Bergen County, New Jersey
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Contents |
[edit] Website evaluation
[edit] The good
- Provides a government open records request form.[2]
- County freeholders are listed with contact information.[3]
- Freeholder meeting agendas[4] and videos are provided.[5]
- Includes info on local taxes.[6]
- Budget summary is online.[7]
- Current bids posted.[8]
- Permits and zoning are not applied at a county level in New Jersey.
[edit] The bad
- County audits not available.
- Does not disclose if belongs to taxpayer-funded lobbying associations.
[edit] Budget
The 2011 budget is $487,137,881 which is $525,000 lower than the 2010 budget. $351 million is expected to be garnered from taxes. [9] The vote on the budget was 5-2 with both Democrats being the dissenters.[10]
[edit] Stimulus
Bergen County has received $252,383,083 from the economic stimulus package.[11]
| # of Awards | Total Amount | Reported Jobs | |
| Contracts | 81 | $5,247,321 | 27.02 |
| Grants | 273 | $199,909,811 | 166.7 |
| Loans | 0 | $0 | 0 |
| Total | 354 | $252,383,083 | 193.72 |
[edit] Public Employees
[edit] Elected Officials
Term Length[12]
- 3 years, staggered
- November elections
Responsibilities[13]
- Legislative body
- Check on the executive branch (County Executive)
- Approves contracts
- Budget
The Board of Freeholders is made up of 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats.[14]
| First | Last | Position | Term Expiration |
| John | Driscoll Jr. | Chairman | 2012 |
| Maura | DeNicole | Vice-Chairwoman | 2013 |
| John | Felice | Member | 2013 |
| David | Ganz | Member | 2011 |
| Robert | Hermansen | Member | 2012 |
| Bernadette | McPherson | Member | 2011 |
| John | Mitchell | Member | 2013 |
[edit] Administrative Officials
The County Executive is Kathleen Donovan. The County Executive enforces the policies passed by the Freeholders and appoints department heads.[15] Donovan has been criticized for collecting her pension from her years as county clerk while receiving her salary as County Executive.[16] Democrats have also called her a hypocrite for buying $1,900 worth of pens and pencils with her name on them when she said she wouldn't use taxpayer funds to put her name on equipment.[17]
| First | Last | Position |
| Kathleen | Donovan | Bergen County Executive |
| Ed | Trawinski | County Administrator |
| Elizabeth | Randall | County Clerk |
| Michael | Saudino | County Sheriff |
| Michael | Dressler | County Surrogate |
[edit] Pensions
According to the 2011 budget document, pension costs (PERS) were $1,953,495 and pension costs (PFRS) $2,443,178.[18]
Six Bergen County employees are collecting a pension along with their annual salary.[19]
| Offical | Position | Salary | Annual Pension | Total |
| Kathleen Donovan | County Executive | $134,617 | $73,228 | $207,845.00 |
| Michael Saudino | Sheriff | $138,000.00 | $129,987 | $267,987.00 |
| Steven Librie | Undersheriff | $115,000.00 | $104,453 | $219,453.00 |
| Brian Smith | Undersheriff | $110,000 | $106,709 | $216,709.00 |
| Harry Shortway | Undersheriff | $110,000 | $75,096.00 | $185,096.00 |
| Robert Colaneri | Undersheriff | $110,000 | $93,501.00 | $203,501.00 |
[edit] Salaries
- The median teacher salary in Bergen is $61,096.[20]
- The Bergen County Community College President, G. Jeremiah Ryan, has a salary of $192,400 along with a $14,000 a year housing stipend, a leased car, possible $4,000 performance bonus, and a $50,000 travel and expense allowance of which he spends half each year.[21]
- As of 2009 the average police officer's base pay was $103,649 with 68.5% of officers in the county earning more than $100,000 a year.[22]
- Department heads of parks, public works, and human services earned $121,182 in 2010.[23]
- County Executive Kathleen Donovan merged Public Safety Director and Police Chief and named Brian Higgins to the position with a salary of $175,555 which will save $288,000 a year.[24]
[edit] Lobbying
- Main article:New Jersey taxpayer-funded lobbying
Bergen County has reported more than $150,000 spent lobbying since 2005 (see table).
| Year | Amount spent on lobbying |
|---|---|
| 2011 | None Reported |
| 2010 | $46,000 |
| 2009 | $68,000 |
| 2008 | $30,000 |
| 2007 | Less than $10,000 |
| 2006 | Less than $10,000 |
| 2005 | Less than $10,000 |
The Bergen County Improvement Authority has reported $620,000 spent lobbying since 2004 (see table).
| Year | Amount spent on lobbying |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Less than $20,000 |
| 2010 | $30,000 |
| 2009 | $80,000 |
| 2008 | $110,000 |
| 2007 | $140,000 |
| 2006 | $120,000 |
| 2005 | $120,000 |
| 2004 | $120,000 |
In addition to this, the Bergen County Department of Planning & Development spent $25,000 in 2008 on lobbying.[27] Total, Bergen County has reported more than $695,000 total on lobbying since 2004.
[edit] Transparency & public records
The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) was passed by the NJ State Legislature in 2001 and guarantees citizen access to a wide variety of government documents. For more information on OPRA and public records see OPRA Central. Provides a government open records request form.[28]
[edit] Taxes
Those who pay property taxes in Bergen County have rights outlined the in the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. [29]
[edit] External links
- Official Bergen County Website
- New Jersey Visitors Network - Bergen County
- Public Records Directory - Bergen County
- Bergen County on E-Reference
- My Bergen
- North Jersey News
- Bergen County Library System
- Firm wins fight for real estate data, The Star-Ledger, April 28, 2009
- Court rules for county clerk in records case, Courier Post Online, April 28, 2009
- In the end, high court prefers more secrecy, My Central Jersey, May 3, 2009
[edit] References
- ↑ "American Fact Finder" Census
- ↑ Records Request
- ↑ Freeholders
- ↑ Agendas
- ↑ Freeholders Videos
- ↑ Board of Taxation
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Bids
- ↑ 2011 Proposed Budget
- ↑ North Jersey "Bergen freeholders approve $487 million 2011 budget"
- ↑ Recovery.Gov
- ↑ Freeholder Description
- ↑ Freeholder Description
- ↑ NorthJersey "Bergen freeholders approve $487 million 2011 budget"
- ↑ Executive
- ↑ NorthJersey "Six officials collect their paycheck, state pension"
- ↑ NorthJersey "Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan's $1,895 for pens draws fire"
- ↑ 2011 Proposed Budget
- ↑ NorthJersey "Six officials collect their paycheck, state pension"
- ↑ NorthJersey "Half of the teachers in New Jersey who earned more than $100,000 work in Bergen and Passaic counties."
- ↑ NorthJersey "N.J. comptroller reviews county college chiefs' pay"
- ↑ NorthJersey "Police salaries"
- ↑ NorthJersey "Incoming Bergen County exec nominates three department heads"
- ↑ NorthJersey "Public safety head now acting Bergen police chief"
- ↑ Open Secrets
- ↑ Open Secrets
- ↑ Bergen County Department of Planning & Development 2008
- ↑ Records Request
- ↑ Bill of Rights
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