Paterson will receive $76.2 million in state transitional aid, officials announced Thursday — a one-time infusion the city’s legislative delegation says will head off immediate cuts to services and steep property-tax hikes.
What changes for residents
The money is intended to stabilize Paterson’s finances while city leaders work on longer-term solutions. According to state legislators representing the city, the funding reduces the need for difficult budget choices that could have affected public safety and basic municipal operations.
“We are grateful to Governor Mikie Sherrill and DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez for approving $76.2 million in transitional aid for the City of Paterson.”
Sen. Benjie Wimberly and Assembly members Al Abdelaziz and Kenyatta Stewart said the aid will help protect residents from what they described as a potentially substantial rise in local property taxes and avert personnel losses across city departments.
Who and what the funds are meant to protect
The delegation highlighted potential impacts the aid aims to prevent:
- Preserving police and firefighter staffing levels;
- Retaining Department of Public Works employees;
- Maintaining other municipal services relied on daily by Paterson residents.
The legislators framed the grant as short-term relief that creates breathing room while municipal leaders and state partners work on fiscal planning. They emphasized that transitional aid is not a permanent fix and encouraged continued work toward sustainable budgeting and financial management.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transitional aid to Paterson | $76.2 million |
The state-level approval came from Governor Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, represented by Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez, according to the joint statement by the Paterson delegation.
Local officials and residents will now be watching how the city allocates the funds and what follow-up steps are taken to shore up long-term fiscal stability. The legislative delegation said they will continue advocating in Trenton for resources and policies to support public safety, infrastructure and economic opportunity in Paterson.
For now, the injection of state aid provides immediate relief and forestalls the near-term scenarios city leaders warned could have included staffing reductions and service cuts that would affect everyday life in Paterson.
