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From Hummel report:

Colantuono: ``It's not an issue for any of my constituents. What I hear from people is - what they see me doing is out all the time, working really hard. And I had a lady the other day say: thank you. Because I wouldn't want to do it.''

Steve Colantuono will be the last councilman eligible to receive the lifetime benefits if he serves three terms - since the ordinance eliminating them was passed after he took office in January 2009. His fellow council members amended the ordinance that would have excluded him from the lifetime coverage. (Colantuono participated in this vote - CONFLICT OF INTEREST?)

Colantuono: ``Now the benefit is a great benefit, don't get me wrong, it's not that I worked my butt off for the benefits. I didn't even know we got benefits until I was on the council and we started talking about these kinds of things; didn't run for the benefits, love to have them and I put in my hours and I do what I need to do but if the benefits weren't there I'd move on. My wife and I would find another way to move on and get benefits too.''

But the premiums are only part of the real cost of the benefit to the city and its taxpayers. The Hummel Report has learned that last year the claims against the city's policy for the current council were more than a quarter of a million dollars.

Colantuono: ``It certainly is a big number , but I know there have been some issues with folks in terms of the claims and the usage.''

Hummel: ``I'm wondering whether that gives you pause at all about the benefit

Colantuono: ``It absolutely does. It's a benefit that we all appreciate. You never know when you're going to need it or use it to that degree.''

From: Our choices for Council

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