"THE
PERKS" OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT:
EMPLOYEE
HEALTH BENEFITS COST
NA
TAXPAYERS $1,781,904 A YEAR!
AVERAGE
COST PER EMPLOYEE WITH FAMILY COVERAGE NOW $914
PER MONTH!
$10,968
A YEAR TO COVER BOROUGH EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY COURTESY
OF TAXPAYERS!
NORTH
ARLINGTON - In documentation secured by NA TODAY,
the borough's workforce enjoy some of the most generous
health benefit plans on the market with no co-payment.
Of
the 108 borough employees who qualify for coverage,
54 have traditional plans that include full family coverage.
26 have coverage for the employee and spouse while 4
have coverage for the employee and a parent or child.
Only 24 have single coverage.
According
to the Bergen Municipal Employment Benefit Fund
dated 11/01/03, it costs taxpayers $10,929 a
month to offer full dental coverage to the borough's
107 qualifying employees. It costs taxpayers $75,669
a month or $908,020 a year to provide traditional health
coverage with no known co-payment. North Arlington
also covers 34 retired municipal employees with full
benefits costing taxpayers $24,924 per month or $299,088
a year!
Incoming
Councilwoman Carey Ann Rosenblatt who reviewed the documents
was disturbed by the cost to homeowners.
"There's
no reason for it. People have to give back a little,"
said the incoming council member.
Only Mayor Pitman
and Councilman James Ferriero turned down these generous
benefits. The rest of the current council comprised
of all Republicans all received benefits at a cost
to taxpayers of $764 a month or $9,168 annually. If
you include the $107 a month for dental coverage, the
cost to cover the 5 Republicans in 2003 was $52,260!
"There's
no reason for part-time elected officials who receive
a generous stipend to serve as a member should
also receive free health insurance at taxpayer's expense.
Its wrong and will be addressed come January,"
said Mayor Russ Pitman.
Others
were shocked by the cost of health insurance, dental
coverage and retirement insurance costs paid by taxpayers.
"I
pay a portion of my insurance. Why should public employees
receive free health benefits? Why am I paying for 100%
coverage for retired municipal employees? Who is watching
out for my tax dollars? This makes me angry when
I'm cutting corners to make ends meet while these borough
employees receive top notch health insurance that me
and my family can't afford. It's really outrageous.
Pitman needs to do something about it now," said one
very angry taxpayer.
