Municipal Council of Newark

The Municipal Council is the legislative branch of government for Newark, New Jersey.

Newark was governed by a mayor and common council from 1836 to 1917 and then by a five-member commission until 1954.

Effective as of July 1, 1954, the voters of the city of Newark, by a referendum held on November 3, 1953 and under the Optional Municipal Charter Law (commonly known as the Faulkner Act), adopted the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) Plan C as the form of local government.[1]

There are nine council members elected on a nonpartisan basis at the regular municipal election or at the general election for terms of four years: one council member from each of five wards and four council members on an at-large basis. The mayor is also elected for a term of four years.[2]

Municipal elections in Newark are nonpartisan[3] and are held on the second Tuesday in May.[4] A council candidate seeking a post in a ward must receive more than 50 percent of the vote. If a candidate does not receive a majority, a run-off election is held with the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.

Council members choose their own President and until 2014, when the position was eliminated, Vice President.

As of 2012, the Municipal Council were the highest paid city council members in the state, earning approximately $85,000 pa, with the president earning roughly $94,000.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Current members

The members of the council serving terms which end June 30, 2020.[11]

  • Mildred C. Crump (President/Council Member-at-Large)
  • Augusto Amador (Council Member, East Ward)
  • John Sharpe James (Council Member, South Ward)
  • Carlos M. Gonzalez (Council Member-at-Large)
  • Anibal Ramos, Jr. (Council Member, North Ward)
  • Joseph McCallum (Council Member, West Ward)
  • LaMonca McIver (Council Member, Central Ward)
  • Eddie Osborne (Council Member-at-Large)
  • Luis A. Quintana (Council Member-at-Large)

Mayor

The mayor may cast a tie-breaking vote on the municipal council when there is an equal number of yes and no votes.[12][13] The Mayor can also call for meetings of the council outside those regularly scheduled.[2]

The Newark mayoral election took place May 13, 2014 and was won by Ras Baraka. Luis A. Quintana had stepped down as Council President to be sworn in as mayor on November 4, 2013 assuming the term of Cory Booker, which ended June 30, 2014. Baraka also won the 2018 election.

Council members since 1954

Council Presidents
  • John A. Brady, 1954–1958
  • Michael A. Bontempo, 1958–1962
  • Ralph A. Villani, 1962–1970
  • Louis Turco, 1970–1973
  • Frank G. Megaro, 1973–1974
  • Earl Harris, 1974–1982
  • Ralph T. Grant, Jr., 1982–1986
  • Henry Martinez, 1986–1990
  • Ralph T. Grant, Jr., 1990–1991
  • Donald Tucker, 1991–1992
  • Donald Bradley, 1992–1993
  • Gary Harris, 1993–1994
  • Donald Bradley, 1994–2006
  • Mildred C. Crump, 2006–2010, 2013–
  • Donald M. Payne, Jr., 2010–2012
  • Luis A. Quintana, 2013

Council Vice President

Position Eliminated by Council in Late Part of 2014 and the Early Part of 2015, The Position was recreated in May 2015.

  • Augusto Amador 2015–2018

Council Members At-Large
  • Michael A. Bontempo, 1954–1966, 1970–1974
  • John A. Brady, 1954–1966
  • James T. Callaghan, 1954–1962, 1966–1968
  • Jack Waldor, 1954–1958
  • Raymond V. Santoro, 1958–1962
  • Anna Santoro, 1962
  • Anthony Giuliano, 1962–1968
  • Ralph A. Villani, 1962–1973
  • Leon Ewing, 1968
  • Anthony J. Giuliano, 1968–1978
  • Anthony Imperiale, 1968–1970
  • Calvin D. West, 1966–1970
  • Sharpe James, 1982–1986
  • Earl Harris, 1970–1982, 1986–1988
  • Marie L. Villani, 1973–1993
  • Ralph T. Grant, Jr. 1978–1994
  • Gary Harris, 1988–1995
  • Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins, 1995–2006
  • Mildred C. Crump, 1994–1998, 2006–
  • Donald K. Tucker, 1974–2005[14]
  • Luis A. Quintana, 1994–2013, 2014–
  • Bessie Walker, 1998–2006
  • Ras J. Baraka, 2005–2006
  • Carlos M. Gonzalez 2006–2010, 2010-
  • Donald M. Payne, Jr., 2006–2012
  • Eddie Osborne, 2014–

North Ward Council Members
  • Mario V. Farco, 1954–1958
  • Joseph V. Melillo, 1958–1970
  • Frank G. Megaro, 1970–1974
  • Anthony Carrino, 1974–2002
  • Hector M. Corchado, 2002–2006

East Ward Council Members
  • Phillip Gordon, 1954–1968
  • Louis Turco, 1968–1974
  • Finney J. Alati 1974
  • Henry Martinez, 1974–1998
  • Augusto Amador, 1998–

West Ward Council Members
  • M. Joseph Gallagher, 1954–1958
  • Frank Addonizio, 1958–1970
  • Michael P. Bottone, 1970–1982
  • Ronald L. Rice, 1982–1998
  • Mamie Bridgeforth, 1998–2006
  • Ronald C. Rice, 2006–2014

South Ward Council Members
  • Samuel Cooper, 1954–1957
  • Sophie Cooper, 1957–1962
  • Lee Bernstein, 1962–1969
  • Horace P. Sharper, 1969–1970
  • Sharpe James, 1970–1982
  • Donald M. Payne, Sr., 1982–1989
  • Donald Bradley, 1989–2006
  • Oscar S. James, II, 2006–2010
  • Ras J. Baraka, 2010–2014

Central Ward Council Members
  • Irvine Turner, 1954–1970
  • Dennis Westbrooks, 1970–1974
  • Jesse Allen, 1974–1978
  • Benjamin F. Johnson, III, 1978–1982
  • George Branch, 1982–1998[15]
  • Cory A. Booker, 1998–2002
  • Charles A. Bell, 2002–2006, 2008–2010
  • Dana Rone, 2006–2008
  • Darrin S. Sharif, 2010–2014
  • Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins, 2014–2018

References
  1. 2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 125.
  2. The Municipal Council Archived 2013-11-11 at the Wayback Machine, City of Newark. December 4, 2013.
  3. Pomper, Gerald M. (1988), Voters, Elections, and Parties: The Practice of Democratic Theory, Transaction Publishers, ISBN 0-88738-160-X, LCCN 87025466
  4. Moszczynski, Joe (September 26, 2010). "N.J. municipalities consider moving non-partisan elections from May to November". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  5. Council members are paid $64,766 annual and $18,000 in payments in lieu of expenses each year while the city council president receives a $71,375 salary and $20,000 for expenses, according to the clerk's office.
  6. Giambusso, David (February 12, 2012). "For Newark City Council, a fat budget in lean times". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  7. Editorial (February 15, 2012). "Newark Council salaries unreasonable in today's economy". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  8. Giambusso, David (December 3, 2013). "Comptroller slams Newark council spending in audit". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  9. Giambusso, David (February 24, 2012). "Newark City Council defends its high salaries and staffing levels". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  10. Moran, Tom (February 26, 2012). "Newark Council's high salaries should be source of shame". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  11. "Council Members". www.newarknj.gov. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  12. "Newark voters to fill council vacancy An appellate court invalidated a council vote where Mayor Booker acted as tiebreaker and cast a". Philadelphia Inquirer. July 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  13. Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (July 5, 2013). "CORY BOOKER ROBERT MARASCO ANIBAL RAMOS JR AUGUSTO AMADOR CARLOS GONZALEZ LUIS QUINTANA SHANIQUE DAVIS SPEIGHT v. RONALD RICE RAS BARAKA MILDRED CRUMP DARRIN SHARIF". DOCKET NO. A–2413–12T4. Find a Law. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  14. https://newjerseyglobe.com/fr/deceased-candidates-have-won-nj-elections/
  15. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/george_buddy_gee_branch_former.html George Branch obit
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