54:3-8. The governing body of the county shall fix the annual salary to be paid to the county tax administrator and the annual compensation of any clerical assistants. The salary of the county tax administrator devoting full time to the duties of his office pursuant to R.S. 54:3-7 shall not be less than $55,000.00 per annum in counties having a population of more than 500,000, not less than $45,000.00 per annum in counties having a population of at least 275,000 and not more than 500,000, and not less than $35,000.00 per annum in counties having a population of less than 275,000. In the case of a county tax administrator, who, pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of R.S. 54:3-7, is serving on a part-time basis, the governing body of the county shall fix an annual salary commensurate with the time that individual devotes to his duties as administrator. Notwithstanding the minimum salary requirement provisions of this section to the contrary, if the county tax administrator of a county is receiving an annual salary prior to the effective date of this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act, P.L. 1988, c. 96, which is less than the applicable minimum salary set forth herein, the governing body of that county may, by ordinance or resolution, as may be appropriate, provide for the phasing in of the administrator’s salary increase required by this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act according to the following schedules. If the annual salary increase required is greater that $10,000.00 but less than $15,000.00, the annual increase may phased in by two equal installments, the first during the current year and the second in the following year. If the annual salary increase is $15,000.00 or more, the annual increase may be phased in by four equal installments, the first during the current year and the subsequent three in each of the three years following. Such salaries and compensation shall be paid by the county treasurer pursuant to the fiscal procedures established by the governing body of the county.

Notwithstanding any provisions of this section to the contrary, no county tax administrator devoting full time to the duties of his office on the effective date of this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act shall, as a result of the provisions of this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act, suffer any reduction in salary.

For the purposes of this section “population” means the most recent official population count of each county of this State as reported by the New Jersey Department of Labor, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis.

Amended 1964,c.211; 1979,c.499,s.5; 1988,c.96,s.3.