Bayonne Hires First Latina Tax Collector

Rosemarie Martinez Named Tax Collector for the City of Bayonne

At its meeting on February 17, the Bayonne City Council approved Mayor Jimmy Davis’s nomination of Rosemarie Martinez to serve as Tax Collector for the City of Bayonne.  She will assume the office effective March 1 for an initial period through December 31, 2021, and then for a four-year term effective January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2025.   

Martinez will replace Interim Tax Collector Kenneth Bosotina.  The last permanent Tax Collector was Joanne Sisk, who served from 2002 until her retirement in 2019.  Ms. Martinez has worked in the Tax Collector’s Office since July 2019 with the title of Assistant Tax Collector.  As she prepared to assume the title of Tax Collector, Martinez said, “I am grateful to Mayor Davis and the City Council for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Mayor Davis said, “The City of Bayonne is happy to have a Tax Collector who is already a highly experienced professional in government service.  From her years in county and municipal government, Rose is very familiar with economic development, municipal finance, and the other issues that we face. We wish Rose the best as she begins this new period of service to the people of Bayonne.”

Martinez will be the first Latina in Bayonne history to serve as Tax Collector.  Previously, she was the first Latina to serve as Mayor’s Chief of Staff.  She began her service in the Office of the Mayor in July 2014. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Martinez spent part of her childhood in Puerto Rico.

The incoming Tax Collector is a career professional in the public sector. Before her employment with the City of Bayonne, Martinez worked for the Rutgers University School of Business, the Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services, and the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.

She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration at New Jersey City University and a Master of Public Administration degree at Rutgers University Newark.  Ms. Martinez took additional courses required by the State of New Jersey to qualify for the position of Tax Collector.  She also passed a New Jersey civil service examination to complete her qualifications.

As defined by the state, the Tax Collector is responsible for the oversight of the bookkeeping, calculation, and accounting functions in the collection of personal and property taxes.  The Tax Collector supervises the proper calculation, preparation, and mailing of tax bills, the receipt and detailed accounting of all monies and/or checks received, and the timely and accurate accounting and reporting of the activities of the office.