Council OKs Salary Increase, Lempert Casts Deciding Vote
Thanks to a stalemate-breaking vote by Mayor Liz Lempert, Princeton Council Monday night approved a resolution to raise the governing body’s salaries. The controversial issue had Patrick Simon, Jo Butler, and Jenny Crumiller voting against the resolution, while Lance Liverman, Council president Bernie Miller, and Heather Howard cast their votes in favor.
Before voting yes, Mayor Lempert said she had hoped the matter could have been settled without her stepping in. “I appreciate the attempts at trying to find a compromise,” she said. “But I’m going to vote yes, and I think we’ve debated this for many, many hours of our valuable time.”
The raise brings her salary from $15,000 to $17,500. Council members’ compensation rises from $7,500 to $10,000, while Council president Miller goes from $7,500 to $12,500.
The issue has provoked heated discussion at previous meetings of the Council, and Monday night’s meeting was no exception. Members of the public weighed in as well. Those in favor of the raises have said that the low amount of compensation for all of the hours of work required may discourage people who are not of significant means from serving on the governing body. Those against it have argued that there were salary amounts approved by the former Borough Council and Township Committee before consolidation, and changing them would mean going back on a promise.
“It’s extremely uncomfortable to put money in our own pockets,” Ms. Crumiller said, suggesting that the issue become a public question on the next ballot. But Bob Bruschi, the town’s administrator, said that would be inappropriate because it would politicize the issue. Ms. Crumiller said there was no evidence that adding $2,500 to the compensation would make serving on the Council more appealing. “Twenty-five hundred dollars is just not going to make a difference,” she said.
Mr. Liverman said that amount “for some people, is a lot of money. I think it’s fair.” Ms. Howard commented that she didn’t see the raises as a consolidation issue. Mr. Miller said that since consolidation took effect, there are now seven members of Council doing the work of what 12 people, who served on the former Borough Council and Township Committee, did in the past. Mr. Simon suggested an amendment to the resolution that would make the raises effective when successors to the current Council are appointed. But the option was overruled.
Mr. Bruschi sent a memo last week on the issue to members of Council, including statistics from other communities around New Jersey. He urges giving “serious consideration to raise the annual salary stipend to at least the levels that were discussed. I would argue that there is significant rationale for a stipend in excess of what is being considered.”
He urged Council to focus on the topic from a policy point of view rather than the fact that it was a decision made during consolidation. “Approach the salary matter the same way we would approach it when hiring a new employee,” he wrote. “Look at the job duties, the resident expectations not just for the incumbent but also for the successors. The unintended consequence could be a reality and that is to restrict who might consider running for office by eliminating an economic portion of the community that — because of the need to work or provide for child care service — therefore just can’t afford to make the commitment because of the time and financial impact it would have on the family.”
Mr. Bruschi also suggested Council provide for increases going forward based on the salary and wage approved for non-contractual employees. “In other words, when Council approves an increase of 1.5 percent for the employees, the salaries for those positions would likewise receive the 1.5 percent,” he wrote.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Peter Marks agreed with Ms. Crumiller that there should be a referendum on the subject, but said he was in favor of higher pay for elected officials. “The mayor is as important a position as chief of police or administrator,” he said, suggesting that cuts be made in staff to finance higher pay for members of the governing body. Peter Wolanin, municipal chair of the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee, called the resolution “a little narrow” but spoke in favor of the salary increase.