|
|
COMMENTARY:
Pay Raises and Scandals - Hillside Councilman Speaks Out
By Gerald "Pateesh" Freedman, Hillside Ward 4 Councilmember
Complete and uncut.
Hillside's council members had the opportunity to dispel the widely held perception that politicians, especially local ones, are a sleazy, self-serving, entitled, unresponsive bunch of misfits. But they blew it. They blew it big times!
After hitting Hillside taxpayers last week with a huge tax increase, they voted themselves a 33 percent salary increase. I am constantly asked by my constituents why I put in so much time trying to share with this crew the viewpoint held by the majority of Hillside's taxpayers. The arrogance, hostility, volatile atmosphere by councilmembers Sam McGhee, John Kulish, Peter Corvelli, Lenny Gilbert, Jorge Batista, and Joe Pinckney in which I serve on the council makes my service to the community quite difficult.
Well, it's times like these that motivates me! To hear how these six councilmembers, and two wives, justify giving themselves a pay raise is more than fascinating. To hear them say how hard they work, the long hours late into the night, answering phone calls, the huge layout of funds for condolence bouquets, the tickets that they must purchase for various dinners. Wow. I thought that that was the public service these guys opted for when they decided to run for the position. In my naiveté, I didn't realize they wished to be compensated for that and more plus look at it as added income.
Council President McGhee bemoaned that "some other towns in Union County get paid more than council members do in Hillside". The last time I heard that argument I was six years old and some kid was complaining about a candy matter. "You gave Johnny two; I want two also."
When questioned from the floor about economic times being bad, Mr. McGhee answered that he didn't think times were so bad that he couldn't pocket a raise. This makes McGhee the only Democrat I know of who feels the economy is not doing poorly.
The salary that council members get more than covers any town-related expense. After all, the annual "convention" is paid for by the Hillside taxpayers. When I suggested that we pay our own way out of the new raise, I was shot down. I know of no council members who does a mailing to his constituents. Have you Hillside taxpayers ever received anything other than election material? What will the councilmembers think of next? Maybe health and retirement pension benefits?
In an attempt to put my money where my mouth was, when my turn came to vote, I voted NO but was aware that I would benefit hen the six others voted YES. So, I publicly stated that I was donating my pay raise on behalf of myself and the people of Hillside to Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital in Brown Mills where all services are provided free of charge. Mr. McGhee had the nerve to call me a hypocrite for not giving all of it back to the town. (He probably had hoped I would have donated it to the Hire-My-Family Fund, since he had two of his sons put on the town's payroll.) I am especially upset with Councilmembers Kulish and Batista. Mr. Kulish has several local businesses. Mr. Kulish, are times really that bad for you? Mr. Batista and his wife are local attorneys. Hard times, huh Jorge? Need that raise?
THE BILLBOARD SCANDAL
Let's tune our attention to the billboard fiasco. When the approval for placing a billboard on public works property came before the council, I asked the township attorney, Dwayne Warren, if it was done in a legal manner since it had not gone before the zoning board. I was assured that everything was proper and that it was a great deal for Hillside. Anyway, since I am not in favor of making Hillside a billboard alley and didn't like the sound of the deal, I voted NO.
I must have been one of the few politicians in the state who voted NO on one of Governor James E. McGreevey's billboards. Several newspapers called me asking what I knew that other legislators did not. I immediately called our township attorney and asked if our billboard deal was in any way involved with the firms that were pare of the developing billboard scandal. I was assured by him that it was not. I later asked Mr. Warren at a public meeting to address the issue of the billboard for the record. Again, any association was disavowed by him.
My fellow Hillsiders, the same companies that are involved in the statewide scandal are also involved in Hillside. Who initiated this contract, and how it all came about seems to be of no concern to the town's council members. An investigation is definitely called for, but who in our township will push for it? Is Mr. Warren, the township's attorney, at fault? Or is it higher up? Answers are called for, but I do not expect this council to do the asking.
YOUR OPINION
Respond to this article; send us your thoughts, comments for publication.
|
|
|
