That time when the Monmouth County Republican Commission illegally raised their own wages by 3,000 dollars

Hello readers. Hope you're all having a good Tuesday night.

The OSC found that in 2020, the Monmouth County Republican controlled Board of Commissioners raised their own salaries from $27,000 to $30,000 without following the public process required by state law (N.J.S.A. 40:20-72). State law requires a five step public process for such increases, including a formal resolution and a public hearing. The OSC concluded the board bypassed these steps, effectively depriving the public of the chance to challenge the move or demand a referendum.

At the time, Commissioner Director Tom Arnone stated that the county had followed a practice used for decades and suggested the $3,000 hike was a "cost-of-living adjustment" (COLA) error that was eventually corrected or formalized later after the scrutiny. The same investigation found that the Board had also improperly increased the salary of Monmouth County Republican Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden. Between 2016 and 2021, his salary rose from roughly $136,000 to over $178,000. The OSC noted that these increases also occurred without the required public resolutions, which the Board later addressed by passing a retroactive resolution in early 2022 to come into compliance.

For too long, the current Monmouth County Commission has operated under the assumption that the rules are mere suggestions. When the New Jersey State Comptroller investigated this board, the findings were clear, they bypassed state law to raise their own pay without the public hearing or transparency that every taxpayer deserves. It wasn’t just a "procedural glitch" it was a disregard for the residents of this county. While Monmouth families are tightening their belts to deal with rising property taxes and a $23 million increase in the tax levy, this board saw fit to award themselves a 28% pay increase. Public service is not a path to a bigger paycheck at the taxpayer's expense, and it never should be.

The taxpayers of Monmouth County work hard for their money. It’s time they had a Commission that works just as hard to protect it.