The Jersey City Council has approved an agreement to save 82 police officers from being laid off later this month, a deal the city says will save $3.4 million this year.
In an effort to close an $80 million budget gap, the city had proposed the layoff of 82 rank and file officers, in addition to seven civilian workers in the police department. Last year’s municipal budget topped $500 million.
The city has also proposed the demotions of 12 senior officers, which is still being negotiated.
“The city has to stop its business-as-usual approach to budgeting the police department.” – Jerry DeCicco
________
On Wednesday night, the City Council approved an amendment 7-0 in the POBA current labor contract.
Councilwoman Viola Richardson did not attend Wednesday’s council meeting and did not vote. Newly-appointed Councilwoman Kalimah Ahmad, whose appointment by Healy the council confirmed Wednesday and who was sworn in Thursday, will take her seat on the council for the first time next week. Ahmad, an at-large council representative, replaced Willie Flood, who resigned two weeks ago, prior to the police contract vote.
Save now, pay later
Under an agreement negotiated last month between Healy and the POBA’s executive board, union members will defer a week of pay until they retire or leave, receive an extra day of pay when they retire, receive two additional compensation days this year, and will keep a $1,300 uniform allowance. They will also give up their next two incremental wage increases this year.
While the agreement may save the city millions of dollars this year, it could cost taxpayers more money in the long run.
According to Healy spokesperson Jennifer Morrill, when officers get their week of deferred compensation, they’ll receive whatever their pay rate is when they retire, not what they are now earning. So in that respect, the city will pay more down the road, particularly for a young officer who forgoes a week’s pay now and gets that week when he retires at a higher salary years down the road.
In addition, officers will receive their deferred week of pay even if they do not retire from the department and they leave for another reason.
“It was a rough two months negotiating this contract,” said City Council President Peter Brennan. “We don’t want to raise taxes, and if we can save $3.8 million here and $3.5 million there, is it going to get us to where want to go. Personally, I don’t think it will get us to $80 million. But we have to start somewhere. We’re tried every way to cut every department by 10 to 15 percent. We made cuts last year. And this year we’re making drastic cuts again…We could be putting a future mayor, 20 years from now, in a bind. But the hope is that between now and then the leadership can correct other budget problems so that we’ll be able to pay for this contract long-term.”
POBA President Jerry DeCicco agreed.
“The city has to stop its business-as-usual approach to budgeting the police department, and devise alternative sources of revenue,” said DeCicco. “There are numerous public safety grants that are not being accessed. The city and police department need to research and apply for these valuable programs. We formed a committee with the city for the important task of applying for these revenue streams, and the POBA looks forward to doing its part to save taxpayer money while keeping the police force at the levels needed to keep our streets safe.”
Brennan and other members of the council have disputed POBA claims that the city has not aggressively pursued grants and other streams of revenue for the police department.
Councilman Steven Fulop, who voted in favor of the contract amendment and who was eager to prevent the layoffs, said the city can’t keep revisiting the same budget cuts year after year.
“My hope is that we’re not in the same predicament next year,” Fulop said before Wednesday’s vote and before he’d had read details of the revised contract. “There’s only so much those 82 police officers can give back. My hope is that some of this doesn’t come back to us next year.”
Still may be demotions
The Police Superior Officers Association, the union that represents the 12 senior officers slated for demotions, is still negotiating with the city to prevent the demotions.
There is still no word from the city regarding the fate of the seven civilian employees who were expected to be laid off.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.