Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, , Bergen County’s coronavirus outbreak has led to a 31% increase in spending in the county’s 2020 budget, which comes with a 4% tax hike .The county plans to shell out $741,887,685 this year, a $177.7 million increase from last year’s total appropriations. Fortunately most of that amount or $172.7 million is being reimbursed by the federal government, largely with CARES Act money.
Derek Sands, a spokesman for Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, told North Jersey Media, the tax levy is rising by about 4% from 2019. An average home valued at $465,962 will see a $28 increase on the county portion of their tax bill in 2020.
The defund police movement had no impact with funding for law enforcement, county prosecutor, the sheriff, the jail is at $116 million, that is up 3% from last year.
The salary cost to pay a staff of 2700 is $180.4 million this year, a huge 7% increase from 2019. Also accumulated absences also add up , many public workers don’t use their paid time off, they can save it and cash the days in later or at retirement. The county expects to pay its workers $736,957 this year in exchange for accumulated absences. Overall, the county’s staff is owed $48 million in unused time.
And the cost of county debt soared to pay $99.3 million in debt service in 2020. Ten years ago, the figure was $58 million.
Staff cost increase 7%
Debt service rapidly increasing.
Just like every other government.
Most of Bergen county employees are still working. What gives? Take advantage of this crisis?
Huh
They cleaned the park up pretty quickly….hooray for that…
3 thoughts on “COVID-19 Hits Bergen County Budget With Massive Spending and Tax Hike”
Did I misunderstand what was written in the article? It stated the expense of $177.7 million would be mostly covered with $172.7 million from the Cares Act. The balance of $5m.
The biggest increase or noose around the tax payers neck is the county budget increase in debt service which as the article stated “has soared to $99M”.
So why is the question about Covid-19 massive tax hike?
Big difference between private sector work-from-home to that of government employees work-from-home. For the private sector, you actually work, while government employees are mostly having the most incredible paid vacation ever.
And of course one village one vote wants to take away our right to vote on the largest chunk of our Ridgewood tax burden.
They can save a lot of money , Stop buying toilet paper
Again we see the result of 1party governance gone wild by NOT holding the line on the budget (spending plan vs actual budget). While the rest of the county residents struggle to pay the bills, the county increases our burden. Where is the austerity? Novel idea, cut the spending to match the health and welfare increases. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Let’s get real and start running this thing like a business. In corporate America use your vacation each year or lose it. You’re paying vacation days out at a much higher rate when these folks decide to retire.
In the current environment this is actually repulsive. When private corporations are acting responsibly our local governments continue as if nothing has changed and continue to reap the benefit of the CARES Act funding. The CARES Act and related government funding is of course necessary but as usual is not being distributed effectively and instead encourages continued irresponsible local government fiscal policy.
Nobody likes tax increase. Nobody likes the fact that NJ property tax is highest in nation. Lots of stuff we hate. And yet we continue and pay it. Increasing Every year , making excuses , this year covid next year recession; always something and no accountability