New budget to increase Paterson’s property taxes
PATERSON — The City Council on Wednesday night approved Mayor Andre Sayegh’s $299 million annual city budget, a spending plan that was bailed out over the summer by a $10 million increase in state aid.
City officials had faced a massive deficit before they got the boost in state funding.
The budget will increase city property taxes by 2.5%, slightly less than the 2.9% hike that officials projected when the spending plan got its initial approval in early September.
Paterson homeowners face an average annual tax increase of $168 under the budget, said city finance director Javier Silva.
The vote on the budget was 7-1, with the mayor’s constant critic, Councilman Michael Jackson, the only member opposed.
Councilwoman Lilisa Mimms had voted against the preliminary budget in September but supported the mayor’s spending plan on Wednesday night.
“You have to work with them,” Mimms said of the Sayegh administration. “You don’t have to like people, but in order to get things done there’s something called collaboration.”
Mimms cited city park improvements and purchases of Public Works Department equipment as part of the reason she voted in favor of the budget.
“If we’re going to fix Paterson, it has to be all hands on deck,” Mimms said.
Just three residents spoke during the public hearing on the budget, including two who took exception to the $50,000 raise given to Business Administrator Kathleen Long in 2022, under Paterson’s previous budget.
Councilwoman Maritza Davila said Long has been unfairly “beat down” by Sayegh administration critics.
The budget includes $181 million for city employee salaries, including $66 million for police and $62 million for the Fire Department.