Hoboken Proposes Significant Raises For City Council, Next Mayor

HOBOKEN, NJ — A measure on the agenda for the Hoboken City Council meeting Monday night would significantly raise the salaries for the nine city council members and for a future mayor. It also increases the salary range for other city positions.

The salary of the part-time council president would increase from $26,541 to $40,000 if approved. The other eight members' salaries would increase from $24,130 to $37,500.

City council members are all considered part-time and can opt to receive health benefits.

Get a free 6 a.m. daily newsletter with news in Hoboken: https://patch.com/subscribe

"The increase in the mayor’s salary range comes with a caveat that it will only kick in when a new mayor is elected," said city spokesperson Marilyn Baer, "meaning Mayor Bhalla will not be receiving a raise under this salary ordinance at any point while he is mayor."

Bhalla was just re-elected to his second term on Nov. 2, as were two incumbent council members running on his ticket.

The mayor currently earns $116,950. The new salary would be $130,000.

Most past mayors of Hoboken have had another significant source of income while they worked full-time as mayor. Bhalla took an "of counsel" role at a law firm in 2018 for $60,000.

The ordinance would have to be introduced by a vote at one meeting and then approved at a subsequent meeting, a meeting that would also include a hearing at which the public can comment.

"The council raises will not go into effect until the new year," Baer said, "as this is an ordinance on first reading, which must then be adopted on second reading and then proceed through 20-day estoppel period."

Among the top-paid city jobs, the business administrator's salary range will run from $162,000 to $199,000.

"The ordinance amending salary ranges for certain employees does not guarantee anyone a raise, but rather just increases the range in one’s salary," said Baer. "It was drafted to ensure the city remains competitive in attracting and retaining talented employees, as over the last few years several high-caliber directors have left the employ of the city after receiving higher paying job offers."

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher took issue with the measure in her newsletter on Monday.

She said that some of the salary ranges are for positions that don't yet exist but the mayor is considering adding, and that the raises and increases in salary ranges are significant.

"Effectively what this does is gives the mayor carte blanche to increase these salaries which, when aggregated, would be an additional $346K..." she wrote. "I understand that the rationale may be
to be competitive in the event one of these employees wants to leave, but we have been given no specific information on this and isn't a better approach to address that as and when?"

She added, "If we believe an employee needs this big of an increase to stay, it may be worth doing a search for the roles given their importance to the city."

To watch the discussion and the vote on this measure and others, attend the City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. This can be done on Facebook using this link. Alternatively, other instructions to join virtually are on the agenda here.

The meeting is being held Monday instead of Wednesday because the League of Municipalities convention is taking place later this week.

Get a free 6 a.m. daily newsletter with news in Hoboken: https://patch.com/subscribe

You can sign up to get breaking news alerts in Hoboken and a free daily newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. with local news. Sign up with your zip code here and you'll get an email asking for your preferences.