Jersey City Council Will Vote On Raising Own Salaries To $85K

Hoboken NJ

08 March, 2022

4:17 PM

Description

JERSEY CITY, NJ — For the second time in three years, the nine part-time members of the City Council in Jersey City are considering giving themselves a raise this Wednesday. Eight of the council members would get a salary bump to $85,000 each, except for the council president, who'd get $90,000. These increases will represent a $25,000-per-year raise, NJ.com noted Monday. The council members can also hire at least three paid aides each. In 2019, the members were earning $36,180, but voted to amend an ordinance so that they'd get periodic increases until they were earning $60,000 in 2021. The council president earns $65,000. In Jersey City, at least 42 percent of the public school students qualify for the free lunch program, meaning a family of four would have an annual income of $34,450 or less. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with a caucus preceding it at 4 p.m. It takes place at 280 Grove St., Jersey City. The agenda is here. Meanwhile, members of a community group sent the council members a letter saying the meetings shouldn't only be in person, and should be hybrid so people can also participate on-line, JC Times reported. Council President Joyce Watterman had told NJ.com last month that Jersey City's population increase made the change necessary, and that the council members are "on call 24 hours a day." Sign up for a free 6 a.m. Patch email newsletter JUST for your town here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. <Sign up for a daily 6 a.m. newsletter with news in your town, or for breaking news alerts: https://patch.com/subscribe