NJ Says: Gloucester City Violated Workers Sick Leave Law
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Those governing the City of Gloucester City, have lead the residents to believe that Great Things Are Happening in their City floating the above banner on city stationary for the last three decades and on other city owned literature and internet portals. Yet as we have stated before we keep looking for one thing that residents can point too and say with pride that "Great Things Are Really Happening in our City".
It certainly hasn't happened with our property taxes. Since 2018 Gloucester City has been listed in the top 30 communities with the highest property taxes in the state of NJ. There was a slight reduction this year. But, the property taxes are still too much. Especially when you consider that Gloucester City is so poor it qualifieds to be an Abbott School District, one of 31. The City is so distressed it qualifies to be a Urban Enterprise Zone, one of only 37.
Five months ago Kevin Walsh, the New Jersey State Comptroller, announced that his office had identified 57 communities who have been violating a state law enacted in 2007 and 2010 that were suppose to keep taxes under control by regulating sick leave payouts. In the immedicate area Gloucester City and Bellmawr were named.
The report stated that 95% of the 60 towns it surveyed were not following laws limiting sick leave payments. The Comptroller said these communities were wasting taxpayer funds which add to higher property tax bills. Only three of those 60 complied with the 2007/2010 law.
Can anyone on City Council give the public an explanation on how this happened. And why you are giving us those reasons please answer the questions below. Send your response to [email protected]
Question-The law was enacted in 2007, how much more has it cost residents in taxes because Gloucester City didn't comply with this edict?
Question- The City was notified five months ago that they violated the state statue. What steps have been taken by mayor and council since that time to adhere to the 2007/2010 law.
Question-How many city employees received extra money when they retired because of this violation. Did any of the retired employees presently sitting on City Council or in the past benefit?
CNBNEWS graphic file
The Gloucester City residents have a Right to Know.
Many towns allow public workers to convert unused sick days into yearly bonuses. Some promised to make extensive payments years down the road, which is prohibited and can potentially increase a worker’s pay by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“The reform that was initiated in 2007 and expanded upon in 2010 appears, at least based on the 60 municipalities we looked at, to have failed more than succeeded,” said acting New Jersey Comptroller Kevin Walsh. “The Legislature in 2007 and 2010 thought it has solved the problem, but there are a lot of signs that New Jersey’s towns have disregarded the law.”
Below are the communities in the immediate South Jersey area that were singled out in the Comptroller's report. There were 60 communities investigated, 57 were in violation of the sick leave law.
The report reveals:
- Burlington, Gloucester City, and Egg Harbor are violating four of the six restrictions.
- Gloucester City has been listed in the top 30 communities in the state with the highest property taxes since 2018. See story here
- Bellmawr, Franklin, Mantua, and Moorestown are violating three of the restrictions
- Evesham, Haddonfield, Gloucester Township, Lumberton, Pennsville, and Winslow are violating two of the restrictions
- Pemberton and Pennsville are violating one
SOURCE NJ105.COM article click here
When City Hall goes silent on an issue like this the public is left to draw their own conclusion. And most people will presume their leaders got caught with their "hands in the cookie jar." It seems unfair but what else can they surmise when there is no public explanation about how this happened.
source NJ1015.com
RELATED:
######