MANCHESTER, NH – A proposal to eliminate all health and dental insurance benefits for Manchester’s Aldermen in exchange for a higher overall stipend and salary was defeated on Tuesday night.
The proposal would raise the stipend and salary from $5,000 to $8,500.
In a unanimous hand count vote of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Human Resources and Insurance, the proposal was not recommended.
While the proposal was initiated by Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza, the only comment on the proposal came from his brother, Ward 5 Alderman Anthony Sapienza, who said he felt felt obligated to make his comment to clarify that he was not the Sapienza behind this idea, referring to it as “an embarrassment.”
“I would never vote to take healthcare away from anyone, certainly not to put $3,500 into my own pocket,” said Anthony.
The proposal recommended that the change occur on Jan. 6, 2026 when the next board is sworn in.
Last year, the Manchester Board of School Committee approved a comparable measure after it was discovered that in many circumstances the health insurance coverage provided was actually a financial burden.
Ed Sapienza hoped to emulate what the school board had done for his Aldermanic colleagues.
“The intent was to put it out there. The committee process is somewhat of a joke in that we don’t really kill anything, just following procedures,” said Ed Sapienza to Manchester Ink Link.