Garden State Politics

Posted by admin on February 9th, 2010 in Uncategorized

Pension reform is afoot:

The proposals would require workers and retirees at all levels of government and local school districts to contribute to their own health care costs, ban part-time workers at the state and local levels from participating in the underfunded state pension system, cap sick leave payouts for all public employees and constitutionally require the state to fully fund its pension obligations each year. They would also eliminate multiple pensions and change how pensions are calculated, including for police and fire personnel.

While most of the reforms would apply to future workers, current employees would have to contribute at least 1.5 percent of their base salary towards their health care costs.

In other words…the pensions system is going to be changed to something that looks like you’d find in a private company. Of course, the Unions are going to fight it – as they should because it would represent a loss of cash from their members. But I think the end of this is that reform is badly needed, and it’s better to do it now rather than wait for the inevitable collapse.

Also, lobbyists should be thrown out of the system:

Legislators at one time granted taxpayer-paid pensions and health insurance to lobbyists from the League of Municipalities, School Boards Association, the Association of Counties and others.

Taxpayers are paying $1.3 million a year to 62 nongovernment retirees.

It’s a drop in the bucket, but it’s a drop that doesn’t need to be dripping.

Share on Facebook