Public Budget Hearing Re-Scheduled

A planned budget hearing has been postponed to June 29, two days , back into Mayor Dawn Zimmer's hands.

A public hearing and final vote on the 2011 budget was scheduled for Wednesday night's meeting, but had to be postponed because Council President Beth Mason's resolution for the budget hearing lacked a formal date.

Moreover, the state has not yet approved the budget. The council majority voted two weeks ago on the amendments that would zero out the city's cash surplus, the document was sent down to Trenton. and has said that this will mean further tax increases in the future.

The council majority on the other hand is still adament on giving back the cash surplus—which comes down to $4.1 million—to the tax payers.

The state's division of Local Government Services has not yet approved the budget. The City Council cannot finally approve the budget without the state's approval. (Even with a public hearing, the state has to approve the rouchly $101 million budget before the council can do anything).

"A public will not be held this evening," Business Administrator Arch Liston informed Mason at the beginning of the meeting. 

"Excuse me?" she answered. Agitated, she continued, "do you not work for the city of Hoboken like we do Mr. Liston? Didn’t I talk to you just before this meeting?"

Liston told her that it's not the city's responsibility to change the resolutions, if they're prepared by the council president.

After more back-and-forth, a new date was scheduled for June 29. It's still unclear if the state will have approved the budget by then.