FULTON CALLS ON DIMASO TO REIMBURSE TAXPAYERS FOLLOWING ASBURY PARK PRESS INVESTIGATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2016


HAZLET – Following today’s front page investigative report from the Asbury Park Press exposing the fact that Monmouth County Freeholder Serena DiMaso has been in violation of receiving family health coverage at the expense of Monmouth County residents, Sue Fulton today called on DiMaso to immediately reimburse county taxpayers. Fulton is a candidate for freeholder who has twenty years experience managing at Fortune 100 companies.

Freeholder Serena DiMaso

“Today’s investigative report exposes exactly what is wrong with our government in Monmouth County,” said Fulton. “Serena DiMaso has worked the system to all of our detriment, giving taxpayers the bill for her family health coverage in clear violation of the law. Freeholder DiMaso owes Monmouth County taxpayers a proper explanation for why she betrayed the public’s trust and forced us all to pay for her family health coverage and she should immediately pay back every dime.”

According to the APP, DiMaso paid for COBRA, the federal system offered to former full-time county employees in which they pay monthly in order to keep their health benefits for up to 18 months after leaving their jobs. DiMaso was operating in violation of a years old resolution stating that county freeholders cannot receive health benefits. Also according to the APP, on January 21st of this year the Monmouth County freeholders unanimously passed a resolution that extended health benefits to part-time employees who work 30 hours a week, even though that threshold has been in place since 2008. The resolution from this year, which DiMaso voted on, also removed the restriction on the freeholder’s ability to receive coverage.

“Freeholder Dimaso is not a full-time employee, she should not have been receiving COBRA through the county, and she certainly should not have voted on a resolution that could only serve to try and justify her actions in advance of her campaign for re-election,” said Fulton. “Serena DiMaso’s actions would have swift consequences in the private sector, I can’t imagine why her position in the service of county taxpayers should be any different.”