Kearny, N.J. CFO: No-tax-hike budget needs a $20M cut

HUDSON TV EXCLUSIVE

KEARNY, N.J. — Kearny’s chief financial officer told the Town Council on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, that balancing next year’s budget without using surplus or raising taxes would mean cutting about 20% of spending. He said that comes to roughly $20 million, and because most of the budget is personnel, it would mean cutting about 20% of the workforce.

“In order for the governing body to do that, you need to cut approximately 20% of the budget. That translates to 20 million dollars,” CFO Shuaib Firozvi said (1:20:21). Kearny’s adopted 2026 budget is $99 million, and it lists 400 employees.

Firozvi said police and fire are the town’s two biggest departments. With about five to six retirements a year, he said, “it will take you approximately three years to reduce your workforce by 20%.” He warned that some town offices have as few as two employees, and that a cut that size “will have an impact on the services that are provided” (1:21:37).

Councilman Fred Esteves said earlier in the meeting that the town has “less revenue than what our budget is at the moment” (1:09:29). He described the plan as a hiring freeze, no promotions, a revaluation and an efficiency audit, and said the hiring and promotion freezes alone “would solve the problem in three years.” He said the revaluation, the first in about 40 years by his account, is “not for the purpose of raising tax, but it’s for the purpose of everyone paying their fair share.”

Councilman Stathis Theodoropoulos pressed Firozvi on whether that would actually happen. He summed up the CFO’s estimate as five fewer police officers next year, 10 the second year and 15 the third, and asked for a two-to-three-year plan by the next meeting. Firozvi said he could give a framework for 2027 only. “I cannot go beyond that. There are too many variables,” he said (1:24:53). When asked whether the plan meant no tax increase, Firozvi said that is up to the council: “If the direction from the council is that you do not want a tax increase… you set the policy and the budget is crafted accordingly” (1:25:23).

The warning comes three months after the council approved the $99 million 2026 budget 5-4 with a 14.12% municipal tax increase. Theodoropoulos voted against that budget. Esteves told colleagues Tuesday to “stick to the plan,” saying some members “vote to increase taxes.”

Coin meters could go

At the same meeting, the police chief told the council that the company that sold Kearny its meters two years ago is out of business. He said the only remaining supplier is in Canada and that pay stations would cost about $280,000. He suggested keeping the newer meters in the business district from Wilson Avenue to Quincy Avenue and using only ParkMobile everywhere else. He said ParkMobile brought in almost $23,000 in September, compared with $14,000 from coin meters. The council also introduced Ordinance 2026-38 on parking fines. The posted copy lists $35, but a council member said on the record that the figure will be corrected to $45.

For Kearny homeowners: A revaluation changes what each property owner pays. Check whether your property is over-assessed with GardenState.ai’s Property Tax Appeal check.

Hudson TV asks: Should Kearny cut staff through attrition, or raise taxes again to protect police and fire staffing? Share your take in the comments.