Letter to the Editor: Car for Township Manager Unnecessary

At first, I did not pay too much attention to the awarding of a township car to our manager.  The Council had the power to do it, even in these tight economic times.  But comments by and about Council member Toffler led me to reconsider.  Many towns and cities are ending take-home cars for their employees as a cost saving measure. This is occurring all over the country.  Why is Teaneck going in the opposite direction?  Is our tax base growing?  Is our commercial sector thriving?  Are we in a pocket of high employment?

I did some standard calculations.  According to Mapquest, Mr. Broughton has a 130 mile round trip from his home to Teaneck every day.  According to the IRS, the standard mileage rate reflecting the cost of travel is $.50 a mile.  For a four day work week and 48 weeks a year, the annual value is just about $12,480.  We are providing the car, the insurance, the maintenance and the fuel for a very long distance commute.  Not a good precedent in an age of global warming and imported petroleum.

I have no ax to grind against Mr. Broughton.  My ax is aimed at the Council.  This perk seems excessive in light of our current economic stress.  Thanks to the cell phone and other features, what special advantage does the granting of a township car provide that makes it necessary?  What is the $12,480 value we get for this expense?  I hope the Council has a compelling explanation to justify the added expense.  It takes the annual township property taxes from nearly three average Teaneck homes to provide this perk.  

-- Art Vatsky

Art Vatsky is a Teaneck resident