description
Bayonne Police & Fire Dept Contract Negotiations Begin
Posted 04-10-2008 at 02:32 PM by neilbarton
The contract negotiations between the Bayonne Police & Fire Department workers and the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city> have begun this week. No mention has been made in any publications as of yet, however this is a pivotal issue to the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city>. The city currently has an operating budget of approximately $52million a year. However the city is also running a deficit of about $25 million a year (feel free to check my numbers, I am opining off the cuff here). <o></o>
Even allowing for some variation in my numbers, there is no doubt that the city has a clear path in negotiations. They must offer no increase in pay & benefits to the PD & FD, unless layoffs are considered to offset any additional costs.<o></o>
Currently the country is headed into a recession. This means tougher times are ahead for all of us. No one will be exempt from the suffering. With this in mind, the city should consider requesting concessions from PD & FD. In lieu of laying workers off, this would ensure that all workers keep their jobs and keep working when many in the private sector will be losing theirs. <o></o>
I have been told many times by city officials that government should not be compared to the private sector. But what the government is in denial about is that it is the private sector that funds it. The government relies on tax income to fund its operations. However, you can only raise taxes so far before you begin to devalue the private sectors greatest asset: our homes. As tax prices go up, home prices will fall. Couple that with the jobs that many of us will be losing or the cuts in pay many of us will be forced to take in the private sector and the city will create a perfect storm for itself. <st1lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bayonne</st1:city></st1lace> will see an increase in foreclosures in homes and an inability of taxpayers to pay taxes.
It is time to take a tough stand for the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city>. <o></o>
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city> have begun this week. No mention has been made in any publications as of yet, however this is a pivotal issue to the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city>. The city currently has an operating budget of approximately $52million a year. However the city is also running a deficit of about $25 million a year (feel free to check my numbers, I am opining off the cuff here). <o></o>Even allowing for some variation in my numbers, there is no doubt that the city has a clear path in negotiations. They must offer no increase in pay & benefits to the PD & FD, unless layoffs are considered to offset any additional costs.<o
></o>Currently the country is headed into a recession. This means tougher times are ahead for all of us. No one will be exempt from the suffering. With this in mind, the city should consider requesting concessions from PD & FD. In lieu of laying workers off, this would ensure that all workers keep their jobs and keep working when many in the private sector will be losing theirs. <o
></o>I have been told many times by city officials that government should not be compared to the private sector. But what the government is in denial about is that it is the private sector that funds it. The government relies on tax income to fund its operations. However, you can only raise taxes so far before you begin to devalue the private sectors greatest asset: our homes. As tax prices go up, home prices will fall. Couple that with the jobs that many of us will be losing or the cuts in pay many of us will be forced to take in the private sector and the city will create a perfect storm for itself. <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bayonne</st1:city></st1lace> will see an increase in foreclosures in homes and an inability of taxpayers to pay taxes.It is time to take a tough stand for the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1lace></st1:city>. <o></o>
Total Comments 10
Comments
|
GREENVILLEIT'S ELECTION SEASON SOON. RAISES ARE A SURE THING.
|
 
|
|
|
grumpyThe police/fire departments represent between 40 and 50 percent of the City Budget. All the money received from the former MOT will be needed just to make up for the excesses in manpower and salaries in these departments.
|
|
|
|
|
grumpyA clarification of the "operating budget" mentioned above. The Municipal Budget for 2007/2008 is approx. 130 million. This includes a shortfall of 23 million from 2006/2007. This means the budget is approx. 107 million. Of this amount, 52 million is to be raised from property taxes. But there is a substantial deficit. I believe it is projected to be 17 million for 2007/2008. It was reduced due to some spending cuts ( layoffs). However, it well may raise to 25 million for the year beginning in July 2008 (2008/2009 State Fiscal year)
|
|
|
|
|
HappyPolskiUsing the information in the preliminary budget handout from a few months ago –
The fiscal 2008 budget as proposed is $133 mil. It is lower than last year’s budget by about $4.1mil. Municipal taxes will cover slightly more than $55mil. “OTHER MISC REVENUES” total $42mil. The main component of “OTHER MISC REVENUES” is an item for $40mil labeled as “BLRA Reimbursement of Expenses” Question – IF we are to receive $40mil from the BLRA wouldn’t that indicate that we have a $40mil budget deficit? If not, why not? Here’s a breakdown of salaries based upon the aforementioned budget (hopefully the formatting will remain unchanged): Entity Salaries % of Budget % of Property Taxes Bd Health 440,000 0.33% 0.80% Bus Admin 578,000 0.43% 1.04% Clerk 240,000 0.18% 0.43% Comm Dev 331,000 0.25% 0.60% Council 170,000 0.13% 0.31% DPW - Bldgs 975,000 0.73% 1.76% DPW - M Parks 1,180,000 0.89% 2.13% DPW - Other 370,000 0.28% 0.67% DPW - Pool 125,000 0.09% 0.23% DPW - R Parks 1,445,000 1.09% 2.61% DPW - Snow 60,000 0.05% 0.11% DPW - Streets 1,175,000 0.88% 2.12% DPW - Vehicl 650,000 0.49% 1.17% Elect 19,000 0.01% 0.03% FD 14,175,000 10.66% 25.62% Finance 610,000 0.46% 1.10% Homeland 175,000 0.13% 0.32% Law 370,000 0.28% 0.67% Mayor 378,000 0.28% 0.68% Muni Court 740,000 0.56% 1.34% PD 21,249,000 15.98% 38.40% Personnel 136,000 0.10% 0.25% Prosecutor 45,000 0.03% 0.08% Rent Con 60,000 0.05% 0.11% Tax Assesor 185,000 0.14% 0.33% Tax Coll 206,000 0.15% 0.37% Unassigned 5,157,089 3.88% 9.32% Total 51,244,089 38.53% 92.60% Prop Taxes 55,336,849 41.61% BUDGET 132,986,978 |
|
|
|
|
HappyPolskiSorry folks, the formatting got clobbered. There are four columns:
Entity Salary % of Budget % of Property Taxes For example, the first one should follow the aforementioned columns as such: Bd Health 440,000 0.33% 0.80% I hope that helps. |
|
|
|
|
TubelcaineWhat about the 5-0% raises in the past?What about its time for others to step up? The fire and police have done plenty?
|
|
|
|
|
Jude AmerickNeil,
Have there been any further developments regarding the PD/FD contract negotiations? Will the mayor's recent announcement regarding the state's Local Finance Board's plan to assist Bayonne have an impact? Jude |
|
|
|
|
adminJude,
The mayor told me that he would not negotiate in public on this issue. We will not be able to find out what the city offered until it is presented at the city council meeting as a package. Neil |
|
|
|
|
TubelcaineThere are no talks yet.
|
|
|
|
|
remoI think the constituency is in denial, or at least suffering from terminal apathy.
For example, how is it that Bayonne citizenry allows the former MOTBY to go to the PA for $25 million? Sure, it eventually got pulled back, but let's put this in perspective: *selling* that land should have been out of the question. Leasing, and the concomitant revenue that provides, would have been serving Bayonne's best interests. Actively managing its development would've been in Bayonne's best interests. However, work is hard, and it's clear no one in a position to manage the tasks likes to work hard... or demonstrate competence in their appointed or elected roles. A quick sellout and a house on Long Beach Island, good for everyone, right? Oh, you mean you want sympathy for your plight in Bayonne? Sorry, not possible. You overdevelop the town. You do little or no planning. You let historic sites get bulldozed under to create a Burger King or some other exigent public need. You fail in every possible way to represent your town's heritage and best interests. And now, when it's not only clear but unavoidably true that Bayonne will slide into Jersey City South, do people wake up. But okay, cut PD and FD salaries. Force layoffs on the people you pay to protect you when all hell breaks loose. Cut teachers while you're at it. The result? No one working BPD or BFD worth a damn, and certainly not residents of the town. Teachers who aren't residents, or any good. And a lawless city, and ignorant generation. Sounds like a good plan to turn Bayonne in to Jersey City circa 1977. Let's write another blog! Don't attend public meetings or anything, though. You might actually see them screw you over in slow... motion... replay.... -Remo |
|
|
Recent Blog Entries by neilbarton
- 6/18 Bayonne City Council Meeting - Last Minute Fireworks (06-18-2008)
- Time to get over big government (06-09-2008)
- The details of my Fri May 30th deposition (05-31-2008)
- The Port Authority delays deposition (05-28-2008)
- How much did the Bayonne Economic Development Corporation Pay in the Lawsuit? (05-27-2008)
