The Newark City Council decided to hold off on granting lifetime health benefits to a councilman who will step down at the end of the month after 20 years, five years short of the required 25 years to get coverage for life.
A resolution before the council at its regular meeting on Wednesday would have granted lifetime benefits to Councilman Carlos Gonzalez, 77, who did not seek a sixth 4-year term in the May 12 nonpartisan municipal elections in the state’s largest city.
Rather than voting whether approve or defeat the proposal, Gonzalez and seven council colleagues voted 8-0 on what City Clerk Kecia Daniels called “a hold to return to the administration.” There was no public discussion on the issue before or immediately after the vote. Councilman Michael Silva was absent…