As reported by NJ.com, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to send Governor Chris Christie a bill that will require the State to make quarterly payments to New Jersey’s ailing public worker system. The proposal, which cleared the Senate by a 35-0 vote and the Assembly 72-0, is a reworked version of similar legislation Christie twice vetoed.
Stephen Sweeney
State Pension Guarantee Dead For November Ballot
As reported by NJ.com, Senate President Stephen Sweeney rejected calling for a crucial vote Monday on a referendum asking voters to constitutionally guarantee state payments into the government worker pension fund, killing its chances of appearing on the November ballot and disappointing public labor unions. The likelihood that Sweeney, once the prime champion of…
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…
NJ Lawmakers Clash Over Forcing Bigger Pension Payments
As reported by NJ.com, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and labor leaders defended Sweeney’s proposal to constitutionally enforce payments into the public pension system against arguments it’s a gift to special interests that will shackle New Jersey’s finances. The scrap between Sweeney and labor leaders versus Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. and business…
Sweeney Plan To Bypass Christie On NJ Public Worker Pensions Clears First Hurdle
As reported by NJ.com, a key State Senate Committee approved legislation to ask voters to revise the New Jersey Constitution to require the State to ratchet up contributions to the public pension system. The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee cleared the resolution along party lines, with Republicans’ opposition rooted in protecting taxpayers from severe…
Legislation Introduced To Cement Promises To Fund Pension Systems
As reported by NJ.com, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney introduced legislation that would cement state officials’ promises to fund government workers’ pensions in the New Jersey constitution. Such a constitutional amendment requiring the State to make payments into the public retirement fund was expected to be the next step after the State Supreme Court…
Sweeney Wants Federal Loan Program To Rescue Public Worker Pensions
As reported by NJ.com, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney said the answer to New Jersey’s rising public employee pension debt lies in creating a trillion dollar federal loan program that will help states avoid insolvency, spare millions of government workers from economic devastation and take the pressure off state budgets. The government aid program…
Sweeney Pushing Legislation for Shared-Services Agreements
As reported by app.com, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney said he will push for a law aimed at moving the State’s 566 municipalities into shared-service agreements. Sweeney said he would introduce the legislation this week.
The bill is expected to revive the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission (“LUARC”), created some four years …
Unions Say Bill on Healthcare Contributions Would Hurt Collective Bargaining Power
As reported by nj.com, leaders of New Jersey’s public workers unions said they will launch a full court press against a bill sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney that would force public employees to pay more for their health care benefits. The unions have called the bill an attempt to throw out collective …