Hundreds of workers furloughed in Edison, N.J., amid partial municipal shutdown
One of New Jersey's largest municipalities has furloughed hundreds of workers as they deal with budget woes.
The financial uncertainty in Edison is growing, and an emergency budget vote is set for Thursday night after the Township Council did not vote on the proposed $181 million budget during Monday night's meeting.
"He's playing with people's lives"
According to Mayor Sam Joshi, three Township Council members didn't show up for Monday night's anticipated budget vote.
The mayor says in order to cast the vote, five councilmembers must be present, and after Councilman Richard Brescher walked out of the meeting, that threshold wasn't met.
As a result, the mayor says approximately 360 non-emergency employees have been furloughed, including 10 police officers who recently joined the force.
"We do not have funds to cover us going into August," Joshi said.
Brescher told CBS News New York he didn't think it would come to this.
"We have approved funding our government in full until the end of July," he said. "Why he is furloughing people today? It's theatrics is what it is. He's playing with people's lives."
"He could have brought all of this up had he stayed in the meeting," Joshi said.
Another councilmember, Ajay Patil, said he had concerns about spending, including "vehicle usage, fuel, E-ZPass charges, personal security and political mailer" costs that "may exceed $1.5 million."
Joshi says there is a $6 million increase to the proposed budget from last year due to the cost of fuel and manpower for multiple winter storms.
"If they don't like the budget that I introduced, which was a total increase on average of $135 to the average homeowner in Edison, if they don't like it, then fine, they can cut it," Joshi said.
More furloughs could be coming, mayor warns
A moving billboard outside Edison Town Hall urges residents to show up to an emergency budget vote meeting Thursday.
Joshi says if the budget isn't voted on at that meeting, the municipality would be "in a very, very, very bad situation" and even more people would need to be furloughed, including up to 54 police officers.
"That is detrimental to our public safety," he said.
"There is an uncertainty that's weighing heavy on a lot of people," said Michael Piperato, president of the Edison Policemen's Benevolent Association.
The union for firefighters says because there are about a dozen open positions, there's no one furloughed right now, but they are still facing a potential shortage.
"If a firefighter reports out ill, there's no one to replace them," said Jim Walsh, president of Edison Firefighters Association Local 1197.
The mayor says he's spoken with Middlesex County officials, who are willing to share services if need be, but he's hoping it doesn't come to that.
