UNION COUNTY—While many Americans cannot find employment and even public employees are losing their jobs, one New Jersey government lawyer strung together eight taxpayer-funded posts for a total income of more than $320,000 in 2008.
Damian Murray, a municipal court judge in eight Ocean County towns, made a salary 67 percent greater than that of the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Locally, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan held two government jobs, cashing in on a $49,000 salary as a state legislator and $110,676 as a political appointee in the Union County Sheriff’s Office, for a total income $159,676.
Charlotte DeFilippo, the Union County Democratic boss, was paid $143,410 as executive director of the Union County Improvement Authority plus $10,000 from a part-time job in the Department of Community Affairs.
Hillside Councilman Jerome Jewell was collecting 3 tax-funded paychecks last year and now he is running for mayor in the financially troubled township. Jewell was paid at least $92,000 as a municipal employee in Newark in addition to his $6,996 city council paycheck and another $6,456 from the Joint Meeting of Essex & Union Counties, for a total of $108,452.
George W. Devanney was paid $168,336 as Union County Manager and $6,000 as an aide to Sen. Nicholas Scutari in 2008, according to the Public Employees Retirement System. Davanney no longer serves on Scutari’s staff, according to Matthew Reilly, director of communications for the New Jersey Senate Majority office.
Peter Pelissier was paid $150,609 as city administrator and another $136,630 as redevelopment director in Rahway, for a total salary of $287,239.
Francisco Cuesta took home a $22,244 salary as Elizabeth city councilman plus another $134,196 as principal at Hamilton Middle School, for a total $156,440 at taxpayer expense.
Edward Jackus is another Elizabeth city councilman whose $22,244 salary was combined with $121,740 from the Elizabeth Board of Education payroll and $4,000 from the Union County Utilities Authority for a combined $147,984 tax funded income.
