Donors tied to 4 developers on Hackensack’s overdue tax-break list gave $52,250 to ex-Mayor Labrosse’s campaigns

JERSEY INTEL EXCLUSIVE

A Jersey Intel review of state campaign-finance records matched donors to four developers on Hackensack’s list of overdue tax-break accounts. Mayor Caseen Gaines blames former Mayor John Labrosse’s administration for failing to collect what developers owed and says the city has since recovered about $3.6 million. Labrosse did not respond by Friday’s deadline.

People and companies tied to four developers on Hackensack’s list of overdue tax-break accounts gave a combined $52,250 to former Mayor John Labrosse’s council slates in the 2017, 2021 and 2025 elections, according to a Jersey Intel review of New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) records.

The four developers’ projects were listed as owing about $2 million in August, according to the city’s list as reported by NorthJersey.com on Aug. 11. The city has blamed Labrosse’s administration for failing to enforce the deals. In a June release, Gaines said “the Labrosse administration repeatedly championed PILOTs as the solution to Hackensack’s financial problems, all while failing to enforce the very agreements they signed.”

The deals, known as PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes), let developers make yearly payments to the city instead of regular property taxes. In August the city said developers owed $6.7 million: more than $4.8 million in unpaid charges and nearly $1.9 million in interest. The city has said the balances are driven largely by unpaid “true-up” payments, owed when a building earns more than projected.

Labrosse, who lost his bid for a fourth term in May 2025, had not responded to questions Jersey Intel emailed him on Oct. 15 as of 5:21 p.m. Oct. 16, after the 5 p.m. deadline.

The mayor: ‘No developer gets a free pass’

“No developer gets a free pass in Hackensack,” Gaines wrote in an emailed statement to Jersey Intel on Oct. 14. He called tax exemptions for corporate developers “a privilege, not a right.”

Gaines, who became mayor on July 1, 2025, said that when his administration took office, it commissioned an audit “that revealed that millions of dollars had been left uncollected and contract oversight was nonexistent.” He said the city’s “recovery efforts have already recovered approximately $3.6 million, which, had it been collected on time, would have provided substantial immediate tax relief to our residents.”

“The City will take whatever enforcement steps are necessary to ensure our taxpayers are made whole and treated fairly, including termination of PILOT financial agreements, property tax liens, and/or litigation,” he wrote.

The city announced the $3.6 million figure in an Oct. 7 release, which also said five developments have paid in full. The release did not name them, so some of the companies below may no longer owe anything.

Who gave to whom

The per-company balances below are the city’s August figures as reported by NorthJersey.com on Aug. 11. Jersey Intel has requested the city’s own records. The contribution figures come from ELEC records.

• Brickyard Urban Renewal LLC (18 E. Camden St., The Current on River) is an affiliate of Hekemian & Co., according to a 2022 JLL financing announcement, and was listed as owing $948,914. On April 28, 2025, Brickyard gave $2,500 to the 2025 Labrosse slate. The same day, six other entities listing the same address as Hekemian & Co., 505 Main St., Suite 400, gave a combined $7,250. A donor listed in ELEC records as Brian S. Hekemian, at 505 Main St., gave $7,500 in December 2020 and May 2021. Total: $17,250.
• 150-170 Main Street Hackensack Urban Renewal LLC (The Brick, developed by Enburg Group) was listed at $622,170. That entity and Enburg Real Estate, both listing the same Main Street suite address, each gave $1,000 on Dec. 9, 2020. Total: $2,000.
• Meridia Metro and Meridia on Main (100 State St. and 240 Main St., Capodagli Property Co.) were listed at a combined $305,952. George Capodagli, the company and three people who listed Capodagli Property Co. as their employer gave a combined $32,000 to Labrosse slates from 2016 to 2025.
• DPB Associates Urban Renewal LLC (50 Main St.) was listed at $140,921. It gave $1,000 in May 2021.

Jersey Intel’s figures count only contributions made to Labrosse’s joint council committees and tied to the four developers by company name, address or the employer listed in ELEC records.

Developer money went to both sides

Gaines’ 2025 Hackensack Unites slate received $10,000 from James Tseng, who listed his employer as Enburg Group USA and his occupation as business owner, $10,000 from Alfred Sanzari Enterprises, $2,500 from Steven Wielkotz of Wielkotz & Co. and $12,500 from four Weiner Law Group attorneys, ELEC records show. Wielkotz & Co. is the firm that began working for the city in July 2025 and performed its PILOT audit, NorthJersey.com reported July 9. George Capodagli also gave $2,500 in December 2025 to the Hackensack Unites Action Committee.

During the 2025 campaign, each slate accused the other of taking developer money, NorthJersey.com reported on May 9, 2025. The Labrosse campaign singled out the Tseng and Sanzari contributions to Hackensack Unites.

Political contributions from developers are legal, and nothing in the records shows the donations affected how the deals were approved or enforced.

What the mayor didn’t answer

Jersey Intel emailed Gaines six questions on Oct. 9. His statement did not address any of them directly:

1. Which of the developments named above have paid, are on payment plans or still owe, and their current balances.
2. Which five developers the city’s Oct. 7 release says have settled in full.
3. Whether the city plans to end any deal besides Hecker Holdings’ at 77 River St., including R & H Hackensack Urban Renewal (Midtown Bridge), listed at $1,127,684 in NorthJersey.com’s Aug. 11 report. His statement says termination is possible but names no project.
4. Whether the city has evidence that payments went uncollected because of developers’ political ties, or blames administrative failure.
5. How the city picked Wielkotz & Co. and its special redevelopment counsel, Joseph Ranieri, and how the administration responds to contributions its own slate received.
6. Whether the city will release its default notices and the auditor’s balance schedule. Jersey Intel requested those records under the Open Public Records Act on Oct. 9.

The developers

Jersey Intel emailed questions to Hekemian & Co., Enburg Group and Capodagli Property Co. on Oct. 9. None had responded as of 5:21 p.m. Oct. 16. Jersey Intel could not find contact information for DPB Associates.

What’s next

The City Council holds a public hearing and final vote on Ordinance 20-2026, which would end the tax-break deal for Hecker Holdings Urban Renewal at 77 River St., home of GOAT Climbing Gym, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 65 Central Ave. The ordinance says the company did not submit proper auditor’s reports for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Jersey Intel’s records request for the default notices, balances and payment records is pending. If the records change any figure in this story, Jersey Intel will update it.

Know more? If you have documents on Hackensack’s PILOT deals or collections, send them to jerseyintel@gmail.com.

Related: Jersey City locks twin 30-year Canal Crossing PILOTs