LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 1229
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
SUMMARY
DATED: FEBRUARY 13, 2018
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Synopsis: |
Increases annual salary of certain public employees. |
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Type of Impact: |
State and County expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Judiciary, all State departments and counties. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate Calendar Year |
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Fiscal Impact |
Calendar Year 2018 |
Calendar Year 2019 |
Calendar Year 2020 |
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State Cost (Mandatory) |
$5,282,640 |
$ 9,885,280 |
$14,487,920 |
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State Cost (Potential) |
$ 136,000 |
$ 136,000 |
$136,000 |
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County Cost (Maximum) |
$ 338,000 |
$ 676,000 |
$1,014,000 |
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Total |
$5,756,640 |
$10,697,280 |
$15,637,920 |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate Fiscal Year |
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Fiscal Impact |
Fiscal Year 2018 |
Fiscal Year 2019 |
Fiscal Year 2020 |
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State Cost (Mandatory) |
$2,641,320 |
$ 7,583,960 |
$12,186,600 |
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State Cost (Potential) |
$ 68,000 |
$ 136,000 |
$ 136,000 |
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Total |
$2,709,320 |
$7,719,960 |
$12,322,600 |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that the total impact of this bill, on a calendar year basis (January 1-December 31) is a combined State and county expenditure increase of about $5.8 million in 2018, about $10.7 million in 2019, and about $15.6 million in 2020. Thereafter, the impact could increase annually to an indeterminate amount above $15.6 million as a result of the provision tying judicial and prosecutor salaries to changes in the Consumer Price Index.
· Converting the bill’s impact on State expenditures only to a fiscal year basis (July 1-June 30), the OLS estimates that the total impact of this bill is a State expenditure increase of about $2.7 million in fiscal year 2018, about $7.7 million in fiscal year 2019, and about $12.3 million in FY 2020. The impact will increase to an indeterminate amount in FY 2021, but to at least $14.5 million, and could increase annually thereafter due to inflation adjustments.
· The OLS estimates that the mandatory costs for increased judicial salaries, workers’ compensation judge salaries, administrative law judge salaries, cabinet member salaries and county prosecutor salaries would total about $5.28 million in calendar year 2018, and increase by an additional $4.6 million in calendar year 2019 to a total cost impact of about $9.89 million. Calendar year costs would increase by another $4.6 million in 2020, for a total three-year cumulative increase of about $14.49 million. Because salary increases for calendar years after 2021 are dependent upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI), costs in excess of $14.49 million in calendar year 2021 and thereafter are not estimated. The maximum cost of increasing the salaries of Legislative executive directors totals $136,000 annually.
· The maximum annual cost to the counties for increasing certain county positions would total $338,000 in calendar year 2018 increasing to $676,000 in calendar year 2019 and $1.014 million in 2020. Because the salary increases for calendar years after 2020 are dependent upon the Consumer Price Index, costs in excess of $1.014 million in calendar year 2021 and thereafter are not estimated.
· Salary increases mandated and permitted by this bill will increase State and county contributions to State-administered retirement systems by indeterminate amounts.
BILL DESCRIPTION
Senate Bill No. 1229 of 2018 establishes the annual salary for the Governor’s cabinet officers and members of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) at $175,000 in calendar year 2018 and thereafter.
In addition, the bill provides for an $8,000 increase in calendar year 2018, and for an $8,000 increase on January 1 of each of the next subsequent two years, in the annual salaries for the Justices of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division judges, Assignment judges, judges of the Superior Court, and judges of the Tax Court. The bill provides for an automatic annual adjustment to 2020 salaries for calendar year 2021, and annually thereafter, based on the change in the Consumer Price Index. Under current law, the annual salary for workers’ compensation judges, administrative law judges, surrogates, county clerks, registers of deeds and mortgages, and sheriffs are linked to the annual salary for a Superior Court judge so that they receive the specific or minimum percentage that is set by law, of the Superior Court judges’ salaries. The statutes that provide for these linked salaries are clearly mandatory in nature and when the salaries of judges are increased, the linked salaries must also be increased, including retroactively. The bill increases the annual salary for county prosecutors in the same amounts and in the same manner as the salaries of judges and Justices are increased by the bill. The annual salary is currently $165,000.
The bill codifies a provision for the maximum annual salary of the executive director of each full time legislative staff operating under the direction of the Senate President, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of each House of the Legislature. Currently, these salaries are not provided for by statute. Under the bill, the salary for each executive director will be fixed and established by the President of the Senate or by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as appropriate, in any amount that the President or Speaker determines to be appropriate for that director, but not to exceed $175,000 in calendar year 2018 and thereafter. While this maximum amount for the annual salary is identical to the amount for the annual salary for the Governor’s cabinet officers and members of the Board of Public Utilities, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly will have complete discretion to set the salaries for the legislative executive directors at any amount that is at or below this maximum, as they deem appropriate.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS estimates that the total impact of this bill, on a calendar year basis (January 1-December 31) is a combined State and county expenditure increase of about $5.8 million in 2018, about $10.7 million in 2019, and about $15.6 million in 2020. Thereafter, the impact could increase annually by an indeterminate amount above $15.6 million as a result of the provision tying judicial and prosecutor salaries to changes in the Consumer Price Index.
Converting the bill’s impact on State expenditures only to a fiscal year basis (July 1-June 30), the OLS estimates that the total impact of this bill is a State expenditure increase of about $2.7 million in fiscal year 2018, about $7.7 million in fiscal year 2019, and about $12.3 million in FY 2020. The impact will increase to an indeterminate amount in FY 2021, but to at least $14.5 million and could increase annually thereafter. The increase in FY 2021 is caused by the annualization of the third annual salary increase, plus the first half-year of any cost of living adjustment. After FY 2021, any increases would be due solely to cost of living adjustments.
The bill’s cost impact on State government consists of mandatory costs increases and discretionary cost increases. Mandatory cost increases comprise judicial salary costs; workers compensation judge and administrative law judge salary increases; executive branch cabinet members; members of the BPU; and county prosecutors’ salary increases, which the state is required by law to fund. Discretionary cost increases comprise increased maximum salaries for legislative executive director positions. The OLS estimates these costs, on a fiscal year basis, as follows:
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FISCAL YEAR STATE EXPENDITURES |
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MANDATORY COST INCREASES |
FISCAL YEAR 2018 |
FISCAL YEAR 2019 |
FISCAL YEAR 2020 |
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Judicial Branch salaries |
$1,928,000 |
$5,784,000 |
$9,640,000 |
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Executive Branch judges |
$289,320 |
$867,960 |
$1,446,600 |
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Executive Branch cabinet and BPU |
$340,000 |
$680,000 |
$680,000 |
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County Prosecutors salaries |
$84,000 |
$252,000 |
$420,000 |
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TOTAL |
$2,641,320 |
$7,583,960 |
$12,186,600 |
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Discretionary cost increases |
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Legislative |
$68,000 |
$136,000 |
$136,000 |
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TOTAL Mandatory and Discretionary |
$2,709,320 |
$7,719,960 |
$12,322,600 |
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Salary increases mandated and permitted by this bill will increase State and county contribution to State-administered retirement systems by indeterminate amounts.
The following tables set forth the details of the bill’s impact by calendar year (January 1 – December 31).
Table 1 illustrates those salary increases mandated by the bill and funded by the State.
TABLE 1
MANDATORY INCREASES SPECIFIED BY BILL
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SALARIES |
TOTAL SALARY INCREASE |
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JUDICIAL BRANCH |
Current |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
# |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
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JUDGES |
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Supreme Court Chief Justice |
$192,795 |
$200,795 |
$208,795 |
$216,795 |
1 |
$8,000 |
$16,000 |
$24,000 |
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Supreme Court Assoc Justices |
$185,842 |
$193,842 |
$201,842 |
$209,842 |
6 |
$48,000 |
$96,000 |
$144,000 |
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Superior Court Appellate Judges |
$175,534 |
$183,534 |
$191,534 |
$199,534 |
32 |
$256,000 |
$512,000 |
$768,000 |
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Superior Court Assignment Judges |
$171,731 |
$179,731 |
$187,731 |
$195,731 |
15 |
$120,000 |
$240,000 |
$360,000 |
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Superior Court Judges |
$165,000 |
$173,000 |
$181,000 |
$189,000 |
416 |
$3,328,000 |
$6,656,000 |
$9,984,000 |
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Tax Court Judges |
$165,000 |
$173,000 |
$181,000 |
$189,000 |
12 |
$96,000 |
$192,000 |
$288,000 |
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SUBTOTAL |
482 |
$3,856,000 |
$7,712,000 |
$11,568,000 |
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CABINET |
$141,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
15 |
$510,000 |
$510,000 |
$510,000 |
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BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES |
$141,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
5 |
$170,000 |
$170,000 |
$170,000 |
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SUBTOTAL |
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20 |
$680,000 |
$680,000 |
$680,000 |
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LOCAL INCREASES FUNDED BY STATE |
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COUNTY PROSECUTORS |
$165,000 |
$173,000 |
$181,000 |
$189,000 |
21 |
$168,000 |
$336,000 |
$504,000 |
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TOTAL MANDATORY STATE SALARY COST |
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21 |
$4,704,000 |
$8,728,000 |
$12,752,000 |
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Table 2 illustrates the salaries of various State officials which are statutorily tied to judicial salaries and would also increase as a result of the bill. The table assumes that all judges other than the chief judges are at the maximum level of pay under current law.
TABLE 2
MANDATORY INCREASES
STATE OFFICIAL SALARIES TIED TO JUDICIAL SALARIES
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SALARIES |
TOTAL SALARY INCREASE |
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EXECUTIVE BRANCH |
Current |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
# |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
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WORKERS COMPENSATION JUDGES |
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Chief Judge |
$146,850 |
$153,970 |
$161,090 |
$168,210 |
1 |
$7,120 |
$14,240 |
$21,360 |
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Judges |
$140,250 |
$147,050 |
$153,850 |
$160,650 |
39 |
$265,200 |
$530,400 |
$795,600 |
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SUBTOTAL |
40 |
$272,320 |
$544,640 |
$816,960 |
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ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES |
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Chief Judge |
$146,850 |
$153,970 |
$161,090 |
$168,210 |
1 |
$7,120 |
$14,240 |
$21,360 |
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Judges |
$140,250 |
$147,050 |
$153,850 |
$160,650 |
44 |
$299,200 |
$598,400 |
$897,600 |
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SUBTOTAL |
45 |
$306,320 |
$612,640 |
$918,960 |
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TOTAL MANDATORY INCREASE FOR POSITIONS TIED TO JUDICIAL SALARIES |
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$578,640 |
$1,157,280 |
$1,735,920 |
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Table 3 summarizes both the salary increases specifically mandated by the bill and those State official salaries which are increased as a result of statutory ties to judicial salaries
TABLE 3
TOTAL MANDATORY SALARY INCREASES
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2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
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Total Mandatory State Salary Increases per S1229 |
$4,704,000 |
$8,728,000 |
$12,752,000 |
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Total Mandatory State Salary Increases per statutory ties to judicial salaries |
$578,640 |
$1,157,280 |
$1,735,920 |
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TOTAL MANDATORY STATE SALARY COSTS |
$5,282,640 |
$9,885,280 |
$14,487,920 |
Salary increases beyond calendar year 2020 are unknown as a result of the provision tying judicial and county prosecutor salaries to changes in the Consumer Price Index.
Table 4 illustrates the maximum salary increases of various State and Legislative officials permitted by the bill.
TABLE 4
SALARY INCREASE GUIDELINES—POTENTIAL INCREASES
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SALARIES |
TOTAL SALARY INCREASE |
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Current |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
# |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
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Legislative Executive Directors |
$141,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
$175,000 |
4 |
$136,000 |
$136,000 |
$136,000 |
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Table 5 illustrates the minimum salaries that the counties must pay to various county officials upon the bill’s enactment. The minimum salaries of various county officials are tied to the level of judicial salaries. As a result, if these officials are not already compensated at the levels listed below, these salaries would be increased.
TABLE 5
COUNTY OFFICIAL SALARIES TIED TO JUDICIAL SALARIES
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SALARIES |
SALARY INCREASE |
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Current |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
# |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
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County Surrogate |
$107,250 |
$112,450 |
$117,650 |
$122,850 |
21 |
$109,200 |
$218,400 |
$327,600 |
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County Clerk |
$107,250 |
$112,450 |
$117,650 |
$122,850 |
21 |
$109,200 |
$218,400 |
$327,600 |
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Registers of Deeds & Mortgages |
$107,250 |
$112,450 |
$117,650 |
$122,850 |
2 |
$10,400 |
$20,800 |
$31,200 |
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Sheriff |
$107,250 |
$112,450 |
$117,650 |
$122,850 |
21 |
$109,200 |
$218,400 |
$327,600 |
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TOTAL POTENTIAL COUNTY COSTS |
84 |
$338,000 |
$676,000 |
$1,014,000 |
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All estimates assume that all positions affected by the bill are filled at all times. Because some positions will be vacant some of the time, actual costs will be lower than the OLS estimates, by indeterminate amounts.
The OLS also notes that there is a potential for indeterminate increase in salary expenses throughout State and county government resulting from an increase in the salaries of deputy commissioners, administrators and employees along with those of the commissioners and other officers.
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Section: |
Judiciary |
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Analyst: |
Principal Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Frank W. Haines III Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).