Mock Retirement Party Held for Essex County Executive

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. missed his own "retirement" party Wednesday, opting to spend his time in Puerto Rico, where he is vacationing.

The party, attended by about 20 people, came complete with cake and ice cream. It was thrown for him by angry union members at South Orange Village Hall in South Orange just prior to the start of the public meeting of the Essex County Freeholders.

The "party" followed news released last week that, due to a loophole in state pension laws, DiVincenzo has been collecting a pension since last August while still collecting a paycheck as County Executive. DiVincenzo later but not for collecting the pension.

"I put in 29 years, I deserve my pension," he told Patch on April 4.

A cake, brought to the event, featured a picture of the county executive with Governor Chris Christie and read, "Have Your Cake and Eat It Too."

The hosts of the party were the Communication Workers of America (CWA), along with help from the state Patrolman’s Benevolent Association.

"We're here because Joseph N. DiVincenzo has been highly critical of the very basic benefits of clerical workers, teachers, firefighters and police,” said Hetty Rosenstein, state CWA director. "He makes $153,000 in salary at the age of 58 and is collecting a $70,000 a year pension ... so we're giving him a party."

Rosenstein and her colleagues gave out coupons for free ice cream that read "Joe D. gets to be a Double Dipper on your dime, but you only get a single dip on us."

Tony Wieners, president of the state PBA said, "We're bringing attention to the situation that we're very concerned about. We have a mission — to let people know how much of a hypocrite he is."