Government works best when the people it represents are knowledgeable about it and hold it accountable. Facts about the salaries of public employees are a public record. We present these facts, dated 10/2018 and provided by the City, as a public service to help Brigantine taxpayers evaluate their municipal government’s expenditure of taxes and other revenue.
2018 SALARIES – CITY OF BRIGANTINE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
• Brigantine’s latest estimated population is 8,963 according to the 2017 United States Census American Community Survey. This number continues the population decline from the 2000 census to the one in 2010. It’s necessary to know this number when considering the scope and cost of municipal services and the economic health of the local business community.
• The number of listed positions (one person holds 2 positions) is 176, one more than last year. There are 34 police officers and 34 firefighters.
• The number of employees with a listed salary of at least $100.000 is 48, the most ever, 27% of the 176.
• The amount of the total listed payroll (non-seasonal employee list) is $11 million, less than in 2017. This amount doesn’t include the total part-time wages, salaries for seasonal workers, legal salaries except for the judge, and overtime costs.
• This year we have a list covering overtime. $444,000 so far, and the City’s seasonal employee list, bringing the total employee number to 365.
• Longevity, an unwarranted, unnecessary expense, continues. As of 1/1/15, police and fire new hires don’t get longevity. However, other employees do, costing taxpayers $349,000, more than 1 penny on the property-tax rate. 1 cent equals $326,634.
• Total (both lists) personnel costs including payroll, health and other insurance, overtime and all statutory expenses, arc, rounded, at least $18 million. That’s 80% of the $22.6 million in local property taxes for the 2018 municipal budget.