JERSEY CITY, NJ - While Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy plans to reduce the number of employees who have municipal vehicles by 20 percent, Councilman Steven Fulop wants to eliminate the perk completely, according to The Jersey Journal.

Healy released details of his plan Feb. 19.

The mayor said 39 vehicles are assigned to city employees, not including police. Among those with take-home cars are Healy, six City Council members, department and division heads, and employees who Healy said are on "24-hour call," including some of his aides and his press secretary.

"We are looking at every area where we can cut and we are cutting," Healy said in a statement. "As we have said before, everything is on the table and we have to make every reasonable reduction."

Fulop believes the cars should be strictly for work and kept at the job. He has proposed an ordinance, up for introduction Feb. 24, which would have all the cars clearly labeled, "Official Business City of Jersey City."

In addition to looking to reduce the fleet, Healy noted he placed a limit on gasoline over a year ago. The city covers the cost of one tank of gas or 18 gallons per week, whichever costs less.

Councilman Mariano Vega suggested employees who live outside the city be required to leave the cars at work, the Journal reported.

Councilman Michael Sottolano noted that people with city-issued cars pay federal taxes on them. Sottolano said he has used his vehicle strictly for city business and has put 17,000-18,000 miles on it over the past five years, reported the Journal.

 

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