Tired of seeing big promises that don’t match what shows up on your block? We sit down with arts leader and city council at-large candidate Meredith Burns for an unfiltered conversation about the choices shaping Jersey City right now—rising property taxes, school outcomes, the Pompidou pivot, and the real work it takes to keep families and artists here for the long haul.

Meredith shares why a glossy “museum” pitch—recast into a community center with uncertain financing—pushed her from running Art House Productions to running for office. She lays out a pragmatic agenda rooted in daily life: curb the taxpayer burden, double the arts trust fund through private and philanthropic support, and strengthen coordination so more families feel confident staying in public schools past pre-K. As a fourth-generation resident with a citywide footprint—from the Heights to downtown to Greenville—she explains why an at-large seat matches her work of convening neighbors, nonprofits, and developers toward practical outcomes.

We also dig into the campaign grind: canvassing that reveals block-by-block realities, a slate dynamic that actually feels like a team, and the debate over donations and labels that distract from basic governance. Meredith speaks candidly about redemption, results, and why local leadership should be measured by stability, services, and culture—trash picked up, budgets balanced, schools improving, and a creative community that doesn’t get priced out of the place it helped build.

If you care about affordability, schools, and keeping Jersey City’s creative core alive, this conversation gives you a grounded look at what change can actually look like from the council dais. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and tell us: what’s the one local fix you want to see first?

Your hosts: @lynnhazan_ and @tonydoesknow

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