text: Divided freeholders OK $512 million Hudson County budget; hikes for Hoboken, Jersey City | NJ.com
  Divided freeholders OK $512 million Hudson County budget; hikes for Hoboken, Jersey City
  The Hudson County Administrative Annex on Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City where the Hudson County Freeholders meet. (EJA)
  on June 27, 2014 at 2:40 PM, updated June 27, 2014 at 2:42 PM
  Hudson County freeholders shaved more than $2 million from the county tax levy in the $512 million 2014 budget adopted last night by a vote of 6 to 3, but it will still sting some with sharp tax hikes.
  "We have probably come up with more reductions than we ever did before, obviously, at the end of the day, it wasn't enough," said Freeholder Bill O'Dea, who voted against passage of the budget that covers the 2014 calendar year.
  Hoboken was to pay county taxes totaling $60.8 million under the originally proposed budget. That would have meant an increase of 14.9 percent or $378 more for a house with an average assessment of $522,340.
  Under the amended budget, Hoboken will pay a total off $60.4 million in taxes in 2014, an increase of 14 percent over 2013.
  Freeholder Anthony Romano, whose district includes Hoboken and parts of the Jersey City Heights, also voted "no." He said Hoboken residents will pay more in county taxes than in city taxes this year.
  Jersey City was to pay $102.3 million toward the original county budget, an increase of 6.6 percent over 2013, or $100 more for the owner of a home with an average $93,000 assessment. Under the amended budget passed tonight, Jersey City will pay $101.6 million, an increase of 5.8 percent over last year.
  A key reason for increase in taxes is development and higher property values. The increase is also due to $1.8 million for constructions at Hudson County Community College; $1.7 million in debt for the Koppers Koke site in Kearny; and $1.1 million due to a new law requiring cost of living increases for employees of county contractors. County salaries also went up "slightly."
  Some municipalities will see decreases in the amount they will pay in county taxes in 2014.
  Under the amended 2014 budget adopted last night, county taxes paid by West New York will decrease by 4.9 percent, Union City and Secaucus by 4 percent, Guttenberg by 3.5 percent, North Bergen by 2.8 percent, Bayonne by 1.5 percent and Harrison by 0.9 percent.
  The originally proposed 2014 county budget called for a tax levy of $318.3 million. The amendment added about $2 million in cuts and $200,000 in additional revenue. The 2014 county budget passed tonight calls for a levy of $316 million.