way, are you still a director there?

You're still the director.

Let me tell you this, Amina, right?

Because see, Paul Fishman only assisting La Monica because of Cory Booker.

He doesn't know her.

He doesn't know her at all.

And he wants to get back at Trump.

Well, you know the little hurdle is because the Republicans are in.

That's the only reason why Paul can't get her over this hurdle.

But don't be like your predecessor.

Don't be so loyal to Raz that you end up in her seat.

Because the federal courts don't like you.

You know that, right?

Paul Fishman would never represent you.

You know that, right?

So don't be too loyal.

And the second thing, don't do, because I don't know who you chose for your chief of staff, but if they work for that housing authority, that's a full-time job.

Don't do it.

Don't let who I think may be your chief of staff, better not be it.

You better let her stay at that housing authority.

Because if I find out, I'm definitely gonna report it.

Because I told you she's number two.

So again, don't be so loyal that you find yourself.

Because I know you talked about transparency, it's not gonna happen.

You're gonna do whatever your brother tell you to do.

Because you love him.

I know.

I love him too.

But of course, you know, I bring out what he does wrong.

Because he's wrong.

Now, if you truly want transparency, because she may live in your ward, I believe it's a central ward.

Thank you for your comments.

Erica Jackson, if you truly, truly want to do something.

Welcome to the council.

Next speaker.

Caesar Adams.

Mr.

Adams.

That's not him, is it?

Yeah.

Up here.

Good evening.

Treasury Adams, New Jersey.

I first want to thank you all for those who showed up to celebrate my cousin and pastor's 60th birthday.

I also want to congratulate you on your victory in November.

But uh for a little over a year, I've been asking for the stop sign to be replaced on Prince and Clarion.

Um, and was wondering if you can possibly do that.

As I look at the council, I don't see a council member under 45, under 40, under 35, or even under 30.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, just trying to point something out.

We scream equality and representation, but I don't see representation of those who look like me.

And when I say like me, I mean millennials.

We scream change and wanting change, but the representation doesn't reflect that.

While yes, we should have experience, we also shouldn't be afraid to mix in the future.

The reason why this city is in the in the reason why this city in the odds of many feels stagnant, and because we have a council, that is stagnant.

A council in a city government who want youth and millen in the millennial involvement, but everything they do to try to shut them out.

You want their vote, but you shut them out of the government and shut them out to serve.

Nor these are the consequences of the divisive rhetoric and failed policies of this mayor, as well as a disrespect and lame duck voting by his allies on this council.

This city has neither been managed, healed, governed, nor protected.

It is developing, but not for the people who live here.

We are told crime is is inevitable while our neighborhoods are flooded with neglect instead of resources.

We are told to be patient while rent rise faster than wages and families are pushed out overnight.

We are told corruption is just how politics work, while backroom deals determine who eats and who is erased.

High crime is not a mystery, it is the outcome of embandiment.

When opportunity disappears, desperation takes its place.

When youth programs vanish, prisons expand.

When housing becomes a commodity instead of a human right, survival becomes criminalized.

But let me be clear a city that can subsidize luxury development but cannot protect tenants from illegal evictions is not broke.

It is a broke, it is broken on purpose.

A government that allow allow landlords to intimidate, harass, and displace working people and our elders while inspectors look the other way, is not neutral.

It is complacent complicit.

It is time to, it is time to resurrect the city and displace the current leadership that continues to increase their pockets by working two public jobs, collecting pensions, or going on tour while we face a 700 million dollar deficit, which is not progress.

Progress is confronting corruption, not managing it, exposing illegal convictions, not excusing them.

We would demand real economic investment, not press releases or photo ops.

We will treat the public, we would treat public safety as more than uh policing.

We would treat it as housing stability, youth opportunity, mental health care, and living wage jobs.

2026 would not be few about donors who demand silence.

2026 will be fueled by renters, workers, parents, elders, and young people who are tired of being managed instead of being represented.

No longer are we accepting a rubber stamp council who instead should be fighting for the people who elected them but are always saying yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

This is a city in need of a justice defender, a democracy bodyguard.

This city is in need of someone who will stand 10 toes down for what is right in the face for what is wrong.

This city is in need for someone who will step up and step out.

We need a fighter who will fight for others when they can't fight for themselves.

We need justice in this city, justice for our seniors, justice for our renters, justice for our youth, justice for our city workers, justice for our homeowners, justice for our homelessness.

We need justice for all.

This is why tonight I'm officially announcing my candidacy for Central War Council 2026.

Nor because it's time to come together and put our vote where our mouths is.

Thank you and have a good night.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Not appearing.

Nadera Brown.

Ms.

Brown is appearing.

Testing.

Not Dara Brown, North New Jersey.

I say we have some new equipment.

No disregard to the person before, but this probably should have been tested before the meeting started.

The microphone's working.

I know it does.

But you take notes every month on everything I say for the last three years, and nobody's gotten back to me.

I've sent emails on things that I wanted you to look into as a council, but nobody's gotten back to me.

But nobody's gotten back to me.

So I do know this mic is on.

But the energy you give me, that's what I'm giving back right now.

Because somebody just asked me, how's your holiday?

Don't ask me about no holiday.

Last month, I don't know where you're going.

Sorry, you need to sit down because you always throw a jab at the end.

So you might want to take notes on this one, Mr.

Council.

Supposed to be my councilman of the South Ward, but I've been dealing with a lot of stuff.

But yet, nobody wants to return.

And a couple people have reached out and asked.

I will say that.

But sometimes when you're so overwhelmed and you keep coming to individuals with your concerns and we're not getting feedback, what do you think I'm gonna do?

What do you think the residents are tired of?

Many people have come here.

This is hearing of citizens, but yet you let us speak, then you have somebody from the administration, like the BA, the lawyer, you know, who I forgot his name, no disrespect, but y'all want to throw jabs at people instead of getting things resolved.

Let's have a dialogue later.

I can't talk about everything in five minutes, but not one individual up here can say they had a town hall meeting with their sections.

Oh, what awards.

I'm sorry, I'm just a little out of it right about now because I was going over the council rules before coming up here, and it always talks about that we must within 10 days give a response for our concerns, but it doesn't talk about when do you respond back to your constituent?

It talks about the decorum, how we want to act.

We focus all on the negative and don't understand that.

We need to come together for something, but we're not.

We don't have to be buddies, you know.

We don't have to be besties.

People are mad at you because they can't figure out how you're still blessed after they lied and built the whole team against you.

And I felt that when I just scrolled on that.

You know, paint me however you want.

I ain't here to be lights, I'm here to be real.

Call me whatever makes you comfortable, judge me off the rumors, twist the narrative.

I'm still solid, my heart is pure, my loyalty is intact, my intentions are real, I don't move for opinions or beg for approval.

I know my value and I stand on it.

I didn't write that, but I felt that.

I come to this mic because the voice is not just for my concerns, it's for many people out here because my boots is on this ground for real.

I know y'all want to do the little song, but it ain't funny when you really out here.

Don't say nothing at all.

And I'm really frustrated.

Like last month I got up here, I had the tears.

That's it's aggravation.

It's not here to be little pity party or the cry baby.

But I like the fact that always at the end, we always got something to say, slick.

All that's subliminal, I don't do.

But I've never been disrespectful.

But since 2021, when I ran for school board, you've been disrespectful ever since.

Even when I got the writing for district leader, you went around for months telling everybody she's lying.

It's a free position.

But was you mad because I got elected before you did?

Because you only been appointed.

But I ain't here to throw jabs.

But at the same time, follow up with people.

Just because you don't like me because my mouth will speak some truth.

Let's work together.

Trying to get things done.

But that person in DC, y'all really not no different.

It's just you have a different agenda on another level.

You were at the municipality last month.

Did you talk to anybody at any other level to see what we can do to get things better?

Because I've been in Trenton, I've been speaking up.

Thank you.

My time is up.

I don't want to be kicked out again.

Have a great holiday.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Louis Shockley.

Appearing.

Louis Shockley.

Born and raised New Orker.

Oh man.

This is just sad.

Yeah.

After I was over there, my boss tried to make me not come to this mic and speak before the council had a meeting in a meeting led by the President Crump to get rid of me.

Um it's been 10 years.

Taking care of mom, she gone.

One of the things she said said, I know you want really to let loose of these folks and get at them.

I'll be gone soon.

Go get them.

Thank y'all who stopped by uh uh Alberta Beaties, now the bitty sisters are gone, Mayor James is gone, Uncle Bradley's gone.

This guy's always been a favorite, not a favorite, but uh target of mine, because this is where the real infection came from and sat in when he came here 19 years and shit got better.

And I can say that this is America.

Tell y'all, go look at some of them councils in Edison and Hoboken.

Some of the things they say, oh my god.

Telling you, Larry, your mother would be, she'd have had a stroke.

She had a stroke.

You guys, you complain, and you were over here complaining about an amnesia and all these other folks, but then when the positions got reversed, you became them.

How you sick cops on your citizens at a public meeting?

Don't talk to me about Trump.

Just like with this whole thing.

We need a rebirth.

You guys sold the mayor out.

Sharp James, only mayor I had.

Him and Kenny Gibson.

You folks and your friend was selling.

See, y'all gotta stop acquiescing to these folks.

Cohen tell pro ain't dead.

Cohen Tel Pro ain't went nowhere sitting right next to you.

Especially up here.

They came here with the criminal.

Water shed.

People, how you the president of the water shed?

Sorry, Donna.

Donna's my vice president.

How done?

How do you go out to Donna and go after everybody else on the watershed but the president?

How does that work?

Well you know, we we live in a bizarre world.

And it's time for you you newarkers to wake up.

Nikki newarkers, as we used to call ourselves.

Time for y'all to wake up.

This ain't no long distance history.

I just turned 63 yesterday.

Celebrate my birthday caring about this city.

I haven't had a good night's sleep since that two-year-old fell out that window.

How about y'all?

Oh, y'all got money and putting up rewards.

Every slum landlord on that corridor, I found I fought.

Some of the people in this room for it.

Go over there today.

Dare ya, Star Lager, pack.

Ain't a window guard, nowhere to be found.

Still.

But weather man Phil.

Oh, we got some wind coming.

Oh, this is a state of emergency.

State of emergency.

State of emergency.

And I want to know, Don and M is better at this than me.

I don't get no amber alert.

For Nor kids.

I've been known to CNN for a couple of years now.

All I you know when I get the Amber alert?

When I see it in tapping.

When they found.

Where's the Amber alert?

If I can get it for my for a baby in Philly, Atlantic City, I damn sure well better be getting it for Newark.

Tonight I'm running for mayor of the city of Newark.

This stops.

All your little tax abatements, they're gone.

I'm throwing them in the garbage.

You can't make money giving people 50-year tax abatement.

Sharp never did it.

Five to ten.

And it depends on your service to the city.

Low rents, clean environment, safe and clean.

We're gonna do a dual campaign.

First, you're gonna take out the sellout around here on the second floor, and then we're going after the fake in DC in November.

Have a good night.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Miriam Day.

Good evening, Miriam May.

I am an investor in Newark.

I have been an activist in Newark for over 48 years.

Being a uh Newark School Board president, homeowner.

Okay, owning a school for 10 years.

Newark Math Academy.

I am an employee for the city of Newark, thankful.

I'm so grateful and thankful to God, but we got some issues going on.

My concern this evening is with one of my concerns is with the seniors, how our seniors are being treated.

Okay.

And the other issue is with these slum lords.

Why are they allowed to get away with the things that they do, how they treat our um tenants and everything?

We have an issue at Pilgrim Village.

I brought a brother down here earlier part of this year.

They're still having the same issue at Pilgrim uh village.

He told me today that they're still overcharging, charging him, over overcharging him rent, and that's going on in some of our senior citizens' uh uh apartments, okay?

And they have mice, raw sewage in the manhole, dead rats.

That they're under a new management, and the management is doing the same thing as the old management has done.

Then I have I have a client because as you know, I work, as I said, I work with the city of Norfolk, so whenever I have issues dealing with our clients, you guys know I'm coming here to uh to find out what can we do.

This sister, she was uh uh placed in Hobulkin because Newark couldn't do anything for her.

And when I send when I refer clients, you know, to the agencies, the agencies are telling the clients they don't have any money.

So I want to know where the money is because clients are coming to us wanting help, and I want to give them help, all right?

And then the other thing is the issue that I have again with how these brothers and sisters are being treated.

You know, when I say brothers and sisters, I'm talking about black, white, Latino, okay?

Doesn't matter because when they come to me, I'm I'm providing them a service, okay?

So I want to know in these shelters, why aren't these shelters being monitored?

All right, why are these brothers and sisters when they complain about the conditions of the shelter, they're threatened to be sent back to prison.

What why are we doing that?

That's still going on.

Just recently told me this.

Okay, and then we're we're we're paying some of these shelters.

They're getting funding from us.

So why are we doing this?

Okay, and then the other thing is that we have why are these uh Newark um uh slumlords?

I I I just don't understand it.

Why are we allowing them to uh treat us like this?

Why, why is it that I'm because I'm in the West Ward?

So why is it that we see in there garbage full in front of the houses?

And these landlords are not being fined.

Okay.

We had issues where the landlords didn't even um during the snowstorm, they didn't even clean the steps off.

Why not?

Now they don't live here.

They live in Maplewood, because we don't see these things in Maplewood, South Orange, you know.

It's right here in New York.

Why are we telling our children that this behavior is acceptable?

This is not acceptable, acceptable behavior.

We should let our children know that they are valued because when we see, like, because many of the employees, you know, they work for the city, but they don't live in the city, but they don't live the same way that our residents live in the city, okay.

I live in the city, all right, and I want us to start doing something about these slum lords and how they're treating and having our children understand that they are valuable and they should not see the see the see the city in the condition that it is in.

I've lived in um two wars, the South Ward and now in the West Ward.

The city, the the street that I live on, it has never looked like this.

Never look like this.

And so now that people are buying up Newark, they're treating us like this because they can get away with it.

There's no accountability.

So that's why I I'm speaking tonight because when I have clients come to me, because so many of our clients need housing, and I've been referring them.

Okay, so maybe you can give me a list of something to show the clients.

I've had one client file a complaint as well.

Thank you for your comments.

Uh next speaker.

Reginald Turner.

Up here.

Ms.

Doc.

I'm gonna ask you again that please not call out so that we can hear the speakers.

Reginald Turner.

I want to inform you on the situation I'm in.

I'm here to uh enlighten you on my living.

I only get two incomes.

EBT benefits and unemployment.

I mean, and um retirement.

I've been denied Social Security insurance and SSDI insurance.

It's been over a year.

Three appeals.

Now let me get back with the EBT to enjoy the to speak about the embarrassment to go online when the money's supposed to be on the card.

It ends up blank.

I got a cart full of food, got it all ringed up.

But getting to the point, okay.

I get to the office, office number one over here on um, what is it, university?

He goes through the computer, he says, Okay, you've been uh you've been uh scammed.

All right, go to the office, he sends me across the street to office number two.

So this is where they used to put the money back on there, but this is all I'm living off of.

They say they haven't been putting money on there since December last year, 2024.

Now, up until today, I've been finding ways to survive because I'm gonna survive.

I'm the I'm from the streets, but I don't live that lifestyle no more.

But my point is this.

I don't know if they should uh uh form some type of uh I don't know where it comes from, not putting this money back because this is all I got.

I'm a retired worker, I'm 63 years old.

This is the only thing I'm living off of.

And then with the with the uh uh retirement, right?

They only uh they only give me like 200, I'm gonna put it out there.

I get 200 a month.

My rent is 153, so I got a little change to do laundry, and it's not enough.

So now I'm getting this 2,000 something letter that's I've been threatened with now.

I'm I'm scheduled to see the judge next month to for eviction.

Now, first I'm trying to figure out where this 2,000 coming from.

Now, as I put together, we got the office in the back that knows what I get on my card that's charging me the rent from what he knows.

Then this office over here has some paperwork stating that I'm collecting social security insurance, which I'm not.

So she showed me the paperwork with my signature.

I said, but yo, when I came here, y'all told me to go get a statement from Social Security that I collect.

I told them I don't collect, I'm getting retirement.

So now they charge me for this Social Security uh money that they're saying I'm getting.

And it's like, what is that?

A scam?

I'm trying to really figure it out.

But now I'm like threatened, you know, and it's like, how you gonna hit me with this 2,000?

And I got mice running around while I'm watching the game.

I don't know which game to watch, because it's like the mice playing football, there's so many running around there.

The water's cold, the only hot water is the bathroom sink.

The shower water's cold.

When I do the dishes, that water's cold.

You understand?

And it's no heat.

Because I called the code enforcement one time.

He has some type of utens that he checked the heat, but he didn't check over by the window.

He pointed at the kitchen over in the kitchen by the store where it was warm at.

He said, Oh, it's good in here.

I'm keeping it real.

I only want respect, man.

I just want what's mine.

You know, you know what I'm talking about.

And it's like I work, man.

I brought I could lay some jobs, best meets up there on Avon Avenue.

I bring millions of dollars.

You ask my name up there.

Hello Fresh, you can mention my name.

I'm brought millions of dollars there.

These million dollar businesses.

I'm experienced manager worker, but I'm retired.

I'm thinking I'm gonna get what I'm supposed to get as a worker, but I think the veterans get treated more than I do.

I got back pains and all that, but I wouldn't, you know, I shake it off.

But it's like really disrespectful to me.

You can't go to the office being anybody because everybody playing a position.

So this is the situation I'm in now.

That's why I want to bring it to your attention.

So I'm trying to figure it out.

Like I got every receipt up until today of my rent I pay, the little that I get, because I handle my bills.

I'm used to being the streets, I was I was a hustler.

I used to get money, but you know, that's another story.

That lifestyle is over for me.

I'm trying to do things legally and with the support of whomever in power.

Yo, somebody who got my back.

Because I'm going to continue to do right, I'm not going to do wrong no more.

Uh and I just ask for the respect of that, and that's all I got to really, you know, speak on.

I just thank y'all for and the senior citizens also, they're getting the same letters.

They can't speak, so I'm gonna speak for them.

Some of them can't even read, some of them can't walk.

They getting these these little side uh backup rent letters, and some of them paying it, which is unfair.

They could they I'm hearing the stories I talk with, they couldn't come bring it to the uh mic, so I'm doing it for them.

So I appreciate y'all for listening.

Thank you for your comments.

And this is my counselor here, Miss Bear, Marion Beck.

I appreciate you giving it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh next speaker.

George Tillman Jr.

No.

Not gonna speak today.

Next.

Pamela McElvin.

I believe appearing.

Yeah.

Lord.

One, two, three, four five.

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Pamela McElvin.

I haven't been down here in a while.

Didn't really want to come down here.

Uh because we so divided.

We are so the wards, we are truly divided.

Everybody stay in their own ward, even though you have at large, but it don't work that way.

But I have my issue.

I advocate for the urban community.

I also have the Palm Q Block Association.

I also have the 501c3 for Billsworth Park.

I've been talking, I came here in 2019 to petition.

I did a 2024 petition, the traffic speedway academy school.

When Ron Rice Sr.

was alive, and I spoke to him because he had conversations with me, which I don't just go around and say it.

But this is one thing that he talked about.

It's the pedestrian bridge on South Orange Avenue.

Okay.

He said he had a plan, he had the money, then all of a sudden everything just went dead.

Okay.

If you ever if you watch my lives, you will see in the morning.

And I even went to the commissioner meeting, spoke to them in support of the South Orn Jav, because that's County Road, Oregon Parkway, City Road.

But by the two entities, don't get along, don't communicate.

This is what happened.

But this commissioner, the county did say that they were gonna contact the city and see if they can have a sit down and try to come up with some type of plan to do a wraparound from South Orn Javen around to Orton Parkway.

You have several schools there, the parkway there.

They didn't just come there.

People traveling down 14th Avenue.

It's very dangerous.

The buses, whoever designed Speedway School, I mean you could ask the community to do it.

Because you have buses dropping off kids, everybody parking across the street from the school because the entrance to the school is in the middle.

They're not gonna walk to Mont Avenue where the guards are, or to Mayborn to cross.

They're not gonna do it.

You know, so crossing the street is getting bunching there, misses.

Okay, and another, let me get to it.

Oh, let me put my glasses on.

Sorry.

Miss Doc, please allow Ms.

McElvin to speak.

My priority is the seniors and the youth in the in the area.

I have to say kudos to the sixth frequent because we don't have that problem that much with the tractor trailers.

Thank God.

We know had poles knocked down, light post knocked down, light post.

I mean, come on.

And this is what our kids got to cross.

Okay, and now that the signs, the election is over.

PWI, that's the partnership West.

That's supposed to improve the Avenue, South Orange Avenue.

I'm not sure, correct me if I'm wrong.

But all these signs are still up, and it looks so shabby.

The signs are still up on these polls, and they done they over they overdid it with the wrapping of the polls it looked tacky, very tacky.

So the same way they went up, they should be taken down.

Uh what else?

Wait a minute.

Grove Street.

Grove Street from South Orns Avenue to Dashing Avenue.

Pure Darkness.

4 30, 5 o'clock is like 8 o'clock.

You got people getting off the 31 bus, and you got people the bus that what 94, 92, wherever go across.

It's dark.

And they walking by the path the old pass through river.

So I called down here.

And I asked to speak because someone from PSNG said call and ask for Mr.

Dexter.

I call.

And he goes, yo.

So I had to make sure I had the right number.

You don't, that's not how you answer the phone.

And you suppose to be professional.

I'm like, yo.

I said, this Mr.

Dexter.

He said, yes.

I said, oh, okay.

I said, well, and I'm inquiring about the lights on Grove Street.

Why there's not poles there?

He said to me.

It would never was.

I said, have you ever looked at the blueprints?

Because they were there.

But when the building's supposed to be put there, that's when Joe McCullum was here before you, Mr.

Kelly.

They took them polls down.

So he said that the memo is on the desk of Ms.

Wooden.

She just has to approve it.

Ms.

McCalvin, I'm I'm sorry, your time is up.

Thank you for your comments.

Erica Beverett.

Appearing.

I'm assuming you're evening, Council President Crump and members of the City Council.

My name is Erica Beverett, lead organizer of Parents Engaging Parents.

We're located in the South Ward of NORC.

Our partners are the South Ward Environmental Alliance, Pacific Environment, Ironbound Community Corp, and Earth Justice.

We are here pushing for the ordinance title 41 and Title 10 to be introduced.

I am a parent of two college-age children who both attend and reside at Rutgers North.

I am here today in strong support of the proposed NORC Fossil Free Future Ordinance.

This ordinance is about protecting the health and safety and future of Norfolk residents, students, and workers, especially our children and families who live closest to the city's industrial zones.

We are surrounded by highways, diesel truck, traffic, fossil fuel storage terminals, and gas power plants.

The public health consequences are clear and devastating.

25% of our children in NORC suffer from asthma, three times the state average, and North children are hospitalized for asthma at 30 times the national rate.

And that's not a surprise that both of my children are included in these statistics.

Numbers, these are our children.

The North Fossil Free Future Ordinance takes reasonable and responsible approach.

It does not shut down existing facilities or eliminate jobs.

Instead, it prevents the construction and expansion of new major fossil fuel facilities in the areas that are already overburdened.

Important, this ordinance will not harm Nork's economy.

The fossil fuel facilities covered by this ordinance employs only a few workers, for example.

One petroleum terminal employs just 22 people, the other employs only seven full-time staff.

Meanwhile, the health costs associated with the air pollution are enormous, contributing to asthma attacks, hospitalizations, missed school days, increased increased health care expenses for families and the city.

There is a better path forward.

This ordinance aligns with the New Jersey's clean energy commitments, including the goal for 100% clear energy clean energy by 2035.

It aligns with the Port Authority and New York and New Jersey's net zero roadmap.

It is a con it is consistent with the NORC's authority to use zoning laws to protect public health.

This ordinance is about environmental justice.

It is about saying that Nord should no longer be treated as expendable, and that our children deserve clean air and healthy future.

I urge city council to support and pass the North Fossil Free Future Ordinance.

NORC can lead by choosing health, justice, and long-term perspective prosperity for our community.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Almond Proctor.

Appearing.

Good evening, Council, Council members and community.

My name is Ami Proctor.

I am a wife and mom of two, Terrell, who is seven, and Tristan who is five.

And I serve as the outreach and engagement coordinator for parents engaging parents of New Jersey.

Our mission is to proactive community action based on the interests of parents and community leaders.

I am here as a part of the coalition ports for people.

We are aiming to end fossil fuel pollution.

I want to begin by acknowledging and thanking the council for advancing the North Fossil Free Future Ordinance to first reading.

This action signals meaningful momentum and shared commitment to address the long-term health and welling and well-being of North residents.

I appreciate the leadership of the council president and his remarks, support and continued discuss discussion with the city administration.

Thoughtful and effective policy requires collaboration.

And this moment allows space to refine the ordinance in a way that truly affects the needs of our community.

Through my work with parents and families across NORC, I constantly hear concerns about air quality, health outcomes, and the impact of pollution on our children.

For many families, especially those living closest to the industrial activity, this ordinance represents protection, accountability, and hope for the a healthier future.

As the council president stated, this legislation moves us towards taking care of our community, not just today, but for the future.

Thank you for your leadership and you're willing to listen and continue to commit to the people of Norwick.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Harry Brown.

I don't think I saw Mr.

Brown.

No, not appearing.

Jacqueline Peoples.

Miss Peoples.

Yeah, I think that's the issue's over there.

Jacqueline Peoples.

Yep.

I know you was gonna laugh.

Anyway, um, before I start, um, could you please have that uh pit bull down at the door?

Learn how to speak to people.

Because every time I come in this building, he gives me a hard time.

The man that's at the door on the side that the employees use.

Could you please?

Now I came in because um Mr.

Spicer came in here about a week or so ago for a pre-hearing, and he was he was claiming that he didn't mention where I lived that oh, yeah, my name Jackal and Peoples.

Peoples.

He bitch, I live there.

But however, I found it appalling.

Let me step back.

I found it appalling.

He signed off on paying developers to redevelop or fix apartments.

Now, what was appalling?

I mean, it was really, I watched, I ain't saying nothing.

They got paid for leaving trash on the ground.

Panels hanging off, all this debris around the uh property.

All this debris around the uh property.

I ain't say nothing.

I'm like, maybe they coming back.

They left it there for a long time.

Ramos, you know I don't see you.

I don't see you.

But anyway, I had to contact the office and ask how long that stuff is gonna lay on the ground in illegal immigrants who the Democrats fight for under the their 14th Amendment rights that really belong to the slaves.

Fighting for you guys, fighting for them, and they in this country dirtying up the ground, getting paid for not cleaning up, and then you want to blame it on the black people that's there.

It don't make no sense.

I am not making this up.

Why y'all all look stoic?

Come on, uh, come on, Pat.

You know better than this.

Where's your you was we you was happy go lucky a couple of weeks ago for Thanksgiving?

And I'm sure some of them illegals got some of them free turkeys and was happy at home cooking them after they got paid to do not to clean up.

Okay, come on, Miss Round Tree, what the Bible say about that?

Come on, Pat.

We wanna see a miracle.

Remember, you told me with y'all.

All things that with God, all things are possible.

But if that's the case, how come they're not cleaning up after they finished?

And they ain't not even from this country.

That's an insult.

You know what?

I don't usually say it, but my mom, she said that I ain't gonna say it, thank you, Lord.

It's sad, it's just sad.

You guys forgot, especially you black ones, forgot the the hills and valleys, your grandmothers and your mothers had to climb and get you to get you in that seat.

You forgot, Pat, do me a favor.

Start helping some young men.

I'm gonna start sending them to you.

Because remember, with faith, all things are prosperous.

You said you believe in miracles.

Make it happen.

We have no business.

I have no business down here at this mic telling you illegal immigrants are leaving the place saturated with filth.

Isn't that correct, Miss Round Tree?

And you dance better than me because I can't do the holy step.

And I'm gonna forgive Ramos.

I I really have to forgive this man because that's his war.

I ain't never seen him over there a day in my life.

Matter of fact, won't you put a broom in his hand?

How's that?

Maybe I'll meet you outside if I'm feeling well that day.

Next speaker.

Appearing.

Too much to unpack.

Too much.

Too much.

Too much to unpack tonight.

I come here for y'all, Noah.

Because it's this to keep coming up here.

Almost 30 years.

Almost 30 years.

Good evening.

We the people of Newark.

Good riddance, do nothing council, and fail administration that's running our government.

No other way to describe you.

Now, my response to this Mr.

Gaslighter who came up after me and always gaslighting.

Now, who should believe the new business administration?

A straighter, who lied about the city budget, lied about the budget deficit, and came here under a federal investigation for withholding subpoena documents with the orange corruption.

Who in their right mind will believe somebody?

And then who in their right mind will believe someone about the crime data?

Who lied to you that there was no lead in the water?

And you got the audacity to say that I'm misinforming the residents of this city.

All I gotta tell you is if you just look at RSRSL Media, you will see the crime data.

And if you go revisit what's happening in Washington, DC, the Capitol.

They resigning the chief of police, the mayor.

Because guess what?

They have found out that they have been manipulating the crime data.

And you're talking about no crime here.

It's the same thing that's going on in the city.

Manipulation of the homeless crisis.

They said that's down.

I'm gonna get to that later.

Manipulation.

So we we listen, the crime family.

I talked about the corruption the following week.

Everybody and their mama was under federal indictment and going to jail as we speak.

But I'm misinforming the people, right?

Crime is down.

I guess so.

It's because this administration has the data manipulation system going on here.

Are you out of your mind?

No, because when are you gonna stop being hoodwinked and bamboozled about the crime and the homelessness?

Louis Arello.

I sent you pictures and send it to you every day.

I got pictures on Facebook every day with elders.

You love the elders, huh?

You got love for the elders, you got love for the babies, you got love for all these uh your people.

You got a black agenda, huh?

You going around talking about a black agenda?

Well, go around Penn Station, go around there right now.

They sleeping outside, elderly people, vets, babies, mothers pushing their children.

Where do you live?

Do you live in Newark?

I know you see them homeless people out.

Go go see the elder guy.

He got his whole house out there on Macarter and Raymond Boulevard.

Is that Central Ward?

What ward is that?

That's Central and East, right?

Do you see that man?

You don't see that, Amina Baraka, please.

See, you let these people come in here, you know, your mother, I love her, I love her dearly.

But facts is facts.

Go out there on Macarter and Raymond and see these elderly people, and then you have the other question.

What can we do, Mr.

Spicer, to help?

We in a budget deficit.

We got a staff shortage.

The same thing they had.

They got mismanagement, poor management, sewer, uh, slum lords going on in the housing authority.

How the heck can the city help another person with the same crisis?

Make it make sense.

Can you make it make sense, Miss Bay?

Come on.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Council President, Council members, that concludes the hearing of citizens.

Any comments from the uh council?

I do have one.

I like to introduce my chief of staff, Miss Togo Cardi.

She's in the back.

That's who my chief of staff is, and she's here at every meeting.

Miss Doc.

Miss Duck.

Miss Doc.

I'm gonna, I'm not gonna keep asking you to not talk while I'm gone.

I just want to make sure that you know my staff is here, and also Miss Tammy Mack.

These are members of my staff.

If you have any issues regarding anything regarding essential board, they are the ones that are going to be here at the meetings that you can address it to.

Thank you.

Anything else from the council?

Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Council President.

I just want to thank Miss Uh Pam, Miss Ms.

McLean for coming up.

I know you called me doing pre-yesterday, and uh I forgot to call you back, but we we do talk often, and I know we got some issues to finish, so you know I'm here to get those issues done.

Uh also um Ms.

Bay, I don't know if she's still here.

Uh Ms.

Bay, how you doing?

Um, I have some ideas about about some of the stuff you were talking about, and I would love to build with you further on it.

Um, so I I would look look forward to meeting with you either the rest of this week, the ending of this week, or the beginning of the next week.

So thank you, Councilman.

Uh thank you, Councilman.

Anything else from the council.

All right, anything from the administration.

Good evening, Eric Pennington Business Administrator.

Just uh a couple of just a couple of things.

Um, you know, the administration clearly supports the right of individuals to come up and exercise their First Amendment right.

However, when individuals make misstatements that are factually incorrect, it's incumbent upon me to get up here and correct the record of whether people like that or not.

There was one speaker, I think the first speaker indicated that there were 10 homicides last week.

That is in the city of Norway.

It's just not uh correct.

There were unfortunately more homicides than we would like.

Any single homicide in the city of Newark is something that we would like to avoid.

That's a human life that has been taken.

There is a uh family that is grieving because that person is lost, likely a mother, a father, siblings, and others who are affected by that loss of life.

And so when people stand up here and say that there were 10 people died, that means that exponentially there are hundreds and maybe thousands of people who are affected because of those ten people.

The problem is there were not 10 homicides.

According to the data we have in the police for this past week, unfortunately, there were three homicides.

Mr.

Mohammed, uh we're gonna start clearing out the court, clearing out the the record the gallery because we allow, let me say this.

Hold on a second.

We allowed everyone to speak without being interrupted, and now if you want to be removed, you can be removed.

And now you don't provide the same respect.

So everyone let's allow the speaker to speak, or you will be removed.

If you'd like to protest, Miss Ms.

Bonette Bomani protest.

Thank you, uh Council President.

With with respect to what was said, the the record speaks for itself.

This is recorded.

Anyone can go back and look at it.

I'm not suggesting that anybody lied, but I am suggesting that someone may have been mistaken or may have gotten misinformation or don't have the facts correct, or didn't look at the data that's been reported by the North Police Department, which they are required to report by state, county, and federal governments accurately.

Another individual got up and spoke uh and implicated that the 232 million dollars that is being approved to uh carry out the mandates of the city government for the first three months is a problem somehow.

State statute allows for the budget to be introduced on a temporary basis for the first quarter so that the government can uh function efficiently, and that's what those numbers are.

And those numbers are based upon what the prior year's budget was, and we have done so and will continue to do so.

Under the leadership of Mayor Baraka, it's interesting that that came up.

He led a nationwide effort to have the first uh in the nation youth vote in the North School Board or any school board.

16-year-olds pursuant to what this council approved, are now allowed to vote in school board elections, and they did so.

In addition to that, which I think is remarkable for the administration and the council to do to make sure that our youth are included in government.

In addition to that, our Office of Sustainability, uh, which is uh uh led by Mayor Baraka, uh, has an initiative underway now for participatory budgeting.

Participatory budgeting is gonna allow our youth to have a say in the budget of that office.

There's nowhere else in this state that I'm aware of where the youth have an opportunity to participate in how the money is spent.

Uh Nicole Hewitt Cabral is the chief sustainability officer under direction of Mayor Baraka.

She has a participatory budgeting plan that's going forward now as we speak, and so the youth will be allowed to do so.

Those are just two of the things that are led by Mayor Baraka, which uh are intended to make sure that youth are included in government here in uh in the city of Newark.

Um there are other uh factual misstatements that anybody can look up to uh to to clarify that I don't want to highlight sometimes there are factual misstatements, they don't need to be repeated because when you repeat things, they just get more air than they should.

I have stated what I think are the important misstatements, which I'm not characterizing as a lie, but I think they were clearly misstatements and they've been corrected.

Thank you, Council President and Council Mr.

Thank you, Mr.

Beer.

You're welcome.

Council President, Council members, we are on page four of the agenda.

Item five, reports and recommendations of city officers, boards, and commissions.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay, yes.

Council, yes.

Gonzalez, yes, Kelly.

Yes, Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva.

Yes, President Crump.

Yes.

Ordinances, public hearing, second reading, and final passage.

Council as a whole to defer items 6P SFA through C.

Roll call to defer.

Council members.

Bay, yes, Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

D is an ordinance granting a 30-year tax abatement to Crown Village Urban Renewal Incorporated for a project to construct two residential affordable housing buildings in the West Ward.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Alif Mohammed.

You proud that it's four people died.

How are you proud?

I said in the last couple weeks.

Check the transcript.

And it's no good, but when you get alone, you want to apologize to me.

I want to apologize to you, Mr.

Mohammed.

When you get alone, you want to apologize to me.

Be a man and sit down here when I'm talking.

Don't be hiding up in your office.

Oh, I am the ordinance.

I am.

Now he's blinking at me.

You see what I'm saying?

He's a punk.

He just blinking at me.

See what I'm saying?

He's a punk.

My lord, I am.

I gotta give him the paper first.

Okay, as I was in the housing authority with Mr.

Mr.

Councilman Pat.

I just want to bring this up to remember.

Remember when we did the past Blue Riven deal?

Do you remember that?

Okay.

The deal was they came and asked us for 175 vouchers.

You said we're not gonna talk to you until they talk to Kelly.

Because if not, I got it right.

And until we talk to Kelly.

Victor in that letter is saying, oh, I talked to Kelly and everything is all right.

When they came back, I said no.

If we're gonna give you 175 vouchers, then we wanna have the criteria for the people to come in as the housing authority.

I hope you remember that.

I don't need people coming in with a credit score, 650, 700, because if you want a 6570, go buy some property in South Orange.

You remember that.

So now I see AMI and all this now.

It's moot if they ain't getting 175 vouchers.

If they not getting 175, I don't know if Fice is it, but I wanted to remind you that they made an agreement with me sitting next to you that they will use the criteria of the housing authority, not no AMIs.

See, I leave don't lie, I got good memory.

Went to week went high school.

Proud of it.

And I document it, and I'll come right back in a couple of weeks and show you 10 murders.

But we could play.

We happy about we got four.

I got four.

We got four.

What's wrong with you?

Calder don't have none.

And Candom is worse than Norc.

Don't play with me, Punk.

Mr.

Mohammed.

No, no, no.

Mr.

Bank, you didn't see this man roll his eyes at me.

Mr.

Mohammed.

This man rolled his eyes at me, didn't he?

This man rolled his eyes.

Mr.

Mohammed, that's enough.

No, that's enough.

That's enough, Miss Mohammed.

He hasn't said one thing to you right now, and you keep bringing back something that was an issue with you a while ago.

No, he just did it now.

Mr.

Mohammed, no, it's all right.

It's all right.

I'm good.

It's all right.

I just said he was a park.

It's all right.

It's all right.

Next speaker.

Thank you.

The 30 tax, 30 year tax abatement.

What is this?

What is this?

New Bills Noork.

A vision for an equitable city.

Now, what project is equitable in this city for Newark residents?

Name one.

Name one.

What is this?

Another scam.

New York Bills, New York.

Y'all see it, right?

Equitable a vision for an equitable city.

You go around the whole city.

You give out 30-year tax abatements.

George, come up here and talk about you're not in agreement, Greek and in agreement with the ordinance.

Agreance, compliance, whatever.

30-year tax abatement.

We're not against the revitalization that's taken place.

But y'all been out of order since this administration been in here.

If you go look back at Sharp James Affative Action Policy that you're supposed to do every year, Baraka administration, you only did one in 2015 to give the data tracking on the local hiring, the local contracts, the long term, the uh short-term jobs.

2015 was your last report.

So the thing with the data.

You manipulate it.

And not only that, you are not in compliance.

You are violating the rest of the first source, the PLA, every ordinance in the city that's supposed to give jobs and opportunities to the residents of the city.

And let's not talk about the area medium income.

Where's somebody up there going to place a legislation?

Because that's why I'm gonna call you do nothing.

Where's the legislation to change the area of medium income that Calman Charles Baron spoke about, and you sat in a meeting, Rasbour medium income that meets the needs of Norcas.

Thank you for your comments.

This is unacceptable.

You know, these uh housing things, Secure McGogled.

Um, let's go.

Um good evening.

As you prepare to vote tonight, I want you to ground this decision in reality, not labels, not projections, but live conditions, Ms.

Bay.

In North today, a typical one bedroom apartment rents for about $1,700 or more per month.

That's not luxury housing.

That's the baseline.

Housing is considered affordable when rents costs no more than 30% of a person's income.

That standard exists because once housing goes beyond it, everything else starts to break down.

At 50% of area median income, which reflects a large share of North residents, a single adult arms about 47,000 a year.

That's roughly $23 an hour working full time.

I make less than that.

My rent in orange is less than that.

30% of that income supports the rent in about 1,200 a month.

That's for the developers in the building.

So when a project before the body prices one bedroom units at or near 1700, the outcome is already known.

That gap doesn't disappear.

It shows up every month in the lives of working people.

It shows up in skip medical care as debt replacing savings, as instability replacing dignity, and eventually it shows up as displacement.

This vote is not abstract.

A vote for yes on housing that misses local wages means more residents spending 40, 50, or even 60% of their income just to stay housed.

That's not sustainable for families or for the city.

And when enough people are cost burdened, the consequences come back here to Mr.

Valerio, to emergency services, to shelters, to work for shortages, shout to workforce in the building, and to the public budget.

Ain't no way we in we in a deficit.

Because when I was here last earlier this year, they were screaming it, and BA, you told me no, no, no, no, no.

The question is whether this vote produces houses, housing a full-time worker can actually afford without sacrificing health, stability, or dignity.

That man in here, he's talking about his dignity earlier.

He's losing his dignity.

So let me be clear.

An extension and abstention on affordability isn't neutrality, it's acceptance of the outcomes this vote produces.

So you know what really shocked me when uh Allison said hostage.

So you mean to tell me these developers are like Hamas?

You know, Hamas holds hostages, Hamas holds hostages.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Hamas.

I tell you when I sit down.

Deborah Salters.

Um another one, right?

30 years.

Um you know, uh, when Allison was talking about the core uh downtown yesterday, and a lot of these buildings that are going up with these tax abatements.

It seems that the bullies are bullying the bullies because they're holding you all hostage.

Like he was talking about.

You want them to do something, but see, you all say yes.

You all make the deals.

These folk come here from the outside and they're thanking us, like literally laughing, like, yeah, at least I'm not paying 6,000 no more.

4,000 is a lot better.

You know, even I could bring my carnage.

Sorry for y'all, but thank you for the.

I mean, this is how they talk.

They're telling their people to come.

Come.

They're giving it away, come.

Right.

And you are, but not to we the people.

And then people look at us and say, well, what did you put any put out to put get it?

Try to get anything.

Oh, there have been many of us who've tried to get things.

Let's just say that 2.7 million dollar building for 23,000 that y'all wouldn't give us, but you know, we went through all of that with quite a towers.

So another 30-year tax abatement.

Um, and we're looking at, and I'm so tired of this 50% AMI, 60% AMI, the word affordable because that's the cliche word.

Nothing that you all are saying yes to is affordable.

Again, I'm gonna say you have already created homelessness, and you are continuing to perpetuate the homelessness with the things that are being built.

And then the developers that you're using are from New York.

We're not New York.

We don't want to look like New York.

These buildings that are being built are like New York skyscrapers.

We don't want to be New York.

We are New York, New Jersey.

We are the ones that people come from all over the world for, but you're making us look like everybody else, and you have destroyed the fabric of community with what you're building.

With what you're saying yes to.

We don't we're not against development.

But again, 30 years, give them 10.

We've been saying this, 10, 15.

Check in on them.

Nobody's checking on these people.

They're not, you're not checking on them.

They are doing whatever they want, however they want, whenever they want, and nobody's checking them.

But you say yes to this because of what the deal was made over here, over there, and we don't benefit.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Say no one.

Public hearing is now closed.

Roku.

Council members.

Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

He is an ordinance granting a 30-year tax abatement to South Orange Avenue 1 Urban Renewal Incorporated for a project to construct 144 non-senior affordable housing residential rental units in the West Ward.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Councilman Gonzalez.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, Alif Mohammed.

You know, Larry.

You say I can be put out of here.

You could be put out of here too.

I hate to say I can't hear it.

Okay, you told me I could be put out of here.

You could be put out of here too.

You know that.

Anybody that disrupts.

Okay, but what I'm saying to people, I just want to say that to you.

Now I'm about to, I'm just reminding you.

We friends, I don't want to be enemies, but I'm the best enemy you can ever want.

Ask the Barackers.

Um what do they mean by non-senior affordable?

What the meaning?

No seniors can't come in there.

What do they mean by non-seniors?

I mean, it's a good deal, but what do they mean by not?

No, because I can't come in.

I'm 72 years old.

Well, remember when the spices can't you asking me.

I'm trying to give them.

I'll wait for them to ask me because I don't know.

I've never seen that before.

It seemed like a good deal.

Felicia and Lisa was gonna jump on me because I was gonna say it's a good deal, but it says non-senior.

I don't know because somebody answered that question.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Scream McDougall, I'm back.

So, Hamas, Hamas.

You mean we got Hamas and ork?

Hamas and Nork.

So let's speak to the ordinance and and are we oh I'll bring it to you.

That's bad.

Because what I'm what I'm what I'm hearing is, again, and and and and and and and don't get me wrong, I don't know these people.

I don't know if they're Hamas.

I don't know if they're gonna try to hold this city hostage once this deal is done.

Okay, Hamas was never used yesterday at all.

No, no, no, no.

What I'm saying is, and I'll and I'll clarify for you, Mr.

Crump.

When she said hostage, when she said that developers were holding this city hostage, the first thing that triggered to my mind was Hamas.

Because that's what Hamas does.

That's what Israel has confirmed and said that Hamas does.

We still got two hostages stuck.

I don't think the Hamas has released all the hostages.

Let's speak towards the ordinance.

I was trying to.

That's trying to, because I don't want these developers.

Again, I've already explained it to you.

Okay.

Now, the people who can afford who's making 23 hours, 23 an hour.

Um, there may be some city workers that maybe can afford it, but again, it's the 1200 dollars.

That's the that's the rent.

That's that's what at 50% AMR.

Okay.

Anything more than that is again, a person at 50% AMR is still very low income.

As far as her data is confirmed.

So this person is still very low income, and they're spending the 50% AMI, Crump.

Are you understanding?

They're still very low income.

They're still very low.

So when these people start 60 and 70, they who is it for they can't afford it.

What we can afford is the 1200.

I couldn't afford the 1200.

And I'm working full time at the hospital.

I'm still there.

I'll talk to her, the the uh North Workforce.

I'm gonna have to pick up another job.

I'm going to North Work first at 10 a.m.

in the morning.

I'm going to work tonight at 11 o'clock.

There was a meeting at 8 30.

I can't make that because you said Hamas is in North.

We've got with the developers are holding the city hostage.

And that's what Allison Ladd said.

And I'm not here for Hamas.

Okay?

So whatever we gotta do, start locking them up.

Okay, Nork is locking up developers.

You better go down there and act right.

That's what I'm talking about.

Uh Kelly, I need you to go on uh uh hot 97 eleven Nork is locking up these developers who disrespecting our people, and we not having it.

That's how we come in.

So you could come with that New York mess over here to New York.

You feel me?

But Jersey gonna support Jersey, right?

Jersey gonna support Jersey.

We're not gonna let people treat us like Hamas, hold our city hostage.

That is crazy.

No, no, no, no.

Again, we lack follow through.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Is there anybody out there listening besides these folks up here?

Because we need intervention, we need intervention.

No other way to y'all can't even uh do nothing about these projects because y'all do nothing council, you haven't done nothing yet to heed to the call calls of the other residents about what's going on in these projects.

You haven't done nothing yet to address the annual manning workforce reports that this administration is supposed to provide to you every year, and I just told you the last one when was it children?

2015 the last annual well, he came in in 2014, so he only did an annual report one time since he's been in office.

It's the data.

See the manipulation, and you don't expect us to call on higher authority or federal intervention, haven't done a report since 2015 to give you the man in reports and the hiring, the race, the gender, the contracts, since he's been in office.

This is this is this this insanity.

Y'all gotta be under some kind of hypnosis, spell, curse, or something.

Every project in every one of y'all community.

You got people who don't look like us, and you don't say nothing.

You haven't put together nothing.

Every every every ward, every project that's going up, and I want to give thanks to Tanisha for bringing that lawsuit.

That type of lawsuit should go uh uh spread like wildfire fire throughout the city to stop projects because this what is what needs to be done.

This is insanity.

You are you you you deserve to be this I mean vanish.

Poof, be gone.

Then one project, you had do it all who had his address on it.

He oh, don't don't uh my that's my house address.

That's my house address.

You are you you you deserve to be this I mean vanish poof be gone then one project you had do it all who had his address on it oh don't don't uh my that's my house address that's my house address thank you for your comments next speaker I mean come on this is unacceptable don't care about bad salters so I'm gonna say to you what people have said to me like from the uh ran into some folk I all the time I run into people never met them before but they watch the meetings they dissect these meetings and they're like they just don't care and I asked them why they say it right and then they go in full detail they also go into um other developments and how things are done and I've been in other meetings and everything was transparent and you know and I know sometimes you all want to say I care I care but every time and sometimes you might even want to say no or abstain and you know once or twice y'all have done it but then that's it because you know you gotta say yes to this but where does that leave the people and I and I'm gonna always say that because your actions express priority what you care about you make provision for so you see this just like we see it I mean some of y'all just read it when it gets here but you know um a lot of these things don't benefit us and I and I know you know it but I'm saying to you what the people out there are saying ones you'll probably never see and it's obvious when you look at Newark and everybody knows Newark no matter where I go in the world Newark is a topic of conversation because this was the way that people came this fabulous vibrant city got somebody on here lying now about all of the good things that are happening right now and no that's what it used to be our people cannot afford to live here and you put affordable here because of the Mount Laurel Act and that's why you know you're trying to push people into other towns no Newark has enough for Newark these projects have enough for us but you don't do it for us you do it for the outsiders and that's a problem what about your mother your grandmother your you know grandfather you're all of the people who built blood sweat and tears built this city and held it together when no one else was here y'all have forgotten from whence you've come and you don't care because you live well and others see it they're talking about it they're calling you by name especially the fight that we've been through thank you for your comments next speaker Mr President counsel uh checkholder reappearing before you on six PFSD I feel these abatements I'm gonna call them big abatements I understand the 30 year number because the financing for most of these deals are in a 30 year scope or 20 years or more when you're getting financing from the banking community we understand that can you lift your mic up a little bit so we can we understand the 30 years is is maybe potentially linked to the nature of the banking measurement of a 30 year uh deal and lending but this is premature most of these big big abatements are premature for two reasons one the current city of Newark fiscal board which is supposed to operate inside the finance department is not operating to a hundred percent capacity because there's no correspondence to our local school district on how to calculate the tax payments once they begin to come out whether that's a five year uh period 10 year period in this instance a 30 year period so you're saying 30 years out we'll begin to get some uh revenue but that goes to the county first solicitido uno oresa para transmetar su reunion in the e the olmas inglés espanol portuguese crio los residentes

So lessitido, uno Odessa para transmitar su reunion in the masol, portuguese, criol, los residentes, el Chado Sulogia, Reson, Reson, Sentido, Dones que Dios, Les Haaro Para Los Asuntos Sombre Los que este consejo vota.

Most of the residents can't even understand the matters that you're governing upon.

And as I look at each of the nine members, you all are human beings who should be representing our city at a higher pedigree.

We want better.

We expect better in 2026.

And on these agreements, these big, big abatements, we want more transparency with the local finance department, their fiscal board.

Speaking to you, Mr.

President, to my West World Councilman and South Work Councilman, we need to wake up.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

City none public hearing is now closed.

Uh I will say one uh two things.

Number one, yesterday, I think you need to go back and look at the video.

I do not believe.

In fact, I'm I'm quite confident that uh deputy mayors did not say that builders were holding the city hostage, nor was the word Hamas used.

And I and I think we need to be clear about that.

With that being said, Roco.

Council members bank, yes.

Council, yes.

Kelly, yes, Quintana, yes.

Ramos, yes, Scott Brown tree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crumb.

Yes.

F is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement, the Casamia Apartments, Urban Renewal LLC for a project to rehabilitate a six-story elevator, 100% affordable senior living residential rental building in the North Ward.

Sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilman Gonzalez.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, ma'am, Alif Mohammed.

Uh Raymonds, this is a good thing right here.

It's a good deal.

So appreciate this.

Uh it's 100% affordable and singy living.

You never know, man.

You might become my counsel person.

You know?

But uh I say he might become my council person.

I could probably get in this building.

I know him.

But anyway, this is a good deal.

This is a real good deal.

And I wanted to say something before that.

When I talk about uh section eight, developers use the section eight to get their mortgages.

So it's not for you guys, it's for the general public.

So somebody gives you 175, you go to the bank with that money, and with that section eight voucher, they get loans off of it.

So that's very, very important when somebody asks you for 175 vouchers.

Right?

So I just want to say that.

Because even they got a thing that Spicy would tell you that you could buy your house with a Section A voucher that they're trying to do now, which is great.

If you get a section A voucher.

Thank you, but this is a great deal.

Appreciate this, man.

Okay.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

60%.

Can you state your name for the breakfast?

Oh, Mr.

McDougald.

Mr.

McDougall now.

I'm sorry.

Mr.

McDougald.

Yes, sir.

Um, formerly a North resident.

Um, I'm I'm coming back.

Once I get the second job and I can afford it, I'm coming back.

So um 60% again, as Ms.

Bay, as I was saying before, you know, that's $23 an hour.

I'm at the I work overnight at the hospital, right?

And because I work at night, I can afford the they give you an extra dollar, right?

They give you an extra dollar because I work overnight.

I'm only making 21 dollars an hour.

That's why I had to leave the city.

If I wanted to be a young man living on my own and having my own, I could not afford to live in this city.

They lost one, one of the fighters.

One of the young men who come up here and fight for the people because they keep allowing developers to overprice people like me out.

You hear about the young college students that are that are worried about finding jobs right now in this economy because of AI.

Where are they going to be able to afford to live?

They can't live with their parents because these uh entities have uh coerced seniors to to get a second mortgage and take their homes.

It's shameful.

And it's like y'all are only defense.

You have to fight for affordable housing that's real affordable.

Again, I've already talked that about it.

When you go on the city's website, they say the 30%.

They say it.

But it seems like when they talk to the developers, he's like, listen, listen.

60, 70, and that's all I got.

That's all I can give you.

Uh I need this fire.

I I need all these credits.

Knowing, right?

That they waited for the because you know they had a hand in the in the in the in the in the master plan.

You know they had, and they waited and they hold on to their property because they knew they could be able to do more stuff with it.

And now they're waiting on Trump's tax plan where they're about to get major cuts.

You keep hearing about the Democrats talking, right?

About how they're only for the big developers, these big companies, they're getting all these tax breaks.

They're getting all these tag breaks on all these properties they got.

And we're hoping that trickles down to us.

How unfortunate.

But we got people right here who can stand in the gap.

Silver, silver, standing in the gap.

You know about standing in the gap.

I gotta watch, I gotta watch this six.

I need you watching our six.

I'm coming back.

They can't stop.

I'm getting the second job, baby.

Six percent ain't gonna work.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Yeah, Mr.

President.

I'm I'm sorry.

Could I just you know, um, provide a little summary?

Maybe it'll answer some of the questions.

So Kasamia is one of our 12 senior buildings in the ward.

Uh it's a privately owned building.

It's probably the building that was in the worst condition a few years ago.

Um, like the ordinance mentions, 100% of the apartments are affordable, and I go to that building frequently, and um, you know, the abatement is being approved now, but I could tell you that every unit in that building was fully renovated.

They got new elevators, they redid the community room.

Um, so the new owners of this site invested you know, considerable amount of money to renovate every apartment in the building.

And we used to get complaints all the time about the elevators being down.

Um not sure when this particular building was constructed, but I would imagine it's gotta be at least 80, 90 years old.

So it did show its age at some point, and it was a lot of wear and tear.

And um they recently opened up the application for uh tenants who were interested in applying about two months ago.

So I know a leaf mentioned that he may be interested in a unit there, so um that um that's pretty much it.

You know, I don't know the particulars about the the abatement deal that they negotiated with the city, but I I can tell you that they they put a lot of money in that building.

The tenants are happier than they were in the past, because we used to get complaints all the time.

And out of all the buildings in the ward that are privately owned, this was the one that was in the worst shape.

Thank you, Councilman Ramos.

Councilman Gonzalez.

Yep.

This one here says to tenants up to 60%.

Doesn't mean that all the tenants there are going to be paying 60%.

I know of tenants that are paying 30% of the income because they're there's a lot of people there that are income restricted in terms of let's say whatever they get, they get so give it the $800, so they pay 30% of that.

Thank you, councilman.

All right, Mr.

Salters.

Deborah Salters, is this the one that you talked about earlier in the year?

When you were when I think you this came up before, like earlier.

What was that another building?

Because it sounds like the same.

It was another one.

Okay.

Um so you know, I and I'm glad that they put the money in it, you know.

Um, no, because one of them, I think that was the one I asked you.

Did they owe us money?

But you know, I'm yeah.

This they didn't owe us any money, right?

We good with these folks.

Okay.

So I'm glad that they're pouring, they poured that money into it, but that's what these guys are supposed to do.

They're supposed to upkeep it and not let it fall in disrepair.

Um, and then you know, they wait, they wait, they wait, and it's all the complaints.

Oh, but look, guys, this is what we did.

Give us a tax abatement.

You know, like I'm I'm not, I mean, I'm glad that the seniors are happy and that they did the work, but this is the requirement for anyone that has a property in this city.

You have to take care of it.

You get money from the people, you take care of the people.

If you don't, get out.

Point blank period.

Like, we are a wealth, a treasure here in Newark, and not to be abused.

So I'm glad they did what they're supposed to do.

But that's what they're supposed to do.

And everybody that has a property in this city needs to understand and be made to understand that this is the type of thing you're gonna do, like they did for this building here.

You take care of the people, you take care of the building, and then you can talk to me.

Because I don't need you.

We don't need these people that come here, they need us.

We're the ones holding the bag, giving away the store for pennies when we should get millions for.

So, you know, I'm glad it's uh 100% affordable.

I'm glad that you know our seniors can't afford to live there.

I want to take a nice walk through the place myself, maybe with you Ramos, we can have a date, go to the you know, to the building and see what's going on.

But you know, I saw the smile.

Um, but no, I mean, our seniors are supposed to be taken care of, but they don't get a pat on the back for that because it's what they're supposed to do.

Period.

Oh, and let me say this.

I don't know the last time that this place has been steamed or fumigated, but I've seen some little buggies running around here, so please y'all watch your stuff.

Um, but yeah, we need to we need to fumigate, okay?

Thank you for your comment.

Next speaker.

Cassandra doc, cousin, prove it.

You say there's some people in there paying 30%.

I want you to prove it.

Go there.

Right?

Secondly, what would make a person have to pay 60% of their income for rent?

What what's the criteria for that, cousin?

Well, I call it Gonzalez, my cousin, like we fight.

Um what?

What would cause a person to have to pay 60% of their check for rent, cousin?

Explain it.

Who?

Who would that person be?

How much would they be making?

And why would they have to pay up to 60%?

Why?

Why would that you why would the language even be put in the ordinance?

Why?

Why would you do it?

Go ahead.

No, go ahead.

Well, I see you doing this.

Go ahead.

Come on, come on.

What?

Yeah, let Councilman Gonzalez.

Councilman, let's just let's let Miss Doc just finish her comments, please.

Yeah, I need to know why, because would you want to do that?

Would you want to pay if you weren't in the position that you're in, right?

And that's most of y'all, right?

You're in the position that you're in.

Not that things are not going on in your life, because it is.

Uh sometimes we get up here and we say that you know, nothing is going on in your life.

It is, because there's no way in the world the God I serve is gonna allow us to go through, and not allow y'all to go through with some of the evil that you're doing.

There's no way he wouldn't do it, he would not do it.

So um, Gonzalez, I'm gonna sit down, you're gonna raise up to that mic, and you're gonna tell me what?

Why would you even put the language in there, cousin, and tell and then explain to me who and why?

And I'm gonna sit down.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Oh, I knew that what you want.

We've been tax abating ourselves.

Uh uh, it's it's to our to our demise.

There needs to be a tax abatement moratorium, an independent investigation into our tax abatement program.

Now, you gave Georgia King Village a tax abatement.

And if I'm not mistaken, they still live in a squalor.

So the issue here, we we happy to give for the seniors.

You see, y'all want to say seniors because you know it's gonna soften up our hearts.

It's gonna make people like, oh, when you say the seniors, you know, this is this is y'all thing that y'all been doing to the seniors.

You've been using them.

Now we got seniors in other buildings.

Look at NCC.

They came here over there, one in the wheelchair.

And you turned around and gave them tax abatements.

Now who you think you're playing with?

See, everybody ain't gonna come up here and play no games with you about the seniors of the seniors.

No, this is this is this this insanity.

No, it's insanity.

Because Ramos the other day, you said you stepped into uh uh what was it that a senior building?

Yeah, and the horrible conditions he was talking about.

Put your head up, Ramos.

I'm North Ward.

Because oh, don't let me start with the slums over there, because I got one in court right now, and he ain't getting a dye of my money.

Slumlors, they all throughout the this whole citywide, and you want to sit up here and play some games with oh, this building was this, this, and that oh god, this is sincerity, people.

But we're gonna keep on fighting for you, New Orkers.

Because there needs to be an investigation on the tax abatement, it's other things that come with that.

When you got a 30-year tax abatement, they're supposed to put money into this, money into that, money into that, and it's supposed to go into the community.

Who's who's looking over there?

No, he wants to.

Next speaker.

You don't want to hear that, huh?

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Mr.

President, uh let we go, we're gonna have a quiet so we can hear the speaker.

Mr.

President Shay Holter reappearing before you.

Well, we want, Mr.

President, for you to use your prudence and begin to question some of these deals because we're beginning to do the same things.

We we pass these by a supermajority.

And then those of us who have questions about how not only the tax abatement is being administered, but will there be changes moving forward into the next calendar year?

Will we at least include our finance department to look at if you want to measure it in 30 years?

What would be the 50 year ramification for Norfolk's uh land and taxation?

And I know taxation is not super uh popular term, but we need to look at who is gonna collect the tax money once the payments do come in, and it's going to Westmarket, it's going to the Essex County government.

We don't get immediate tax revenue on tax pilot abatements.

And you all are gonna ask for a supermajority of re-election in about four months.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we need to not be premature in that, and we need to leave no stone unturned on any of these big big abatements.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

See none public hearing is now closed.

Roll call.

That was council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana.

Yes.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Absent.

President Crump.

Yes.

G is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement to 1213-1221 on broad urban renewal LLC for a project to construct a new five-story building in the East Ford.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, ma'am.

Alif Mohammed.

Um I like the idea that it's being built on South Broad Street.

That's a nice idea when you come into town.

You see, you know, the town looking good, you know.

I'm a norker.

I like that idea.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Arma.

Can you just pull the mic up?

Thank you.

Oh, I'm not talking loud enough.

I couldn't, I can't hear you.

Okay.

I want to hear you.

Okay.

I like this because that is being built in South Broad Street area.

If you go down toward the North Ward, it's it's becoming very nice down there.

It's very, very nice.

So I like the idea, but I don't like I like, I mean, they in the rules within the 20%, but the 80% is almost close to market weight.

So I'm thinking that the AMI in this area is almost $100,000, something like that.

And that's because of Livingston, SSFs.

It's not fair.

It's really not fair.

In other words, probably Newark and Irvington and East Arn should be figured with AMI.

It's not fair to include million dollar homes with us, and it brings it up.

So I like it because it's down there, and I hear the affordable, but I'm a little concerned about you're playing the games with the affordable and you got the high AMI.

So I just wanted to put that on the record, but I do like the idea.

It's uh it's an old, it's an old building down there, and I'm looking at it.

It's um it's a lot next to it, so it's gonna wrap around.

And it's a lot of things in that area.

Um, like on Emma Street, there's a lot of nice buildings, but you can't see them.

You gotta go up the street to see them and Aston.

There's some real nice buildings.

You just gotta go up the street.

You don't, you know, you can see some of the buildings.

So that's a good thing about building up South Broad Street because some of y'all know 30 years, South Broad Street was prostitute walk.

It was a prostitute area.

You know, so that's a good thing.

That we, you know, especially when you come into town, you know, you come right in off the 21, you come from the airport.

So Nook is looking good, you know?

Because sometimes I go out and I walk around and I look up around the gateway and they say, well, man, this is if I came to New York, I was like, boy, they doing it here, you know.

So it's a good impression.

So I like it, but I'm a little concerned about the high AMI.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Shakir McDougal.

Now, Mr.

Crump, let me let you know what's good about AI.

So you can go to the last meeting and type in when was the word hostage used.

I'll play it for you now.

And you were right.

The first hold on, because I'm gonna need an apology.

No, no, 80% AMI is crazy.

The person who used it initially was Mr.

Counsel.

But Allison said it as well.

So I want to make sure you hear it because you tried to say it.

No, no.

But what do you want to do?

You want to be wrong?

I will tell you this.

If I'm wrong, I will apologize.

Okay.

This is not the time for you to play it.

This is the time for you to for you to discuss this ordinance six PSFG.

Well, when would be the time for me to play it?

At the next meeting.

Okay.

All right.

You can come to the pre-meeting and you can speak freely.

You have three minutes.

And that's what I'll give my apology topic.

I'll give my apology.

How will I get this apology?

Will it be a formal apology?

I couldn't hear you.

Will it be a formal apology?

I will apologize from here if I'm wrong.

Okay.

You are.

Everybody makes mistakes, so let's just move on.

But I don't like how you you made it seem as if I was lying on her name.

Look.

Anyway, let's get back to this, right?

So like he said, 80% AMI is too close to market rate.

Again, what's affordable is 1,200.

Okay.

Market rate is closer to the 1700.

There's a 500 gap.

Again, you're talking about people missing their medical care appointments, people using their credit card.

Have you not heard how the debt is is rising?

Unemployment is rising.

AI is coming in.

It's gonna take a lot of these jobs in here because people on the computers, AI can do that.

Just like AI can find the word hostage, it can find a better way to use some of these dollars.

And that's something we have to start thinking about too.

A lot of people are about to get laid off because we won't need them because, and then they can't afford these apartments.

So then you think about well, what are they gonna do with these apartments when the people can't afford it?

So what they're saying is we're gonna have Kelly.

This is what they're saying.

We're gonna have so many apartments, right?

And then it's just gonna bring the price down because there's gonna be so many apartments.

So that again, it's always this trickle down economics.

I really don't get that.

You know what I'm saying?

You want people to believe that.

Just like I can't believe that you said what you said, and you making me wait, you making me come back next year.

That's crazy.

When I could have just played the little 20-second clip right now.

So I do feel a certain type of way about that.

And uh thank you, Miss Roundtree, for batting your eye up when that came through, because you was like, hold up.

That don't sound right.

Mama ain't gonna lie.

So yeah, um Hamas, these developers of Hamas and holding us hostage, and we have to stop that.

So I'm I'm asking you, Silva.

How do you stop what's going on?

Them taking advantage of us.

We can't just give out another abatement, they'll do the same thing.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

No money.

So uh the AMIs, you know, uh you know, I don't I don't know what it's gonna well, I don't know.

Someone said to me that you all really don't get it.

They weren't being facetious, they were like, you know, maybe we're giving you all too much credit, which is causing us to be frustrated.

Maybe you really don't understand what's happening here.

Because no matter what we say, no matter what we bring to you about the homeless situation, and we're talking about working homeless, people living in their cars, um, in the parks, wherever.

Because they cannot afford to live in these developments.

AMI is crazy, and again, NURC can do whatever NURC wants to do.

Because everyone I researched and called up and searched, ah, well, New York does its own thing.

That's actually a great thing if it's done in the correct way.

Um I wasn't even going to say anything on this.

But how would you feel if it were you?

Having to live like we the people, having to figure it out, because you don't have a six-figure salary or two six-figure salaries and a stipend.

What if this were your mother, your child?

Someone you actually loved, or you yourself.

One paycheck away from being put in the street because of these developments being built.

The rent skyrocketing.

Remember the ordinance you all passed earlier this year to allow landlords to raise the rent?

Up to 5% simply because they can with no stipulations.

How would you feel if you had to live in this situation and come up here and talk to people about how you're almost in the street, you're almost homeless, you got a place, you can't feed your kid, the rent's going up.

How would you feel?

Because clearly, you have not put yourself in the position of the people who you are supposed to be serving.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Is there the state and federal controller listening?

Are you listening out there?

State and federal compontler.

Calling state and federal controller.

Are you listening?

Somebody.

Under the Newark Civic Trustee.

I was one of those.

We presented to you a responsible banking and tax abatement ordinance.

And we can't get none of this from you, do nothing counselor, huh?

Do y'all do y'all write legislation?

Do y'all understand the severity of poverty?

Or you just want to manage poverty?

Like you're doing.

Pay to play with our tax dollars, give it to who you want, give it tax abatements to whoever contract uh developers you want.

That's that's what y'all do.

And you can't tell the us that you're not pocketing no money because look at Joe McCullough.

Look at the other one, uh Lamont, all of them going down to the feds.

Come up behind me, uh uh BA.

Come on, come on.

Come on behind me and say something.

That way ain't got no corruption.

We ain't got none of that.

Come on.

And then you wonder why.

I hope y'all ain't running for 26 uh 2026.

Y'all uh good.

You gotta be out of your cotton picking minds if you re-elect these individuals, because the first thing to do to get rid of this stuff is to get them out of office.

You can sit back, Quatana.

You can sit back with what's that for?

Well, he ain't going nowhere because he catered and appease the seniors with all this uh bull crap, gadgets and trickery and all of that, trickets.

Yeah, they love him.

I know they do.

Thank you for your comments.

It's not acceptable.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

They love you, big little.

Yeah, they got seasons living like they have you don't love them.

You don't love them.

Ms.

Amani, please, so we can hear Miss Jackson.

First and foremost.

I gotta find somebody to help me file and jump the relief against these tax abatements in this city.

Because you are killing us.

The city, borough, whatever it is in London, has not issued a tax abatement in almost 10 years, and they are thriving, and they got a black, they got a black mayor.

Black guy, looking out for his people.

Looking out for his people.

They got all kind of commerce coming in there.

There's no reason why anybody is coming into this city to build anything and get a tax abatement at all.

That's because you don't know how to negotiate partnership.

Lion Gate coming in here.

We don't want just Dayton Street School.

What?

We need all them apartments replaced.

Every one of them.

Anyone else building?

Now I don't live in the East Ward, but I hang out in the East Ward.

I got a whole lot of friends in that East Board.

And what's going on right now in this city, all of y'all should be ashamed.

I don't care.

Who agree?

You just put up five brand new buildings in the last year.

And then we got the nerve with the crazy business owners down there, want to go for this Iberia deal.

Duh.

1400 units, a minimum of 7,000 people, a minimum of 3,500 kids.

What school they going to?

What the school gonna be at?

On top of the so we're gonna go 30 stories, and then we're gonna do five more stories for the school?

Duh.

We can't even take care of the kids that's down there now.

I what are we doing?

I'm so glad the guy did the aerial thing at the uh Iberia thing so that the community know the truth.

They got nine driveways on this thing down there.

Nine!

Uh who go to Penn Station?

Okay, we all do, amen.

Who picks up people from Penn Station?

We all do, amen.

How long it take you?

You can't even ride down Broad Street now for the last 15 years.

So why are we doing this?

Why?

You just opened up something right next to the golf station.

You just opened up, I don't know the names of the streets, but my people in the East World, they know what I'm saying.

Right there.

You put the new bank up, you got a new building there, you got a new building over here.

Uh Blue Cross Bouchine, get ready, put up 350 units.

What are we doing?

So we're gonna shut the traffic off like New York and make it like uh 41st Street?

How crazy?

You can't they give me expand pay station.

You can't make take the trail over to so it can go to the airport.

What who's doing the urban?

Oh, I forgot the boy in the corner doing the urban planning, and he's dumb.

Never mind.

Let me just say that.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Say none public.

Uh I'm sorry.

One more.

Mr.

President, City Council, Chake Coulter reappearing.

I'll be very brief.

Tax abatement pilot agreements on land should include representatives from the school board to include a capital school development fee.

Considering the rate of delinquent tax abatements unpaid and the long-term geo infrastructure and community cohesion of North New Jersey's informed residents.

Mr.

President, we find ourselves again in the middle of supply and demand.

Mr.

President, Ms.

Doc, I'm gonna ask you one more time.

One more time, because I'm trying to hear the speaker.

So she keeps speaking out.

Mr.

President, we wanna we want to give Cassandra some grace or some mujaheed in this hour.

She's speaking out of love for the city and this quorum, and I do believe she does respect this quorum.

But let me get back to business.

This East Ward abatement, I have seen an intentional effort by the East Ward Councilman to hold community meetings.

Mr.

President, I'm speaking to you to your desk.

I would like to see some of the behavior in the East Ward when he does do the community meetings on these changes on tax abatements.

If he could link with Miss Roundtree and replicate that kind of community outreach to our other wards, in addition to up in including but not limited to in the inclusion of our school board members to negotiate with our fiscal department with Mr.

Guzman's department on a school development fee.

That fee would go into the capital improvements for schools that the school district may not be able to afford.

Most of their expenses, and I don't want to make this a school board thing, but I have to foreshadow it that you are essentially over, you're underfunding the school district in a long-term measurement.

Going back to other wards, this is not a perfect balance.

I have seen the councilman try to create transparency around the abatements that happen in the East Ward, because part of it sits in the MX3, which is like a urban growth zone for transformative projects.

But that's where you come in, Mr.

President.

You have to engage the finance department to get we the people more teeth within these pieces of legislation.

Because I we presume them to eventually um continue on, but to continue with no transparency, no inclusion of your school district for it to get funded directly at the local level is um it's it's appalling in some instances to see this kind of administrative practice become so redundant.

And I'm flat out disappointed.

Thank you for your comments.

Thanks, could no other speakers speakers appearing public hearing is now closed for roll call.

Council members bay, yes, council, yes, and dollars.

Yes, Kelly, yes, Donna, yes, Ramos, yes, Scott Roundtree, yes, Silva, yes, President Crump.

Yes.

H is an ordinance opting into the Garden State C-Pace program.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

You don't know what you're first of all, before I could because I under Doc, or before I can even speak on it, what is it?

Larry, you the lawyer, you're smart.

What is it?

So I can speak on it.

What is it, Larry?

Anybody?

What is it?

So those of us here can know what it is, and those out there, the listening audience can know what it is.

What is it?

And then I'll speak on it.

Oh, come on, Ladd.

Ms.

Doc, have you finished your speaking?

This is this right, right?

I haven't called Ms.

Ladd up.

Ms.

If you want to finish your speaking, all right.

Your time is now.

Your time is now, Ms.

Doc.

Your time is now, Ms.

Doc.

Okay, we'll come back to the top.

You're not gonna come back after her.

No, no.

No.

I can't come back.

You've started your public speaking.

You started your public speaking.

Now you finish your public speaking.

And I'm gonna come right back up here after she's done.

Because then hopefully I'll know what it is.

And hopefully I'm not held hostage by what she says.

That's all new word.

Hostage.

Yeah, go home tonight.

I hope none of you sleep.

None of you.

Hope you toss and turn all night and do just again get up and do just what I'm doing.

No, let Alison tell me what it is.

Let Alison do it.

Come on, lad.

Five.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Come on, Allison.

Uh, Deputy Mayor, if you come up uh and as the deputy mayor comes up, just so the public knows that those here and those on on uh teeth watching through TV and YouTube, every Tuesday before the meeting, we have a business meeting where we discuss these ordinances.

Uh and so this is not the first time this has been discussed, nor is it the second time this has been discussed.

So we're just bringing it back up, and I'm gonna ask if Ms.

Doc would listen and allow the deputy mayor to give us a brief overview.

Yes, Council President, uh Council members, Allison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development, uh CPAC is uh financing tool.

It's basically authorized by the state and municipalities have to adopt an ordinance so that we can allow developers to access this investment through something called CPACE.

The CPACE program will actually allow us to do more sustainable, more environmentally friendly development in our city because that is the purpose of this financing.

So it's uh so just last uh it's akin to or similar to uh housing tax credits, and where we're trying to fund affordable housing.

In this case, CPACE is looking to fund sustainable environmentally friendly um construction.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

You're welcome.

Anyone else would like to speak on this matter?

Deborah Solter, so with you saying that there's a business meeting about this.

I mean, I was in the pre yesterday.

I don't remember the breakdown.

Maybe I need to go back and look at the meeting, but I don't I don't recall a thorough breakdown.

So for the public who was not in that meeting, um, who was working because it's during the day, or whatever, the mere fact that we the people are asking what this is should not cause you agita or or agitation.

We're asking because we don't know, and the smart thing would be to have her come up and explain it.

I I really don't care if she talked about it ten times.

We weren't here for the ten times, and maybe I was, and maybe I was talking to somebody else.

I don't know, but again, we the people pay y'all salary, y'all work for us.

So if we're asking for explanation and clarity, that should not cause you frustration or agitation because we want to know what this is, and we shouldn't have to look it up ourselves.

We have a director for that, no matter what it is that we ask.

We have directors and employees for that.

So it is unfair and disrespectful for you to speak to us in this way when we're asking for clarification about something that's on this agenda, which should be here already in full transparency ten times or a hundred times.

If we the people are asking, we the people get an answer.

Every time round tree asks something, you cut her off.

Oh, we'll do that next week.

We'll do it next time.

It's all right.

Uh I'm not going for that.

We didn't understand.

So she was standing in the back, ready to come up.

Let her explain.

So now we're not up here looking crazy, saying things that are irrelevant because we don't understand.

Reading is fundamental, but comprehension is essential.

Reading is fundamental, but comprehension is essential.

We're full-blown adults here, and all the directors should be here to explain whatever we need to know.

Don't forget, y'all work for us.

I know we don't let you as a people let y'all get away with this nonsense for too long.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

You know me, the old researcher, right?

The researcher.

So this is she's putting an application for uh green space, renewable energy, right?

And she haven't even did any kind of presentation.

Y'all just gonna vote for something.

We don't know the background, who's gonna benefit?

We don't know how the jobs is gonna create.

But you just gonna vote for this.

What is this?

Just to get the uh grant the loan or whatever grant loan, whatever.

Money, whatever from the uh economic authority.

And we had this before.

We had a green energy uh campaign going on in the city before under Donald uh uh Donald Payne made rest in power.

Booker, we had we weatherization of the homes and and and energy efficiency and all of that, and with the jobs, we're the local contractors for the jobs.

That's how local 55 became in in existence for weatherizing home.

Do who remember that?

Who knows?

And look, where's local 55 at now?

Hiding somewhere where weatherizing homes.

See, this is the kind of stuff, and this is the biggest gentrifier of in our community her and uh Baraka, the two biggest gentrifiers, and just disrespectful not to even present or have a meeting like we had the one with what was that program she supposed to be doing with that money they got?

Where's that at?

Remember downstairs?

These different uh agencies was supposed to get.

I I haven't seen none of that come to fruition yet.

Under what's the who gave that money?

She knows, oh yeah, huh?

See, he looked he just hurry up maneuver, right?

Get off the mic.

You ain't even gonna go look into it, huh?

You ain't even go check the books.

See, y'all keep cooking the books, but you ain't gonna go check them, huh, Larry?

To find out what happened, oversight, transparency.

Thank you, Peter.

Next speaker.

With a cute dog, cute.

You got the alpha, beta boy.

Okay, Donna Jackson.

Who determines who gets these loans?

Can homeowners apply for these loans if they're gonna green up and uh get the stormwater off their properties.

You got a lot of homeowners out here, a lot of seniors that don't have money, foundations of their homes broken up.

Y'all so worry about new stuff.

You're not helping us preserve what's here.

But I do understand, I get it.

Because y'all want these seniors out of here, and you making sure it happens every day.

So can the senior apply for this?

Can a homeowner apply for this?

No, because if it's if an upgrade, why can't they?

My basement is flooded, people got mold in their basement.

See, be careful when y'all doing stuff now.

Because I come to this mic with the thunder, but I asked the questions, and nobody ever answers me.

And I'm tired of it.

And I understand, we gotta make it look good for the TV.

Well, y'all being talked about across the country.

Telling y'all that right now.

Worst thing y'all could have did was put this thing on YouTube.

Patterson, they throwing stuff in the suburban areas, they are too.

We nice in here compared to them.

They don't send no letters of sanction because they know they was wrong.

Sometimes you gotta take the blame for what you've done.

And y'all have sat here and are still continuing to destroy this city.

Y'all not building nothing up, they throwing this stuff up in 24, 48 hours.

How do you got mold inside teachers' village?

That thing ain't that old.

So you had the man come here about four or five years ago, say, Oh, I got mold in my unit, I'm moving out of New York.

The stuff on South Orange Avenue, it'd been raining.

No, no, no disrespect, dude.

Rain.

Everything you got going up down in the East will have been raining.

Ain't got no fans in there blowing that um interior stuff, blind blowing the flyer wall, blowing the installation.

They just putting stuff right on top.

You think that water left?

You think the snow going?

They still build it.

I can't get through the East Ward tonight because I want to go get something to eat down there.

Too much damn traffic.

But y'all think it's okay.

The East Ward ain't the only one eating in the East Ward.

I live in New York, I'm a norker.

It's my city.

Okay, what ward and stuff y'all represent?

It's my city.

It's our city.

Y'all haven't asked nobody nothing.

You don't got to come out and do no public meeting.

You know why you don't?

Because the people are gonna kick you behind.

I'm clear.

I'm clear.

You have no answers for the conditions that we are in.

None.

Mr.

Kelly, can we use this CPAC money at Bradley Court?

We just need to know.

It ain't no percently not no personal attack.

Let's find out, can we?

Because we need to improve it, right?

Can we use this CPAC money?

Ms.

Bay, for little bricks to fix it.

Because environment leaders issues.

And y'all not interested in building any low income housing.

Well, how about we save the low income housing that we do have?

Because totally you're not intending to build anything for anybody that makes less than 40 grand, and that's 60% of your employees.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Please let her answer it.

Mr.

President, Shea Colter reappearing before you on the agenda.

An ordinance opting into the Garden State CPACE program to facilitate the financing of CPACE projects.

Mr.

President, you've heard sensational testimony this evening from the public.

This umbrella of sustainability, we've heard it from the governor's office all the way down.

But if we look at it close enough, we need to be looking at will this be the will this program be administered in an equitable fashion.

We don't know because the data has not been made available.

Nor do we have a way to guarantee that this sustainable program is gonna keep projects affordable.

We've seen a pattern in practice over the last 10 years that when whether it's the insurance rising of the cost to get deals done, whether it's the forecasted taxation that uh the deal will be scrutinized unto as part of their due diligence, that they pass those prices on to the customer.

I was just speaking with a parent who was speaking this evening on a clean call bill.

And I like the idea of the clean call bill.

I don't want to deviate from this, but the economics have to be tangible.

Where are we in the midst of the balance between supply and demand?

Is there a demand for this stuff?

Can the building owners afford it?

And are you certain that their that their accountants can make sure that this money does not come and take away from their bottom line?

Speaking to you, Mr.

President, Miss Roundtree, we really need to put this program under your lens to see if it can be used in Newark public housing authority asset properties so that that whole corridor that my mommy talks about next to extra can be revitalized, and we can bring those New York housing authority units back on board.

I remember the day, Quintana when I would walk up West Kenny Street and leave my church to go get some candy and then come back.

There were communities that lived right there.

And then when Booker came, he shut them out and priced them out.

And some of those same administrative practices, I've seen a friend of the family do who's in the leadership right now.

But I want even him to hold the governor more accountable on these sustainable projects.

And you have to have your at-large colleagues scrutinize the sustainable money to go into Newark Housing Authority portfolio assets.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

No other speakers appearing.

Um I was gonna ask.

You want to answer them?

I was gonna ask the deputy mayor to come up.

I want to be micro.

Okay.

Your mic is off actually.

And your mic on.

Yeah.

C Space is generally available for broad range of commercial and income producing properties that qualify under a local program, including multifamily residential units of more than five units.

It says also here, single family homes and small residential properties are not typically eligible on their C Space C space.

So this is for buildings, agricultural buildings, health care facilities, multifamily, residential illness, and adapted adaptive use and renovation projects.

Thank you, Councilman.

And with that note, roll call.

Excuse me, Mr.

President.

Oh, I'm sorry, Councilwoman Scott Round.

So the question was quite specific regarding private homes, and I do see the council just addressed that.

But someone mentioned little breaks and someone mentioned some other uh properties, which I do believe that you just answered that question for those properties that they asked about that this money would be used, um, could be used, or these loans could be used direct to that.

So, Deputy Mayor, there is a follow-up question regarding the process.

I just want to answer this specific to those specifics.

Or uh I guess gave a whole nice description.

Yeah, to be eligible for that.

Uh good evening, Council President, Council members, Allison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development.

Um, as council member, um Councilmember Gonzalez mentioned, it can be used for multifamily residential.

So one would consider public housing or reimagine public housing as multifamily.

So it can be considered.

I'm sorry, please please don't leave.

Real quick.

What you would have to do though is you have to apply for it.

So it's an application process, just like it is for low-income housing tax credits, aspire funding, pilots, it's the same.

So you have to apply.

And if you apply and you have the eligible costs that will help do sustainable development, then you will have funding that can help um build our city more environmentally friendly way.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

Thank you.

Ms.

Doc, the reason I wanted you to stay is because I want to publicly apologize to you.

I really should have let Ms.

uh the deputy mayor speak before you.

That's not how I normally respond, and you all who have been here know that.

And so I publicly apologize to you for that.

Roll call, I guess.

Council members bay, yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

I is an ordinance authorizing the city to accept donation of land from the Newark Housing Authority.

Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Mr.

President.

Good evening.

Good evening again.

Uh Chick Holter speaking on 6 PSFI.

Ordinance authorizing the City of Newark to accept donation of land from the Newark Housing Authority, block and lot for the construction and maintenance of Newark Riverfront Park.

My concern is why wouldn't the city be making an actual capital transaction purchase with the Newark Housing Authority?

I understand that.