Paterson City, Passaic County
Paterson City reported receiving 1,508,824.88 in opioid settlement money and spending none of it, certified 186,928.33 more on hand than it ever received, filed no FY2026 report, and has produced no ledger of its settlement account.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- Paterson reported receiving 1,508,824.88 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2025. It reported spending 0.00 of it.
- In FY2025 it reported 1,695,753.21 on hand. That is 186,928.33 more than it says it ever received. The finding.
- In FY2024 it told the State its RealFix treatment program would get the money and spending would likely begin in 2025. In FY2025 it spent 0.00.
- The State's FY2026 page for the City reads "No Report Received." The finding.
- The City has not produced a ledger. A ledger is owed.
Summary
Paterson City, Passaic County, reported receiving 1,508,824.88 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2025, interest included. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. The listed uses cover treatment, recovery, connection to care, prevention and harm reduction.
The City's three reports to the Department of Human Services certify 0.00 spent, 0.00 encumbered and 0.00 of administrative expense. None lists a program. It filed no report for FY2026.
This project has no ledger of the City's settlement account. The City has not produced one. Everything below comes from the City's own reports and the State's FY2026 notice. Spending cannot be graded against the books until a ledger is produced. Read the City's findings.
- Reported 186,928.33 more on hand than it ever received, 186,928.33
- Received 1,508,824.88, spent nothing, then filed no report, 1,508,824.88
What the City received
| Report | Received in the year | Interest | Received since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023, as of 06/30/2023 | 391,628.14 | 391,628.14 | |
| FY2024 | 822,460.21 | 5,345.99 | 1,219,434.34 |
| FY2025 | 242,148.38 | 47,242.16 | 1,508,824.88 |
| FY2026 | No report received |
The FY2024 interest figure is interest since 2022. The FY2025 figure is interest for the year. The received totals carry forward to the cent.
What it spent
Nothing, by its own account. Each report certifies 0.00 expended and 0.00 of administrative expense. The FY2024 and FY2025 reports certify 0.00 encumbered. The FY2024 report answers No when asked whether the City funded any program. The FY2025 report answers No when asked whether it funded any new program.
What it told the State each year
FY2023. The report certifies 391,628.14 received and 0.00 expended as of 06/30/2023. It says the City is committed to spending the money on its opioid use disorder programs, naming its opioid response team, RealFix and its community court. It says an advisory committee will make recommendations to the Mayor. It answers No, but plan to in the future, on public engagement, a strategic plan and a risk assessment.
FY2024. The report certifies 822,460.21 received in the year, 1,219,434.34 received since 2022, 0.00 expended, 0.00 encumbered and 1,219,434.34 on hand. It describes RealFix as a medication assisted treatment program funded by a 1,000,000.00 Bloomberg Philanthropies grant. It says RealFix is poised to be the main recipient of the settlement money as the grant concludes, and that spending will likely begin in 2025. It says the Mayor committed to use the funds for the program. It answers Yes to public engagement for three to five years of funding. It answers No to a strategic plan, a risk assessment and funding any program.
FY2025. The report certifies 242,148.38 received in the year, 47,242.16 of interest, 1,508,824.88 received since 2022, 0.00 expended, 0.00 encumbered and 1,695,753.21 on hand. Its answers on goals and on how the City decided to use the money read "NA." It answers No to public engagement and to funding any new program.
FY2026. The State published FY2026 reports on 10/01/2026. They cover 07/01/2025 to 06/30/2026. The City's page reads "No Report Received." There is no FY2026 figure for received, spent or on hand.
The balance
| Year | Received since 2022 | Spent | Encumbered | Most that can be on hand | Certified on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 1,219,434.34 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,219,434.34 | 1,219,434.34 |
| FY2025 | 1,508,824.88 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,508,824.88 | 1,695,753.21 |
The FY2024 balance equals everything received. The FY2025 balance does not. It rose 476,318.87 in a year in which receipts and interest came to 289,390.54. It is 186,928.33 above every dollar the City says it ever received. No report explains the difference.
What the records show
The record is three reports, one notice and no books. The reports say 1,508,824.88 sat unspent through 06/30/2025. They name a treatment program as the intended recipient and fund nothing. The last balance the City reported is higher than all the money it says it received. Then the reports stop.
A ledger of the settlement account is owed. It would show whether the fund is intact, where it is held, what the 1,695,753.21 balance consists of and whether anything has been paid from it since 06/30/2025. This project will grade the City when a ledger is produced.
How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.