PANEL ENDORSES REFORM AIMED AT ENDING PUBLIC PENSIONS FOR PART-TIMERS AND POLITICAL APPOINTEES

COMMON SENSE PENSION REFORM SPONSORED BY 12TH DISTRICT LEGISLATORS BACKED BY STATE HEALTH BENEFITS REVIEW COMMISSION

    The State Health Benefits Review Commission recommended two pieces of legislation for approval that would end the practice of giving publicly-funded pensions to part-time employees and appointees to county tax boards.

    "This is one step toward restoring sanity for taxpayers who cannot afford to pay overly generous benefits to part-time employee as a reward for being politically-connected, " said Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, who sponsors A-3959, a bill that would require members of the state pension system to be full-time employees.

    "This was the top recommendation by a special legislative property tax panel in 2006 before Governor Corzine told New Jersey he would handle pension reform," Casagrande continued. "Since then, New Jersey's property taxes continue to top the nation and our pension liability has nearly doubled to $34.4 billion. Democratic legislative leaders have stalled this legislation, but now there really is no more excuse why this should not be approved immediately to relieve our overtaxed residents."

    Casagrande testified before the panel today on her measure along with another, A-4127/S-2915, which is also sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Beck and Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, all R-Monmouth and Mercer, that would no longer grant pensions or health benefits to appointed members of county boards of taxation.

    O'Scanlon noted that the Legislature increased membership of all 21 county tax boards by two members in 2005, but did nothing to rescind that law even after it was clear the expansion was an unnecessary expense that only grew the number of positions available for political appointments.

    "Here is yet another example of why taxes have become an epidemic in New Jersey," O'Scanlon said. "Instead of acting on behalf of taxpayers, so-called leaders such as Governor Corzine and his allies in the Legislature care more about rewarding their faithful. This approach has driven people from their homes and businesses from our neighborhood as private-sector jobs disappear and taxes and publicly-funded jobs increase."

      This measure, which was estimated to save the state $1.5 million annually, was also endorsed by the panel.

    "While tax board members perform an important service in providing residents a place to appeal improper assessments, we can no longer afford to pay them overly-generous benefits on top of the stipend they receive," Beck said. "This is a drop in the bucket of the $8 billion deficit facing our state, but we must start somewhere."

    Copies of the letters sent by the 12th District Legislators to the Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission in support of A-3959 and A-4127/S-2915 are attached.