4 GOP Lawmakers Seek Probe of Newark's 20-Year Council Benefit Deal

2 articles · Updated · New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics · Jun 18

Four Republican assemblymen asked Attorney General Jennifer Davenport to investigate Newark's proposed lifetime taxpayer-funded health benefits for outgoing Councilman Carlos Gonzalez, calling the plan a possible violation of state law.
The request centers on Resolution 26-0910, which would have treated the benefit as a fringe perk usually reserved for city employees with at least 25 years of service; Gonzalez served 20 years as an elected official.
The lawmakers argued part-time elected officials generally do not qualify for full-time health coverage under New Jersey rules and warned municipalities may be using private insurance to bypass State Health Benefits Program limits.
Newark's City Council declined to act on the measure Thursday after public scrutiny intensified, and the legislators said that retreat suggests the benefit might otherwise have been approved.
The group also asked the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability to examine whether the proposed one-time exception reflects a broader practice of rewarding outgoing officials.