Despite objections, Jersey City Council approves measure to allow municipal salary hikes
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, and Ward F Jermaine Robinson voted no.
“Voting on your own salaries are unethical. Everyone who runs for office knows what the job pays,” resident Esther Wintner said prior to the vote.
“We’re not voting on a council raise tonight,” responded Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley.
The salary ordinance before the council copied the language of municipal code and did not include a salary increase for council members. Rather, it included language that indicated past raises for the council members.
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The Jersey City Council met virtually on Jan. 13.
The Jersey City Council tackled myriad items during the Jan. 13 virtual meeting, ranging from new medical marijuana taxes to condemning President Donald Trump and his supporters for the Jan. 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill.
A new revenue stream for affordable housing?
The council unanimously introduced an ordinance establishing a 2 percent tax on medical marijuana sales.
One hundred percent of the revenues collected from the tax will be deposited into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, according to the introductory ordinance.
The fund is primarily funded through developer contributions and is used to rehabilitate or preserve existing affordable housing, construct new low- or moderate-income affordable housing, or, in limited circumstances, acquire property for the purpose of creating affordable housing.