Saddest day for township department

By: centraljersey.com
The fact that Mark Emann, Michael Henderson and Arthur Villarusz had to resign their positions with the Princeton Township Police Department will probably be considered to be one of the saddest days in the history of the department. The predicament that Mark Emann was in caused me emotional stress. I sincerely hope that Mark Emann will land a high-paying position as a security consultant for a private firm. In my opinion Mark Emann is still a very fine man.
The Princeton Township Police Department how has three openings. The department and the Princeton Township government in my opinion has a profound and moral obligation to fill the three vacant positions as quickly as possible.
There is no doubt in my mind that police officers from other jurisdictions who were victims of layoffs would welcome the opportunity to be officers for the Princeton Township Police Department.
Ethan C. Finley Princeton
Medication assistance must be protected
To the editor:
Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) and Senior Gold help low-income older adults or those with disabilities pay for their prescription medications. A year ago, grappling with a terrible deficit, Gov. Chris Christie suggested cuts to these programs that would have increased the amount beneficiaries had to pay for their medications.
This year, the governor is facing yet another major budget gap. Cuts to PAAD and Senior Gold will no doubt be under consideration once again. Without these two programs, 166,074 New Jerseyans may have to choose between buying life-sustaining medications and putting food on the table. This is unacceptable.
AARP is urging all our state leaders to protect PAAD and Senior Gold now, before any budget decisions are made. The state should not turn to our most vulnerable citizens to help balance the budget. Individuals on PAAD have annual incomes of $24,432 or less, couples have annual incomes of $29,956 or less. They do not have other resource options to turn to, but the state does.
AARP hopes that our legislators will pledge to protect PAAD and Senior Gold now. Together we can make a difference to the thousands of New Jerseyans who rely on these vital programs.
Sy Larson AARP New Jersey President East Brunswick