RUMANA REMAINS OUT OF STEP WITH CHRISTIE’S POSITIONS: FIRST COAH – NOW WITH DUAL OFFICE HOLDING

WAYNE NJ  -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie has stated that his ban on dual office holding would include teachers, police and firefighters as well as other public employees seeking to hold elected office.  

In last week’s debate against Steve Lonegan, Christie said that teachers and other public employees could run for office, but should not be paid for that political office since they already have one taxpayer financed job. He said anyone holding public office should get just one paycheck from the taxpayers. 

However, Passaic County Chairman Scott Rumana, who portrays himself as a  Christie disciple --  has chosen as his county freeholder ticket, three  people who already hold public jobs and who would stand to enhance their public salary and their pensions if they were elected.  His freeholder candidates Mike Marotta, makes $100,315 from the Passaic County Water Commission; and Deborah Ciambrone, who is paid $87,122 as a teacher in Bloomingdale.  

Rumana’s candidates also receive health benefits and pensions from the taxpayer boosting their taxpayer financed income to close to $250,000 a year.  His freeholder candidates are now running for jobs that would pay them and additional $28,000 each for their part time work. 

Opposing  Rumana’s freeholder slate is the conservative  GOP Strong team that features freeholder candidates Bruno Varano,  Robert Cruz, and Debra Andriani. None of  those candidates are on the public payroll. 

Varano says he wants know if  Rumana’s freeholder candidates will refuse  their county salaries if they are elected.  “If Scott Rumana is on board with Chris Christie’s reform measures, he should tell us now – before the June 2 Primary Election whether his candidates will be double dippers or not,” said Varano. 

“I want to know if Chairman Rumana subscribes to the policies regarding double dipping advocated by the gubernatorial candidate he endorses,” added Varano.

Rumana is already out of step with  Christie and Lonegan on the issue of state mandated low income housing. Rumana supports low income housing mandates.