In 1991, the city changed from a calendar year to a fiscal year for that reason. Guess what? The budget was later than usual. Sometimes not adopting until 9 months have passed. So guess what? The city changed it back to a calendar year, so what is the excuse?

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Yvonne - value your opinion on this. Would it ever be possible to agree a budget at the start of the year, given they don't get all of their funds from state , county, etc until later in the year?

I attended the meeting. The administration asked for 26% for the first 3 months. The budget last year was $516 million and 26% is $135 million, but the city is asking for $172 million. I guess they want to front load the budget.

Wait, is this Congress, or Jersey City? I get so confused sometimes!

Jersey City council approves $172M temporary budget

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
on January 02, 2014 at 10:24 AM

Jersey City hasn?t produced a 2014 city budget, but the Mayor Steve Fulop administration today asked the City Council to approve a $171,637,950 temporary spending plan that will get the city through the next three months.

The nine-member body approved the request unanimously, though some council members said they don?t want to get too much into 2014 without seeing a full financial proposal. The city usually delivers a draft budget by February.

Ward D Councilman Michael Yun said he would have preferred to see draft 2014 figures late last year, while Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano said he wants to see budget figures weeks before he?s expected to vote on them. Today?s request came to the council just this morning, Boggiano said.

Read more at the Jersey Journal

Only Trenton has the authority to go after elected officials and impose fines. Trenton threatened Hoboken Council when Roberts was mayor. They threaten a $25.00 a day fine for not producing a budget. Then the state send in an administrator.

Introduce budget or forfeit paycheck, Jersey City councilwoman suggests

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

No budget, no paycheck: that?s the policy Jersey City City Councilwoman Candice Osborne wants to impose on the mayor and council.

Under Osborne?s plan, which was set for introduction at tomorrow?s council meeting but pulled at the last minute, if the mayor doesn?t send the annual city budget to the council by Feb. 10, the mayor would forfeit his salary until he does.

Alternately, if the council doesn?t introduce the budget by Feb. 10, each and every council member would have their pay taken away. They would start getting their checks again when the budget is introduced.

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