But first at 11, the tax fight brewing in New Jersey. One city raises taxes by 27% and tonight angry residents demand to know why. Good evening tonight, I'm Joe Torres. And I'm Liz Cho. The jump in real estate taxes means thousands of dollars more for residents. It is happening in West New York. And at tonight's meeting, more than 1000 people showed up. Jenn Maxfield is there tonight. Jenn.
That meeting started at 7 o'clock and it is still going. Four hours later, the angry crowd demanding answers on why their property taxes are going up by 27% after being raised by 20%, last year.
A racaus crowd making their voices heard at a standing room only town meeting in West New York. The crowd chanting .Fuera!. or .Out. demanding that the mayor step down after raising property taxes by 27%.
Richard Neumann, Taxpayer: No one can afford that. This is incredible, it's impossible.
One the street outside the West New York Middle School, hundreds more are protesting the tax hikes standing for hours in the rain.
Ramon Morejon, Taxpayer: I'm not making enough to cover the expenses, so with this tax increase, forget it. I will have to go live under a bridge I guess.
The tax hike means that for a $130,000 home, there is an additional $2093 in taxes.
West New York mayor blames the tax hike on a prior administration's mismanagement.
Mayor Sal Vega: The days of gimmicks, and the days of faulty budgets are done. I'm responsible. I'm responsible. And my job now is to make it better.
Dr Felix Roque, who organized the protest and plans to run against Mayor Vega in 2011. The most contentious moment of the meeting was when the two faced off, encouraged by the crowd.
Mayor Sal Vega: Hey! You're not running for mayor yet! Sit down!
Many residents of this Hudson County community noted the irony that on the same day President Obama pledged to help people stay in their homes, they are losing theirs.
And West New York will do layoffs and is renegotiating some its union contracts in an effort to cut costs. The mayor is hoping to resolve the financial crisis this year and maybe offer some residents a tax decrease by next year, but some homeowners we talked to tonight say they will be out of their homes by then.
