As reported by JT Aregood from the New Jersey Observer, just months after Senate President Steve Sweeney declined to post a bill that would have effected the change with a voter-approved constitutional amendment, Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey passed a plan to require the state to make payments into its underfunded public pension system
Governor Christie
Christie Nixes Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers – Claims Measure Would Give Unions Added Leverage in Negotiations
As reported by the New Jersey Law Journal, Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Nov. 14 vetoed legislation that would have broadened the ability of striking workers to collect unemployment benefits while they were off the job.
In his veto message to S2160, Christie said it was bad enough that the state’s current…
Bill Limiting Solitary Confinement in New Jersey State Prisons is Another Bad Idea
As reported in NJ.Com, a bill strictly limiting the use of solitary confinement in New Jersey’s prisons is headed to Governor Chris Christie’s desk after being passed by the State Assembly. The bill requires prisons and jails to use solitary confinement only as a last resort, restricting its use to 15 consecutive days or 20…
Christie, NJEA Agree To Meet About Changes in Healthcare For Retirees
As reported by NJ.com, the New Jersey Education Association (“NJEA”) and Governor Chris Christie’s administration agreed to hold an information-only meeting on proposed changes to retiree healthcare. The administration took the teacher’s union to court to compel members who sit on the School Employees’ Health Benefits Commission to attend commission meetings. They have boycotted…
NJEA, Christie Administration Fight In Court Over Public Retiree Health Coverage
As reported by NJ.com, a Superior Court judge is expected to decide whether to order members of the State’s teachers’ union in a dispute with Governor Chris Christie’s administration to give up its boycott of meetings setting health care benefits for public employees. The administration took members of the New Jersey Education Association who…
Deadline For NJ Senate To Take Action On Public Worker Pension Amendment
As reported by NJ.com, Senate leaders have spent weeks trying to build a supermajority to override Governor Chris Christie’s opposition to a Transportation Trust Fund tax package, a plan that also holds the fate of a voter referendum on public worker pensions. And for the last week, they’ve said they’re within a vote or…
N.J. To Slash Pension Investments In Hedge Funds That Were Criticized By Unions
As reported by nj.com, the State Investment Council on Wednesday agreed to slash New Jersey’s investments of public-sector pension dollars in hedge funds by more than half, responding to labor union concerns that the alternative investments are not paying off.
At the council’s last meeting in May, union representatives called for drastic reduction in…
Panel Assembles in Philadelphia to Discuss Possible Solutions to Nationwide Public Employment Pension Crisis
On Tuesday, various state officials gathered just a few blocks from the Democratic National Convention to discuss the pension problems being faced by states across the country. Among the panelists was New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester). Read about some of the interesting solutions proposed at: http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/07/26/how-can-new-jersey-other-states-rescue-underfunded-pension-systems/
NJ Republican Seeks to Reduce Government Health Care Costs in Exchange for Constitutional Amendment “Obligating” State Pension Payment
While Chapter 78 increased the average healthcare contributions required of public employees based upon a sliding percentage of the cost of coverage, if Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon’s proposal is implemented, public workers can expect to pay higher out-of-pocket costs toward coverage provided under a lower-level plan. In exchange, the Assemblyman’s plan provides for a constitutional…
Moody’s Comments on Various NJ Pension Issues
As reported by NJ.com, Moody’s Investors Service again sent up a warning flare that a possible New Jersey Supreme Court ruling striking down cuts to public retirees’ pension benefits would soak the struggling retirement system with new pension liabilities. But in its latest report released on the “extraordinary decisions and challenges” the Garden State…