See what it would take to close Jersey City’s 2026 budget gap.

This tool lets you test the two big unknowns in the City’s State-aid application: State aid and City savings / cuts.

It shows how much of the gap those choices cover, and what is still left for property taxes and services.

Not a forecast. Not a plan.

Just a way to understand the scale of the problem and the tradeoffs.

What This Means for Your Taxes and Services

Jersey City's 2026 budget gap, explained
Jersey City Receipts — Receipts over rhetoric

Jersey City told the State it has a $250 million budget gap for 2026.

The city also says switching health insurance carriers could save about $30 million.

If the full $30M healthcare savings claim holds, about $220 million would still be left to close.

Whatever's left still has to be covered somehow. The two big unknowns are how much aid the State sends and how much more the city can save or cut. This tool shows what that could mean for property taxes—and, for renters, possible rent pressure if landlords pass those costs through.

What the records say
City-stated budget gap
$250 million
Healthcare savings claim
City says switching carriers could save ~$30M — TA App p. 9
−$30 million
Still left to close (if claim holds)
~$220 million
Estimated current full property-tax bill
$11,017/yr
$250M gap − $30M healthcare claim − $40M state aid − $16.2M city savings = $163.8M left
The Two Big Unknowns
How much state aid? $40M
The State has not decided yet. This slider lets you test different aid amounts.
How much of the city's savings plan gets used? $16.2M
The filed plan identifies about $16.2M in savings. Above that, this tool is only testing deeper cuts, not a documented city plan.
Full property-tax bill increase
+16.7%
+$1,840 / year
New full property-tax bill
$12,857
on avg. home ($487,501 assessed)
How we get there
  • Gap still left to close$163.8M
  • Added to your city property tax+$1,640
  • County + school taxes (model assumption)+$200
  • Total added to your property-tax bill+$1,840
If you rent
If you rent, higher property taxes can still hit you if landlords pass those costs through in higher rent.
About +$100/month
Rough estimate based on this tax scenario. Actual impact depends on your lease and rent rules.
What this means for services
At the documented savings level, this means fewer staff and less overtime across public safety and other departments.
Staffing numbers from OPRA employee rosters. Savings plan from TA App p. 21.
SOURCES
All figures from public records obtained via OPRA.
$250M budget gap: TA Application p. 3
$30M healthcare savings claim: TA App p. 9
$16.2M savings plan: TA App p. 21
City levy $384,974,613: Res. 25-295 / Res. 25-605 (municipal purpose tax levy)
Full property-tax bill $11,017: estimated from ~$1.10B total levy ÷ $48.68B taxable value × $487,501 avg. assessment
Staffing: OPRA employee rosters (898 police, 567 fire, 430 public works, 145 health/human services, 147 recreation, 186 admin)
County + school +$200: model assumption based on recent trend; actual amounts set by county and BOE separately

JERSEY CITY RECEIPTS — Receipts over rhetoric — All data from public records

This tool is for

This tool is here to help people understand the size of the problem and the tradeoffs in plain English. It is not here to tell you what the final answer should be.

Have an idea or question?

If this tool raises questions, or gives you ideas about savings, aid, or taxes, send them to your council member.

Disclaimer

  • Educational only. This is a public-information tool to help explain scale and tradeoffs.

  • Not a forecast. It does not predict what will happen or what the City will do.

  • Not a plan. It does not recommend a budget outcome or endorse a policy choice.

  • Built from records and assumptions. It uses public documents, City-stated figures, and clearly labeled model assumptions.

  • Simplified on purpose. Real budgets include legal rules, timing, restricted funds, and other details not shown here.

  • Check the receipts. Source documents are provided so readers can review the underlying records themselves.