2014 Question (to view larger, left click on picture and then click on "open link"):
Question from previous years:
The above change was in direct
response to Lodi’s controversial answers over the last two years. But does the questionnaire really matter
anymore?
The Christie Administration touted
their “Best Practices Questionnaire” as part of its reform agenda- a way to
curb runaway property taxes.
The truth is the Christie Administration never verifed any answers nor did
it hold any municipalities accountable when they blatantly lied on most of the responses.
At this
point, the Christie Administration has basically rendered the questionnaire
meaningless. Every municipality in the
State of NJ has been given the green light to lie.
And the new wording for Marc Schrieks’ supposed situation is very misleading: “If your municipality has part-time elected or appointed officials who elect to take State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) health benefits (or receive a waiver for not doing so) by virtue of serving in their position continuously since May 21, 2010, you must answer "No".”
This was on the State website when the law was passed: *Continuously means that the employee maintains eligible
coverage at the employer at which he/she was employed on May 21st. Examples
were provided showing “eligibility” was dictated by a town’s own policy as of
May 21, 2010 (coverage offering, required hours etc). By virtue of staying in
office did not guarantee a lifetime of health benefits through SHBP.
On May 21, 2010 Marc Schrieks was not eligible for coverage by his
employer (Borough of Lodi). “Eligible
coverage” refers to the Borough of Lodi’s policy on May 21, 2010. The Lodi Mayor and Council had passed a
Resolution only weeks before waiving their health benefits for the entire 2010
Calendar year, making Schrieks not entitled.
That Resolution wasn’t rescinded until October 12, 2010.
If the April Resolution didn’t
affect Marc Schrieks’ “eligibility”, why was it necessary to write a Resolution
rescinding it six months later?
It’s sad that the actual law has evolved into: “by virtue of serving in
their position continuously since May 21, 2010”.
Like almost everything else with Governor Christie, his actions never matched his words.
