City Council will vote on whether to give raises to themselves and other top city officials
TRENTON -- Trenton City Council next month will consider giving double-digit pay raises to themselves, the mayor and the city's other appointed officials.
On Thursday, the council is expected to introduce an ordinance that would raise their own salaries as much as 15 percent over the next three years, and raise the salaries of members of the administration by 15.5 percent. The public hearing and final vote is set for Sept. 15.
The pay increases would be retroactive to Jan. 1.
"As we reach the end of our negotiations with all collective bargaining units, it becomes necessary to adjust the salaries of those city employees that do not fall under any collective bargaining agreement," Business Administrator Terry McEwen wrote in a July 15 memo to council members that was attached to the ordinance.
"It is this administration's intention to provide a similar cost-of-living adjustment to our non-contractual employees to allow the positions to remain competitive in the current market."
Under the measure, by the start of 2018, salaries would increase to $146,061 from $126,460 for Mayor Eric Jackson (15.5 percent); to $133,891 from $115,922 for McEwen (15.5 percent); to $128,332 from $107,231 for Chief of Staff Francis Blanco (19.7 percent); to $117,774 from $101,968 for the municipal judges (15.5 percent); to $129,549 from $112,164 for the chief municipal judge (15.5 percent); to $121,719 from $105,384 for the department directors (15.5 percent); and to $23,000 from $20,000 for council members (15 percent).
Council President Zachary Chester would receive an additional $1,500.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.