Seeking to cut back on taxpayer costs and saying that all branches of government must share in the pain during the current economic downturn, Assemblymen Vince Polistina and John Amodeo today called for spending cuts, including legislative salaries and district office staff salaries, while reiterating their support for a bill that eliminates health benefits for elected officials who only serve part-time in public offices.

“New Jersey is facing a major budget crisis at a time of economic turmoil,” said Polistina, R-Atlantic. “It is essential that government cut costs to balance the budget and there is no reason that government itself should be exempt from the economic pain being felt by the rest of the community.”

Polistina and Amodeo called for a 20 percent reduction in salaries for state legislators, and for a 10 percent reduction in the salaries for legislative district office staff, during the current economic downturn.They also called for consideration of their bill, A-2446, providing that elected officials whose compensation is less than $50,000 annually would be ineligible for any health care benefits provided by the public entity which they serve.Polistina and Amodeo said that most part-time elected officials have other jobs that also make health coverage available, or have access to a spouse’s coverage, therefore making this an unnecessary expense.

“The area of benefits reform is one which holds promise not just for providing short-term savings, but easing our long-term budget problems,” Amodeo said. “Hopefully with the magnitude of our fiscal problems now apparent, we can move this proposal forward.”