Three ordinances introduced at last night’s Council Meeting to reverse two 30-year and one 15-year PILOT agreements.

At the first official meeting of the newly elected Hackensack City Council, three ordinances were introduced to rescind recently approved tax exemption agreements (PILOTs) for major development sites. These sites include the former Sears site, One Essex Street, and the Sapphire development at 132 Main Street. The agreements were approved in the final weeks of the previous administration.

PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) agreements are tax abatement programs that municipalities use to encourage redevelopment by offering property tax exemptions to developers in exchange for annual service charges. The new Council is responding to residents’ concerns about the pace of development and the need for greater transparency.

The proposed ordinances would reverse two 30-year PILOT agreements and one 15-year PILOT agreement, all of which were approved after the May 13th municipal election. The City Council emphasized their commitment to ensuring that significant financial decisions reflect the will of the community.

Speaking before the vote, Mayor Caseen Gaines detailed the administration’s stance, “Tonight the City Council is taking the first step towards rescinding two 30-year and one 15-year tax exemption agreement for the former Sears site, One Essex Street, and the Sapphire at 132 Main Street. These are all 11th-hour agreements rushed through by the previous administration after the May 13th election, in direct contradiction with the stated will of the people.”

Mayor Gaines emphasized that the rush to adopt these agreements excluded “two important components of any good contract: input from and transparency to the city’s main client, the residents.”

The ordinances introduced are as follows:

• Ordinance 38-2025: Proposed rescission of the RHR Hackensack Urban Renewal agreement for Block 405, Lot 3 (former Sears site)
• Ordinance 39-2025: Proposed rescission of the Essex One Urban Renewal agreement for multiple lots on Essex Street
• Ordinance 40-2025: Proposed rescission of the Sapphire Urban Renewal agreement for 132-148 Main Street

Public hearings on these ordinances will take place at the August 11th Council Meeting, offering residents the opportunity to share their perspectives. The City Council encourages all community members to participate as Hackensack continues to prioritize public input and responsible decision-making for the city’s future.