Tag Archives: Bayonne

General

Shop Bayonne! Introducing a Property Tax Reward Program

by Evelyn Bonilla

buez luncheon March 1st 2013
Nick Campanella,  Managing Director   from  Fin Credit Inc. holding the “Shop Bayonne.” card at the recent March 1st, 2013 luncheon to announce the program to Bayonne businesses

 On March 1st the program was introduced to Bayonne business owners and Bayonne residents at a special luncheon hosted by the Bayonne Urban Enterprise Zone and the Bayonne Special Improvement District.   And a special mailing will go out to Bayonne Businesses and Bayonne residents explaining how the program works.

 “Shop Bayonne” is a program initiative that provides a tax credit to residents who make purchases from local businesses in town. Once you enroll in the program, you are assigned a property tax card similar to the reward cards you get in other stores; you’ll use it when you make your purchases with local merchants who are participating in the program. Residents who use their PTC-Property Tax Card will accumulate property tax dollars towards their tax bill.

Continue reading Shop Bayonne! Introducing a Property Tax Reward Program →

Business Views

River View Observer Financial Views-Declining Debt, New Tax Revenues Lead to Moody’s Upgrade of Bayonne’s Bond Rating

 CITY OF BAYONNE SEALMayor Mark A. Smith announced that Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the City of Bayonne’s bond rating from Baa1 with negative outlook to Baa1 with stable outlook.  Smith said, “This upgrade is very good news.  It shows that Bayonne has made significant financial progress during my Administration.  Moody’s has raised Bayonne’s rating for the first time in more than five years. Our hard work and fiscal discipline are paying off. We have turned a corner and are moving in the right direction.”

            Moody’s cited several factors in its decision to improve Bayonne’s rating: 1) The agency recognized that the Bayonne Municipal Utilities Authority’s (MUA) joint venture with United Water and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) removed $120 million from the local debt burden. The transaction paid off all the MUA’s debt and a portion of the debt of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Agency. 2) Moody’s noted that the City no longer has any deferred charges.  All charges deferred in the past have been paid off. 3) The City of Bayonne has a declining reliance on tax anticipation notes (TANS) to cover its cashflow needs.  4) Bayonne has a large tax base.  5) Bayonne has declining debt.  6) Bayonne has new revenues from payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) coming from newly developed properties. Continue reading River View Observer Financial Views-Declining Debt, New Tax Revenues Lead to Moody’s Upgrade of Bayonne’s Bond Rating →

Art Views

Applications Available for April Art Exhibit at Bayonne Museum

MUST BE A MEMEBER OFART CIRCLE OF BAYONNE

OPEN TO ALL ARTISTS FROM ALL AREAS

            The Art Circle of Bayonne announced that applications are available for artists to exhibit their work April 13 to 19, 2013 at the Bayonne Community Museum.

The April show will display the following types of art: photography, mixed media, oil paintings, acrylics, and watercolors.  Limited space will be available for three-dimensional art. All work submitted must belong to one of the foregoing categories. There will be an entrance fee of $10 per artist, payable to the Art Circle of Bayonne. Participation will be limited to sixty artists. Applications will be available Monday through Friday, except holidays, at the Bayonne Recreation Division, Room 13, at City Hall, 630 Avenue C.  The deadline for applications is Thursday, March 28. Applications will also be available by e-mailing info.artcircle@yahoo.com.

            Participation in the exhibit is open to members of the Art Circle of Bayonne.  It is not necessary to be a Bayonne resident to join the organization.  Membership in the Art Circle is available for $25 per year.  To join the Art Circle, please send an e-mail to info.artcircle@yahoo.com.

            The opening reception for the April art show will take place on Saturday, April 13, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.

This will be the second art show at the museum in 2013.  Other events will be scheduled throughout the year.  Details will be announced.

 

 

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Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Bayonne Starts Amnesty Program for Certain Illegal Apartments and Unregistered Dwelling Units

City of Bayonne begins amnesty program for illegal apartments Mayor Mark A. Smith announced that applications are available for the City of Bayonne’s amnesty program for certain illegal apartments and unregistered dwelling units.  Those documents are available from the Building Department in Room 13 at City Hall, 630 Avenue C.  Mayor Smith said, “In recent years, illegal apartments and unregistered housing units have become a problem in many urban communities.  These types of dwellings raise a variety of concerns about safety and the quality of life in our neighborhoods. My Administration has taken the lead in addressing this serious issue in our community.” Continue reading Bayonne Starts Amnesty Program for Certain Illegal Apartments and Unregistered Dwelling Units →

General

Bayonne Residents:Payment for Building Permits Moved to Tax Collector’s Office

            Mayor Mark A. Smith announced that payments for building permits are being moved from the Building Department in Room 13 in City Hall to the Tax Collector’s Office/City Cashier in Room 7, effective Monday, January 28.

  Those seeking building permits will still file their applications and pick up their permits in at the Building Department in Room 13.

  Mayor Smith said, “By moving permit payments to the Tax Collector’s Office/City Cashier, we are beginning the process of centralizing payments for various fees and permits.

  This move is part of my Administration’s drive to create a more efficient municipal government.”

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General

City of Bayonne Opens Warming Centers

 CITY OF BAYONNE SEAL

       Bayonne’s Mayor Mark A. Smith has a message for the  residents of Bayonne, advising them  to take the necessary precautions to stay warm and avoid excessive exposure to the cold.  He said, “Please look in on elderly or disabled neighbors and relatives to make sure that they are safe.  If you are a tenant and your landlord is not supplying adequate heat, please call 201-858-6900 to file a heating complaint which our inspectors will investigate.”

            Mayor Smith continued, “If you or persons you know do not have access to a place to keep warm, the City of Bayonne will be opening three warming centers to provide shelter during these winter conditions.” 

The 4th Street senior center (4th Street and Story Court), the 56th Street senior center (56th Street and Avenue B), and the Firehouse Recreation Center at 597 Broadway (27th Street and Broadway) will all have extended hours to accommodate those who need to keep warm.  The centers at 4th Street and 56th Street will be open evenings until 8:00 p.m. until further notice.  The center at 27th Street and Broadway will be open around the clock until further notice, and will be equipped with cots and blankets. 

Mayor Smith concluded, “Stop by any of these centers to get warm.”

 

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General, Insidebayonne.com

New Shopping Program to Boost Bayonne Businesses and Reduce Property Taxes

Shopping broadway bayonne
With the new Shop Bayonne Card up for proposal Bayonne  shoppers would save  money on their property taxes for shopping Bayonne

     Bayonne’s Mayor Mark A. Smith recently announced that his Administration will present a proposal for a Shop Bayonne Card that would encourage people to shop locally and save on their property taxes at the same time.  Mayor Smith said, “Bayonne stores and professional services need to increase their numbers of customers, and Bayonne property owners can reduce their tax bills.  The Shop Bayonne Card will achieve both goals.  We are very excited about this proposal, which will be a win-win for the people of Bayonne.”  Mayor Smith thanked Second Ward Council Member Joseph Hurley for bringin this program to my attention.”

            This spring, the City of Bayonne will mail Shop Bayonne Cards to every known household in the community.  The cards will appear similar to credit and debit cards, complete with a magnetic strip on the reverse side.  Mayor Smith explained, “They can be used only at participating Bayonne businesses.”  Smith continued, “Each participating enterprise will offer its own percentage of the purchase price, which will be transferred into a special property tax reduction fund for each cardholder. When Bayonne residents receive the cards in the mail, they would need to activate them before taking them to local stores and offices.”  The cards must be registered online at www.propertytaxcard.com.  Every time a resident shops at a participating merchant and they swipe the card, the amount of the discount will be registered on the Internet.  Consumers will be able to check their progress online throughout the year.    Continue reading New Shopping Program to Boost Bayonne Businesses and Reduce Property Taxes →

Dining

Calling all Foodies! Hudson Restaurant Week and A Taste of Hoboken invite Foodies to Feast

 By Sally Deering

GP's Restaurant located in downtown Jersey City. One of the 35 restaurants participating in this year's Hudson Restaurant Week.
GP’s Restaurant located in downtown Jersey City. One of the 35 restaurants participating in this years Hudson Restaurant Week.

It’s January and the winter blahs are knocking on the door, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit home with another Lean Cuisine. Why not skip the frozen dinner, throw on your overcoat and head out for some yummy neighborhood dining during Hudson Restaurant Week and a night of yummy delights at A Taste of Hoboken. Both events are a terrific way to spice up these cold wintery days – and nights.

 On Tues, Jan. 22, A Taste of Hoboken, the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA’s annual gala fundraiser celebrates its 22nd anniversary. It will be held at Stevens Institute of Technology’s Canavan Arena in Hoboken with 40 restaurants, bakeries and cafes participating. These eateries will be offering tasty bites from the dishes on their menus and some chef surprises, too.  And for the first time since A Taste of Hoboken started all those years ago guests will have the opportunity to sample beer and wine from all over the world.  Continue reading Calling all Foodies! Hudson Restaurant Week and A Taste of Hoboken invite Foodies to Feast →

General

City of Bayonne to Start Curbside Pick-Up of Certain Electronic Items January 14

 

            CITY OF BAYONNE SEALMayor Mark A. Smith announced that the Bayonne Department of Public Works will start curbside pick-up of certain electronic equipment (e-waste), effective Monday, January 14, 2013.  These items include computers, laptops, monitors, televisions, electronic tablets, electronic notebooks, and e-book readers.  Under federal and state regulations implemented a year ago, it has been illegal to dispose of e-waste with regular garbage.  In 2012, the City of Bayonne designated its recycling yard on Hook Road as the drop-off site for designated electronic items.  Mayor Smith said, “Although the City instituted longer hours of operation at our recycling yard to accommodate the drop-off of electronic items, I believe we can serve the public better by having our Department of Public Works pick up these e-waste items at curbside. The convenience of curbside pick-up will encourage more people to participate in the electronic recycling program.” Continue reading City of Bayonne to Start Curbside Pick-Up of Certain Electronic Items January 14 →

Dining

Bayonne’s Bella Sorrellas, a Fine Italian Restaurant

    Italian Cuisine served with a Whole Lotta Love

 By Sally Deering

 

Bella Sorrellas Restaurant Bayonne
David Rivera, owner, Bella Sorrellas

Bayonne has its share of Italian restaurants and Bella Sorrellas on the corner of 50th Street and Broadway, stands out from the crowd with a menu of classic Italian dishes served with a home-style flair. Owner David Rivera opened Bella Sorrellas three years ago where the old Welcome Inn used to be. The son of Ana and Demetrio “Lumen” Rivera, David grew up watching his father run his Jersey City restaurants: The Seagulls Bar & Grill on Communipaw Ave; The Old San Juan on Jersey Ave; and The Fan Bar on Grove – and he knew early on he wanted to be a restaurateur like his dad.

“I was about 5 and my father picked me up at school and took me to his restaurant, The Seagulls,” Rivera recalls. “I went behind the bar and started cleaning the glasses. He asked me what I was doing and I said, ‘I want to be like you’ and he hugged me and said ‘One day you will.’ Since I was 16 I worked with him after school and through college.”

Rivera worked ten years as transportation supervisor for Christ Hospital in Jersey City and decided he wanted to go back to the restaurant business.

Chef Leo Compi formerly of Just Sonny's Restaurant in Jersey City
Bella Sorrellas Chef Leo Compi with owner David Rivera

            “There was something empty in my heart,” he says. “My father’s philosophy was ‘make sure the customer is fed well and feels at home’. He was in the business over 30 years. Everybody loved my father and I wanted to be like that. ”

            Rivera followed in father’s footsteps and Bella Sorrellas (which is Italian for “beautiful sisters” and named for his daughters Analexa, 18, and Isabel, 5) is a cozy corner bistro with an extensive Italian menu. The star of the show – as always – is the food and Rivera works closely with Chef Leo Compi (formerly of Just Sonny’s) a friend for more than 10 years. Continue reading Bayonne’s Bella Sorrellas, a Fine Italian Restaurant →