Trading spaces: Sires settles in
Filling Menendez's seat in more ways than one
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

It's pretty expensive to lease an office in Jersey City these days.

Just ask freshly elected Rep. Albio Sires.

After inheriting U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's former 13th District congressional office in Journal Square following this month's election, Sires said he and his staff priced out different office spaces in Jersey City and were surprised when the numbers came back.

"They were expensive," said Sires, adding that he looked on Newark Avenue and in other areas.

Sires has until the end of this year to renew his current lease in Journal Square or find another Jersey City office.

Sire said all members of Congress receive $1.2 million annually for all expenses, including staff salaries and office space.

The freshman congressman has already moved one congressional office from Union City to 54th Street and Palisade Avenue in West New York, where he served as mayor from 1995 until he headed to Washington after the recent election.

He is also looking for office space in Middlesex County, but has yet to target a location. He says he will maintain the current location in Bayonne.