JERSEY CITY - The City Council adopted a $589 million budget during a special meeting Monday morning.

The budget, which accounts for about $15 million more in surplus spending than the original proposal in March, comes with no municipal tax increase.

During the 10 a.m. meeting, Business Administrator Robert Kakoleski said the reason for the increase is because the state asked the city to include the amount it expects to pay in "accumulated absences" into the budget.

The introduced budget did not reflect that number, but appears on the city's annual financial statement in February. Money previously was paid directly into a reserve account.

Jersey City expects to pay out more than $8.5 million in unused absences this year, according to the budget.

Payouts for unused time have been an issue statewide. The city's recently retired police chief Phil Zacche will receive $512,000 in payout. In Bayonne, former chief Drew Niekrasz is owed $291,004.

The budget was approved 8-0, with Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne absent. Council chambers was mostly empty for the meeting, with the exception of a few city workers.

No one spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, which frustrated Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano that "not one person in the city of Jersey City" attended the hearing.

"It is sad," he said at the close of the meeting.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.