Assembly Republicans Caroline Casagrande, Nancy Muñoz, Donna Simon and Declan O’Scanlon, who sponsor legislation to end the practice of paying public employees for unused sick time, were pleased that Governor Christie remains committed to providing this vital property tax relief that has been blocked by some Trenton politicians.

“We have capped property taxes and saved billions by reforming public employee benefits. It’s time to finish the job and save property taxpayers from giving big checks to retiring public employees,” Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, R-Monmouth, said. “Anyone who is serious about winning the war against sky-high property taxes should embrace this common sense reform.”

Governor Christie repeated his call for sick pay reform during yesterday’s budget address as part of the items needed to further improve New Jersey’s fiscal health.

“The historic bipartisan reforms we supported resulted in the slowest growth of property taxes in 24 years, after a decade of crushing increases,” Assemblywoman Nancy F. Muñoz, R-Union, Somerset and Morris, said. “We can do even better for property taxpayers by enacting a sensible law that requires the use of sick days for what they were intended.”

Assembly Bill 2495, sponsored by 23 Assembly Republicans, would prohibit payments to public employees for unused sick leave. The legislation would also prohibit sick leave for those who have been indicted and require medical documentation for absences of six or more consecutive days.

“Bringing governments’ workplace policies in line with those in the private sector should be a no-brainer,” Assemblywoman Donna Simon, R-Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer and Middlesex, said. “In the public sector, the taxpayer is the boss and we can improve the bottom line for both property taxpayers and our state’s finances with this logical reform.”

A few recent examples have highlighted how much money unused sick time costs property taxpayers:

• $2.2 million to 15 retiring Atlantic City employees this month
• $306,000 amount former West New York mayoral aide claims she’s owed
• $150,000 to Hackensack Police Chief

“Governor Christie has proposed a budget with the highest level of school aid and largest debt payment in state history, while we have achieved the smallest property tax growth in state history,” Assembly Republican Budget Officer Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, said. “Governments throughout New Jersey could deliver even more for taxpayers if Democrats in the Legislature agreed to work with us to eliminate these grotesque payments that have no practical purpose other than personal profit.”