For Immediate Release: Contact: Lily Cortese
June 2, 2010 silvaforassembly@gmail.comJoe Sinagra and Marcia Silva Vow to End Practice of Taxpayer Subsidized Pay Days for Politicians
GOP Candidates question how Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Patrick Diegnan - who has amassed multiple public jobs - can claim that he represents the working class residents who subsidize his paychecks
Edison, NJ- Responding to a Star-Ledger article outlining that Trenton Democrat Patrick Diegnan makes a yearly income of at least $99,800[1] from his three taxpayer funded jobs, former Helmetta Council President Joe Sinagra and former prosecutor and successful small business owner Marcia Silva, the GOP candidates for State Assembly in the 18th Legislative District, are calling for an outright ban on politicians receiving multiple public paychecks and pensions.
According to the article, Patrick Diegnan is among 11 members of the Assembly that receive over $50,000 a year in taxpayer funded salaries on top of their annual legislative salaries of $49,000.
“Too many families in the 18th district have seen a loved one lose their job and are making difficult decisions regarding their personal finances while Assemblyman Diegnan collects three public salaries”, stated Sinagra. “There is a dangerous disconnect between Diegnan whose part time public jobs alone account for a better pay day than many of the taxpayers who subsidize it.”
Holding multiple positions as a public employee or an elected official leaves room for “Conflict of Interests”, “Conflict of Obligations” and public mistrust.
Marcia Silva added, “Diegnan has not opposed one of the 115 new or increased taxes that have come before him in the Legislature. He has no problem voting to make taxpayers that face an affordability crisis in New Jersey while he collects paychecks from three taxpayer funded jobs. His yearly public payout is yet another insult to the working class families he has taken an oath to represent. The hard working taxpayers of the 18th district can no longer afford people like Patrick Diegnan in the legislature.”
“Voters will be given the opportunity to cut Diegnan’s taxpayer salary in half on November 8th by voting him out of office”, concluded Silva.
###
[1] Patrick Diegnan receives a $49,000 annual salary as Assemblyman, at least $40,800 annually as the attorney for the Middlesex County Joint Insurance Fund, and at least $10,000 annually as the municipal attorney for Spotswood.
No comments:
Post a Comment