Quote:

+1

It's highly unlikely Healy will ever get rid of any of the high-paid, no-show hacks he has on the City payroll.

Quote:

WTF does Healy know about "effective and efficient government"?

Most of Hudson County's mayors would welcome having Christie's proposed "tool kit" to work with in attempts to rein in property taxes

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
By MELISSA HAYES
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

For Hudson County mayors, employee salary caps represent the chisel, binding arbitration reform the hammer, and more flexible Civil Service rules the ax that could hack away at rising property taxes.

In a Democratic-controlled county, mayors are welcoming Republican Gov. Chris Christie's "tool kit" reforms with open toolboxes. Without them, they fear municipal services will have to be drastically cut to stay within the 2 percent property tax cap that takes effect next year.

Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian Stack issued a call to his colleagues this week to support Christie's proposed legislation.

"The passage of this legislative package is critical to the responsible operation of our municipalities," Stack said. "Such measures are practical, affording mayors the means to effectively govern."

Stack isn't alone in his support.

Kearny Mayor Al Santos said he hopes the measures are implemented, especially arbitration reform.

An arbitrator recently awarded firefighters in his town a 17.25 percent raise over five years, which Kearny unsuccessfully appealed. As a result, the mayor says, the town is set to lay off 16 employees Jan. 1.

Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said arbitration reform is long overdue, but questioned how successful it would be.

"You can change the rules all you want, but the arbitrators have a tendency to not take into consideration the impact on the taxpayers," he said.

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer is leading a discussion on Christie's "tool kit" at the New Jersey League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City today. Zimmer applauded Stack's support of the legislation.

"Mayors need to stand together to fight for what is best for our cities," she said yesterday.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said that without the proposed reforms it will be near impossible to stay within the 2 percent cap without "causing a further reduction in services, which will hamper effective and efficient government."

But not everyone is 100 percent behind the "tool kit."

Sen. Nick Sacco, mayor of North Bergen, said yesterday he supports ending unfunded state mandates, but can't support an entire package of bills without taking the time to evaluate the impact each has on local communities.

Assemblywoman Joan Quigley, D-32, of Jersey City, said she's concerned about capping arbitration reform at 2 percent because she fears unions won't bother to negotiate and would go straight into arbitration to get 2 percent.

"We've passed a few 'tool kit' bills, but they have so little financial impact, no one has noticed," she added.