The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-26
CITY CLERKS SALARY.
Alderman Moran Scores Cor
poration Counsel Blair for
His Recent Humorous
Opinion.

AT the meeting of the Board of Alder
men. last night. Alderman Moran paid his
| respect to Corporation Counsel Blair in
fine style.
AT the last meeting of the Board the
| Aldermen adopted a resolution requesting
the Board of Finance to make provision
for the reinstatement of the salaries Of
the City Clerk and City Marshal at 5000
n $1.50 a year respectively. Both gen.
tlemen are receiving less salary than is
allowed by law. The City Clerks present
salary is 81, 900 and the Marshars $, loo.
When the resolution returning the sal
aries to the amount allowed previous
official reached the Board of Finance,
Corporation Counsel Blair was asked an
opinion on the subject. FIe advised the
Finance Commissioners that they had no
power to provide for an increase at this
time, the budget having been made up
and certain sums set aside for the salaries
of the officers in question. Concluding
the Corporation Counsel remarked that
to increase the salaries in the middle of
a fiscal year was a criminal proceeding.
The last part of the Counsels opinion
has not been kindly taken by the Alder
men.
Alderman Moran fathered the resolution
ordering the increase of the salaries, and
upon him consequently devolyed the duty
to make an explanation.
Our present City Clerk" he said, "re-
ceives only $4,000 a year. His predecessors
for years back have received 5000, which
is the sum specified by law. At our
organization meeting I offered a resolu-
ton fixing his salary at the figure fixed
by aw.
Now our able'-and the able was
peculiarly emphasized Corporation
Counsel" says we have no right at this
time to raise the salaries of our clerk
and marshal to the amount they should
be.
"Our able counsel also informs us that
1t would be criminal to do so. Still /
will take chances on his opinion sending
me or any member of this board behind
State Prison bars for such an act as
ours. Our counsefs opinion on some sub
jects may be very good, but my private
opinion is that his knowledge of law is
very light"
AT this juncture the Alderman referred
TO the laws of 1891 and read a chapter
which authorizes the Aldermen to fix
the salaries of the City Clerk and City
A4dTSIldl. NO time Is set lOIlu WIl6tl LIE
salaries should be fixed.
"That Is the law on the subject" con-
tinued the Alderman. land 1 fail to see
anything in 1t that would make US
criminals by fixing salaries at any time.
No time is specified and it seems quite
natural to me that the organization meet
ing of the Board of Aldermen. when we
elect the clerk is the time to fix his COM
p~ensation Is there anything telling us
being made up? Is there anything telling
US to fix it In July when the budget is
made up? Is there any thing which fixes
December when appropriations are made
as the time?
tit strikes me that there is something
queer behind this. In 1891, when this law
was passed, the Board of Aldermen, in
the middle of a fiscal year increased Mr..
John E. Seott's salary. If it was right
then, it must certainly be right and legal
nance Commissioners to provide for the
increase which is allowed by law, no
matter what the Corporation Counsel
says. I think the Aldermen are willing to
take chance on going to State Prison in
such a matter as this. We have done
only our duty and I think our present
employees should be allowed the same
salaries as their predecessors"
1t is understood that the Aldermen have
procured an opinion from another lawyer
on the subject. in which 1t is set forth
that the Board of Finance can provide
for the increase. This opinion is to be
laid before the Finance Commissioners
for their consideration.
In the event Of the increase not being
allowed at this time, the City Clerks
budget so that there will be no trouble
I'M future.