LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO


SENATE, No. 2364


STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: January 14, 1998

 

      Senate Bill No. 2364 of 1997 would increase the annual salaries of Supreme Court Justices, Superior Court Judges and members of the New Jersey Legislature. The judicial increases total $5,000 on July 1, 1998, $5,000 on July 1, 1999, and $5,000 on July 1, 2000, for a total cumulative increase of $15,000. For legislators, the bill provides a $10,000 increase, effective January, 2000.

 

JUDICIAL SALARIES

      The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) states that currently, there are 7 Supreme Court Justices, 12 Tax Court Judges, and 416 Superior Court Judges. Under the bill, these individuals would receive a $15,000 salary increase over three years. The incremental cost of this increase would be as follows:

 

 

FY1999

Increment

FY2000

Increment

FY2001

Increment

Cumulative

Total

Supreme Court


$35,000


$35,000


$35,000


$105,000

Tax Court

60,000

60,000

60,000

180,000

Superior Court


2,080,000


2,080,000


2,080,000


6,240,000

Fringe Benefits


1,044,000


1,044,000


1,044,000


3,132,000

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

ANNUAL


$3,219,000


$3,219,000


$3,219,000


$9,657,000

 

 

      Thus, after three years, the annual additional cost to the State for judicial salaries would be $6,525,000 plus an additional 48 percent of salary, or $3,132,000 in fringe benefits, for a total annual cost of $9,657,000.

 

LEGISLATIVE SALARIES

      There are 120 members of the State Legislature. The $10,000 proposed salary increase would take effect during FY 2000, and would cost $1,200,000 plus an additional $3,333 each for the Senate


President and Assembly Speaker, for a total annualized salary cost of $1,206,667. An additional 21 percent or $253,400 would be required for fringe benefits, for a total cost of $1,460,067.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.