Last year I went with my wife to a town meeting to ask our Township Council and our mayor to help us reduce the costs to Marlboro taxpayers. I asked Mayor Robert Kleinberg and the council members to not take the free health and dental coverage that the state offers to part-time officials. This benefit if taken costs over $16,000 (last year’s figure) a year per family.
The mayor told us he deserves the health coverage because he is honest. I was asked by a council member if I had any idea how expensive health coverage is. I said I did know but that had nothing to do with it. Well, I am honest but it is not free for me or for you. I wanted Marlboro to be a leader in this state in stopping a practice we can no longer afford.
Members of the Western Monmouth Utilities Authority board of commissioners who are appointed by the mayors of Manalapan and Marlboro also take this free health coverage. When I asked at one of their meetings about it, I was told to come back at a later date because they did not have time to discuss it.
The mayor makes $4,800 a year and the council makes $4,000 a year but add the health plan and they make over $20,000 a year for a part-time job.
I have asked Marlboro’s Democratic candidate for mayor, Jon Hornik, what he would do about free health and dental. His answer was simple. The Democrats, unlike the Republicans, will not take the free coverage.
I call on our present council and mayor (with the exception of Councilman Steve Rosenthal who does not take the salary or health benefits) to follow the example of the Democratic Party and Jon Hornik and stop taking health coverage now.
I feel this is a major step in the right direction of reducing runaway local property taxes. Let Marlboro be a leader as they were with cell phones in automobiles and set the example for the rest of the state to follow.
Ed Russin
Marlboro

