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<\/a><\/p>\nBy Daniel Ulloa\/Hudson County View<\/p>\n
\u201cJersey City had 4,200 properties in tax liens \u2026 Your neighbor, Secaucus, had one. They\u2019re 1\/10 of our population. But if you multiply that by 10, that would only be 10 properties in tax liens. We\u2019re talking about a city that\u2019s begging and going into Trenton, and we have to get money to subsidize our budget,\u201d Yvonne Balcer said during public comment.<\/p>\n
She noted that HCV has previously reported that the Jersey City Board of Education\u2019s preliminary budget came with a 17 percent tax hike, making her question how the city could possibly consider salary ranges during a quarter billion dollar budget crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is reasonable? How much more do we have to pay? You people ran on the notion that you were different from the previous administration. Yet the previous administration also raised salaries. So how different are you? You\u2019re not!\u201d Balcer exclaimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I were a legislator in Trenton and I\u2019m seeing you\u2019re talking about raising salaries \u2026 and you want money from me to balance your budget, I would say no to you! I\u2019m not against salary increases. I\u2019m not. But you have to first take care of your home,\u201d Balcer argued.<\/p>\n
Another resident, Danielle, D\u2019Adamo, said that the need to hire qualified candidates to lead the city makes sense, but agreed with Balcer that the timing was probably not right.<\/p>\n
\u201d \u2026 Residents right now are struggling with affordability, quality of life issues, with inconsistent services. And when they see salary increases at the top, the question becomes where\u2019s the return on the investment?\u201d D\u2019Adamo questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019re going to support increases like this, then they must come with transparency, with clear expectations and with measurable outcomes that residents can actually feel in their day-to-day lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ward C Councilman Tom Zuppa asked that if the ordinance is approved, can those currently in the roles outlined in the ordinance have their salaries adjusted without council approval.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, they could be adjusted without going back to council. However \u2026 the administration is committed to making the council aware of any salary adjustments before they occur,\u201d Acting Business Administrator Peter Horton replied.<\/p>\n
The positions listed include the business administrator, finance director, CFO, mayor, city clerk, deputy city clerk, the directors of finance, human resources, department of public works, housing, economic development and commerce, public safety, recreation, and health and human resources, along with corporation counsel \u2013 among others.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we do receive that email and there is, I guess discrepancies, the next step is what?\u201d City Council President Denise Ridley asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean by discrepancy, councilwoman?\u201d Horton responded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the council has any questions about the salaries, we would just engage and work it out?\u201d Ridley asked.<\/p>\n
Horton noted that the administration can always be contacted directly and that the salaries will all be a part of the municipal budget when it\u2019s introduced.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith respect to these positions for the increases, if you can speak to how they\u2019re equal to, or in the realm, of other first-class cities?\u201d Ward F Councilman Frank \u201cEducational\u201d Gilmore asked.<\/p>\n
Horton said the proposed salary ranges are in line with Newark and Paterson, similarly sized urban New Jersey cities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are the ranges in those cities?\u201d Gilmore asked, to which Horton answer that their department directors earn between $150,000 to $200,000 a year, while clerks and tax assessors earn between $150,000 and $175,000.<\/p>\n