Essex County, Brick Twp expected to pass Domestic Partner benefits

by: Juan Melli

Sat Feb 04, 2006 at 04:53:12 PM EST

In a surprise policy directive during his annual State of the County address last night, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. proposed extending pension and health benefits to the domestic partners of county employees.
...
DiVincenzo's proposal is not expected to face opposition in Essex, with several freeholders pledging their support for the resolution. Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold called it absolutely the correct thing to do.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to have a problem with it,” Township Council Vice President Stephen C. Acropolis said after Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli proposed the resolution at the Jan. 24 council meeting. “It’s very good.”
...
“It appears the council will approve it,” Scarpelli said. “I think it’s going to make people’s lives better.”
...
The catalyst for this public policy change can be found in Point Pleasant resident Lt. Laurel Hester.