Edison Council Tables Pay Raise Ordinance Amid Budget Concerns

EDISON, NJ — The Edison Township Council tabled an ordinance that would have given council members a pay raise, with several members citing concerns about timing and township spending.

The move comes after the council already scaled back an earlier version of the ordinance following public backlash. The original proposal would have raised the council president's salary to $39,500 and councilpersons' salaries to $38,500 — a $21,000 increase per position.

The revised ordinance reduced those increases to $9,000 per position, bringing councilpersons' salaries to $26,500 and the council president's to $27,500 — still more than a 50 percent increase over current pay.

Despite the reductions, on Feb. 25, council members voted to table the measure again, with several saying the township's budget process should come first.

Councilman Asaf Shmuel said he was uncomfortable voting on his own raise without knowing its impact on taxpayers.

"I think the timing of this vote may be a little too early," Shmuel said. "If we would see how any raise would work within the budget that we're working on right now for 2026 — and how it would show the residents of Edison that the raise, whether it affects their taxes or doesn't affect their taxes — I think that would be more prudent."

Councilman Ajay Patil echoed those concerns, saying he wanted to wait until budget discussions were underway before determining an appropriate amount.

"It's not about the number," Patil said. "It's about the timing."

Councilman Richard Brescher said he did not find the dollar amount unreasonable but pushed back on the council's overall approach to township spending.

"I actually believe that $45,000 is a fair number for a council person, if the council people are doing their job," Brescher said, adding that he felt the council had not done enough to scrutinize expenditures. "I just like us to look more at spending in the township."

During an earlier public hearing, former Councilwoman Margot Harris disputed claims by Council President Joseph Coyle that council responsibilities had changed since 2019, which Coyle had cited as justification for the raises. Former Councilwoman Joyce Ship-Freeman questioned whether some members were motivated by financial gain rather than public service.

The ordinance remains tabled pending further budget discussions.

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