Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, May 18, 2006 OUR 116th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 20-2006 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J. www.goleader.com
[email protected] SIXTY CENTS Town Council Adopts Budget, 8-1, After Debate Over Legal Expenses By MICHAEL J. POLLACK First Ward Councilman Peter Rick Danser, who, along with his firm, Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Echausse, prior to discussion, spoke earns $175 an hour. Councilman WESTFIELD – At Tuesday’s public of the “steep hill” the finance policy Bigosinski called for $150 paid to Mr. meeting, the Westfield town council committee, to which he is the chair- Danser and $125 to all other attorneys. voted eight to one in favor of the 2006 man, faced. He regretted “voting for a The councilman asked, since the municipal operating budget. In addi- tax increase of 7.5 cents,” but felt 90 “finance committee worked hard to tion, the council repealed the redevel- percent of increases were due to “state reduce staff and cut costs, why it opment distinctions and passed the spe- budgeting problems and mandated can’t adopt the same belt-tightening cial improvement district (SID) bud- expenses.” approach to the legal department,” get. Councilman Bigosinski, in his pro- which the councilman referred to as Before the roll-call vote on the op- posal, estimated that the town could the “sacred cow of the town.” erating budget, Fourth Ward Coun- save $47,000 in legal expenses over the Councilman Echausse retorted and cilman Tom Bigosinski formally in- course of 2006.