Pensions for parttime attorneys in town government have become an issue in the Fourth Ward Council race.

Democratic Councilman Tom Bigosinski has been a leading opponent in town for eliminating pensions for the parttime attorneys, including for Vincent Loughlin, the attorney for the Board of Adjustment and the father of Bigosinski's Republican opponent, Keith Loughlin. Bigosinski has been pressing the issue, and seeking requests for qualifications for prospective attorneys for four years, before knowing Loughlin would be his opponent. Loughlin is in favor of retaining the system, saying it has allowed the town to obtain the best legal representation.

State law has forbidden parttime employees from receiving pension credits, but grandfathers in employees such as Vincent Loughlin, town Public Defender Michael Paganos and Town Attorney Bob Cockren. Paganos' wife, Donna, is campaign treasurer for Loughlin. The town's legal employees all work fulltime for law firms and represent the town on a separate basis. They can work for multiple municipalities. The appointments are made annually at the Town Council's reorganization meeting without a request for qualifications being solicited. Bigosinski and his Democratic colleague, Third Ward Councilman Dave Haas, voted against the attorney appointments in the past.

"My primary objection is that the town attorney and the four other parttime attorneys are awarded pension credits even though they don't need to be," Bigosinski said. "They are not put out to bid."

Bigosinski stressed he has nothing against the attorneys, but is against the system used to appoint and compensate them. He noted that he has done an analysis of neighboring communities and finds that many do not put the parttime employees in the pension system and seek bids before making the annual appointments. He noted Cranford, Berkeley Heights, Millburn and New Brunswick are towns that do this. The Republicans who control the Cranford Township Committee made the change several years ago.

Bigosinski, a partner in one of the state's largest law firms who practices labor and employment law, said he is against the issue because of the statewide fiscal situation and the abuse of the pension system in past years, which could cause problems for teachers, public safety officers and other government employees. In New Jersey, public employee pensions are determined based on the number of years in the system and the average of the three highest years' salaries. It has not been uncommon for politically connected officials to retain parttime positions to up their years in the pension system. Until recently, the minimum salary to be eligible for the pension system was $1,500 a year.

Loughlin defended the pensions for parttime employees noting that the amount spent annually by the town for pension contributions is $7,657.10. The town budget is almost $40 million a year. Bigosinski agreed with Loughlin's figure and said his concern centered around the additional pension credits and the future of the state pension system.

Loughlin noted that he believes more of the concern should be focused on issues where no-show parttime jobs were created for the politically connected and not on the Westfield legal team. He defended the work of the legal team, noting that the members work full time for the town and provide assistance in legal areas outside of their official portfolios. He noted that his father served as a member of the town's land use task force outside of his official duties.

"I think it is important to draw the distinction between Westfield employees who are working for the town and the reason it has not worked in other towns with no show jobs," Loughlin said.

Loughlin's position differs from leaders of his party including Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, R-Westfield, and Republican lieutenant governor nominee Kim Guadagno. Guadagno announced Tuesday during a speech in Westfield that she was against parttime employee pensions. Loughlin was quick to point out that Guadagno's thoughts go towards what he sees as a pattern of creating no show jobs and not against attorneys in Westfield.

"While the state has had double dipping pension padders with no show jobs, Westfield has been well served," he said. "I am hesitant to change a process that has enabled Westfield to have good legal personnel."

Loughlin noted that if electd he plans to recuse himself from any discussions and votes relating to his father's employment and compensation with the town. He said he would follow all relevant ethics laws relating to the issues. Loughlin works for the same law firm as his father. In addition, he noted that his father is a registered Independent and has worked as a municipal attorney for Democratic and Republican towns.

Bigosinski noted that his belief regarding the parttime pensions is not just for the election, that he has turned down parttime legal positions that have been offered to him by other local governments.

"I myself have been offered parttime employment as an attorney for a municipality and I turned it down," he said. "This is something I am sincere about and I feel strongly about. I don't believe parttime attorneys should be in the pension system. I don't want to be a part of that problem."