Councilman Continues Push For Cheaper Health Care
Mayor and council review and cut expenditures in capital and municipal budget.
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The Borough Council did not reach a decision about the capital budget during Monday's special budget meeting.
Expenditures of $1.9 million were proposed, with the goal of reducing it by at least half. In working towards that goal, line items were reviewed and expenditures cut or postponed to a future date.
Councilman Austin Ashley continued to raise concerns regarding police and DPW expenditures, as well as requesting that the council pursue a lower-cost health care plan for borough employees.
Ashley requested that a comparison be done between State Health Benefits Plan (SHB) and the current plan that Art Caughlan, the borough's risk manager, negotiated. Caughlan is currently in the process of assessing the plan Ashley suggested in order to review any potential cost savings.
Ashley requested Monday that a representative from SHB be invited to talk to the council to achieve a better understanding of how the borough is spending a significant portion of the budget and determine if there is a significant cost savings to be had by switching plans.
For clarification, Mayor Subrizi asked Ashley if he wanted the health plans compared for a potential change in 2013 or for now. Ashley responded that if there were significant savings to be had, he would recommend switching the borough health plan now.
The next special budget meeting will be on April 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room on the second floor of borough hall.
Jerry
8:40 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
New Milford would be one of the few municipalities to leverage SHB, in Bergen County! Who knows why nobody is using this plan?
Jimmy Drake
11:03 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Gotta be candid.
This should be on a soap opera - - "As the stomach turns". austin is bitching about the cops health care costs. Maybe the way obama tried to cut costs by trying to deny our vets health care.
Ok - - how would any police adjustment would also effect him or his Mother who works right here in New Milford?
and watch - the "stupids" again will only hear that he is sticking up for the little guy and trying to save money on taxes.
Seriously makes me want to puke.
james
6:19 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
#1...Your facts aren't correct as per Politcofact this is the truth about healthcare for vets and the Obama plan....
To quote:Santorum said that Obama has pledged to cut veterans’ benefits.
That is not the case with the VA budget, which Obama wants to increase.
But there are some proposals for programs in the Defense Department budget that might shift more expenses to veterans.
#2..It makes it hard to think of putting any value in what is said when someone can't express themselves without calling others names.
#3....I'd like to know more about the how the comparison since it isn't directed at just one group of borough employees.
I'd go on the BRAT diet if you have problems with your stomach.
Jeffrey DelVecchio
11:36 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
He is not complaining about only police benefits. He wants to switch all Boro employees to the state health benefits plan at a potential savings of ~$300,000. The state health benefits are excellent and why not try to save some money while still providing very good health insurance?
Jimmy Drake
1:07 pm on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Guess I don't have to say any more here.
new milford dad of 3
7:21 am on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
I see you put your foot in your mouth again.
Mary McElroy
9:35 pm on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I am all for pursuing this area further and kudos to Councilman Ashley for raising the issue. Why not do a cost-benefit analysis of the current plan versus the State Health Benefit plan? From my understanding, going with the SHBP could save NJ municipalities millions upon millions in benefit costs. Most municipalites are not with the SHBP - they are with private agents who are making millions of dollars from NJ taxpayers. These groups are politically connected to BOTH parties & they use their influence with BOTH parties at the taxpayers expense. As a private business person who has seen health insurance premiums rise every year for the past 10 years by at least 10% per year, I'd jump at an option such as this which could lower my costs while still providing good coverage. Health insurance benefits are a big ticket item in this town & of course this is where we should be looking to cut cost. There's no way we'll ever be able to make investments in the town and improve our infastructure if everything we take in goes out on salaries and benefits.
Jimmy Drake
12:37 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Mary:
Don't you think that if it could be done,The Mayor would be all over it by now? There is NO free lunch. just a councilman who is up for reelection trying to gain headlines. May I ask why hasn't hedi ot rundi said anything about this? Why? because They are not up for reelection..he is.
newmilford 1976. I guess you missed the part where I said the stupids would say exactly what this poor innocent and naive kid just did.HE is the one who has to get rid of the chickens, pay the fine, lose money and get over this emotional trauma and yet austin who has accomplished NOTHING to date is the hero?!?
who in the hell is kidding who?
Jeffrey DelVecchio
3:48 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Am I missing something here?
new milford dad of 3
6:09 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Jimmy you are just a discruntled person because your son lost do to your stupid rants.As far as health lets see the differnce between the 2. You should just be quiet and wait and see. Austin has ideas lets give the man a chance why should the taxes go up another 3.2% my taxes or 21000 now im sick ready to sell how about you????/
Mary McElroy
9:57 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Jimmy: To answer your question... NO, I don't think that if it could be done that the mayor would be all over it by now. It's my understanding that MOST municipalities in NJ are not taking advantage of the SHB plan and I've already stated one main reason why municipalities are not participating. Perhaps the mayor & council are not even aware of it as a viable option as it may not have been brought to their attention. I'm not trying to find fault with the mayor or anyone else on the council unless given reason. Right now, there may be a good idea on the table-so look at it-run the numbers, compare the plans, invite a rep from the SHB in to discuss the plan. Then dialogue and compare. Is that not what we've elected these representatives to do on our behalf? This should not be about finding fault or pointing fingers, it's about looking for solutions to complicated problems. Let's stop doing business as usual. I would also add that you seem to see everything as red & blue, Republican vs Democrat. Quite frankly, I don't give a darn about any of it because both groups have pretty much sold out the American middle class. I'm looking for bold new ideas, common sense solutions, integrity and representatives who genuinely care about the people & our community. Unless we all stop thinking about making one side or the other look good or bad, the country, NJ and NM will all be screwed. So let's look to the motto of the 6th grade basketball champs - Hard Work-Team Work. Let's start now.
Tony
8:17 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Hey Drake. What are standing on your head when you write these posts. You make no sense at all.
Jimmy Drake
8:19 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Hey Mazilli, I see you changed your name again. got thrown off the forum because of using multiple names didn't you? As I have said before, you invent these multiple anonymous names, agree with yourself, knock me and then revel in your make believe world of accomplishment. Wow, so totally you. and you and you and you. at any rate - whichever name you're using - - the only ideas austin has, are what he gets from the NMDC. Remember I served on a Committee with him, I AM an elected democrat and I do know a whole lot more than the average resident does about techniques, tactics, grandstanding and the BS that is being perpetrated here. By the way - since the Democratic ticket bellowed "AN EVEN AMOUNT of dems and reps on the council" - - - should mike and austin get in - which one will decline so as to maintain the evenness on the council?
Mary, you were THERE when I asked for help with food for the families of Vets. You can do no wrong in my book. We will have to agree to disagree on this one.
As far as my son goes, he was part of a team and the team lost because of the weather. Can't you hear Joe Stupid saying - "I'll fix those Republicans for not picking up my fallen branches and trees, I'll vote for the Democrats - - - that'll show em. LQQK at the districts and see which district had the most storm damage and how that district voted. and NONE of the candidates on the rep ticket had anything whatsoever to do with the overworked DPW.
THAT'S why I get frustrated.
Roy W.
8:32 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thank you Councilman Ashley!
Mary McElroy
9:53 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
http://www.nj.gov/comptroller/news/docs/shbp_audit_report.pdf
This is an interesting report from State Controller's office about the SHBP.
Jimmy Drake
7:08 am on Saturday, March 24, 2012
Mary, I guarantee EVERY pay to play town will read the auditor's report on page 5 over and over again.......with a crying towel.