Link to article on northjersey.com:
From the article:
Last October, a week before she took office, Williams-Warren had been
quoted in a news story saying she would not
continue taking her pension while she was paid her mayoral salary.
“That's something I would never do," Williams-Warren said in
a story by Paterson Press. "There's a right way and wrong way to do
things. I intend to stop the pension."
But records from the state pension system obtained this week by
Paterson Press show Williams-Warren continued getting her retirement checks for
the duration of her stint as mayor. When asked about the pension payments on
Wednesday, the former mayor said her previous comments about her pension had
been misconstrued.
And
Meanwhile, Sayegh on Thursday said he has not been able to determine
the basis for the $40,552 retroactive payment for Williams-Warren. Paterson
Press initially asked Sayegh about the payment on Tuesday. Council members said
they were unaware of it.
It’s always the towns and cities
that can least afford these giveaways.
How would anyone know about this
politician’s double talk and questionable payouts if a reporter didn’t pick it
up? How would anyone know about these
payouts if OPRA requests aren’t submitted.
Too often, regulations are
violated and politicians are awarded for payouts they are not entitled. The
public never gets to know. You can’t
rely on corrupt politicians to police themselves. State bureaucracies that should provide oversight
have their heads in the sand.
