Former mayor's letter inaccurate

As an investigative journalist for many years, I always had an obligation to keep Vernon residents informed of the facts concerning their community. Now as a private citizen, I still feel it is imperative for them to get the facts. Sally Rinker wrote a letter that was disturbing and defamatory. In researching the information she gave, I learned her letter contained significant inaccuracies.

Former Mayor Rinker, current president of the so-called Vernon “Taxpayers” Association, said Mayor Victor Marotta’s claims that our township is in excellent state “are never qualified in writing.” On Jan. 26, 2015, the mayor qualified all of his claims in writing in a PowerPoint presentation he gave to the Township Council.

Rinker made numerous other inaccurate statements – including one I believe to be libelous when she said the mayor is “misappropriating funds” – but she does not give a single example to qualify her claims.

Rinker said the township has “millions of dollars of increased debt.”

FACT – In the four years since Rinker was mayor in 2011, the township debt decreased from $22,880,121 to $21,617,454. Mayor Marotta decreased it $1,262,667.

Rinker’s numbers for municipal employees from 2010 to 2014 are also wrong. There are more employees today than in 2010, but some full-time jobs were converted to two part-time jobs, saving expenses. Two of the new employees are full-time police officers and 9 are full- and part-time DPW employees. These new employees provide an added level of services for township residents. More important are the facts that the average salary for employees decreased, and our municipal taxes have also now decreased for the fourth year in a row under Mayor Marotta. That has never before happened in the history of our municipal budget, and that only happens through good financial management. That’s not something you ever hear from Rinker’s “taxpayer association.”

Rinker said, “The overall budget grew by several million dollars.”

FACT – The overall budget almost always increases every year, due mostly to contractual salary increases and higher costs for insurances. In the years Rinker was mayor, the municipal budget increased significantly. While the municipal budget might have increased during Mayor Marotta’s tenure, the municipal taxes residents pay decreased four years in a row now because of his excellent financial management.

Rinker said the “trust fund accounts exceeded $600,000 before he came into office and are now almost completely depleted.”

FACT – The Trust Fund Balances today total $1,831,718. That’s a significant increase from when she was mayor.

Rinker said the 2010 compensated absence liability “had a sum of $679,590 and was completely zeroed out in his first budget in 2012.”

FACT – The compensated absence liability had $686,654 in 2010 and now has $745,864.

I caution residents of Vernon Township not to take anything this “taxpayers” association puts out as fact but research the facts for themselves because I have seen enough misinformation coming from this so-called “taxpayers” association.”

Jessica Paladini
Vernon