17 Jun
2018-554: A Resolution appointing DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP of Teaneck, NJ as special counsel to represent the County of Union in the matter entitled H.C. Equities, L.P. v. UC, et als, in an amount not to exceed $20,000.
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17 Jun
2018-552: Authorizing the County Manager to enter into shared services agreements with local municipalities for the use of the County Print and Sign Shops housed at 179 West Grand Street, Elizabeth. the County of Union by way of Resolution #2017-1036 dated December 21, contracted with Xerox Cap;ital Services LLC for the period of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022.
2017-1036: Authorizing the County Manager to award the proposed contract using State and Federal cooperative contracts: Department of Engineering, Public Works & Facilities; Division of Facilities Management: Xerox Corporation, Woodbridge, New Jersey, for the purpose of providing equipment leasing and labor service for an on-site Print Shop for the period of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022 in the not to exceed amount of $2,101,228.60. The use of the Print Shop is extended to all other governmental entities in Union County as a Shared Service.
15 Jun
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO announced their 2018 endorsements for political office this week and the headline news was that there was a Republican among the 20 lucky politicians. One of those Democrats endorsed was Linda Carter in District 22 who was a Union County freeholder back on December 17, 2015 when she listened to this pitch:
8 Jun
Click here for a spreadsheet of payouts from 2004 sorted by recipient and date paid through May 23, 2018 as taken from Union County Check Registry data. Some of the familiar names are in additional worksheets in the file. Among them:
7 Jun
Data on participants in the New Jersey Retirement System have been updated through March, 2018 on the state website and here are the Union County spreadsheets on retirees with their annual pension payout amounts and employees with their salaries, all sorted by Employer and Name:
1 Jun
From the last freeholder meeting (in anticipation of a June 15, 2018 bond sale):
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What a triple-A bond rating from Moodys really reaffirms is that Union County is willing to pay a lot of money for it. How much did the county pay and how much did Moodys dig into county finances?
29 May
Back at nj.com I did comparisons for 2008, 2009 and 2010 of the Union and Morris County budgets and did 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 , and 2017 here. Both counties serve about 500,000 people though Morris, with a larger land mass and a county library, seems to do it for a lot less. Here is the 2018 update comparing the budgets adopted by Morris County and Union County:
OVERVIEW………………….….UNION………………….MORRIS
Total Appropriations…….…..483,663,954……..…..305,823,695
Less: Surplus……………….…..(24,000,000)………….(25,343,797)
Less: State/Fed Revenue.……(71,730,773)………….(23,396,086)
Less: County Revenue….……(26,955,000)………….(19,773,000)
Amt. Raised by Taxation….360,978,181………..237,310,812
APPROPRIATIONS DETAIL…..UNION………….MORRIS
Salaries……………………….……….177,255,642…………….97,597,075
Debt Service……………………………67,826,644…………….41,355,614
Insurance……………………………….78,228,280…………….50,549,172
Social Security…………………………11,000,000………………6,843,665
Pensions…………………………………29,065,833……………..15,708,829
Other Expenses……..………………120,287,555…………….93,769,340
TOTAL……………………………..483,663,954…………305,823,695
Comparing 2008 to 2018 we see the percentage of the amount to be raised by taxation more than doubling in Union compared to Morris.
Taxes…………………………….UNION………………….MORRIS
2008……………………………..251,657,663…………..193,480,382
2018……………………………..360,978,181…………..237,310,812
$ Change……………………..+109,320,518…………..+43,830,430
Percentage Change…………….+43.44%…..…….…….+22.65%
Note that Morris County also uses their Open Space tax (which they routinely cut) to acquire open space. Compare that to Union County which consistently raids their Open Space ‘Trust’ Fund for their regular budget and plans to continue in perpetuity.
