>Other towns nearby – even with larger populations – pay less for the same functions we pay more for here
I don’t know much about Aronsohn, many on this blog say he has another agenda, but I don’t know about that.
What I do know is that mistakes of the past aren’t nearly as impt as not making them over and over again. At least he objects – often the only one– and is “put down” by the others – for what reasons I have no idea.
Many of the top VH officials are paid much higher than their counterparts in other nearby towns of similar size. That can be shown by lookups using public databases.
Other towns nearby – even with larger populations – pay less for the same functions we pay more for here.
Whether similar mistakes were made in the past doesn’t mean nearly as much as stopping this practice going forward.
Is the job of Clerk (as one example) here really so much more challenging than the same job in Mahwah or Paramus that it justifies paying $110,640 while Mahwah paid $67,940 and Paramus paid $62,000 for that same position?
Same question re Tax Collector, who here was paid $103,344 – while Mahwah paid $67,436 and Paramus paid $82,420. Is that job really so much more complex here to justify the big diff in pay?
Those are just 2 examples – many more can be found easily.
If you analyze more top positions and compare them, you wind up with a very large savings to taxpayers that other towns are able to achieve for providing the same services and functions– because they pay the top officials less than we do here.
So, why can’t we do that too?
With the money saved, you could have funds to hire more people to get out and do all the needed work, couldn’t you?
Population of both Mahwah and Paramus per 2010 census data is just slightly higher then Ridgewood’s population.
Mahwah:25,890 Paramus: 26,342
Ridgewood: 24,958.
Note: numbers from 2010 and sourced from: https://php.app.com/NJpublicemployees11/search.php
Numbers do not include perks, pensions, bonuses, overtime and any other benefits, per that link.
Interesting quote from Dec 8 2010 Village Council meeting where officials from other towns were objecting to Ridgewood Water rate increase is below. Perhaps this is just an error in the minutes, but they ARE the “official” minutes.
Supposedly the Clerk reviews them and the Council approves them prior to being published.
(link for full minutes:)
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/minutes/PUBLIC12.810.htm
QUOTE FROM MINUTES:
Councilman Riche thanked everyone for their comments and emphasized that he understands the hardships facing all residents, not only in Ridgewood but in neighboring towns as well. He stated that everyone is doing less with more.
END QUOTE
Yeah, over at VH that last sentence seems to be all too true. At least Riche seems to have recognized it – IF the minutes are right. Now, why not do something to change it?
