Council Majority Votes to Lower Salaries After Mayor Announced Veto

Although everybody knew the outcome already, a discussion about still ensued during the council meeting on Wednesday night taking up close to 45 minutes of discussion.

The council majority passed ordinances to . The mayor

Directors earn $103,000 annually and the mayor makes $116,000. The ordinance, which was introduced by Council President Beth Mason in April, proposed to lower the mayor's salary to $100,000. Another ordinance, also introduced by Mason, proposes to lower directors' salaries—which also includes Business Administrator Arch Liston—closer to $90,000.

"I think any further discussion on this topic is purely academic," said Councilman-at-Large Ravi Bhalla on Wednesday night. He continued to call the discussion "rhetorical baloney."

"You guys are making fools of yourselves here," Bhalla told the council majority, "let's move on."

Councilman-at-Large David Mello called it a "slap in the face" of the directors and apologized to them.

The mayor's critics who  make up the council majority, on the other hand, wanted to still make the point, even after receiving an email from the mayor that announced her veto, therefore knowing that the vote will have no real result.

"We’re not taking food out of their mouths," Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo said. First Ward Councilwoman Theresa Castellano said the ordinance was meant to give money back to the taxpayers.

Mason said that Mayor Dawn Zimmer is the highest paid mayor in Hudson County, making more than Jersey City Mayor Jerramaiah Healy's $112,000. The mayor's and directors' salaries were lowered when Zimmer took office. Two years ago, Mason said, Zimmer introduced to lower then-mayor David Roberts' salary.

More political fighting followed before the vote took place, leading to member of the public Maurice DeGenarro to yell from the audience, "this is not productive!"