NYC won't collect from reservists killed in Iraq

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday that the city would forgive the financial debt for a firefighter and a police officer who were killed while serving in Iraq.

"There's no intention to try to collect monies. ...They paid enough price already," Bloomberg said.

Police Officer James McNaughton was serving in the Army Reserve when he was killed by a sniper last year. Firefighter Christian Engeldrum died in 2004 while serving with the Army National Guard.

Along with hundreds of city workers called to duty as military reservists, they participated in the Extended Military Benefits Package that lets participants receive both military and city pay. The deal allows them to keep health insurance, plus pension and other benefits.

When they return, they must give back the lesser of the two salaries - which has caused some alarm for returning veterans who are now getting staggering bills from the city. Many of them say they didn't realize the terms of the deal before they left for the war.

The city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services said last month it is looking at the program to see what needs to be changed, or at least made more clear. In the meantime, there were questions over whether the city would attempt to collect from the estates of Engeldrum and McNaughton.

"We're not going to go after the money for those two people," Bloomberg said. "What we're trying to do is to balance what's responsible - fiscally responsible - and what's fair."

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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/nyregion/10mbrfs-001.html

October 10, 2006

Manhattan: Two Veterans' Pay Issues Resolved

By DIANE CARDWELL

The city will not seek to recoup pay from the families of Firefighter Christian P. Engeldrum and Police Officer James D. McNaughton, who were killed while on military service in Iraq, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said yesterday. City employees called to duty as reservists were allowed to keep both their military and city pay and benefits, as long as they repaid the city the lesser of the two salaries upon their return. But with many of the workers being hit with higher bills than they expected, city officials are re-examining the terms of the program. The issue was resolved at least for the families of Firefighter Engeldrum, who was 39 and married with two sons, and Officer McNaughton, 27, who was engaged. "There's no intention to try to collect monies," Mr. Bloomberg said. "They've paid enough price already."