newjerseynewsroom.com

Has been Christie's Democratic sidekick in urging reduction in benefit costs for public employees

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo is double dipping at the public employee pay trough, and New Jersey’s largest police union wants him out of office.

The State Policemen’s Benevolent Association revealed Friday that DiVincenzo is taking advantage of a loophole that allows him to collect a $68,861 annual pension for serving as the county top official and $153,207 annually for continuing to serve in the position.

That makes DiVincenzo’s total take home $222,069 annually and more than what the governor, his cabinet members or any of New Jersey’s U.S. senators and members of Congress make. In August, as he was seeking another term as county executive, DiVincenzo quietly put in his retirement papers for a pension he earned as a parks supervisor and school athletics coordinator.

State law allows elected officials in the public employee and police pension systems to "retire" but keep working.

DiVincenzo has emerged as the top Democrat in the state to support Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s efforts to reduce public employee health and benefits costs and they often appear together to urge Democrats to act on the governor’s proposals.

PBA President Anthony Wieners called DiVincenzo to resign.

"This is unbelievable, the man is out yelling about reform and he takes a loophole to retire at a higher salary, a classic example of do as I say not as I do," PBA President Anthony Wieners said. "This exposes him as a fraud and just another politician who lies to the public. He has no credibility in the debate on fixing New Jersey‘s problems."

“He complained that pension costs were hurting the residents of Essex County but forgot to mention he was part of the pension increase. He has to leave office,” Wieners said. “Joe often said the bank is broken or this is time for change, but now that his hand is caught in the bank he claims he is doing nothing illegal and doing what everybody else is doing. Just because other politicians are double dipping doesn’t make it right. Crime is up, cops are down, and politicians are still playing games.”

State law allows public employees to retire while still holding elected office, as long as they previously held a different public job.

DiVincenzo shook off Wieners demand that he resign and and said he intends to seek a fourth term.

"People have their own point of view," DiVincenzo told The Star-Ledger. "We have been going through difficult labor negotiations. And I understand why they're upset. I had to make a decision that was in the best interest of my family."

DiVincenzo also said he doesn’t object to proposed legislation that would close the loophole. "The governor feels very strongly about changing the law,” he said. “I'm very open to it. Everything should be on the table and should be looked at."