March 23, 2010
  | ADDIEGO AND THOMPSON: |
Assembly Republican members Dawn Marie Addiego and Assemblyman Samuel Thompson today said bipartisan approval of a public employee pension and benefits reform package by the Legislature that was signed into law by Governor Christie is common sense legislation that will help put New Jersey’s fiscal house back in order.
“The current system is unsustainable and a burden the state’s taxpayers can no longer afford,” said Addiego, R-Burlington, a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. “These bills are common sense reforms that should have been in place years ago. Nonetheless, it’s a positive step forward for our state, its taxpayers and for those legitimate rank-and-file public workers who deserve the retirement they have earned and been promised.”
The committee approved the following three pension and benefits reform bills:
• A-2459 (S-4) - Makes numerous changes regarding unused sick leave.
• A-2460 (S-3) - Makes numerous changes to public worker health benefits including a requirement that public workers and certain retirees contribute to their health care benefits.
• A-2461 (S-2) – Makes numerous changes to public worker pensions including limiting enrollment to new full time employees who work at least 35 hours per week for the state or 32 hours for local government and schools.
“These bipartisan reform bills are the beginning of several much-needed reforms requested and advocated by Governor Christie and his administration to save the current system and prevent our state from falling into a deeper fiscal abyss,” commented Thompson, R-Monmouth and Middlesex, a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. “Our taxpayers alone have carried this burden for far too long. During this time of equal sacrifice, it’s only fair that we begin to align public employee benefits with those offered in the private sector.”
Governor Christie signed the three measures Monday evening following legislative approval. They were the first bills he signed into law as governor.
