Brigantine’s current Fire and Police contracts provide for annual raises. Starting salary for Brigantine police officers increased 44% between 1999 and 2012.
Recent contracts for Brigantine PD & FD featured pay raises, longevity bonuses, and overtime compensation. These facts were featured in a recent Press of Atlantic City newspaper article published on July 13, 2013.
It’s no secret. The City of Brigantine is under increasing financial pressure due to the decline of tax revenue, and the increase of property tax appeals.
This witches brew of fiscal turmoil has been percolating for years.
Some potential culprits, that may have contributed to this mess:
- Lack of municipal transparency from elected and appointed officials
- Past city leaders allegedly created sweetheart jobs
- 70% of taxpayers (part-time residents) not voting in Brigantine, even though they can if registered
- 70% of residents still have limited & potentially biased access to public info
- Local papers have weak web strategy to share info w/ with part-time residents
- City still lacks professional web marketing & online information sharing
- Limited or no investigative inquiries by local Brigantine newspapers
- Non-sustainable salaries
- No marketing or tourism strategy for the city.
- Elected officials not providing financial / investment disclosure
To Re-cap:
- Brigantine has 35 employees earning more than $100,000 per year. 19 are firefighters and 13 are police officers.
- Salaries for Police & Fire account for 63 percent of total budget.
- City still negotiating with Police & Fire unions. Both contracts expired approx 2 years ago.
- In April 2013, City manager asked for voluntary furloughs from city employees to reduce operating costs. None were taken.
Read more about Brigantine Police and Fire contracts here.
WOW. What a difference a couple decades make!
When I started on Brig. P.D. in Jan 1967, I was making $4,800.00 a year.
When I retired in Sept. of 1992, a few more zero’s were added, and I retired as a Lt. for $48,000.00. a year.
total joke…brigantine will not survive. no leadership, no vision…brigantine is lost out at sea!
And maybe its time for a part time residents lawsuit against the State of NJ. and Brigantine Goverment.
Civil rights and crimmal fraud.