Inside the numbers: The
NA Police Department:
Binding arbitration could cost NA taxpayers hundreds of
thousands of dollars in new spending!
NAPD seeks 4.0% pay raise through binding arbitration, twenty
of thirty-two police officers earn in excess of $100,000 last
year!
Average NA police officer earned $101,197 in 2007, does
bipartisan support exist to hold line on salaries & spending?
NORTH
ARLINGTON - The
North Arlington Leader reported this week that the North Arlington Police Department is seeking a 4%
pay hike that would increase municipal
spending about $130,000 for fiscal year 2007 as well as fiscal year 2008.
Because the police contract is retroactive, increases in police salaries in a
new agreement could run well over $260,000!
Salaries
for the police department totaled $3.2 million for thirty-two employees
including the chief of police in 2007. The highest paid policeman earned $152,599 with 25 years of service and
lowest paid police officer earned $57,411 with two years experience.
The
average total income for a member of the department was $101,197.
That
doesn't include overtime or the cost of health benefits and state pensions.
17 members
or 53% of the force is comprised of patrolmen.
The experience of the average patrolman is nine years and the overall average
salary of a patrolman including base pay, longevity and holiday pay is $88,880.
North
Arlington has currently nine sergeants of
which one also serves as a detective. 28% of the force holds the rank of
sergeant. The experience for an average sergeant is 17 years on the job. The
average sergeant earned $110,994 in 2007 without overtime or the calculation of
health & pension benefits.
The NAPD
currently has three detectives of which
one also holds the rank of sergeant. The average earned income in 2007
for a member of the detective bureau was $105,733.
The NAPD
also has three lieutenants, but no captains.
The average time of service for a lieutenant is nearly 23 years. The average
income for a North Arlington police lieutenant in 2007 was $123,822 without
calculating heath benefits or pension costs.
According
to Patrolman John Cangelosi, the NAPD is seeking a pay hike slightly higher than the 3.8% state average and slightly less the
4.2% increase enjoyed by police officers in Bergen County.
"It's
not as high as the county and not as low as the state. I think we are being reasonable in the demands," stated Mr.
Cagelosi in a Leader interview.
But
according to The
Leader, newly
elected Republicans Joe Bianchi & Rich Hughes felt the police officers were asking too much, considering the financial
constraints of the municipality.
The
current governing body is comprised of four Democrats and two Republicans.
Democrats Steve Tanelli and James Ferriero are up for re-election. Sources tell NA Today that state employee and local
realtor Kirk Del Russo and 2006 council candidate James Bocchino will challenge
for the two seats. Most observers expect Tanelli to seek re-election
while some believe Councilman Ferriero may retire after six years on the
governing body.
Republicans
Bianchi & Hughes railed against Democrats last year for a 33% tax
hike which Bianchi was quoted in The South Bergenite as saying the increase could have been avoided. Mr.
Bianchi and Mr. Hughes were appointed to the Finance Committee this year by
Mayor Peter Massa in wake of their campaign
promise to reduce property taxes and municipal spending.
Both
Democrats & Republicans seem to agree that the cost associated with
operating the police department has become a struggle as sources tell NA Today promotions and new
hires are also being requested by the force.
With current
negotiations in binding arbitration, North Arlington will have to accept the
findings of a third-party to resolve the collective bargaining dispute.
While the
costs here do not include pensions and health benefits, the largest expenditure
in the municipal budget is the police department.
One of the
perks of public employment is the controversial longevity pay. Longevity pay is
a lump sum percentage payment based on one's base pay.
For example,
a police officer with less than 3 years of service receives no longevity pay.
However, after three years of service, they receive 1% of their base pay. After
six years the percentage doubles to 2% and increases to 3% after nine years.
The longevity scales hits a ceiling of 12% of one's base pay after 24 years of
service. Based upon an average base salary of about $91,000, a
longevity payment at 12% would be $10,955.31 in additional income.
