Manchester Council Tables Resolution Condemning Federal Furloughs

Written By Nick Malfitano

Manchester Township Council members opted to table a resolution denouncing the furlough of federal employees due to sequestration during their meeting this week, citing a need for further investigation of the topic.

The resolution labeled the furloughs “a major impact” to Department of Defense employees—including locals—stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Naval Weapons Station Earle, Picatinny Arsenal, numerous National Guard locations statewide and the state economy.

Buckingham Drive resident Elaine Baumeister said Congress fought hard to avoid the use of furloughs and it was “inaccurate” for a township resolution to attribute them to the budget sequestration.

Council Vice President Brendan Weiner described the sequestration as “an across-the-board cut at the federal level” that affected employees in several governmental departments. Weiner speculated those same employees are the ones who wrote a letter to the township council, explaining the financial impact furloughs were bringing to them.

“That’s how it came to us at the council’s desk,” he said.

However, Weiner offered to table the motion until the council could gather more information on the furloughs and their effects on the local and state economy.

Councilman Sam Fusaro later commented Congress was saying it couldn’t come up with a compromise to make government run efficiently, through the use of sequestration and furloughs.

“That would be like the township council saying you know what, we’re not going to a do budget, let’s just spend money wherever we want to and when we run out, we’ll just go ask our employers to give us some more,” he said.

Fusaro added it was “sickening” that members of Congress walked away from the negotiating table instead of compromising on the matter.

The governing body then unanimously approved tabling the resolution.