Health benefits for officials a controversial topic in Brick
All elected officials take some form of health benefits

BRICK TOWNSHIP — It cost Brick taxpayers $129,307 to pay for the mayor and Township Council members' health benefits in 2008.

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis and CouncilmenAnthony Matthews and Michael Thulen had the highest tabs. All three have traditional family coverage plans at $20,757 apiece, according to information obtained from the township through an Open Public Records Act request recently.

Councilman Brian DeLuca was the only elected official who did not take an entire benefits package. The cost for DeLuca's family vision and dental coverage cost $1,398 this year. Council PresidentRuthanne Scaturro has a traditional plan for two adults, at a cost of $17,875.

Councilman Daniel Toth has a direct access family plan, which cost $17,495.

Councilwoman Kath Russell and Councilman Joseph Sangiovanni both have direct access coverage for two adults, a $15,134 package for each of them.

Acropolis and Township Council members have been pushing for township employees to pay a portion of their health care premiums, to help with a nearly $4 million shortfall in next year's budget.

Union members have balked at contributing anything toward the cost of their health care premiums with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, the township's health insurance carrier. The township's premium costs rose $1.3 million in 2008. The township absorbed the increase.

And some have questioned why the parttime council members can elect to receive full-time health care benefits.

Acropolis has said that state statutes allow municipalities to provide benefits for elected officials. Officials can voluntarily decide not take the benefits, but the township must still offer them, according to the statute, the mayor said.

"We all agreed to pay toward health benefits," Acropolis said Monday. "We are waiting for the other people to come along with us and get in line with the private sector a little bit more."

Starting Jan. 1, all township department heads, deputy department heads and unclassified employees will begin paying 1 percent of their salary toward their health care premiums.

Resident John Barrett, who spoke during the public portion of the Oct. 28 Township Council meeting, said council members deserved to receive health benefits.

"I think council members should maintain health benefits simply because you do a lot of work," he said. "I think you are doing a good job."

— Patricia A. Miller