Even with the critical Summer season approaching, the 2013 Brigantine budget is still top of mind at City Hall. We were hoping that tourism would take the main stage by now. Instead, Brigantine is still figuring out what to do about large staffing expenses and mounting tax appeals.
Brigantine taxpayers will soon need to pony up $4.5 million in retirement costs. For those that haven’t been paying attention, much of Brigantine’s budget goes to employees salaries and benefits. You don’t read about that too much in the local newspapers.
According to The Press of Atlantic City, Brigantine has 35 employees earning more than $100,000 per year, including 19 in the Fire Department and 13 in the Police Department. Outside of those departments, only the city engineer, city manager and public works supervisor earn comparable pay.
See 2011 Brigantine Employee Salaries here.
Recently, Brigantine city manager; Jennifer Blumenthal, asked for voluntary furloughs to help reduce expense. Brigantine councilman; Frank Kern said the city’s previous auditor had urged council to cut its staffing expenses, but that never happened. “I would not be at all surprised if layoffs in various departments occurred this year in consideration of the 2014 budget,” he said.
Reports also suggest that Brigantine City Hall is embarrassed about the $43,000 loss at our golf course, purchased through NJ Green Acres program. The City’s management of the cryptically named ‘The Links’ has not lived up to it’s potential.
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35 employees over $100k! Sooooooooo
How many employees make between $75k and $100K?…. now there’s a good question- AND what are their job titles and job descriptions?
AND how about BENEFITS, Vacations, retirement and other ADD-ONS? This is still the area that needs overhaul- along with the School Budgeted salary issues
I Looked at the salary link posted in the article…. I counted 46 employees make between $75k and $100k…. So folks- 81 employees EIGHTY-ONE employees in Brigantine make over $75,000.00 PLUS benefits, etc, etc…. Question- are all employees in Brigantine members of PERS? (Public Employee Retirement System). If so, they are vested after 10 years and get retirement from the State for life, based on salary. hmmmmmmmmm :-{
Also of interest is where do all these employees live? My bet is that most do not reside here in Brigantine but take their over-inflated salaries and spend them in off shore communities.
Very interesting observation “60 Year”. I know when they retire, most take their pensions and head south…. leaving Brigantine high & dry. The more we post this information, the better chance that corrections will happen. Information is vital. So, I say- let’s find out how many Brigantine employees actually live on the Island. The last I knew, The Manager does NOT live on the Island…. so the impetuous to work on cutting taxes is different. She has no stake in cutting taxes.
Seems wallets only count in Brigantine when they are putting money in their wallets- not taking it out.
Well after looking at the list I would say about 80-90% of them live here and work here, and pay the same taxes you do. I also like how people jump all over the employees of the police, fire, public works, beach patrol etc, Let me see, they work 24/7 to make our island safe & sound, when hurricane sandy came in and everyone was high and dry it was the EMPLOYEES that worked around the clock protecting your homes, rescuing people that stayed, while those employees were loosing their homes as well! and that was just the start, how quickly did Brigantine get cleaned up and opened back up for all you people to come see your homes, these employees worked and worked to get the mess cleaned up so you could get your life back in order, while the employees homes sat and waited SINCE they were assisting the PUBLIC, so 70%, 60+, SOS. Maybe you should all think long and hard about that before you condemn any city employee or what they make, they keep you safe and are there as soon as you need them, if they are saving your home or saving your life they are great, but for now you can down talk them, hey if it’s that bad and you can’t stand what goes on or what they make.. If you can’t be apart of the Brigantine love & family M O V E!!! We don’t need you!!!
Perhaps you are too young to remember the 1962 storm. The police and fire departments worked 24/7 then too for a whole lot less money and no overtime and with much less manpower. It is a part of the job and apparently Brigantine taxpayers value that job very highly these days. Just look at the salaries! Simple question: how many city workers actually live in Brigantine and pay taxes here??? I hope you are correct that it is 80-90% so they can help the rest of us bear the burden of their high salaries.
Dear Tired of the Moaning…. A LOT of people that did NOT get paid ONE single DIME worked hard in the restoration and help on the Island after the Hurricane.
We are grateful for the efforts of the employees during this time and they have been repeatedly applauded BUT and I’m giving a BIG BUT here… they were paid (and on OT) weren’t they. Did they volunteer their time like so many others did?
BTW- your guestimate of 80-90% living on the island and giving back some part of salary in way of taxes is not legitimate unless backed by actual fact. Rhetoric and guessing (80-90%) is not admissible in your supportive statement.
Comments on salary are NOT PERSONAL – all public employees in any town do their jobs in emergencies, just like the employees did here. The difference is- they are doing the jobs (comprised of much, much more) for much, much less. So, it is apparent that YOU have a stake in the highly paid salaries. I do not. They can keep me safe for a whole lot less, just like employees do in other towns.
Because many people do not agree with the status quo in Brigantine and want to see fiscal responsibility, does not mean we have to live with things the way they are… or move as you stated.
… and 60+- you should know that a whole lot of people do not “value” the job they are doing to the “tune” we are paying…. and you are right, they are doing the job they are paid to do. In fact, it would be nice to know just what the city paid for the employees during the storm and recovery period. The people (volunteers) that worked for Free are the heroes. The city employees were doing their jobs. …
SO, it’s seems like Tired of the Moaning is moaning too…. moaning for overpaid employees…
Well said SOS and 60+. The employees were doing their job during Sandy, a Super storm of proportions that no one has experienced.
Let’s talk about the unsung and unpaid residents who stayed on the island, took in those flooded out of their homes and worked for Nothing throughout that week. How about them, Tired of the Moaning, which incidentally, you have done the most moaning of all these posts.
We’re talking municipal employees. They did their jobs well but for 9 months out of each year they patrol this sleepy little island and get paid more than police/ firemen in the large urban areas. Also we will be paying their pensions which includes medical care for life!
Cut the Fat, Ms Blumenthal. Do what you said you were going to do when you arrived last year. Please tell me you’re not being sucked into the dirty politics of Brigantine. We don’t need another Greece- a beautiful place that went broke because their employees hardly worked!
Bottom line we’re paying more and receiving less. The walkways to our beaches weren’t swept last summer and who even remembers twice weekly trash pick-up during the summer months?
Moaning wrote “hey if it’s that bad and you can’t stand what goes on or what they make.. If you can’t be apart of the Brigantine love & family M O V E!!! We don’t need you!!!” FYI- BRIGANTINE is owned by the 70% that pay the taxes here… and that number is going to get bigger with all of the houses that are being knocked down with Mega homes being built in replacement…. so- I think the face of the “Brigantine love & family” is going to change big time and soon. You are only one part of the 30%. Most full time residents are also disgusted with the salary issue. The word is out to the “bill payers” and we are not happy about the stewardship of our tax dollars….We will support those voters so that they can stand up, speak out and vote accordingly. Your “Brigantine family” sold you out when they decided to get all of their tax dollars from Real Estate taxes instead of rateables. You are out-numbered. This is America. It comes down to the dollar in the end… Your Island is owned by wealthy people that don’t like their money spent needlessly. sorry, :{
I certainly do remember twice weekly trash pickup, PennMom–that was before the politicians felt the need to line their pockets instead of providing services for their constituents.
There is entirely too much catering to the wants and needs of city employees and too little care and concern for the needs of the taxpayers…As my name states, I have lived here for 60 years and things are (VERY BADLY) out of control in favor of the city workers and against the taxpayers.
Although I am one of the 30%, I’m being forced out of this town because of the outrageous wages and benefits being paid to the favored few.
DEMS please help us–the REAL REPUBLICANS (who cared about their constituents) are deceased and we are at the mercy of those who only care about their own wealth and the well being of their friends and relatives. Something has to give as it is sad that a lifelong resident must leave this island because taxes are so high just to pay these WAY OVER-INFLATED SALARIES.
But this is not about me (like Moaning)…this is about a crazed culture of overpaid salaries and benefits that need to be curtailed.
Yes, we lifelong residents understand that things have changed and the new/rich residents are taking over and so we must leave but…it does NOT have to be this way IF the council takes a realistic look at the situation as it now stands in Brigantine.
Amen “60” and PennMom. YOU shouldn’t have to leave your island home because of the greed of the politicians, cronies and over-paid City Workers. Shame, shame, shame on them all.
I thank all the city worker but I have to agree, the costs are getting too high. Unfortunately if Brigantine is not you primary home, you don’t get a vote. Perhaps we should allow non-primary home owners to vote on budgets and things that effect the community?
I would like to see a comparison of Brigantine,Sea Isle City,Ventnor,Avalon and Cape Mays number of full time police officers/firefighters .I also would be interested in the square miles of each local along with total year round and seasonal residents.