Vernon mayor's salary spin

The petition is completed to force a vote by council to overturn their decision to give the mayor his requested raise and designating him full-time since July 1, 2011. This is the mayor’s fourth salary increase request since taking office in 2011. As a candidate he said, “I will do the job for $500 per week.” He immediately asked for $30,000, upon taking office and just six months later asked for $50,000, approved by council. That sparked the first petition. The question went on the ballot — the voters said “No” by 87 percent. His next request was for an astounding $70,000 and another successful petition was submitted. To avoid another embarrassing defeat at the polls for the mayor, the council rescinded its vote and the raise was not given. This time the raise was approved for only $6,000. The devil is in the details. This latest salary ordinance refers to the mayor’s role as a “full-time position since July 1, 2011.” That is not true. Our code never depicted the role as full time. Research shows that mayors in the same form of government around New Jersey have other careers and businesses as they hold public office. Only our mayor wants to make this role a highly paid career for himself and he is already overpaid. While you only hear of the $36,000 stipend, his package totals $73,000 when you add his health benefits, car gas, cell phone, and expense account. He has complained that he is underpaid and has threatened to leave his mayoral role for another job. Then why run for office again, Mr. Marotta? As the next elected mayor of Vernon, I will certainly not take health benefits, gas, cell phone, or $30,000 from the taxpayers.

Sally Rinker
Candidate for Vernon Mayor