Mulligan received benefits despite law
The authority spent at least
The dollar amount could be several thousand dollars higher, but health insurance invoices no longer exist for 2005, and the first three months of 2006.
Under the state Municipal Authorities Act, sewer and other authorities may negotiate contracts for health insurance for employees and their dependents "but not its appointed officers and officials nor their dependents for hospital and medical benefits."
"First of all, I've never done anything illegal or wrong," said Mulligan, 60, who is married with nine children.
Even though he was authority solicitor for more than six years, Mulligan said he was unaware of that provision in the law governing authorities.
"No. 1, I was never told that," he said. "No. 2, it's my understanding that past solicitors were given benefits. Everything was above board. My bills, everything were approved by the sewer authority on a monthly basis. If there was a problem, they should have brought it to my attention, you know? That's not my fault. In fact, that's the reason I want to get involved in city government is to straighten out the incompetency that's going on here."
Attorney
"He got benefits?" Belardi asked.
Belardi said when he was hired, which was before Mulligan, authority officials told him he was ineligible for health insurance. The authority invoices show Belardi never received health insurance.
Before he was co-solicitor with Belardi, Mulligan sat on the authority board.
Mayor
Mulligan said he spoke then to
"
Mulligan served as solicitor of the city
During his debate Wednesday against Mayor
Once board members found out, they discussed the matter with Mulligan and told him he had to "make other arrangements" for health insurance, Stone said. He could not recall who brought up the matter or when it came up but said it could have been then-board chairman
In a statement issued Saturday, Mulligan said he "does not recall the specific conversation noted by
"However, I have known him to be an honest and honorable man. If these benefits were a concern, why were they not terminated during my time at the SSA? It is concerning that my compensation package has become a political football a decade after the fact and a little over a week before an election," he said.
Authority records show the authority viewed Mulligan's employment status differently at different times.
On his
While working 40 hours a week often reflects a full-time employee, Mulligan never billed for more than 45.4 hours in any month during that period.
For 2008, the authority issued Mulligan two year-end tax forms. Mulligan received a 1099-Misc tax form showing he earned
Under federal law, employees receive W-2 forms while non-employees receive 1099s.
For 2009, Mulligan received only a W-2 form showing he was paid
For 2010, Mulligan received a W-2 showing he earned
In 2011, he billed monthly the first three months and was paid
He did not bill for more than 48.4 hours in any month in 2010 or 2011. The authority no longer has tax forms for Mulligan for 2006 and 2007.
Efforts to reach former authority executive director
"He took illegal health care for multiple years to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars," Courtright said. "He's the solicitor. He should have known he wasn't able to get health care."
Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter
___
(c)2017 The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.)
Visit The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pa.) at thetimes-tribune.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Cantwell, Hughes vying for Jefferson County Board seat
Social Security giveth, medical costs taketh away
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News