JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop said this week that the administration will move forward with the dissolution of the Jersey City Parking Authority, a measure that will save taxpayers $850,000 annually by merging the autonomous agency with existing city departments. The administration will ask the City Council to untable and vote on the ordinance to dissolve the Parking Authority and merger of functions into city government at their meeting Wednesday night.
The Parking Authority will become a division within the Department of Public Safety, and there will be no reduction of jobs within the enforcement and operations division. Streamlining of operations will take place at the management level, with a reduction of duplicative services and associated costs.
“We are moving forward with a campaign promise and our goal of reducing duplicative functions and costly agencies, thereby increasing efficiency in the delivery of services,” said Mayor Fulop. “Dissolution of the Parking Authority will not only save the taxpayers significantly, but will also create greater accountability and transparency.”
The merger will save the city $850,000 annually – $650,000 in redundant management costs and $200,000 in healthcare costs – beginning with fiscal year 2015 that commences January 1, 2015. Also, the Parking Authority provides a full pension and lifetime health benefits for employees after 15 years of service, which is antiquated and has led to costly structures. By merging with the City, 25 years of service will be required to receive those benefits.
While enforcement will be handled under the Department of Public Safety, many of the administrative functions such as payroll and the administration of health benefits would be absorbed by the City staff already performing these duties. The maintenance of Parking Authority lots, for example, will be performed by the City’s Department of Public Works.
Policy changes that will take place to create a more efficient department include no longer operating as a five day work week, but rather a 24 hour – 7 day a week enforcement operation under the authority of Public Safety Director James Shea.
The administration is also in the process of merging the Jersey City Incinerator Authority into the Department of Public Works.
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