City Council Approves $150G in Emergency Appropriations

On Wednesday night, $150,000 in emergency funds were approved to go toward the city's legal department. 

At the moment, the legal department has roughly $400,000 to spend on litigation, said interim Corporation Counsel Melissa Longo during Wednesday's meeting.

That, however, may not be enough to pay for the lawsuits on the city's plate. 

While members of the city council minority usually vote down emergency appropriations, this time the measure passed. (Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo still voted "no.")

"I don't usually vote for emergency appropriations," said Second Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason. But, she added, she voted in favor of it because the city needs to have enough money to pay for its ongoing law suit to stop the uptown

The city also needs enough money in the legal department line item to pay for lawyers working on the New Jersey Transit development. 

While NJ Transit has expressed that it wants to start developing the first 1.8 acres, the city wants to finalize a plan for the whole 52-acre property first.