Again I Say, Health Benefits for City Council Should Be Eliminated
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tips and Snippets
By Bill Cleary
SNIPPETS-With all the comments about paid health benefits being received by members of Gloucester City Council I thought this article would be relevant to the discussion. Let me just add that I felt in 2006 this practice (paid health benefits for part-time employees and council) should be eliminated then and I feel the same today in 2009.
The article reads in part (with some corrections made)…
Unlike the Commissioners in Haddon Township who do not receive benefit because they consider themselves part-time employees. Also members who volunteer their time to serve on the Gloucester City School Board are not entitled to health benefits since they too are part-time volunteers. Which is the way it should be.
Incidentally here in Gloucester City some council members who receive their health benefits from there employer are entitled to be reimbursed from the City for not accepting the city's health plan.
The payments to those city council members in some cases have reached as high as $10,000 annually. A nice part-time job especially when our local politicians lead the public to believe they are only receiving an annual salary of $1,000 and or $2500.
I propose to the new members of council to introduce a measure to stop part-time workers/volunteer council members from receiving health benefits. Likewise the measure should do away with reimbursing council members for not accepting the city's health plan.
The change in this perk for volunteer service on city council would go a long way in setting the "bar" for future tax cuts that are needed in this city if any changes are going to be made. By setting the example at the top city employees will see it is not going to be the same Good Ole Boys/Girls Club" any longer.
TIP-Request for Qualifications for Banks… The City of Gloucester City and the Gloucester City Urban Enterprise (UEZ) Board solicit statements of qualifications for financial institutions to perform credit analysis and loan servicing including the following functions for the Gloucester City Revolving Direct Loan Program: - Click Here to view RFQ
SNIPPET-The Press of Atlantic City is reporting that the State has reclaimed $40 million in
sales tax money mistakenly sent to 37 New Jersey towns that have Urban
Enterprise Zones. One of the hardest hit is the City of Vineland,
losing $5.1 million that had been set to go to businesses seeking
loans. In the immediate area the City of Gloucester City lost an
estimated $341,500. Gloucester City UEZ director Howard Clark said the
state took the funds from the City UEZ in February "but didn’t tell us until
Tuesday", May 12.
UEZ directors throughout the state will be meeting Friday to discuss what steps can be taken.
For more go here http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_8f778b9a-4035-11de-ab6b-001cc4c03286.html
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