Character Assassination By Opponents is Shameful, Councilman Beckerman Says

This letter to the editor was submitted by Scotch Plains Councilman and 2013 Election Incumbent Lou Beckerman.

To the Editor: 

In an earlier letter to the Editor, I reported that the Township of Scotch Plains will save at least $60,000 on the current Health Insurance program over the expiring coverage in 2014. In as much as this is “silly season” and my opponent’s mentors, Councilman Bo Vastine and Ed Saradaki have accused me of inappropriate behavior by leaking competitive information, I feel that a clarification is due the public. 

As an insurance professional involved in municipalities and school boards, I frequently speak and meet with many colleagues who service numerous governmental agencies throughout the State of New Jersey. I happened to run into the Township’s current health insurance broker who remarked that based on what he was seeing from the marketplace thus far, the Township could anticipate at least a $60,000 savings in health insurance costs next year. That is the extent of the information that I shared with the public.  I did not have access to nor was I privy to any official proposal from any insurance carrier. I was just sharing general good news provided verbally by our current broker. I suspect that if any Councilman called our broker and asked him where he thought we might be with insurance coverage costs for next year, he would have been given the same good news. 

From day one, it has been my stated desire and commitment to ensure that the Township’s Health Insurance Broker and Joint Insurance Fund Risk Manager actively seek competitive proposals from the marketplace.  Based on my professional knowledge of the industry, I strongly believe that significant savings will be had by our taxpayers as a result of my advocacy for a competitive process.” 

I am working very hard for the taxpayers of Scotch Plains and quite frankly this character assassination is offensive.  Mr. Vastine and Mr. Saradaki you are misleading the public for the benefit of your candidate Mr. Jones. Shame on both of you! 

Sincerely, 
Louis Beckerman, Councilman